Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3
Recently, we held a very special women’s conference geared towards encouraging, empowering, and inspiring women of all ages in our congregation and community to step into their God-given calling and become everything He has called them to be.
Many of the women in attendance were new immigrants that fled the horrors of war in Ukraine, and their struggles are many. Others were non-believers, with whom we have formed authentic friendships and showed interest in learning more about Jesus and the Gospel.
It was truly a powerful and impactful conference! The atmosphere was bursting with God’s Holy presence and we watched as God touched and healed the hearts of these women in a most extraordinary way.
When the conference was finished, we were approached by Elena who asked for prayer for her son. It turns out he is only 18 years old and had to stay behind in Kharkiv, Ukraine — a city that is continuously being shelled. She was sick with worry about what will happen to him and she really needed prayer.
What she revealed next was absolutely heartbreaking. Elena shared that although she managed to escape Mariupol, a city that was held under siege and then completely destroyed, what she lived through was nothing short of hell on earth. Her daily life often included assuming the role of a nurse, sewing and binding injuries of those hurt by flying bullets or missile shards. She often witnessed people around her, including children, dying before her eyes and later being tasked with having to bury these people herself.
Elena is currently struggling a lot with PTSD and is constantly worried about her son’s safety back in Ukraine. Our sister Miriam asked if she could pray with her to ask God to come in and remove that terrible pain, trauma and worry, and allow Jesus to come into her heart. As they stood together, holding hands, Elena opened her heart and prayed, weeping before the Lord in total surrender.
It is always incredible to see the instant transformation in the person’s eyes when they genuinely allow Yeshua into their hearts. The healing process had begun for Elena and she walked away with tears of restoration and hope, smiling, assured that God would never let go of her hand. Miriam could see it in Elena’s eyes: she was a woman genuinely comforted by God. She couldn’t stop crying as she was experiencing God’s presence powerfully for the first time in her life.
These testimonies are the biggest indicator of just how important these conferences are. It gives women this moment in time to find God in their secret place, where only He can enter and comfort them. It was also beautiful to see the Lord touching the hearts of the non-believers, the ones who are still seeking, still on a journey to find Him. To be able to witness that encounter is an absolute blessing and the very reason we continue to invest in and organize these events and conferences.
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