Leslie Leyland Fields has been publishing, speaking and teaching for more than twenty-five years. She speaks at seminars, universities, retreats, schools and conferences on a number of topics related to her books and articles. She can be contacted directly through email to schedule an appearance: leslieleylandfields@gmail.com
Surviving the Island of Grace
Sometimes we are challenged to "survive" the graces God pours out upon us. And there in the midst of the "surviving" we can find God's near presence and the kingdom of heaven. Leslie knows. Through stories from the hilarious to the tragic, Leslie shares from her 38 year marriage, her 27 years of raising 6 children, her adventures as part of a commercial salmon fishing family living on a remote island off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska and her journey of forgiveness toward her estranged father, all illuminating ways we can begin to live now in the kingdom of God wherever we find ourselves.
You Shall Be Free Indeed! Finding Freedom from Hurt and Hate
Unresolved issues with a parent or other family members often spill over unintentionally into our own family lives. How can we be free from the hurts our parents have brought us? How can we pass on blessing to our own children when we have not been blessed? Leslie shares her story of forgiving her difficult father and the difference it has made in her own family’s life, and shares real-life biblical principles that will help you move from hate and hurt toward mercy and freedom, both in your relationship with your parents (and parents-in-law) and with your own children.
Feasting on God: Finding Your Place at Heaven's Table
A message for all seeking a place at the heavenly table! Leslie will take us on a sumptuous food journey through the scriptures, from the garden of Genesis to the Marriage supper of the Lamb, staying to feast in particular on the most astonishing meal of all: the bread and wine of the broken body of Christ, who is himself given “for the life of the world.” Come, the feast has already begun!
Still Starved: Staying Hungry for God in a Culture of Abundance
How do we stay “hungry and thirsty” for God when we live in a culture where most of our super-sized appetites and needs are so easily filled? Leslie will illuminate some surprising ways to live a God-hungry life no matter our address or our lifestyle.
'Successful' Parenting or Faithful Parenting?: What God's Word Really Says about Raising Christian Kids"
We all know the statistics (ranging from depressing to despairing) about the numbers of young people leaving the church. We wonder, Is it really possible to impart a lasting faith to our children? And if so, how much of this is God’s work and how much is ours? In this provocative session, Leslie will expose some popular Christian myths and cultural assumptions about transmitting our faith and replace them with truths gained from parents in the scriptures that ultimately free us from pride, failure and fear.
Based on Parenting is Your Highest Calling . . . and Eight Other Myths that Trap Us in Worry and Guilt
Why Parenting is Not Our Highest Calling, No Matter How Many Kids You have---and Why This is Terrific Good News for All
When was the last time you heard a sermon on these words from Jesus? “Anyone one who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me . . .” ? Yet these words and Jesus’ summation of the Commandments (“Love God …. Love your neighbor) deliver such good news for mothers! News we all desperately need. We’re all so tempted to make our family our highest calling, which turns out badly for all. Come hear this compelling call to return to our first and highest love. Then, and only then can we love our children rightly and well.
What the Heck are Children “For” Anyway?
For taking out the garbage? For keeping us in a constant state of humility, if not outright humiliation? But admit it, Christian women are often subtly lured into motherhood with promises of happiness, hot chocolate+marshmellows and deep fulfillment. But when Real Life strikes, as if often does---at the breakfast table, in the car on the way to church, when our teen breaks curfew and maybe even the law---we’re not feeling either happy or fulfilled. (Is there a reason that verse reads, “happy is the man whose quiver is full?” instead of “happy is the woman . .. ?”) Motherhood is so much harder than any of us knew! But when we turn from our own failed expectations of ourselves and our children to God’s grand and startling purposes for children, we can rediscover joy, even astonishment that God has given us this yes, overwhelming, but magnificent role in the building of His kingdom.
Created to Create: Glorifying God through the Work of our Hands
2015
February Chicago, "Up for Debate": Should Mothers Work Outside the Home?"
March 9 Pittsburg, New York: WORD: "The Greatest Call"
March 10 Albuquerque, KABQ: What is Our Highest Calling?
March 24, 25 Chicago, Olivet Nazarene University: Freedom through Forgiveness
April 20, Monroe, LA All Things Southern: North Meets South!
April 24 - 26 Soldotna, AK: Solid Rock Retreat: You Shall be Free Indeed!
June 25 Auckland, NZ: Surviving the Island of Grace
July 8 Pittsburg, NY: WORD-FM: Have We Made Too Much of Gender?
Sept.22 Colorado Springs, CO: Interview: Focus on the Family
Interview: Boundless
Digital Storytelling: The Story Ends Here
October Lake Michigan Retreat: Oct. 23 - 27
April 14-16 Grand Rapids, MI, Festival of Faith & Writing
2014
The Power of Forgiveness
January 28 The Debbie Chavez Show
January 29 Chris Fabry Live!
Midday Connection with Andrea Lustria
February 16 Community Baptist Church: "Is Forgiveness Really Possible?"
February 19 The Pat WIlliams Show: Orlando, CA
American Family Radio
February 20,21 Homer Women's Conference: Three Sessions
Are You Listening? I am Calling: Faith. Freedom. Forgiveness.
February 23 Azusa, California
Azusa Pacific University
Chapel Speaker: Lord of Our Bodies
February 24 New Life Media: Laguna Beach, CA
February 26 The Bottom Line, LA
March 14-15 Normal, IL
Hearts at Home National Conference
Successful Parenting or Faithful Parenting?
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
April Grand Rapids, Michigan
Calvin Festival of Faith and Writing
Workshop: Writing Toward Reconciliation
Panel: Eat (and Write) with Joy! with Rachel Marie Stone and Ann Lappe Willis
Panel: Traveling Through Memoir: with Luci Shaw, Jeanne Murray Walker
Panel: The Benefit of Slow Reading (and Writing)
May 9 Kodiak, Alaska
Loving Our Families, Forgiving Our Enemies: Writing Toward Reconciliation
May 15: Taping: Family Life Today: The Power of Forgiveness
Family Life Women: Forgiveness
May 17: Bethlehem, N.H. Seminar: "You Shall Be Free, Indeed!"
May 18 Meredith, NH: "You Shall Be Free, Indeed!"
June 1 Nome, Alaska: Forgiveness From the Cross
Aug. 30- Harvester Island Wilderness Workshop
Sept 6 Harvester Island, Alaska
Oct. Lethbridge, Alberta
Freedom Parenting
The Power of Forgiveness
Nov. 8-9 Rochester, Minnesota
Hearts at Home Conference
"Successful" Parenting or Faithful Parenting?
Forgiving Our Fathers and Mothers
November 10: Bethel University: "The Art of Keeping Faith"
2013
January 16 Cedarville, Ohio
Grace Baptist Church Seminar: "What are Children For?"
January 17 Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville University Chapel: The Art of Keeping Faith
January 17 Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville University Master Class: Writing Your One Necessity
January 17 Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville University: The Spirit of Food Dramatic Reading
February 6 Belton, Texas
University of Mary Hardin Baylor
Chapel Message: The Art of Keeping Faith
Feb. 6-8 Belton, Texas
University of Mary Hardin Baylor: Liberal Arts Festival
Keynote: Memoirist
February 11 Lynchburg, Virginia
Liberty University: Academic Lecture Series
Topic: Giving Up on the Culture Wars
February 11 Lynchburg, Virginia
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church
An Evening of Conversation with Leslie Leyland Fields
(Interviewed by Pastor David Etheridge)
February 13 Spring Arbor, Michigan
Spring Arbor University: "FOCUS LECTURE SERIES"
Keynote: Food as Sacrament
February 14 Spring Arbor, Michigan
FOCUS Workshop: TBA
March 1 Chris Fabry Live!
Reaching Out to a Stranger
Listen Here:
moodyradio.org
March 3 Champaign, Illinois
Keepin' The Faith with Steve Shoemaker
"Faith and Alaska"
April 15 The John and Kathy Show
WORD fm
"The Boston Tragedy and How Not to Maim with the Bible"
May 10 Escondido, California
Emmanuel Faith Community Church
Seminar: Forgiving Our Mothers and Fathers
May 11 Escondido, California
Emmanuel Faith Community
Seminar: What Are Children For?
Aug. 31 -
Sept. 7 Harvester Island, Alaska
Harvester Island Wilderness Workshop
For more info: http://www.leslieleylandfields.com/p/harvester-island.html
Sept. 19 Irving, Texas
20 Irving Bible Church: Parenting Conferece
Lunch with Parenting Ministries
21 KEYNOTE: Parenting for Real
21 Workshop: Parenting Teens and Tweens
2012
January 10 San Francisco
KFAX: Year-End Food News Round-Up
January 12 WGRC: End of Year Food News Round-Up
The Matter at Hand, with Larry Wiedman
April 6 Kodiak, Alaska
Community Baptist Church
Good Friday Drama: Beneath the Cross
April 12 Pittsburg, NY
WORD FM: The John and Kathy Show:
Ann Romney: Mommy Wars or Economic Wars?
April 20 Grand Rapids, MI
Calvin Festival of Faith and Writing:
The Spirit of Food Lunch Forum
April 20 Grand Rapids, MI
Calvin Festival: "When Throats Are Parched: Writing (on Deadline)
in the Land of Drought
With Bret Foster and Gina Ochsner
April 30 Lewisburg - Bloomsburg - Collegeport, PA
WGRC: Interview: "The Matter at Hand" with Larry Wiedman
Ann Romney and the Mommy Wars
June 28 nationally syndicated
Chris Fabry Live! "The Problem with Story"
Listen here:
http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramDetail.aspx?id=90790
July The Matter at Hand: Is the Gospel More Than a Story?
with Larry Weidman
July Albuquerque, NM
Interview with Peter Benson: The Gospel is More that a Story
ABQ Connect
July Pittsburg, NY
The John and Kathy Show: WORD FM
The Gospel is More Than a Story
Interview with Shellie Tomlinson: Northern Girl Meets
"All Things Southern!"
Sept. 20, 21 Kodiak, AK
KCS: Inservice
The Incarnational Classroom
Oct. 5-12 Lookout Mountain, GA
Covenant College: Writer-in-Residence
Oct. 5-12 Lookout Mountain, GA
Covenant College Chapel: The Art of Keeping Faith
TBA Lookout Mountain, GA
Covenant College: Public Reading
Nov. 12-20 Lookout Mountain, GA
Covenant College: Writer-in-Residence
2011
January 10 Griffin, GA
WMW
Interview with Peter Chagnon
Fasting, Diet, Health: Spiritual Responsibilities?
January 12 Ottawa, Canada
CHRI 99.1 FM
BookMark with Brock Tozer:
The Spirit of Food
January 12 Bath, NY
WVIN Family Life Radio
Interview with Kurt Goff
The Spirit of Food
January 12 San Francisco, CA
KFAX Lifeline
February 2 Albuquerque, NM
KABQ
ABQ Connect with Peter Benson
Tiger Mothers: What is Successful Parenting?
February 4 Alabama, Georgia, Florida
The Meeting House with Bob Crittendom:
Tiger Mother Parenting
WLBF/WSTF/WDYF
February 8 Kodiak, AK
Rotary: The Future of the Book
February 11 Lewisburg - Bloomberg, PA
WGRC
Interview with Larry Weidman:
Tiger Mother Parenting?
February 12 Kodiak, AK
Betty Springer Hall
Mother-Daughter Tea:
"The Cost of Life"
February 22 Nashville, TN
Uprising Church
"The Spirit of Food and Body"
February 26 Kansas City
Keynote: Youthfront: Engage!
The 9 Most Dangerous Myths of Parenting
February 27 Kansas City
Jacob's Well Church
Sunday Sermon: The Courage to Serve
March 2 Colorado Springs
KBIQ
Interview with Brett Stevens: Christian Tiger Mothers?
March 24 Seattle
KGNW: Live from Seattle with Doug Bursch
The Spirit of Food
April 15 online podcast
IAM (International Arts Movement)
Podcast interview with Christy Tennant
April 18 Chicago
Chris Fabry Live! Interview: Feasting for the Soul!
April 20 San Francisco
KFAX: Interview with Craig Roberts:
Good Friday, Earth Day: Redemption and Reconciliation
April 22 Albuquerque
The Morning Show with Birga Allen:
Good Friday/Earth Day: Redemption and Reconciliation
April 22 Colorado Springs, CO
Taping with Jim Daly at Focus on the Family
Is Parenting Our Highest Calling?
Air Date: TBA
Sept. 15 Anchorage, AK
Snow City Cafe
Fishing People of the North Symposium
The Heart of Fishing: Reading
Sept. 27 Searcy, Arkansas
Pure Heart Ministries: Harding University
Webinar: The Relevant Church
Sept. 27 Kodiak, AK
Talk of the Rock Interview:
Hooked! True Stories of Obsession, Death and Love from
Alaska's Commercial Fishing Men and Women
October 1 Hooked! Losses, Love and Obsession with
LLF, Toby Sullivan, Debbie Nielson, Mary Jacobs and Dale Pruitt
October 19 Los Angeles
Azusa Pacific University
Chapel: Beyond Creation Care
October 20 Corvallis, OR
Options Pregnancy Center: 25th Anniversary Fundraising Banquet
Contact: Karen Tameling 541-758-3662
October 24 Santa Barbara, CA
Westmont College: Chapel
October 25 Santa Barbara, CA
Westmont College
Reading: Gender and Identity:
"One Skiff, Two Women, Wild Ocean"
2010
January 20 Albuquerque, NM
KNKT 107.1 FM
ABQ Connect with Peter Benson
Interview + Call-in: "Is 'Successful' Parenting Possible?"
January 22 Lewisburg - Williamsport - Lewiston - Pottsville - Bloomsburg PA
WGRC
Interview on Award-winning talk show, The Matter at Hand:
"Why Parenting Techniques Don't Produce Christian Kids"
February 22 Naperville, IL
Our Savior Lutheran Church
"Are Children Here for Our Happiness?"
March 17-27 Whidbey Island, Washington
MFA Residency: teaching and Readings
April 18 Chicago, Illinois
Women's Retreat: Holy Trinity Church:
"Our One Necessity"
April 12 Chicago, Illinois
WMBI, "This is the Day"
Interview with Nancy Turner: What is Successful Parenting?
April 17-19 Grand Rapids, MI
Calvin Festival of Faith and Writing
"The Art of Bloodletting: Narrating Suffering onto the Shared Page"
April 21 Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton College: Reading: "A Constant Harvest"
April 21 Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton College: Lowell-Grabill Judge, Master Class
May 5 West Liberty, Ohio
West Liberty
First Fridays: Successful Parenting?
June 10-12 Malibu, California
Family of Faith Network Conference: workshop leader
1. Myths of Christian Parenting
2. Protecting the Family--for the Right Reasons
June 13 Claremont, California
Baseline Community Church
Message
July 24-Aug.3 Santa Fe, New Mexico
St. John's College: MFA residency
Sept. 24-26 Anchorage, Alaska
Women's Retreat: Honest to God
sponsored by Faith Christian Community. (Sold out!)
October 7 Seattle, WA
Enlighten Cafe and Art Gallery
Celebration of "The Spirit of Food":
Returning Integrity to the Act of Eating
October 21 Anchorage, AK
Anchorage CPC: Keynote: Fall Fundraiser
"What Pro-Life Really Means"
October 28 Nationwide
National Teleconference: Freedom from Parenting Myths
Hosted by Pure Vision
November 1 Pittsburg, PA - Grantsville, MD
Interview: "Listener's Cafe": The Spirit of Food
November 2 Bellingham, Washington
The Debbie Chavez Show
"How Do we Better Connect Food and Gratitude?"
www.debbiechavez.com
November 5 Albuquerque
Interview with Peter Benson
KBQ Connect: On Feasting and Fasting
November 9 Fresno, CA
Interview with Nanette and Jeremy
KDUVfm 88.9: The Spirit of Food
November 14 Urbana, Illinois
Radio: Illinois Public Media
"Keepin' the Faith"
Interview with Leslie Leyland Fields
and Jeanne Murray Walker
"The Spirit of Food"
November 16 Interview: The Larry Wideman Show
Deepening the Connection between Food and Gratitude
November 14 Eagle River, Alaska
Community Covenant Church:
Sermon: Recovering Our Call
Contact: mark@communitycovenant.net
Nov. 14 7:00pm Recovering Our Call: What is a Parent's Highest Call?
Recovering Our Call: Successful Parenting or Faithful Parenting?
November 15 Eagle River, AK
The Spirit of Food Feast! A Celebration of God's Tables
November 18 Atlanta, GA
WNIV
Interview with Rick Probst: Deepening the Connection between
Food and Faith
November 22 Minneapolis/St. Paul
KFUO
Interview: The Spirit of Food and Thanksgiving
November 22 St. Louis, MO
KFUO
Interview: The Spirit of Food and Thanksgiving
November 23 Griffin, Georgia
WMVV 90.7
Interview with Peter Chagnon: The Spirit of Food
