Real Women

MORE stories from "Be Brave"...

‘I. AM. LOST.’

 

Those were the words written in the journal of a lady who attended our Illuminate Women’s Conference: BE BRAVE in November 2014.  In the weeks before she came she had been struggling with what she felt she was made for.  After returning home, she wrote to us to tell us more of her story.

When I heard about the "Be Brave" conference I knew I had to go.  Thursday evening was my last chance at Christianity.  I was at an all- time low, tired of my shabby walk with God, tired of the struggle it was to follow Him.  I was in a whirlwind of emotion.  I felt useless, lonely and that I didn’t belong anywhere.  I felt I had no direction and that God wasn’t listening to me crying out for help. To make things worse, I knocked over some of the decorative vases full of water in the foyer after one of the afternoon sessions.  I felt everyone was looking at me.  While I was down on my hunkers trying to mop up the mess, a tsunami of humiliation and the confirmation that I was useless swept over me.  I couldn’t see the floor as I was sobbing my heart out.  I was that shattered glass.  The girls from the team rallied round to help, taking over the job of cleaning up and telling me everything was ok.  Ali came over to check I was OK.  She was wonderful, although probably shocked by my teary face.  She spoke to me with such kindness.  She told me I’m beautiful, which I’d never believed.  But more than anything else she told me I had purpose.  That I was made to bring healing and wholeness. I feel that God had sent Ali to me.  I had waited so long to hear this.  All along I thought I had to be ‘doing’.  Ali said I was to know who I was in Christ first – something a friend had told me earlier but it took hearing it from a near stranger for the message to sink in.
 I didn’t want to come back for the evening meeting but Ali encouraged me to.  She told me to be brave.  And I’m so glad I did.  When I came back that night Ali was the first person I bumped into.  She gave me a big hug and told me she was glad I had come back.  That night I was exhausted.  I woke up many times and found myself praying and giving thanks to God.  In the morning I woke to the words ‘My chains are gone, I’ve been set free,’ a song I know but have never particularly liked.  But now I felt that God was whispering to me and so I listened.  I felt that I was his little girl, an impression that has had such a huge impact on me in dealing with all the negative things I have previously believed about myself.
 I just wanted to let you know the impact you guys had on me this weekend.  I felt at home in your church.  I will keep you in my prayers and thank God for you and all your amazing work. 

As we think ahead to our Illuminate Women's Conference: INHERITANCE in November 2015, we would love to invite you to come as we gather to pursue an inheritance that is timeless, marked by faith and carried by hope. Come on Friday and Saturday the 20th - 21st November 2015 expecting an inheritance of boldness, action and transformation for our lives and our communities.

Here's one more of the many notes we received about last year’s attendee’s experiences:

 ‘Just prayed with a homeless guy.  Left him with a smile on his face, food in his hand and the name of our King Jesus in his ears.  Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can!  Our God is awesome. BE BRAVE!

Several other especially favourite emails were received throughout the year that said simply this:

I was brave today.

What about you? There's never been a better day than today  to Be Brave. 

Early bird tickets for INHERITANCE still on sale until 6th August