Marlene Flynn and her daughter Shaunté Simons have always been extremely close.

So in December when they realised they both felt led by God to plan a conference for women of faith, it was only natural to plan to host the event together.

The inaugural Bermuda International Ladies Conference will be held between February 7 and 10 at Heritage Worship Centre in Hamilton with the theme, Start Your Year Strong.

Ms Simons will speak, along with author Althea Winifred of Daughter of Substance Ministries, Reverend Blanche Burchall of Glory Temple Church of God and Minister Marvia Providence of Marvia Providence Ministries.

According to Ms Flynn, the aim of the four-day event is to empower and equip women so they can pursue their God-given passions and purpose.

“This conference has been our baby,” she said. “God gave us the vision with no money down, but we have continued to follow His voice and trust in His provision.

“For instance, we attended a service one Sunday night and a visiting bishop called me out [of the pews].

“He told me that what I was about to do in Bermuda was God-ordained and that God will have people to call me, to plant a seed into the ministry.

“Well, in less than 24 hours three people who were not at the service made contact with us to advise that they wanted to invest in this new ministry by purchasing a conference prayer breakfast ticket in order to gift that to someone seeking change in their lives.

“I am confident that people who attend this event will encounter something supernatural during those four days.”

The duo put a lot prayer and planning into the conference, and are relying on God’s Holy Spirit to do the rest.

“Our mission is to transform the lives of women through the word of God,” Ms Flynn said. “We hope to inspire women to embrace the mantle that God has placed on them and move forward for the glory of God.

“We want ladies to be successful in all areas of their lives and to live to their full potential, physically, mentally and spiritually, and to be emotionally sound.

“Our events will touch on all of the above areas to enable women to be and feel whole.”

The pair are planning on hosting concerts and workshops under their new ministry, Saphire Faith International Ministries.

Its goal is to enhance the lives of women by providing opportunities for those inside and outside of the church to grow, learn and invest in themselves.

“Women are often the nurturers in our community and are very busy meeting the needs of others; we forget we also need to be ministered to,” they said. “We need to step back and ask ourselves, ‘Are we meeting our full potential or are we meeting the desired goals that God has for us?’.

“We oftentimes forget our individual purpose, we are all born to manifest the glory of God. Like Marianne Williamson [the best selling author who serves as Oprah’s spiritual advisor and recently put forward her name as a Democratic candidate for the 2020 US presidential elections] said, ‘… it is not in some of us, it is in all of us’.”

Dr Winifred will open the conference on Thursday with a message entitled Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken, based on Romans 8:28.

She will discuss how lives can be turned around for good with God’s help despite challenging situations or circumstances.

Ms Flynn said: “I am expecting every service to be impactful. I believe that some will leave ignited while others will be reignited.

“I jokingly think we may have to ask the fire station to be on standby because there will be so much fire in these sessions.

“The ladies who will attend this first conference for the year are those who are ready to get up and stand up; they have a desire to become unstuck and they yearn to unlock the power and purpose of God within themselves.

“This will lead to entrepreneurship, change in careers, better relationships and increased faith to step out of their comfort zones, align themselves with their individual destiny and to remember who they are in God.

“We as women need constant reminders that there is more to us than just a wife, mother, sister, aunt etc. God has called us to be and do so much more.

“He wants us to activate our faith so He can do exceedingly and abundantly, above all that we can ask or think.

“Each of us has a God-given gift that has been placed inside of us, which is just waiting to manifest.

“We need to rise and shine and give God glory though our living.”

Ms Flynn believes that the messages given by all four speakers will be timely for Bermuda, as so many people encountered hardship and disappointments and are hoping for a better year in 2019.

• The Bermuda International Ladies Conference will take place at New Testament Church of God: Heritage Worship Centre on February 7, 8 and 9. All events are free except an 8am prayer breakfast with Marvia Providence, which costs $50. Events close on February 10 at 6.30pm with a revival at Glory Temple Church of God in St David’s. For more information: 704-0145, 704-1045 or info@saphirefaithministries.com