“Thelma” agrees to a makeover by Cherie Jobe, as part of a skit during the conference. Photo courtesy of Cherie Jobe Ministries
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Surrendering to the will of God may not always be easy, but for one Rutherford County hairstylist turned author, the journey to serenity under his guidance is worth any unexpected hurdles.
“When you surrender, it isn’t always comfortable. But, it is always worth it,” said Cherie Jobe, who was the keynote speaker and co-sponsor of the inaugural New Beginnings Women’s Conference.
More than 250 women from across Middle Tennessee converged Saturday at Embassy Suites to listen to Jobe and three other Christian speakers discuss how to find joy and peace through God’s word.
Stephanie Miller, who serves as a worship leader at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, serenaded attendees between lectures, and locally owned vendors were also on hand offering Christian-themed goods.
“We want this to be a yearly conference,” said Debbie Garvin, a real estate agent with Red Realty, who helped organize the event. “We are already actively involved with various craft fairs and community outreach programs. But, we hope this conference will become a signature event for the ministry.”
The idea for the conference arose from the success of Secrets from Behind the Chair, a book Jobe said she was inspired to write after listening to clients talk about life, love and heartache for more than 30 years.
Featuring a witty, yet heartrending, collection of stories and life lessons told from the hairdresser’s chair, the Murfreesboro native also delves into her own life – all of which designed to inspire women to find their true identity and develop their inner beauty through Jesus Christ.
“I never liked to speak in public – I didn’t even like to read,” Jobe explained, as the audience chuckled. “But, God has a sense of humor. It was on Sept. 14, 1997, and I had just turned 40 years old … Suddenly, it hit me: I had head knowledge, not heart knowledge of God. I had attended church all my life. I heard of this man all my life, but this day, he became more than words. He became my savior – mind you, while I was sitting in the choir behind the preacher.”
From that point forward, Jobe said she began to feel God’s call to minister to women who have felt the pain of feeling unloved from abuse and abandonment or unworthy of love because of past mistakes.
“As I received God’s healing in my life, I felt the abundance of joy in my salvation,” she said. “I had tried everything to fill the emptiness and loneliness … I believe God used and continues to use my mistakes as examples of how he can change a life. He has taken my messes and made a message about his love and forgiveness.”
Jobe said while writing the book, she felt like an “Outback blooming onion” because she was forced to peel away layers from her past, which revealed emotional secrets that had been tucked away for decades.
In the book, Jobe reveals how she felt the deep hurt of feeling unwanted as a child and lived the secret life of an abused wife, in addition to being a single mother for eight years.
“It wasn’t easy to write, and it isn’t an easy read at times,” she said, “but in order to tell my journey, I had to share what I learned while my hands were in the hair of a number of people too.”
Most importantly, Jobe said she hopes the stories featured in the book help other women cope with the trials and tribulations of life, while at the same time help to rebuild their relationship with God.
“The day I discovered God’s love is a gift – one that you must learn to accept – and his forgiveness holds no grudges, it set me on a new and exciting path,” she said. “All we have to remember is that the word of God is our roadmap.” |
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