Last weekend marked my second annual trip to Indianapolis for the Influence Conference, hosted by The Influence Network, which I have been blessed to be a member of since January 2014.
This year, I traveled to Indy with three other gals, including my best friend Emily, cousin Brooke, and new friend Lisa! It was great to go with other women this year – sharing the experience with those close to home and being able to process together what God was speaking to us as we attended speaker sessions, engaged in fellowship with other women who share our passions, and laid our lives out in worship to Him.
This year’s conference was AMAZING. God’s presence was everywhere – there was no escaping Him. His Spirit was felt in every room we occupied, in the conversations and countenance of the women who attended, and in every presentation. He wove together a beautiful tapestry of scripture and Gospel-truth through each session as only He could do, and each of us, regardless of background, life circumstances, passions, and projects could definitely take what was shared and apply it to our lives, in the here and now.
In short, this conference was for every woman, and made it clear that all of us have been commissioned, that all of us are capable in Him, that all of us have influence right where we are to change the world for His Kingdom and glory.
I’ve gone through my conference notes several times over the last week and have continued to be impacted and inspired by the messages I heard. Here are some of the points that have been speaking deeply to me …
- Cultivate an undivided heart by cleaning out the clutter in order to hear God speak and make room for Him to move in my life.
- We are here to disciple, to fill each other up, and to love one another. That’s IT!
- God has equipped and gifted me for the people and places in my life.
- Living in Real Life = Abiding in Jesus. Abiding in Jesus is where we find our influence.
- Being WILD, FREE, and FULL OF JOY is for me, for all of us.
- Protect what I have in my marriage (and other relationships) and love with unabashed passion.
- Every area of my life (all that I do) is SPIRITUAL. It’s not just ordinary, it all matters.
- My really nasty, ugly bits that I am tipping over becomes my ministry. Every argument and pretense that sets itself up against my calling in Him and the work He wants to do is my ministry of healing and Jesus’ power to the world. What the Enemy intended for harm, God intends for His good and glory.
- What I need to be most effective in my life and ministry is not more books, more self-care, more friends and followers, more exercise, etc. I need to train myself to rehearse Gospel-truth in the most mundane moments.
- When I realize who God is and what He did for me, He lights my soul on FIRE!
This is just some of what I wrote down. There was so much, all of which was good and what my soul needed to hear. I’m making a point to lean into the words God spoke to me there and intentionally soak in what He’s teaching me and working in me through those words as I commune with Him in prayer and in His Word.
I didn’t want to come home and jump back into real life forgetting all that He spoke to me over the weekend. I want my time there to stay forever etched in my mind and on my heart so that I can live the life He desires me to live, abiding in Him every step of the way. So moving forward, here are some things I’m choosing to believe and preaching over myself …
- Believe that it is good to be yoked to Him.
- Believe in Him for redemption.
- Believe that He wants to set me FREE.
- Believe that the battle is already won, for my joy and His glory.
- Believe that His truth changes everything.
- Believe that I am His daughter and that He is with me every step of the way as I live out my commissioning.
My hope and prayer is that God will continue to bring about His amazing plans and purposes for my life, as I seek Him and use the Gospel as my platform to accomplishing the work He has for me to do here. He has already done so much for me – more than I could ever ask or imagine – and I can’t thank Him enough for the story He has been writing for me since before I was even born, both the beautiful and ugly parts.
I am so blessed for the past weekend and how He brought so much together for me and the other women who attended. His Spirit left His mark on me, wrecking and undoing me, only to build me back up again – new and whole and more passionate and on fire than ever before. I can’t wait to see where He takes me next and what is to come in the future. Only He knows, but I know it’s going to be oh so good.