A beautiful drive. Alone to praise and hear God's heartbeat. I keep looking back, thinking I must be forgetting something. Oh yeah, it's my children. Those empty seats stare back at me. That once annoying chatter, I now miss.
I catch myself drifting as I stare at His masterpiece all around. Beautiful trees painted across bright blue sky. I can picture His Hand, stretching forth... a little green here, a bit of orange there, some rich reds and golden there. He painted it for me today!
My heart shifts with anticipation and wonder. I remember the voices in looks back at home. Who goes to a blogging conference? they speak with confused eyes.
But they do not know that you, your faces... your hearts, spread across keys of space and time called the Internet, have brought encouragement to my heart.
I now step on pavement, bags strewn across shoulder, wheels echoing as I pull suitcase with shaky hand, heart beating loud above the rest.
Our familiar faces meet, eyes catch, arms, HEARTS, embrace.
With each speaker, the ground of my heart is being toiled. God is taking His Sovereign gardening tool to my heart and soul.
It digs through that hardened topsoil. The soil I thought was just fine. I find that it is a bit dry and cracked.
Dirt from underneath is lifted up and dropped. Wow, that hurt... but somehow it feels good. Another amazing women of God speaks... she digs a little deeper. More toiling. More churning.
Eyes cannot keep the flooding of water from pouring down. Neatly folded cloth napkin is unraveled once again. I dab my eyes over and over, and I do not care. There is no shame, in a room full of women, to grab a fancy cloth napkin and get snot and mascara all over it.
With each sweet soul connection, words that breath life, and point to Jesus, my heart-ground is being prepared for the Harvest. Yes, the Harvest.
Ann Voskamp, you did not know, that with your messy heart spilled forth to us women, you would bring a Harvest of souls redirected to Jesus. Pointing us back to what we are called to be; simply humble servants. (Mark 10:45)
This week has been life changing for me, and countless others. It took a "blogging conference" to show me, life isn't about blogging. Those little faces back at home need me to meet them face to face. Cheek to cheek. That I cannot save the world.
But then again, we can! As we live each day, to bring God glory in our homes, marriages, and lives... we are bringing Him glory... and changing the world, one person at a time, as we point them to Jesus. So tell your story, dear reader. Tell it by living. By living and telling you are story, you are healing both the reader and the broken writer, yourself. (Ann).
Reflections...
One of my very favorite bloggy friends... Heather!
Um!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello! Ann Voskamp hugged me! Pre-order her book HERE today. You will be blessed!
My very sweet friend and roomie this weekend, Lindsey.
The adorableness oozes from Jessica @ Muthering Heights.
The always classy Sarah Mae!
I couldn't contain my excitement for an Angie hug! (Bring The Rain)
Courtney from Women Living Well!
Jessica Turner from The Mom Creative:
The spectacular women of God behind (in)courage!
The wonderful woman behind GUSSY SEWS!
The 4 of us shared a room this weekend. We shared more than a physical room... we bore our souls and found refuge and strength (Lindsey, Alicia, and Colleen).
Oh Lord, You're Beautiful
I want to take Your WORD and shine it all around
First help me just live it Lord
And when I'm doing well
Help me to never seek the crown
For my reward is giving glory to You.
