CW Family Celebration Brunch + Vision 12.17.22 at Erin Condren
Transcript
CW Family Celebration Brunch 12.12.22_at Erin Condren
[00:00:00] Hey there, it's Heather here, and this is a podcast, um, that I shared. It's really a talk that I shared. Um, Back on December 17th, 2022 at our celebration lunch for our CW staff and volunteers. We gathered at Aaron Condron upstairs at the domain store just to have brunch and celebrate all that God had done in the past year.
[00:00:34] And there I really shared, um, what the Lord had been shown me the. Few weeks before, and so I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed sharing it and hear the enthusiasm of the team and just all the things that we get to do next year. Also, you'll notice that it just kind of dives right in at the beginning of the podcast and that's because we forgot to hit record at the beginning.
[00:00:58] So, um, so [00:01:00] sorry there's not a formal intro, but nonetheless I hope you enjoy it. So I just wanna share really quick 10 minutes cause I really didn't wanna make this a meeting, but I'm, so, I've always get so energized at the end of the year because when it's a new year, it's also my birthday at the end of the month.
[00:01:16] And so I really start thinking about what are we doing new? What am I doing new? And so I just, I remember in 2010 when we launched the blog, there were 10 women that said, yes, I'll come alongside of you. Only two of those 10 are still here. My mom and my sister, cuz they have to be . But because of those two 10 women in 2010, you're sitting here today.
[00:01:37] And it was in 2014 when we had decided not to do the magazine anymore because we had a magazine for three years. But during those three years of a faith and fashion magazine that this girl down here on the end, Sarah pretty much ran the whole thing cuz I was pregnant with my second. We were able to build a community of women who loved faith and fashion.
[00:01:57] And when we folded the magazine, I say [00:02:00] folding, I thought it was on hold, but the Lord never brought it back. We had established a community of women like this and if it hadn't been for the women, the beauty team, um, that built that magazine, the writers during that time that built that magazine, we wouldn't have started gathering women like.
[00:02:16] Then when it was time to actually do a conference like Sal Speaks, there were people actually there because we were in the community, because of the volunteers of the beauty team, the writers, it said, let's do this. There's not a place where Christian women can get real relevant information. And then we launched, gather her.
[00:02:32] And y'all gather her was like the most amazing thing. I think that was 2016 and the Lord said it was time to gather her and monthly we were already gathering. two or three events a year. Popups. Popups. We were doing beauty bars at different church conferences and just making our place known and loving on women.
[00:02:53] But it was really when we started gather her that we started meeting women face to face on a more consistent basis. And so that is kind of. Been our [00:03:00] journey and a snapshot. And so that's why I'm so excited just to share a little bit of what God's sharing, been sharing with me in the past few weeks and what I see, um, and how we're gonna continue with the vision of equip and empower and employ.
[00:03:14] I really see a women overflowing in rooms of gather her and beyond. I really see this room next year of volunteers. Yes, we have. W writers and editors and other people that don't live in Austin that maybe can't gather. We want them to, and they're coming to the conference. Um, but I see this room overflowing with volunteers and women that are passionate to equip and empower women that are multiplied.
[00:03:38] Each one of you guys multiplying yourself. I see. I'm so excited. And our writers we're changing the box in a way that I'm not doing three books. I'm putting into one. I don't know. Kendra, did I tell you that I think I did and I know the writers. It's gonna be in one big book instead of three separate ones.
[00:03:57] And so it, it's just not on the faith and fashion [00:04:00] side, but we're gonna do book launches every quarter. I gather her so that women that come together, her can take home their quarterly devotional. This first quarter is filled with 19 devotionals written by our volunteers. They are amazing as treasurer, as Stacy ask other writers that do this, they're amazing.
[00:04:17] Um, I, I actually, If we're talking about helping women be equipped, empowered, and employed. Stacey, don't cry cuz you're gonna make me cry. I see Creative women being a place where we actually help create women owned businesses. Meaning as we help them and coach them, we have scholarships and grant. That let them go be build kingdom businesses and ministries.
[00:04:41] That's gonna make an impact. I don't wanna just say that's awesome and coach them and equip them. I want to help women. We're gonna help them through coaching and membership. We're launching that in April. After the conference, when the conference happens, we're gonna say, your next step are membership in coaching or dlc or just come together her cuz you have no [00:05:00] idea what's next and you just want a community of.
[00:05:02] We're gonna feel that. And like I think you all know by now, Tammy is taking that over. I am so excited. You guys that Tammy here and answer the prayer. Yes, please clap. She might share just a little bit of what she sees as she's filling up to it. Um, I see it gather her graduates of dirt, dream launcher connections walking the floor.
[00:05:22] I've even talked to Christie about this, bringing up the Zoom because we have people doing DLC in different. Cities where they're on and we clap for them on screen. But people that live here walk across the stage saying they did it. We had them stand up this last gatherer in November. That's not enough.
[00:05:36] They need to know that they did the work and they completed it. I really see a headquarters in the future. I've always said that there's a creative woman building. We almost are there. This year we saw more growth than ever new building, more staff than. When we count the events team, which is amazing, we have, I think, if I'm not wrong, eight, nine people employed.
[00:05:58] That's, that's a miracle. Zero [00:06:00] to nine and a year and a half, just fyi, zero to nine and a year and a half. That's what God's done, like he went. Who in the last year and a half, it's been like, whoa. That is amazing. We're launching in the name of Jesus an internship program. We're looking for five content creators right now that are going to be our intern interns, but we also see that as a discipleship program.
[00:06:23] That's a lot of stuff, but we want to be. A, a women that are kingdom minded that not just want, don't just wanna sit in the corner and pray and ask, but go and do and make change. That's what this group is. And so that's where I see us going in 2023. And the word that the Lord's given me, I really feel strongly that this is it.
[00:06:47] Like I'm still like, But even though it's not, it's still a good one. Um, and it might be cliche, but it's be fruitful and multiply. And that doesn't just mean children, [00:07:00] it means so many things. So are you showing up alone? , are you building someone behind you? Are someone coming behind you? Yes. Are you, when you write, who are you thinking of her?
[00:07:13] Are you sharing what you write? When you come together, her as a volunteer? Are you checking it off your list or did you show, invite someone, think about your, like even think about your, your social media. When we say our vision is to equip and empower. . If God has called you to created woman, how are you doing that even online?
[00:07:32] Does, does your, do your friends and family know that you're a part? If they look at your social media, where they like, what is that created woman thing? I need to go. Had they never heard of it before? Do they know? How are we discipling if we are really equipping and empowering? It's not a checklist. We have to tangibly get dirty.
[00:07:51] That's what ministry is, which I know all of you know, all of you have been in ministry in some form or fashion. It's getting dirty. It's getting dirty behind the keyboard sometimes too. [00:08:00] It looks different for all of us. , but this is what I know is that when we go into next year, we're going to not just sustain.
[00:08:11] I think you've heard me say during Covid when we had to shut down, we had a team of leaders. You guys, a lot of you are here, some of you are listening. That was like, wow. They stayed. And they sustained us. We didn't fold cuz God wasn't done. He sustained us and the team sustained us. But this year it's time to be fruitful and multiply.
[00:08:32] It's time to duplicate yourself three times over, five times over. It's time to. Ask the Lord, what more can you do? Not that you have to get down and dirty and, and fill your calendar with creative woman stuff. That's not what I'm saying. But what is he asking you to do different and fill your current spot with someone else?
[00:08:51] That's what I mean by that. So what are we doing to be fruitful and multiply? So the three things I'm really excited about, it might be four, but I listed it down here. This is my scribble, so I don't know if I [00:09:00] followed it or the. I knew a long time ago when we launched that we were supposed to be a ministry that had study guides and books for women.
[00:09:08] If we count the bu, the books in the last two years, help me count. Cause I'm terrible at multiplying. If we did four books, a three books a quarter over the last three years, what's that? 1212. 12 a year times 3 36. We've published 36 books. Thank you. That is not something small, and I don't think we've even grasped that, that we have published 36 books of our very own writers.
[00:09:35] Let's make it bigger deal. We're gonna make it bigger. We're gonna make it available at the tangible resource, not just in the box, but. I'm excited about gather her. I can't wait to fill the room and I can't wait for you to hear a little bit of Tammy. I want you to share just a minute and then leadership and coaching.
[00:09:54] We're gonna do that through leadership development, through coaching, internship. And podcast. We're launching the podcast again. [00:10:00] It'll be different. It won't be me interviewing. It'd be me talking to one of you guys and other people. Five, six minutes at a time about leadership in the kingdom and what does that look like for women?
[00:10:11] It's gonna be like this. And it's building up to our conference on what day? April 22nd. That's what I'm excited about the books Gather her and how we will lead women more tangibly. I'm gonna hand it this little microphone to Tammy. If you wanna just share just a couple things. I know your voice isn't well today.
[00:10:27] Yes, thank you. Well, I'm so excited to be a part of you. have gathered her and a creative woman and um, you know, I've been. Uh, for a couple years. And, but I've always, I, I mean from the very first gatherer, uh, heard that I attended, um, God just planted this desire to wanna be, um, to become a part and a bigger part.
[00:10:52] And, uh, so I'm very excited about that. But it's because of, The women in the room, um, that I engaged [00:11:00] with and that I, you know, got to really hear their story. And I think it's really all about that story. Um, you know, we talk about purpose, right? Of our core, core, uh, principles. And sometimes, you know, we, we was like, oh, what is my purpose?
[00:11:15] My purpose? And sometimes it's really just to share your story with the. You know, in front of you or behind you to your left or to your right, because that fulfills a purpose, um, that God has created us for. So, um, and we need to hear those stories. Yeah. Right. If you think about it, I mean, I can think about just.
[00:11:35] The impact that other women have had in my life and, and really have created who I am today. Mm-hmm. , um, through, you know, through the word. So I'm very excited about gather her. Um, we've been talking about, you know, how can we, how can we gather her more right. And gather her on purpose and, um, We've got some, some fun ideas to really, uh, make it to where it's more [00:12:00] about, um, like doing life as we're gathering together.
[00:12:03] And, uh, even from the environment of how we meet, you know, from like ground tables to more of a living room setting. Um, from that all the way to, uh, the engagement part of it and really going deep and making, creating that environment to where, you know, we. Sit next to each other in a very, um, you know, living room type of style and environment and really connect with each other and really be able to understand, you know, what we're going through and to share those stories.
[00:12:36] Um, so anyway, very, very excited. Yeah, me too about that. I'm excited to have Tammy. She's gonna be great. Um, So y'all welcome Tammy again. It's so exciting what she, what she means by living room style. We're gonna replace the tables with couches and chairs and make it more comfortable and I think Tammy's gonna lead the charge.
[00:12:56] Like I'm literally just like the writers, my [00:13:00] sister's been leading that and Kelly's leading the events team. I am literally allowing. Not allowing God's appointed her if this, if you hear this story, to really take this and run with it and make it her own. And I tell you, every time I take my hands off something, stop controlling it.
[00:13:18] It's funny how God just blesses that, you know, because it's not about me. I've always said it's not a meme ministry. It's why it's called, not called Heather. It's about equipment empowering her. Tammy is gonna run, gather her and take it and really help lead the volunteers. Love on you guys. She's done it for so well, for so long at a, at her church, and I know it's just gonna, she's gonna fill the room with all the help of the, um, gather her team and the leaders.
[00:13:43] So I'm excited about next year. I see so much, and I think every time that I come up for breath and let go of stuff like that, the Lord shows me. See, if you let go, here's what's coming. Just let go and actually equip and empower her. And so I want you as a volunteer, as a [00:14:00] staff, as a family, CW family.
[00:14:02] That's what we all are. That if you, if you're saying God's saying yes to another year, and that's we, our vision is to equip and empower women. Don't make this a checklist. Make it to be, how are you showing up for her? How are you multiplying yourself so that we can really release women for the kingdom?
[00:14:21] Because we wanna see kingdom on businesses and ministries that flourish and are, and are imagined. Out of our events, out of our devotionals, and they say because of created women, and we've heard this story for the last 10 years. I hear that all the time because of created women. I heard God say, I launched this.
[00:14:41] I found my tribe. I did this. We want to continue to do that, but we also wanna give them tangible resources, and that's our goal, to have a place where we can do that on a regular basis. So who's running for 2023? Woo.