Ahhh….we are all home, happy and healthy! What a sweet, sweet blessing and answer to prayer! I am home from She Speaks in North Carolina. Jim, Josh & Brie are home from visiting Pop Pop and Nana Sloan in the Pocono Mountains. (Pop Pop: please send pictures!) While last week took some serious pentagon-level planning and packing on my part to get us all out of town for the weekend (in different directions), the warm afterglow of our weekends and the sweet reunion of being home was worth every minute of it.
She Speaks was wonderful again this year. The best part is that the heart of the conference is to encourage women in an intimate relationship with the Lord. P31’s passions is to get women into the Word of God so the Word of God gets into their hearts. They humbly come alongside the Body of Christ to equip and encourage women in their relationship with the Lord. The P31 staff is an awesome group of women who are passionate about the Lord, who are authentic and willing to be real with struggles and just “doing life” together, and who are excellent examples of servant leaders. The P31 staff is almost all volunteer with hearts to serve.
When Joshua was just a little tot and I was sleep-deprived and in shock of how much harder motherhood was than I expected, my sweet girlfriend Laura, came over one day and brought me a frapuccino (my first one ever) and my first P31 book “Women’s Secret To A Balanced Life” (by TerKeurst/Jaynes), based on Proverbs 31. God used that book from my friend to lift my weary head back to Him, keep my eyes fixed on Him, and renew my passion for being in God’s Word every morning. I can’t do life or motherhood without Him. This year, one of my favorite joys was having Laura with me at P31 She Speaks and to introduce her to Lysa and the girls. I pray this was a time of refreshing for her.
The conference was also a time to meet new friends and see old friends. Last year, I met Raushanah, who is a beautiful woman with a surrendered life to serve the Lord. And, although Lysa TerKeurst has been part of my life since I read her first book several years ago, the Lord has beautifully woven our lives together over the last year with rare but distinct and precious threads. He has allowed our lives to cross paths for His purposes and for His glory. Lysa’s books, life, authenticity and humor encourage me and point me to Him. He has graciously allowed me to be a small part of her life as well, in some unusual but truly “His story for His glory” ways. (Click on link to see one way.) Here are my friends, Raushanah and Lysa. (As I was in the elevator to the lobby getting ready to leave the conference on Sunday, I told the Lord that I’d really like to see Raushanah and Lysa before I left. As I turned the corner of the lobby, there was Raushanah. As I was speaking to her, I felt someone’s hand on my back. It was Lysa. God is good. We took this picture.)
This is my friend, Renee Swope, who’s real-life story this weekend about “mule in biblical terms”, when I shared it with Jim this morning, had us both belly laughing (again). Renee, thank you for pointing us to Him and getting us into His Word.
Today, I am happily doing my favorite thing…serving my sweet family today and doing laundry, unpacking, grocery shopping an then pre-packing for our upcoming vacation to Camp of the Woods. My heart is full. Thank you, Lord.
In sincerity and reverence,
Sharon
“…with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”
Col 3:22 (NIV)