"Free to be Real" EWomen Part 2

"You are writing a best seller with the days of your life."


That's how popular Christian fiction author, Karen Kingsbury began her message on Saturday morning at the Extraordinary Women Conference. She has written over 40 novels and has been on the USA Today and New York Times Best Seller List. This weekend, she told us her story - and reminded us that "life is not a dress rehearsal. You only get one chance."


One Chance to Love (John 13 and 1 John 4:7-8)

One Chance to Laugh (Proverbs 17:22)

One Chance to Live


She also reminded us to cherish our "lasts" and reminded us that we never know when the lasts will come, so we have to be prepared. (Moms, you'll definitely want to read her book Let Me Hold You Longer - Just make sure to have a box of tissues handy!)


After Karen Kingsbury spoke, we heard from the Extraordinary Woman of the Year - Thelma Wells. Mrs. Thelma told us: "Don't give in, God wants you to win!" She spoke to us about putting on the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), which she called "dressing for success."

1. Fix your hair: the helmet of salvation
2. Cover your heart (aka - pad your bra): the breastplate of righteousness
3. Tighten your girdle: gird your loins with truth using the Sword of the Spirit
4. Put on your stomping shoes: having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
5. Wear the shield of faith - "For without faith, it is impossible to please him..." Hebrews 11:6

On top of all the wonderful speakers, we were blessed to have Newsong with us this weekend. They led our praise and worship time and also performed for the closing concert. They were incredible, as always. My favorite song that we sang during the praise and worship time is called "Rescue."

You are the source of life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You
I need You Jesus, I need You Jesus

My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
Lord I put my trust in You

I need You Jesus to come to my rescue
Where else can I go?
There's no other Name by which I am saved
Capture me with grace
I will follow You

My heart is Yours for life
I need Your hand in mine
No one else will do
Lord I put my trust in You

This world has nothing for me (I will follow you)

"Free to be Real" EWomen Part 1

The theme for this year's Extraordinary Women Conference was "Free to be Real." Throughout the weekend, we were taught about God's love and grace and that He wants us to be FREE from the burdens of life that weigh us down and keep us from living an abundant, glorious life. The only way to find that freedom is through total surrender to Jesus Christ. (Matthew 11:29-30 "Take my yoke upon you...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.")

Our theme verse came from 2 Corinthians 3:17 - "The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the Lord's Spirit sets us free." CEV (And for my fellow FWB ladies, I'll include the KJV as well - "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.")

On Friday night, we laughed until we cried with Chonda Pierce. Through comedy and open, honest testimony, she shared with us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and that we are beautiful to God just the way He created us.

After her message, recording artist Matthew West brought us an amazing concert. He has an incredible testimony about trusting God and following Him through the valleys of life. His hit song "Motions," is a beautiful reminder and challenge to all Christians to really LIVE for Christ instead of just going through the daily motions of life.



On Saturday morning, Mrs. Stormie Omartian (author of the Power of a Praying... series), spoke to us about finding transformation and POWER in the presence of God. One of my favorite things she said (and I hope I quote this correctly - I was scribbling notes as fast as I could!) was "God can take the broken pieces of your life and piece them together to make a beautiful stained glass window that His love can shine through." She challenged us to diligently seek the presence of the Lord (Hebrews 11:6 "...he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.") and challenged us to pray for God to change us, because "only God can make changes in us that last."


Our next speaker was Mrs. Angela Thomas (author of When Wallflowers Dance and Do You Think I'm Beautiful). She is an amazing speaker and spoke about not letting our vision be blurred when it comes to recognizing the glory of God that's all around us. She read from 2 Corinthians 2:13-18, which tells of the Israelites having "their minds blinded" from seeing the glory of God. But in verse 16, Paul tells us that the "vail will be taken away." Praise the Lord! Now we can see the glory of God shining in our lives. We no longer have to be blinded and we are welcomed into a personal RELATIONSHIP with our Holy God. How awesome is that?

Mrs. Angela reminded us that:

"We serve a REAL God,

Who REALLY shows up,

And REALLY loves us,

And REALLY rescues us,

And REALLY wants to know us,

And that's what it means to be REAL!"

All these great messages made me think - How REAL is your relationship with Christ? How REAL is my relationship with Christ? He revealed to me this weekend that I need to spend a lot more time with Him, especially time listening to Him. Think about it this way -

If you were a teenage girl and the totally cute quarterback of the high school football team wanted to spend time with you, you would have jumped at the chance, right? I mean, he's the quarterback. Everyone knows him, everyone likes him, and he's pretty much awesome. So you'd definitely pencil him into your busy high school schedule, right?

I know that most of you are already out of high school and your schedules now are even more crazy than they were then, but the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE WANTS TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU! HE WANTS TO KNOW YOU AND TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU! HE WANTS TO HOLD YOU IN HIS LOVING ARMS AND PROTECT YOU AND COMFORT YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE AND HOPE AND LOVE! And unlike that quarterback, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU.

He thinks that you are beautiful. He tells us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." He finds us captivating and wonderful. He loves us with a love so deep and so pure that it is beyond our understanding. He offers peace, joy, hope, love, abundant and everlasting life! HIS LOVE FOR YOU IS REAL! What about your love for Him?

God created you with the sole purpose to love you and for you to love Him. That's REAL. That's TRUTH.

He offers you freedom. Are you ready to be FREE?

Are you "FREE TO BE REAL?"

Extraordinary Women Conference 2009

What an incredible weekend! I just got back from the Extraordinary Women Conference in Birmingham. I went with an awesome group of 14 ladies from my church and community.

I have a lot more posts to add about each speaker that we saw, but for now I just wanted to send out a huge word of thanks and praise to God for all the amazing messages and concerts that were presented to us this weekend. I don't think a single person left the conference without feeling the presence of God move.

It is just indescribable to be worshipping with that many women - from all different cities and towns, different backgrounds, different circles - and it's amazing that God can bring us all together as one to worship Him with hearts on fire for seeing His work done and hearing His word.

This weekend was a blessing that I was definitely in need of. The devil tried and tried to keep me from going this weekend, but I was determined to spend this time with God and He has blessed me tremendously. I hope that everyone that went was touched as much as I was by the great speakers and music.

I am so excited about what God is doing in the group of ladies that attend my church and WAC group, and the ladies in our community. We have been so blessed with growth, and all of us have great testimonies of answered prayers and God's never-ending love and mercy.

I will post more about the speakers and add pictures later, but I just wanted to get this on here as soon as possible.

Thank you, Lord, for the extraordinary women that I know that are such great examples of living by faith and staying in Your word and on their knees in prayer. I am so blessed to be able to participate in events like EWomen and am so thankful for all that You are doing in my life and the lives of those around me. I give You all the praise, for You alone are worthy. - Amen