Priority Associates for Women, a Christian organization that brings speakers to the area, was a call on the hearts of the Women’s Ministry of Fuquay-Varina Baptist Church. This call came about through encouragement of Dr. Bob Johnson, coordinator of the Men’s Priority group. The women saw this as an opportunity to expand their church ministry; after much prayer, they felt that God was opening this door. They celebrate five years of bringing their ministry to our community this year.
Doris Weathers, who was coordinator of the women’s ministry, continued in this capacity for the Priority Associates group and spent countless hours organizing and selecting a core group to help facilitate the luncheon meetings. The purpose of Priority Associates is to share one’s faith story. Teresa Hamby pointed out the Bible verse that pictures its purpose: Rom. 12:9-13 ‘Love must be sincere…, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.’
We were further reminded by Kathy Dickens that it was five years ago that Anne Graham Lotz spoke at the first luncheon to an overflow crowd of more than 200 ladies. Since that time, there have been 30 speakers who have shared what God has done in their lives.
At the most recent meeting, Heather Neese, who lives in down-town Raleigh with her husband and small son, spoke and sang to the assembled crowd. Heather sang “Alive” to preface her testimony and tell how she had come alive to God’s Word through the study of the Bible. She grew up singing in church. At age 12, Heather made a commitment to follow the Lord at summer camp. But it was not until her senior year at Meredith College in 2005 that she realized that there was healing power in the name of Jesus. Up until that time, she had struggled socially, spiritually and academically with insecurity and inadequacy. She fought the battle of not measuring up to others.
Heather stated, “God was the only one who was ever able to rid me of that insecurity and that ‘Me’ syndrome that had consumed my life. I began to have a passion for reading God’s Word. Jeremiah 15:16: ‘Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; they were joy and rejoicing to my heart’. I truly had found my delight in the Bible, and I was going to take God at His Word. It was not about me anymore. I decided that I was going to be obedient to God’s Word regardless of the outcome.”
The next Women’s Priority Luncheon, Sept. 25, Bentwinds Country Club, F-V, 11:30 a.m., $10/person/speaker & soloist: Vanessa McLamb; former Minister of Music Pleasant Grove Bap. Ch./Reservations: Faye Johnson 919-552-3763 or fjohn5050@aol.com.
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