Phenomenal Women, Creative Workshop 2025
The first annual Creative Workshop incorporated some of the most phenomenal women I have met to date. To say I was blessed by their attendance is an understatement. As each lady walked through my door, I could sense the need for belonging. I could feel women looking for a purpose, needing to be seen, and longing to be heard. On that day, there were no married or single women. No women of a particular age or ethnicity. Women were not tall or short, big or small, weak or strong. That day, we were all just women, phenomenally. Each one being fearfully and wonderfully made. I could feel the timid energy from some and the rambling nervous energy from others. I could see their thoughts almost as if little talk bubbles were floating above their heads… “Will I be liked? Will I like anyone? Will people think I’m strange or pompous, or too quiet?” I knew that’s what they were thinking…because I was thinking it too.
As the day rocked on the mood evolved. It grew from an unsure wavering “toe in the water”, to a confident laughing “head held high” kind of vibration. Fears became action. Shyness became bold. Newness became comfort. Change became embraced, and strangers became friends. Creativity held the key to bravery. Meaningful poetry and silly tall tales kicked off our morning, then flowed into creative color choices, hot glue guns, and bows. Savory culinary delights and tasty bubbly spirits filled our lunch hour. The afternoon brought a more self-assured approach to painting fall bouquets on canvas with acrylics. Then, we dove our hands in the soil to create live plant arrangements that were not only dazzling to the eye, but necessary to the sustainability of life around us.
While each creative process was unique in its teaching, this day was not so much about the outward process of creating but being courageous and vulnerable enough to do the inner work of evolving as women. On the outside our Creative Workshop may have seemed like a fun day of crafts, paint, and planters, but on the inside of each woman present, was an inner desire to go deeper into her own mystery and discover just how phenomenal she really is.
We each uncovered that we have room to grow. We don’t always have to be a perfectionist. We can overcome anxiety. We can speak up and be heard! We can learn about new tools for our creative toolboxes. We can do things differently than everyone else. We also learned ways that we are already strong and can encourage each other. We shared dating advice, insecurities of being alone, along with health concerns and natural remedies. We hugged and laughed and got apprehensive and then got over it. We felt calm and relaxed, proud and connected, united and peaceful. The overcomers in this group are second to none. These ladies have survived everything from cancer to abuse. They’ve lived through abandonment and heartache. They have cared for loved ones that have since passed on. They have defeated bed-ridden illnesses and suicidal thoughts when doctors wouldn’t listen. They have raised children, gotten promotions, advanced in athletic endeavors, won 1st place at art contests, gained over 100,000K followers on social media, become directors, leaders of organizations, teachers, caregivers, graduates, animal protectors, functional health coaches, and heavy weight lifters. They continue to pursue their dreams and fight the good fight, one day at a time.
Yes, this workshop began as a way for me to bring women together to be creative, but that is the very least of what our day was. It was a revival of the soul. They reminded me to trust the process of life and that we are not alone, we have each other. We can always reach out to another phenomenal woman who is willing to help us. We are each fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator. And while we are all unique, we still have one thing in common, and we don’t ever have to be ashamed of it. We are all women. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman? That’s me.
