She Speaks: Proverbs 31 Ministry Conference

Friends, I have something special to share with you...

First, let me tell you about a great jewel--the upcoming SheSpeaks Conference hosted by Proverbs 31 Ministries, which is scheduled for June 20-22, 2008 in Concord, NC.

SheSpeaks is a conference for women who are looking to develop their gifts in writing, speaking, or women's ministry. The weekend is filled with training, seminars, and opportunities to meet with other like-minded women as well as those with professional experience in publishing and speaking. This year, they will also have special sessions for bloggers!

There is also a Next Generation track for teen gals, which I highly recommend to all my teen ladies! If you are looking for a place to be encouraged, want to grow in your faith, and would love to learn how to share your story of God's work in your life with others, then get yourselves there this coming June.

Second, Lysa TerKeurst, the founder of P31, is offering a scholarship to SheSpeaks, which you can read about at her blog. Yes, I'm interested in attending, and I am grateful for this opportunity to be considered! I hope you'll read my story to find out why! It is story of learning to do things God's way and being grateful for the mercy He bestows on each one of us....

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"Oh, what a pretty Christmas card," I exclaimed to my friend, Suzy. "Yes," she said, "and you should read what's inside." I had no idea that such a little moment in time would be the opening page to new season of work the Lord intended to do on my heart. As I read the tender words, I knew right away that this was no ordinary gal from North Carolina, happy to be plugging along in Bible study and homeschooling. She was pushing the envelope of trusting God by faith walking -- no, faith stomping -- all for His glory.

As I soaked in the story of a traditional American family in the process of adopting two teenage boys from Liberia, I found myself squirming in my own insecurities and inspired all at the same time. Suzy went on to share with me precious stories about this dear friend of hers, and how she yielded to God's work in her life over many, many years. In that simple conversation, I was introduced to Proverbs 31 ministries and Lysa TerKeurst, and God was beginning to show me that an ordinary gal can do extraordinary things for God when it is on His timetable. I ran home from my visit with Suzy and headed straight to the computer. I wanted to know more about P31 and began my subscription to the magazine asap.

P31 became a valuable source of inspiration over the past two years, as I have been developing as a women's ministry leader, writer, and speaker. All the while, there has been a deadly trio of secret sins lurking in the closet of my heart and growing at an uncontrollable speed: jealousy, discontentment, and the need for approval! I found myself looking at the magazine and reading the bios before the articles. Each time my excuse was that I just wanted to see what other writer's lives were like. On the other hand, I was searching for examples, wondering, "Hmm. Maybe I can be like that woman and do my work her way?" Slowly, ministry become about me instead of being about the Lord, serving Him His way! And the dream to attend SheSpeaks became about my own ministry milestone, instead of going in humble service to the Lord.

It was an ugly moment, last June, when I came to terms with reality of my own sin, which (not coincidentally) happened while reading Lysa's book, "What Happens When Women Walk in Faith." As I responded to the Lord by confessing and repenting from my deadly trio, He freed me from exactly what was hindering the work He had prepared for me to do. Even so, my sin-trio didn't just disappear! It requires continued humility before the Lord and determination to give Him free access to my heart. Every time I find myself skimming an article just to get to the bio, it is a reminder to pray, "Lord, have mercy on me...." With that confession comes relief and refocus on the Lord's work, instead of mine.

God has not only shaped my character over the past seven months, but He has also filled my life with many wonderful opportunities to serve Him. I'm continually surprised by how much He is doing, and how much I am not! While I'm busy fretting over whether I should write a book, He's been busy writing it for me. If I dwell on whether I should speak, He reminds me that He's the one that has lined up six speaking engagements between now and May. Just when I question whether I should be involved with teenagers, He brought tender young ladies knocking on my door for mentoring. If I labor over whether I am qualified to teach mothers, He answers "yes" by plopping a mom's group right in my lap, giving me all the words to minister to their hungry hearts. And when I struggle over being in this season of motherhood, I am keenly aware that it is exactly this experience that He is using to sharpen and refine me for His purpose.

As Henry Blackaby explains in Experiencing God, "God invites you to become involved in His work." This work is all around me: my family, friends, moms, teens! Sometimes I feel like a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. But the truth is that I'll never be the master, God is. He is the one that, "...works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Philippians 2:13). It isn't up to us to figure out our ministries! All we need to do is say "yes" to the work He has put right before us! It won't look like someone else's, ever. It will be uniquely fit by God for His glory. If we let jealously, discontentment, and the need for approval get in the way, we'll miss out on the great blessing of walking alongside God in His plan for our lives.

I've come to the conclusion that ministry is shoulder-to-shoulder work. Chances are that there is always someone standing right beside me that I'm called to love, as Jesus has loved me. That is my work, even if it never makes it into a bio and if I never become a world-traveled speaker and writer. I'm written into the Lamb's Book of Life and that is enough for me!

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So, why am I taking the time to write a post about this conference with hopes that I may win a scholarship to attend SheSpeaks? Because it is finally not about me. It is about a group of teen girls that I'm just nuts about. In the 10 years that I've worked with teens, I've never seen young women hungrier for God's truth--even those that don't know Jesus. The ones that love the Lord truly want to learn how to lead their peers in a Godly way. Next Generation would be a fantastic way to give them the training and encouragement they need!

I would love to chaperon a group of teen gals to the Next Generation track. I would also treasure the training and the opportunity to meet with publishers about a manuscript proposal I am working on for a teen devotional--something they have asked me to write. Yet, I can't afford to go to SheSpeaks without scholarship. This is the MAIN reason I want to win this scholarship--for their sake and God's glory!

This next generation really does need our personal investment, and I am thankful that God has uniquely positioned me at a place where I can do just that!

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Thank you, Lysa and your team, for giving me the opportunity to share my story and for considering my reason for wanting to attend SheSpeaks. I am confident you will be vessels pouring forth God's choice to whomever that gal happens to be. P31 ministry continues to be a blessing and encouragement to me over and over again, and if nothing else, I'm glad to spread the word to my readers and give God the glory for the work He is doing in my life!

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Click here to learn more about the SheSpeaks Conference and
Click here to learn about the scholarship being offered at Lysa TerKeurst's Blog