Women of Faith

This weekend I went to the Women of Faith conference with my sister, mother-in-law and sister-in-law. I've been to the conference once before and loved it, so I knew I was in for a good time. There is just something about being in a huge arena with a huge group of (in this case) sisters in Christ. There were 6,000 in attendance this weekend. How awesome to be in a place and know that you are safe and accepted no matter who you are around. Even more incredible were the times when we were worshipping with our voices. The sound of 6,000 women singing praises to their King is....well....there really aren't any words to describe it. And to think that this is only a fraction of what it will be like in Heaven!

I was completely encouraged and challenged by the women and men who presented. I also must tell you that Steven Curtis Chapman was there as well as Mandisa. Its incredible how God has used them through their musical gifts to touch the lives of many.

I really wish I could tell you everything I learned, how much I was encouraged, and how God spoke to me, but I really don't know how. The one thing I can tell you is that God is such a personal God. There were 6,000 women there, but each individual one that was there God put there for a reason. Each of us had something God wanted us to learn about Him and His promises and His character. Although the circumstances the speakers told us about that had happened in their lives were nothing I had ever gone through, the Lord was still able to use their testimonies to speak to me and my circumstances.

As I type I feel like I'm not getting the words out that I want to write. All I know is that without a real and a personal relationship with Christ, my life would be hopeless. Nothing...let me write that again...nothing can separate us from His love. We've never sinned too much, made too many mistakes, turned our back on Him too many times or done something so horrible that He would never want to have anything to do with us. We're never too young or too old. He is constant. The only constant. He is always there just waiting for us to let go of whatever junk we've been holding onto so that we can surrender to His love.

One of the songs that Mandisa (by the way, of that name sounds familiar, she was a contestant on American Idol) sang at the conference really sums it up for me. It is called Voice of a Savior. I have loved this song for quite some time now, but after this weekend, I love it even more. I would love for you to listen to it if you've never heard it. You can listen to it by clicking here. Below are the lyrics.

Some people try to listen to the bottom of a bottle
Some people try to listen to a needle in their arm
Some people try to listen to the money in their pocket
Some people try to listen to another's arms

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior

Some people try to find it with blind ambition
Some people try to find it where no one else has gone
Some people try to find it in the crowns of victory
Some people get defeated and lose the strength to carry on

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior

Some people try to find it in the shadow of a steeple
Some people try to find it in the back row pew
Some people try to find it in the arms of Jesus
That's where I found it, how about you?

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior