I want to start by saying I usually pick one women's conference to go to annually. Usually it is something like Women of Faith which I LOVE! This year my women's conference weekend was decided back in August when Hayley from the tiny twig kept referring to something called The Influence Conference. I researched it and thought hmm I have a blog (that I haven't written on in over a year). I got the Gospel! Check! Then I noticed that another blogger friend Raechel from finding my feet had mentioned it also! Hmm?!?! Well, after talking it over with my hubby I went ahead, before I could talk myself out of it, and bought my ticket! So leading up to the week of the conference I did all the things to ready myself (and this nursing babe) to totally walk into something that scares me...a room of people I don't know!
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I asked my hubby several times, "Am I a total dork for doing this?" I mean these are people who I know mainly ONLINE, like not in real life, but REAL people that I have laughed with, cried with, and prayed over! No matter how silly it may have seemed he always encouraged me to go! So I went and I haven't regretted it AT ALL! It was amazing, unreal, a huge blessing and encouragement for me! I met a few locals (whom I stuck to like I'd known them my whole life- hello safety net haha) and of course said Hi to an old classmate Raechel and a few other wonderful women!
I started at Emily Freeman's session, which I am sad to say I had never known or read her blog before. Let's just say I was in tears at my first session, serious dork? She said things like "your art is what wakes people up" and "an artist is a person who is brave enough to move toward what makes her come alive" and "show up and be who you already are because you bring the holy spirit with you" and finally "listen to your craziest ideas not your logical, well planned perfect idea and then chase them." Ok NOW you get why I was in tears my very first blogging session...so maybe not such a dork? I went ahead and bought her book which I have spent several nights reading aloud to my almost 6 year old. He has a tendency to fall asleep but not me nope, not me IT'S WAY GOOD!
After several amazing sessions, chats with wonderfully amazing women, great food and informative panels I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed for this girl=I am either going to run 150 mph or do nothing! I got home and tried, really tried to do the 150 mph thing! I mean come on I just heard about how to use my blog for the GOSPEL! Hello I got this. Well, I must have gotten lost in the reality that I had three lovelies to come home to that still needed to be fed, changed, played with, etc. Please know that is a joke, I knew what I was coming home to (a big box of love) but I hadn't realized that blogging intentionally was going to have to make it into the schedule of my already established life.
Since Influence I have been trying to find that time, find my blogging voice, get my blog set up, buy new domains (yep 150 mph)...and then I stopped and realized oh I am doing exactly what was mentioned during one of the panels at Influence! Waiting for PERFECT! John (I believe?) mentioned that most of us would wait for perfect and that was the main reason for procrastination. WHOOPS fail for me! Here back in my little realm of reality I was in a big sense waiting for perfect before I hit publish! So today I write! I write and pray that even one person will be touched by the GOSPEL through this little blog. I know that God had a reason for me to be at Influence. I came out encouraged and see that I can make a difference. I do have a story because of Christ's GRACE and LOVE for me! I hope to be able to share that with you all here at my little blog about learning to live the day to day, intentionally!
