At the Well...August 2026 Newsletter
Updated: Sep 5
Every time I watch Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in The Chosen, I am moved to tears. She could have walked away when she felt exposed, although condemnation was never what Jesus offered her. Instead, she stayed long enough to hear Him. A few days ago, I watched The Forge, where Priscilla Shirer, an incredible Bible teacher and author, plays the on-screen mother of Isaiah, a troubled young man. Once again, I was in tears when he surrendered his life to Jesus. There is something profoundly powerful about watching someone give themselves wholly to Him, because we know what that means: freedom from bondage to worldly beliefs, patterns and habits. As Galatians 5 reminds us, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. That is exactly what we set out to achieve when Well developed a new 12-week Looking Back and Moving Forward Friday programme.
We had Friday mornings online meet-ups. These gatherings became a rich space for honest conversation, shared learning, and community across different perspectives. Together, we reflected on the places where we may have displaced God with man-made comforts, familiar coping strategies, or quiet little idols - because apparently the human heart can turn almost anything into a back-up plan.
Although I delivered the weekly teaching, together with Kirubai Kohout and others from the Well Board of Advisors and Friends of Well, I was deeply impacted too. God gently nudged me to release an area of mental bondage to fear, and I sought His forgiveness for the ways I had allowed fear to shape parts of my life. Some of you may know that I am now entering a season of transition. I am planning wisely, seeking counsel, receiving prayer, and spending time in the Word - not secretly building Plan B, Plan C, and a laminated emergency spreadsheet in the background.
We will officially launch the next phase of Looking Back and Moving Forward after the Wise Well Woman Summit 2027. If this kind of reflective, faith-centred community space speaks to you, please register your interest by sending us an email to info@womenlifeleadership.org so we can keep you updated as the programme develops.
Wise Well Woman Summit 2027: Tickets, Venue and Programme
We are releasing another batch of Wise Well Woman Summit 2027 tickets: 30 tickets at £30 each, available for a limited time until 15th September 2026. The price will increase progressively, with the final ticket price set at £50. If you already know you want to be in the room, this is your gentle-but-very-clear nudge: please buy your ticket while this batch is available, spread the word, and join us again next year.
We are so grateful for the encouraging feedback we received about the Summit, and we have taken your ideas for improvement to heart. One area we are reviewing is the venue. We have traditionally used Church of England churches, and we are now open to widening the search. If you know of a suitable church hall around West London - ideally close to Hammersmith - please email info@womenlifeleadership.org.
Our theme will centre on Surrender. Because this is an event created by working women for working women, we would also love to hear your suggestions for speakers and panellists who may be a strong fit for the Well Summit. Please send us your ideas - and if someone brilliant comes to mind, do not leave them sitting quietly in your mental notes app.
What We Heard: Betrayal at Work
I want to say a personal thank you to the women who shared their biggest challenge from the last two to three years when I reached out over the summer. Your stories were raw and vulnerable, and we are committed to praying for each of you. Across those conversations, the most consistent theme was relationships at work and the pain of betrayal. Look out for an email with the Biblical First Aid Guide for Betrayal at Work. And as a special treat, our next event (see below) will cover the numerous topics we received from you.
Encounter: An Autumn Gathering for Balm and Healing
This autumn, Well will host Encounter, an online gathering for women to come together as we turn to Jesus for wisdom and guidance on challenges we are facing at work while balancing family and commitments. We are excited to welcome Peggy Bodde, the author of Sacred Work: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Leadership in the Marketplace. I have followed Peggy for several years and her work provides practical tools to address common themes we encounter at work; imposter syndrome, negotiating to win, leading through crisis, betrayal, when you fail, etc. Peggy will join us online from Colorado, U.S. where she leads Sacred Work organization which provides mentorship and resources for Christian women who work and lead in the marketplace. Encounter will take place on 8th October 2026 at 7 pm UK time on Zoom. Buy your Encounter tickets now and join us for an evening of honest conversations about challenges at our workplace at the intersection of faith and work and a Q&A session for practical guidance. Please read more about Peggy Bodde at www.peggybodde.com and I would encourage you to buy her book Sacred Work from your usual bookstore. Here is a link to Sacred Work: Free Delivery at Eden.co.uk
Partner Spotlight: The Fit For Purpose Woman
Around the same time that I founded Well three years ago, God was also raising up pockets of women across London to begin similar movements. Two of those movements joined us at Wise Well Woman Summit 2026: She Sells Purple and Corporate & Christian, and in 2024, with Awaken. In that same spirit of partnership, I am delighted to spotlight Dr Olivia Ariyo, founder of The Fit For Purpose Woman.
The Fit For Purpose Woman brings together fitness of body, mind, and soul from Biblical perspective. I am honoured to moderate a workshop at the next event on 13th and 14th November. Gatherings like this help birth communities, strengthen friendships, and create safe spaces where women can be themselves. The mountain-top moments of worship, dancing, and teaching are never just lovely extras; they prepare us to walk into God’s purpose and calling with fresh courage and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
I would love to see you there. A discount code is available specifically for the Well community, so please look out for the details and book your ticket. Consider this your friendly invitation before your calendar fills up and starts behaving like it owns you. Discount code: FFPW26
Thank you for reading the newsletter.
With utmost love,
Deepa and The Well Team
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