My name is Kelly Gelle (yes, it rhymes) and I want thank you for taking a moment to listen to My Women of Faith Story.
Every October, for several years now, I have attended the Women of Faith in St. Paul, MN with a few family and friends.
But this year is a little different. As I am typing this, I am a first time volunteer group leader. Being a group leader has put me on an amazing journey of discovery…and I was challenged to find “My Women of Faith” story…so here it is…
Hope.
My Women of Faith story is a story of hope. No matter what I have been going through or where I have been in life, (and trust me, it’s looked pretty grim at many moments) God has used this event to fill me with hope.
I have attended countless biblically based events, conferences, classes, etc. But, I remember sitting in the arena a few years back in awe at how ‘real’ each of these women were. They don’t have perfect lives or families, they don't have perfect thoughts, or perfect language.
They are just real women, who suffer from depression, loneliness, anger, crippling fear, death of a loved one, have been victims of abuse, have had an affair or a spouse who had an affair, have been betrayed by a loved one, have a child serving life in jail, or struggling with homosexuality…
but despite these things, these women have found refuge in the arms of God. They don't hide their imperfections and struggles, instead they want to share their journey in order that maybe, just maybe my life and your life could be a little bit better.
They are just real women, who suffer from depression, loneliness, anger, crippling fear, death of a loved one, have been victims of abuse, have had an affair or a spouse who had an affair, have been betrayed by a loved one, have a child serving life in jail, or struggling with homosexuality…
but despite these things, these women have found refuge in the arms of God. They don't hide their imperfections and struggles, instead they want to share their journey in order that maybe, just maybe my life and your life could be a little bit better.
That is why I am so passionate about this event and want you to attend. I want you to experience this hope and these ‘real women’.
My passion is that this event will be a launching pad for you to begin to discover your specific purpose and overcome this binding loneliness that plagues so many of us...a journey that I am in the middle of right along with you.
In the last couple of months as my co-leader Melissa and I have been making all the plans for you, we both suddenly found ourselves completely isolated and detached from friends, family, each other, and even God. I believe that the enemy knows God is up to something big. You see, he doesn't want us to realize our beauty, our potential...
...because us girls on fire for God can be detrimental to the kingdom of darkness.
I believe that the enemy will do what he can to stop us, but I also believe that God is using this struggle in our lives to completely and totally rely on Him. God has given me a burning desire for us women to get out of the deep dark pit - out of the vicious cycles we are on.
Marcus Buckingham, one of the guest speakers with Women of Faith 2010 & 2011 has stated:
"The conventional image of a successful women today is that she's a virtuoso juggler, somehow moving fast enough to keep all the many aspects of her busy life in the air at the same time. Conventional it may be, but it's also quite sad. The core skill of juggling is throwing, not catching. To keep every object in the air, you have to get rid of each one as quickly as possible, barely allowing it to register on your fingertips before you toss it up and away, preparing for the next object to throw.
A strong life is the opposite of juggling. Juggling requires you to keep everything at bay, up in the air, away from you. The secret to living a strong life lies in knowing how to draw a few things in toward you. It asks you to be discriminating, selective, intentional. You can find energizing moments in each aspect of your life, but to do so you must learn how to catch them, hold on to them, feel the pull of their weight, and allow yourself to follow where they lead"
I know I don’t know what twists and turns your life has brought to you, but I do know that you deserve to hear this message of hope and in the process be pampered and HAVE FUN!!!
I’ve been praying that he would lead me to the right people to hear my story and place a burning desire on their hearts to be join us for this incredible weekend. I know that you are not reading this story by accident or just by chance. While I have a desire for you to be there, only you know if you feel that nudging or desire to be part of this weekend.
My passion is that this event will be a launching pad for you to begin to discover your specific purpose and overcome this binding loneliness that plagues so many of us...a journey that I am in the middle of right along with you.
In the last couple of months as my co-leader Melissa and I have been making all the plans for you, we both suddenly found ourselves completely isolated and detached from friends, family, each other, and even God. I believe that the enemy knows God is up to something big. You see, he doesn't want us to realize our beauty, our potential...
...because us girls on fire for God can be detrimental to the kingdom of darkness.
I believe that the enemy will do what he can to stop us, but I also believe that God is using this struggle in our lives to completely and totally rely on Him. God has given me a burning desire for us women to get out of the deep dark pit - out of the vicious cycles we are on.
Marcus Buckingham, one of the guest speakers with Women of Faith 2010 & 2011 has stated:
"The conventional image of a successful women today is that she's a virtuoso juggler, somehow moving fast enough to keep all the many aspects of her busy life in the air at the same time. Conventional it may be, but it's also quite sad. The core skill of juggling is throwing, not catching. To keep every object in the air, you have to get rid of each one as quickly as possible, barely allowing it to register on your fingertips before you toss it up and away, preparing for the next object to throw.
A strong life is the opposite of juggling. Juggling requires you to keep everything at bay, up in the air, away from you. The secret to living a strong life lies in knowing how to draw a few things in toward you. It asks you to be discriminating, selective, intentional. You can find energizing moments in each aspect of your life, but to do so you must learn how to catch them, hold on to them, feel the pull of their weight, and allow yourself to follow where they lead"
I know I don’t know what twists and turns your life has brought to you, but I do know that you deserve to hear this message of hope and in the process be pampered and HAVE FUN!!!
I’ve been praying that he would lead me to the right people to hear my story and place a burning desire on their hearts to be join us for this incredible weekend. I know that you are not reading this story by accident or just by chance. While I have a desire for you to be there, only you know if you feel that nudging or desire to be part of this weekend.
Something I do know FOR SURE is that whether your desire is just to have a carefree weekend getaway of fun and laughter, or if that nudging (even if it is a hesitant nudging) is stirring from a void or deep sense of being ‘lost’ in your life right now GOD WILL MEET YOU THERE!
If you haven't seen it already below is a link to a video I have put together that more deeply expresses what this event has meant to me. (CLICK HERE TO SEE THE "My Women of Faith Story" Video
So, will you join me for this INCREDIBLY FUN weekend?
So, will you join me for this INCREDIBLY FUN weekend?
Here is a link to the registration form – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
