//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?