Monday, November 11, 2013

When Financial Chaos Hits - Luncheon Follow up

Kelly and Amy's amazing centerpieces!
 
Matthew 6:19
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 
 
Our Iron Sharpens Iron luncheon last Friday... WAS SO GOOD!!!   To those of you who were at the luncheon, thank you for spending part of your day with us.  To see pictures from Friday's luncheon click HERE!

November General Session:
Finding Peace when Financial Chaos Hits Home

Our speaker, Kim Powell, shared a very personal testimony of great loss due to the 2008 recession and housing bubble.


I believe many people hide in the shadows of shame and embarrassment when they go through foreclosure or bankruptcy or any other financial loss.  However, Kim's transparency and hard-learned lessons moved us to tears.  Some of the lessons I gleaned from Kim's general session:
  • The person who goes into the storm is not the same person who comes out of the storm.
  • Storms have a purpose.
  • Storms have a start and a finish.  They do not go on forever.
  • Even when really bad things happen, GOD IS FAITHFUL!
(If you were at the General Session, what did you glean?)  Leave a comment!

Kim shared it took a solid 5 days to move from their  9000 sq.ft home lost in foreclosure.  As a result, she became deeply convicted that she had been investing her treasures, unknowingly, in the wrong places. 



Kim reminded us of the importance of investing in heavenly treasures such as our relationship with Jesus and our relationship with others. 





It takes guts and courage to share all that Kim shared with us on Friday. 



I personally, as well as the entire Knowing God Ministries Team and Board wish to thank Kim and her husband, John, for their willingness to share their story.   As a result, many were encouraged. Many were blessed to know that they are not alone

Kim's transparency in the general session, gave others the courage to share their stories of God's faithfulness in the WORST of storms.

Special Workshop

Following our General Session, we opened the floor to anyone who wanted to share their stories of God's goodness and faithfulness in 2013.  Eight women BOLDLY shared their stories.



Many of the life experiences would be most people's worst nightmare. However, these ladies courageously shared of God's personal faithfulness in the worst of circumstances. The tears in the room flowed as God was described as Faithful, Sufficient, Provider, Helper, Prince of Peace and Friend in midst of:
  • Separation and divorce
  • Estrangement from for years to being reunited!
  • A year of insomnia
  • A husband moving a family to America and abandoning her and their 3 children - leaving them without a car or a job.  Yet unwaveringly testified to God's faithfulness!
  • Cancer that's in remission as a result of a bone-marrow transplant!
  • An HIV diagnosis and living with the shame for more than 10 years - until God recently intervened and has washed away her shame!
The testimonials were powerful.  We should have workshops like this more often!





We heard testimonies of break-through:
  • Impatience to a heart of gratitude
  • Despair at work to professional break-through.


All weekend, I pondered these stories and the unwavering faith of these women.  I was deeply comforted to hear that in the worst of circumstances, God is near; He is still good; He will be faithful; He is practical and how He makes Himself almost tangibly close.

May this encourage you if YOU are in the storm of your life.

Boot Camp Returns Next Post


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