As Sure As The Sun Rises

My travel to North Carolina for She Speaks was long and I use that statement literally and metaphorically. On the day of my departure from my hometown of Sacramento, CA I expected a full day of trekking across our US. I opted to fly Southwest Airlines (because I had a free ticket) which is how I usually fly but along with my bag of honey roasted peanuts, you expect to change planes, experience lay-overs and feel like a veal during your travel. I left at 7:55 PST and landed in Greenville, SC (this was the closest SW flies into Concord, NC) at 7pm EST but my journey was not yet over so I took a shuttle to the Thrifty Rent a Car where I would pick up the vehicle that would take me the last leg of my trip. 

I was thankful for AC as it IS humid and the temperatures were in the 90's. You take this mixed with 8 hrs on/off a plane with hundreds of people and it takes every bit of you not to think about the potential "funk" that you've accumulated along the way. What is it about traveling that makes you feel so funky? Is it the recycled air? I don't know...but the AC and a car to myself was a welcome change of location. Since I had never been to "the Carolinas" before, I programmed my Google Maps and headed out. 

The drive was an easy ride as the airport and my destination were both easily off the freeway but my map told me it would take me approximately 90 minutes to arrive at the Charlotte airport, where I was picking up another California girl, Keri on our way to the conference. So I found some favorite stations on the Satellite radio and started cruising. 

The Carolinas are beautiful and the landscape I observed as I drove was green and lush. The sun was out amidst the clouds and I enjoyed the warmth and brightness of it after many hours trapped inside. Soon the climate began to shift and the sun was hidden by thick, dark masses of clouds that had slowly rolled in. 

 It wasn't long before the rain came in. The gentle drops washed the dust off my windshield and made that wonderful "tap,tap,tap" sound as they fell. I love rain....one of my truly favorite things. The clouds gave up all they had in the moment and as smoothly as they rolled in they seemed to relax and hide in the background as an amazing rainbow laid out in the horizon. There is a comfort that comes when you see a rainbow and it made me smile as I traveled down the highway. While enjoying the brilliance of the color spectrum, I didn't even notice the black clouds in the distance and in the direction of my destination. As my rainbow faded and the sky grew darker I was entertained with a exciting lighting display. It light up like bright photo flashes against the dark backdrop of the skyline and seemed to be choreographed to music in it's frequency and rhythm. 

As I have reflected my time at She Speaks and been trying to grasp all that I heard, saw and felt, the weather I experienced on my way conveyed the impression of my experience. 

SUN

You see, while at the conference I felt the warmth of my Lord in his presence and in the lives of the women I encountered. I experienced the joy of camaraderie with these sisters in Christ and found clarity in the LI GHT of God's words. I was thankful for the consistency of HIS words...just as surely as the sun rises..

Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;– Hosea 6:3a

RAIN

God provided more of himself, his truth and met us there with affirmation and fed us with His words. He, like rain, washed away the dust off our eyes and gave us a fresh vision. He poured out Himself onto this event and watered our spirits causing us to grow more toward him. He came and gently "tapped" on our souls reminding us He was meeting our needs, that HE was our provision.

he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” – Hosea 6:3b

RAINBOW

The Rainbow was the banner he held up to us that weekend reminding us His words are true yesterday and today. That His promises were true in the beginning and His promises are true to today. He promises whatever the storm in our lives that it will not destroy us. He will also demonstrate his mercy to us in His light as it reflects off the rain. He is present. He loves us beyond measure. 

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant 

between me and the earth.-Genesis 9:13

LIGHTNING

The lightning, for me, was the most magnificent of all because God reminded me of His power to show himself. I believe that before this last weekend, I underestimated God's power. I didn't use the power of his name with full understanding. God reminded me that our worship with him can be a powerful way in which we connect with him even in the simple act of opening our hands and lifting them to His holiness. God showed up. He was not quiet. His power was revealed, light a brilliant light show against the dark backdrop of this world. 

When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from

the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind 

from his storehouses.-Jeremiah 10:13

I AM GRATEFUL for this weekend. 

I am thankful for the ways he shows up...

warm and consistent, 

refreshing and providing, 

reminding and promising, 

moving mightily and with purpose to bring glory to Himself. 

A boxed delivery

Last night I arrived back home from the She Speaks conference. It was an amazing, inspiring and eye opening experience. I was able to hear from faithful and obedient women who were following their "calling" to teach scripture and encourage other sisters in Christ how to more effectively and genuinely share Jesus. During my time there I met some beautiful women who blessed my heart and friended me despite all my feelings of awkwardness. We were challenged to listen for God, to know him more and use the gifts given us to share Him and his truths with others on whatever platform God provides. To minister to my world of influence and trust God to do the rest.

One of the groups I participated in was a speaker evaluation group. My group leaders were Melissa Taylor and Stephanie Clayton. They were sweet, encouraging and gracious. Our mission was to share a 3 minute testimony on Friday and a 5 minute bible verse teaching on Saturday. They conceded right off that it's crazy to expect a 3 minute testimony and 5 minute teaching but it was a lesson in being concise and sharing your heart. I decided that attempting to reduce my life story (not that by worldly standards it's very exciting) to 3 minutes could only be accomplished if I shared a specific meaningful story or shared a theme.. I opted with the theme because it's more fun to make the abstract applicable and profound. I'm not sure that I accomplished either but I did cry, spoke everything I planned to say, said "um" at least a dozen times but I did finish within the 3 minute cut off.

Here is my 3 minute testimony:



A British playwright, Tom Stoppard, is quoted as saying "Life in a box is better than no life at all...".  

Life in a box is something I can relate to because, until I met Christ, that's exactly how I was living.  I grew up in a family that attended church together. My guides for living and our view of God was confined to a box. In all honesty, I loved it. I knew what was expected of me and had always been an "excellent rule follower". I had no plans to step out of these boundaries, mostly out of fear of failure and being the attention seeking people pleaser, this was a great way to live.

You see, box living has its benefits: you earn the trust of others, you receive praise and you avoid all the really bad consequences. Win, win, win. I was exactly what we want our kids to be. One time I lied to my parents and before they even suspected I came crying and confessed.  

But box living has its down side...

Growing up in a church, I must have heard the gospel at least 500 times but it was muted by the box I lived in and it failed to reach my sanctimonious heart.  I remember thinking "I don't think i sinned today". 

Outwardly, I don't think anyone questioned the destination of my soul. I was even highlighted in a yearbook article about my "faith" and involvement in church. 

 Phil 1:8 "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice" 

Growing up in the church without revelation of the gospel is like performing a choreographed dance you've known your whole life. You know exactly what to do and how to look- kind of like a Stepford Christian, pretty on the outside but dead and hollow on the inside. You know, the lost outside the church are easy to spot, it's the lost inside the church that can be harder to find and reach. 

It was during my Senior year of high school when my eyes were opened to see that all my box living didn't earn me Gods attention or earn his favor. That was the day that the gospel penetrated. Thankfully, despite my walls of self righteousness and pride, Christ made a hole of truth. He revealed to me that, I too was a sinner that deserved death and required Christ's sacrifice.  My box living had blinded me from seeing my need for His grace . . 

Rom 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one;"  

I became aware that it was someone boxed like me who had yelled, "crucify him", it was someone like me who stood right next to truth, yet didn't recognize it. My box living was a delusion of protection that was destined to burn up in hell with me willingly inside.

Since then I get to follow him where he leads and pray He would use my old box and transform it into a billboard of truth that helps me point others to him. 

Chatty Christ Follower

In approximately 37 hours, I will be boarding a plane for North Carolina to a conference put on my Proverbs 31 Ministries called the She Speaks conference. It is a gathering of 650 women meant to encourage, equip and connect with other women who have a passion for women's ministries and is specifically focused on the gifts of speaking and writing. 

I want to clarify that, at this time, I'm not convinced that my calling is to speak or write but I do know that God has called me to use the gifts he has given to me for His glory, whatever that may look like. I do believe that God has called me to be an encourager. I don't think it's by coincidence that my gift is encouragement and my mouth is my biggest weakness. I don't think it's by accident that God made me talkative. So, what does a chatty girl do when she's been called to encourage with her mouth and also control her tongue?? She surrounds herself with other women with the same calling and attempts to soak up all the wisdom and experience they have to share! THAT is why I'm going to this conference. I'm so excited to hear from these ladies and from the Proverbs 31 Leadership and to meet so many other sisters in Christ. More than all this, I'm praying fervently for God's leading and for His direction. 

At the conference it was recommended we bring business or contact cards. I, initially, felt so uncomfortable with the idea of having a card as if I had something I was selling or promoting within my self. One of the lady's said "If God's called you to be a speaker, then put down that you're a Speaker!" and as I mentioned, I'm not sure...so I put down what I know to be true and wanted to share it here. 

We all have gifts and have been equipped for service. Scripture is clear in telling us so.  (1 Cor 12:4-11) My prayer for you is that you find your gift and use it! We are the body of Christ and each member has it's purpose. There is not one without purpose. What is your purpose?

I ask for your prayers as I travel and go to meet these women there. I pray that the Holy Spirit be in all of it. I pray for open ears to hear from the other women but mostly to hear from God. In the end, I know it will be a blessing. I know I will be encouraged and learn more than I'll be able to fit in my brain. I know I will leave with a bunch of new and loved friends and I know God will meet us there.