I’d never experienced anything like it. It happened almost yearly from 2006 to 2016. On 9 to 10 occasions, James and I attended arenas in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Phoenix, Dallas, and Atlanta, full of women from 6,000, 12,000, and even one with about 15,000.

These were the happiest, joyful, and most exuberant groups—with no angry chair-breaking, guitar-smashing, food or lingerie throwing—I’d ever been around. These women could raise the roof— with applause and happy shouting at times—so could Sandi Patty’s operettic voice when ending the Conference with “We Shall Behold Him.”

I’m a quiet person. I can’t handle loud music very well, but, strangely, this was a different kind of loud. When the singing is louder than the music, that’s different. When the music is full of praising God, it makes all the difference. And, the guest speakers and singers (sometimes men), who have been through toughest times, share how their lives have been changed through their faith in Jesus Christ— it does make all the difference.

Sorry guys, but when thousands of women’s angelic voices resonate from all around a huge arena, singing “How Great Thou Art” or “Silent Night” or “For the Joy of the Lord,” and such, it’s like swirling, fragrant, falling rain straight from Heaven, saturating the minds and souls that have been challenged so much in day-to-day activities!

Attending these Women of Faith Conferences could give me a high that lasts a long time. After one of these 2-day WoF events with encouraging guest speakers and singers, who have been through toughest times, share how their lives have been changed through their faith in Jesus Christ, I want to believe everyone was touched somehow in a positive way. And, I’m sure with James being in the presence of thousands of women, he enjoyed the attention he did get!

I couldn’t help but share with others the newness I felt in my heart about Christ. I saw the sweetest camaraderie expressed among many as I was allowed to stand at tables and help customers with Christian merchandise during breaks on the concourses. It was incredible to see a little army of volunteers at each event helping in almost every area of work that it took to pull off such an event. Because my son, Clay, worked in several administrative capacities for several years with this organization, James an I flew or drove to the arenas and stayed at the nicest hotels where most of the conference workers and guests stayed.

I was allowed to come early and peek through the doors to watch the company hired to come in semis unload all their equipment and set it up, then at the end of the event when the arena emptied of thousands of mostly women, I watched with amazement how they took down all the lighting from several stories high, dissemble the stage, gathered and packed the sound equipment, and round up cables that were taped to the floors, and I watched how volunteers handled the cleanup of the seating areas—all with such efficiency and speed. It was mind boggling how so much work was done before and after, both inside and outside the arenas. Concourses on first

Concourses on first floor level and one upstairs had tables and tables full of books, tee shirts and hoodies, and miscellaneous articles offered for sales for attendees to buy as mementoes of such an occasion. Several workers and volunteers worked each table, so they were able to serve the attendees, whether with sales, or to just listen to comments and/or to pray with them.

My 2 daughters, Scarlette and Cassie, both worked at the tables for some of the tours. What blessed me was hearing about women sharing their lives, their sorrows, their heartaches, and how these Women of Faith Conferences gave them hope, strength, and courage to return to their homes refreshed and excited about their lives and/or ready to face challenges.

Some husbands and boyfriends say at home to see that everything is taken care of, so the women take the rare break, drive or fly a distance, stay at a nice hotel, and attend a fun and positive time together with thousands of others. Some form friendships that may last a lifetime.

No telling how many 100s or thousands of lives decided to follow Christ’s way of living. And even though the Conferences are no longer held, CDs and DVDs, videos on Youtube still affect people in the changing their lives for the better. It’s great to know other Christian organizations still serve women this way, but not in such a capacity, of course, in these times.

The public can still view these singers and speakers on varied popular TV talk shows. This is needed since most women, in my opinion, have to keep the home fires burning whether they work outside the homes or not. They planned on going to these kinds of events, sometimes only once a year, to give them something to look forward to. These memories are mine personally to keep forever. I still keep the sound of those voices in unison, praising our Creator, like soft, swirling, fragrant, falling rain on a weary, tired soul. It’s so needed today.