“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ― Charles William Eliot
Now that I am home from the 3 conferences and our wedding, I have all sorts of thoughts floating through my mind. This year at our mom heart conferences, women loved Sarah's talk on shaping a story-formed life and wanted more! So I am happy to announce that many of you who did not get to hear the talks will be able to hear her in person. She has had many requests, and so in the past few months, she has planned a conference to inspire, encourage and help parents know how to shape their children into heroes through capturing their imagination through stories. Perhaps some of you would like to hear Sarah speak on this on a live e-conference. Let us know what you think.
In light of this, I am thrilled that Sarah, my daughter, who wrote Read for the Heart, will be speaking at conferences all over the United States (and overseas when she is there) about capturing your child's heart and imagination, building excellent moral foundations, and deepening their own personal messages through stories and literature. As many of you know, she is an excellent speaker, profound in her thoughts and communication, and so you will be encouraged if you get to hear her at one of these conferences. (and of course you know that I am not biased! :))
The first one is coming up near Boston--so be sure to register now, so that you will receive a copy of her new book with registration--and tell your friends about it. (Please fb, tweet and email!)
And for those of you who do not live in this area, you can write her about your group, or go to her blog where she will be announcing future conferences. I hope many of you can come to this--or to our online conference--as I am taking your requests to heart!
You are cordially invited to...
The Storyformed Child Conference :: April 12, 2014 ::
Sterling, Massachusetts
From Sarah:
Hello friends, I am delighted to announce the very first Storyformed conference, the first event I am launching as part of my new venture at storyformed.com. For years now, I have wanted to hold a conference on the topic of story; its power, its spiritual significance, and how parents can bring and use it to deeply shape the lives of their children. This conference is the answer to that hope, a day long event in which I will deeply explore the power of great books, the need for beauty, and the vital importance of imagination in the life of a child. Speaking from my own experience as a child deeply formed by story, and my study of children's literature and imagination at Oxford, I hope to inspire you to a love for story, reveal its soul-forming power, and show you exactly how to create a story-formed home. Through carefully crafted talks, special workshop sessions, and a conference workbook designed to help parents plan for the story-formed life, I hope to leave you with a deep understanding of the power story has to shape, equip, and kindle heroism in the hearts of children.
My dear friend Stephanie is hosting this conference at a local church, and ensuring that it will be a delightful first event. A lovely lunch will be catered (you have three choices at registration), and resources will be available at the conference. My goal is to make this a day to nourish your soul, kindle your own imagination, and immerse you in the beauty of great books.
But register soon! Register by March 8th to receive the limited, special offer of a copy of my new book as part of your registration!
Caught Up In A Story: Fostering a Storyformed Life of Great Books and Imagination With Your Children is my soon-to-be-published book exploring the power of story and helping parents know how to use that power to shape the hearts of their children. Complete with booklists and short reviews, personal stories, and ideas for bringing literature into the home, this book will companion and encourage parents ready to live the storyformed life with their children. The book will be available at the conference, but early registrants will receive a copy free with their registration.
You can go directly to The Storyformed Child conference website, or click here to register. The website offers an abundance of answers to any questions you might have about the particulars of the event.
I am delighted beyond words to have the opportunity to finally give a full conference on a topic so dear to my heart. I hope this will be the first of many, but I invite you to take part in this very special first event.