Speaking Engagements
Missa Est Speaking Engagements are available for groups of all kinds and (almost) all ages. Topics include Mission, Evangelization, Prayer, Discernment, and more. Please feel free to send a message via the Contact page with any questions.
Each talk lasts about one hour, with the exception of “A River in My Soul,” which lasts 90 minutes. A Q&A is included for each talk.
Talks are available in-person and online via teleconferencing with the exception of my Mission Stories, which are only available in-person.
If your group or organization would like to request a speaking engagement on a topic not listed here, please visit the Contact page to send a message with your request.
My Adventure with God - Mission Story (Children ages 5-13):
I tell the story of my overseas mission experience (a month in one country and two years in another) with a focus on going on an adventure with God and listening to the Holy Spirit who inspires and sustains us. Participants are invited to create a map of their own adventure (or dream) with God and explore how God inspires and sustains them along the way.
A River in My Soul - Mission Story + Discernment (Teens):
I tell the story of my overseas mission experience and how I discovered this calling even in the midst of difficulty and uncertainty. This talk focuses on discernment and the joy and peace that comes from stepping out in faith and saying Yes to God. I offer practical advice on the prayer of discernment and what steps to take in exploring a possible call to service away from home. Through my mission story, I share how God led me where I didn’t expect and how choosing to listen to him and serve others transformed my life.
Leave the Rest - Mission Story (Adults):
I tell the story of my overseas mission experience with a focus on evangelization. I could not speak about God in one of my mission countries and had to develop creative ways to share the Gospel. Embracing this challenge deepened my faith and changed the way I understand God, his love, and his mission in this world. In this talk, I share the story of my overseas mission journey from start to finish and dive deep into how stepping out of my comfort zone, choosing to trust God, and building relationships transformed my heart, my life, and the way I share the Gospel.
The Fruit of Your Prayer – Mother Teresa and Mission
Since I was a child, Mother Teresa has inspired me. As a young adult, I spent a month in India volunteering in one of her homes for children. I had no idea how much this trip would change my life and deepen my faith. In this talk, I offer a reflection on a handful of Mother Teresa’s most beloved sayings, how they came alive for me, and how I continue to learn from them.
You Will Be My Witnesses - Evangelization in Daily Life:
I share a reflection on what I have learned about sharing the Gospel (both in other cultures and in the States). I share my experience of discovering that building relationships and seeking to embody God’s love are the most powerful ways we have of telling others about who God is, no matter where we are. At the heart of this reflection, I share how Don Bosco’s way of evangelizing marginalized youth has shaped my understanding of what it means to share Christ with others.
Discernment - Listening Deeply to Grow in Intimacy with God
In this talk, I share my understanding of discernment - how it is not so much a quest for the perfect answer, but rather a journey to discover who is speaking and to respond with our whole hearts. Listeners will hear about where and how we listen for God’s voice, characteristics of God's voice, essential steps of discerning a decision, steps for a written prayer exercise for when discernment feels more challenging, common obstacles in discernment, and ways to cultivate good discernment as a lifelong practice.
White-Washed Tombs - A Spiritual Foundation for Responding to Abuse in Christian Communities:
Christian families and communities are not immune to abuse of any kind. In fact, a lack of awareness and education combined with false understandings of Biblical and Church teachings can allow systems of abuse to go on unnoticed or unaddressed in Christian communities. In this talk, I offer a Scripturally-based spiritual framework for understanding Christ’s response to abuse and how we can imitate him in promoting healing, truth, and compassion in our families and communities. By diving deep into Church teaching and the words and actions of Jesus, I seek to offer clarification on the true meaning of these teachings – teachings that, when distorted or misunderstood, can keep people trapped in cycles of abuse and isolation – but when rightly understood can lead people to hope, healing, and true freedom.
This reflection deals primarily with the spiritual aspect of understanding and responding to abuse. It is intended to help raise awareness of this issue and promote a deeper understanding of Christ’s words and actions and our call to imitate them. It in no way replaces safe environment or other required training and does not instruct listeners on how to recognize, report, or otherwise interact with the legal system regarding abuse.
Springs of Living Water - The Unexpected Face of Humility:
I offer a reflection on how caring for ourselves – body, mind, and spirit – is a way of humility, not vanity or selfishness. In this talk, I invite listeners to pause, take a deep breath, and discover how Christ not only invites us to care for ourselves in the midst of caring for others, but also how it is absolutely essential to our Christian witness. I share how this paradoxical way of living has helped me know come to Christ more deeply and be able to offer a more radical gift of self - in ministry, daily life, and in my vocation of marriage. I explore the truth and myths about pride and humility, selfishness and generosity, sacrifice, suffering, and our identity – especially as they relate to how we care for ourselves and bear witness to who we are and our worth in the eyes of God.
As I have Loved You - Responding Compassionately in the Face of Suffering:
Suffering often makes us uncomfortable, and we don’t always know how to respond. Too often, well-meaning comments can leave others feeling alone and isolated instead of encouraged and accompanied. In this talk, I share a little of my story and offer practical guidance for how we can bring the light of Christ into the darkness of suffering. I share what I have learned about responding compassionately to others’ suffering from working in healthcare and social services, serving the marginalized and disabled as a lay missioner, studying to become and serving as a Spiritual Director, and, perhaps most of all, in being the one who is suffering and in need of compassion.
Mission and Prayer:
For those preparing, currently serving, or returned from mission or service away from home. I offer a reflection on my experience as a missioner and a practical guide to cultivating a life-giving and sustainable prayer life in seasons of transition and in unfamiliar places.
