"All the speakers made Winsome so rich! Incredible testimonies, wisdom, and active hearts for God flowing through the whole weekend!" ~Anonymous

"The team of women who put this on really care about every woman there from the speakers to the attendees. There is so much thought and love put into every detail. They make Jesus shine. Winsome is an amazing conference, and I wish I could bring all of my Midwest girlfriends with me next year." ~Lelia (2014 & 2015 speaker)

"Beautiful place; grace and rest abound." ~Debbie

"I loved the location, the atmosphere and the relaxed pace . . the messages were personal and timely. I was renewed in purpose and vision. I left feeling special." ~Kathleen

"The overall family atmosphere was awesome! Winsome was an awesome time to recharge my batteries." ~Sue

"Winsome impacts on many levels! From the quality speakers with powerful messages, to the supporting of important charities and causes, to the formation of new (or strengthening of established) sisterhood relationships. It was all there . . . and THENSOME!" ~Robin

"I loved being able to relax completely. And I loved learning about other women and hearing their stories." ~Noa

"Everyone was being real and not just saying what they thought sounded good." ~Judy

"The speakers were amazing! Winsome was a great experience. I will definitely go back!" ~Gillian

"The topics addressed were so significant as to be indispensable to the Body of Christ. May each of us be faithful to share the vision invested in us over the weekend." ~Susan

Winsome is led by a team of ten uniquely gifted women from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Together we represent a variety of Christian denominations. We are made up of both young and "old", married and single, working and stay at home moms, career women and retired. We come from various backgrounds and have a host of perspectives on life, family, vocation, and womanhood.

What we all have in common is we are women and we love God.

KIM HYLAND
Founder & Host

Kim Hyland is the founder of Winsome. She's also a writer, speaker, wife, mom to five sons and one daughter, mother-in-love to three, and grandma to Amelia, Elisha, Ezra, & Willow! Her passions are to love her family and friends well and to encourage women in their journeys. Kim writes about her imperfect path and God's perfect plans at winsomeliving.com. 

JULIE DODSON
Administrator

Julie is a doer at heart and describes herself as more Martha than Mary. She loves her husband, children, home, lots of good coffee, and the beach and is happiest with her feet in the sand and a book in her hand. Julie is passionate about the vision of WINSOME and the opportunity to nurture women's hearts and maybe even become a little bit more Mary.

STEPHANIE AVELLINO  Prayer

Stephanie is a wife, mom of nine, grandma, counselor, teacher, holistic health coach and athlete. Through her journey of marriage struggles, insecurities as a mom, stress & panic issues and the craziness of life, God has prepared her to encourage women in a way that helps them discover hope and courage. Prayer has become a huge part of her life, not because she's super spiritual, but because she's learned to be desperate and has fallen so many times. Comforting others with the comfort she's been given is a driving passion. Community has also been an important part of how God has helped her see the wonderful adventure that life is. Stephanie's in awe of the amazing community Winsome has become and prays that every woman who attends will find those connections she desperately needs.

EMILY DEAN
Social Media

Emily Dean is wife to Ethan Dean. One of the greatest opportunities and privileges of her life is playing in their band, Emy&Ethan, and founding their new company, Verity Varee!  She has had many opportunities to delight in her passions and is pursuing a career in acting, modeling, singing/songwriting, and makeup artistry. With a full plate and full heart, Emy strives to do everything to the glory of God and use every trial in her life to texture and color her story and ministry. Creating and performing is the joy of her heart. Emy is excited and honored to share her heart with you at Winsome!

DEBBIE MORGANS
Hospitality

Debbie is a pastor's wife and has been married to her college sweetheart since 1979. They have raised three children: son Ian (who went to be with the Lord in 1989), daughter Chelsea, and son Spencer. She is grandmother to three precious littles. Debbie currently works as a registered nurse at a large health system in northern Virginia, teaches 4th-5th grade Sunday school girls, and occasionally drives a shuttle bus at New Hope Church in Lorton, VA. She continues to learn how to trust God daily, in every circumstance, and shines best when she's gathering her family or friends together to celebrate life or blessing the women at the Winsome!

MISSY PRATT
Worship

I reside in Springfield, VA with my husband of 21 years and our two daughters and two sons, ages 10-17. I serve on staff at New Hope Church in Lorton, VA as the Office Administrator for children’s programs and part-time as the Multigenerational Worship Leader. In 1999, I felt God calling me to learn to play guitar and begin leading worship. Since then, it's been my privilege to lead worship for adult, student, and children's ministries as well as several women's and youth retreats. Pursuing Christ, loving my family really well, and leading others in worship to our Father are my greatest desires in life. Once again, I am so excited to lead our Winsome worship team. Worship at Winsome will be pure, honest, and God honoring with every note played and word sung.

RENÉ WHITE
Logistics

René White (Feather) is a Native American, USAF Retired Lieutenant Colonel, and disabled military veteran with 22 years active-duty military service in senior management. She possesses extensive skills in leading and managing people through multi-media marketing and communication programs in all military branches in 11 countries. René has worked with people of influence fostering critical interagency partnerships including the White House, State Department, Pentagon, news media, and embassies. René and her husband Chris are residents of the historic and beautiful northern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia where she volunteers in various positions to support ministries, culture, arts and education. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Mother of three. Grandmother of two. An artist. René appreciates being creative, relentless and victorious. Her vision is protecting a space to create new possibilities. Through her organization Art in Nature, René teaches all ages to learn and explore spirituality and Native American culture in the world of art, literally outside in nature along the Appalachian Trail.

NATALIE JOY
Team Coach

Natalie Joy is currently living in Atlanta, GA where she moved five years ago from the northwest for warm weather and a cute boy. She married that cute boy a little over a year and a half ago. After thirteen years in the corporate consulting world, she felt God’s pull on her heart to take a leap of faith to start Defining Your Joy LLC, a company that works exclusively with women that have a dream to start a business but lack the encouragement, accountability or strategy to make their dream a profitable reality. Her company comes along side women daily through one-on-one coaching, virtual group coaching, as well as workshops. Natalie’s passion for helping women doesn’t stop there. A portion of every dollar brought into Defining Your Joy LLC is given back to help women that have overcome the situation of trafficking all around the world, incredible women are learning to dream again or maybe for the first time.

MARGARET HYLAND
Stylist

Margaret is a lover of beautiful things and beautiful people. She combines these loves by her passion for gathering, particularly through her company, Fika Gatherings. She prefers natural light, long tables and a Rifle Paper journal for sketching. As a quiet thinker, always aching to grow, she retires from her work with hobbies such as bee keeping, gardening and throwing pottery. Margaret's expertise in preparing and sharing coffee makes for warm welcomes and honest conversations. She is excited to share her gift of hospitality and creating beautiful spaces with you at Winsome!

MANDI EHMAN
Sponsor Coordinator

Mandi Ehman is an online entrepreneur and work-at-home mom whose mission is to encourage other women to live intentionally. She and her husband have four beautiful daughters and two baby boys, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful WestVirginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

AUTHENTICITY
Imagine dropping about a thousand pounds of emotional weight and discovering that the woman you are today is the woman that already has the seed of a treasure within. 

DIVERSITY
It's a popular word in our culture, but diversity only begins with the color of our skin and ethnic background. There is a mountain of strength waiting to be discovered as we break down walls and embrace women from diverse backgrounds, seasons, and walks of life. Embracing diversity is the first step toward not only enriching our individual lives but also toward becoming a strong community of women who together can be a powerful advocate for women in need.

TRUTH
Yes, truth. We believe it still exists and is the antidote to a world full of ills and lies. Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Truth leads to freedom, and freedom is the rich soil in which JOY grows best!

Authenticity. Diversity. Truth.

Three words that have the potential to fill your life with JOY.

Winsome is held at White Sulphur Springs, a beautiful retreat center
in the foothills of the Allegheny mountains near Bedford, Pennsylvania. 

Step away from the daily rush and breathe deep in a place full of beauty and peace. 

• grab a trail map at the front desk and explore over 1000 acres of hills, fields, streams, ponds, trails, barns and trees 
• enjoy a bonfire and s'mores
• snuggle up by the fireplace in one of many cozy sitting areas and read a book or chat with a friend
• pull up a rocker on the wrap around porch and take time to rest and hear from God
• enjoy home-cooked meals served family style
• coffee, tea, & snacks are available in the dining room 24/7

White Sulphur Springs
4500 Milligans Cove Road
Manns Choice, PA 15550

Come, all you who are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. 
~Jesus

WINSOME MIGHT BE FOR YOU IF . . . 
 

• you want to live your life with more joy

• you are or desire to be a woman who is authentic and courageously in pursuit of her dreams
   
• you are committed to looking life, culture, and faith in the eye and wrestling with hard questions as you seek honest answers
   
• you want to be an integral part of a community of women who are committed to bettering their circles of influence
   
• you enjoy being challenged, inspired, and sharing with diverse women

• you recognize the strength and benefit of hearing and sharing other perspectives
   
• you enjoy coffee/tea, late night talks, good food, beautiful settings, and a little bit of spoiling
   
• you love Jesus and/or want to learn more about Him with other women who are seeking Him too

IN ESSENTIALS UNITY
IN NON-ESSENTIALS LIBERTY
IN ALL THINGS CHARITY

Our Statement of Faith (aka the essentials)

• We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

• We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

• We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.

• We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

• We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

• We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

(borrowed from the National Association of Evangelicals)