Often, when you have a vision from God, it has to go through an extensive process before it comes to completion. First, there’s the idea or conception stage – what is it that God is calling you to do? Next comes the belief stage – this is where you must get over the fact that you’re inadequate in your own strength to accomplish what God is calling you to do.
Then there is the provision stage – this is where you begin to gather the people and resources you’ll need – the provision for the vision. At any time during this process, there can be the death stage. The vision may have to die completely before it is resurrected again – this time, bigger and better than you originally imagined. This stage can take months or even years wherein your vision lies dead or at the very least, dormant. Finally, there is the completion stage, where you can only stand back and acknowledge that if it had not been for the Lord, none of this would have happened.
I recently experienced this in Cuba, where I led a team to fulfill a vision God had given me just three years earlier – a relatively short time in Kingdom years. After lying dormant for several years, I thought the vision had died until earlier this year when God arranged a Divine appointment and re-connected me with a missionary. Things came together very quickly in what was obviously God’s timing to do the very first pastors and leaders conference for women in Cuba.
Like Nehemiah, I experienced some challenges as I moved forward to fulfill the vision God had given me. A team member fought against me or rather, God every step of the way, but He fought the battle and won because it was His vision, not mine that was at stake.
Ironically, when I had the original vision, I was willing to help with a women’s conference in any way I could. I told the missionary I didn’t even have to be a speaker – I was happy to serve in any capacity that was needed. But God had something bigger in mind – something better than I imagined. Not only did I teach the conference – God used my story to create an entire curriculum based on my test and testimony and the steps He brought me through to re-build my life from the ground up. And that is how my online course, FYC Immersion was birthed.
Throughout the conference, I watched lives being transformed as women realized their true identity, resolved their issues from the past, discovered a bigger and better vision for their lives and created a concrete action plan to move forward in every area of their lives and fulfill their purpose.
Some of the comments I received were humbling:
I am honestly so thankful for this conference. This conference has had a huge effect on my life. I want to thank you and God, for anointing you and blessing you with the wisdom and the strategy to uplift other women. I am filled with joy knowing that I am the King’s daughter. I discovered, through this conference, God’s vision for me: To help other women, who might otherwise not believe that there is a solution. I am promising, with God’s help, to teach to other women what I have learned here over the past few days and help them discover as well that they are Daughters of the King.
I give thanks to God for the last three days, which were full of His glory. This has been such a blessing to my spiritual life. There are many trials and tribulations we go through in life and I learned that only He can heal us and guide us through it. During the last few days I was reminded of this. I was also reminded of my true identity as the Daughter of The King. Thank You and God Bless.
This conference was one of the best, so clear, concise and detailed. It has changed my life, refreshed me and made me re-focus on what is important.
I really loved the conference! It brought me wisdom and hope and has given me a new outlook on life. I feel refreshed and ready to take on the future, leaving the past behind me. I wish to continue to serve The Lord full time and live in His presence with my family, as I have now been doing for nine years. I hope you continue to succeed in your mission and I will pray that you continue to take this message around the world to other women in need.
I want to thank God for what has happened here over the last few days. I continue to pray that He use me for His purpose and His glory. This conference has touched me so greatly that I can now share my testimony with other sisters for His glory.
I feel so empowered and so full of The Spirit. I feel as though He has reached out to me today and has spoken to me, the purpose of my life.
There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for your visit. God has surely blessed me with your ministry and has shown be how I can be of service in my community and show other women how they can also be an instrument for His purpose. Your visit has helped me in so many ways. I feel so refreshed. I learned about God’s empowerment, faith, forgiveness and thankfulness.
I thank God for this conference, it really enlightened me and revealed my purpose for the Lord. I feel like if He is with us, then nothing can hold us back.
I just wanted to let you know that God shines through you and it is very apparent why He chose you to lead this ministry. The Spirit of The Lord is with you.
I want to thank God for making this conference possible, and bringing together the leaders from Canada and Cuba. I loved the teachings a lot and learned a lot from them.
This conference was such a big help for me. I felt as though God was speaking right to me when we touched on the topics of fulfilling your purpose. Your testimony was so much like my own! I want to thank God so much for this opportunity and hope to one day be a part of your team and share my testimony with other women who are in my position. I feel like I was most definitely in the right place at the right time. Thank you, God Bless.
I want to thank God, who is the author behind this blessed event. I loved learning from you and hope to teach others around me about Jesus. The only thing I hope for, is your soon return. I feel so refreshed and so empowered. No words can describe the transformation I see within myself. God Bless.
I am writing to you today, to thank you for the amazing experience this week. I came in to this conference with many doubts, worries and troubles and I just want to thank you and thank God for coming here and helping me through this difficult time. I want thank you and The Lord for putting this together, I had been asking to feel God’s presence and He delivered. I feel so refreshed and so inspired. I feel The Spirit within me. The only complaint that I have is that it didn’t last longer, I hope to tell my mother, who wasn’t able to make it and my sisters about this amazing experience and the immense blessing it was to my life.
Beyond a doubt, it was an answer to prayer we had been waiting for a long time. The experience was phenomenal and we received a special touch from the Holy Spirit. I can say the classes were really good. I am entering into a season of rest – raising my children and raising my family. I organized my Life Plan – I want to take care of my time and my family – they are my highest priorities. It really helped me reflect and think. The presence of the Holy Spirit was there. God ministered to me about forgiveness. The past year, I was in a season of opposition and pressure. I told my husband I need to get away 2-3 days – I can’t take it anymore. I can’t give any more. I felt my ministry is over. I needed to get out. It was a long time since I had shared with other pastors and leaders. I needed connection with other leaders. Sometimes you think you’re done. The Lord told me one more time, “I’ve called you.” On the first day, I returned home after the conference. My husband told me to stay there. When you started to minister, the devil started to whisper, “Get out of here – you’re nothing. Step back – you’ve done many bad things. Leave and never come back. Kill yourself!” I started to step back, but the Lord was there. Jesus said, “Rise!!” I felt broken to the soul. I thank the Lord. It was wonderful. I can see the Lord working in my life. Pastors can feel discouraged. Now I feel renewed, comforted and with many ideas, plans, projects and I see what I need to leave behind. Maybe in 3-5 years, a different capacity in ministry. I need to give more of myself to my family – priorities. Some things I need to leave behind. I need to take care of myself – when a tooth hurts, in the past, I would just let it go, but I need to start caring for self and giving self a little time. Of course, I replayed the conference to my husband.
You asked the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Then, “What do you want now?” My answer was a house. The Lord blessed me with a house before the end of the conference!
Nobody had ever done a conference for women. Women longed for them to have one. I believe it is in God’s heart to do more for women. This is a new beginning, a new strategy.
I share all of this to encourage you that what starts as a small idea can become something life-changing in God’s hands. Stay open and allow Him to use you in whatever way He wants to. Don’t limit God, but step up when He calls you and be willing to stretch beyond your current capacity. Therein lies the miracle of transformation, both for you and for those whose lives you touch.