Countdown to Women of Faith

    What do thousands of women from different walks of life have in common? Faith - and plenty of it. Sitting in the Honda Center last year for my second conference was a very humbling experience. It's almost overwhelming to see so many come together and worship our Lord under one roof at a Women of Faith Conference. You can feel the impact of all of those hearts humbled and filled with love and joy. I always leave filled. This year I will arrive a bit more empty than normal.
     I really wanted to go this year, but not just for myself. I wanted my mom to be able to go and be filled with God's love. She works hard as a social worker, mom, wife and grandmother with a 2-year-old grandson living with her. Well, we were going to sit this conference out due to finances. It weighed heavily on my heart. BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson answered my prayers to God. I was blessed to receive two free tickets for promoting the Women of Faith Conference in Anaheim on my blog. Psalm 37:4 promises, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
    Friday evening cannot come soon enough. The past two weeks have been difficult, yet necessary. My husband was gone more than he was home. As a fire-fighter's wife, I am use to chaotic schedules normally. Within one-and-a-half weeks David was home a day and a half. My youngest son was having asthmatic episodes left and right, we all came down with a cold, and my oldest son had a temperature of 104 degrees over the weekend. Oh, in between that I was scheduled to go to a conference. I attended one day and watched the other sessions via live-streaming. It's not pity for myself in it, just utter exhaustion.
     In the midst of it all I have learned that God uses these circumstances to sanctify me. I learn patience and understanding. Romans 5:2-4, "... through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."
     Best of all, I am reminded to lean more assuredly on Jesus. He pulls me through. He fills in the gaps. This weekend is needed more than I realized previously. God always leads us where He wants us to be. God is sovereign and He truly knows what I need. Right now, a heart-warming, love-filling weekend with Women of Faith is just what the Doctor ordered.


Disclosure: Thomas Nelson Publishing and BookSneeze provided me with two complimentary tickets to the Women of Faith Conference in exchange for heart-felt blog posts before and after the event. All blog content is based on my personal views and opinions. Thomas Nelson Publishing, BookSneeze and Women of Faith do not endorse any of my posts.