Thursday night our women got together for a fun, tropical-themed Aloha Sisterhood party in the Broad Street Ballroom, as Andi Andrew taught us how to get our fight back by intentionally planning times of refreshing. It was the first Sisterhood gathering since the She is Free Conference in April, and together we had much to celebrate and much to share as we chatted around the tables with our mocktails and kebabs.
The idea of refreshing one’s spirit had its roots in the journey to the first She is Free Conference. Andi recalled how God first revealed to her that Liberty Sisterhood would host a conference in New York to facilitate freedom in women’s lives: “While I was in Hawaii, funnily enough [referencing the tropical decor], God spoke to me about what I was withholding from the women of New York City, and it was seeing people set free—people delivered, body, soul, spirit.”
Andi shared how after the announcement of the She is Free Conference exactly one year ago, she experienced an extended illness due to her immune system crashing. With her doctors, Andi realized her sickness was wiping her out because of the pace of life she had been keeping without making it a priority to soak in God’s presence or to set emotional boundaries. “When you get in those seasons where you’re lying in bed…because your soul is depleted, you want to escape. But God has a plan for us to refresh our souls right where we are.”
And her call to action was clear. She remembers hearing God speak to her, “Andi, if you want to lead the charge of women being set free body, soul, and spirit, you’re going to have to live it.” We all want breakthrough in our lives, but we fail to be consistent in what God’s asked us to do, to refresh our souls in every season of life.
These three tips for refreshing your spirit are so practical for every woman:
1. Choose to fight.
Make a plan to spend time every day with just you and God, remaining in his love, and abiding in his presence (John 15:4)
2. Choose community.
You can sign up for a Community Group to build relationships over the next twelve weeks, so that you can experience community. As Trisha Schrader shared, “There are so many people around me who would see me changing course before I have a chance to wreck my life.”
3. Choose to take responsibility.
Instead of being bossed around by your calendar or taking on other people’s issues, practice making healthy choices without excuses.
As a Sisterhood, we would love for you to take these next steps with us. Sign up for a Community Group and register for She is Free 2016 with Lisa Bevere and Havilah Cunnington.