Women of Faith; Ann Voskamp; and 'Showing Up' every single day.

Last weekend I was blessed to attend the Women of Faith conference in Portland.  It was amazing!   To sit still, listen, feel God's presence close, and have Him dig around in my heart was incredible.  I also scribbled notes like a frantic women.  The conference had a wonderful line-up of speakers some of them I was very familiar with, and some were new to me.  It was also great to attend the conference with a couple of friends.  When you are surrounded by several thousand women, its always nice to have a friend or two in the bunch!
Ann Voskamp, an author and blogger that I have followed for several years was one of the guest speakers, as well as Lysa Terkeurst also an author and the president of Proverbs 31 ministries.   These ladies spoke into my life during the conference and said both words of conviction and words of encouragement. 


It was so neat to see Ann Voskamp in person!  I brought home a couple pages of notes from her session.   If you are not familiar with her, read her book and check out her blog.

 Some of her words that I scribbled down:  "The joy of the Lord is your strength, if you allow someone/something to steal your joy... there goes your strength."  "Joy is the only way we can operate victorious in this world."  "If you don't fight for joy, it's your children who lose.. your husband, your mental health, your ministry....  Fight for joy!"   "Eucharisteo"    "Take it all as grace, see it all as joy."   "Train your eye to see the gifts."

 "1. The hard love gifts will be for good. (all things work together...)   2.  The good love gifts will be forever. (can't be taken away)   3.  The best love gifts will be forthcoming. (the best is yet to come-Jesus)"

"Slow down and count His love gifts.  Stop counting on the future and start counting the now.  Count the love gifts."

Lysa Terkeurst is also a favorite author of mine.  I brought home several pages of notes from her session as well.

"How can I call myself a women of faith, if I live a life that doesn't require any faith."  "Do we really believe that God can do anything? Bring your 'little bit' of willingness and that's enough...bring it every single day."    "Show up every.single.day, and tuck wise choices in the small places."    "God will add his 'super' to my 'natural' bringing the super-natural."

 "Ten Fingers:  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (one word per finger)"   
If you aren't familiar with Lysa Terkeurst, then Google her, read her books,  and check out her blog here.


The music at the conference was done by Kari Jobe, and Mercy Me.  Both groups did a wonderful job and I was blessed by their music!

Several times this past week I have been reminded of something I heard while at the conference.  The part about 'showing up every single day with a heart of willingness and tucking wise choices in the small places' has been foremost in my mind.  This doesn't always come real easy for me.  Far to often it is much easier to escape for a while via Facebook, or blog hopping, or pinterest, or you name it.  So here's to a week of showing up and being present.