Celebration Women's Ministry Testimonies

Testimonial by Beth Nuznoff  Tampa, Florida I was a first time participant in the 2007 Spring Conference in Houston.  The first session started with worship and praise singing.  I stood in awe as everyone around me was joyous in singing praise to the Lord.  I thought to myself, “I do not get this”.  The more I observed I realized that all of these  women had something very special.  The next morning when our second session started with the same praise music,  I GOT IT!!!  THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!!!  I joined in with joy that I have never felt before!! However, it would not just stop with the Lord being present in the room!!  I happened to talk to a lady who was sitting behind me and we felt a common bond of issues with our mothers.  Then later, we happened to at the same (but not knowing the other was there) small group session with a wonderful guest Christian speaker.  At the end of her talk, she asked anyone who needed prayer to come forward.  I saw my new friend go forward and before I knew it I was standing behind her with my hand on her shoulder in prayer!!  That was the Lord taking me there to support her in prayer!!  I realized at that point that the Lord cared about each and everyone of us.  He wanted µe to be there for my new friend to be there for each other.  I knew that the mission of Celebration, women to women ministry, was blessed by the Lord AND I WAS IMPORTANT TO THE LORD!!! THAT IS A WOW MOMENT!!!  Since then, this wonderful new sister and I have e-mailed almost daily even though she is in California and I am in Florida.  Praise the Lord! The final most wonderful experience for me was Celebration’s Ending Communion Service.  I must tell you the person that conducted that service was Rev. Nicole Benson.  It was the most beautiful and meaningful and touching  and life changing service that I have ever been a part of.  I believe that Rev. Benson has been especially chosen by God to do his work that day.  I am thankful that I know her and she has inspired me. Celebration is the most hopeful Christian ministry for women of all ages, in all situations, in all Christian religions as it touches the heart of women in the spirit of Christ our Savior and our teacher.  I pray that this ministry continues to grow in the hearts of all women!! posted September 2007

Testimony by Linda Seay Rosenberg, TX My husband died Sept. 12, 2005.  He had cancer of the larynx and had surgery to remove his larynx in 2002.  The cancer returned at the end of 2004 and was very aggressive.  It returned in the same area.  On Sept. 11th  his carotid artery burst ( the cancer had weakened the artery). I called 911 and did my best to apply direct pressure and comfort him.  The EMT's got there and called Life Flight and Phil was taken to Memorial Herman. Before he left he was conscious and I was able to tell him that I loved him and he couldn't talk but he mouthed that he loved me. By the time he got the hospital he had already had 2 strokes ( from the blood loss) and he had another one in the emergency room.  The Drs. asked me if I wanted them to try surgery or put a do not resuscitate  order on him.  After praying about this I asked them not to resuscitate him.  After already having 3 strokes if they could fix the artery he probably would have been a vegetable and he would have hated that and that still wouldn't have gotten rid of the cancer.  After 24 hours in Shock and Trauma ICU he died.  His sister and I were with him and his death was peaceful.  God is amazing.  He knows who to surround you with before tragedy occurs.  Although for the most part I was better I still experienced guilt.  Every so often the whata, coulda, shouda's reared their ugly head.  When Karen was talking about the grandson who performed CPR on her father and thought he had done it wrong, I could feel his pain so powerfully.  AND then it was if God spoke to ME.  He said you know that little boy did all he could and has no reason for guilt and neither do you, and the guilt was lifted from me.  So besides knowing Phil is happy and healthy again and that God will walk with me always he will also answer your questions when He feels the time is right. posted October 2007

. Testimony - Celebration is Equipping Women! When I became involved in Celebration, I had been a Christian for a long time, and had a very close relationship with the Lord.   However, I needed to be better equipped as a leader, and in specific areas such as praying with other women, especially regarding salvation.  I was taught to do these things and many more through my Celebration training. Importantly for me, as a woman still in her 20's, God has used Celebration to put an amazingly wise group of women around me to help me grow in my faith.   They also encouraged me that I can do whatever God calls me to do. The Lord allowed me to be a part of an amazing opportunity to unite women through the writing of the Celebration Prayer letter.  Although I was writing the letter every week, the message being shared helped me to grow just as much as any woman reading it.  Many women will tell you they could never have imagined taking on the roles and responsibilities they have in Celebration. But the Lord does equip us to complete the tasks He has called us to in this ministry. Involvement in Celebration challenges and equips women to be all that God wants them to be and to serve Him with excellence.  In Celebration, you learn more about who God is, how much he loves you.  You find a place to discover and use the gifts He has given you as you grow and minister to one another. Emily Riffe Westminster UMC Celebration Chapter

What does Celebration mean to me….         Celebration to me is a chance for a different, better life. Celebration meant that I was able to be a new, better person than what I had been before. Celebration to me means that I never have to physically be alone in times of trouble or need.         Over the last four years Celebration has meant many things to me. I came to my church’s Celebration chapter truly a broken person, but the women of this group took me under their wings, nurtured me, cared for me, and truly changed my life.         I started out by just attending the events that were held at our church. This quickly became my preferred choice of places to be. Through my chapter I became more and more equipped to handle what was to come in my life. At this time I was married to a non Christian and the women of my chapter began to teach me how I was to continually pray for the man I was married to. They began to teach me what I needed to do to raise my son to be a strong Christian and to teach him how he was to pray for his father. Through the Celebration women at my church I was able to finally make peace with myself about the loss of my daughter in 1995, with their help I was able to let go of her and hand her gently over to God. Even after all of this I thought that there was nothing more that these women could do for me, but God proved me wrong. Once again these women were here for me when my husband of 15 years told me that he no longer loved me and that he was leaving me. Once again the ladies of Celebration picked me up, dusted me off, and help me hold my head up. They began to teach me just how I was to be a single mother; they lead by example, and through many hours of prayer.         Then I took the big step and decided in 2003 to attend Conference Retreat. Once again I quickly came to realize that this was my preferred place to be. I began to learn more and more about myself and who I was to be in Christ. God has done a great many things for me through the Conference Retreats, I learned how to forgive my ex husband, I learned how to be prayed for and how to ask for that prayer. Celebration has taught me that it is okay to ask someone to pray for and with me, that I do not have to do it all by myself. God has put Celebration into my life for a reason; He has given me people here on Earth to show me His love. But the greatest thing that Celebration has taught me came at Conference 2005. I learned how to forgive, how to humble myself enough to ask for forgiveness, and how to be forgiven. Last year he restored one of the greatest friendships I have ever had. Unknown to me I had hurt someone in my life that I would never intentionally hurt. But after the session on healing she came to me, we were able to talk about things, and I am now working on never causing that kind of pain in a friend again.         So I guess through all of this what I am trying to say is that Celebration has saved my life. I am now a more confident Christian, I am surer of myself as a single parent, and I know that with God in my life there is nothing I can not do. Celebration has taken a broken down, beaten up girl and made her into the beautiful child of God I know I was always meant to be. I am now on the board of my chapter, I feel more equipped to step out and share my faith with others, and I have even stepped out enough to share my talent with our praise and worship team. So in conclusion I would like to say thank you to all those women who followed God when He told them to start Celebration. Lisa Lisle, Mission Bend UMC

Sugar Land Celebration By Ann Brand  Jesus said, “And these signs will accompany those who believe.they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 6:15a,17a, 18b Life Application Bible)  I almost didn’t come to the Celebration meeting on December 3, 2001 because I was experiencing so much pain in my lower back.  I could hardly stand or walk and the thought of sitting was almost too much to think about.  But my daughter and I had planned to attend Celebration together and I didn’t want to let her down.  Somehow I managed to get there hoping that focusing on something else would alleviate the pain for awhile.  I was blessed by Dr. Alta Harvey’s message and the power she delivered through the Word of God.  When she issued an invitation for those who were suffering some type of affliction – being physical, emotional or spiritual – the Lord put it on my heart to go forward.  As Alta prayed, and asked the Lord to heal me, when she lifted her hand from my back I was astounded to find that the pain was gone!  I was able to bend over and touch my toes, stand and sit and there was NO PAIN.  Praise God.  Through the next week as the pain tried to come back I became doubtful but God reminded me that He had healed me and now I would have to do my part.  My part was to return to my exercise program and believe that God was continuing to do His part.  As I write this today, I am free from pain.  I give all the glory and honor to God, whose ways are higher and greater than anything we can imagine!  I praise God that I came to Celebration and was open to receive His healing that day through His messenger Alta.  I do not know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds the future and I trust in Him completely. (Posted 10/17/2002) .

Retreat 2002 Testimonies During the opening worship on Friday night, I became aware that I felt a block to entering into the worship experience.  As I prayed, I realized the block was hurt and anger that had surfaced in a conversation with my husband the night before.  He had brought up some very hurtful experiences earlier in our marriage (that I thought I had worked through and forgiven) because he was recently convicted of his sin in those past situations and was seeking my forgiveness.  I accepted the offer to have someone pray for me.  I felt the pain bubble up inside and flow out as the prayer team member held me as I cried deeply.  Then I felt the love of God flow into that place where hurt had been. The next morning during the opening worship, I again felt a block during worship and realized I had released the pain, but the anger still remained.  During our free time that afternoon, I sat in the swing near the lake and had a "talk" with God about my anger.  I sensed He affirmed my right to be angry, but I needed to let go of that right--so I did.  My worship of God was so FREE and powerful Saturday night and Sunday morning!!!  When we had the opportunity to ask someone to anoint us so we could take back what we had received during the weekend, I felt led to wait for the worship leader to finish and ask her because I wanted to take back that kind of worship in my heart.  I am so grateful to God and to all His servants in Celebration that made this healing, forgiving, and renewing experience possible for me during the retreat. -- Anonymous .

. What the Women experienced at Retreat 2002: I was able to make a public profession of my faith in Jesus Christ for the first time!   I love this retreat!  The Lord just touches my life here! Barbara Arbo brought insight into my personal relationship with a living God. A reminder to come away and find that secret place with God and stop trying to do things in my own strength. Jesus has reminded me that I am beautiful in His sight.  I have felt very low lately about myself.  He has showed me that I am His jewel. I’ve been given the time to be still and know Him. A time of refreshing! He revived my “weariness,” He restored my soul with joy, and He illumined the vision for Celebration, and I love making new “sisters” in Christ. The Lord ministered to me through the special times of praise and worship, realization of the continual need to grow, grow, grow; claiming the promises in God’s Word; standing firm against the devil; realizing my worth and who I am in Jesus Christ. Each year I come, I feel that “I” decrease a little more and that “Jesus” increases in me. This is a very special time of feeling the presence of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, the joy of fellowship with others, and to give thanks to my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. From our Youth: He really touched my life.  The people here are great!  I have learned a lot including self-respect, self-esteem, and how to bond with the other youth who are wonderful.  God is awesome! [We agree!] He helped fill me up so I can spill God’s love and joy ALL over the place! .

. "Celebration has changed my life". I would like to take this chance to tell you how Celebration has changed my life. My name is Melanie Burnside, and I am a wife and a mother of two children -- a boy 7 years old and a girl 3 years old -- and I am a homemaker. When I heard that there was going to be a praise and worship meeting at our church for women, I was very excited. I have always known that God was there for me since a child, but Celebration has helped me to get as close to God as I think I have ever been in my life. See, for 12 years I battled with alcohol and drugs. I still prayed and went to church sometimes, but my relationship with God was second in my life then. Not anymore. I have been sober from drugs and alcohol now for 6 years on September 30 of this year. I am so grateful that God watched over me the whole time I was using. God is everywhere in my life today.  The women speakers have always given us hope that no matter where we have been in our lives and no matter how hard life might get, that there is hope. They have also made me want to share the Word of God with other women more. I make a point to go talk to and even pray with all the women that share at our Celebrations. Many of them have helped me a great deal as I am going through some really bad and struggling times in my life.  I also think that Celebration has made me a better person all around. I help with Celebration when I can. I have furnished food and I help lead in the singing on our praise team. I also am secretary for our meetings. One of the things that has also helped me feel closer to God is how I can raise my hands up to Him when I sing. At many Celebrations I have really felt He was touching me and I felt free-spirited. I really hope that if you have never been to a Celebration that you will find one close to you and go worship with them (or us!). I am staying in God's army of women to help God show others He is there.  If you take one day at a time, pray and love yourself and others, God will bless you over and over again. I have seen first hand how god has worked in my life and the lives of others. If you have something that you are struggling with, come to Celebration, and we will pray with you and show you God's true love. Thank you and I hope to meet you at a Celebration and hope God blesses your life. Take care. In His love, Melanie Burnside (Rosenberg Chapter) Posted 10/8/2001 .

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