Recap of women’s conference

Bishop Norma Washington

This weekend I flew to Phoenix, AZ, to speak at Norma Washington Motivational Ministries’ women’s conference. In return, I was greatly encouraged and inspired by the other speakers there, and was physically refreshed by just relaxing near the hotel pool’s waterfall and admiring the tall, elegant palm trees in the background. I also made some great new friends!  😀

Everyone attending the conference was blessed with:

• God’s sweet presence and His words of truth
• Norma’s on-fire preaching Friday and Saturday night
• Praise and worship from singers who had me just in tears at times from the power of their anointing
• Teachings from different speakers who were such a blessing
• A dramatic skit of the woman with the issue of blood
• Lots of fun fellowship with women of God
• A luncheon on Saturday
• A cute, colored handbag with a free copy of. Matt D. Watt’s 3-cd set, The 8 Principles of Goals and Success.

***Norma’s public consecration

On Friday night, Norma was set apart for public consecration and installation to the office of Bishop. It was a great privilege and honor to be there witnessing this, and to now be officially part of her Preach Woman Preach Alliance. Preach Woman Preach Alliance is a non-denominational alliance of anointed women who feel a call by God to preach and teach God’s word. Its goal is to empower women to live abundant lives in Christ, and the Alliance serves as a spiritual covering for women in ministry.

Do I mean this alliance is some sort of club, clique, or even a new type of church?  No!  It’s just basically women of God encouraging and praying for each other!  What we should be doing each day anyway, because God knows we women all need the encouragement in thisbusy, stressful life – women who are wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, women who work outside the home, women with on-line businesses, women with trials, women in tears, women who just want more of Jesus!

Bishop Ben Washington installed his wife Norma into the office of bishop, and it was a powerful time in the Lord. After she was installed, Bishop Norma got up to the podium to teach out of Zechariah 4: 6-10 on the capstone, and was her usual firey, preaching self. She is inspiring and so funny!

One thing she said that struck me was that we can NOT do this apart from God!

***My speaking session

I spoke early Saturday morning. The topic God gave me for speaking was on “secrets” – our secret sins that we need to bring to Jesus at the cross to be forgiven, and the secrets God desires to speak to us in prayer like He did with Deborah, Daniel, and Abraham.  One of the secrets I shared about that often has women so bound in shame and condemnation is abortion, which they feel is the unforgiveable sin.

Dear friend, God will forgive you if you have had an abortion. His love and mercy are unconditional. The blood of Jesus was more than enough to cover any sin that anyone has ever or ever will commit, if they will receive Him as Savior.  (I do urge you, though, if you are considering abortion – don’t do it! God will help you through this time of pregnancy!)

God used my message of His love and forgiveness to free other women more. One woman said:

“The conference today was very motivating. After listening to Beth Jones speak today, I left the conference feeling very liberated. Thank you for a life changing word today.” ~ Minister Vanessa Ferrell, Phoenix, AZ

After I spoke, two women at this conference publicly announced that they had had an abortion years ago, the first time they had ever publicly admitted to this. Through this confession – exposing the darkness and bringing it into the light – they experienced more freedom this weekend. God’s heart longs to forgive, heal, and restore us.

***Sister Kay’s testimony

One of the other speakers was Karen Nabor, also known as “Sister Kay.” Prior to coming to the conference, she had her presentation organized and well prepared with a great visual aid – and then God changed everything she was to share at the last minute!  She winded up hurriedly writing what He was giving her two hours before she spoke, on loose notebook paper! Don’t you just love the Holy Spirit? 🙂

So instead of her original speech, Karen spoke on “The Call of God,” sharing from the book of 1 samuel when God was speaking to young Samuel for the first time. She gave her testimony on being delivered from drugs, immoral relationships, and especially addiction to alcohol even when she was a pastor’s wife. It was a powerful testimony that ministered to those attending. And it clearly conveys the message that we as Christians are NOT perfect and we have problems – it is why we need Jesus!

Kay and I discovered to our amazement that God has given us the same life scripture, Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The way God brings people together astounds me.

***Sherry Clements’ dramatic skit

My room mate at the conference was Minister Sherry Clements of the Non-Perishables Ministries & Productions, Inc. Sherry did a powerful teaching and dramatic skit at Norma’s conference this weekend, on the woman with the issue of blood, reaching to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and being healed.

Sherry is a author and poet, and she has written some great books on poetry, which I encourage you to check out. Here is one of her books on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Even-Adam-Book-Poetic-Ministry/dp/141379808X/ref=sr_1_1? 

Here is Sherry on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/poetsherry#p/a/u/0/rzI36IIQKMk. 

***My new sisters in the Lord!

One of the women I met at this conference who I felt an immediate connection with was Pastor Theresa Buckner. She must be at least six feet tall (I felt SO short beside her!), she has long black hair, and she is just beautiful, gifted, and very funny.  We talked, we laughed, and we had a great time sitting together – and we hated saying bye to each other!  She’s like my new sis!  

Evangelist Beckie Porter-Watt was a powerhouse in prayer, and I would just love to hear that woman preach! I was so blessed meeting her!

Another impressive woman I met was Pastor Verna McGee, who with her husband is planting church fellowships in Ohio now and is about to go to Africa with him in December to minister there.

What has God put in YOUR heart to do?  What’s holding you back from doing it?  Remember, it’s all for God’s glory, not our own!

As always, it was a blessing to see Bishop Ben and Norma again, and to hear them preach God’s word. Bishop Ben has an amazing singing voice that fills my eyes with tears when I hear it.  Bishop Norma gave me an encouraging word this weekend and my response to that is, “Yes and amen! Lord, here am I, send me!”

 The Saturday night meeting when Norma preached was POWERFUL, and we were uplifted and encouraged. What I love about their church is that they don’t hold back from worshipping God in song and dance. They have FUN praising God and enjoy laughing, too!  The Washingtons are a man and a woman after God’s own heart. May God bless them exceedingly in their ministry.

***Spiritual authority and spiritual gifts

The spiritual authority and the anointing and talents of the people at this conference was just incredible. I was so encouraged to meet so many gifted women of God.  It was truly a blessing and an honor to be there.

What on earth does all of this long post have to do with YOU?

When you’ve got good news, you can’t keep it to yourself!  I had to share all God did!

Also,  I just want to encourage you to take some time and attend conferences or retreats to be filled up and renewed- and remember to have lots of fun like I did!  😀

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