Women of Faith

If you've never been to one of these conferences ladies - add it to your calendars! Women of Faith! I just got home from this year's conference in Indianapolis. We found out that it will be in Indianapolis again next year.

There are thousands of women who get together to be refreshed with testimonies, fellowship, and meaningful messages from the Porch Friends: Marilyn Meberg, Patsy Clairmont, Lisa Harper, Sandi Patty, Lisa Welchel and others. Rebecca was beside herself when Steven Curtis Chapman came on stage! And when he said the word "knit" - good grief I thought she was going to faint! Too funny.

This year's theme was "A Grand New Day," based on Lamentations 3:22-23: "The Lord's love never ends; his mercies never stop. They are new every morning. So true. I took plenty of notes, here are some highlights:

• Secrets keep us from intimacy with God and others. (Marilyn)
• Illustrations from Jesus with Mayr, Martha & Lazarus: 1) You can come to him boldly (like Martha & Mary when asking why he didn't get there sooner), 2) He feels your pain (Jesus wept), 3) He hears our prayers (Jesus prayed out-loud to Father God), 4) He's sovereign. (Marilyn)
• The gift God gives us can be used to keep him away - like music or work (Sandi)
• DNA strands which are drawn vertically - when laid on its side acts as wavelengths, that can be translated into music. DNA is individual - our own individual song has been with us from the beginning! (Sandi)
• Transcend your feelings and emotions to do the next right thing. (Steve A.)
• Don't miss your moment - with family, friends, God! (Steve A.)
• Forgiving someone does not make them right. Forgiveness frees us to move from victim to victor. (Sandi)
• Satan wants to get and keep us out of balance - he stays in the pleasure center; thus, addictions to pleasure (you name it). (Marilyn)
• Walls around the heart can be understandably built and it's keeps the love of God in, but it's safe to come out now.

It was great spending time with girlfriends, and we will all have plenty of stories to share for years. One that I HAVE to share is about Adrienne. We were waiting in the parking garage to leave and there was no movment for at least 10 minutes. Adrienne get a little more impatient than the rest of us when she sees there is no traffic on the road below and we just can't understand why cars weren't leaving the garage! So we joke with Adrienne she should go direct traffic. She proceeds to go downstairs! Within a couple of minutes, the snaking chain of vehicles begin moving. We could only imagine it was Adrienne - but surely not... When we get to the bottom - there she was! She had gotten the cars to line up in two lines and was motioning everyon onto the road safely. She's an elementary teacher - go figure! LOVED IT! And so did the 50 or so vechiles in front of us!

Grace & Peace y'all!