2017: Our Year In Review
Oh, sisters. 2017 has been a year of IMMEASURABLY MORE for Dayton Women in the Word! We want to shout God's goodness and faithfulness from the mountain tops, "Go Tell it on the Mountain" style! So consider this post an ebenezer (1 Sam. 7:12), or a stone of remembrance (Exodus 28:12, Joshua 4). We don't want to forget all that God has done.
Here are a few of the many ways that God has shown Himself faithful to us this year:
- He brought women from all over the Miami Valley and beyond together to teach us about discipleship at the DiscipleHER Conference
- He was with us every step of the way in the planning process for DiscipleHER- we had never put on a conference before and He gets ALL the glory for its success!
- He made a way for us to produce our first printed bible study - Beyond Titus 2
- He grew our annual summer bible study in BIG ways: we read two books (Ezra/Nehemiah), two sessions with two teachers, and an all new kids' lessons
- He connected us with Declare Worship Community and allowed us to co-host the public reading of Nehemiah at their Declare Dayton event
- He brought us together with the women of IF:Dayton for a night of prayer over our city
- He brought us a beautifully diverse group of women who encouraged us about discipleship and prayer on the DWITW Podcast
- He blessed our podcast team with a professional recording space at Apex Community Church
- He gracefully took us through our first interviewing process and added many new volunteers to our team
- He gave us the gift of the DWITW Traveling Bible and is allowing women from all over the city to share their wisdom and insights in its pages
- He increased our connection with the women we serve with tools like Facebook Live streaming and Instagram Stories
- He showed up on Giving Tuesday through our generous community, blessing us with $3000 - and continues to bless us financially with year-end giving
- He connected us with awesome partners who provided us with lots of resources to give away during the conference and the Advent season
- He blessed us with FOUR new baby girls on the team (future women in the Word!): Mara, Pru, Winnie and Moriah
Just typing all of that goodness out for you has me grateful all over again for what God has done! I'm so eager for everyone to know how good God has been. It reminds me of a Christmas tune that's been running through my head:
“Noel, Noel! Come and see what God has done!”
God, we see what you've done and what you are doing and we're HERE FOR IT. We can't believe how good you've been to us. We can't believe what amazing things you've done in our midst this year. We wonder over and over, "God, WHY are you so good?!" And of course, we know the answer. It's because you're in love with us. You want to be with us. You want us to know who you are and to fall more in love with you.
So, we declare right here, right now on this blog that we will remember your goodness in 2017 and we believe that You will not change in 2018. We believe You've got only good in mind for the women of Dayton in the days ahead. We believe that you'll be faithful to grow us all into mighty, awe-filled women of God who know, believe and share your Word. And now we look forward to this time next year when we can give you all the glory again for what you will do!
Let it be so, in Jesus' name!
Natalie Herr is the founder and team leader of Dayton Women in the Word. She is a servant of God, a wife, a mom of four and a God-sized dreamer. She loves teaching and equipping women with God's Word.