It was Awesome, Thanks for Asking!

This past weekend was incredible. It's hard to describe exactly what the Women of Faith conference meant to me, because on so many levels, it was overwhelming! In my inadequate way of trying to describe what was a phenomenal time of spiritual nourishment, I'll do my best to give you a little recap.

The weekend started with my singing in a funeral on Friday morning. I sang two songs, including "Amazing Grace" and in truth, it was a great way to start the day. God's grace truly is AMAZING! I then caught my train into Chicago just in time and got to support Jerry on his last day of classess (YIPPEE!) as his Orff class ended and the groups put on a show of all they'd learned over the past two weeks and had a small "graduation" ceremony (this class offered certification, so they got their official certificates at that point). Jerry then took me to meet my friend Charity who I was rooming with on Friday night. She and I immediately headed out and hit Michigan Avenue to grab a bite to eat before heading to the conference.

The best part was when I walked into the huge arena where there were 5000 other women waiting to find their seats and I heard this voice call my name. I turned around, and it was my dear, special friend Debbie, from college! She was my roommate my freshman year and you may remember me speaking about her from time to time. She fought and won her battle with breast cancer last year and let me just say, it was a JOY to see her. We grabbed each other and embraced. Of all the times to run into her...in a place that huge with so many people, God planned it so we would both be at the same entrance at the same time.

The conference began with worship, Patsy Clairmont, and my girl, Nichole Nordeman. As always, she was phenomenal and brought all of the women sitting around me to tears. As tender as those moments were, there were also some really funny ones. At one point she told us that she has this "problem." While standing in line at the supermarket, she has this compulsion to buy tabloids. She knows it's wrong, she knows she shouldn't, but she just can't help herself. She said she even began to spiritualize it, trying to convince herself that if she doesn't know what's going on with Brad and Angelina, then how on earth can she pray for them??? That got a good laugh. She also made us all giggle when she recalled sitting in an airport looking at all the beautiful celebrities in People magazine and literally feeling her butt growing bigger in her seat as she sat there! Good stuff...

The next day was a whirlwind, and I can't began to recap it all, as I am still desperately trying to process it all, but I think the best part of it was spending lunch with my girlfriend, Debbie and crying over how good God had been to us both over the past year. Afterward, it was Sandi Patti's turn to sing, and oh. my. word. She brought down the house. And about brought me to my knees. If heaven is half as incredible as her voice, I won't be able to stand on my feet.

I highly recommend this conference to any of you out there. It was incredible and I left feeling so "filled" by the awesome worship, music, teaching, and fellowship with my sisters in Christ.

And to Charity, thank you for making this weekend so fun. I am glad we went through it together. And I'm equally as thankful for your friendship. You're a blessing.