EXPERIENCING REVIVAL CRUSADE

IT'S STILL TIME FOR YOU TO PLAN TO ATTEND THE EXPERIENCING REVIVAL CRUSADE. THE COUNTDOWN IS ON.....12 DAYS UNTIL WE BEGIN OUR JOUNEY INTO, "CONSUMING FIRE!" I KNOW THAT GOD IS GOING TO DO SOME EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS SPECIAL TIME IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. MY CRY IS, "LORD I'M HUNGRY FOR YOUR TOUCH!" HIS TOUCH IS THE ONLY TOUCH THAT CAN TRULY SATISFY OUR SOUL. SO COME ON, DON'T MISS THIS EVENT. I BELIEVE IT WILL FOREVER CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Women's Conference Testimony

Recently I had the privilege of being at a wonderful Women's Conference. In the afternoon service I ministered one of my favorite messages, "11:59." It is the story of Cinderella taken from a spiritual perspective. After traveling home and pondering over the day's events, I like many ministers began to wonder if I obeyed every prompting from the Holy Spirit. I only do what I do because I desire to see lives transformed. Sometimes after pouring out and feeling so drained, the enemy will show up and tell you everything you do wrong! "Those women thought you were crazy!" "You certainly didn't help anyone!" "You are a failure!" After years of these kind of attacks, I have finally learned to dismiss the devil and prepare for the next assignment. The next day I received this wonderful email from one of the women that attended this conference. I just had to share this with you all (of course with her permission). So enjoy and be blessed!

Dear Dr. Isom,
I am writing to you after attending your conference at my church Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren today. I had made plans to attend the conference early and I was pregnant at the time we signed up for it. During the time from signing up for the conference and the time of the conference we found out when I was 5 months pregnant that there was a problem with our baby. A routine blood test during pregnancy revealed the possibility that our baby could have Downs Syndrome. They had set up appointments with the Prenatal Diagnostic Center and for us to go for a diagnostic ultrasound. On July 31, 2008, after the ultrasound, they told us that our baby had died. We had to decide that day, within a few hours of finding out that we had lost our baby when I would have to be induced. It was all so overwhelming! I wasn't angry with God that our son Lucus died. I even told the doctors that God has His reasons and that He had other plans for Lucas. My husband was and is very supportive during this time, but he couldn't really understand or feel the pain that I, as the mother, was feeling for losing our son. I felt like a failure, because my other 2 pregnancies were high risk. Our oldest son, John, was born 2 1/2 months premature and spent 2 months in NICU. We were so fortunate that John didn't suffer any problems as a result of being a "preemie." I went into premature labor again with our daughter , Gracie 2 years later. I had to be on bed rest 4 months and had to receive weekly shots to try and prevent labor. Thankfully, I made it to full-term. Gracie was born with a protein deficiency that we didn't know about until she had a reaction to her DTP shot at 6 months. She spent 2 weeks in the hospital and almost died. So, I am very blessed to have 2 wonderful, healthy children that are now 5 and 3 years old.

I have been having some complications since the loss of Lucus, and when I got up this morning I had decided that I really didn't feel up to coming to the conference. As the morning began, I kept having this feeling that I needed to be at church. I got in the shower and was crying because I didn't feel like I was a woman of worth. I didn't feel like I was worth anything. I got to the church for the second part of the conference and spoke with you. You prayed for me and told me that I would get through this. I still wasn't feeling too sure about coming, but after you prayed with me, I started feeling a little less worthless (for lack of a better word). I couldn't believe it when you asked me to come forward during the service. I thought, what does she want me for. I'm not the center of attention type of person, but rather one that would be on the side lines. Then, you ask me to take off my socks and shoes, then I really thought, God, what do you have in store for me now? But as you were talking about Cinderella and the glass slipper and then you ask me to put the "slipper" on I wondered, where is this going. But, the slipper fit perfectly! The Lord spoke through you to me and I couldn't believe that I was "Cinderella." Yes, I do have a "Prince Charming" for a husband, but I had to kiss a couple of frogs before he came along. My two previous marriages were both abusive physically and mentally, so for the third time really was the charm.

I know that the Lord, "pushed me out of my side line comfort zone" to get me to church today. There was no way that you could have planned your service around me prior to today, because I almost didn't come. Divine intervention is what I call it. I know that my mom had spoken to you briefly and told you what I had been going through and she asked you to pray for me and my husband, Eric. I can't put into words how different I felt when I left the conference. I still had the hurt and the pain, both physically and emotionally, but I felt "lighter." I didn't feel like I had the weight of the world on me anymore. I realized that yes, it's painful but I will get through this with time and the Grace of God. You helped me to realize that I was never alone during all of this. I knew that, but at the same time I wasn't "getting it." I can't thank you enough for what you have helped me with today. I know that this is a long email, but I can't really put it into words how I feel. The Lord blessed me in more ways than I can count today and made me realize I have a lot of people praying for my family. I was trying to explain it all to my husband tonight and of course it wasn't coming out quite right or to make real sense to him what happened to me, but I think he realized God planned for me to be there today and somehow I fit into part of your service.

I want to thank you for letting me be, "Cinderella" and realize what 11:59 is really all about. Please continue your awesome ministry, because you touched so many people today that I know personally, and made a difference in how we see things. May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry. I will be praying for all your works and I know you will be praying for me.

Sincerely in Christ,
Sonya C. Reece
Floyd, Virginia