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CNN Live Saturday

'Women of Faith Conference' Meets in Atlanta

Aired August 04, 2001 - 13:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of women are in Atlanta today seeking a new kind of power. They came to the "Women of Faith" conference. Supporters say more than 1.3 million women have been drawn to events like it across America since 1996.

One of the tour speakers is here to tell us about the movement. She is best selling author and comedienne Patsy Clairmont. Her latest book is "Sportin' a 'Tude," and others include "I Love Being a Woman," "God Uses Cracked Pots" and "Normal Is Just a Setting on Your Dryer." Here she is with us in Atlanta. So delighted to have you join us.

PATSY CLAIRMONT, AUTHOR/COMEDIAN: Thank you, Donna. It's my delight to be here.

KELLEY: How was the crowd this morning? You already spoke...

CLAIRMONT: They were wonderful! I love the South! Atlanta is wonderful! They embrace you, they are very hospitable.

KELLEY: Well, what did you talk about this morning? Did you talk about 'tudes?

CLAIRMONT: I talked about fearless love, and the reason that I was addressing that is because I was such a scared cat for a lot years of my life, so a lot of dreams I had of what I wanted to be when I grew up, but what I became was an agoraphobic, which means that I was housebound, held in by bars of my own emotions, unable to deal with the dailiness of life.

KELLEY: We're looking at some tape of the conference this morning as we continue to visit with you. What did it do to you? What were you afraid of, and how did you get over that?

CLAIRMONT: Well, it was one tiny step at a time. By the time you become housebound, you've developed many fears. I was afraid of hospitals, I was afraid of groups of people, I was afraid of being alone. It was just continual and mounting, and so it seemed to me the safest thing I could do is stay in my home.

It started with an anxiety attack, and I didn't know what that was. I didn't know anyone who had had one. I felt so alone in it all.

KELLEY: And then, how did you come out of that? What finally started you on those little steps, like you say? And where did you find the humor in that? You know, there are a lot of people who come, you know, from daily life, who are facing tragedies, and who are having a tough time with that. What's so doggone funny about that you can find?

CLAIRMONT: Well, today, I can laugh. I wasn't laughing very hard then, because I was still paralyzed by my own fears. But what I found was, I wanted my husband to fix me, and he just didn't have the ability to do that. I needed someone who could reach inside of me, and I found that I needed a personal relationship with God.

And in developing that, I began to learn that the word of God was counsel, and that counsel was meant to make a difference in my life. And as I began to apply it, one step at a time, one problem at a time, one relationship at a time, I saw a change and a difference.

KELLEY: You know what's fun about this, though, is that you do use humor to get points across. Help us do that a little bit, will you? I mean, tell us a little bit about sporting a 'tude, or some of the things that you talk about when you talk to the conference.

CLAIRMONT: Well, let me just put it this way: when my youngest son was 7 years old, I sent him off to school. A little while late, there was a knock on the door. I went to the door, there's Jason. I said, "what are you doing here?" He said, "I've quit school." I said, "you've quit school? You're only 7 years old, why did you quit school?" He said, "because it's too long, it's too hard and it's too boring. I said, "honey, you've just described life. Get on the bus!"

And I have found that to be true in my life over and over again. There is so many things that come into my life, and I think, Lord, this is too hard, it's lasting too long, you're not looking, I can't do this. And then I hear that gentle wooing, "get on the bus, take the next step, I'll be there for you." And I'm learning how to trust one step at a time and learning how to laugh at myself, and to enter into the joy of this life.

KELLEY: And you talk about unwrapping every day, that every day is a gift?

CLAIRMONT: Every day is a gift, and you do not know what God has in that day that will be a wonderful surprise for you. About a year and a quarter ago, I opened up a gift, and it was my first grandson, and I cannot tell you the joy and the laughter that has brought into my life. I did not understand that becoming a grandmother would go so deep inside of you, but I realize it's a generational blessing, it goes right into the very marrow of your bones.

KELLEY: Yeah, that's fabulous. Congratulations.

CLAIRMONT: Thank you.

KELLEY: And a lot of the conference is about love. I see that you don't and don't take stands, rather it's about the heart and the encouragement and love. CLAIRMONT: We believe this is why so many women are coming, because they long to connect, and every women longs to have a sense of belonging and knowing she is cared for.

KELLEY: How do you think that women go on day to day? What are they struggling with the most?

CLAIRMONT: Well, being heard is one of the things. When you are going through difficulties, you begin to wonder, does anybody feel like I do? Does anybody hear my cries? This is hard and it's difficult, and I need support in it.

So when we come together, we come together under the priceless name of Jesus, for the purpose of encouraging and boosting their confidence, of letting them know they are not alone and that they are doing a wonderful job. We really believe that women are making a tremendous contribution to society.

KELLEY: Yeah, interesting. One of the big messages: you're doing fine, nothing changes, God's love for you.

Patsy Clairmont, we're so delighted to have you here. "Sportin' a 'Tude" is the latest book, and then you have one coming out in September, it's called "Mending Your Heart in a Broken World." Thank you very much.

CLAIRMONT: Thank you for having us.

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