By Andrea Bruner, special feature for White River Now
Women in recovery know all about seasons of change. After all, change has been at the forefront of their transition from wellness to addiction and then from addiction to sobriety.
So it makes sense that “Season of Change” would be the perfect name for the upcoming event hosted by John 3:16 Ministries.
“Season of Change” is a free women’s conference to be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the ministry, located at 75 Holmes Road in Charlotte.
Gates will open at 10:30 a.m. with the event starting at 11 a.m.
The special guest speaker will be Christian comedian Leslie Norris Townsend (pictured).
The grand door prize will be a handcrafted wooden chest with a soft-close top and three wooden crosses in the front, all made in the John 3:16 carpentry shop.
Speakers will include Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood; second-grade teachers Wendy Harris and Kristi Gillihan; Tammy Pearce, business professional; Laura Martin, certified health and wellness coach; Patricia Millner, women’s coordinator at Awaken Church; Sonya Rucker, VP teller trainer and assistant choir director at Friendship Baptist Church.
There will also be music by the John 3:16 Band, a free fish fry, a live auction with auctioneer Jody Harris, and door prizes.
While admission is free, those attending are asked to reserve their space by calling the ministry at (870) 834-9959. Groups of less than six will be seated as they arrive; however, large groups will have reserved seating.
John 3:16 is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. While the ministry has been serving men in addiction for 21 years, it has only recently accepted the first women into the program. To date, there have been eight graduations, 12 baptisms, and 23 salvations/rededications. A new 23,000-square-foot building is currently under construction to house up to 40 women.
“I love watching the girls come back to life and get their joy back, and watching God restore their families,” said instructor Julie Page, who walked the same journey that the women at John 3:16 are currently taking.
One of those families is that of Hannah Peterson of Mississippi.
“My husband Chase and I came to the program about four months ago. We have four children so it was very hard for us to decide to come to a program, especially together, but we knew that we both needed to be in a place where we could get well at the same time.”
She said one thing she really liked about the program was the 30-day “blackout” for new arrivals – meaning they have no contact with family or friends for the first month the residents are there.
“I was so codependent, and that helped me tremendously to become more independent and learned what I needed to about myself and my relationship with God,” she said. “Then my husband and I could come together, and our marriage has grown so much, and I’m so thankful to be at John 3:16. We love it there.”
Instructor Amanda Waugh said they had such a great turnout for the “Grow in Grace” conference held in April that the ministry was excited to begin planning for another.
“We had about 800 ladies at our last conference, and that shows us there is a real need out there for events like this,” Waugh said. “We hope by hosting the conference, we can build one another up and help all the women further strengthen their relationship with God.”
For more information about services offered by John 3:16, call (870) 799-2525 or visit john316thecure.com.
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Leslie Norris Townsend has over two decades of experience as a comedian, blending stand-up comedy, music, and audience engagement.
From corporate functions to opening for renowned superstars, she also has logged more than 30 television appearances, such as Comedy Central, A&E’s “An Evening at the Improv,” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” She was named a Grand Finalist on the “Star Search” talent competition and is a co-star in the Southern Fried Chicks Tour.
Her recent appearances include her DryBar Comedy Special, “Outstanding In My Field,” and her regular guest stints on TBN’s “Huckabee” show.
Image provided by John 3:16 Ministries
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