This past weekend Bill and I went to the Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA. This is an event for college students and draws over 20,000 participants. We went with Matt Tipton and met a group of young adults from New Orleans. I was so excited about this event! It had speakers like Beth Moore, Francis Chan and John Piper just to name a few!

We had a great time at the conference and enjoyed every aspect of it. They had an area devoted to several social justice organizations and it was amazing how much money the students (their parents) donated during the course of the weekend. With a matching gift over 1 million dollars were raised to help the poor and oppressed all over the world.

We had the privilege to attend a break out session led by John Piper and the “topic” was reaching unreached people groups. But in general it was about reaching people for Christ who have not heard the truth or are hard to reach. One thing in particular really stuck out in the session to Bill and me.  It was the fact that Paul really longed to be in Rome but he was not able to be there because God had called him to do other work and that work was not yet finished. And that is exactly how we feel some day. We long to be in Chattanooga with our families or we long to be in New York City because we love it so much but we can’t do those things – yet. We must do what God has called us to do which is move to New Orleans. Maybe someday God will allow us to do these things that our hearts desire and long for. Paul did eventually get to go to Rome (of course it was as a prisoner – but still he went!)

One of my prayers recently has been that God would continually reenforce to me His calling for us to move. And the session with John Piper did just that. We also had a great time getting to know the New Orleans folks – it will be nice to know a few people when we get there!

Please read the post before you condemn me for being sacreligious or blasphemous!

Last weekend we had Disciple Now for the middle school, high school and college students at ClearView. It was a great weekend for everyone involved. Bill worked on the technical side of things and I helped with registration and coordinated the lunch on Saturday. It reminded me of how much I LOVED working at the church. When Matt asked if I would be interested in working again for 15-20 hours a week – I said yes!

Over the past couple of days I have been trying to figure out what to do with Will while I was at work. There were several options to consider. Contemplating the decision and trying to figure out what was best for Will took its toll on me. I did not sleep at all on Monday night. I was literally up all night with a restless spirit. On Tuesday, everytime I started to make a phone call or write an email to a “babysitter” I couldn’t do it. I started 3 emails, picked up the phone 10 times. I cried all day trying to decide what to do.I cried thinking about leaving Will with someone who wouldn’t love him as much as I do.

Then in a soft still voice the Holy Spirit said to me – “This is not what I have called you to do at this time.” He kept saying to me over and over- I have called you to be at home and be the best mom that you can be. If I started thinking about the options agian He would say to me – Stop trying to do what you want to do, do what I am calling you to do!”

It is an amazing experience to hear that directly from the Lord. I would say that more times than not I am not open to hearing from the Holy Spirit so I miss what is best for me and what the Lord is calling me to do. I pray that I always have a “soft heart” and a longing to do what the Lord wants me to do instead of what I want to do.

Incidentally, this week in the Esther Bible study we studied about our destiny.What God is calling each of us to do. At this season of my life I strive to be happy, content and awesome at what God is calling me to do. “Who knows?” God knows!

Esther 4:14b “Who knows, perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

Esther 4:14b