Speaking

Through the years, speaking has become a “sweet spot” for Dorina. She is passionate about sharing God’s story and teaching people how to become glory chasers. Dorina’s speaking is story-driven and Biblically-sound. She is relatable and engaging.

Dorina enjoys speaking to a diversity of groups. She shares for conferences, luncheons, and events. She has also served as a keynote speaker for women’s retreats, non-profit events and banquets. Dorina also speaks in the education setting through classroom visits, writing workshops and school assemblies, sharing her cooking and children’s books. If you would like something unique and engaging for your event, Dorina is also a spoken word artist and has performed with musicians or solo.

Dorina teaches 6-week or 10-week bible studies using her Flourishing Together and Glory Chasers workbooks as well the Courageous Simplicity, Courageous Joy, Courageous Influence, and Create in Me a Heart studies by (in)courage.

If you would like to book Dorina for your event or inquire about her availability and fees, fill out the form below or email dorina@dorinagilmore.com.

Speaker Topics

“Create in Me a Heart of Mercy”

In our divisive and unforgiving world, we need mercy more than ever. When we extend grace toward one another despite faults, mistakes, and differences of opinion, we model the kind of long-suffering patience and love that God shows toward us. But how do you cultivate a merciful heart in the midst of a culture where everyone seems quick to judge and slow to forgive? Where do you begin?

• discover the transformational power that mercy has in and through the life of the believer,
• learn how to extend mercy to others, even in circumstances where it feels difficult or un-deserved, and
• experience the freedom and purpose that come from multiplying mercy in a world that desperately needs it.

The mercy God has shown us through Jesus is meant to flow through us to the rest of the world as a powerful witness to God’s love and forgiveness. Dorina will unpack what mercy looks like in our lives and the difference it can make. 

“Walk, Run, Soar: Learning to soar through life’s challenges”

Have you ever wondered if God is really listening? Have you ever cried out to God in the darkness? Using Isaiah 40, Dorina invites her audience to walk, run, and soar with her through grief, disappointment, and discovering new purpose. She uses the metaphor of running life’s race to talk about the difficulties we all encounter on the trail and how we are called to pursue the finish line with Jesus as our Pacer.

“Breathing Through Grief: How to navigate grief and loss”

All of us have experienced grief and loss in different ways in the last few years. Whether a loved one has died, your health has been challenged, your family has lost a sense of community, or you’ve moved churches or cities, all of these come with a sense of loss. In this workshop, we will talk about how Jesus always made space for grief, offer a Biblical framework for lament, and talk through some suggestions for how to navigate grief in healthy ways. This talk can be shaped for a variety of audiences, including women, mothers, youth, and leaders who are navigating grief.

“Chasing Rest: How to Make Rest Your Superpower”

When people ask how we are doing, a common response is “busy.” We wear our busyness like a badge of honor. Somehow we have convinced ourselves that rest is wasteful and there’s not time for it. In this message, Dorina invites her audience into a Biblical framework for rest designed by God as a gift. We are not granted rest because of our own merit or accomplishments. God gives us rest as regular an invitation into His Presence. This talk is designed to encourage weary mamas, stressed-out leaders, and people from all walks of life who want to explore different types of rest.

“Glory Chasing: Discovering God’s glory around us”

Do you feel parched? Are you thirsty for more of God but not sure where to begin? Dorina leads her audience to explore the idea that each of us is called to be a “glory chaser.” She unpacks ways God reveals His glory to us through creation, relationships and everyday circumstances. This talk especially reaches out to the woman who feel trapped in the mundane or longs to rekindle her faith.

“Flourishing Together: Cultivating a Fruitful Life in Community”

Are you tired of feeling like you are just surviving? Do you believe you were made for more? Do you long to flourish? In this talk, Dorina shares about the process of flourishing described in the Bible and how each one of us was designed by God to help others flourish in their talents and gifts. This talk covers seasons of cultivating, pruning, growing, and blooming.

*Use the form at the bottom of this page to inquire.

Meet Dorina

Short Bio

Dorina Lazo Gilmore is a blogger, speaker, podcaster and author of Walk Run Soar, the award-winning children’s book, Cora Cooks Pancit, and a contributing writer for seven Bible studies. She specializes in helping people navigate grief and flourish in community. Dorina has served as a journalist, missionary, social entrepreneur and Bible study teacher. She and her husband Shawn are raising three brave daughters in Central California. Connect with her at www.DorinaGilmore.com.

Running Bio

Dorina Lazo Gilmore is a blogger, speaker, podcaster, and author of six books and seven Bible studies. Dorina is passionate about helping people discover God’s glory on life’s unexpected trails. Dorina and her husband Shawn recently published a devotional and training journal for runners called Walk, Run Soar with Bethany House/Baker publishing group. They also are co-hosts of the Eat Pray Run podcast, where they interview runners, coaches, elite athletes, chefs, authors, pastors, and others about the intersection of faith, culture, and running. She and her husband started the Glory Chasers Christian running group on Facebook where they serve up coaching, courage and community for Christian runners. Dorina and Shawn coach Track & Field at a local high school and train the Remember Haiti half marathon fundraising team. Dorina is a “glory chaser,” who meets God running trails through the mountains or near the ocean. Dorina and Shawn are raising three brave daughters in Central California. Connect with her at www.DorinaGilmore.com.

Extended Bio

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young is an accomplished author, speaker, podcaster at Eat Pray Run, and blogger. She chases God’s glory as a mama, foodie, runner, and a weaver of words. Dorina specializes in helping people navigate grief and flourish in community.

Dorina and her husband Shawn wrote a devotional/training journal for runners called Walk, Run, Soar published with Bethany House/Baker Publishing group in Fall 2020. With an MFA in Children’s Literature, Dorina has traditionally-published three multicultural children’s books and a collection of poetry. Her book, Cora Cooks Pancit, received the Asian American Librarian’s Association Picture Book of the Year and is now in its 8th printing. Dorina has contributed a story and recipe to the coming cookbook, Filipino Food for the Heart. Dorina has two new children’s books and a devotional/journal Breathing Through Grief coming with Waterbrook/Multnomah/Penguin Random House.

Having successfully blogged at Self Talk the Gospel, AlohaGilmores and Health-full for more than a decade, Dorina now writes regularly on her own site, DorinaGilmore.com. Dorina is also a storyteller at (in)courage and devotional writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries devotional team. Dorina also helped write the (in)courage devotional, Take Heart: Devotions to Seeing God When Life’s Not Okay. Dorina has also been part of the (in)courage Bible study series and helped in the writing and filming of five studies, including Create in Me a Heart of Mercy coming in Spring 2023.

A former reporter for the Chicago Tribute, Arizona Republic, and Fresno Bee, Gilmore’s essays on grief have been featured in more than 30 newspapers and online magazines across the country. Dorina attended Calvin University for a bachelor degree in English Literature and Journalism and Hollins University for a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Children’s Literature. 

Dorina is passionate about helping women from diverse backgrounds flourish in their God-given callings. Raised in Chicago, Dorina was transplanted to Fresno, California in 1999. She considers herself a California girl now as she raises three daughters to love the cultural diversity, beautiful landscapes and unique food of the state. In 2016, Dorina married a long-time friend, Shawn Young. In April 2021, Dorina’s family launched a monthly membership experience called Global Glory Chasers in partnership with Dr. Lucretia Berry and Brownicity. Their passion is to help people learn about different cultures and countries and to break barriers by breaking bread together.

Dorina leads a national group called Lead Loved, which helps connect Christian women leaders and equip in knowledge and faith. She is also the president of the Redbud Writers Guild, which brings together more than 100 communicators of diverse backgrounds. For more than 20 years, she has been leading Bible studies and developing leadership teams in the church setting. Her gift is delivering authentic, Biblically-sound messages that engage audiences through story. She has published two of her own Bible studies, Glory Chasers: Discovering God’s Glory in Unexpected Places and Flourishing Together: Cultivating a Fruitful Life in Christ. Dorina frequently speaks on these themes. Dorina also has experience teaching college students, speaking in elementary schools, and coaching youth.

Dorina is the granddaughter of Filipino-Chinese-Hawaiian and Italian-Jewish immigrants. When Dorina is not writing or spending time exploring new cultures with her family, she’s out on the trails running and chasing God’s glory.

Connect with Dorina at www.DorinaGilmore.com, where you can sign up for her Glorygram letter. You can also find her as @DorinaGilmore on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Pinterest.

Dorina’s writing featured around the web

• Chasing Hope through Grief // Shauna Letellier
• Dorina Lazo Gilmore // (in)courage
• Encouragement for Today Devotions at Proverbs 31 Ministries
• Easter’s promise: How to wait through the winter of grief // Fresno Bee
• How to Talk to Kids about Anti-Asian Racism // Asian American Christian Collaborative
• How To Talk To Kids About the Coronavirus // The Mops Blog
• Savoring Time Around the Table // Kindred Mom
• This is a story I never would have written for myself – ever // Fresno Bee
• What Grandma Taught Me in the Kitchen // The Mops Blog
• When you need permission to grieve // Jill E. McCormick

Dorina has spoken at these events

Dorina has taught these Bible Studies

Dorina has done these multicultural children’s book assemblies

• Lincoln Elementary School, Fresno, California
• Clovis Elementary School, Clovis, California
• Boris Elementary School, Clovis, California
• Cedarwood Elementary School, Clovis, California
• Cole Elementary School, Clovis, California
• Aspen Meadow, Fresno, California
• Aspen Valley, Fresno, California
• Clovis Christian Schools, Clovis, California

Dorina has done these multicultural classroom visits/cooking demonstrations

• Kepler Neighborhood School
• Fresno Christian Schools
• Fugman Elementary School

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