Leaving on a jet plane…

Well not really a jet plane but I am leaving today in a car.

With my sis-in-law.

To Dallas.

For Hope Spoken.

After a more than a year now of praying and planning….it's finally here.

I'm waiting for Heather to swing by and pick me up this very moment.

Eeeeep!

I spent this morning reading over my notes and praying for everyone who will be there…especially the ladies who will end up in my small group. I can't wait to finally see there beautiful faces and hear their stories….whoever they are. 

I aint gonna lie. I've been nervous.

This month has been glorious having so much time with our grandkids with a major wedding that I helped with thrown in there too.  I'm was feeling frazzled. Running on empty.

Thinking….the poor ladies who end up with me are gonna get gipped.  I feel so unprepared.

Then last night my sweet church family gathered around me and prayed over me and for all the ladies who will be there. A sweet peace filled my heart and replaced all the anxiety.

Then later as Nick taught, he shared this verse ….

"If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

He cannot deny Himself"

2 Timothy 2:13

Praise God that it's not about me and my performance.

It's all about Him and His faithfulness. 

I know He will use me this weekend in spite of me…. a wretched, broken sinner.

His grace is amazing. Can't wait to see what He pours into my heart.

Can't wait to meet so many other sisters in Christ.

Can't wait to see some of my dearest friends and just fix my eyes on them.

Can't wait for God to do His thing.

If you think about it at all this weekend, please pray for us.

For transformed lives and that we leave Dallas more like Jesus.

 

Hope Spoken {link up}

5 things for HopeSpoken:

- post your picture so that we can recognize you.

- introduce yourself!

- something that you are little timid or nervous about for the weekend

- something that you are hoping to take away from HopeSpoken

- share something fun/random about yourself

1. My mug..

2. Intros..
Hi Y'all.  I'm Stephanie.  I'm gonna be one of the small group leaders at Hope Spoken and I can't wait to meet all of you!  I just celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary with my man.  We were high school sweethearts and I'm still crazy in love with him...even more so. Definitely more so.   We have three grown daughters who are all married to great guys who we love and adore and are so thankful for.  I have three grand kids who call me Honey and a grand dog named Henry. (Grand kids rock by the way...all the hype is true. Every bit of it.)   I'm a pastor's wife which is another fave of mine and we are having a ball serving the Lord in this new season we have just embarked on. The empty nest is not at all the dreaded place of loneliness I had imagined it would be when my girls were small. Through God's grace, it is fun and exciting and full of possibilities.  I love this chapter of our story He is writing.  I cannot wait to hear YOURS!

3.What's making me nervous about the weekend
Of course, the unknown always makes me nervous. And the possibility of me saying something really stupid or embarrassing is always on top of the list. But I am definitely more excited than nervous about the entire event.  I know how much prayer has gone up for this weekend and I have a holy expectation of God showing out big time. I'm just so blessed I get to be a part of it.

4. What I want to take away
  So many of you I have grown to love through social media (craziness) and I am tickled to finally hug your neck and hear your voice in person.  Eeep!...So the new friendships is one thing I'm anticipating!   I'm beyond excited about serving along side some of my besties and getting to experience this with them.  But I mostly want the Lord to speak to my heart and give me a deeper passion for His people. The exciting thing is how He will do it... will it be through our small group sessions as we dig into the word together?  Will it be through one of the speakers as they share their stories of faith?  Will it be in a one on one conversation that I have with one of you?  I don't know. Probably all of the above...but I'm going with an expectation that He wants to do something new in my heart and I want to let Him.

5. Fun Fact
I've never flown on an airplane. I'm dying to..just haven't had a chance yet. (I'm thinking 2014 is the year)  I could eat popcorn everyday of my life.  I'm a southern girl who doesn't like sweet tea. My  mom and daughters are my best friends...that's not just sweet talk...they really are.  I've recently changed  my lifestyle when it comes to my health and I started running..well jogging really.  Consequently, I've lost 35 lbs and feel better now than I did in my 20s.  Shazamm.

Can't wait to meet y'all!!

ps. the conference  has sold out but they are trying diligently to make some more 

tickets available. So make sure you snag one when they do if you missed out the first time. 

Guest Posting // Hope Spoken // Jumping

I'm hanging out with my dear friend, Melissa, today.  Well not in person.  I wish.  But I am hanging out over at her blog,  The Lovely Words.   The Lord intertwined our hearts last Fall when I was blessed to spend several days crafting in the mountains with several other amazing ladies.  She has such a way with words.  If you don't follow her blog you really should. Her heart and the way she expresses it will bless you.  She invited me to share a few thoughts on motherhood and you can read about that here.

And on another note....

Y'all remember me sharing about Hope Spoken right?  This incredible women's conference that is coming up in March 2014.  I have the honor of being one of the small group leaders.  You can read about that here. 

 Danielle, Casey and Emily are doing an amazing job pulling this God thing together.  Y'all don't forget to pray for them.

When I look at the group of ladies that I am in company with, I am so humbled.  I mean really.

Goodness gracious..I simply cannot wait.

Ashley Ann Campbell | Jamie Ivey | Shannan Martin | Carina Schoen | Sarah Lowe

Jami Nato | Stephanie Holden | Hannah Singer | Kaylee Stevie

Ashley Howry | Emily Anderson | Lesley Zellers | Jess McClenahan | Leslie Padgett

Jami Meredith | Aly Allen | Wynne Elder | Mandy Castro | Laura Caddell 

I hope I will get to see y'all there.

Purchase your tickets here!

But something funny before I leave... 

You see that little pic of me?  Well when Danielle emailed us that she needed a picture of us for this post, I asked Elizabeth if she would take a few pictures when we were there visiting about a month ago.  I wanted a more recent one since my hair is no longer super blonde.  Anyway, she did a little photo shoot of me and her daddy.  I have sprinkled a few of the pictures in some of my recent posts.  But of course the out take pics are the funniest so I thought I'd share our family favorite with you.  I mean y'all are like family anyways....

I texted this to my girls immediately when I uploaded them and they laughed for hours.

The other day  Lydia texted me back adding the name.

She is still laughing over that one.

This is what I've been hiding under those tunics....

And no. Don't get all excited...that ain't a baby you're looking at.

It did give me a good giggle.....
and then it spurred me on to get fit. 

And I am happy to say that a month later from when this was taken, I am already down one size in my pants!  
So that big belly is shrinking.  Whoop Whoop!

KaHoney means biznez!

Happy Monday Y'all!

                                                                                              

For some more random goodness, check out my friend Carissa's link up here.

Hope Spoken

I can't tell you how excited I am to share this with y'all!  It's something big that God is  doing in the lives of several women who are have stepped out in obedience and are being brave for Him.   I'm humbled they have asked me to be a part of this journey with them and  

 I would love for it to be part of your journey too.

H O P E  S P O K E N  2 0 1 4

March 28-30, 2014 in Dallas, Texas 

Hope Spoken is a women's conference where we all can come to know Jesus more, and make Him known in our lives. Our conference will be filled with stories. Stories of Christ in each of our lives, and how we can use these stories for His glory. This is a weekend to rest and feel His love, to lay burdens and hurts down and feel His grace. We want to let women know that they are enough, to encourage women to use their passions, their words, and their creativity for the Lord. We, above all else, want to glorify Jesus' name and share the hope we have in Him.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. // Romans 5:1-5

    C A S E Y   |   D A N I E L L E   |    E M I L Y

YOU ARE LIVING YOUR STORY.

Click {here} to go to the website and get all the scoop on everything you need to know...
the amazing speakers, worship leaders, dates, mission statement and all that good stuff.

Are you wondering what I'll be up to at this amazing event?
Well...there are going to be several different small group times throughout the weekend at Hope Spoken. Attendees will be meeting in assigned groups of 10-15 women each, led by different women who will be small group leaders. We will be working through a small devotional book that is written specifically for our conference.

Eeeep!  I'm gonna be one of those small group leaders!  I'm gonna get to spend some one on one time with y'all as we grow in the Lord together, dig in His word and share our stories! I can't wait to finally meet some of you in person!  I'm so humbled to be a part of this amazing event and look forward to discovering the awesome things God is at work doing in all of our lives.


Tickets go on sale tomorrow  tonight!
There is a special package for the first 20 tickets sold!

click on over to the hope spoken page and also follow along at these places too...

facebook // twitter // instagram

I  hope I see you there!
I can't wait to hear your story.