Great weekend!

The Women of Faith conference was held in Greensboro this weekend. Oh, what a treat!
Patsy and I hadn't preordered tickets, and when I mentioned several weeks ago something about going, she (and I) didn't want to pay the price of the tickets at $75.00 apiece...especially since at that late date, we would probably be up in the rafters. About a week ago one of my church friends asked if I had tickets for it, and I explained the able to her. She said that she had a conflict and wouldn't be able to attend....and would sell her pre-bought $45.00 ticket for $40.00. Another person in the church had a set, too, that we could buy. So, we bought them!!

The theme this year was Infinite Grace. Mary Graham, the president of WOF, who usually does all of the introduction of the speakers, was taking a break (was there, but not active.) Lisa Welchel, who played Blair Warner on The Facts of Life, filled in for Mary.

Patsy and I arrived around 6PM for Friday night's program that began at 7 PM. We were the first to arrive in our assigned section. It wasn't long, though, until Nancy, the woman who had ordered all our tickets arrived. She had a gift of hand cream and hand sanitizer for each of us. Soon, others from my church arrived; Kathy, Melinda, Rita, Margaret, Trudy, Joan and Donna, then a little later, Sheila, Mickey, and Debbie. The Women of Faith Worship team opened the program with several inspirational songs. Lisa then introduced each speaker with most of them giving just a small foretaste of what they were going to present to the audience at a later time. They included Patsy Clairmont, Marilyn Meberg, Sheila Walsh, Allison Allen, Sandi Patty, Nicole C. Mullen, Louise Duart, Natalie Grant, and Anita Renfroe. Longer presentations were given by both Sheila Walsh and Natalie Grant...with her sing several songs and Sheila expounding on her topic....praying. She voiced how pray does not have to be a bunch of pretty words, or formality...but one just needs to talk to God...that's all He wants for us to do...just talk to Him. Around 10 the program wound down. Our group gathered in a closing prayer offered by Donna.

Saturday morning, Patsy and I headed out, stopping by McDonald's for a bit of breakfast.


Patsy Clairmont was her usually ball of energy and was a delight. Marilyn Meberg gave a moving talk on abandonment. Braving traffic and parking, we finally arrived back at our seats. Patsy Clairmont was the first to speak. She was her usually ball of bursting energy. I just knew I would remember what each one spoke about...but for the life of me, I can't remember her topic.

Marilyn Meberg gave a wonderful, humor filled talk on the sad subject of abandonment. We each have felt this despairing emotion whether the abandonment was a voluntary abandonment or an involuntary one. She ended with the reminder of the One who would never leave or forsake us...no matter what.

Allison Allen preformed several sketches that were written by Nicole Johnson.

Sandi Patty's talk about our wrapping ourselves in layers though our lifetime...layers of guilt, pain and shame...and allowing God to remove those layers to allow us to become the women God planned for us to become. Plus she belted out sever wonderful songs.

Nicole C. Mullen...what can I say!! She, alone, was worth what we paid to get in! She sang Redeemer; Black, White, Tan; Witness; Come Unto Me and Brainwash...may have been more, but that's all I can recall right now. Talk about an energize powerhouse! She sang with her entire being... a theatrical singer/dancer. Team NCM joined her for several numbers. Great job!

Anita Renfroe actually only spoke on Friday night. She sang her The Mom Song ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxT5NwQUtVM )a wonderfully funny whatmomssayallday to the tune of William Tell Overture. She also did a funny one called Before I eat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygWO30gdpK4

Louise Duart, a talented impressionist told her story of how God used a broken dream and a broken marriage despite the fact that at times it seemed He had perhaps forgotten her. She laced her entire program with great impressions of George Burns, Joan Rivers, Carol Burnette, Edith Bunker, Hilary Clinton and Cher...among others.

The evening was closed with song by Natalie Grant.

All-in-all a great weekend. Looking forward to next year's WOF conference.