INDIANA, Pa., (BRN) – On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the Indiana Campus of Harvest Church hosted a Mother Daughter Luncheon.
Church members Jamie Killen and Sarah Griffith set out to create an event that would allow women to gather together, build relationships, learn about God’s faithfulness in difficult seasons and hear a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The main auditorium of the church was transformed into a welcoming, comfortable dining area. A total of 95 women, half of whom do not attend Harvest, gathered to enjoy a catered lunch served by a dozen men from the church who typically only wear ties to funerals and weddings. In addition to the meal, the ladies were treated to prize give-aways.
The highlight of the day, however, was the opportunity to hear from Larissa Murphy. Larissa lives locally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and is the author of Eight Twenty-Eight. She shared her and her husband’s testimony of God’s faithfulness through the trials and triumphs of their life’s journey.
Their story includes an accident resulting in her husband’s traumatic brain injury (before they were married), a roller coaster of emotions during a process where Ian’s life was in question, an engagement, marriage and three children. Larissa shared how God brought encouragement at crucial times and strength as she battled temptations. She further shared how God continues to sustain her through the ongoing challenges of parenting with a disabled spouse.
Through all the highs and lows, she has exuded the joy that only comes from knowing Christ. The women – and men – in attendance clearly heard the gospel of Jesus and how we are called to respond. In total, we had 107 people attend the Mother Daughter Luncheon.
Although we cannot say how many accepted Christ that day, we are confident that the power of Larissa’s testimony planted seeds that allowed for further conversations and we look forward to hearing about the fruit they may bear.
