Women of Faith “Over the Top” Wrap-Up: I’m a Slow Learner
December 4, 2011
So I was all fired up and ready to write after the Kansas City Women of Faith “Over the Top” conference – I spent the four-hour drive home crafting this brilliant, inspirational blog post I would unleash as soon as I got home. It would be so good, the Women of Faith people would hire me on the spot to write for them (what, I don’t know, but go with me – it was a fun dream), and a literary agent would come banging on my door begging me to drop everything else I was doing and write that novel…and by the way, here’s a nice fat advance on that novel so you can drop everything and write. (The concept of “go big or go home” obviously extends well into my fantasy life.)
And then I walked through my front door…and the Muhammad Ali of reality knockouts hit me square in the face.
Because there was an eight-year-old complaining that her six-year-old sister was bugging her by singing Justin Bieber at the top of her lungs all day long. And there was a six-year-old punching her sister because said sister was saying her singing stank like goat cheese. And there was a ten-month-old baby boy – having already mastered the art of dodging the foot stomping that accompanied the complaints and punching – trailing a roll of toilet paper behind him as he made it halfway up the stairs before anyone noticed he was teetering on the edge of yet another goose egg on his head. And there was a husband who’d held it all together beautifully for the entire weekend but now wanted a very well deserved break. Now. Right now.
And that was all before I got out of the foyer.
Over the next month, we had cheer competitions and dance conventions and birthday parties and Thanksgiving school parties and field trips and an actual Thanksgiving and an endless pile of laundry and piles of work and a disrespectful client and other nice but needy clients and running…and more running…and more running.
And I look up and it’s December. And I once again feel the sting of failure. Of imperfection. Of not being enough.
And then I remember what Sandi Patti said at Women of Faith: “There is not enough of me to go around. We’re always telling ourselves we’re not enough. Ladies, God is enough.”
And then I remember more of what God was trying to beat into my head tell me through all the amazing speakers and performers at Women of Faith. I remember Andy Andrews reminding us that, if we’re still breathing, it means God’s purpose for your life hasn’t been fulfilled. There’s more love and laughter to enjoy, so go enjoy it. I remember Deborah Joy Winans showing us so vividly through Jesus’ example that we should “drop our rocks” because throwing those nasty verbal “rocks” at ourselves or others doesn’t get rid of sin. Trade your rocks for grace – God has.
I remember Lisa Whelchel (O/T: seriously, how does she look the same as she did 20 years ago?!) sharing what she’s learned about friendship and the value of imperfect friends who’ll give you grace because they’ve experienced it in their own messy lives. I remember Patsy Clairmont telling us three words to focus on every morning: “Yes. Thank You. No.” “Yes” and “Thank you” to God and “No” to those who have plans for your life that drain you and take you away from what God wants for you. And I remember Mandisa, Sandi Patti and Amy Grant lifting up their heavenly voices to praise Him and leading us all to the mountaintop.
And I remember why God sent me to Women of Faith – to remind me that He is with me always. He is the still, small voice comforting me, offering me solutions, taking care of all my needs, disciplining me when I invariably screw up, and giving me the grace that I desperately need and yet find so hard to give myself. I can’t wait to go to another Women of Faith conference and get that kind of reinforcement and guidance from imperfect but blessed women again.
God sent me there to remind you of this as well….or to tell you about it if you’re hearing it for the first time. He is real, He is faithful, and He is ready to give you the peace and love and grace you desire. When I get out of my own way and surrender to God’s desires for my life, I am blessed in ways beyond my imagination. I hope you have that intimate, personal relationship with Him as well. If you don’t, and you want it, let’s talk. All it takes is for you to put down your rocks, open your heart and know – truly know – that God is enough.