These are topics especially written for guest authors that are present in the chat room during a session. Similar chats can be found in the regular curriculum that have been modified to work without the authors present.

* Dawn Hall: Triumph over Tragedy
* Susan Miller: Bloom Where You Are Planted (NOTE: two different blurbs, once for CWT, one for WTM)
* Martha Marks: Amazing Things About God
* Julie Stobbe: Choosing Life: The Road to Adoption
* Lynette Hoy: Making it Through the Menopause Season
* Dr. Burke: Healing the Hurts of the Past
* Dr. Burke: Healing the Hurts of Your Past: The Place of Forgiveness

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Triumph Over Tragedy

How do you handle the unexpected turns that life takes? We all have dreams of what we think life will be like, and then we are faced with challenges we never expected to walk through. Tonight’s guest is Dawn Hall, mother, chef, author and TV personality. Please join us as she shares the story of her family’s journey of faith as God has led her through tragedy to triumph.

* What motivated you to write cookbooks, Dawn?
* Facing challenges are a reality in life but Dawn, you have walked through some very trying times, do you want to share with us how your faith has grown through this?
* When facing life’s challenges, how does one deal with anger properly?
* Dawn, what insight can you give to those who may be going through hardships like cancer?
* Dawn, you also faced loss through a house fire, how did you cope with this?
* How did you receive spiritual refreshment during your difficult times?
* How does one look at life in a positive way when walking through dark times?
* How did you change your eating habits once your husband was diagnosed with cancer?
* How has your faith in Christ influenced your books and your cooking?

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Bloom Where You Are Planted

Related Article: After the Boxes are Unpacked http://christianwomentoday.com/home/moving_boxes.html

CWT blurb:

Most of us have at one time or another been told, “Bloom where you are planted.” Yet, like perennials divided in the fall, some of us have been uprooted, divided from all that is familiar, and then transplanted into an unfamiliar corner of the “garden.” On occasion, we’ve wondered if we can even survive, much less burst into bloom again! However, a wise gardener considers the environment and many characteristics of the plant, and chooses the very best spot to showcase each transplant.

God is compared in the Bible to a Gardener. Does He place us with as much care into a special place and then desire for us to “bloom”? Can we bring color and texture to our little corner of the world? Join us as we consider how we can bring delight to the heart of the Master Gardener as we bloom where He plants (or transplants) us.

WTM blurb:

Most of us have at one time or another been told, “Bloom where you are planted.” Yet, like perennials divided in the fall, some of us have been uprooted, divided from all that is familiar, and then transplanted into an unfamiliar corner of the “garden.” On occasion, we’ve wondered if we can even survive, much less burst into bloom again! However, a wise gardener considers the environment and many characteristics of the plant, and chooses the very best spot to showcase each transplant.

Join us as we consider how we can bring joy and delight as we face change and transition in our lives.

* In what ways does change affect a woman’s life?
* How do we confront change with a joyful attitude?
* Fear is a reality during transitional stages of our lives, how do we overcome this?
* How does one combat worry through changing times in our lives?
* Where does one find strength during change?
* “Sometimes the most important change in life is the change in us.” Let’s discuss this statement.
* What are some tips to keep “blooming” during transitional times?

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Amazing Things About God!

Related Article: Special Delivery
http://christianwomentoday.com/growth/infertilityprayer.html

Has God ever surprised you? Just shocked your socks off? The dictionary defines “amaze” as “to fill with great surprise or sudden wonder;astonish.” Come to tonight’s chat as we are joined by the author of “101 Amazing Things about God,” and take time to reflect on some of the ways God truly is amazing!

* You have written a book called, “101 Amazing Things About God”, what prompted you to write this book?
* What sorts of incidents have you experienced that have caused you to see God as amazing?
* How did you come to know God personally?
* What words would you give to women who are lacking faith right now?
* How has God shown Himself to you in times of challenge and despair?
* You have written an article about the amazing birth of your daughter, can you share that story with us?
* How has prayer affected your faith in God?
* What steps can we each take in our spiritual journey to discover an amazing God?

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Choosing Life: The Road to Adoption

Related Article: My Mother, My Heroine
http://christianwomentoday.com/growth/adopted.html

What comes to your mind when you hear the work, “adopted”? Have you been adopted, or do you know someone who is? Tonight we will interact with a special guest concerning this topic. Julie was adopted and as an adult she sought out her birth mother. Read her story online at http://www.christianwomentoday.com/growth/adopted.html and join us tonight as we talk together about “Choosing Life: The Road to Adoption.”

* What were your initial thoughts when you discovered that you were adopted?
* Your teens years were filled with struggles of overachieving, how did that relate to your dealing with being adopted?
* Later after you were married, you searched for your birth mother, what were your feelings while continuing your search?
* Can you describe your relationship with your mothers today for us?
* If you could share words of wisdom to a pregnant teen mom, what would they be?
* What are your thoughts of hope for those women who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy?
* To those women who are adopted and struggling with feeling rejected, how would you respond to them?
* Life is not an accident, can you tell us why you feel that way?

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Making the Most of of the Menopause Season

Related Article: Preparing for Menopause
http://christianwomentoday.com/health/menopause.html

Whether you call it menopause or “the change,” this time of a woman’s life is likely to produce anxiety, knowing looks, sometimes a chuckle and often tears. Many of us have survived, and others of us look at that time ahead with a mixture of emotions. We’d like to share insights and encouragement as we are joined by guest Lynette Hoy, online counselor, in tonight’s chat, “Making it through Menopause.”

* How soon can menopause begin in a woman’s life?
* What are some of the signs of menopause?
* How can we deal with these physical changes in a positive way?
* Where do we turn for help if needed?
* How can we help those around us to understand?
* How can we replenish our reserves during this time that so many find stressful?

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Healing the Hurts of Your Past

Do you have any scars? When we are hurt, whether physically or emotionally, we often find that the hurt does not just go away by itself; we bear scars that seem to stay with us. We can try to camouflage them, hide them or just simply ignore them….but in an unexpected quiet moment, we are brought face to face with the scar and perhaps the remaining hurt.

Whether caused by our own choices or by the choices of someone near us, the hurt is very real. Perhaps it is an abortion, a miscarriage or the trauma of sexual abuse. Can those hurts be healed? Is forgiveness possible?

Tonight’s special guest has worked with many women who have faced pain in life, and who have discovered healing and recovery. Her wisdom and her concern for hurting women are an encouragement to many. Please join us tonight as we discuss how deep healing is possible.

* What emotional scars are left by poor choices?
* How do many women deal with these scars?
* Much of your work, Dr. Burke, is related to issues that cause women to bear a lot of guilt, how can one best deal with this?
* How can one forgive themselves for poor choices?
* How best can we encourage a friend who is struggling with the decision of abortion?
* How can we best help someone who is facing sexual abuse?
* Where does one draw strength from in facing tough issues like abortion or sexual abuse situations?
* How can we help those who struggle with grief and loss?
* Is complete healing possible?

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Healing from Your Past: The Place of Forgiveness

Do you have any scars? When we are hurt, whether physically or emotionally, we often find that the hurt does not just go away by itself; we bear scars that seem to stay with us. We can try to camouflage them, hide them or just simply ignore them….but in an unexpected quiet moment, we are brought face to face with the scar and perhaps the remaining hurt.

Whether caused by our own choices or by the choices of someone near us, the hurt is very real. Perhaps it is an abortion or a miscarriage. It may be due to rejection or betrayal you’ve experienced. Other family members, as well, may be affected. Whether we need to seek forgiveness or to offer it to another, we often face a difficult battle. Can those hurts be healed? Is forgiveness possible?

Tonight’s special guest has worked with many women who face pain, especially the pain of abortion. Her wisdom and her concern for hurting women are an encouragement to many. Please join us tonight as we discuss how deep healing is possible.

* What emotional scars are left by poor choices?
* How do many women deal with these scars?
* Much of your work, Dr. Burke, is related to issues of abortion. How can one find forgiveness in dealing with abortion?
* How best can we encourage a friend who is struggling with forgiveness (either receiving it or giving it)?
* Where does one draw strength from in facing tough issues like abortion?
* What place does forgiving others have in our healing? How can we forgive ourselves?
* What place do we have in communicating God’s forgiveness to someone who has failed?
* Is complete healing possible?