Strength to stand

Even in the midst of this global pandemic, the annual She Tea is taking place this week! Yay!!! The only difference is that the conference will be held virtually for the first time this year. That’s right—Dr. Asha Brewer won’t let anything keep her from living in her purpose and fulfilling the will that the Lord has for her life! She has organized a dynamic virtual experience and the theme this year is “reflection.” This annual conference holds a very special place in my heart. I participated as an attendee for three years, and in 2019, I served as a sponsor representing my business, Beautiful Healing.

As a new small business owner, I wanted to put my best foot forward and honor the Lord by creating an excellent display for Beautiful Healing. I did my best to cater to every detail. Thanks to Brittany Jones of Touched by a Rose, I didn’t have to worry about a thing. She and I connected about five days before the conference. Additionally, Erica Busard, Megan Schmitt, and my husband, Louis, did a great job helping me achieve the vision I had in mind.

My eyes were filled with happy tears just about the whole day. As a little girl, I always wanted to do good in the world, to be a light, and here I was, sitting behind a beautiful table with a video of testimonials serving as encouragement to all the women who came by. My dream of being at a great conference serving women and experiencing peace had come true. Oh, what a feeling!

During a dynamic empowering breakout session facilitated by Mrs. Kristie Kennedy Ward, a woman by the name of Lourdes expressed that she was being tormented by a spirit of rejection that had been long-before planted by the reality that she was a product of a rape. Unfortunately, she experienced an abusive childhood at the hands of the woman who was supposed to love, cherish, and empower her—her mother. Mrs. Kristie Kennedy Ward prophetically invited Lourdes to sit in a chair at the front of the room and instructed the other 50+ women in the room to form a circle of healing around her Lourdes. Slowly and in tears, Lourdes approached the front of the room. I imagine that her knees might have been weak.

Then, Kristie said, “Beautiful Healing! Come forward and stand with Lourdes.” I boldly stepped up to serve.

All the jitters fled. You see, I was made for this moment. Years of being refined by the fire of rejection fashioned me for this moment, because for many years before that day, I suffered from rejection from women. My dilemmas didn’t have to be anything like Lourdes’s for me to have known the sting that silent isolation brings. I once had crawled first, and then, with the strength of the Lord, I made it onto my feet during my transformational walk with the Lord, all to be able to stand strong as I interceded for the GLORY of the Lord to rain down on my sister in Christ, Lourdes Maldonado. Tears welled up in both my eyes and Lourdes’s as I naturally wrapped my arms around her as if she was my baby. Then, the Lord had His way. I was honored to pray and intercede for this beautiful woman, the daughter of the King. The Spirit of the Lord moved mightily.

Lourdes later shared with me that the Holy Spirit used me to rub healing balm onto an emotional wound caused by rejection. Here are her words:

Felicia’s embrace was so powerful that the spirit of rejection had to leave. I WAS FREEEEE! No words were spoken, but love was transmitted by such an unselfish gesture.

I never knew that the years of rejection that I experienced and the hard work of seeking healing would lead to this beautiful image of the Lord at work. Oh, what a mighty God we serve!