Blessing # 1–The Opportunity

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend Allume, a blogging conference in Greenville, SC. I am so grateful that my family was willing for me to take off for a week. (I added a bit of visiting on the front and back end.)

Can I just say, it was SO FUN!

At Allume, I learned more than I can absorb, met more great folks than I can remember, and came away blessed up one side and down the other. >Tweet this.

Blessing # 2–Getting There Safely

My trip to Greenville had a few minor aggravations in that my license plate was hanging off when I stopped for lunch. Fortunately, the Subway I stopped at was next to an auto parts store! My GPS stopped working, so I had to find other ways of getting the right directions.

Then there were some not-so-minor car issues. On the outskirts of Greenville, I had some trouble with my car making one of those sounds it is not supposed to make. Thump-whack, thump-whack…

Made me nervous and thankful I was almost there. I called on my Greenville friend, Mary Denman, for a recommendation for a mechanic. She fixed me right up. Got my car taken care of, learning that God had been protecting me. I was down to two lug nuts that were about to come off. It goes without saying that am grateful beyond words to have arrived safe and sound!

Blessing # 3–The People

While my car was being fixed, I had a delightful visit with Mary and got underway with the conference. Fill up a hotel with 450 blogging women, and you have a recipe for a good time. I met so many wonderful, creative, and talented women called to do this crazy Bloggy Thing.

• New friends.

• Meeting other Military wives.

• Connecting with writing buddies I met at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

Blessing # 4–The Learning

The keynotes and workshops were wonderful all the way around. It was fascinating to see how God used each speaker to add to a cohesive message, especially since the speakers were not given topics.

You don’t have to be a writer to benefit from these take-aways:

• Ann Voskamp  said when you write for an audience of one, you always count.
• Ann reminded us that we can give up the need to compete in the world when we accept being complete in Christ.

• Ann encouraged us to shine like stars, holding out the word of life.
• Melanie Shankle said God often teaches us in the quiet places of obscurity, just as David learned to be a man after God’s heart in the pastures rather than on the throne.
• Melanie taught that just as God didn’t take the Israelite’s on the short route, God often takes us the longer path in which we learn who He is.
• She identified today’s new take on legalism: the pressure of all the things that we think we’re supposed to be doing.
• Holley Gerth said that your brand is a promise to people that you will be the same wherever they find you. It is simply identifying what is already there.
• Holley broke down the steps to creating a mission statement and developing a brand in ways that are simple to understand.
• Gari Meacham reminded us that Moses was trying to help God along, and sometimes we do too.
• Gari told us that like Moses threw his staff on the ground, we need to throw down the fears that keep us from fulfilling God’s calling.
• Jennie Allen challenged us to let go of sins that have us entangled, particularly the desire for approval.
• Jennie emphasized that we don’t write because it is easy; we write because we are called by God. We can substitute that writing word with anything God calls us to do–marriage, parenting, obedience, giving…
• Bianca Olthoff talked from Ezekiel 37 where God breaths life into dry bones and His power reveals, refreshes, and revives.
• There were also great classes on the technical side of blogging.

There were many other blessings, but I am saving those for the next post.

Which one of these take-away encouragements hit home with you today?