Speak Up 2023

Speak Up 2023 was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced!  As I write this it’s almost a month to the day that I got on a plane and headed to Grand Rapids.  I knew I was headed to something “big” and something that God was going to use to change me and perhaps change my life. I was definitely out of my comfort zone and putting my YES out there for God to have His way.

My journey to Speak Up started a mere 5 months beforehand when I had the pleasure of meeting Gene and Carol Kent.  They planted a seed that became deeply rooted in me and that I was letting God take control of.  Everyone in my life knew exactly what I needed to do, except for me! Ok maybe I really did know, but I wasn’t willing to embrace it just yet.  In my mind, it was huge and overwhelming and I was doubting that I would be enough for this adventure.

In the 5 months before, God used so many people and situations to show me what He wanted me to do and He had very clear and direct answers for every question and insecurity I had. One example I must share – I was fighting the enemy’s lies so much that 3 weeks before I still hadn’t bought my plane ticket!  I know – what was I thinking?!  Can I tell you though, when God wants something for you, He doesn’t give up no matter how hard we try to ignore or push it aside.  When I finally released everything and bought that ticket, within 15 minutes, a friend called me and said, “I hope you’ve gotten your ticket, because I want you to know there are a lot of people in your life that believe in you and your ticket is paid for!”  I was completely speechless and only had tears. It’s always so amazing to me when God blesses me in ways that I would never have expected, but that is exactly who He is and how He works!

As I got to the airport very early that morning, I had decided that I was going to fully embrace this experience and be open to walk through any door God was calling me to.  I was well aware that this was uncharted territory for me, but I was even more aware that the One who knew me and loved me more than anyone was walking right beside me.

I absolutely love traveling and have no problem sitting around waiting for flights in an airport! I love to just watch people, talk to strangers and mostly find a little corner, get comfortable and read a good book; something I love to do and that life doesn’t always give me ability to do as frequently as I would like. After an uneventful flight, I landed in Grand Rapids, retrieved my rental car and headed to my hotel.  Full transparency, I love everything about traveling; it’s so exciting to drive something different than normal, pull up to a hotel in a new town and walk right into a perfectly curated living space that will become your “home” for the next few days.  I was happy, content and full of anticipation for what was in store at the conference the next day!

I spent the evening getting to know the area around me, had some dinner and did a little shopping, because we all know that conferences call for snacks! I spent the evening relaxing and pondering all the possibilities that awaited me.  I also had a little bag of cards from dear friends that were labeled for each of my days away.  The one I opened on this first night had this verse: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19 NIV) I was seeing God’s hand in this yet again.

As I arrived at the conference center and parked my car I took a deep breath and just prayed for calmness and stillness to enable to me to submit to whatever God had planned.  I grabbed my tote bag and headed inside!  As I came through the front door I was greeted by smiling faces and even a hug, as we figured out that one of them was the speaker that I had contracted to come to my camp next March for Ladies Retreat! God is so good!  In a place where I could’ve felt completely alone and not knowing anyone this was how God showed me yet again that He had it all under control.  I had another card to open from my friends before I got started, so I found a little table and comfy chair and pulled them out of my bag.  The card for today was about joy.  Once again I was at a loss for words as I scanned the front of the conference booklet that I had just been given.  The title, “The Power of Joy”. You heard correctly…. JOY! God is so good! I continued to get these little winks from God throughout the entire conference!  I’d be writing all day if I shared them all.

The first session left me with one thought that would stick with me throughout the next 3 days.  He was speaking about having complete joy and the biggest roadblock to that being comparison.  There I was again feeling like God is speaking just to me!  One of my biggest insecurities being brought front and center and my Savior, in His gentle way telling me to let it go.  From that moment on I was determined to be confident in who I was and what I was able to do through the grace of God.  By the way, another card from a friend read, “Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do.”  Are you seeing the pattern here?   I certainly was! The God winks, as I like to call them, continued for the whole conference. 

I like to call myself a lifelong learner, maybe because I used to be a teacher but also because I just like to listen and learn from others.  I was not prepared for all the information I received throughout Speak Up.  From general sessions to breakout workshops there was a wealth of information to be had.  I was given so many tools, anecdotes and helpful tips to pursue this lifelong dream of writing. I left with a renewed purpose and confidence in the gifts that God has blessed me with. Most importantly, I was not leaving the same person I was when I arrived.  Every little detail that mapped out at this conference led me to a much deeper and faithful relationship with my Lord and Savior.  Every moment of my experience was one that was ordained by Him.  I will be forever grateful for this experience and look forward to seeing how it is going to be used to further His call on my life. 

Praying for His clear direction always, Praising Him for the many blessings He sees fit to bestow and Pondering what wonderful things come next!