Women of Faith Conference: An Unusual Final Follow-Up

In July, I announced I had been selected to blog about the Women of Faith Conference to be held in Atlanta August 12-13. If you have read my blog recently, you know that my husband had surgery on August 9 and was still hospitalized on the 12th and 13th. I was unable to attend the conference.

However, I attended vicariously. When I realized I would not get to go, I asked God who He wanted to have the tickets and Joy McGee and Christi Thompson, two young women from my church, came to mind. When I offered the tickets to them - it was an answer to prayer for both of them. So I knew I had heard God's voice. The only stipulation I put on giving them the tickets, was they had to tell me all about the conference once it was over.

At the end of the conference Saturday afternoon, my phone rang and it was Joy. She asked if it was okay for her and Christi to stop by the hospital to visit before heading home. Of course I agreed. shortly after that, Dave's room was illuminated from the radiance shining from their faces. They couldn't control their excitement and joy from all they had seen, heard and experienced at the Women of Faith Conference.

"The speakers were wonderful."

"I liked Sheila Walsh best."

"All of the speakers were so very real. They weren't afraid to show emotions, to admit to their mistakes and share how God brought them from their mistakes back into a real relationship with Him."

"Angie [Smith] was very good."

"Natalie Grant was awesome! At one point in yesterday's session, she just broke out singing "'It is Well With My Soul.' "

I sat there listening to Christi and Joy share and I realized what a blessing this conference had been to them. And how, because they had heard from God and He had ministered to them, many women's lives could be changed by Christi and Joy sharing their experience at the conference. And, if God can change hundreds of women's lives through these two on-fire-for-God Christian women, think of the number of women's lives that God can change through the testimony of all the women that attended all of the  Women of Faith Conferences. That number would be in the hundreds of thousands, probably millions.

After sharing some more, Joy said she and Christi wanted to pray with me and for Dave. As Joy prayed, a quietness and peace penetrated every corner. One of the neatest things that Joy prayed was "Only You, God, can take cancer cells and turn them into half an almond." (If that doesn't make sense, back up and read my blogs dated August 8 and 9.)

After prayer, Joy and Christi sang "It is Well with My Soul" - the same one Natalie Grant sang on Friday. at the conference. I didn't tell them, but that was my "Papa Evans's" favorite song and it has always been one of mine. It sounded like the angels from heaven had joined their voices in with theirs. By the time they had finished singing, I was practically a puddle of tears on the floor and several people had gathered outside the room to listen. Some came in afterwards to share how blessed they were by the song.

Christi and Joy left soon afterwards, but their God-ordained hospital "adventure" was far from over. Visit Joy's blog
http://inhisside.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-couldnt-make-this-up.html to read what wonderful things God did that evening.

The Lord says in Jeremiah 29 that He knows the plans He has for each one of us. His plans for me, Christi and Joy regarding the Women of Faith Conference was nothing like the plans we had for ourselves. His plans were perfect.

Finally, to the Women of Faith Conference leaders: thank you for the invitation to blog about the conference! Please ask me again next year and God willing, I'll be there!