Blog Series Part 1: Women of Destiny

This is a Blog Series on the Women of Destiny Conference, Cruise to the Bahamas, which will be continuing throughout this week.

Part 1 – The Invitation

Don’t you love God’s surprises? In October 2011, one day I was going along minding my own business, when a woman I had friended on Facebook, Tony Robinson of Well Watered Woman Ministries, emailed me and asked me if I’d consider speaking at her women’s conference on a cruise to the Bahamas!

I’ve been writing books and speaking for several years now, but I have never had to seek a public speaking engagement. Someone has always asked me in person, emailed me, or called me to invite me to speak at their conference or retreat. But this was quite a surprise. This invitation wasn’t something I’d sought out or even desired.

I dream daily of traveling all over the world and wanted to see the Bahamas, but not this way. I was scared to go on a ship! I had a serious case of the “What if’s?”, which I will tell you more about later. I am a strong intercessory prayer warrior, but like all humans, I do battle fears at times.

Yes, I was humbled and honored that God had chosen me and that Tony had asked me. I told Tony that I’d first have to talk to my husband Ray and pray about it, and would get back with her as quickly as possible. You see, I was counting on Ray to say no…

When I talked to Ray, though, he immediately said he thought I should do it! You have to understand that my husband is not a “yes” man, especially if it’s anything involving finances. He’s usually very tight with the wallet!  Tony’s Well Watered Woman Ministries would pay my cruise fare – an incredibly generous gift for which I am so thankful – but I’d need to cover the rest of my costs including air fare from Kansas City, MO, to Miami, Florida, and back, and my spending money.

To my shock, Ray had no objections and said that if it was possible, he’d love to go with me. For years he had been joking that he was called by God to be a missionary to the Bahamas (he loves tropical weather and good food).

“But what about my fears?” I pointed out. He wasn’t moved.

Ray and Tony both laughed at my fears. They were things like:

• What if I got seasick?
• What if there was a hurricane while we were out at sea?
• What if there was a giant tidal wave that knocked over the ship and I drowned?
• What if there was some kind of emergency that required us to board the lifeboats and our lifeboat sank?
• What if the lifeboat sank and sharks ate me?

Ray asked how on earth I had loved being a flight attendant and wasn’t afraid at all of flying and the plane crashing to the ground, but I was afraid of a ship on the water? I didn’t know. Fears are irrational.

Ray, knowing that I had terrifying visions of The Poseidon Adventure and The Titanic movies in my head, reassured me that we would not hit any big icebergs in the Bahamas and a 90-foot tidal wave was unlikely. He also didn’t think my ultimate fate was to be lunch meat for a shark.

When I prayed about it, I believe God told me to go on the cruise to the Bahamas, despite my fears.  It would have to be God for me to go, because of the finances. Tony was praying and believing in faith for her husband Reggie and her four kids to go, and Ray and I were praying for him to go with me.

For reasons we still don’t understand, things didn’t turn out the way that Tony and I had prayed and hoped, but they turned out the way God desired.

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” ~ Luke 22:42, NLT

I did go on the cruise. God provided all my needs, halleluah!  This trip turned out to be SUCH a blessing with great memories! The Women of Destiny conference was so powerful, I met anointed, mighty women of God, and I had so much FUN!!!

I had been praying for over a year to go the beach and God answered my prayers!  GOD ANSWERS PRAYER!  On this trip, I was refilled and refreshed. Sometimes you just need to get away from it all to destress and relax.

Tony and I also finally got to meet in person! We had been friends on Facebook for several months, but had never met. I have made some of the best friends of my life on social media, even though we’ve never met face to face.

Tony and I also had divine appointments on the ship and islands, which I will share more about in the ebook I am writing now about the trip. (Stay tuned to buy your copy soon at a ridiculously low price!)

God gave Tony and me messages to share with the women attending the conference about fulfilling their incredible destiny to encourage their hearts. The women said that we had ministered to them, and they want to do this again next year on another cruise! Tony is already planning it.

Here is what LaToya Gay said on Facebook about it:

Tomorrow in this series, I will be sharing how when you say yes to God, the enemy Satan does his best to hinder or stop you from your great purpose and destiny. I’ll also be posting more pics and videos in this series from my trip.

When you say yes to God, He has great blessings in store for you. Will you say yes to Him?

Thank you again for your love, support, and prayers for me and my family. They have meant so much.

“He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.” (Deuteronomy 7:13)

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