What I Learned At The Relevant Conference 2010

It is hard for me to tap on the keyboard this morning. I am sitting in a hotel room and the Relevant Blogging Conference has just come to an end. I am very short on sleep as the company of other bloggers is too good to sleep through! And I'm trying to process all that God is doing in my heart.

I am not sure I am ready to let those emotions flow out through my finger tips quite yet but I do sit here a changed woman...

I have never come to my keyboard with such awe of God. As Ann Voskamp from "A Holy Experience" says, my keyboard is sacred. It is an altar where I come and lay down my life and offer up my blog posts as a sacrifice to God. Women Living Well is my gift to God.

Above is Ann the writer of A Holy Experience and I together.

Then there was Sally Clarkson. She very patiently listened to me as I shared my "blogging" struggles over chicken and pasta. She wisely questioned me in areas that needed challenged. She very lovingly shared her story with me and through her stories I found answers to questions I've carried with me for a very very long time.

She said "Our insecurities make us vulnerable."

"My husband and children are going to be the book that people read."


"Every season gets more full."


"Social media is a fickle boyfriend - he'll love you today and hate you tomorrow."


"Just because it's challenging doesn't mean it's the wrong thing."


"If it's God's will for me to write less, then it's God's will for my readers to read less."


"When women are alone they become a target. With each other, we will maintain our ideals."


"You can't give away what you don't possess in your heart. We must maintain a full heart."

Above is a picture of me with Sally Clarkson and my partner Angela over at GoodMorningGirls.org Tears come quickly to my eyes when I look at the sweet face of my dear friend Angela of 20 years. I do not deserve such an amazing gift of her friendship. This girl stood in my shadow all weekend long serving me. She was there holding my books, taking my picture with women, lifting me up in prayer, and listening to me chatter on, always with a smile. Her words of assurance calmed me when my nerves were running high before speaking. She was Jesus in the flesh to me and I am humbled that God would bless me with such a gift - she truly lives up to her name - she is an Angel.

And finally, we come to Sarah Mae (pictured above)...my on-line friend! She was my first blogging friend that I spoke to on the phone. She has popped out of the computer and come to real life and with her amazing vision and compassion for bloggers she (along with Dana and Jessica - who I adore by the way!) created the Relevant Blogging Conference.

This conference was not about increasing traffic to our blogs, or becoming number 1 in our niche - it was about being faithful to come to the keyboard with an offering to God. Ultimately, my calling is not to be a blogger, but to be a servant to God.

And so as I continue to ponder and treasure what God has taught me this week, I say to you my dear reader, I love you so much. Thank you for opening your hearts and your stories to me. It is not always easy to Walk with the King! As one blogger shared, sometimes our walk feels more like a hike! And so as we hike along this journey of life, I pray for you that you would not feel isolated in your love for God, your husband, your children and your home. But that you would find a warm place here where we can sit down together over the sacred keyboard and be filled up. And when our hearts are full we can overflow in obedience to God in our lives.

Walk with the King!