Back from She Speaks

Hi Friends. Thanks for all your sweet notes and emails saying you've been missing me. (big smiles) I've just returned from a week out of town for the She Speaks conference, so that's why I've been MIA for awhile.

This is the same conference I was fasting about in my previous post. Thanks for praying for me during that time. The fast was not as difficult as I'd first feared, and it was definitely worth while. I think more fasting is in my near future. And I challenge you to be open to the idea of fasting next time you face a big challenge, or the next time you hear God asking you to press hard into Him.

Each year before the weekend conference begins, the P31 crew gathers to set up at the conference hotel and prepare for the event. Since this is the only time of the year the speaker team is all in one place, we also do a lot of ministry updating and team training. And since its the only time of the year we're all together, we stay up way too late talking in our jammies and getting caught up on one another's lives.

It's a good thing I began adjusting to little food with my pre-conference fast because my schedule was so busy the last several days that I rarely got to finish a meal during the week. I think I've operated this last week on an average of 5.5 hours of sleep per night and 1.5 meals a day. But I wouldn't trade a minute of it for all the Starbucks, chocolate and fluffy pillows in the world.

Here is the P31 speaker team and staff. This photo was taken on Thursday. (I'm on the inside side of the rock on the far left.)

Each year I'm left speechless as I watch what God does in the lives of His daughters through this little band of women at Proverbs 31 Ministries. God breaks shackles, confirms callings, and brings dreams to fruition as He woos women's hearts closer to His. It's such a privilege and a thrill to play a part.

I got to meet some of our fellow bloggy friends while there! Several women came up and introduced themselves and said "I love reading your blog" or "I've learned so much from the online bible study we've done on your blog." That was terrific. I'm hoping some of them will post a comment and tell us about their conference experience - or blog about it and leave us the link in a comment below.

I'll be back later to tell you more about it myself, but for now I'm off to actually finish a meal and to snuggle with my kids. It's good to be home, and to be back in touch with you all.