We’re continuing the great events sponsored by Judy Douglass for the past several U.S. Staff Conferences. This year, we’re offering Tell a Better Story 22 on July 19th at Cru 22.

Tell a Better Story 22

Our purpose for this writers’ meetup event is to support and encourage our staff to tell their stories. From prayer letters, to podcasting, to publishing, Cru staff are sharing their stories.

At Tell a Better Story 22, we will:

• hear encouragement from Judy and be able to talk with her,
• glean advice from staff who’ve published, or done podcasting or scriptwriting (and more),
• visit with a representative from Why Your Story Matters.

Judy Douglass

Judy loves to share her heart with staff. We know you’ll be encouraged. She will give a welcome talk and then will be available for staff to talk with her.

Table Hosts

Judy will introduce you to our table hosts. (I’ll write more about them in my next post on eQuipping for eMinistry.)

• Judy Douglass
• Linda Willen from Why Your Story Matters
• Brent Larson
• Debby Thompson
• Judy Starr
• Nancy Beverly
• Tammy McLeod
• Zack Russell

In addition to our table hosts, we encourage you to mingle with others. We’re all gathered to learn about the best way to tell our stories to God’s glory. During our meetup, you’ll make new connections and learn what other staff are doing to share their stories.

Giveaway and Discounted Writers’ Course

We’ll have a representative from the writers’ course, Why Your Story Matters at our meetup. Linda Willen will join us from Indianapolis to answer your questions and help you sign up for Leslie Leyland Fields’ online course.

Two years ago, about 80 of us enjoyed several days of teaching from Leslie. She taught at our Lake Hart headquarters from her newest book, Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing and Living the Truth of Your Life. (Navpress, 2020)

Since then, she has developed Why Your Story Matters and How to Tell It. Through the course, Leslie has led thousands of people around the world in writing and discovering their remarkable stories. All of us from the January 2020 conference highly recommend Leslie as a writing instructor.

Cru staff, Patti Culver (Faculty Commons), has this to say about the course, Why Your Story Matters (WYSM):

“With 42 years of service with Cru, we possess an ocean of stories! My full heart needed a voice and WYSM taught me how to express these stories. I’ve learned to go beyond reporting to enabling the reader to engage in the stories, connecting their heart with the Author of all stories. (Our monthly newsletters and my writing/editing work with Cru now have a different perspective!)”

Leslie’s vision is to train people in story-making so they can go out and lead Why Your Story Matters groups wherever people need to be loved, healed, and drawn into community.

Some Cru men and women are part of the WYSM community already. If you work through the course and love it, and want to lead others, you would have free access to using the videos for teaching. Two Cru staff in Moldova, Tanya Onyu and Svetlana Chicu, use the book and materials in their own ministry to women.

Of course, you are not required to teach her course to others.

Giveaway

We’re offering one free enrollment to Why Your Story Matters as a giveaway at Tell a Better Story 22. (We will do this near the beginning of our time together.)

Discount

The WYSM’s course does not expire.

What you’ll receive:

• Access to 30 self-paced videos.
• Ongoing live weekly classes.
• Membership in a private online community.

Again, if you decide to lead others, you have free access to use the videos for teaching. If your disciples are interested in the course bundle, Leslie is unable to offer her Cru discount to non-Cru people. However, she will extend a half-price discount to those attending your training. Contact her for information on the half-price discount at leslieleylandfields@gmail.com.

See the NOTES for information about the Cru staff discount and code.

Mark Your Calendar

We will be in Wisconsin Center Room 103 A and B Tuesday, July 19^th 3:45 to 5:00 PM. You’re free to come and go.

Here is Tell a Better Story 22 for you to follow on Workplace. Let us know you’re coming!

NOTES:

• Leslie is offering a deep discount to Cru staff for her online course, “Why Your Story Matters and How to Tell It.” Because it is specific to Cru, we will share the code at Cru22. I will also share that discount through MailChimp and Workplace. If needed, contact me at sus.schmitt at Cru after Cru22.
• I wish I could be with you at Cru22. I recently was in the hospital twice to control my heart rhythm. Mike and I did not want to travel at this time to be sure my heart is under control.
• The collage photo shows different writers’ events over the years. See eQuipping for eMinistry photo albums with more pictures from previous writers events.