Ponderings....
So, a few weeks back I was spending some quiet time...reading blogs...praying....thinking...and came across a conference that is being held in Minneapolis in a few weeks. Do you remember a few weeks back when I shared the book Overcoming the Nevers by Teri Johnson? (Her website is Keeping It Personal .) Well, Teri is the coordinator of the a conference called the Refine Conference. Have you ever read something and felt little butterflies in your tummy? Well, when I first read about the Refine conference, I could hardly contain the butterflies. (I was so excited, I was sure I was going to fly off the couch.) Should I be embarrassed to admit that I can recite the program, speakers and break out sessions? After my initial excitement, reality settled in...as much as I wanted to go to the conference, timing and budget constraints were two big hurdles. So...I thought to myself, "just because it doesn't appear you will be able to attend, it looks like a wonderful opportunity and I started to share the information with friends and on my facebook." And, I subscribed to Teri's blog....Soon I found myself thinking "Seriously....only God"...
The first post update I received was written by Carey Scott from Carey Scott Talks. I absolutely love Carey and have been following her blog for some time. How cool that the first blog post I read from Keeping it Personal was an author that I have read many times.
The next day the post was from Elizabeth Hagen. Elizabeth is a nationally recognized business coach, professional speaker, organization expert, and author. Since Elizabeth resides in my local area, I have also been a follower of her blog. How exciting to see she was a guest blogger for Keeping it Personal.
Every day I anticipated reading the blog posts from Keeping It Personal...these women were speaking just the words I needed to hear. Shortly, there after, when lunching with a good friend, I mentioned this conference to her...thinking it might be of interest to her. I sent her the website.
After the neck pain started to increase, I put all thoughts of attending this conference in the back corner. Then....last week, I found out that the plans I had for the weekend of this conference were cancelled. This week, through therapy (and prayers) the neck pain is decreasing....and last evening, my friend called and asked if I was still interested in attending the Refine conference??
The REFINE Woman's Conference -- Sept. 21 and 22, 2012, DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington Minneapolis South -- Come as you are, take your next step with purpose.
Description: WOMEN --> YOU are invited to COME as you are! Join us as we keep it
personal with ourselves, others, and God seeking to REFINE our lives
emotionally, spiritually, financially, professionally, in health and
wellness, and in relationship.
...
Our desire for you is to walk away from these two days feeling renewed and encouraged.
Our goal is that your heart will be fulfilled, your mind inspired, and your soul nurtured no matter where you might be on life's journey to... take
YOUR next steps with purpose.
Overcome. REFINE. Become.
If I could have ever designed a conference for survivors, it would be one just like this. Just look at these break out sessions:
Financial
Emotional
Health/ Wellness
Professional
Spiritual
Relational
Recently I read these words in the book To Be Told by Dan Allender.
One wise person said anonymously, "Adversity introduces us to ourselves." And adversity comes in too many forms to number. It is the diagnosis of cancer that throws us face to face with mortality. Seeing the real possibility of death creates a newness and drama and calls most people to rewrite the story they previously had assumed was the dominant plot of their life. The introduction to ourselves can also come in the upheaval of unwanted change--tragedy that disrupts the status quo and compels attention, focus, engagement, and choice. This change drives us to write what we really want to say, because we have only a few blank pages left and little ink in our pen.
Tonight finds me pondering...and writing this blog...praying...listening (and nibbling on this special treat from Jema....which just so happens to be in desk drawer for emergency pondering sessions...)
Tonight is the last night to register and receive the discount....still pondering...to be continued....
Question: When faced with opportunities like conferences, how do you decide which ones to attend?
