WAIT Conference empowers and lifts up women

By Inesha Jackson
On January 8, 2022, Sharon Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church opened its doors for the first W.A.I.T. (Worship. Acknowledge. Invite. Trust) Women’s Conference, orchestrated by Cynthia Allen to empower and lift up women. The conference hosted over 75 participants and featured fun, food, and fellowship for women of all ages. 

“What’s the most expensive element of life?” Ebony Johnson-Bracey asked the audience as she opened the first session of the conference. 

“Time,” someone shouted back to her. 

For her presentation on “Divine Time Management,” there were three main objectives. Johnson-Bracey aimed for women to establish a thorough understanding of what divine time management is, to be challenged to adopt a mindset that incorporates divine time management into their everyday lives, and to learn essential techniques to implement for success and improved productivity. 

In establishing a mindset for divine time management, she recommends making time for God, keeping eternity in mind, turning away from procrastination, and keeping faithful reminders. 
Event coordinator Cynthia Allen kicked off the second session with her presentation entitled “W.A.I.T. Did That Just Happen?” 

Allen urged women of the conference to be believers like the Shunammite woman, as she told the story from the book of Second Kings in the Holy Bible. The Shunammite woman was blessed with a son, and, years later, her son died in her arms. Instead of getting upset, she went and got Elisha, the man of God who declared that she would have a son, to bring him back to life. Allen encouraged women to let their faith confront their fears. 

Dr. Lisa Moore led the conference in worship segments in between each session. Women were overjoyed to sing, dance, and praise God in their own way. Before the third session, the participants were able to write letters or prayers to God asking him to do positive things in their lives for 2022. These letters were then sealed until December 31, 2022, for women to reflect over the year to see what God has done for them. Women also received door prizes and gifts for attending the conference. 

    The last session, entitled “Sealed to Produce,” was presented by Ciera Draine-Kelly. She reminded women that everything they do reflects the kingdom of God. 

“If you are in the kingdom, your fruit will speak for you. However, if you are in the world, your lips will speak for you . . . In order to grow, you have to cut some weeds,” Draine-Kelly said. She insisted that women let go of things and people that are preventing them from growing and pulling them away from God. 

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After the three sessions of learning how to worship, acknowledge, invite and trust God, the conference had a special guest speaker, Jennifer Biard, the Senior Pastor of the Jackson Revival Center. She spoke from 2 Chronicles 1:1-12, telling the story of Jehoshaphat and his encounter with several armies. While armies formed against Jehoshaphat and his kingdom, he waited to hear from God, and God fought the battles for him. She shared that, in times of trouble, God will always be with you. 

The first W.A.I.T. Women’s Conference came to a close with Cynthia Allen giving her closing remarks. On January 9 at 10 a.m., women gathered at Sharon Chapel AME Zion Church to hear guest minister Prophetess Debra Landfair of Word of Righteousness Christian Center International.