Fee Range: $500-1000
Location: Washington
Book Jeanne Zornes.
When Jeanne speaks, expect reverence for God’s Word that reflects her ministry motto, “Encouraged by God, encouraging others.” Her passion for the ministry of encouragement connects with her desire to see people grow spiritually through life’s rugged places.
Lessons of trust and compassion intersected her life when she left her first newspaper job for short-term mission service, and soon after both her parents died within six months of each other. Three years later, when she was 34, God brought marriage into her life. As a young mother, she learned more of God’s grace in her role as a “sandwich woman,” raising her family while caring for aging relatives. God’s healing power became more real when her family survived being hit by a drinking driver. Determined to redeem that experience, she became a volunteer speaker for rehab/education sessions required of convicted offenders. Her long background in Christian publishing also enriches her inspirational messages.
Jeanne strives for a balance of Biblical authority, memorable illustrations, and practical counsel in speeches delivered with transparency and tasteful humor. Many are already acquainted with her extensive writing ministry. She’s been published in dozens of magazines, such as Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, and Home Life. She’s also contributed to more than two dozen anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, Kisses of Sunshine, and God Allows U Turns. Her own books include:
When I Prayed for Patience, God Let Me Have It! A fun, positive book about an often maligned aspect of Christian growth. “An enlightening and encouraging volume for all of us who are pursuing eternity-yet have to run the race to get there.”-Christian Retailing.
When I Got on the Highway to Heaven, I Didn’t Expect Rocky Roads. Modern-day overcomers flesh out the lessons from the Exodus about trusting God. “Addresses the most common pitfalls and obstacles that hinder our faith and trust in God.” -author-speaker Kathy Collard Miller
When I Felt Like Ragweed, God Saw a Rose. Discover how you can put to practice the eight aspects of the ministry of encouragement. “I recommend this for every Christian.”-evangelist Luis Palau
Spiritual Spandex for the Outstretched Soul. Learn to stretch for God with your time, attitudes, and resources. “With hilarious and touching illustrations, Jeanne helps us see ourselves.”-author-speaker Carol Kent
Jeanne holds a master’s degree in communications (with highest honors) from Wheaton Graduate School and a certificate in Bible from Multnomah Bible College. She earned her B.A. in education at Western Washington University. She’s worked on the staffs of Moody Magazine, Multnomah Press, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and newspapers.
Her own seven books include these four with personal or group study questions:
When I Prayed for Patience: God Let Me Have It! A positive book about the growing pains and blessings of learning patience with our circumstances, with others, and toward God.
When I Got on the Highway to Heaven, I Didn’t Expect Rocky Roads: Lessons from the Exodus applied to today’s challenges, with stories of people who overcame great disappointments and hardships with God’s grace. Recommended by Bible Study Fellowship.
When I Felt Like Ragweed, God Saw a Rose: Jeanne’s “passion book” on the ministry of encouragement, highlighting the eight ways to become an encourager.
Spiritual Spandex for the Out-stretched Soul: Biblical, motivating, witty encouragement for the people, attitudes, and problems that stretch us.
Topics include:
(Each presentation about 45 minutes)
The Power of Encouragement
The world is crying out for spiritual cheerleaders-for people committed to blessing others through the ministry of encouragement. Find out how to do it, and how you get blessed in return.
“The Encouragers Traits” revisits the godly character of Barnabas, the Bible’s “son of encouragement.”
“The Encourager’s Tools” describes the verbal, practical and emotional ministries of encouragers.
“The Encourager’s Training” shows how God turns our negatives into His positives.
Patience in a Right-Now World
You can’t hurry up a garden, and neither can you hurry up the virtue of patience. This package offers some slow-down lessons for producing fruit.
“Hot House Faith” links patience with circumstances.
“Veggie Tales Revisited” looks at troublesome people.
“Weed-Pulling Time” offers God’s perspective on patience-builders.
Strategies for Stress
Fear and overcommitment loom as some of the greatest negatives of our post 9/11 world. Jeanne will lead you through Psalm 46 for God’s answers to our stresses.
“Help! I Live on a Volcano!” tackles our biggest fears head-on.
“What’s Your Security Blanket?” leads us to finding our confidence in God.
“Hurryin’ and Humble Pie” teaches about submitting to God’s schedule.
The Power of Knee Mail
Return to the heart of prayer with practical and inspiring teaching that encourages intimacy with God.
“Hope from Hannah” examines what pleased God from the four prayers of this once barren Old Testament saint.
“Prayer-booking” helps revitalize prayer lives through simple notebook tools.
“The Path Up Prayer Mountain” encourages persevering prayer through the example of Elijah’s servant.
For singles:
What are your group’s needs? Jeanne can adapt single presentations on any of her retreat topics. Among her favorite speaking areas: Patience, encouragement, discovering God’s will, mentoring, gratitude, prayer, spiritual growth.
Writing workshops:
Need a speaker about writing? In addition to her extensive writing credits, Jeanne has taught writing by correspondence, at college, and at writer’s conferences. Her workshops:
“The Writer’s Starter Kit”–8-hour teaching track covers creativity, fiction and non-fiction fundamentals, and the business of writing.
One-hour workshops:
Big Writing in Tiny Corners”–Organizing for success in a small home office.
“Recycled Words: The Profit Secret”–Getting more mileage with reprints.
“Professor Writer: Bucks for What You Know”–How a writer can turn teacher.
“Sweet, Short, Salable”–Finding success in the short fiction market.
“Great Head Starts: Terrific Titles”–Writing the just-right title.
“Starting with the Bones”–Non-fiction made easy with structure diagrams.
“Laughing Your Way to Acceptance”–Tips on adding humor to your writing.
“Editing and Living to Tell About It”–Help for the 13 deadly writing sins.
“The DEVO Secret of Devotionals”–A simple acronym with big potential.
“Bylines in Your Backyard”–Finding opportunities with as-told-to’s.
“Ten Commandments of Dialogue”–Avoiding the amateur’s dialogue errors.