Join Us for the 2022 Ladies' Refresher:
Girls With Swords
May 6th and 7th
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Friday Night Speaker
Amy Duncan
Amy Duncan was born in Chesterfield, Virginia and attended Liberty University where she studied journalism. She married her husband Nathan right after graduating. They now have 4 beautiful children. Nathan runs a local battery store. Amy homeschools their children. They are licensed foster parents with hearts for adoption. Amy's greatest delight is in studying God's Word; recognizing that it's there that the Lord's glorious character is unveiled to us verse by verse. What an honor, what a gift it is to know Him and to make Him known. Praise His name!
SATURDAY SPEAKERS
Jennifer Stocks
Jennifer is a single mother to three wonderfully bright children, Madison, Kaitlyn and Ethan. She is a caregiver and a faithful member of the Taylorsville Church of God where the Lord has blessed her allowing her to serve as choir director, praise and worship leader. a mentor, and children's church volunteer. Jennifer's heart's desire truly is to serve God and His people! For many years she struggled with alcohol and drug addictions, two failed marriages and countless abusive relationships. It wasn't until she hit rock bottom that she began to look up. What she believed would be a deadly end for her turned out to be a beautiful beginning. Where she could only see defeat, God gave her victory! Today Jennifer's life is the polar opposite of what it once was and it's all thanks to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is now a new creation in Him, the old has passed away and the new has come! Her story is truly a story all for His glory! Without His saving grace and redeeming love, she truly would not be here today and for that she is forever grateful.
BACK THIS YEAR!
Real Girl Talk
As women in our community feel alone, unworthy, unloved, broken, depressed, anxious, and disappointed, the Ladies' Refresher team wanted to offer a refuge for women of all ages through personal storytelling, deep conversations, and authentic friendships. Join Danna Rizoti as she sits down with a few of our faith-centered Ladies' Refresher friends for fun and powerful conversations about relevant issues all women talk about. See who Christ has called us to be as real women dealing with real issues serving a real God.
Cathy Blackburn Smith
Born and raised in Wilkes County, Cathy lives in Elkin, with Donnie, her beloved husband of almost 30 years. Cathy was not able to have biological children but has 5 great nieces and nephews whom she loves dearly and make her heart “sing”. She loves ministry and serving others. Her genuine love of people has also aided her in her sales career working one on one with clients for over 30 years at WKBC Radio station. Cathy has taught a junior high girls Sunday School class for almost 30 years. For the past 8 years she has led the ladies’ ministry at her local church where she is very involved. Cathy began speaking several years ago every time the Lord opened that door. She does it with fear and trembling knowing it is not her but Him! She is humbled and still in awe that God would speak through her. The greatest joy in her life to serve Him. Cathy and her husband have been through many difficult seasons. She has faced multiple trials, brokenness, cancer, sickness, heartache, abandonment, depression, and much more. If you don’t believe God hears us when we cry out, spend some time with her. You will hear story after story about direct answered prayer and the faithfulness of God. These experiences have given her a greater trust in knowing exactly who God is and has forever become a part of her spiritual DNA; a constant awareness that He is in complete control as she has released herself to His will, not hers. The Lord gave her Romans 8:28 many years ago as her life verse. In the many hard times she has gone back to the phrase, “ALL Things”, and knows that God is using them to mold her to be more like Him. It’s not about religion; it's about relationship! HE IS ENOUGH! Cathy’s life’s battle cry: Seek God in prayer; Know who we are in Christ; and Worship. Her goal in life is to hear her Heavenly Father say "Well done, good and faithful servant".
PANEL SPEAKERS
Erin Southwell
Erin Southwell is from Manistee, Michigan but has lived in Wilkesboro, NC for 8 years with her husband, a Wilkes County native, and their 3 children. Her family is in the process of adopting two Ukrainian children. She is a lawyer, photographer, and homeschooling mom, redeemed by the love of Jesus Christ.
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Molly Youngquist
Molly lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband of 11 years and 3 children. She is a writer and speaker, with a passion to use the refining fires she has walked through to empower others stuck in a similar place. Molly runs a publication and Facebook page called "Authentic Life” which aims to inspire others to gain freedom from their past and realize their true identity as sons and daughters of God.
Danna Rizoti
Danna was born and raised in Wilkes County, NC. She graduated from Appalachian State University. Definitely a county girl at heart, her favorite meal is her mama and daddy’s gravy, biscuits and country ham. She married her wonderful husband, Jeff, in 1994. Their son, Seth, attends college at UNC-Charlotte. Danna's greatest joy is being a wife and mother. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, working out, being outdoors (where she likes to spend time with the Lord the most), dancing, and being involved in various ministries. Her absolute favorite thing to do is laugh so hard that her belly hurts.
Jeanie Decker
Jeanie Decker resides in Hickory, North Carolina. She is married and has four adult children. Her heart is for Godly marriages and she has served in a leadership capacity for marriage ministries since 2013. She enjoys reading, painting, time with family, and the great outdoors.
Susan Sturgill
Susan Sturgill was born in Connecticut, grew up in Charleston, SC, but for the past 39 years has called Wilkesboro her home. She is married, has two grown and married children, and four beautiful grandchildren ranging in age from 6 to 15. She is the Executive Director of Wilkes Pregnancy Care Center where she has served in various roles since 1996. She is a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church where she teaches a Sunday School class that has been dubbed the "Soul Sisters" class.
