AMAZING, INSPIRATIONAL, UPLIFTING, TEARFUL, JOYFUL, INSIGHTFUL, AND WONDERFUL… are just a few words that can be used to describe the Women of Faith conference that I attended this weekend. The women there were full of texture, layers, honesty, purity, and the list goes on.
Their stories were often my own stories. Their struggles, their hardships, and their pain, reflected mine. I could relate to these women. And the good news is…well, it’s God’s good news…that none of these experiences are important anymore. He has showered us with his divine GRACE…his infinite GRACE. We have been cleansed by his grace. Whatever we have done, whatever has happened to us, it’s all been erased in God’s eyes. He sees us only as the beautiful, yes, I said beautiful, and flawless women He CREATED us to be.
Our own history, and the pressures we allow to be put on us by society, have tainted the vision we have of ourselves. If there was one thing I took from this experience it is that the ONLY thing that matters is what God sees in me. Yes, I have to live among many in this lifetime, and I will tend to care what they think and say, because I am human…but at the end of the day, when I am home, and in my quiet place with God, I will ask him to wash away those negative thoughts and restore in me the only thoughts that matter….HIS!
The woman that touched me most was Sandi Patti. She has a story to tell and she tells it well. She is probably the one I related to the most. She has a book called, LAYERS. As she spoke about some of the things she tells more deeply about in her book, I was struck between the eyes. I know about layers…I got a lot of them. We all have layers I think. Not to get too into it, you would need to read her book, as I have in 24 hours, but I realized that I have layers upon layers of shame, guilt, regret, abandonment, pain, and this list too goes on and on.
What Patti shared was how she peeled back those layers, a very painful process, and then allowed herself to be cleansed and renewed in God’s GRACE. What a beautiful image! So because of this weekend, I am now working on peeling back my own layers and replacing those feelings of shame, guilt, etc., with God’s infinite Grace. I’m replacing the negative views of others, and myself, that have been layered on me, with God’s perfect view of me.
In closing, I’ll just mention the amazing and beautiful Nicole C. Mullen. Look her up when you can. Her voice is so angelic and her music powerful and moving. Her music is for God, that we just get to enjoy. You must listen to “When I Call on Jesus”. This song will move through you. Enjoy! There will be a new Women of Faith next year, in Sacramento. You may want to consider heading up there for it. You won’t regret it. And the time away, focused on God will be worth the time and money! Blessings
Carianne
Hi,
my name is Naomie Lavalas,and i love this website specially the encouraging words.I’m from Haiti and,i will love to learn more about the conferences,please sent me more information about this coming event.May the Lords guide this ministrie,God bless.
i’m encourage by your tracks & words. keep it up. God encourage u all
Thank you for your insoiration on life and I was having a hard time with myself,then I came to reasoning.
A Great Inspiraton , For the second time I believe I got the word right.God Bless
My name is Sonia San Agustin. I used to live in the Philippines, a third world country that is predominantly catholics. I got married at a very young age of 18 and life for my husband and I becomes harder when I had my first baby at the age of 19. My husband is earning a very little money enough only to buy the baby’s formula. But the light of God shine in our life when at that situation Jesus reveals himself to us in a very special way. We became a regular church goer, and in the church I heard a very wonderful song “How Great Thou Art”. Suddenly. a feeling of invisible power embraced me for the longest time. I never experience this before. I cried, cried, and cried. There is a feeling of releif and lightness after that experience. In my dreams I saw myself singing the song with the singer. I don’t her name before. When i wake up, I laughed it off thinking that it’s too impossible. We’re on both ends of the earth, sandy is on the west and i am on the east. On June 2005, my family and I came to new york direct from our country. Setember 2007, I had the opportunity to join the women in Queens Bible Church to attend the Women of Faith conference in Pennsylvania. Overwhelmed by all the woman around. I sat anxiously in the bleechers waiting to see my idol Sandi Patty, the woman who greatly influence my worship since 26 years ago. And there she is walking up the stage holding a microphone in her hand getting ready to sing her piece. The music starts. I closed my eyes and the she goes pick up the first part of the song in an angelic voice slowly. Sudddenly she raised her voice in a majestic note. MY eyes are closed, my heart is beating fast, my lips uttered praises to the Lord,”Thank you , Lord, she is sandi patty, she is sandi patty. I can never forget that experience. I never thought in my wildest imaginations that i can see and listen to sandy singing her songs in person. I am looking forward to another Woman of Faith conference this coming September. I hope to see you all there to empower everyone with the presence of God through praises, worship, thanksgiving and messages.
God blee you Sandy. God Bless everybody!!!
I, too, was encouraged by Sandi’s words. It’s amazing how you can look at someone who seems to “have it all” and yet…they don’t. I guess none of us “have it all”–here on earth. But we will have it all in Heaven-no more pain, no more sorrow, no more layers! Yay God! I encourage all you ladies to focus on God’s love of you, no matter what shape you are in. He LOVES YOU no matter what!
I spent last weekend at the WofF conference in San Jose, Calfornia. It was beyond awesome! Sandi’s peeling back the layers went to my heart and I know that my fluffy body can be less flulffy with help from Sandi directing my steps toward God in shedding the layers that so artfully hiding my “stuff”.