Proverbs 31 Ministries' SheSpeaks Conference

God loves to send us blessings in surprise.
        Last year, I went to a conference for Christian women called Set Apart in St. Paul.  I was very skeptical about it because everything seemed so girly and pink.  "Obviously, this will just be cheesy and irrelevant to me," I thought.  I was wrong.  That conference changed my life and I believe that it was really God's final hard push to get my stubborn self moving toward his will and my life with Him.  Since that conference, I've been following the blog of Lysa TerKeurst, who spoke at the conference and really touched my heart as someone I could look up to and model after.  She is a part of a woman's ministry called Proverbs 31 Ministries that I find to be touching and very relevant to today's woman. This July 30th-August 1st, Proverbs 31 Ministries is holding their annual SheSpeaks Conference in Charlotte, NC.  The conference takes attendants through the process of becoming an efficient writer, speaker, and leader.  It is 2 1/2 days of God showing women how to expand his kingdom by being the best that we can be.
I really want to go.

Which is the reason for this post.  I want to go and learn how to speak and touch women's hearts the way I was touched last year.  It's expensive and far away, but Proverbs 31 is offering 3 scholarships to women whose hearts are led by Jesus to share his gospel and speak/write his word. 

When I was 4 years old, my dad wanted to teach me how to ride a bike.  He got me a really cool bike that was pink with streamers and everything.  I thought that I was just going to have my training wheels on for a while and then worry about going on my own later.  But oh no, that's not what my dad had in mind.  He let me ride around the yard ONCE with my training wheels and then promptly decided to take them off.  I was so mad at him! I didn't want to have to face the hard part right away, I just wanted to be along for the ride and worry about it later.  But my dad knew what was best.  He wanted me to feel the reward of having the wind on my face as I rode confidently and unafraid.  I think this is where God has me with leadership and speaking.  He knows that I just want to ride around with my training wheels on, not really ever stepping into my call as a woman's leader until I'm good and comfortable. But my God doesn't want to let me do that.  He wants me to step into the fullness of his plan and his calling, whether I feel ready or not.

I don't feel ready to be a speaker of the Truth, but I want it and I think it's what God wants for me too.  I have learned that if God wants something, I can't give up or get discouraged.  He is a big God who instills big dreams in all of us.  This is my big dream: to speak to women's hearts and help them see the truth in who our God is.  He is so good and loving. I know that he won't take off my training wheels unless he wants me to feel the reward of leading women unafraid.

For more info on the conference you can go here: http://www.shespeaksconference.com
For Lysa's blog and information on the scholorship you can go here:
http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2010/03/she-speaks-scholarship-contest.html

Love Always,
Mary