Blogger Meet and Greet & A Few More Tickets!

Hello Girls!

I wanted to let you know that we have worked it out with the hotel to offer more seats without breaking the fire marshal code!

God is so good...

We are releasing tickets tonight and over the next couple of days! If you are on the wait list, you will receive an email notification and have 24 hours to purchase the ticket according to Eventbrite. If you decide to pass we will move on to the next name on the list...

There are 15 names on the list already so add your name quickly!

I am praying that some how He will make a way for all of you to attend who really want to!

We are planning a very informal meet up inside Opryland Hotel at a place called The Conservatory Bar on Friday night.

For those of you who want a big glass of sweet tea or lemonade or diet coke, they seem to have it all and it is big enough that we can have some room to squeal and hug and make a fuss over you all a little!

Blogger and Reader ~Meet and Greet ~ Sip and Tweet

Friday, March 9

7:30 until 9:30

The Conservatory Bar

Opryland Hotel

Wear your pearls so we will know you are with us! :)

Let me know in the comments if you will be joining in on the fun!

All of the speakers will be there !

Praying for you all every day sweet friends. 8 more days!

Holy Rollers

Holy Rollers.

This is what I've called my set of hot rollers for years.

On days when I want Texas hair.

Or Holy hair.

Or Sunday School hair.

You know what they say "The bigger the hair the closer to God."

Or when "I want to be Southern Baptist Blonde."  In color and style. I may have mentioned that...

He knew the exact shade.  

With six children in this family, I don't get the chance to execute my Texas hair very often.

Most of the time I'm sporting the librarian. All pulled back in a tight bun at the nape of my neck.

But this isn't really a post about hair styles.....

It's more about those two little words at the top of this page.

I felt led to write about it just in case anyone attending The Pearl Event is worried that some of that

holy roller business is going to be going on from the front of the room.

The type of stuff that makes you feel "less than" as soon as they get started.

The type of stuff where teachers and speakers share about how perfect there life is.

How perfect their marriage is.

How holy and sanctified they are- and their marriage is.

How we are all going to hell if we don't do x,y and z.

It feels bad. Really bad.

Our heavenly Father is love. He is love personified. Love exemplified. He is love every which way including Sunday. He pours and woos and draws and calls us unto Himself....with L-O-V-E.

And that is all that should be coming from the front of any place talking about Jesus.

It is the LOVE of God that breaks every yoke....

So to ease any fears you may have, this event is going to be nothing but love, pearls and personal testimony.

And after I get done telling you about all the stuff God has brought me through- you are going to feel great about your own life.  I promise.

I used to despise my testimony.

I refused to embrace it.

I wanted a new one. A different one. A better one.

I longed not to have the scarlet letter, so to speak,  on my chest.

The girl who came from a broken home. The girl who was this or that. The girl who -----fill in the blank.

I wanted my testimony to be written in a happily ever after pink collection set.

Honestly.

But God had different plans.

In recent years I have become extremely grateful for my experiences in life.

For my chapters if you will.

When He prompts me to write a blog post...I draw from a deep well.

I have hundreds of crisis, experiences and unfortunate circumstances to draw from. :) Go Jesus.

I had to learn life the hard way and now I am grateful for my many life lessons.

Are there still pieces of me that long to be a Daddy's girl or a Mama's girl.  Oh yes....

  I was made to be somebody's girl.

But I'm His girl. His pearl. And that revelation alone has brought forth tremendous healing in my life.

Part of the reason it took me such a long time to realize this is I had some church experiences that left me feeling less than.  I met some holy rollers. And I'm not talking about hot rollers this time.

I love the church and the Christian faith and God's people. So this is not meant to be offensive in the least. This is just one of my personal experiences and it must be for somebody because He isn't going to let me hit publish until I write it.

I remember one experience that kept me out of the church for quite some time.  But worse than that-
It kept me far away from Him. Because I assumed that this woman in particular was right and if she "didn't know where to put me".......

Then a Holy God didn't either.

Many years ago as a young single mama, I  somehow managed to scrape up the courage to attend sunday school.

This was huge for me.

I must have just gotten paid or something - always a good day for me- because I have no earthly idea how I had the confidence to do such a thing.

I filled out the forms and they handed me off to the chief Sunday School lady.

Serious business.

She walked me down one hall and then another and then stopped and looked at me and said in total disgust....

"I don't know where to put YOU!"

"You can't go into the married sunday school class because YOU are NOT married and you CANNOT go into the singles sunday school class because you are NOT single, you have a CHILD!"

I hated the church at that moment.

It crushed me.

To add salt to an open wound she decided it was BEST to go ahead and PUT me in the singles class.
Where the "lesson" that day was "What to wear to church and why".........

Crickets.

I wanted nothing to do with their Jesus.

Because if He really cared about what I had on then we were in big trouble.

And if they didn't know where to "put" me then I was certain He didn't either.

And I had enough problems already.

I spent years running from Him , then searching for Him and running again...

As God would have it....Eventually He wooed me unto Himself and I was able to see and feel and know and experience the wonder of His love.

And when you experience the real thing.....nothing can take that away from you.

Not a church lady. Not a holy roller. Not a church service. Not a friend or a family member.

Especially when it took you over half your life to find it in the first place.

So I am sharing these pieces with you today just to encourage you. To calm any fears you may have about the upcoming event. To confirm that this is nothing but love.....

God loves you so much He had me call Paige,  Edie,  Sarah,  Jane  and Brittany to be with you that day.

They are real life Steel Magnolia's. Steel Magnolia's who love Jesus and who love you....

I know every, single one of them and they absolutely exude the love of the Father.

There isn't a holy roller among us.

Come as you are. Wear whatever you want.

Paige and Edie wear cowboy boots so please, wear yours too.

Set all fears aside and know that you will be embraced. We are huggers and squealers....

We know where "to put you" sweet friends...and that is right smack in the midst of His love.

We are also planning to absolutely make a big 'ole southern fuss over every single one of you.

So brace yourself.

I am praying for you all and I'm praying that His love will absolutely saturate your hearts that day....

Two more weeks.

Love you so.....

Purpose and Destiny

It was late in the year of 2009 when I heard Him whisper it to me again.

The kind of whisper that you cannot deny.

Cannot shake.

Cannot stop thinking about.

You eat, breathe, sleep the whispered words.

It's time daughter. It's time to do the second Pearl Event.

I remember shaking my head.

I remember saying out loud....not yet Lord.

We had just moved across the country in the summer of 2009.  New schools.  A new place to live.

A husband who lived and worked in another state.

I argued with Him for days.

And then after a week or so of telling Him all the reasons that I couldn't do it again- not yet anyway.

I went to sleep that night and as I crawled into bed completely exhausted I said these exact words....

"I love you Lord....... but I can't."

The reason I remember everything so vividly is because after I spoke those words to my heavenly Father I went on to have the most incredible dream that night that I have ever had in my entire life. It was one of those dreams that changes your life. It was His way of speaking to me. Of ministering to me. Of helping me along and prodding this daughter of His who has sometimes had to fight her way through her own crisis of faith.

I want to share pieces of it. In hopes that it will bring encouragement for the journey that you are on.

Here's hoping...

I was on a field outside of some sort. There were lots of people there. As I walked across the field there was a person on each side of me walking with me.

I didn't know them.

I didn't recognize them.

But they were holding me.

Carrying me almost.

And they knew me.

They walked me up to a stage of some sort and I stood in the background behind the scenes where people were working and they were in a big hurry. Lots of urgency and scurrying around. There was lots of equipment and people with headsets on and such.

Someone motioned for me and I panicked.

I began to call for another person in my life- I began to tell all of these people working backstage to get this other person. I told them how wonderful she was and what a great job she would do.

They got the other person.

Afterwards I looked out to see all of the people leaving.

And just about that time someone came up and called me by name and asked for a picture.  (Isaiah 43:1)

There was once again two people standing next to me. One on either side.

I was so confused.

When I woke up I couldn't move.

I couldn't shake it.

I couldn't forget it.

And so I began to ask the Lord about it....

Lord, what is this all about?

Daughter I have called you. I called you but you wouldn't come forth.

I've called you for such a time as this.

I've called you for this window.

There is a window here.

I was there. My spirit was there. The people who needed to hear my words were there.

But you wouldn't come forth.

But Lord,

Not me.

Not me Lord.

Who were those people?

Who were those two people on either side of me, walking with me and standing next to me for the picture.

It was purpose and destiny daughter. It was purpose and destiny standing with you.

Tears.

I'm sure I gasped and couldn't breathe at this point.....

More questions...

But Lord, why was someone taking a picture? I don't understand what this is all about.

Purpose and Destiny carried you to your place. 

To the window I have opened. Carried you to your season.

When you wouldn't come forth. Wouldn't obey my voice.

I had someone take a picture of you WITH purpose and destiny.

So you could look at it. Remember it. Be ever mindful of it.

I wanted you to have a picture to keep because you have never seen yourself  WITH  purpose or destiny......

Tears.

Only the Lord could offer up a dream so beautiful. So healing. So full of hope that whatever this is....

This ministry. This Pearl Event. This desire and passion to see women set free of every single thing that would hold them back in life. This force within me that will not let up. This burden that will not allow me to sleep for very long. This heart that feels someone else's pain and cannot shake it.....

Only He could bring something forth from a life that thought it was so over.

So dead.

So worthless.

Only He could take someone everyone else threw away and place a ministry inside what they deemed as garbage.

Glory to His name.

Sometimes (a lot of times) when God extends His hand and begins to prod us and lovingly push us out into what He has called us to do.....it will not make sense.

It most likely will not make any sense.

It does not make sense in my own life, with everything I am walking through right now, to do another Pearl Event.

But God.

He will orchestrate things on our behalf if we are willing and obedient.

There may not be very much support.

I would dare say that there may be hardly any...

It may just be you and Jesus.

But I want to encourage you to push through all of those things.

The things that do not make sense. The lack of support. The friends who may laugh or judge or roll their eyes at whatever IT is that you and the Father are up to...

Do it anyway.

Do it with fear and trembling.

Do it completely alone.  Sell everything you own if you have to. And sometimes you may have to.

Be willing and obedient.

I love that scripture.

IF you are willing AND obedient you will eat the good of the land.

Notice how it does not say ....

If everything is perfect in your life THEN be willing and obedient.

If everyone is for you and lined up to help you THEN be willing and obedient.

If you have 10,000 dollars sitting in your savings account THEN be willing and obedient.

It just simply says this, "If you are willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land." - Isaiah 1:19

I just want to encourage you today. I know every single one of you reading this have God dreams on the inside of you. Things so special, so sacred, so dear to your heart that you may not have ever even shared them with a single person.

You can set fear aside and push forth.

You can fulfill the call that God has on your life.

You can start over again no matter the circumstances.

You can do it alone. Create it alone. Execute it alone.

You do not have to have cheerleaders and people around you who support you.

God will eventually bring the right people at the right time... just begin.

You may get overwhelmed. Or frustrated. Or sad.

Keep going. Don't stop.

Keep trying. You will find your way. You have God guiding you and prompting you.

Stay close to Him and far away from naysayers.

You may have to remove yourself from a group of friends.

That's okay.

You may have to spend a lot of time alone.

That's okay too.

God's purpose and plans and promises will come to pass.

You will walk in life with purpose and destiny......

And He alone will get the glory.

By His immeasurable grace sweet friends....The Pearl Event II is sold out.

No words big enough today.  Thank you for your many prayers......

Countdown

Happy Monday to you all! I am in full swing here with all the planning and organizing and details.

I have prayed and asked for truckloads of more grace to enable me to do all that needs to be done!

There are just under 20 seats left as of this morning so there is still time for you to join us if you want to!

I also wanted to share our Worship Leader with you!

Brittany Nelson will be leading us that day and I am blown away by her willingness to serve.

She is grace in motion and has an incredible voice and a gift to lead others into worship that is just really, really beautiful. I have experienced it myself....

It is my pleasure to introduce you all to Brittany Nelson!

Brittany is a stay-at-home mom to three beautiful blessings and the wife of one amazing and encouraging man. She has been singing for as long as she can remember and has been leading worship for many years. Brittany is also a freelance makeup and hair artist who loves to bring out the God-given beauty in everyone she has the privilege to work with. It is her heart, in worship, to point people to the Father, Who loves them so much that He gave His only Son. She has come to realize that we can truly trust His goodness because He gave us the very best He had: Jesus. Her goals in life are to know more and more the love of God, love her family well, love others through her giftings, and worship with angels.




Can I tell you how grateful I am to God and to these five women?  


No words to describe the depth of it all...


Walking with the Father through the planning of this event has stretched me and encouraged me.


I have clung to Him through this.  I have asked Him about every, single piece of His event...


Everything.


This isn't something out of a box. 


This isn't planned or paid for by a cooperation or a church.


It is truly and only by His grace. It is all Him.


As I shared back in December...... 


These incredible and amazing women "are not professional and perfectly polished speakers"


They are "real women sharing real stories."


It is completely organic. 


God breathed. 


God designed.


God orchestrated. 


It is a living breathing expression of the Father's heart for His daughters.


Grateful me.


There is still time to make plans to attend!


Also if you would like to partner with us by donation, the last day to contribute any amount
is Wednesday, Feb. 29 and still be included in the program.


You can contribute after that date but we are going to print on March 1 and would love to thank our sweet partners in the program.


Here is the link for tickets and donations.
http://thepearlevent-autohome.eventbrite.com/

Thank you to every single one of you who have taken the time to pray for God's blessing on this event. I am beyond grateful to you and just know that your prayers have carried me through a time that I will share about later on.

Glory to His name.
Romans 8:18