Women of Faith Conference: A Recap of the Weekend



I mentioned that I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Women of Faith conference that I had the chance to attend over the weekend. I’d never been to one before and carried the assumption that it would be a lot like church, with sermons where you take notes and flip through your Bible and learn more about Greek root words and historical explanations. I love that kind of stuff, but thought that two days full of it might get pretty old, pretty fast.

As it turns out, I did learn a couple of Greek root words, but I was more impressed that the women who took the stage at the conference weren’t there to lecture us. Instead, they were there to open up their hearts, share their stories and tell the thousands of women gathered there how God met them in some of their darkest hours: There were stories about marriages falling apart, spouses suffering, babies being buried.

But they were more than just that. They were also stories of hope, as they told, through real and raw tears, how they cried out to God in those moments, begging him to get them through these tragedies—and how He did. That was the refrain that threaded through session after session: God is here. God will get you through this. Don’t give up on God.

It reminded me a lot of the Testimony series I ran on here a few months ago, where many of you opened up and shared how God was with you in hardships and struggles. The fact is that we need those stories and we need to have those to look to, because we are going to face hardships and struggles. Mine may look differently from yours, but we both have to walk through our own fair share.

So when I hear what she went through and how God was present in her time of need, it builds my faith to face my own with the confidence that though the clouds billow and the rains pound, God will come alongside me and shelter me from the depths of the storm.

One of the biggest things that struck me about many of the women who shared their stories from the stage, shared them in light of the fact that they aren’t all beautifully wrapped up in a bow, where you shout "Hallelujah!" at the end: One woman’s husband has a brain tumor and they’ve been praying for a miracle, but have yet to see it happen. Another woman was told her baby wouldn’t survive, and they prayed for a miracle, but the baby died hours after birth. These are not the stories we rejoice over in church; but they’re the stories of women who are learning to trust God even in the midst of uncertainty and struggles that linger on.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked into the conference, but I know that when I walked out, it was with a deeper awareness of God’s love in spite of our circumstances and a bigger trust in God's redemptive work, no matter what storms we face.

If you want to find out more about this year’s Women of Faith conference, which will be running events in cities across the country up until Thanksgiving, visit their website

Related Posts
Testimony Series: God at Work 
Learning to Trust God 

7 comments:

  1. I am going to this conference in Indianapolis this weekend...I am SO ready for it!

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  2. I went to a Women of Faith Conference a few years ago and loved it!! I am so glad that you were able to have such a rewarding experience :)
    God Bless ~ Shannon

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  3. Wow -- sounds like it was an amazing experience with amazing women. Glad you got to attend!

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  4. @ April - Oh, that's great! I hope you enjoy it. I thought it was such a special time!

    @ Shannon - Thanks! I'm looking forward to going to more in the future, as well.

    @ Rachel - Thanks! I'm so appreciative I got to attend, as well. One of the many perks of this little blog ;)

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  5. That conference sounds amazing. So glad it was such a powerful experience for you. I always love to hear about how honesty among our peers can help bring us closer to God.

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  6. That's so neat! I've never been to a women's conference like that, but I went to the ladies' banquet at my church's missions conference this past year. The stories of those women were so inspiring! Everyone's story is different, but we all have the common thread of Christ and that unites and strengthens us. :)

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  7. Agreed. I love the power that comes with vulnerability and community! It's a beautiful thing :)

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