Mindy Lee Hopman

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Through IF:Gathering  and IF:Locals around the world,  women of all denominations, races, and cultures gathered.  No words can describe how the walls came down and the Spirit moved.  It was big.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

One taste of Him is all it takes to experience The Lord’s sweetness and crave more.  God moved hearts in last year’s gatherings.  Strongholds were let go, and each of my close friends took off on a race of her own.

My race led our family to pull up our roots from a school and a church where we had grown strong, in order for Him to fulfill His purposes through us in a new church, at a new school, within a new state. Even before I knew where the race would lead, God knew. He had prepared me for such a time as this.

While getting to know my new pastor’s wife, we talked about the sweetness found in the gathering of women in the Word, and she reached over to me and said, “Let’s do this here.”

A new IF:Local was birthed in a new location for the women of this beautiful new place I now call home.

With raw and exposed roots which had just barely been re-planted, I prayed hard that He would show up and presents would be found in His presence. I held on tight to hope.

God makes all things new, and in Him we are ONE. 

The emotions of missing sweet sisters collided with the emotions of meeting new sisters, but when I closed my eyes the distance disappeared because in Him we are One.

We were all together as One, in One, worshiping One.

Last year we ran our races, this year we crossed our Jordans.

We didn’t stand at the water’s edge of the Jordan in fear.  Women at IF:Locals around the world (led by the IF:Gathering in Austin, Texas) crossed our Jordans with our people in our places, and took time to mark our moments.

We may not be fearless but we will be strong and courageous and faithful because our faith in You is greater than the fears in us. Ann Voskamp

We are one in the church.  Together as one we are His bride.

I can remember catching my husband’s eyes at the end of the aisle, and from that point forward my eyes were fixed on him.  I walked slowly towards him as I savored the sweet moment which is forever etched in my brain.  The memory came flooding back when Christine Caine said, “We are the church and Jesus looks directly at us and says, ‘That’s my bride.”

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  Revelations 21:2 (NIV)

He looks at the church as one, not separate women attending IF:Gathering and IF:Locals from around the world, but one.

As a husband adores his bride, Jesus loves His bride, the church, in which we are together as one. He protects her when insults are slung out by haters. He loves her with an everlasting love.  He supports her, cherishes her, protects her, and she honors Him.

We started out as a mess from Eve, and then sometimes as women we make our own mess.

We get His grace when we get that we’re a mess. Ann Voskamp

Regardless, Jesus is the great and heavenly restorer.  Our Redeemer lives.

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

The IF:Gathering pointed each one of us toward repentance, regardless of where you have been or where you are right now.

His hold on you is stronger than your hold on Him.  Your Redeemer lives. Jo Saxton

We surrounded ourselves with people where we live locally, because in our places, these are our people ~ and we prayed hard together.

God meets my needs through real people. Rebekah Lyons

Hard times are inevitable.  We will question and we will doubt, but God places people beside us to walk this journey.  We will walk together.

We will all suffer… if you haven’t, just live longer.  Faith does not inoculate us from being human. Jen Hatmaker

In all things we turn to Christ.  In the good, the bad, and the ugly we hold on and we turn to Him.

Around the world hearts turned back to Him.  We had time to process. think. move.

Our hearts moved from where they were, to where He wants us to be today.

Heavenly Father,
I praise you for who You are to each one of us: Redeemer, Restorer, Protector, Healer, Mender, Creator, and Lover of Our Souls.  I praise You for the presents You once again gave to each of us in Your presence.  Thank you for showing up to the party. Thank you for bringing women together as ONE in You.  Thank you for instilling courageous faith to return to You and to cross our Jordans. I am grateful to see just a glimpse of Your fingerprints and handiwork as You met us right where we are in this modern day.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen