I'm home from She Speaks 2010. I'm physically tired, emotionally exhausted and yet filled with overwhelming joy. I wonder if this is what Moses felt like after being in the presence of God. I just can't stop smiling.
Somehow, through the desperate prayers and humble offerings of a bunch of ordinary women, the Embassy Suites in Concord, North Carolina got transformed into holy ground for three amazing days.
First and foremost, I want to give God all the glory and honor He deserves for what He did. He is always faithful, always kind, always grace-filled and always generous. He invaded that place with His presence, and changed us.
Even though this was the 10th anniversary (and I've been at all of them), I'm always amazed at what God does. I'm not surprised - because He's never failed us. But I think He delights in amazing me.
So I thought I would do a Top Ten list of my experience at She Speaks this year. Except for number one, these are not in any order. Here goes:
10. Interacting with incredible publishers, agents and authors who gave generously of their time, energy and expertise to extend a hand to women who feel called to write.
9. Giving LeAnn Rice a standing ovation for all she did to make She Speaks happen. She was probably embarrassed by the attention, but she deserved it.
8. Karen Ehman's dog vs. cat example on Sunday morning. "Let's all be dogs! (pant, pant, pant)
7. Hearing Cecil Murphey's reminder that God is sovereign and works in spite of man's rejection. What delightful hope.
6. Meeting a woman, recently divorced, who came to She Speaks wondering if God could ever use her in ministry again. She got her answer after hearing Cheri Keaggy and Angela Thomas minister from the main stage. We serve a redeeming God!
5. Having the help of some beautiful women and young ladies to make the writer's track such a success. Thanks to: Danita, Sheila, Michelle, Kristen, Lauren, Ashley, Ramona, Julie & Ariel. Thank you for serving with such servants' hearts, with graciousness and love.
4. Watching the staff, speaker team, and volunteers of Proverbs 31 Ministries in glorious action both before, during and after. I've NEVER met any group of women more loving and devoted to Christ and each other. I love us! (to quote Marybeth)
3. Lysa's challenge to consider how our reactions affect our reach. I know I want a God-sized reach, and need to pay more attention to my reactions.
2. Meeting so many sisters who love God Word and love conveying God's truth through words.
1. Somehow with over 650 women in attendance (I'm including volunteers), God spoke to each one of us as if we were the only one there.
If you couldn't make it to She Speaks this year, please pray about joining us next year. If you haven't already signed up to receive my posts, please do so and I'll let you know when registration is open. It will probably be January or February 2011.
If you have a memory to share, or a praise, please post a comment.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Monday, August 2, 2010
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14 comments:
What a great list, Glynnis! Mine would have included "BRING IT!" :) I've written three posts (since Friday) on my blog about my experience at She Speaks this year....hop on over to catch a glimpse of what God revealed to me. It was an amazing blessing to be there!
In Christ,
Teske
Love Angela Thomas--Bring it! And feel like I received some great direction from God for the next year of my life.
Loved seeing your my sweet friend. Can't wait to see you in the future in Kingman! :)
Great to spend that balmy night with you catching frogs ; ) Iron sharpening iron, my sister!
What a great idea. One of my 10 favs would've been sitting in your workshop and then meeting you. I'm waiting for the right moment to blog about my experience. Thanks for being approachable and for all your service to those of us soaking in every ounce of knowledge we can. Hope the Lord gives you rest and refreshment this week.
Oh, so many memories Glynnis, how to pick just one? Maybe the very beginning when all of you for P31 entered the main conference room. For me it was like being a 12 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. I literally started to cry when you guys came in. It has been along time coming for me to get to She Speaks and it culminated into that one moment. Also, Lysa, Angela and Karen's messages. Each one provided me with something from God straight to my heart.
Thanks again for everything you did.
Josey Bozzo
jbozzoblog.blogspot.com
Wow.... thank you friend.
There were so many moments that stood out to me. From Lysa's, "You shall not pass!" to the final prayer-promise altar call. I was affected.
Thank you all so very much for your hearts, your work, and your service. The conference was great, but the God encounters were greater.
In Awe of Him,
Kim
Hi Glynnis,
She Speaks has continually surpassed my expectations in every possible way.
I loved working with you. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of speaking and serving. It was and is a delight and I hope I can do even more in the future.
I absolutely LOVED Angela Thomas ("Oh girl...me too...four times!") LOL God is not limited by us. He is just amazing. I will never forget "Bring it!" and Lysa's finger waving "You shall not pass!"
Like you, I'm definitely still in recovery mode. I'm also preparing our son for a mission trip to Haiti on Friday. Then my teen daughter and I fly to Nashville on Friday to visit my daughter in law and grandkids while my other son is in Iraq. Never a dull moment!
I'm hoping to be able to attend next year... maybe with a book proposal in hand! :)
I resonate with all your points, but couldn't agree more with your #1.
I replied to someone on twitter echoing that same thought--I expected the conference to be informative, inspiring and challenging, but I was surpised at how very personal it was.
Nearly every moment seemed personally designed, right down to "running into" you and Andrea at the airport and the rainbow in the clouds out the airplane window that served as the perfect punctuation to several days more blessed than I deserved.
Thanks for all you did to make it such a blessing to the rest of us.
Mary Hampton
Welcome home Glynnis! Thanks for the powerful testimony. I'm thrilled that the Lord worked in powerful ways at She Speaks. God is good. Looking forward to hearing more about it.
The conference was amazing! The best part for me was, like you said, that God spoke to me as if I was the only one there! If you have time, I posted my recap here:
http://ponderingsofapastorswife.blogspot.com/2010/08/she-returns-from-she-speaks.html
Thanks, Glynnis for all you did to make the conference a success! Only eternity will tell the countless souls that will be touched because of your sacrifice!
It was a plaeasure meeting you at She speaks, Glynnis! I loved hearing God speak to me, just confirming to me that I belonged there. Lysa's reminder that we were " handpicked by God" to be there confirmed I had made the right decision. Thanks everyone!
I've needed the last couple of weeks to digest all that I learned while I was at She Speaks. It was an incredible experience and so evident that God was there with us in that place.
And today I needed to read this list - God used it to remind me of several things...once again.
Thank you to Glynnis and each of you that make She Speaks possible. You have no idea of the eternal ramifications of your faithfulness. May God bless and sustain each of you throughout this year.
See you in 2011 (God willing!). :)
Jill
CWAHM.com
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