Change in Northern California

Ever experience something so monumental, you can't seem to process it? Has it ever happened that after such a monumental event, more monumental little things keep happening until you can't process anything at all? That's how I feel right now and I have no idea how to write this blog post.

I guess I should start by explaining why I was in Northern California this weekend. My husband, a select group of our youth group, plus a close friend who is pretty much responsible for the whole trip, and I traveled 11 hours to San Jose solely to attend the Transformed Conference put on by Living Waters.

Confession: I was more excited about traveling some place new and having a slightly better chance than usual of meeting Kirk Cameron. I was more excited about hanging out with Sarah, one of my best friends, and going thrift shopping* with her. I was more excited about taking photos and enjoying the cool breeze and being close to the Golden Gate bridge and exploring. I was even more excited about my outfits. This is all painful to confess.

Even when we arrived at the venue and took our seats, I was more excited about everything but the word of God. I hadn't really traveled 11 hours to hear brilliant men of God preach and learn from them. I had traveled for the sake of traveling.

All I'll say for now is that by the end of the first session, my whole outlook had changed. I felt conviction and by God's grace and strength was able to humble myself and change on the spot pretty quickly. Somehow, my typically stubborn pride let go easily enough and I was able to submit to God as I should have from the beginning. I know he's the one who deserves all the honor and glory for it because every time I've tried to overcome my pride alone, I've failed horribly.

From that moment until this one, God's been teaching me through his word preached by faithful men like I hadn't experienced in some time. I'd like to share it all with you, but its so much and covers so many topics that we'll have to spread it out over the next few weeks. The upcoming journal entries will be on evangelism, modesty, decisions, and ministry. I hope you'll come back and stick around so I can share all this with you.

*Our little thrifting excursion ended up making the whole group late to the conference and I still feel terrible about it. Sorry, guys. Sarah and I will find a way to make it up to you.