Some 1,200 women filled the Frisco Conference Center Sept. 18–20. The theme for the weekend was “God is in My Story.”
The keynote speaker for the English sessions was Desiree Bryant, associate director for ministerial spouses at the North American Division (NAD) and also wife of Alex Bryant, president.
Bryant shared several stories from her life including when her youngest was shot while away at school. Despite severe injuries, he survived. The surgeon commented, “I don’t know whether to call it a miracle or not.”
“Well, I know what to call it,” Bryant said. “This is a miracle.”
The keynote speaker for the Spanish sessions was Nessy P. Grieve, associate speaker/director of La Voz de la Esperanza.
“God sees your tears, but He can turn those dark pages into something bright and wonderful,” Grieve said. “And when He takes up the pen, no deep pain can end your story.”
Breakout sessions, or “chapters,” focused on key moments in our stories. Chapter 1 was presented by Arkansas-Louisiana Conference Women’s Ministries Director Marjorie Bélizaire (English) and Yesenia Schupnik from the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference (Spanish). Chapter 2 was presented by Texas Conference Women’s Ministries Director Sandralee Mars (English) and Texas Conference Spanish Women’s Ministries Coordinator Nilda Diep (Spanish). Chapter 3 was presented by Southwest Region Conference Women’s Ministries Director Anysia Archibald (English) and Oklahoma Conference Women’s Ministries Assistant Damaris Prieto (Spanish). Chapter 4 was presented by Oklahoma Conference Women’s Ministries Director Cindy Mercer (English) and Aracelys Astudillo of the Texas Conference (Spanish). Chapter 5 was presented by Nelva Chacon of the Texico Conference (English) and Sandy Reyes of the Texas Conference (Spanish).
At registration each woman received a passport to fill with stickers as they attended the various sessions and visited key stations. Once completed, they received a special commemorative scarf highlighting Proverbs 31.
Saturday evening brought fun and fellowship and a fashion show featuring outfits made from recycled materials.
As the women prepared to leave, many of them expressed that this weekend was a turning point in their own chapter.
One group left the weekend considering a new chapter for their own congregation. Patricia Mbola of Huntsville Seventh-day Adventist Church had been involved in Women’s Ministries in the past, but the Huntsville church didn't have an active Women’s Ministries program. After seeing a flier for the event, Mbola gathered a group of women from the church to attend. By the end of the weekend, they were planning to start a Women’s Ministries program at their church.
For the 1,200 women who gathered in Frisco, the weekend offered a chance to look back at the chapters God had already written in their lives and return home ready to see how He would work in the chapters still to come.