Brenda Toet spoke during the event Gracious Daughters Soar at the beginning of September in South Africa. 7000 women listened to Brenda’s testimony, of which 2000 via livestream from prison. It was the first time in front of such numbers that Brenda could share how Jesus changed her life and how He also makes that possible for others. She gladly shares her experience of this event to show how great God is.
The preparation
It had already been a while since Brenda was personally invited to speak by Tara McCauley, the pastor of Redemption Church in South Africa. When Brenda received definite notice that she was on the program and that it was an event of around 4000 to 6000 women, she felt that she had to get clear on the right message to share.
God gradually made it clear to her that it had to be her testimony that would encourage other women. When the news came that the part of the event when Brenda would speak, was being live-streamed to female prisons Brenda knew, “This is a confirmation because with my background I can speak precisely to those women,” she shares.
The moment of sharing on the stage
After a warm welcome and the joy of a well-organized event, the moment had arrived for Brenda to step on the stage. “You can hardly imagine what it is like to stand before such a crowd. I saw a sea of women, as far as I could see,” Brenda says. “Additionally, there was a camera pointed at me, and on the other side of it were about another 2000 detained women. I immediately knew, I am gonna focus my attention on them. Specifically for them am I sharing my testimony.”
Why would you hang out your ‘dirty laundry’?
Telling about your old life and what you have done, especially when it’s about the past of Brenda, is not something you just do. But Brenda knows why she is doing it. “It can seem intense to hang out your dirty laundry, but the fact that exactly your dirty laundry, which is now clean through King Jesus, can encourage and build up others to make different choices and steps in life, makes it all worth it.”
Brenda of course also shared about the change. That God is a God of restoration. That He has a plan for everyone and that Jesus completely changes lives, just as He did with her. “Prison isn’t the end station but a step up to another life with Jesus,” Brenda says.
A woman active in prostitution
There was a special moment during the event that Brenda won’t soon forget. During the time of ministering, there was a woman who came to her who actively worked in prostitution. After hearing Brenda’s story, she was so encouraged that she wanted to step out of it, but she found it very scary. For her whole life was based on the work that she did: her child could go to a private school, they lived in a big house. On the other hand, she was disowned by her family. In short, she didn’t know how to find the way back. Brenda could pray with her and speak to her heart about how God sees her.
The next day, Brenda was in church and she was tapped on her shoulder. There was a woman who wanted to talk with her. Brenda had the feeling that it was about the woman who worked in prostitution. She went to her and was bombarded with questions. The woman wanted all the tips and tools to turn her life around. “Should I stop completely now? How do I do that?” she asked. Brenda shares, “I encouraged her that she could make choices and if she lays them in the hands of God, He will also bless them. And that she can try to make amends with her family and ask them for help.”
Giving life to Jesus
It was evident that God’s message through Brenda touched hearts. Not only in the room did women give their lives to Jesus, but also hundreds of women in prison did the same. It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past, God looks straight through it and wants you to come to Him.
Brenda closes, “I hope that I can bless even more women at home and abroad with my story. I want to show them that they are precious and valuable and that God loves them, no matter what.”