Ask any Christian woman what she thinks of the Proverbs 31 woman and the honest answer may look like a grimace. For who can even hope to compare to this fictional woman who seems to be the archetypical perfect woman, wife and mother? This woman is the very reason many Christian women avoid delving into the book of Proverbs, for there she sits, right at the end, mocking our every attempt at wisdom in daily living. Or so it seems.
Yet, on 30 May 2015, the truth of the last chapter of Proverbs was clearly and articulately explained by Hayley Tubman at the 2015 Cape Town Women’s Convention (CTWC). Without a doubt, of the 900 women who braved the cold and rainy weather to attend the event, hundreds left with a lightness and joy in their hearts, finally fully understanding a passage that has long bogged them down.
The CTWC has always been an incredible experience of community, growth and understanding for the women of Cape Town, and this year was no different. Under the leadership of Alison Eloff, the convention offered women of all walks of life a place of unity. Gathered together at St James Church, Kenilworth in Cape Town, all 900 women enjoyed beautiful singing ably led by Desire Swanich,Glenda de Cooker and the music team. What a joy it was to listen to voices raised in praise of Him who brings us together. In addition to the beautiful songs that we sung together, we were blessed with songs of praise and reflection from the talented Michelle Botha, Nicole Van Blerk and Tertia Hendricks. At the beginning of each session, we were also encouraged with testimonies from women who continue to give praise to Jesus, despite great hardships in their lives. Thanks to Suzette Savides, Mary Lumsden and the team who worked tirelessly to provide our lunch, our stomachs were well fed. The hour lunch break gave the women plenty of time to relax and chat together, sharing both joys and burdens in the light of God’s Word. And while our stomach were well-fed, our minds were given a feast of understanding as Hayley Tubman took us through the book of Proverbs, revealing the overall themes of wisdom and folly in such clarity that we closed the day feeling inspired and refreshed in our understanding of God’s Word, His wisdom and His will for our lives.
An event of this magnitude takes many hands, and I for one am very grateful for the many volunteers who helped make the 2015 CTWC another wonderful experience of growth and community amongst God’s people. If you missed the convention or would just like to listen to the excellent teaching, click on the links below for all three talks. Otherwise, see you next year for the 2016 Cape Town Women’s Convention!
Talk One: Wisdom in a World of Fools – The Beginning of Wisdom | Proverbs 1: 1-7
Talk Two: Wisdom in a World of Fools – The Call of Wisdom | Proverbs 8: 1 – 36
Talk Three: Wisdom in a World of Fools – The Life of Wisdom | Proverbs 31