Second Grateful Girl Gathering to feature speakers, DIY sessions

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The breakout DIY sessions are a popular part of the Grateful Girl Gathering.

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The Grateful Girl Gathering Christian Women’s Conference returns to the Cross Street Commerce Center on Aug. 27 to encourage women with speakers, worship music, DIY sessions and a time to connect.

During its first year in 2021, women from Western North Carolina and other states attended.

“The planning team for the Grateful Girl Gathering is made up of women from different area churches and are of different ages and stages in life,” said team member Patti Jensen. “We hope that women make plans to attend this year to hear the speakers, experience the worship and enjoy the fun activities allowing them to connect with other women from our area.”

The conference welcomes three Christian speakers this year.

Jill Dasher returns after speaking last year. At the last conference, she discussed her new book.

Dasher returns after the launch of her new book “Shallow” to share about overcoming the need for approval from others, perfectionism and the longing to be free of the burden of pretending.

Dasher is a blogger, author and Christian speaker who is passionate about sharing the freedom that exists when you refuse to live in hiding and submit to your fears and flaws.

Jill and her husband Zach are partners with Willie and Korie Robertson in Tread Lively, a fully integrated production company focused on film, TV, podcasting and digital platforms. She lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Candice Coffey, founder of Christian cosmetics company Everbe Cosmetics, will also speak.

Coffey, a former elementary school teacher and mom of two daughters, founded Everbe. Coffey was shown in a dream a makeup counter where she picked up a black and gold tube of lipstick with the “Psalm 34” inscribed on it.

She read the passage the next morning. It describes how one’s appearance changes when they focus on God and give him praise.

Coffey said she felt the Lord calling her to disrupt the messages of popular culture cosmetics and develop a line of makeup to remind women who they are called to be. Coffey will share her story of God’s calling in her life and how listening to God’s call can lead you to unexpected places.

Betsy Bolick, author of “Small Enough Ministries”, rounds out the list of speakers. She’s a Christian speaker and is the founder and director of Small Enough Ministries.

Bolick is passionate about reaching women with the gospel. She lives in the mountains of North Carolina and is the collegiate minister at Perkinsville Baptist Church.

She has a degree in religion with a specialization in women’s ministry from Liberty University and a master’s in church leadership and ethics from John Brown University. She is currently enrolled at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in the master of arts in Christian counseling program.

The conference will also feature a trio of DIY sessions presented by leaders in their field.

Katelyn Brewer will lead a session on creating simple modern calligraphy and how to give it a unique style. Brewer was born in Burnsville and moved back to the area in 2020 after her husband left the military. She lives in Spruce Pine with her husband and two daughters.
The Quill and Honey owner Kendall Chandler will help attendees create a perfume roller using many of the essential oils mentioned in Old Testament scriptures and learn about each oil.

“Each woman will walk away with a beautiful, fragrant perfume oil that will serve as the perfect reminder of this wonderful conference,” she said.

Chandler was born and raised in Candler and grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“My parents and large extended family instilled a love in me for mountain heritage, mountain music, loving your neighbor and most importantly, loving Jesus,” Chandler said.

Loretta Ball, owner of The Neverending Flower Farm, will lead a session on creating flower arrangements. Attendees will take home their arrangements in a vintage teacup.

The Neverending Flower Farm is owned by Loretta and her family in the Big Ivy Community of Barnardsville. It offers you-pick flower opportunities, wedding floral design, preserved wedding bouquets and micro-weddings and elopements on the farm.

Loretta is married to her husband Kurt and they have two sons, Quinn and Ledger.

“The Lord is blessing our business and family and I am forever grateful,” Ball said.

Lunch is included and singer Maria Anglin will have a special program. She was part of the worship team last year.

Maria and her husband Ryan pastor The Bridge Church in Spruce Pine.

The conference also has a boutique area with pop-up shops from area businesses.

A list of conference sponsors is on the conference website and the Grateful Girl Gathering Facebook page.

Churches are encouraged to bring their women’s groups. There is a new group registration process this year that makes it easier. Group leaders can choose group tickets on the ticket registration page to begin a group registration. Gift tickets are also available.

Tickets and info are at gratefulgirlgathering.com. For updates and notices, sign up for the conference newsletter on the website. Follow the conference on Facebook and Instagram at @agratefulgirlgathering.