I'm Stuffed

Just got in from the Atlanta Fish Market, where I think I have found the perfect bowl of seafood gumbo! Mmmm Mmmm! The perfect mixture of flavor and kick. I followed that up with a crab cake and broiled halibut. Halibut -- my favorite!

Not only am I full from the food...but I am full from the power packed day at Deeper Still: The Event. Much to digest.

Kay started off our day with a whirlwind trip through Jeremiah and the message of the calamity that would befall the nation who turns away from Him and His Word. It was a hard message...a very hard message, delivered with tears at times. And yet, my soul just drank it in like the dry ground drinks in the rain.

Lunch with 19,000 women was a little chaotic and harried...but we made the best of the situation. Spent a little time in the Lifeway bookstore before heading back to our seats with pizza.

The afternoon sessions began with a panel discussion that was at times uproariously funny and at other times, made you tear up from the heartfelt answers of such godly women.

Beth wrapped up the sessions with a wonderful exegesis of John 1:14. "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Why? So that we might have grace upon grace in our lives! So that we might be set free from the penalty of sin. Somebody wants to shout 'hallelujah'!

It will take me several days to even begin to assimilate the teaching we have heard over the past two days. For right now, I am just full. And for that I am thankful.

Wish me luck getting back home tomorrow! Good evening from Atlanta.

Me And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I have been awaiting this weekend for months. A weekend to sit at the feet of Bible teachers who have been instrumental in my spiritual development over the past 16 or so years. I even stepped out in faith and bought these tickets before we even knew where in Atlanta the event would be held...that is how passionate I was about attending Deeper Still: The Event.

I did some power packing last night in order to fit everything I would need into a carry on bag. I limited myself to four suits of clothing and three pairs of shoes. I managed to get all of my toiletries into a quart sized (airline approved) baggie. I threw some magazines and a book in with my laptop and I was set to go.

I woke up at 7 and left the house at 8. It would take me an hour and 20 minutes to make it to the Park N Fly...though I was a little distracted as I searched for a branch of my bank along the route (not a single one was to be found).

I parked the car and had to rush to make the shuttle to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport I learned that my flight had been delayed an hour by bad weather in Tampa. Then it had been delayed an hour and ten minutes....then an hour twenty...then an hour and a half.

I pulled out the laptop and attempted to log on with the new broadband card that was just installed yesterday. Nothing. "Insert device" was all it would say to me...and the device was inserted. If I crammed it in any further I would have pushed it through to the other side.

We anxiously watched the thunderstorms descending on Houston wondering if the flight would be delayed again. Thankfully we made it out just in time. We experienced a little turbulence as we approached Atlanta -- having to fly around a storm. Once on the ground, those of us whose destination was Atlanta were asked to stay seated while those with connecting flights disembarked first.

I had chosen row 9 for the purpose of being able to be one of the first ones off...now not only was I not getting off first, but I began to wonder if I would ever get off. He who would be first? right?

Traffic in Atlanta on Friday afternoon is easily comparable to I-10 outbound on Friday afternoon...a parking lot! We rushed to the hotel and checked in. I had not eaten all day, well...except that 1 ounce bag of honey roasted peanuts that they gave us on the airplane. But there was no time for eating...or even changing clothes before heading out to find the arena (see I could have left one more suit at home). More traffic.

It was just going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!

And then...we made it to the event parking and were treated to 'princess parking' just across the street from Philips Arena. We waded our way through the sea of women, went ahead and sat in the balcony rather than fight the crowds for a closer seat and grabbed some chicken fingers from a vendor on the concourse.

Just as we finished eating and disposed of the trash, the lights went down and the countdown began...5 minutes to go. Travis Cottrel and his praise team led us in worship. One of the ladies sang about 'running to God's mercy seat'. Beautiful...moving...inspiring!

Priscilla Shirer took the stage. Electrifying! She speaks so authoritatively from the Word, and yet so personally. Her illustrations make you laugh (that "been there, done that" kind of laugh) and yet grab you as she applies it to the truths she is sharing. Tonight she spoke about meeting God in the wilderness...the one He chose for us...so that He can issue us a divine invitation to see Him for ourselves, to hear Him for ourselves. Oh, she stuck a nerve!

When she was finished we were blessed by a mini-concert and the testimony of Mandisa (from American Idol Season 5). That girl can 'sang', ya'll! She gave me chills...and then we closed with one of my favorite praise songs, "Shackles".

We took the long way home, ordered dessert from room service along with a pot of decaf coffee and extra cream, and spent some time bringing each other up to date on our lives since we last sat down together.

And now, I sit here...having forgotten about the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day...and instead, I am just feeling amazingly blessed!

Thank You, Lord!

ATL

I apologize for the two days of silence. I have been busy with things...like getting ready to leave for Atlanta!

I am so excited to be attending Deeper Still: The Event this weekend. Seeing Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer all in one place...unbelievable. I learned to study the Bible through Precept Ministries and spent Tuesdays with Kay via video for years. Her ministry was used of the Lord to help me recognize my call to Women's Ministry and teaching. And Beth has had a huge impact in teaching me to walk in grace and true authenticity through Living Proof Ministry. I could listen to her all day. I have never heard Priscilla before, but I love to listen to her dad (Tony Evans) and cannot wait to be introduced to her teaching style. (I loved the article on her in Today's Christian Woman about a year ago.)

Add in some Travis Cottrell (anointed voice if I have ever heard one) and Mandisa...mmmmm, I can hardly wait.

I tried to get tickets to last year's event in Nashville, but no doing. They were sold out by the time I heard about it. So, I bought these tickets before they even knew where in Atlanta they were holding the conference. Now, the time has finally come to pack my bag and head out to the airport.

I am planning to take my laptop and may post if I get a chance. However, I am trying not to check a bag so I might have to lighten the load before heading out in the morning. If you don't hear from me before then, I will be back home on Sunday evening.

Have a blessed weekend, ya'll!