The end of a good Collide ministry year
How do I begin to encapsulate this last year? It is hard to put in words. It was a fast moving train. It was good news spouting up all over the place. It was changed lives transforming before our very eyes. It was collision after collision of woman running into God. I think the thing that gets me the most is watching what God is shaping that is beyond what I could imagine and beyond what i can now see.
Here are some recent highlights:
At the last Collide at Cornwall church, God drew nearly 450 women to redefine their idea of greatness and inspire them to ask the question “What can I do to serve?” It was a gorgeous night of God using women’s stories who have already asked that question to get the rest of us out of our seats and out on to the streets and into our homes and schools and neighborhoods to serve, so to impact this world! We had no idea how we would seat, feed or meet all these women where they were at. But guess what? God did! And it….RULED!
We held our first fundraiser, a Changemakers Tea and luncheon and rallied women into this story God is writing! It was a lovely lunch at Lairmont Manor where women said yes to giving of their time and energy and gifts, their finances and resources and prayers so that we can keep forging on! We raised nearly $15,000 and we are grateful for every penny as we have a vision grander than what lies in front of us! We have many gatherings planned for next year, are currently hiring some staff people, are talking about what it would look like to say yes to a Collide in another city, are in talks with some churches about partnership and yet women keep coming to us with their stories, their pain, their desire for purpose signing up for mentoring, counseling, classes and team. We have a lot ahead and we need women like those who attended the tea to say yes with us!
We just celebrated such an amazing year with the team of 20 women who gave and gave of their time and talents to pull off all of our gatherings, classes, counseling program, blog, and ministry throughout the entire year. We together gave God props and toasted each other calling out the beauty within each woman on the team. It brought so much joy to my heart to see these women who are so different from each other, with different backgrounds and faith experiences and church affiliations rally around one thing, Jesus Christ and His message for women and with honest sincerity, love each other, sharing such deep admiration for one another!
There is so much to be thankful for and in awe of. As we close this year, we are already dreaming up a next! Please be praying as we seek God for His vision, His plans and His dreams for Collide in the year to come! We pray that you would have an amazing summer colliding with Jesus whom is known as God with us. He will be with you when you travel, when you barbecue, when you work on a sunny day and wish you were boating and when you are boating wishing you didn’t have to return to work. Jesus will collide with you when you dip your feet in the lake and when you dip yourself in to some trouble or pain you didn’t plan on getting into. Jesus will be with you when you don’t feel your prayers are being answered and when they are. This summer may you collide with the One who is always always with us. – Willow
If you want to get involved with Collide…go here….
