//Hope Spoken// A heart so full it may burst.

This is pretty much how I am feeling after flying home late last night from Hope Spoken:

Ruthie Hart @ruthiehart1 · Mar 30 Wondering how the heck I will ever put into words #hopespoken .... ever feel like you have so much to say but not sure where to start?

However, I wanted to start trying while I have such a full heart and it is still fresh in my mind. Because I truly want to share it with you precious friends. It doesn't feel like it gives it justice to just say it was amazing. It needs stronger, better words. 
I had my hesitations about attending after the overwhelming feelings I battled at the last conference I went to. But as I shared before, the Lord opened door after door and made it clear to me that this year I was to head to Dallas instead. I have never had such a great confirmation as when I got to Hope Spoken.

Picture being in a beautiful room filled with the most gorgeous paper decorations, twinkling lights, yummy food, sweet worship with the lover of my soul...surrounded by beautiful women who just shine inside out with love for your sweet Savior & you can begin to understand my experience. There were no barriers to approaching these women whose stories I have followed for years, and those who I had never come across in this blogging journey. And none of that mattered. 
Instead of handing each other business cards, most of the time the first question asked was just what your name was. I can count on one hand how many people asked me if I was a blogger. And I was completely ok with that!

This weekend was about Him. About His grace & His amazing work in each of our lives creating a story worth sharing. A story that is centered around Him, because He is what this is all about. Why we share our stories, why we do what we do. Because nothing else matters. It is so easy to get caught up in numbers, popularity and trying to turn this into a business, but I never felt any of those troubles this weekend.

{via}

There were a lot of tears for me. But not from feeling overwhelmed or unsure of myself. They were grace tears, full of hope at redemption to come in my life and the lives of those around me. Tears of joy over just how loved we are by our precious Savior. And these three beautiful ladies who I look up to so much, poured themselves out this weekend to make sure we were loved on and able to see Jesus this weekend. This weekend showed me THIS IS WHY I DO THIS. This is my focus. What it's all about for me. Why I long to share stories when I talk to people, why I want to encourage others....I want them to see Him through me and what He has walked me through.

{Via}

And these beautiful women were just incredible:

Emily who didn't think I was crazy for admiring her beautiful family & so hoping the Lord fulfills a similar dream of mine for a family that looks a lot like hers. She was full of words of encouragement and support. 

Danielle's brave heart as she shared a difficult story in her life and let me cry all over her after she finished. What a beautiful display of the hope we have in Him, and the redemption that He can weave through these stories. I am sure I will be unpacking the words I heard from Him through her for months and months to come. 

Casey and her incredible ability to love on others well. Her example of how to be an incredible wife and mother has impacted me for so long. She gave up so much of her time to talk with me this weekend and I am forever thankful for the way I heard from the Lord through her sweet spirit. 

I can't put into words how thankful I am to them that they said yes to being used by the Lord in big ways! I am sure they will never know just how much they were used by Him this weekend this side of heaven. 

It was just so clear during this weekend that these ladies have prayed so long and hard for the Lord to use them and this event. And oh goodness, He was ever present all weekend long. The beautiful community leaders that loved on us were so genuine and real. Really wanting to make sure we felt heard, loved and encouraged by what was going on through the speakers. Hannah was our small group leader & wrote the devotional material we worked through during the course of the weekend. I can't wait to begin working through it in entirety and unpacking some of the work He started in me during the short time we had together. 


I think the word I chose for the year was completely appropriate, don't you?

The Truth about Hope Spoken.

{Image via Kerrie Williams}

Its been eighteen months already since I went to my first blogging conference. So far its been the only blog conference I've been too, and it was a bumpy start. A lot of overwhelmed feelings, a bad wave of illness hit while I was there and just a lot to take in. It took me a good six months to begin processing a lot of things which came from that conference. I'm not sure that I ever fully shared all my thoughts on being in Indianapolis and things I learned. But it was amazing in that it broke me in a lot of waves, it pulled away layers of insecurities and sin in my life which needed to be dealt with. It was incredible, even if I didn't think it at the time. 


So I had the opportunity literally paved by the Lord for me to attend Hope Spoken this year. I shared previously on some thoughts on why I felt after much prayerful consideration that this was just clearly the conference I should attend this year. Even though it was painful to watch everyone head there when the Lord had clearly said no. And He still floored me with His grace as I felt as though I was there in a way anyway.
Financially this time for Hope Spoken, He just provided from roommates, to rides, to a sweet girl selling her conference ticket, just all those little insignificant details just fell into place and I feel so at peace about going to Dallas. Quite different already as I was a nervous wreck about Influence right before going.  


So I guess this is me just being honest. I'm a little scared about heading to a place full of women I don't know yet. But also I trust Him who has led me to this point, and I can't wait to see several amazing women who I have met previously and those I haven't but who have blessed me ridiculously through this online community already. Several of them I have waited years to finally meet & I couldn't be more thrilled! 


So I want to take a moment and introduce you to the amazing ladies that are my roomies. Given how the Lord has worked out all the details for this trip so far, I can't believe these incredible women He has handpicked to speak into my life over the weekend.
I am excited! Because they are awesome! 

{Meet Amanda}

{Meet Amy}

{Meet Teressa}

Small Tip: If there is one thing I learned from my mistakes last time, its that it is a good idea to head over to the linkup and make an effort to get to know people who are going beforehand. It makes connecting so much more impactful & may even help with feeling overwhelmed about not knowing anyone. So I am totally all over that this week. 


Now I just hope that my new bag & business cards arrive in time. Eeeek! 

P.S. He Loves You.

So there's this girl in California, who is pretty much one of the most amazing women I have ever met in my life. And believe me I know some amazing women. 

This girl shared recently how we met on her instagram. Its seriously one of the most amazing stories. 

I met her back in 2005/2006 I'm not exactly sure when. I think I was a freshman in college, totally feeling lost being transplanted back into the western world after being in desert for about 6-7 years. Things were hard, I had surrendered my love life to the Lord after fighting Him and a lot of wrestling over it. I totally surrendered it, I had no idea what He was going to do with it (read more here). So I signed up with a community called purity girls, all beautiful young girls who shared this passion of trusting the Lord with their love lives. It was exactly what I needed at that time in my life when I felt as though no-one understood my desire to really love Him by giving Him the pen to my story and seeing what He would do with it. The day I signed up, there was an option to pick an accountability partner, and I felt like such a fraud. I had only just started on this journey of learning how to trust my heavenly prince with this area, I certainly didn't think I had anything to offer anyone else on this issue. 

I was scrolling through these pictures of young girls all with beautiful hearts and incredible stories, and I didn't really know what I was even doing being among them. When I clicked and a precious young girl (the same age as me) appeared on my screen. I read her bio about surrendering her pen to her sweet savior and trusting Him on His timing for romance and I got a little nudge. I have never been more sure about the Holy Spirit nudging me to do something. I was sitting there going 'but I didn't even want an accountability partner, Lord. I'm still trying to figure out what this looks like to trust you in this area, I can't support anyone.' And I felt His sweet whispers, 'Pick her, just trust me.'

So I clicked request accountability partner. And I have tears flowing down my face at His faithfulness by that simple click. Because the years that followed were just precious, we emailed each other, prayed for each other, shared our struggles and dreams in this area of our lives. It has truly just been one of the most encouraging friendships in my life, being able to walk similar paths with this incredible girl who lived the other side of the world from me. 

He absolutely wanted us in each others lives, and I am so thankful He did. It has been a blessing watching Him answer our prayers for one another. And I look forward to maybe sharing more of this amazing story with you guys someday.....

Now that I've bragged on her and the way the Lord brought us together as sisters....
she did something amazing this past year already.
She has written the most amazing inspiring devotional (and I'm not just saying that, really!). 
It has brought me into a beautiful season of seeking my precious prince & I have enjoyed just sitting in His presence understanding how much He thinks of me, how huge is love is for me, while reading her precious thoughts and meditating on the scriptures she shared. It reads like letters from her directly to you friend, you will honestly believe they are personally written for you. 


And I really think you should check it out.
You really won't regret it.  


But just in case you need any more persuasion, here's some sneak previews:

//Buy The Devotional//

Growing Up a Big Sister.

I read the most beautiful post this morning, and I know thousands of ladies can relate to sweet Casey & the Lord has greatly blessed her with an ability to share words that speak into so many lives. I was so blessed to meet her at Influence about 18 months ago when I shamelessly asked her if she would be my big sister haha, and am SO excited about seeing her again in about 10 days at Hope Spoken!! I wish I had been a younger sister to a beautiful woman like her!


Its funny hearing her talk about what it was like growing up, how deeply she felt things. I was thrown back into my own flood of memories of what it was like to play when I was young, I was an oldest child. I didn't have a big sister to look up to and get excited about doing everything she was doing. I was the big sister. And a lot of times that was scary. I was terrified about growing up so much of the time. I didn't know how to participate in conversations about shaving legs, I was blessed with blonde hairs that still don't really show if I forget to shave. (Praising God for that one!) But I never had a desire to shave or wear a bra until I heard comments from girls in the locker room. Perhaps I was young for my age and naive. But I'm ok with that now. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to grow up too fast.


I was so scared to tell my mom when a certain guy caught my eye when I was 16. I didn't want to be growing up yet I really felt drawn to his character. I was terrified about life changing from being at home with my parents and sister. Of being vulnerable around a guy. 


I played with barbies until I was around 15. I was a dreamer, I loved imagining stories for them. Of playing out their family drama and how it would all work out in the end. And since I never wanted any of them to feel left out, my families often had about 10 children so that none of the dolls would feel left out.  


I'm the girl who grew up watching Disney movies. A sucker for romance and happy endings. I love seeing people happy and really love being a part of putting a smile on someones face. 


I feel things too deeply sometimes, I cry in books and movies, feeling so attached to the characters as if they were my friends or family. I'm trying to see this feeling deeply thing as a blessing. It has given me the ability to be there for people. To empathize with them and really care about them. But it also means that I can get hurt easily. I'm trying to be thankful for this characteristic in my life and really use it in a way that brings Him glory. While also relying on Him for strength and my worth & value. 


I'm so thankful looking back on all these things that the Lord has walked me through so many of them. How He is in the process of changing me and helping me see these things can be positive. They don't have to be negative. I was just looking back on some of the journey He walked me through in my life and was floored with thankfulness and super excited to see where He may take me in the future. 


And all of that from a few thoughts shared by an incredible woman I look up to. Isn't it amazing how the Lord uses random things to draw us to Him. 

So Long Winter.

We went on our last ski trip of the year this past week. Its been a great way to actually enjoy winter and since learning how to ski last year, I haven't actually felt depressed at all when the snow hits & the flip flops migrate to unknown areas of the closet. I'm almost a little sad to see it go.....but then I think about summer & warm weather and going to Texas in a few weeks and I'm really not that sad haha! 

Anyway...I couldn't believe how beautiful the scenery was while we were on our trip. We got to see the last sunset before daylight savings & then the first sunrise after the change, so I feel like Spring is here. (I realise its not yet official, but the clocks changing totally makes it feel like its here)

Isn't God's creation beautiful? Hope your beginning to Spring has been awesome! 

Changes & Inspiration.

{Via}

Last night I sat down and made a list, after feeling overwhelmed with things that I need to accomplish before heading to Hope Spoken at the end of the month. 
There are several ideas I have prayed through and thought over which I really felt the Lord had given me a green light for, but I just felt as though I couldn't get the space and time I needed to put them in action. 
So after feeling overwhelmed last night, I made a list so that I could put it all on paper and go forward with my Friday, ready to attack some of it on Saturday morning before heading away for the weekend. 
Then I suddenly get the day off. Like a small gift came from the Lord. An entire day to work on whatever project needs action first.


I get the whole day to start my list. And I realised I'm not overwhelmed, I'm just super excited by everything He is leading me too. 


So I sat down this morning and started one of the projects. Small baby steps of it anyway. 
So I announced on my twitter and instagram this morning the changes made to my handles.

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

There are some big changes coming here in this little space the Lord has given me, for the time being, to share what He is teaching me. He has taught me so much in the past year about where my identity and worth are, in Him alone. How I can be sharing things that I'm not because I'm stuck in a place where I put too much importance on what people think of me, how they will react to what I share. 

But the whole point of sharing here was to be obedient. And obviously I am not perfect at doing something as simple as that. So I am trying to be more obedient and in doing so, I think its time for a change. Time for a new name, a new identity, one that is in embedded in a verse that meant a lot to me growing up. Time for me to cling to Him alone as I move forward.    

So I can't wait to share it with you friends! And hopefully to share more as He leads me. 

Some things that are inspiring me lately:

This couple just has a beautiful love story! I love the way they love each other! 

I'm such a sucker for romantic stories. 

Pictures from Instagram

At least its pretty.

Choosing joy even when there's still inches & inches of fresh snow and it is now March. 
At least it looks beautiful.