Off to the Conference!

By the time you’re reading this, my family and I will be on the road in our mini-van cluttered with suitcases and “necessities” for living away from home. You know how that goes. I thought I should let you know that I won’t be posting Monday, since I will be on the road back to home. But to tell you the truth, I have mixed feelings about the She Speaks conference. This will be my first ever writer’s conference. I’m super excited, yet a little scared and nervous just because I’m not quite sure what to expect.

When I first got the phone call from Proverbs31 Ministries, it seemed like the conference was forever away. Now it just snuck up on me and all of the sudden I’m heading down south for the experience of my life. I’m excited, and also a bit anxious. I have to find my way to many of my sessions on my own. What if I get lost? What if I don’t know anyone?

I studied Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby with my Youth Group this summer. One of the things Mr. Blackaby said in his book is, “A God-sized assignment is one that you cannot do on your own. If God doesn’t help you, you will fail.” Wow. We learned that God uses God-sized assignments to bring glory to himself. I think back to the story of Moses. When God asked Moses to do a God-sized task, Moses replied in Exodus 4, verses 10 through 12, “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.’
Then the Lord asked Moses, ‘Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.’” (NLT)

I can be so like Moses sometimes. Lord, why did you choose me? Why not send Aaron? And plus I hate public speaking. But that’s a different story.

I also think back to the devotion I wrote that got me to the She Speaks conference in the first place. Isn’t it ironic? I’m going to be doing some of my own stepping outside my comfort zone this weekend. God brought glory to Himself through the sprout as well as through Moses. Through the sprout by sharing “fruit” with the world and growing close to Him. Through Moses, by leading the Egyptians out of slavery and into freedom to worship Him. So, this weekend, I’ll be looking for God’s hand bringing Himself the glory through God-sized assignments. Will you?