DARE: The Only Logical Theme After the Past 3 Leading Women Conferences!

You know how snow accumulates, sometimes gently…other times with a vengeance, until the whole landscape is transformed?
I’ve been part of Leading Women (LW) Conferences- almost from the start and the sum total of these experiences has made a lasting impression on me. I’d like to share a few snippets with you.

How It All Began
In 2001, a small group of daring women partnered to “call women across Canada together to celebrate our leadership, profile Canadian leaders and be inspired!”
In 10 short months, they dared to
o Launch the first Canadian Christian Leadership Conference for women.
o Feature Canadian speakers. (What- No big International names?!)
o Aggressively seek out sponsorships -balance excellence with affordability.
o Bring leaders from the ministry and marketplace spheres together to learn from each other.
o Use innovative ways to learn and process together.
o Give out LW Awards to leaders from all walks of life- rich and famous, poor and hidden, young and old, professional and volunteer...

An Inkling in 2002
I bawled through the Awards Ceremony- when have Christian leaders ever been celebrated like this?! The recipients were so inspiring, yet very ordinary and humble. They were boldly using their unique gifts and skills in significant ways.
► Could God do something similar through someone… like me?

Dawning Realization in 2004
Right from the first song through to the end, there was an electric excitement in the air. Colleen and Grace led us in “The Days of Elijah” with what became our clarion call:

¯ These are the days of Deborah
Leading an army of faith
And these are the days of your servant Esther
Born for a time such as this
► I am! For what purpose?

Persistent Threads in 2006
The Pacesetter Interviews packed such a punch that we could not ignore the message which was reiterated by the Award recipients:
Become unbalanced!
Invite Bugs to fight Apathy
Remove the walls between work, home and faith
Witness all the time, use words if necessary
“Who are ‘the poor’ for me?”

And, the response:
I commission you:
�� to discover afresh God’s original plan for your life, and to embrace it
�� to realize you have a world-altering purpose
�� in the power of the Holy Spirit, to soar above any set-backs and obstacles with a confidence clothed in humility

I commission you - in Jesus’ Name to:
�� let God make you uncomfortable
�� be willing to live the incarnational life
�� open your eyes – be awakened
�� to allow Christ to live His life fully in you so that it will be said of you as it was of Jesus,
“The Word became flesh and moved into our neighbourhood.” John 1:14 (The Message)
*Excerpts from LW 2006 Closing Prayer: Eileen Stewart-Rhude

► I Dare! Will you join me?

Sharon Johnson skjohnson@rogers.com
Facilitator for NextLEVEL Leadership
Venturing into a new career with refugees in her hometown