I haven’t missed a True Woman Conference yet, and I think this year’s was my favorite.
Usually, I’m holed up transcribing messages or writing blog posts, but this year, I co-hosted the livestream. Because I knew I’d need stories to share on the stream, I was “forced” to interact with women and not simply type on my computer. What a gift!
I want to share some of these women’s stories with you. But first, a little background . . .
“God, Please Show Up”
My husband, Trevor, joined me for this conference. After his first evening with 7,000 women, he commented on what a feat this is, pulling off a conference this size.
It made me think of a conversation I’d had earlier that day with Martin Jones, Revive Our Hearts’ executive director. He told me that the ROH team has been asking God regularly, “Please show up. We can put on a good conference, but unless You come, nothing of great significance will happen.”
“I Left My Chains on the Floor”
I believe God answered that prayer this weekend. He showed up in power and set many women free! Two short testimonies I saw on the TW18 app:
“I left my emotional chains on the convention center floor. My husband is taking home a new wife.”—Kristin
“Lord, I thank you for revealing the strongholds I have, and showing me that I can be free of them with the truth that’s in your word. I feel so free!!! Hallelujah!!!”—Angelique
Now, for a few stories from women I personally interacted with and was encouraged by:
“I Can’t Be Happy in This Marriage”
One woman wasn’t excited to come. When she arrived, she wrote on her prayer card, “I can’t stand my husband. I don’t respect him . . .”
But after Dr. Eric Mason’s message on brokenness, she told me, “I’m actually excited to go back.” (I almost fell out of my chair at that!) “I don’t have to continue to believe the lies that ‘I can never change’ or ‘I can never be happy in these circumstances,’” she told me.
“I Can’t Love Another Child Like My Own”
Another woman with one child told me it took years for her to get pregnant. Her husband has been open to adoption, but she hasn’t been. This weekend, however, God used this conference plus a visit to a friend with five adopted kids to show her the lie she was believing: “I can’t love another child like my own.” She has already called her husband to give him the green light, and I have a sneaking suspicion their family is about to grow.
“God Is Not Good”
I met a woman whose thirty-year-old son committed suicide. Of course, this mom cried and shouted and wrestled with God. But unlike her husband, who hasn’t prayed for two years, she has chosen to be thankful for the thirty years she did have with her son.
What a beautiful real-life illustration of what Dannah Gresh shared about emotions: “Your thoughts are the boss of your feelings.” This mom is choosing gratitude, and it is impacting her feelings.
How about you? As you put coffee, chocolate, or pills into you that affect your feelings, are you putting in truth?
Put in Truth
True Woman ’18 is now another conference for the archives, but replacing lies with truth doesn’t have to stop when the convention doors close! Signing up for the I Choose Truth Challenge is one practical way you can continue to put truth in you!
As one TW18 attendee, Beth, shared,
“My takeaway this weekend: I am not to look for immediate transformation at an event, but to press in, do the work of waiting, watching, studying, and surrender to the Lord and let Him do the transformation in His way, His time, in the part of my life He chooses.”
Will you do the work of replacing lies with Truth? The I Choose Truth Challenge will address several specific lies and explore God’s Word for the Truth that combats them. (The challenge just began yesterday, but it’s not too late to join!)
The lies we have believed are powerful—no doubt about that. But the Truth is more powerful. Let’s continue to fill our lives with it and walk in the freedom Christ has bought for us!
Join the Discussion