Testimonies, encouragement and a mighty message were delivered recently as New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church hosted its annual “Gathering of the Sisters” conference.
This year’s theme was “Sisters Realizing the Promises of God,” based on the scripture Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
At the conference, women from various churches gathered to hear powerful testimonials from three local and area women, followed by an encouraging message from Minister Tonya Wilson, creator of Working Women Worship, of Atlanta, Georgia.
“We are here to hear the Word of God through these sisters’ testimonies,” said mistress of ceremony, June Tatum Caldwell, who is a strong testimony within herself at the blessed age of 94. “That’s what we are here for.”
Testimonies
First up, attendees heard the testimony of veteran, former educator, and New Bethel’s own Gloria Mitchell, who has survived breast cancer while battling various other illnesses.
“I have truly been blessed,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell shared she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2019, following a mammogram. Following a lumpectomy in January 2020, she ended up having a full mastectomy several months later, right after Mother’s Day.
“From there, I went to chemo. And since I already have an autoimmune disease, my immune system was really compromised and the chemo just devastated it,” she shared.
All of this was happening right at the height of COVID-19, making her condition even more challenging.
“About that time was when COVID really picked up. So, I had to stay away from people, out of crowds, always in a mask,” said Mitchell. “After that, I went through the COVID and then fast forward 2022 they did an MRI for my thyroid, found out I had an enlarged thyroid, so went for a pre-op and surgery was on the 6th of June. The same day I went to get the thyroid to be removed was the same day they told me you’re going to have to have neck surgery. Your spine is severely compressed. It might severe my spinal cord.”
Six weeks later, she underwent neck surgery.
“I have a scar from the base of my skull to about midway of my back. I have two rods in there and no idea how many screws. I still don’t have full use of my back. I had numbness, tingling of my hands…” she shared.
Despite her condition, even leading to an infection and a couple of hospitalizations, Mitchell said it was her faith that saw her through.
“During all of this, I never really feared,” said Mitchell. “There was a peace and calm. They even had me under a psychiatrist for a while, but he said you’re handling this very well. I said: ‘Well, I have faith that it’s going to be OK.’”
“I still have my limitations and I probably will still have my limitations probably for the rest of my life, but I’m still here,” she said as the attendees responded to her testimony with claps of praise.
Next, attendees heard the heartfelt testimony of Sharde Toney Player, founder of the Janiyah Strong Foundation.
The foundation, based in Shreveport, was established in October 2022 by Player and her husband in efforts to advocate for children born with congenital heart disease like their young daughter, Janiyah.
Giving her testimony, Player recalled how devastated she was when she learned about her then 3-month-old daughter’s Coarctation of the aorta heart condition on April 15, 2022.
“I felt my world stop, and it took my very breath away, “said Player. Can you imagine the rollercoaster of emotions? Thinking your daughter had pneumonia, but it turned out the situation was much more complicated.”
Following her diagnosis, her child was flown to Oschner’s Children’s Hospital in New Orleans for open heart surgery. The surgery to repair the Coartctation was a success, causing a sense of relief.
“There were so many heartbreaking emotions and heartbreaking moments during that time. I remember back to having to tap the bottom of her foot because her heart rate kept tumbling down,” shared Player. “It got so bad that we asked the nursing staff to call in the priest of the hospital to pray over our child.
“The fear of thinking I was going to lose my child to now her running and playing just like any toddler” is amazing, she said. “You name it, Janiyah is doing it.”
“But, it was in those dark moments and in those trying times that I could only lean and depend on God,” said Player as she quoted Romans 8:28. “Somehow in the midst of the pain, that pain turned into purpose. And that is how the Janiyah Strong Foundation was born. Now we raise awareness for congenital heart disease for small babies and we stand in the gap for the families that have been affected. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was only by God’s grace, his grace and His mercy, that kept my daughter.”
Planter said her daughter is truly a miracle.
“From a medical standpoint, my baby shouldn’t be here. But you see, by God’s grace I’m standing here to tell her testimony,” the mother said.
Following her testimony, Jacqueline Miller, chair of the event and first lady of the church, encouraged the women, through a motivating activity, to make every day count. This can be done by prayer, completing a task as simple as making their beds for a sense of accomplishment, taking a long anticipated trip, putting the phones down and actually enjoying the company of others, connecting and supporting each other, and staying active through movement.
“Get outdoors; smell that beautiful air,” Miller urged. “And believe. We’ve got testimonies today. Believe that Jesus Christ has done something amazing for us and He has us in His arms. So just believe and then believe in yourself.”
Next, Deedra Hawkins, of Marshall Manor West Nursing Home, gave her inspiring testimony of surviving breast cancer and undergoing two kidney transplants.
“I’ll talk about my illness to anyone because if we keep it to ourselves it’s not going to help anybody else,” said Hawkins.
Hawkins expressed how it was the grace of God she was able to find a kidney donor twice. The first kidney, given by her daughter, failed after five years.
“When they told me it failed, I was just crying because I felt like I had failed her. She said Mama, if they had told me that it would have made you live just one more day I still would’ve given it to you,” shared Hawkins.
The second, given almost two years ago, was that of a 13-year-old.
“Somebody loved someone enough to give their child’s kidney to a strange person,” Hawkins said, noting that still blesses her today.
Hawkins said another occasion, she felt heartburn, which led her to the emergency room in Longview and shortly after on a helicopter flight to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston for surgery.
“When I got to the hospital, I could hear them talking about me. They said Lord, this lady is 59 years old, and I was on dialysis. They said we really don’t think we should do this surgery. When they came back, they didn’t see a bleed,” she said, noting how puzzled the surgeons were. “I stayed at Herman Memorial for five days and they never even gave me an aspirin.
“I know it was God,” Hawkins said of her testimony.
Message
Lastly, attendees heard a moving message from Minister Tonya Wilson. In her introduction about Wilson, Linda Bender, of New Bethel, noted that the minister believes in “truth over tradition; relationship over religion and faith over foolishness.”
“Her favorite scripture is the one we’re standing on today — Jeremiah 29:11,” said Bender.
Focusing on the scriptural theme for the occasion, Wilson encouraged the women to be inspired by the story of Jeremiah, the weeping prophet.
“We want to say today, this world has never been as worse as it is right now. I want you to go back and talk to Jeremiah. Some of the things have changed, but I want you talk to him about people who were being abused, about corrupt leaders, about lack of good leadership, about issues of food insecurity, where there were politics and political unrest, where there was wars and rumors of wars,” Wilson pointed out. “This was Jeremiah’s time. This is ours. The Lord says Jeremiah I chose you. I knew you before you entered your mother’s womb.”
“As we were worshipping, the Holy Spirit said tell them they are chosen and tell them I love them,” Wilson told the audience.
The minister said regardless of the baggage one may carry or broken home one may come from, all are here for a purpose.
“I don’t know what happened between your mama and your daddy. I just want to tell you you’re here on purpose,” said Wilson. “Somebody never heard from their daddy and that you’re a daddy’s girl and I love you. Somebody never had a tender touch that was a tender, loving, kind and safe touch. The Lord says I just want you to know that I chose you. I meant for you to be here. I meant for you not to be aborted. I meant for you to show up. I don’t care who raised you. I made you on purpose. Whoever told you that you were not good enough is a liar. God said I chose you.”
Just like Jeremiah in the scriptures, Wilson said Jeremiah questioned his purpose. She encouraged the women to not fear, but accept the calling on their lives.
“The Lord is like I got you,” said Wilson. “He chose you and He said I need you. That’s part of the call, for advocacy.”
She encouraged them to be the voice for the voiceless if their called to work with children or go to the places that make them uncomfortable if they’re called to lead.
“And it doesn’t matter about your age. Age is no excuse for what we’re talking about because the very fact that you are still here and he chose you means you’ve still got some work to do,” said Wilson. God says I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you. He sees deep inside of your soul.”
“There’s some stuff that you don’t even know yet that you can do, but you need to stop being scared and get out there and do that,” she said. “Because we’re going to let our light shine so that men will see our good works.”
She ended her message, presenting attendees with a box of gifts consisting of a battery operated candle to encourage them to let their light shine, a small crown to remind them that they hail from a royal priesthood, a high heel key chain to encourage them to step out of their comfort zones, and a towel to encourage them to serve others.
“We’ve got to get connected to the power. We’ve got to make sure that we can light up the place,” she said, encouraging them to always pray and seek God to stay connected to His power. “You gotta be connected to the source.”
“It can be in the workplace, grocery store, nursing home, with the toddlers, wherever it is, let your light so shine that men will see your good works and you will glorify the Lord,” said Wilson. “Nothing is too hard for God.
“We’ve got to know who we are,” she said, urging all to display their crowns she gifted them. “You are a royal priesthood. The Lord said you are chosen. Never dim your light.”
