To sum it up

I just had to open my calendar and double check, but yes…it was only a week ago that I returned from the Declare Conference for speakers, writes and podcasters.

It had been my intent to give you my top five takeaways, but as I looked through my notes this morning…we simply do not have enough time, you and I, for one of us is very wordy and has a problem condensing thoughts into short bursts of information when her heart is full to overflowing so…

In honor of your time and mine, I am going to simply say that it was a wonderful three days of worship and learning with a wide range of ages and walks of life experiences led by an amazing group of women who are younger than me, and yet so wise.

I gleaned quite a few ways to do what I do better in the coming year.

I found several concrete goals to add some substance to this little place called Journey Onward.

I was inspired to draw closer to God first and foremost.

I was affirmed in a lot of the ways He has already lead me, because I often feel under equipped and overwhelmed and spend time soul-searching why in the heck it is I feel compelled to tap out my thoughts five days a week and fly them out there across the internet.

And so instead of a nice neat wrap-up of my top five takeaways, I am going to share a little moment of this extroverted introvert heart of mine that so desperately needs the warm fuzzies of human contact and yet can often feel alone in a crowd…even a friendly crowd.

On the second full day of the conference, after non-stop contact with about 200 women in either small talk, introductions, discussion or group listening to speakers…we were told to select a “topic table” for something we wanted to learn more about.

There were quite a few of them and I had been hoping to have someone help me with developing a new Instagram account just for the Journey.

I moved over to the tables for Instagram/Facebook.

And waited.

Like the last girl on the wall at the Junior High dance, I stood for a bit and sat for a bit at two tables far removed from the hubbub of everyone else as they scooted chairs to make bigger circles around other tables. Laptops were whipping open and all I could see was lots of bonding and nowhere for me to jump in.

My head began to swirl with echoes of past rejections and all the times I wasn’t chosen or accepted…and you would maybe have to live in this blonde brain for as many years as I have to understand how voices can come out of nowhere and knock the pinnings out from under me.

And then I heard a gentle Voice…the One I have learned to listen to.

He invited me to come away for a bit.

Because this One knows ….that this one…needs quiet spaces to renew.

This One, my Shepherd, He knows…this little sheep often pours out and forgets to be led to still waters.

So I went to the prayer room and I sat there and just ceased striving.

And here are the words I wrote in that time…and I hope and I pray that they might touch and bless someone out there today <3

Sacred….Sanctuary…Sanctified

The sacred heart of me, formed by You…

the innermost places where Christ has made His home –

these are protected and held secure by both defensive protection and an offense that takes on the enemy of my soul.

Would You set my feet on righteous paths?

Would You set my heart to follow hard after You?

Would you purify and cleanse my motives that the seed and root and footings of all that I do would be for the lifting up of Your Name and not mine?

Help me, LORD, to support and encourage others to follow You…to know You…to adore You <3

I pray you have a great weekend..a time of refreshing and renewing.

I look forward to meeting together again on Monday <3

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