St Louis, MO
March 25-27, 2022
Ignite Women's Conference
Union Station Hotel
Join The Smart Stepmom Laura Petherbridge along with speakers Heidi Farrell and Janet Newberry, and special guests Dr. Kathy Koch and Ginger Hubbard as they celebrate stepmoms and dive into a day of encouragement! This event is available as a single event ticket, or can be bundled with our full weekend conference.
Our Stepmom Panel
Smart and Satisfied Event Schedule
Laura Petherbridge
Author, Speaker
Laura Petherbridge serves couples and single adults with topics on spiritual growth, relationships, stepfamilies, co-parenting, single parenting, divorce prevention, and divorce recovery.
She is an international speaker and author of four books including, When “I Do” Becomes “I Don’t”—Practical Steps for Healing During Separation and Divorce, and The Smart Stepmom, co-authored with stepfamily expert Ron Deal and endorsed by Gary Chapman (Five Love Languages), 101Tips for The Smart Stepmom—Expert Advice from One Stepmom to Another and Quiet Moments for the Stepmom Soul-a devotional.
Laura has spoken at the Billy Graham Training Center, and for Lifeway, Family Life, Hearts at Home, and Iron Sharpens Iron conferences.
Heidi Farrell
Life Coach, Speaker
Heidi Farrell (Not Just a Stepmom) is a stepmom of two young adults and mom of three children, whose ages range from 23 down to 5 five years old. She and her husband, Tim, have been married eleven years and during that time they have seen the full range of child development in their house, often all at once! As a life coach and workshop speaker for moms and stepmoms, Heidi loves connecting with women by encouraging them on their parenting journey and in their spiritual walk. She writes about her experiences and lessons learned as a stepmom, and provides practical strategies on her website. Her articles have been published on such websites as Her View From Home, Love What Matters, and Today Parents. A classically-trained musician, Heidi enjoys playing in the local symphony orchestra and teaching private lessons, and she also homeschools her three younger children. You can find her eBook about the joys and complications of adding an ours baby to a stepfamily on her website notjustastepmom.com
Janet Newberry
Speaker
Janet Newberry is a stepmom to three adult daughters (31, 39, and 41) and a mom to a daughter (37) and a son (33.) Janet and her husband Doug have been married for 10 years and thoroughly enjoy nine grandchildren (ages 1-16.) Janet and Doug launched the Love Is Fearless podcast in 2017, offering Biblical inspiration and practical next steps for living free from fear and embracing a lifestyle of love. Janet is the founder of John 15 Academy, a co-learning online community that teaches homeschool families the transformational power of fearless learning. Her book, “Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning” has helped families and step-families embrace the hope of their identity in Christ and cherish meaningful relationships, even in difficult times. Janet and Doug traveled for 3 years in an Airstream named Freedom, sharing conversations “At The Table With America” with families across the country. They’re both incurable baseball fans who also love hiking, reading, traveling.
Ginger Hubbard, bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Count to Three, Wise Words for Moms, and I Can’t Believe You Just Said That, speaks at women’s events, parenting conferences and home school conventions across the country, and co-hosts the Parenting with Ginger Hubbard Podcast.
Ginger is transparent and captivating as she shares empowering truths from God’s Word. She has a special talent for delivering personal and often humorous stories and then tying in wisdom well beyond her years. Engaging every audience with charisma and warmth, Ginger’s unforgettable and life changing messages enlighten and inspire women from coast to coast.
Jesus saved and southern raised, Ginger enjoys reading, writing and spending time on Lake Martin with her husband. Ginger is a veteran homeschooling mother of two children and stepmom to two stepsons. She and her husband, Ronnie, reside in Opelika, AL, where they enjoy working together from home.
Ginger Hubbard
Author, Speaker
1:15pm: Session 4
“Stepping Back without Stepping Out”
A stepparent can get into hot water when she tries to parent more than the parents. It’s a common and tempting mistake. Laura shares how and why a stepmom must step back from parenting the stepkids more than Dad, even if they live with you full time. Find freedom from being viewed as the demanding, dictatorial, wicked boss. Setting stepfamily boundaries is not vindictive, spiteful, neglectful, or heartless. It’s learning how to stop interfering, and sabotaging, dad’s responsibility to parent his own children.
2:30pm: Session 5
“The Former Spouse and how to coexist.”
Did you know that Abraham’s 2 wives didn’t get along—at ALL? Does it make you feel better? It should. Stepmoms know it’s complicated. What we don’t understand is where we fit in, and how to relate to the mother of our stepkids. Learning to prepare for tense situations, lower expectations, and breathe, can help. Learning what NOT to say to our spouse is also helpful. Stepmom come and learn how to conquer the common emotions associated with coparenting. You can learn how to defeat the negative emotions that create a battleground.
3:30pm: Panel Discussion
5:30pm: SATISFIED - Ignite Women’s Conference check-in begins
8:30am: Registration
9:00am: Opening Session
“I Didn’t Know—What I Didn’t Know: Victory over the Ambush”
Stepmom, are there days when you ask yourself, “What was I thinking?” Do you feel yourself getting lost in thoughts of anger, resentment, shame, or fear? Join Laura for this encouraging session on how to keep stepmom complexities from confiscating your life and draining your joy. She answers the 4 most popular questions stepmoms ask.
10:00am: Session 2
“Why Don’t My Stepkids Like Me?”
Stepfamily complexities can feel overwhelming. And often the stepmom is the target for the kids (young or old) anger, disrespect, rejection, and fear. This session shares how to discover the mind of Christ and live above the arrows aimed at your tender heart. It includes how to speak with your spouse about this delicate issue without belittling his kids.
11:00am: Break
11:15am: Session 3 with Dr. Kathy
“Why Do the Kids Act That Way?”
12:15pm: Lunch