Wow! Wow, is all that my heart knows to say after the amazing experience that I had last week at the Pursuit 31 Photography Conference at the Winshape Retreat Center in Georgia. Stephen and I had the incredible privilege to lead worship every evening at the conference and hearing the voices of the 100 women crying out to God every night impacted my life in a way that I will never exactly know how to describe!
In December 2011 I took a major step of faith (at least in my eyes) and contacted Karen about Stephen and I leading the worship at the conference, not knowing what she would say....if she would laugh at me and never return my message, but lo and behold she got back to me and said YES! She didn't know it at the time, but that "yes," her willingness to take a chance on a young woman like me, changed my life forever.
Fast forward to Sunday night last week, the night before the conference was supposed to start and I send a text to my mom that says,"pray, I feel like the enemy is attacking my confidence!" My mom texted me back and said,"rely on the strength of His might." Every night at the conference anytime I was feeling nervous as I looked out at the expectant faces of 100 women or anytime I felt the strength of my voice lagging, I would say to myself,"rely on His might, rely on His might," and I have to be honest and say that relying on God's strength didn't fail me for even one second last week!
I told Karen in a letter I wrote her at the end of the conference that I went to the conference hoping that maybe through worship some of the women attending would be blessed, but I walked away from the conference feeling like the most blessed person ever!!! I know now that I can rely on God's might for my day to day life and that He will NEVER ever fail me. I know now that sometimes it is ok to be vulnerable in front of others because they are most likely feeling vulnerable too. I know now that sometimes stepping out in faith, not knowing exactly how things may turn out, is exactly what God wants us to do and when we do step out in faith, He will always be there backing us.
Isaiah 40:27-31 says,"Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying,"God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me?" Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening? God doesn't come and go. God lasts. He's Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles. They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind!
(instagram photo taken by: Chelsea Ciccotelli Tademy)
