Women Of Faith Imagine November 12, 2011
Katie 
Over the weekend, The Women Of Faith Imagine conference came to the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Booksneeze sent me complimentary tickets so that I could check out the event and post a review. Women of Faith is 2 days of inspiration for women. Join thousands of women for a surprisingly intimate, unexpectedly funny, deeply touching 2-day event.
Escape from the everyday at a Women of Faith weekend and be refreshed, encouraged and inspired. Because the God who loves you can do far more than you can ever Imagine. To find a Women of Faith event near you, visit www.WomenOfFaith.com
I will highlight 2 of the speakers – Lisa Harper and Sheila Walsh.
Lisa Harper
Chances are you’ll never look at the Bible the same way again after hearing Lisa’s fresh take on the Scriptures. She brings the Bible to life — and has the know-how to do it. (A Masters of Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary helps.) For six years, Lisa served as the director of Focus on the Family’s national women’s ministry; the next six years found her serving on the local level as the women’s ministry director at a large Nashville church. Now she writes books and speaks at events all over the world, but it hasn’t gone to her head. “I’m definitely grateful for the opportunities God’s given me,” Lisa says, “but don’t forget, He often uses donkeys and rocks!” Lisa and her family of “critters” live in Tennessee.
I was most interested in hearing Lisa speak after I had read her book Stumbling In To Grace and realized how funny she was. Her speaking was also funny, but at the same time, serious. She had been molested as a child and didn’t think that she was worthy of God. She explained how she realized that she was with a bunch of funny anecdotes… one about a nekkid man in a park… hilarious and I don’t think any attempt of me recapping it could make it half as funny as it was – so be sure to catch Lisa speaking if you have the chance! She also spoke about how she wished to be a mother, but at the age of 48 she didn’t think that was going to happen for her. However, after volunteering she met a girl who is 23 and pregnant, a prostitute and crack addict and that she will be the mother to this girl’s baby and that she recently found out it was a girl. God works in mysterious ways and he has certainly showed that to Lisa!
She’s a multi-talented author (with more than four million books sold!), speaker, singer, television personality, and dog-walker who does it all while wearing killer heels. Her transparency takes our breath away as she shares the real issues she – and many of us – deal with every day. Prior to joining Women of Faith, Sheila co-hosted television’s The 700 Club and her own talk show Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh on the Family Channel. She is currently working on completing her Master’s degree in Divinity. Sheila lives in Texas withe her husband, Barry, son, Christian, and two little white dogs Belle and Tink.
Sheila’s story was about how the Shepherd will know where to find you. She grew up with a father who ended up dying at 34 in a mental institution. Many told her how she was just like her father and she tried hard to over come it – but at 34 she found herself also in an institution. She was sent a guardian angel from God and that is how she realized that she was worthy of God’s love. Sheila’s story was also mixed in with some humor – for instance how in the beginning of her marriage she was given gifts from Victoria’s Secret but now she was given a “hoodie footie” with her name on it – and she realized that the name on it was for when her husband woke up and thought “now what is your name again?” At the end of her speech she sang How Great Thou Art which moved me to tears. (This song was sung at my grandmother’s funeral and for some reason always makes me think of that and break down!) She brought the signer up to sign with her on the stage as well which for some reason made everything hit me even harder.