SpeakING Topics

“Redeemer: Stepping into God’s Lovingkindness”

The story of Ruth is usually viewed through a Hallmark-tinted lens: girl suffers hardship, girl overcomes hardship, boy meets girl, they fall in love, and then everyone lives happily ever after. Dorina invites us to view the book of Ruth through a different lens—one that helps us recognize how this story proclaims God’s heart for the vulnerable, including widows, orphans, immigrants, refugees, and the poor. As Ruth’s story unfolds, we discover that God is the main character and that he is the true Redeemer, for Ruth and for us today.

“When God Seems Silent: The Hidden Hand of God in Esther”

Do you believe in providence? Join Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young for this teaching from the book of Esther on how God's hidden hand is evidenced in Esther's circumstances, Mordecai's life and for the Jews. Through Esther, we are all called to reckon with our beliefs and response to injustice, suffering and grief. Dorina invites us you to take inventory of the handiwork of God on our lives.

“Breathing Through Grief: How to Navigate Grief and Loss”

All of us have experienced grief and loss in different ways in the last few years. Whether a loved one has died, your health has been challenged, your family has lost a sense of community, or you’ve moved churches or cities, all of these come with a sense of loss. In this workshop, we will talk about how Jesus always made space for grief, offer a Biblical framework for lament, and talk through some suggestions for how to navigate grief in healthy ways. This talk can be shaped for a variety of audiences, including women, mothers, youth, and leaders who are navigating grief.

“Chasing Rest: Why God's Invitation Is Better Than Burnout”

When people ask how we are doing, a common response is “busy.” We wear our busyness like a badge of honor. Somehow we have convinced ourselves that rest is wasteful and there’s not time for it. In this message, Dorina invites her audience into a Biblical framework for rest designed by God as a gift. We are not granted rest because of our own merit or accomplishments. God gives us rest as an invitation into His Presence. This talk is designed to encourage weary mamas, stressed-out leaders, and people from all walks of life who want to explore different types of rest.

“Create in Me a Heart of Mercy”

In our divisive and unforgiving world, we need mercy more than ever. When we extend grace toward one another despite faults, mistakes, and differences of opinion, we model the kind of long suffering patience and love that God shows toward us. But how do you cultivate a merciful heart in the midst of a culture where everyone seems quick to judge and slow to forgive? Dorina walks listeners through the Biblical value of mercy and how we might offer it to others in difficult situations and relationships.

“Flourishing Together: Cultivating a Fruitful Life in Community”

Are you tired of feeling like you are just surviving? Do you long to flourish? In this talk, Dorina shares about the process of flourishing described in the Bible and how each one of us was designed by God to flourish in mind, body, and soul. We have the opportunity to live a fruitful life and help others flourish in their talents and gifts as well. This talk covers seasons of cultivating, pruning, growing, and blooming.