The fruit of a blog

I just returned home from a Living Proof Live Conference in Boone, NC where I met, for the first time, a fellow LPM blog sister. We had commented on one another's posts several times, then followed one another's individual blogs, and before we knew what had hit us, we had decided we were going to meet and go to this conference together! (Now for those of you with the mother instinct wondering if we had lost our minds, we probably had. You're absolutely validated in your thinking and I need a good mothering now and then. Well, maybe more than that :) ). BUT, when the LORD has spoken, He has my 'yes.' So Abby and I took the leap of faith to connect in Jesus Name as sisters in Christ, and met in Boone on Friday before the conference started! What a blessing I received in her!

Girlfriends, if Amanda could ever have known the fruit of her obedience in the creation of the LPM blog, I'm sure she may have just fallen off of her chair never to return to the blog world again. I suspect the bigness of our God may have just blown her right over. It would have me.

My weekend shared with my Beloved Jesus and this precious new sister has yet to be processed, so I'll spare you the suffering of trying to read something that I have yet to articulate to myself. In short, our Glorious Father was majestic in His holiness. He is ever increasing in His beauty to my mind and heart. And He surely got the praise.

As for Abby and I, we began to show such similarities, we decided it to be a little scary, and tried to ignore them for the last hours of the conference. She is a treasure in this generation, and a friend that I am honored to now walk alongside. The sweet aroma of Christ is all over her, and she has an obvious mark on her life for His glory. God already has, and will continue to, call this young woman to do a mighty work for His renown.

What else I learned this weekend:::::

1) If it can be helped, don't go into the weekend on 3 hours of sleep. The triple shot espresso you get at Starbucks beforehand doesn't help.
2) The 'comforter' included in our bedding set by our 'hotel' more closely resembled a loin cloth.
3) Because of this, Boone, NC can feel like Antarctica, even if you're doing your best to cocoon in the loin cloth comforter.
4) Boone, NC is in the Boonies.
5) The LPM website did not include a warning for this conferences' travels. I suppose the following would have been beneficial: "Dear sister, for those of you who don't know what those large elevated rock-like objects lining the curving road near the conference center, we wanted to let you know that those are called 'mountains.' The road to the conference center is an uphill winding road, so we advise you to grip on to the steering wheel for dear life, and not look down at the sharp cliff to the left of you. Have safe travels and leave extra travel time for those of you who are novice mountain drivers."
6) Don't even think about being able to use the restroom or get a Coke on Saturday...b/c the 15,000 other women already did. Lol!
7) Last conference, my friends and I deemed 6:15 am as the safe arrival time to beat the line crowds for Saturday's session. It wasn't :( So Abby and I decided we'd be there around 5:15 am in order to beat the crowd. (What can I say - we're visual learners and like the up-front interaction). Not only did we beat the 'crowd,' we beat any car in the streets of Boone that morning, the opening of McDonald's, any lights being turned on in the entire convention center, and we are sure that we even beat Beth's arising for her morning Jesus time and hair fixin.
8) Wear waterproof mascara.
9) Hibernate the week before. Your body will thank you this weekend as you will get no sleep.
10) For those of you concerned about missing out on your morning exercise routine for the weekend, have no fear! Attending a LPL conference is more than adequate exercise for your temple as you are involved in constant stair climbing, jump up and down worship, and knee-slap laughter that leaves you with sore abs.
12) I will close with a shout-out to my Boone sisters: "If you're 'asher' and you know it, clap your hands. If you're 'asher' and you know it, clap your hands. If you're 'asher' and you know it then your face will surely show it; If you're 'asher' and you know it clap your hands." We give you much praise Jesus!!

Waiting in line outside on Saturday morning around 5 am. Oh wait, there was no line! HAHAHAHA. But we did enjoy a sunrise and the beautiful stillness of Jesus all to ourselves.

Kelly S. - a fellow blogging sister, found me! She has been an absolutely precious sister to me and nothing but a blessing. I was able to come to Boone through her extra ticket! And if you have the privilege of getting to know her at all, you'll know that she is an automatic hero in the faith.

Abby, Beth, and myself...post mine and Abby's Jesus cry-fest.