Women of Faith—Find an event and go!

We may hear the same words, see the same sights.
But because God knows what I need and He knows what you need, he helps us each zero in on those biblical truths He’s prepared for us to most hear and see.
He satisfies the needs of us both.

That’s how He works at the Women of Faith weekends.
He gives bigger miracles than the ones we ask for.

Because I received two free admission tickets from Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze, Jenna and I packed up our bags and our expectations (with our part-time chauffeur Jeff) and headed to Atlanta for Imagine.

SINGING
We sang new (to us) songs and old songs with the Women of Faith Worship Team.
And we praised God with fantastic artists like Natalie Grant, Laura Story, and Mary Mary.

• I’ve now downloaded songs like “Forever Reign” and “So Good” so I can keep singing back home.
• Mary Mary rocked us all with “Shackles” (my favorite) and more, even kicking off their shoes to encourage us to dance along with them.
• Laura Story (“Blessings”) not only sang, but also shared how she’s depending on the Father in her marriage. Pray for her husband’s full recovery from a brain tumor.

STORIES
We listened to speakers that encouraged us by sharing Bible stories as well as how God was working in their own lives. And how he can work in ours.

• Sheila Walsh and her lamb.
  You don’t have to keep your tail straight. Peace is not the absence of trouble; it’s the presence of Christ. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
• Lisa Harper and her rock.
  God won’t bruise you. We sometimes stand in the center of the circle of shame, or on the edge holding a rock to throw. Drop it. 
• Angie Smith and her life preserver.
  When you try walking on water but start to drown, have one name on your lips: LORD (Kurios)! He is “the one to whom I belong.”
• Steve Arterburn and his walls.
  Let go of justifiable resentment. Build a bridge of forgiveness even while waters of anger rage underneath.
• Nicole Johnson and her stained glass ornament.
  Put your pieces in the right hands. He can make something of your brokenness.
• Luci Swindoll and her basketball.
  Everybody is afloat on a sea full of opportunities; take them. Lean into life. Do it today. Do it every day.

MORE

• We bought books, like Stumbling into Grace, What Women Fear, Doing Life Differently, The Shelter of God’s Promises plus a cute purse the books came in (Jenna claimed that).
• We made friends. Hello to my new Facebook friend Teresa!!! I was blessed that the Lord sat her beside me for a morning session so I could get to know her during the breaks. I loved hearing how God is at work in this sister’s life, using her to touch people through conversation.
• We re-connected. We kept running into our sweet next-door neighbors from home that we hadn’t even known were coming! As well as a sister from our home congregation.
• We ate. Gotta have food. Women of Faith served us well-organized box lunch meals each day. And we found our way to pizza and popcorn too.
• We tweeted. It was fun relaying thoughts on Twitter and reading what other ladies had to say.
• We got a boy! And after almost giving up, we finally found a World Vision table that had a child from El Salvador, so we’re now the proud new friends (although he doesn’t know it yet) of Casimiro Jose!

We each heard God in places we needed to hear Him.
And we each saw God in ways we needed to see Him.

Thus we knew and loved him a little more after we left than we did before we arrived.

It’s hard to imagine, but isn’t that just like God?!!!

* * *

One more shout-out: to the staff at Philips Arena in Atlanta! I’ve never seen such friendly workers in checking our bags, taking our tickets, helping us find seats, just overall being friendly. You don’t see that everyday. Another perk from God!

Have you been to a Women of Faith event?
What did you learn?

In what areas would you like to grow if you could go?

RELATED:

• A Woman of Faith needs forgiveness
• 5 reasons to attend a Women of Faith event