SPEAKING
For close to two decades, I have shared my family’s story of hope in the valley of chronic illness with audiences large and small. As a member of the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) National Speaker’s Bureau, I have extensive experience speaking to parents about the psycho-social impact of chronic disease on the family. The seeds for my book Chronic Hope were initially sown at a JDRF education summit where I shared how T1D has impacted every member of my family. The themes of that talk—how the caregiver responds to the diagnosis and the disease, the complicated relationship between caregiver and child, and the complex relationships between the couple and among the siblings—eventually formed the outline for the book.
Gleaning from a lifetime of experience, I share with audiences how they can accept their new reality and discover a way forward. Woven through my personal stories is a message of hope that invites the listener to move beyond fear and live instead with grace, courage, and love. Drawing on my experiences as a mother, wife, and sister, I distill practical, actionable advice with clarity, grace, and a little bit of humor.
If you’re interested in having me share the message of Chronic Hope at an upcoming event, please contact me!
The keynote Fund A Cure speech at the JDRF Promise Ball in Philadelphia which raised over $1.2 million for diabetes research.
- “Wonderful presentation – hit right on target with how we were feeling. Thank you!”
- “Learned about managing feelings in a better way.”
- “So much new information, new ideas that I can really relate to!”
- “Glad you mentioned ‘do not feel guilty.’ Excellent presentation!”
“With very little lead time, Bonnie was able to facilitate our chapter board retreat, putting together a presentation that accurately addressed the board’s current challenges. In preparation she asked very pointed questions to determine the needs of our chapter and provided practical strategies to move forward in the right direction. By the end of the retreat our board was energized and had tangible action items for their next steps. Bonnie is a true professional, inspiring philanthropic leader and valuable asset to JDRF.”
Ministry
The first “grown up” book I devoured as a teenager was the Bible. It seemed the more I read and studied, the more alive God’s word became for me, and the more I desired to understand it.
I am deeply passionate about sharing God’s word with others through teaching and applying Biblical truths to our lives.
I began teaching the Bible while still in high school, first to children on short-term missions trips, then to fellow university students hungry to grow in their Christian faith. Over more than three decades of teaching, I have had the opportunity to write and teach on a wide variety of topics, yet laced throughout them all is the narrative of God’s unfathomable love for us. I have had the joy of teaching in French when I lived in Paris and of speaking through a translator when I taught in formerly-communist Romania.
These days I don’t need a passport for the weekly women’s Bible study I teach, but I keep it handy, just in case!
If you are looking for a speaker for an upcoming event, I would love to talk to you about crafting a message specifically tailored to the needs of your group.
Below is an example of a recent talk. For additional examples please visit my Youtube Channel.
“Bonnie O’Neil was the speaker at our annual women’s retreat. She is an engaging speaker who connects with her listeners in a real and practical way. She is also a good student of the Holy Scriptures and is able to explain the original meaning in context, then help the audience understand the relevancy of God’s words to our daily lives through moving and humorous illustrations. Her passion for sharing Jesus’ love is evident throughout her talks; she was a blessing to us!”
“Bonnie is both a caring and an inspiring speaker. She delivered a message that resonated with our mixed group Leadership Team. Her personal stories and use of Scripture made a very meaningful connection with our group. I believe Bonnie has that uncanny ability to hear from God and to adapt her presentation to specific audiences. We were all inspired and challenged to a deeper walk with the Lord through her talks.
We were so grateful that Bonnie lead our Retreat Day and I highly recommend her to you. You will be re-energized, as we were, to follow the path that the Lord has put you on.”
“Bonnie is both a caring and an inspiring speaker. She delivered a message that resonated with our mixed group Leadership Team. Her personal stories and use of Scripture made a very meaningful connection with our group. I believe Bonnie has that uncanny ability to hear from God and to adapt her presentation to specific audiences. We were all inspired and challenged to a deeper walk with the Lord through her talks.
We were so grateful that Bonnie lead our Retreat Day and I highly recommend her to you. You will be re-energized, as we were, to follow the path that the Lord has put you on.”
“Bonnie’s teaching style of interweaving scripture with the stories of her life reveals who God is to her and reveals more of God to her listeners. She has a deep knowledge of the Bible and it is clear she has spent much time at the feet of Jesus, and still her teachings speak to today’s world and the struggles we all face. She is bruised but not broken and a beautiful, shining reminder that with God we can do all things and that we can always hold onto the hope God extends to us.”
