Women of Hope Weekend

Jeri Blackwell, Davisville, WV, has been a faithful HHI Walk4Water coordinator for 12 years, a full time employee, wife to preacher man, Jason, and mom to 4 boys: Jadon (16), Jake (14), Judah (14), and Jase (7).

Debb Houston is dedicated to “Revolutionizing the Inner Woman to Move Beyond the Pain of Her Past and Embrace Her Power & Purpose!” Through her work as an author and speaker, she empowers women worldwide to embrace their true selves and fulfill their potential. Raised in the Philadelphia ghetto, Debb’s story inspires others to realize their inner strength and achieve excellence.

She is a sought-after motivational speaker and works as a Resource Planning Manager with the San Antonio Independent School District. Debb has a background in fashion, including national modeling and appearances at New York Fashion Week. Although she models less frequently now, her primary passion is empowering women to rediscover their best selves.

Debb has authored several impactful books, including “Father Knows Best,” “Celebrate U: The Phenomenality of U,” “STYLE On The INSIDE,” and the “LIVE LIFE Mastermind Series.” Her books, used as study guides and workshop themes, continue to inspire readers.

She leads the Dellcrest Church of Christ Women’s Ministry, speaks at various events, and hosts the podcast “A Dose Of Debb,” which offers practical advice and empowerment. Recently, she became a Certified Life Coach, guiding women through her “LIVE LIFE Mastermind Coaching Series,” which includes specialized programs like “FMWO (For Minister’s Wives Only)” and “The P3: Priceless ~ Powerful ~ Purposed.”

Debb is married to Jerry G. Houston, minister of Dellcrest Church of Christ, and they have two daughters. They reside in the South.

Ann Voskamp is the wife of a farmer, mama to seven, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way, The Greatest Gift, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift, and the sixty-week New York Times bestseller One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has been translated into more than twenty languages and her latest book is Waymaker: Finding the Way to the Life You’ve Always Dreamed of.

Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, Ann is a passionate advocate for the marginalized and oppressed around the globe, partnering with Mercy House Global, Compassion International, and artisans around the world through her fair trade community, Grace Crafted Home. She and her husband took a leap of faith to restore a 125-year-old stone church into The Village Table, a place where everyone has a seat and belongs. Facebook, Threads, Instagram: @AnnVoskamp and AnnVoskamp.com

Laura Jenkins, has served as a counselor at Mount Juliet church of Christ since 2010. She and her husband Philip have two children, Lucas (age 11) and Holley (age 10). Laura completed her Bachelor of Science at Freed-Hardeman University in 2006 and received her Master of Social Work from the University of Tennessee in 2010. She has authored three books, Thought Garden, Thought Garden: Teen Edition, and Thought Garden: Children’s Edition.

JL Gerhardt is the author of five books including Look to Love and Prayer In Practice, two Bible studies (Philippians & Nehemiah), and the bi-weekly email essay The Goodness. She teaches how to read the Bible to fall in love with God via her podcast, Look to Love.

Gerhardt and her husband Justin (creator of the popular podcast Holy Ghost Stories) lead The Storied Family, a parenting workshop to help families discover their identity and purpose in the context of God’s story. They homeschool their two teenage daughters.

JL has an MA from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She’s a former college English instructor, newspaper journalist, and storytelling minister.

Joy has been making people laugh since she was too young to remember. She has a unique way of taking stories from everyday life and turning them into hilarious adventure.

Joy has been “finding the funny” in life and entertaining audiences across the country and her clean humor style is down to earth and allows her to connect with any age that wants to laugh.

Joy and her husband Jeff live in Acworth, GA. There is much more to tell but she will make sure you know her before you leave. Strap in it is going to be a fun ride!