“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God…?” Romans 11:33 (MSG)
This was my fourth time to attend the WOF Conferences and, to be completely honest, I wasn’t planning on going this year. They had decided to split the core group of speakers and welcome “some new friends to the porch.” While I was certain that these new “friends” were wonderful women, I was not excited about missing-out on hearing from Sheila Walsh, Luci Swindoll, and Mary Graham. Besides…I had heard their inspiring messages before. What new messages of hope, love, and encouragement could they possibly be bringing to Oklahoma City? Fortunately, God had other plans…I was contacted and selected by Thomas Nelson Publishing through their blogger program Booksneeze, to be their guest at this years conference and to write about my experience.
I am so thankful and overjoyed that I went. As Patsy Clairmont says, “Change can be good.”
I have decided to make two posts regarding the WOF conference so that I can fully share the wisdom that was given during this two day conference.
If you have never attended one of these events, it is difficult to fully explain the experience. No matter who your are, where you are from, or what is going on in your life, the stories shared here will resonate with you. Even having heard the narratives of Marilyn Meberg, Patsy Clairmont, and Lisa Whelchel before, I realized that the stories shared at this event were different; moreover, that I was in such a different place in my life as well. I have already found myself sharing the truth of “more” and finding real contentment, as shared by Marilyn Meberg, with several of my patients over this past week. The testimonies of each of these incredible women (and wonderful man–Andy Andrews) were poignant, transparent, and pointed fully to the power of God in each of their lives. Each of the speakers share with such intimacy, despite being with 7,000 of your closest girlfriends, that you leave feeling like you really know each of them and share a special bond.
And then there’s the music…
There is nothing more moving than singing worship with 7,000 women. I still get chills thinking about singing Revelation Song as led by the four talented women of the Rejoice Worship Team. The entire Chesapeake Arena was energized as we danced & sang with Mandisa and the Worship Team. Amy Grant shared a very intimate and beautiful concert with us that concluded with the entire WOF lineup dancing on the stage with her. I am always in awe of the incredible talent of Sandi Patty and so grateful to be able to hear her sing my favorite song, The Prayer with her husband Don Peslis.
It was an energizing weekend filled with truth, wisdom, renewal, and hope….truly it was Over the Top.
Despite unprecedented opportunities in all spheres of daily living, women are becoming increasingly unhappy, less satisfied, and less fulfilled in their lives. Somehow on the path to “having it all” women got lost. By believing that the only way to “have it all” was to be perfectly balanced and accomplished in all areas: wife, mother, career, civic, and social—women have experienced feelings of failure, self-doubt, and shame. In his book, Find Your Strongest Life, Mr. Buckingham provides a different model for “having it all” (defined as “drawing enough strength from life to feel fulfilled, loved, successful, and in control) then provides a set of different “Strength” based tactics to accomplish this.
Integrative Psychiatry: Elizabeth Cordes, D.O. 