influence conference linkup!

www.theinfluencenetwork.com

Today I am linking up with many, many lovely ladies that are going to the Influence Conference later this month!  I am beyond excited for the conference this year.  If you are interested even a tiny bit, I strongly urge you to just check out the conference website to see what it's all about.  I went last year on a brave whim and it was the best decision.  I am amazed at the community of women that I have gotten to learn from, have fun with, and just "do life" with through the Influence Conference and network.

We were asked to answer to questions.  So, without further ado, here are my "2 things" ...

2 things I will have packed in my bag:
1) dry shampoo
2) notebook and pen (I'm a note taker, list maker, and everything in between.)

2 things I'm looking forward to about the conference: 
1) Meeting friends (new and old) and having community together over the weekend.  Whether it be over coffee, dinner, late at night in our rooms ... I'm really looking forward to sharing stories.
2) The life sessions.  It's been a busy season for our family, and I can't wait to sit quietly and just soak up some wisdom + learning time.

I really can't wait to see everyone in only a few short weeks!

going through God's story

We are currently going through the entire Bible as a church.  Every Sunday we have focused on a different section of the Bible.  The sermon this morning focused a lot on Paul and his final days.  I didn't expect it, but going through God's entire story chronologically has really refreshed my perspective and given me a different thirst for God that I haven't really experienced before.

Anyways, I feel like I've heard Paul's story so often.  It's the one story I remember most from Sunday School.  I didn't expect to really learn anything new from it this morning.  But, something just didn't sit quite right with me half way through.  Towards the end of Paul's life, he makes the comment that he's "fought the good fight".  He was already "poured out as an offering.... he gave it his all".  

All I could think about from that point on is how desperately I want to be able to say the same thing when that time comes for me.  What kind of a legacy am I leaving?  How am I using my influence and purpose right now to further His goodness? 

I guess it was a reminder for me to stop selling myself short.  To stop making things so complicated.  To know my story and know my purpose.  To believe that God takes ordinary people and gives them a purpose.

It's up to me to know who I was before and after God.  It's up to me to know the God-given purpose I have and to pursue God so much with that in mind that I develop such a passion for living it out.  

Some times I want things to be so easy, but I make them so complicated at the same time.  

Long story short, learning about God's story is giving me a passion for my own story.