Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Afterglow



Morning Glories!

I am trying my best to piece together the first post but it is going to take me several posts to break it all down properly.

I told Paige that it was just layers of deliciousness.

Here is how I am feeling on the Tuesday morning after the big weekend!

Grateful and thankful and awestruck. Exhausted more than I have ever been in my entire life.

Overwhelmed that it finally happened and so appreciative to every, single one of you who spent the
weekend with us! You traveled from all over the United States! I was so excited to meet you all and
my heart is so grateful to you girls and to God because you all made it happen.

I am still in complete awe of Brittany, our worship leader and her sweet in- laws who blessed us with their incredible talent! Sarah, Jane, Paige and Edie blessed us over and over again sharing their hearts, their stories and their real life experiences.

We laughed out loud. We cried. We sat mesmerized, hanging on their words throughout the day.

They were so good I could barely stand it.

This was the first time any of them had ever done anything like this. Love how God orchestrates things..

I was SO PROUD of all of them. They brought the house down. One right after another.

I sat in tears most of the day:)

When I begin to pray about holding the second event, I felt Him leading me to reach out to certain women. I knew it would be different. But I wanted it to be Real. Authentic. Genuine and True.

I wanted the likability factor to be off the charts. I wanted the blog world to meet the real world. I wanted heart connections with bloggers, speakers, readers and attendees.

I really wanted to pull together real mama's, with real stories of faith , who happen to know in a very personal way, what it means to overcome.

Which is the heart of TPE.

When every single one of them said yes to Him, I nearly fainted.

When every single one of them showed up Friday night, I nearly fainted.

When every single one of them showed up Saturday morning, I nearly fainted.

You get the picture.

It was all very surreal for me.

I am still basking in the afterglow of all that He did through these brave women over the weekend.

It was an incredibly humbling weekend for me and my family. We are all still trying to wrap our hearts and minds around the magnitude of it all.

Of willingness and obedience.

Of faith in the midst of tremendous personal trial.

Of pushing through in spite of incredible odds.

Of the goodness and graciousness of our God.

Layers of deliciousness sweet friends.

I want to share some of the pictures of our time in the ballroom Friday night before the Squeal Fest.

Thank you to every one of you who prayed for us. For all of you who joined us.

What an honor to spend the weekend with you.

Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude.

More posts and lots of pictures coming this week.

I'll leave you with some of the pictures of the squeal fest before the scheduled squeal fest later on.







I will add a gazillion pictures later today to this post.

My little photo card isn't allowing me to upload any more at the moment!

Of course.

When Big Daddy wheels in later maybe he can take a look at it for me.

Until then, big hug and a big thank you sweet friends.


17 comments:

Jennifer said...

I'm so thankful that the Lord put this event in your heart. I'm so thankful that I was able to attend...to put faces and hug the ones that I read their blogs each day. I think even the ones that attended are still sitting trying to grasp all that took place. Not a strong enough waterproof mascara for an event like that! Much love and appreciation for what you have done!

Love Being A Nonny said...

Still in awe that I was allowed the privilege of being blessed by all of you!

Love Being A Nonny said...

A *Mr. Linky* to all the Pearl Posts would be great!!!!

just ask beth said...

so sad i missed it!! i planned on going but it was my youngest daughters birthday and I just be gone on her birthday!! I am not surprised it went well!

Tiffany said...

i am feeling the amazingness of it all through reading you, paige and edie! I am praying that when you do this again I WILL be there!

thank you Sibi and blessings to you!
xoTiffany

Deborah said...

I feel so blessed to have been able to attend. I haven't made a post yet because I'm still processing. Thank you so much for your calling to bless women by letting them know that no matter what circumstance life brings, we are all God's precious "pearls". You've really laid on my heart the importance to be ready with my own story of God's forgiveness and grace in my life. This weekend was a life changer for me. Thank you Sibi.

Looking forward to TPE III. :)

Tracy ~Seeking Refinement~ said...

SO excited for you!!! Can't wait to read more details & see pictures...Such an incredible testimony....

xoxo

paige said...

can i tell just tell you that my love for you runs deeper & wider than ever before.
HUMBLED
HONORED
BLESSED
to call YOU my friend.
i'd say yes to you any day!
now take that "gosh, paige is twice the size of edie" shot & we'll be bff's forever & ever

xo

Anonymous said...

It was so great! Glad I got to be a part of it! Well done!

Amanda Pilkinton said...

It was an absolute blessing!!!

The 5 Bickies said...

Sounds like a HUGE success - congratulations and job well done!

I couldn't be there because my husband was away on business. In Nashville. In your same hotel. He is just lucky I didn't send him in my place :)

nonnie said...

Sibi,
Thank you thank you for such a wonderful event. My girls and I enjoyed Pearls and Grace so much. My head is not out of the clouds yet!

You are so loved! Praise to Jesus that He gave you the vision to have this kind of special time for girls to gather. HE blessed us so much through you!

Lorie said...

Sibi,
I was so blessed to be there. On my blog I said you remind me of a modern day Mother Teresa-you have her heart.
It was the most special day I can remember. I will never look at pearls the same. I am so glad I am His pearl. I'm so thankful you shared it with us. God bless you. I cant wait for more.
Be blessed!

SheilaG @ Plum Doodles said...

I'm a new follower, hopped over here from Charity's sweet post at Heartfelt Home. Sounds like a wonderful event, wish I could have been there! Next year?

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

I hear it was just lovely, even life-changing, from a friend who was able to go. Wonderful that you did this, and that you were blessed to already see such fruit from it!

Alecia said...

Can't wait to hear more about it...I love how God used that weekend to bless & encourage so many....I WILL be attending TPE III when it happens! Umm...is it just me or do Paige & Edie look like they could be sisters?!?! Such lovelies they are! :-)

Myers Family said...

So enjoying hearing all the details! What beautiful blessings each of you are, just wish we could have been there in person. If you are led to have #3, I am sure it will be a packed house!