Saturday, December 31, 2011

Women or Faith


In October I got to go to the Women of Faith conference in Tampa - along with a long time friend from my college days. I was blessed to be given free event tickets for me and a friend - that would be Diana with me. The stipulation was I had to blog about it. That was in October and I know I should have written the entry then - but I had a bit of trouble processing the event - and truthfully - I still am. But I do not want to go into the New Year with this obligation still weighing me down. Yes, I could have come back and said - "Great time - you should go", but that would not have been fully honest or transparent.

The transparent answer is, I have never been to an event like that. At first I was very uncomfortable. Diana couldn't come until after the first afternoon sessions were over. I was in a large crowd in a big city. It took me awhile to settle down and "Let God." But when I began "Letting God minister to me", it was not the usual expected way.

Diana was wonderful and I so enjoyed getting to spend time with an old friend. There is something to be said for someone who has known you a long time. Even with big gaps in our communicating with each other as we were in separate cities and busy with families - it was just like falling back into the same place we had left off. I was so blessed by that.

Then there was the speakers. I am not sure this will make sense, but they were so different than my expectation - and so transparent. I suddenly knew what has been missing for so long at these types of conferences - - "Realness!" While I did not necessarily agree with all that was said, nor all the music played, I was truly blessed and ministered to. I am afraid I am not such a good writer to be able to express in words what my spirit felt. I only know it has stuck with me and made me different than I was before.

So let me sum it up - Great time - you should go!