Women of Faith

I had intended to write two weeks ago about my trip to Women of Faith in Minneapolis, but alas, my intentions went unfulfilled. I blame this completely on our computerless Sundays rule, cuz you know it couldn't possibly be my fault!

On October 16 and 17 I joined 11 other wonderful ladies and about 7000 strangers, who I'm sure were wonderful, too, for the Women of Faith Conference. Our group was a string of family members (and one unrelated friend) who were mostly not related to each other, but were all close family to someone else in the group.

My mom, sister and I originally decided to attend the conference in Minneapolis because it was the easiest/cheapest event all three of us could get to. And then the inviting began. Kris invited her mother-in-law and sister-in-law and a friend. I invited my mother-in-law (neither of my sisters-in-law were able to come). My mother-in-law's sister also came with her daughter and daughter-in-law. My mother-in-law's sister-in-law along with her daughter-in-law also joined us. It was one big mother-sister-daughter-in-law party! I was blessed to be related to the most people there.

The conference was great. We sang along with Nicole C. Mullen; we laughed with Anita Renfroe; we cried with Steven Curtis Chapman. And it was so much fun to listen to the "regulars" share their stories and their hearts.

But as fabulous as the conference was, the most memorable and enjoyable parts for me were with my family. The first night I roomed with three of my cousins-in-law, and we laughed and laughed and laughed. The second night my mom, sister and my sister's sister-in-law stayed up into the wee hours playing games and, again, laughing ceaselessly.

Six of us stayed through Sunday and had a little bit of free time to spend together. My mom, mom-in-law, sister, and sister's mom-in-law and sis-in-law and I got a walking tour of downtown Minneapolis (we did finally find that bus stop... about a block from where we started!) and visited the Mall of America. And what do you think these six ladies did there? Why, we visited Legoland and rode a roller coaster of course! Okay, actually just four of us rode the roller coaster -- somebody had to hold our purses!

Although we all came out of the weekend rather sleep-deprived, it was worth every sacrificed wink of sleep (and those of you who know how I love my sleep know that's saying something!). I know I am blessed to be connected to each of these women -- this remarkable family God has blessed me with.

James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights..." I know this weekend and this family are some of God's very good and perfect gifts!