Announcing a new way to fuel the mission of The Influence Lab and Influence Women! We recently set up an online shopping experience with +ShopWithPurpose. Built to benefit nonprofit organizations, up to 40% of every purchase on the platform is donated to the causes you care about, with the opportunity to choose The Influence Lab as your favorite nonprofit to benefit.
+ShopWithPurpose was created with a vision that enables people to give back to their communities when they shop. Founder and CEO Steve Dueckshares, “Retail has traditionally been understood to be based on selection, price, and convenience. +Shop introduces a fourth consideration: Who benefits?” Nonprofits are guaranteed a minimum 5% commission for all purchases made in their +Shop.
Dueck adds, “We want to create an environment where shoppers give schools and nonprofits a brighter and more sustainable future that will in turn make our communities stronger and healthier.”
What Kind of Products Can I Shop For?
Next time you’re thinking of shopping on Amazon, check out +ShopWithPurpose first. Shoppers will find favorite brands like Ninja, Shark, Apple, DeWalt, Garmin, Audubon, and more. Plus, the amount that will be donated to your chosen nonprofit is displayed clearly so you can shop… with purpose! This is a great place to find gifts for the home, baby showers and weddings, toys, pet items, outdoor gardening supplies, and so much more!
You can also add a donation to your shopping cart that will go directly to The Influence Lab/Influence Women (less payment processing fees.) As a 501(c)3, your gifts are tax-deductible and are the fuel that keeps us moving forward in the mission!*
Who will benefit from your shopping in 2026?
Visit +ShopWithPurpose and choose the Influence Lab/Women as your benefiting nonprofit. It’s easy!
➡️ Sign up now and designate Influence Lab/Women as your benefiting nonprofit of choice.
Just want to give a gift?
Your partnership impacts nations! We’re gearing up for trips to Jordan and Australia in 2026, and we need your support! These upcoming trips are tremendous opportunities to train the pastors, ministry leaders and Christian communication professionals in these nations.
➡️ Add your financial support here and help us empower the Church to transform culture through media.
* Your charitable giving to The Influence Lab is tax-deductible. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit and a recipient of the 2026 Candid Silver Transparency Award, a recognition that translates into trust and confidence for partners who support our work.Considered the most widely adopted symbol of transparency for nonprofit organizations in the U.S., GuideStar’s Candid has promoted nonprofit transparency since 1994 through a searchable online database of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, allowing potential donors to verify an organization before donating. Millions use GuideStar data to make decisions about nonprofits and their work. Find The Influence Lab on Candid here.
Artificial intelligence is quickly reshaping the landscape of film, television and the arts. With over 100 women in attendance from across the nation, the Influence Women event at the 2026 NRB International Christian Media Convention was a powerful time of equipping members to navigate AI with confidence—and biblical truth.
Here’s the recap report from Kathleen Cooke, founder and global director of Influence Women:
Influence Women had an incredible gathering at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center during the National Religious Broadcasters 2026 Convention in Nashville! We are so grateful for our dynamic presenters:
Emma Sharma shared AI strategies for women in media, entertainment and the arts.
Each woman shared practical insights, creative production and AI strategies, along with encouragement for building a life and career anchored in Biblical truth.
My message to those gathered included a powerful reminder from the city of Ai mentioned in Joshua 6–7, that we cannot steal from God. We are to honor Him with our first fruits; to not take shortcuts or presume; and to not move forward without His guidance.
A special thank-you to our Influence Women Chapter Directors who attended: DeAnna Kane (Hollywood), Brandi McDaniel (Houston), Sue Detweiler (Dallas), and Cyndi Galley (Nashville) who encouraged and reminded us that Influence Women gatherings are essential. We are never alone in our artistic endeavors.
If you missed the NRB gathering, watch for the event recap coming soon on our IW YouTube channel! Stay connected by tuning in to the Influence Women Podcast and join a local or Online Chapter for more interaction with Influence Women
Brand New Opportunity with +ShopWithPurpose!
You can also help fuel the mission of Influence Women by shopping through +ShopWithPurpose and designating Influence Lab/Women as your nonprofit recipient when you register.
As an alternative to Amazon, every purchase supports artists who are changing the culture for Christ through the creation of effective media, entertainment, music, art, and leadership. Sign up here and designate Influence Lab/Women as your benefiting nonprofit.
Let’s continue to Connect. Collaborate. Create for Christ! —Kathleen Cooke
A mission of The Influence Lab, Influence Women creates a pathway for Christian influence in entertainment and media. Find out more and become a member at InfluenceWomen.org
Shop with purpose! Support The Influence Lab and Influence Women As an online shop, every purchase on +ShopWithPurpose benefits the mission of The Influence Lab and Influence Women. Plus, it’s easy to sign up! Find out more here. *Designate Influence Lab/Women as your benefiting nonprofit of choice.
Laura (Lala) Garay is the founder of Azari Resources, a boutique firm established to empower small businesses and creatives with professional support who don’t have a full-time staff. She brings over twenty years of business accounting and administration expertise, ten years of event production experience, and seven years of operations management experience across a range of industries, including luxury fashion, yachting, creative marketing, and ministry. In addition to this broad range of business expertise, Lala serves as a Pastor and Director of Church Affairs at “House of Intercession for All Nations” in Miami, FL. She also serves as the COO of “Wave Shapers,” where she bridges visionary leadership with strategic structure and inspires people to live boldly, create freely, and lead with integrity. She is bilingual and especially enjoys expressing her creativity through fashion styling, event production, and artistic collaborations with musical artists. Lala is redefining how business and ministry can fuse to thrive on excellence and express the heart of God. She is thrilled to be the Chapter Director of Influence Women Miami, which launches in February 2026.
INNER VIEW
Kathleen Cooke: Influence Women is thrilled to have you as the Miami Chapter Director. What has God recently been talking to you about as you serve Him?
Laura (Lala) Garay: One thing God has recently taught me is that I do not have control — and that is a blessing. I’ve always been someone who plans, organizes, and takes responsibility for everything I touch. But in the last season, God showed me that even when everything seems to be falling apart, His best is still the best way. I’ve had moments where the ground beneath me felt unstable — with work or uncertainty, with unexpected transitions — but God kept reminding me: “You don’t have to hold it all together. I do.”
Letting go of control didn’t weaken me; it freed me. It taught me to trust His timing, to wait without fear, and to walk with a confidence that doesn’t come from circumstances, but from knowing He is sovereign. When I release my grip, He moves in ways I never could’ve orchestrated.
Kathleen:You are a multifaceted woman. How do you juggle all you do?
Lala: I manage my time with two things: calendar blocks and keeping all my clocks 10 minutes ahead. It sounds simple, but it creates a margin that protects my peace and keeps me from rushing through life. I treat time as stewardship — not something to survive, but something to direct intentionally. Because I juggle multiple businesses and responsibilities, daily planning with God is essential. I ask Him, “What should be the priority today?” Not everything is urgent, and not everything is mine to solve. Boundaries with time are boundaries for my mind and spirit, too.
Kathleen:As a single woman who faces many challenges, how do you conquer fear?
Lala: I break through fear and uncertainty with prayer, renouncing fear, and declaring God’s promises as already done. Even if I don’t see the blessing, the healing, or the breakthrough yet, I thank God for it in advance. That gratitude becomes faith in action. When I choose trust over fear, I’m reminding myself that God moves in the spirit before I ever see it in the natural. Fear might speak loudly, but truth speaks louder. And truth says God is already ahead of me.
Kathleen:How do you use your influence and life to be an example of God and to lift Him up?
Lala: One of the biggest things I’ve learned about influence is that you don’t always recognize it while you’re walking it out. I didn’t fully understand the impact my life had on others until I stopped living in the light for a season. It wasn’t until I returned to the feet of Jesus—humbled, surrendered, and restored—that I realized people were still watching, still remembering, still holding on to the version of me they met over 20 years ago. That moment hit me deeply. I realized I had influence long before I knew I did. And if I had understood the weight of that influence back then, I might have acted with greater responsibility, greater intention, and greater awareness of how my choices affected the people connected to me.
But God is gracious. He doesn’t shame us for the seasons we drift; He uses them. He showed me that even in my absence, even in my wandering, the seeds I planted in earlier years never died. People remembered the light in me even when I had forgotten it myself. Now I see influence as a sacred assignment. Not pressure — but purpose. If my life can draw someone closer to Jesus, encourage someone’s faith, or remind someone of hope, then my influence is doing exactly what He designed it to do. Influence isn’t about perfection; it’s about returning to Him so others can see that restoration is real.
Connect with Lala: Email: Miami@influencewomen.org Instagram:@InfluenceWomenMiami
2025 has been a year of continued growth and impact, all made possible by our generous partners! Walking through God-given doors of opportunity is not always easy, but the end results are always amazing.
“Saying ‘yes’ to God leads to interesting places, but ultimately, they are places of joy and wonder.” —Kathleen Cooke, Co-Founder, The Influence Lab/Global Director, Influence Women
Here’s a very brief Impact Recap of 2025—but first, let’s look ahead to 2026!
“Remember the wonders he has done…” Psalm 105:5
“Wonder” is our word for the new year. We invite you to pray with us and look forward to God’s “wonder” in 2026 for The Influence Lab and Influence Women.
The digital age has placed an increased demand on ministries to elevate their media and digital strategies to share the gospel.The Influence Lab has stepped up to meet that need, going to places where strategic training is not readily available or accessible.
We’re looking ahead to the opportunities in 2026 to teach, train and encourage, but saying “yes” to these requests requires ramping up funding to meet the need. (Scroll below to look ahead with us to 2026.)
Your partnership is critical! Will you join us?
We invite you to give your best year-end gift here.
“To fully express the gratitude of people and the impact Phil Cooke has had on the Russian-speaking world would require writing an entire book of its own.” —Matts-Ola, Russia
“There are very few people with that caliber who come and pour their heart out just to help [creatives and media teams] out there in the field, maybe in India, maybe in Africa, maybe in some other parts of the world. Phil and Kathleen Cooke are impacting so many people and I am one of them.”—Ashvin, Managing Director, Good News, India
2025 Impact Recap
Phil and Kathleen met with influential pastors and marketplace leaders in Greece, 2025.
Long-term Relationships Fuel Ministry Growth in Russia
Phil’s books are used for training Russian pastors.
This year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our contact’s church in Russia and Phil was invited to send a congratulatory video to Moscow for the landmark event. Watch Phil’s video here.
One of our Russian contacts writes: “Phil Cooke’s books in Russian have become essential reading in many churches and non-profit organizations. I regularly see Maximize Your Influence on pastors’ desks when I visit influential churches. Ideas on Deadline became the most-read book of last year, providing vital support to entrepreneurs and creative individuals during a challenging period.” —Matts-Ola, Russia
Kathleen Cooke Awarded Woman of Distinction from She Leads Tennessee Kathleen Cooke received the She Leads America Tennessee “Woman of Distinction” award for her transformative leadership in media, entertainment, and faith-based initiatives for women. She was also invited to the 2025 She Leads America and UK Summit held at Windsor Castle. Read more here.
Women gather in at the Hollywood Influence Women event.
Kathleen attends White House Faith Office Meetings in DC Kathleen was invited to attend meetings of the White House Faith Office in Washington, D.C., advocating for women creatives in their artistic endeavors. Read more.
Influence Women Expands and Encourages Unshakeable Faith in Filmmakers 2025 has been a challenging year for the film and television industry in Hollywood, and many filmmakers have relocated to production hubs such as Atlanta and Nashville. With Influence Women chapter groups in these cities and more added this year in Houston, Baton Rouge, Dallas and Phoenix, we’re able to inspire female creatives to create God-honoring works. Read more.
“Influence Women is shifting and shaping the culture for women in media everywhere at any age. With a focus on empowering women, they’re building a vibrant community where support, encouragement, and networking thrive.” —Jaclyn Quisenberry, Producer/Entertainment Marketing, Biola University Alumni
On the Calendar—Upcoming Opportunities in 2026:
January 2026 – United Kingdom Phil and Kathleen will teach a series of masterclasses for Christian university students in Europe.
March 2026—Houston, TX An invitation-only global gathering of 300 pastors and high-profile marketplace leaders. Phil and Kathleen will have opportunity to interact, encourage, and teach some of the most innovative and pioneering pastors in the world.
May 2026—Franklin, TN Phil speaks to the Evangelical Publishers Association, the national organization for Christian writers, editors and publishers.
June 2026—Jordan Phil is invited to Jordan with Ron Harris of MediaAlliance International to conduct training sessions for ministry leaders through the Middle East. Details to follow!
September 2026—Australia Pending details… more to come!
“Far from fading with time, Phil and Kathleen’s relevance and influence continue to grow… Their leadership remains outstanding, and their voices are deeply valued within the Church and the Christian media landscape.” —Nathan Brown, CEO – Christian Media & Arts Australia
*New IRA Limits opens opportunities for charitable giving. Read more here.
Do you want to make a meaningful impact and steward your finances wisely? The new IRA charitable giving limits make it easier to support the causes you love.
New Limits for 2025 – Secure Act 2.0
The annual Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) limit, previously set at $100,000, has been increased to $108,000 per individual for 2025, according to the retirement provisions of the Secure Act 2.0 bill. A married couple with separate IRAs can contribute a combined total of up to $216,000 annually. In 2025, if you are 70 ½ years old or older, you may use a QCD to donate to qualified charities directly from an IRA.
This is good news for Influence Lab Partners who want to give a special year-end donation to our mission. The Influence Lab is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Established in 2014, we’ve earned Guidestar’s Silver Transparency Award with Candid.org, considered the most widely adopted symbol of transparency for nonprofit organizations in the U.S. This translates into heightened value for our partners, who can support the work of The Influence Lab and Influence Women with trust and confidence.
Why Your Partnership is Critical
Phil and Kathleen Cooke train the media team at the 60,000 member Christ’s Commission Fellowship church in Manila.
The digital age has placed an increased demand on ministries to elevate their media and digital strategies to share the gospel. The Influence Lab has stepped up to meet that need,thanks to the generous support of our partners, going to places where strategic training is not readily available or accessible.
Invitations from other countries requesting our help come in almost weekly. To say “yes” to these requests requires ramping up funding to meet the need.
Gain the Tax Benefits of Charitable Giving in 2025
If you would like to take advantage of the tax benefits of charitable giving through your IRA and partner with us in the mission, give your donation here.
Your partnership with The Influence Lab impacts nations, and through the branch of Influence Women, enables and inspires Christian filmmakers and creatives to produce content with a positive impact on culture.
See the Impact of Your Partnership with The Influence Lab
Here are just a few of the testimonies we’ve received:
“For more than 15 years, Phil and Kathleen Cooke have made a profound impact on media (and church) leaders across Australia and New Zealand… Their leadership remains outstanding, and their voices are deeply valued within the Church and the Christian media landscape.” —Nathan Brown, CEO – Christian Media & Arts Australia
Phil and Kathleen with Pastor Peter and Deonna Tan-Chi in Manila.
“Phil and Kathleen Cooke have made a significant impact on our pastors and media leaders at Christ’s Commission Fellowship. Phil opened our eyes to the power of media and communication in a world where attention spans grow shorter and clarity is more essential than ever. His teaching challenged us to steward every tool—technology, creativity, and skill—to present the unchanging message of the gospel clearly and compellingly. We are deeply grateful…” —Pastor Peter Tan-Chi, Christ’s Commission Fellowship, a 60,000-member church in Manila, Philippines
“As a singer/songwriter artist in the entertainment industry, Influence Women’s events has always been something I have looked forward to. It’s like iron sharpening iron where you meet others of your tribe: women of all generations in the entertainment industry and connect with new friends, possible future collaborators, or mentors. It’s great to know that we are not alone on this journey.” —Florence LaRue, Vocalist, The 5th Dimension/Actress-/Author of “Grace in Your Second Act”
“Influence Women is shifting and shaping the culture for women in media everywhere at any age. With a focus on empowering women, they’re building a vibrant community where support, encouragement, and networking thrive.” —Jaclyn Quisenberry, Producer/Entertainment Marketing Professional and Biola University Alumni
* Your charitable giving to The Influence Lab is tax-deductible. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit and a recipient of the 2026 Candid Silver Transparency Award, a recognition that translates into trust and confidence for partners who support our work. Considered the most widely adopted symbol of transparency for nonprofit organizations in the U.S., GuideStar’s Candid has promoted nonprofit transparency since 1994 through a searchable online database of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations, allowing potential donors to verify an organization before donating. Millions use GuideStar data to make decisions about nonprofits and their work. Find The Influence Lab on Candid here.
