Jan Coleman

Author and Speaker

Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story

and it will live in my heart forever. -- Indian Proverb

• Author of “After the Locusts; Restoring Ruined Dreams, Reclaiming Wasted Years (Broadman & Holman 2002), Soul Retreats for Women (Zondervan, 2002), Dear Daughter (Readers’ Digest 2003). She has just finished Unshakable: The Steadfast Heart of Obedience (B&H) and The Unvarnished Woman (Kregel) to be released early 2005.

• Jan is an accomplished magazine writer with a hose of credits. She’s also written for compilations such as the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, the God Allows U-Turns series and dozens more story collections.

• She's also and editor with the Christian Communicator Manuscript Critique Service and loves to cheerlead new writers as they learn to sharpen the craft and get their God-inspired message to readers. She serves on faculty at several writing conferences in the country.

• She is a popular speaker at women’s retreats, conferences and teas. If you are looking for a speaker to ignite, challenge and inspire your group, try Jan. Experience her innate (and often insane) gift of storytelling and keen sense of humor. If you like to laugh, if you want to grow closer to God, Jan's your gal. She'll reach out to embrace you where you're at, to send you off to meet life straight on. Like a trusted girlfriend, Jan is vulnerable and transparent and refreshingly honest. She always merges her own life's lessons with solid Biblical insights that women to reach their highest potential for God.

• Her spunky style is rejuvenating, and because she pokes fun at her own shortcomings, it frees others to laugh at themselves. Whether it's a retreat, banquet, workshop or ladies tea, Jan adapts presentations for the needs and theme of the group. She incorporates a bit of drama and zany song parodies to delight and entertain. (She just can't help it!) You laugh, you cry, you learn from Jan. She's the "the real thing," open about her regrets, failures and mistakes, and how an awesome God redeems it all. She laces every talk with practical application. We walk away more inspired to trust God and find the courage to face the challenges of our hectic lives and the crazy world we live in. Jan never stops urging: "Find God's purpose in everything."                 

• A former journalist for a weekly newspaper for seven years, Jan covered all community events and wrote features on the area’s most intriguing personalities. She also penned a humor column, “Country Cluckin’” which made her a small town celebrity. She self-published a collection of her fan’s favorite columns and sold it in local shops and via mail order.

• She spent twelve years at the California State Capitol (a career she never planned) as a legislative aide penning everything from press releases to political position papers and constituent mail. Looking back, she sees how God used each experience to ready her for the pursuit of her dreams as an author and inspirational speaker.

•  Jan is a wife (remarried 9 years now) a "locust survivor" parent, grandmother, Scrabble fanatic, scrap booking addict, novice trout fisherwoman and budget traveler. She and Carl have four grown children, and he is an elder at Sonrise Church in Auburn. Together they teach a seminar on finding your spiritual gifts, God-given passions and life-fulfilling ministry. Write to her at: jancoleman@foothill.net 530-885-9598