As an artist, I am always inspired by how other artists choose to tell a story that will bring insight, laughter, and liberty to those who see and hear it. The artistry is one of the unique things that separates Woman Come Forth from other conferences and events with which I have been involved (kudos Faith & Laura!). The interweaving of the spoken Word of God, the performing and visual arts, prayer and healing exercises that restore the broken, and God’s people lavishing His love on one another is simply breathtaking! The most obvious display of this for me was the aerial dancer, bound high and tied up in cloths that represented the challenges of our lives - unwrapping herself in a God-trusting free-fall and soaring through air as Kathleen Carnali powerfully sang,“Be prepared to live like you’ve never lived before, leave the past behind you, you were meant to soar…Just Live!” As a speaker, the most impacting point is when women come through the ‘tomb’ after having surrendered their ‘graveclothes’ issue and they head toward us (the speakers) as we serve them communion. There is such a sense of release, relief and pure joy and peace on many of their faces. Women come through that tomb having left the pain of many disappointments and regrets behind. The shedding of their tears reflects the shedding of the past and a desire to move forward into the future God has planned for them. At times it is difficult for me to even offer the words ‘this is the body of Christ broken for you,’ amidst holding back my own tears.

As a woman who desires to deeply experience the height, breadth, depth and width of God’s love for me, this entire gathering from behind the scenes discussions and prayers, to the culmination of the event has set a standard for me of how God wants to express His love for His people. At every turn, from the beautiful venue, to men in tux giving out red roses, on through the engaging experience and final celebration; I experience the sumptuously rich and luxurious love of God! and I hold it in my heart and spirit…until next time.

Blessings,

Sadell Bradley

We are thrilled to announce that on October 17, 2009 women will gather at the Gates Theater – Newman Center – on the campus of Denver University. We expect that over eight hundred (800) women will be attending this amazing Gathering. WCF will be presenting for the second time the Lazarus story for the lives of women.

Our speakers from the April 2008 Gathering will be returning, Creative Grace and Sadell Bradley, China Curtis Kent, Dancers with Ballet Emmanuel and the Movement Dance Company, as well as many new and exciting elements. Also, WCF will be announcing an additional singing artist in the next few weeks.

It is nothing short of a miracle that God wove together the Gathering for the fall of 2009. We needed to have our 501 (C3) before the end of July to be able to move forward. On July 30, 2009, the IRS agent phoned to say that he was releasing our nonprofit status. Yahoo! In addition we needed some sizable donations to even begin the process of taking steps toward the October date. By the end of July we had over $17,000 donated either by check or promise. Our prayers were clearly being responded to by God and the board of WCF unanimously agreed that we needed to move forward.

-I ask that you be in prayer for everyone on the team of WCF in the days to come, pray for the women that will be attending in October, pray for the continued financial needs of WCF that they would all be met. -We need a team of volunteers; and if you would enjoy being involved in helping to set up the Gathering, email me at faith@womancomefortth.org. We have many areas where you might serve using your talents, gifts, and abilities. –Woman Come Forth needs more funding. We are in faith believing that God will call upon donors both large and small. Each and every gift is a blessing to WCF and to each woman that will be sitting in their seats on October 17, 2009.

Now, it is important that you spread the word about the October Gathering! Check back often to our web site over the next few weeks. We will be announcing how you can get your free tickets to attend and how to obtain brochures to hand out personally or at your local church. I am excited and so looking forward to seeing you in October at the next WOMAN COME FORTH! GATHERING.

To God be the Glory for the GREAT things He has done and is about to do!

Faith E. Donaldson

Woman Come Forth is the season of spring for the hearts of women. It doesn’t really matter when a WCF Gathering is presented - winter, spring, summer, or fall. What does matter is that LIFE, HOPE, and FREEDOM are proclaimed into the lives of women. Those of you who attended last year’s gathering understand fully what I am saying. Hurting women found salve for their emotional wounds, many addicts found support and hope for recovery, and women who didn’t believe they were wounded discovered that they had only covered their wounds with layers of accomplishments. Women came from all walks of life. From the wealthy, to the poor, from the weak to the strong, from the accomplished to the defeated; but we all came . . .as women . . .together . . .to experience the lavish love of God. And, we did!

October 17, 2009 is a date that has opened up to present Woman Come Forth at the beautiful Newman Center at DU in Denver . I cannot begin to describe the beauty of this theater.  It calls one’s spirit to quiet, beauty, and reflection.  Truly, this would be an awe inspiring venue to present Woman Come Forth. 

All the original speakers from last year’s event are available for the October 17th date. Creative Grace is available. China Curtiss Kent is available. We have everything we need to see Woman Come Forth come to LIFE on October 17, 2009 . The only thing keeping us from this is the funding. I am asking you to pray, to share the vision with others, to spread the information on this website as you feel led, and if God lays it upon your heart to give, write a check.  We are beginning to receive blessings every day for the event and I am placing these monies into the WCF savings account to be set aside for the event.

How much do we need? In just a couple of weeks we will need a deposit for the venue; three thousand, five hundred dollars ($3,500). This, of course, is just the beginning! Even though we are finding ways to cut our costs tremendously, we still have performers to fly in, printing costs, honorariums to give, and additional staging costs. We want to be good stewards for all Woman Come Forth events without diminishing the lavishness of the experience. God so clearly wants this to be the heart of each gathering. Receiving God’s lavish love shouldn’t cost you to get in the doors! It is God’s design for this event to always be FREE to His daughters.

I truly believe God is calling us forth to move toward this time in October.  Now we trust, believe, and wait to see the unfolding of His plan for Woman Come Forth. I encourage you to take just fifteen minutes to sit and be still with God. Open your heart to Him and pray blessing upon the future of WCF. Listen and see if God might be wooing you to be a part of WCF in some way.  Finally, be still and know that God loves you and hear what He desires to tell you.

May God’s will be done in all things concerning Woman Come Forth!

Faith   

There were several things singer/speaker Sadell Bradley said toward the end of day two that I jotted down while attending Woman Come Forth. She had us look down at our open hands and said something like “these hands are so skillful and creative - prophesy (verb)” and “prophecy (noun) brings into existence what has never been seen or heard before” and “let the artist in you live”. Even now as I go back to the words of that day my heart aches and yearns to surrender the artist in me, the desire and courage to live. Irony then came when Sadell said, “resuscitation is not life - Resurrection is life.” The irony is that I had just written a free verse poem about ‘a fist resuscitating my heart’. My free verse goes on to express ‘gentle finger tips massaging my heart’ just like when God showed up to Elijah in a gentle and quiet whisper. God doesn’t want me to be resuscitated from death (living in my junk) but a Resurrection into Life abundant.

The Woman Come Forth event hit a range of my senses: story, visual in motion, heart-and-body-moving music, eye captivating dance, personal darkness and softness, pain and surrender, hurt and worship, anger and hope. The speakers and artists were there to be real. You see, it wasn’t about being polished or famous it was about giving to each of us in order to be real with where we all are on our own Journey. To heal more, to discover more, to worship more, to see Jesus more, to receive LIFE. This sacred event was ordained for me to be with my Jesus.

This weekend we had the honor of participating in a gathering called Woman Come Forth in Denver, Colorado.  The concept was based on a comparison of the story of Lazarus to the many situations we as women face throughout our lives that mirror the death, burial and resurrection experience.  

• We mourned as we contemplated times when we thought Jesus could have and should have shown up, but didn’t…at least in the time frame we wanted Him to.  
• We cried as we heard about the stench that has arisen in so many situations that seem to have been dead for so long.  
• We anguished over the misogyny (hatred of women), objectification, abuse and neglect that is occurring around the world.
• We were lifted in hope as we received the lavish love God has for us. He has forgiven us of everything.  He has removed even our most heinous sins, and those of the people who’ve hurt us.  
• We rejoiced to think that a community of loving and caring Christians could unwrap the things that have bound us and held us fast for so long, and that we could all be released to manifest the glory of God by becoming our authentic selves and helping others to be free. 

It was a glorious gathering that had a healing depth and intensity in the necessary steps along the way to knowing God of pain, grief and celebration, and boy, what a celebration! (Raise, or should I say lower the ROOF!)   I hope that women across the country and around the world will be able to experience Woman Come Forth.  Thank you Faith and David, Cyndy, Ellen, Janelle, Kathy, Laura and all of the wonderful Woman Come Forth Team! That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Phil. 3:10

Sadell Bradley - www.SadellBradley.com

(This article was originally written on April 23rd, 2008)

I also was honored this weekend to share in a sacred experience of healing and deliverance at the Women Come Forth conference in Denver Colorado. As I accompanied my dear wife Sadell, the Grace singers and musicians I had no idea what was in store. It was truly humbling and gut wrenching at the same time. The speakers were knowledgeable, honest, sincere and truly empathetic to the plight of women who have suffered tragedy and trauma at the hands of men and an objectifying culture. But this weekend has left me with the impression that healing has come to those who chose to demonstrate courageous transparency.  

 There was a revelatory manifestation of the Holy Spirit moving in the hearts of speakers, musicians, psalmist and artisans. From the outset the atmosphere was established as a place for the attendees of the conference rather than for the speakers and producers. This event set out to lavish the love of God on hurting women in practical ways that each person could understand, receive and reciprocate.

Where unconditional love is, miracles happen: and the miracle of healing was thick as molasses. To see the men present as volunteers in complete tuxedo’s serving where needed offered a touch of class and sophistication. I watched the other men as we shed tears over the pain articulated from the stage and viewed in the in eyes of women in the arena. I was so moved that I asked to speak a simple word that God laid on my heart.

He simply said to me to say, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the role I’ve played in abusing women, objectifying them, and turning the other way at the demeaning images and expressions of other men.” I apologized for being desensitized by a culture which permeates agony, suffering and bondage when I could have been shielding and protecting. I apologized for men in general as well as myself. As I teared up and watched the tears flowing from the audience, I had no idea of the response that would follow. Women who had never heard a man say “I’m sorry” would make their way to offer their appreciation and gratitude.

I was blown away and deeply moved as I now see with new eyes the focus and impact men of God must have if we are going to restore women back to their rightful place in society. Someone must take a stand, will it be you?

Sherman Bradley - www.CreativeGrace.net

(This article was originally written on April 23rd, 2008)