This week has seen not just the celebration of International Women’s Day, but also the beginning of Hillsong’s Colour Conference for women. Held in Sydney over two weekends, the first at Sydney’s Entertainment Centre, and eagerly anticipated, this year Colour has more than 17 000 women attending. Each year the conference is growing in numbers and renown.

Yet why is it so valued by those women who attend? And what is the outcome of attending Colour for these women?

Naomi Jones is attending her third Colour conference this year. Following the Thursday night opening evening, she said, “I love going because I know I will leave uplifted, strengthened and empowered to continue serving God faithfully in the church where God has planted me.”

Naomi sees the purpose of Colour conference each year as gathering Christian women, to encourage and strengthen them, and then scattering them to the places where they are planted, empowered and strengthened to ‘be the change’.

Reflecting on Bobbie Houston’s message from Thursday evening, Naomi says, “Every day I am tempted to do things in my own strength. I try to be a godly wife, employee, friend, church member, daughter and sister, but I am weak and I often fail. At Colour Conference I was struck by the words of Psalm 84:5, ‘Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.’

“I realised afresh that not only do I have the strength of my Heavenly Father because of what Jesus has done on the cross, but I am also blessed as I set my heart on pilgrimage towards eternity with him. Why rely on my human strength when the Almighty God of the whole universe wants to bless me when my strength is in him?”

Belinda Faulks is attending her first Colour Conference this year. Yet her sense of anticipation is almost has high as those who have been before. On Thursday evening she says she “walked into the Entertainment Centre totally excited and with an expectant heart, ready for God to reveal Himself to me and move in my heart.”

Belinda relates, “Bobbie Houston encouraged us to take heart, and she spoke of seasons in our lives and how the enemy likes to attack during those seasons; but really the attacks give us opportunity to come out better for it. We don’t know what the days hold but we all have days ahead and these are the days to prepare and be suited up with strong armour. Look up, look around and stay on the path. ‘Stay on the path’ seems to be the catch cry for Colour 2013!”

Overall, Belinda’s anticipation and expectation were not disappointed, and after the Thursday night opener she concludes, “The night was amazing, with an electric atmosphere that comes from having over 10,000 women from all corners of the globe all in one arena, singing praises to God and seeking to glorify Him. I’m excited for what the next two days of Colour hold and for what God has in store for me during this time.”

Naomi also reflects on the value of attending Colour, saying, “As I scatter (only a couple of suburbs away to Redfern), I must remember that God alone is my strength, and blessing is possible when he is in control. I can do nothing without him.”

Images: Hillsong Church Facebook album