Tuesday, March 8, 2011

She Speaks, You Speak, I Speak...We Speak!

It is no secret that us women speak.
Constantly. Commonly about whatever comes to mind even.
But what if an entire movement of Godly women decided that they were going to speak in order to bring glory to our Heavenly Father?
In fact, what if we made the choice and were empowered by God to speak with "wisdom and faithful instruction" (Proverbs 31:6)
Would not our day to day lives look drastically different?
Imagine the potential of Godly women, willing to speak with the urgency and persistency that is so often used for frivolous matters.
This thought brings conviction to my core.
Well, there is a ministry who caught that very vision, and has since drastically changed my life: Proverbs 31. The host of the annual 'She Speaks' conference.

In fact, God utilized this very ministry to continue to crystalize the call on my life to women's ministry. Y'all I can not adequately convey with words the burden I feel for women living in captivity, living under the domain of darkness, trapped by controlling lies. There is freedom in Christ, and only in Him and I yearn to spend my life telling each and every precious daughter of Christ who I possibly can just that
Upon discovery of Proverbs 31, while not personally knowing a single staff member of theirs, I felt an immediate connection because I knew that they understood what makes me tick, my passion, my God-given calling. 

These women also understand that upon receiving a calling, whether it be to lead a women's small group, enter into full time women's ministry, or even just hold a couple mom's accountable, there comes a point where we all ask "how" or "what now?"
In order to answer those questions by equipping women for ministry, Proverbs 31 ministries has created the amazing, inspiring...She Speaks Conference.
During this three day conference held right here in my home sweet home of Concord, the Proverbs 31 team discusses an array of topics from speaking, to writing, to leadership...you name it really.

I tell you all of this to say: attending this Christmas would thrill my heart more than having Christmas, my birthday, and 'all you can eat Ben and Jerry's' day...all in one!
Extreme, but true.

Two years ago, I knew I was called to ministry, but never would I have ever dreamt it would be women's ministry. Now, I could not imagine doing another thing on this planet. After having endless confirmation these past couple months that women's ministry is most certainly the area the Lord has called me, having the opportunity to learn from this group of women who have so much so touched my life would be like none other. I would soak in every second of it all.
 Honestly, the idea of this area of ministry is still daunting to me, in more ways than I can describe, probably because I know...me. Therefore, being equipped to lead my sister's in Christ from a team of my own role models would be a blessing comparable to none other.
As I read the description of the conference, I could not contain myself. Speaking, writing, ministering to the needs of hurting and broken women, distinguishing direction.
Countless discussions I would hang on to every syllable of. 
However, financially, attending the conference would not be feasible this year with college on the horizon. Hence why I literally jumped out of my chair when I found an opportunity for a scholarship! 

I know two things as well as I know my name: 
First, I love my precious savior more than life itself.
Secondly, I was created to do women's ministry.

My strong desire to attend the She Speaks conference to be equipped and trained is nearly inevitable coupled with those two things.
I may be young, I may not be the most experienced, but I know a God who does not look upon either of those factors.
Next school year, my first in college, I will begin my first year as a part of the Preministerial Scholars Students, as we seek to discern and prepare for the Lord's call on our life. Having this training under my belt, if you will, would prepare me for more than I could even fathom.

So to the She Speaks Conference Team: I would love to be able to look back on July 22-24, 2011 twenty years down the road, while serving in women's ministry, knowing that is where the Lord began to equip me for the call on my life.



May we speak with wisdom and faithful instruction today. 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Frivolous List

Today, my senior class had the opportunity to present all of the many lessons learned and memories shared on our Dominican Republic trip that took place just a couple months ago.
We cried, we laughed, we reminisced...it was a blast!
But when I walked back into class and started rummaging through my book-bag, I was nearly moved back to the point of tears again.
I stumbled across an old to-do list from last week.

"UGH" is about the closest I can come to describing how I felt.
As I scanned that list, I realized that very few if any things that I came across will matter in eternity.
Why do I continuously, after experiences such as Passion and the Dominican, continue to fill my time with things that are worth nothing in the big picture. 
I wake up and continue to take my cues from American culture.
But why?

It's a cop out, in my opinion. Those things listed on that sheet of paper I stumbled upon are infinitely easier to do than the things Christ has called me to fill my time with, the things Christ has called me to do.

Make disciples or make my bed.
Go the second mile or barely get my homework done before class starts.
Deny myself or be consumed by my frivolous to do list.

This is only the beginning of the 'to do list' worth anything.
He calls us to perfection, yet He knows we cannot be perfect.
How is this fair? He blesses us with grace, His strength, presence, power, and so on.

We are not in this alone. So rather than calling on my own energy and strength to check off a few frivolous items on a sticky-note each day, I choose to call on the Lord's power to live audaciously and boldly while seeking after the one thing that truly matters: Jesus Christ. I want to spend the time God has granted me with on things that will not turn to ash before me as I stand on judgement day.

We are called to so much more, check out the link below to see what just a few of those things specifically are. It's an eye opener, I promise.

http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Bible/Commands/Commands-list.pdf