I wake before the sun rises, turn off the alarm and roll out of bed. It’s Saturday and I’m not a morning person. But today I’m on a mission.
I pull on a sweater, squint in the mirror, grab the cup of coffee my sleepy husband hands me (thanks, hon) and jump in the car for a drive to Tulsa two hours away.
As I slip into a parking spot, I smile at the women around me–laughing, walking, carrying purses and Bibles and cell phones. We’re here for the Extraordinary Women conference.
My dear friend Reese meets me in the lobby. Have you met this girl yet? You need to. She’s got a smile that lights up a room and when she says she’ll pray for you she really means it.
Another dear friend of mine is here too. I smile as she steps on the stage. Lysa Terkeurst tells us of how we can have hope no matter what, how we can trust the divine Author writing our story.
These words come from her mouth and stick in my heart…
Our job is obedience.
God’s job is results.
How quickly I forget. I think of all the worries stacked high in my list this week. I imagine all the to-do’s that are still to be done. And it seems God whispers to my heart…
There’s nothing I’ve brought you into that I won’t also get you through.
After the conference, Holly, Lysa, Reese and I meet for coffee. We chat over steaming cups about words and women and ministry and what God’s doing in our generation.
As my friend and fellow DaySpring writer Trieste says, by the time we left our cups were empty and our hearts were full.
We all need each other.
To laugh, to pray, to share our hearts.
I couldn’t find my car in the parking lot. I had a spot on my jeans I kept hoping no one would notice. I got us lost on the way to the coffee shop even with a GPS. Yes, ma’am.
But it didn’t seem to matter.
And I drove home remembering what really means the most in life–relationships.
Loving God and each other.
Daring to take steps of faith together.
I’m so grateful to live in a time when connecting with each other can happen when we get in a car and drive a couple of hours or when we simply get on a computer and click a link. The distance between hearts just keeps getting shorter.
And wherever you are this morning, I’m whispering a prayer of thanks for extraordinary you and sending a little extra love your way…
* Update: Congratulations to C Nash and Lisa Marie for winning a copy of my book, Rain on Me, in the giveaway below!
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