Honey, How Can I Rent the Rose Bowl?

Before I Knew Jesus

I need to tell you honestly who I was before Jesus found me. In my early thirties I did not know the Lord and I did not want to know Him. My life was marked by self-centeredness, prescription drug and alcohol abuse, fear, marital discontent, and unhealthy relationships. I was going in the wrong direction and did not even know it.

My husband John was already a Christian. He read his Bible regularly, which honestly irritated me. Other members of my family became Christians too, and I jokingly thought they were all becoming "Jesus Freaks." I could not understand what had come over them.

I remember seeing "Jesus Saves" bumper stickers everywhere I went. I could not get away from Jesus.

God Got My Attention

A woman who was house-sitting nearby offered to take our boys to Vacation Bible School. I said yes. Steve was fourteen, Mike was twelve, and Jason was five. All three of them accepted Christ.

One day I looked up the stairs and saw five-year-old Jason. He had a round tan face, big brown eyes, and blond curls. He was singing "Jesus Loves Me." God used that moment to touch my heart in a way I could not explain.

My Boys Went to Vacation Bible School

Steve, my oldest, later challenged me. He asked me if I was ready to meet Christ. He gave me a book about Christ's return. I read it. And then I went to John's Bible and read the book of Revelation.

Reading Revelation

By the time I reached Revelation 21, I understood. Jesus was offering me a new beginning. A new heaven and a new earth. He was making all things new. He was saying, "Come." And I came.

A New Beginning

In that one moment in time, He changed my life forever. I surrendered my heart and my life to Christ. Everything began to change. God healed and transformed many areas of my life that had been broken for so long.

Learning to Follow Jesus

I had so much to learn. I began to study the Word. I began to pray. I began to follow Jesus one step at a time. The woman who had once rolled her eyes at the Bible was now hungry for it.

Women's Ministry

God began to open doors for me to serve. I became the first Director of Women's Ministry at a rapidly growing church. I discovered a love for teaching women, for studying Scripture, for encouraging others in their walk with Christ.

The Beginning of NEWIM

I founded NEWIM, the Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry. I wanted to see women who loved Jesus and loved His Word connected and encouraged in their calling.

A Vision for Women in Unity

In 1989, I sensed a deep longing in my spirit. I began to imagine tens of thousands of women from different churches, different backgrounds, different denominations, all worshiping Christ together in unity. I could not shake it. I could not make it go away.

Seven Years of Waiting

For seven years I carried this vision. I did not know how it would happen. I only knew it was from God.

Walking Orders

In 1995, I believed God gave me walking orders. I knew what He was asking. I knew the size of it. And I knew I could not do it on my own.

"Honey, How Can I Rent the Rose Bowl?"

I eventually told John what I believed God was asking me to do. I told him about the vision, the women, the stadium. After a long pause, he looked at me and said, "It's doable."

That was John. Steady. Faithful. Willing. He did not laugh. He did not tell me I was crazy. He said, "It's doable."

The Teacup Lesson

When I was a little girl, my mother took me to a beautiful gift shop. She told me to keep my hands at my sides because everything was fragile. Later, she let me hold a beautiful teacup. She told me I had good taste. She placed it in my small hands and taught me to hold it carefully, because it was delicate, and because it was not mine. When I was finished, she helped me place it back on the shelf.

Years later, God brought that memory back. The ministry He was entrusting to me was like that teacup. Precious. Fragile. Not mine to keep. I was to handle it carefully and remember that it belonged to Him.

Preparing Chosen Women

We began to prepare. We prayed. We planned. We trusted God for what only He could do.

The Day Women Came Through the Gates

I will never forget standing with John and watching thousands of women pour through the gates. I fell into his arms and cried. The vision was actually happening. God had done it.

Setting the Teacup Down

The stadium events eventually concluded. The fourth and final gathering was at the Myriad Arena in Oklahoma City. Ending that season was like carefully setting the teacup back on the shelf. It had been precious. It had been a gift. And now it was time to release it back to the One who gave it.

What God Taught Me

God taught me that He can take a life that was going nowhere and fill it with purpose. He taught me that His calling is not about my ability but about His faithfulness. He taught me that when He gives a vision, He also provides the provision, the people, and the timing. And He taught me that everything He places in our hands is a gift to be held loosely, served faithfully, and released willingly.

"Honey, how can I rent the Rose Bowl?"