The IF: Experience: Keri's Story
I am SO excited about today's IF: Experience post, because we are featuring our IF: LOZ founder: Keri!
Keri's story is amazing, and the flames she has helped to light for Christ since her first IF:Gathering watching it alone at her kitchen counter are incredible. I just so happen to be one of those flames along with so many other women. We have all been blessed, because Keri's life is the very embodiment of what IF: stands for: discipleship and loving people right where they are at BECAUSE of their story!
So, warm up your coffee and settle in! This is one you where you will want to read every word!
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Hello
Sister Friends,
My name
is Keri Major. I am a wife of 28 years,
mother of 4 amazing children, ‘Nahnee’ to 3 of the sweetest grands ever with
another one on the way. My husband and I
are the founders and co-pastors of The Tree as it has come to be known (Tree
197 Ministries), now in year 8.
This is
year 5 for me with IF:Local. I’ve been
in since ground zero (2014). The
IF:Gathering found a very special place in my heart 5 years ago and I would
love to share how IF:LOZ changed my life and came to be here in our community.
In the
early fall of 2013 I found myself ‘snubbed’ and very unwelcome as the ‘newbie’
by a group of other moms at my daughters school. No matter how hard I seemed to try…they just
weren’t interested in giving me an opportunity to be apart of what was going
on. I eventually gave up and tried to
support my daughter from the side lines and in other ways that year. It
bothered me though…more than I realized.
I was having weekly Bible studies in my home as this was going on and
this ‘bur in my saddle’ found its way into a series of very intimate
conversations around my kitchen table during our studies. We began to talk about how harsh, competitive
and let’s just say it….down-right brutally judgmental we as women can be toward
our peers.
With my
spiritual tank on empty, I hopped on-line, as I did every morning to read a
blog I had been following by a gal many of you have probably heard of…Ann
VosKamp. That particular day she was
promoting a ladies gathering in Austin, Texas
- Can you guess?? Yes…………….. IF: Gathering. I thought to myself maybe a conference of
some sort is just what I needed to get out of my funk, so I clicked on the link
and began to inquire. Jennie Allen the
founder and visionary of IF:Gathering was promoting Discipling a Generation and
I certainly felt like I could use some discipling. She talked about gathering women together
from all walks of life, breaking down the walls of race, economic and social
status and a big one for me…breaking down the walls of denominational
strongholds.
This gathering would be their
first gathering ever…to be held in February of 2014. They gave a date that the registration would
be open and I decided I wanted to be apart of it. I boldly wrote the registration date on my
calendar and waited patiently to be able to register. When the registration day and time finally
arrived, I got on-line and found that they had sold out in ridiculously record
time…even crashing their servers. There
were no more tickets available….sigh! As
disappointed as I was, it was also confirmation to me that there are A LOT of
women out there that were thirsty to connect in a more intimate meaningful way
than just myself. I had resorted to
subscribing to this ‘new’ IF:Gathering blog and began following the gathering
from afar.
In the
short days following I received an email from IF:Gathering. They had realized the large demand of those
wanting to obtain tickets that were unable too.
They offered this thing called ‘IF:LOCAL’ where we would be able to
livestream the event in our homes, churches and communities. I jumped at the chance to sign-up having NO
IDEA what I was signing up for, but thought surely our small ladies group would
agree to watch it with me. Well…life
happened…aka-Satan began to set-up road blocks for each one of us…THAT EVER
HAPPEN TO YOU????
Anyway, I ended up
watching IF all alone at my kitchen table that year. I cannot tell you how the speakers and worship
spoke directly to my heart. I couldn’t
even put it into words how God had met me in quietness of my home and began to
fill a void in my soul that I had been feeling seemingly for a very long time.
I vowed that come hell or high water I would do what ever it took to drag my
ladies Bible study gals together around the T.V. the following year. Until that time came, I plugged into the
on-line tools that they had given us [IF:Equip] and our ladies Bible Study
Group began to utilize those resources and other resources from the speakers
that I had listened too. It began to
ignite and stir something deep within me to share this feeling of belonging
with other women outside our Bible study group.
In
September of 2014, I again joined IF:Gathering for an IF:Pray event which its
sole purpose was to pray for our nation, leaders, churches and our
community. I convinced a handful of
ladies to join me, and we even had an “out-sider” from Iowa show up and we have
become kindred sisters and cohorts in crime every time she’s in town! 😊
In 2015
8-10 women gathered in my home and watched the Livestream together and we had
intimate conversations over IF:Questions they provided for us. We realized we had found something really
special during that weekend and agreed we needed to figure out how to share it
with our community.
My husband Darrin began to see a change and passion in my life for other women, their stories and wanting to help them find their place at our table. He has been on board with IF 100% and has supported all our crazy ideas. It really has been contagious not only to other women, but to men as well. I can’t tell you how many men have asked if they can come to an IF:Event!! Lol!! He has encouraged us to forge ahead at every turn.
We were
invited to an IF:LOCAL Leadership/IF:Pray conference in September of 2015 in
Florida. Myself and a co-labor and
friend went with me. We were allowed the
opportunity to feel and experience the ‘BUZZZZ’ of seeing from a fresh perspective
a gigantic gathering of women all coming together for the same purpose and
reason. A large room full of IF:LOCAL
Leaders all under one roof. The
experience sealed the deal for us and an IF:LOZ Team had been born. Thanks Emmy!! 😊
We came
home, hit the floor running and began to plan for IF:LOZ 2016. We began sharing the IF:Gathering vision of
Discipling a Generation with other women and churches in our community. We wanted to partner with whom ever would
partner with us. No sooner did we begin
to get the ball rolling, I had to swallow a hard pill. I was diagnosed with
breast cancer in November 2015. I was
then consumed with doctor appointments, a plan of attack for my life and
family, therefore, I could no longer be as involved as I had desperately wanted
to be. I confidently turned the planning
and preparations over to Emmy and Ashley and they took the lead! I in turn had a double mastectomy in December
2015 and began Chemotherapy treatments to rid my body of Satans attempt to keep
me down. He had NO IDEA who he was
messing with I might add! <3
After
MUCH PRAYER, planning and preparations IF:LOZ 2016 took place at Old Kinderhook
Lodge where over 100 women registered and showed up thirsty for God, community
and a life changing EXPERIENCE. An
experience just as I had had and continued going through since 2014 and into my
cancer journey. We had NO IDEA who would
come, if any…but God did! He was
faithful. And He knew exactly who needed to be there. All He expected from us was to say YES and
walk in obedience despite the obstacles and He would do the rest. And believe me…He did…He showed up and showed
off in such a glorious way!! He didn’t
just show up and show off at IF but in my life as well…. I didn’t know if I
would be well enough to attend and yet He answered that prayer for me and
allowed me to be there. He allowed me
the privilege to witness so many sweet faces gathering together across from one
another at our tables, as well as from across denominational walls. One I had been praying to see come to
fruition. It was truly a beautiful
sight!
Again,
He was faithful….IF:LOZ 2017 we had over 160 women who registered and showed
up. Again, our hearts were stirred and
seeds were planted. Women’s lives
changed.
We are
praying for 200 women this year for IF:LOZ 2018! If you’re reading this blog post right
now…you are here on purpose…you were meant to read this…your heart needs
stirring…you are looking for something but maybe can’t put your finger on
it. I know…I too needed something
different in my life…needed something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. We have a prayer team that has been praying
for every woman who registers for this event, but I have been praying for YOU…
The un-named woman that doesn’t know she needs this, but she does!! I believe with all my heart YOU are meant to
have a perspective shift in your life and IF is the tool. YOU are in need of something or someone to
fan the flame of YOUR heart. Give IF a
chance…allow God the same opportunity to use this event to stir your heart like
it did for me and so many others. Give
IF a chance to give you a greater purpose, a greater desire to chase after Him,
a deeper love than you’ve ever known.
You are WELCOME at our table. Come sit, breathe deep and soak in the Son.
Much
Love & Belief in YOU~Keri <3
P.S. He is FAITHFUL - I’M 100%... not in my circumstances, but in
my faith and trust in the plan Jesus Christ has for my life. As I write this I am 100% CANCER FREE… Hallelujah!!!!!
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Do you want an Experience just like Keri's?
Do you want to grow closer to Christ and discover His ultimate purpose for you all while making life long friendships with sisters that are striving and working for Christ and His kingdom just like you?
Then you need to make the time and sign up for this year's IF:LOZ!
Go to https://register.ifgathering.com/event/ifloz and get registered! We have a seat JUST. FOR. YOU. And we CANNOT. WAIT. to welcome you in!
So, hurry! Don't wait! Sign up today!
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