One year, that is how long it has been since I began this adventure of blogging. One year of learning social media, one year of meeting new and amazing women like Susan, one year of praying for the family and safety of whose blog owners I now call friends.
Spending time with these new friends at the Allume conference last week recharge me, and set me heart on fire to pray and write with these amazing women even more. We share tips and tricks for creating a better blog, we ooooh and aaaaah and text as we listen to the speakers teach and inspire us. And, looking at your phone while someone is talking is socially acceptable here!
One woman tells how she found a subject that increased her hits tremendously and now she is getting 12,000 hits a month. I laugh because I get about that many each year! But it is all right, I love that I don’t feel jealous (because any other time I would be a green eyed monster – Just keeping it real); I love my blog and the women I am privileged to talk with each week…but 12,000 a month! WOW, can you imagine?
Our grand finale speaker was Ann Voskamp. The message from the Lord through her never ceases to amaze me, to touch my heart, and move me.
The moon waxing above as Ann talked about the woman caught in the act of adultery, being dragged into the street, possibly grabbing at clothing, trying to cover her nakedness – her sin.
Ann continues, Then Jesus, writes with a naked finger in the dirt, the dirt from which we were created, we were created naked and unashamed. The Words that were written are unknown to us to this day, but to those standing near– a message loud and clear.
Jesus never pinned any words on parchment, or paper, or typed on a screen and broadcast to the world, – Ann reminds us.
He writes on the hearts of his people, we are the stories of Christ, he writes his words on us, in us, and to the world in which we live.
I don’t remember her exact quotes, and that is why I have not put them in quotation marks, because I am not sure I have not quoted it perfectly, but the message is written perfectly in my heart, in bold type, forever.
There was an after party when Ann finished speaking, where we could eat cupcakes and have a picture with Ann. This was something I was looking forward to. But, when the time came to go, I felt the Lord tugging at my heart to return to my room and spend time with Him.
I was obedient. Not crazy about missing a photo op with Ann, but when the Lord tugs at your heart it is unmistakable. Let me just say, I’m so glad I obeyed.
Let’s all remember, that we are the ground on which Jesus writes. He writes on our hearts, and we carry His word with us wherever we go.
And He looks for the ones to whom the story will be told, by the ones trusted with the Words.
Linking today with A Holy Experience, Graceful, and The Wellspring, On Your Heart Tuesday.
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Diane,
Nice to meet you. I’m hopping over from Ann’s link up. It sounds like the Allume conference was a wonderful, refreshing, informative time! I haven’t gone yet, but hope to some day. I was inspired and taught at She Speaks, another great conference, and heard Ann speak there. She is wonderful, and loves Jesus. 🙂
Nice to meet you. 🙂
Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Hey jennifer, I found your comment, It went into the Spam for some reason! Thank you for commenting! Have a great week
I have never thought of Jesus writing on my heart. What a wonderful image. Thank you for sharing your realness.
Hello Dionne, thank you for coming by. I wish they were my original words, but they are thoughts and words given by God, spoken by Ann, and I have the honor of quoting them both.
I’ve thought about “writing in the dirt” since you told me about that, and I’m glad you were obedient to get with the Lord after Ann’s message. What a powerful word that was, and I’m excited to see how God will use it in your ministry. I’m so grateful that He brought us together as bloggy friends AND as RL friends!!
Love you!!
I’m so grateful for you, too! L