Prayer for nothing ...

Just sending out a real quick prayer request to those who have been following and praying for us. Tomorrow, I'm following through on a fleece I put out before God a few months ago. An opportunity came up to attend a conference where I could investigate and possibly pursue a speaking and writing ministry. The ability to go was blocked by other commitments I already had on my calendar, but over time, God closed those other doors and has seemingly opened this one, including providing the money to attend. So in keeping with 'my part of the deal', I'm taking door #3!! At this conference, I will get to meet with and talk to women who are already in speaking and writing ministries, as well as some 600 other gals who are like me and also feeling called to join them. I will also get a chance to be 'evaluated' as a speaker, which is both exciting and terrifying.

Even though so many have encouraged me to pursue this path, I want to be sure that God is in it and it's not just about me going after one more thing to fill or fix anything inside me. God has shown me that nothing outside of Him can fill those needs and I'm just no longer interested in pursuing anything else. One of the talks God has had me prepare to share for this conference is based on the Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." My second talk is based on Genesis 1:1 and the reality of our nothingness before Him. Here's an excerpt from that teaching:

"Nothing is precisely what God wants from us. Until we realize our 'nothingness', we can never come face-to-face with Him, who hovers near and broods over us with anticipation. God is a Creator by nature; He brings order out of chaos, life out of death, light into darkness and greatness out of nothing. It is our formless, dark, empty, chaotic nothingness that allows us to draw near to the ever expansive love of Jesus, where He becomes our everything. We bring Him our nothingness and He exchanges it for His everything ... that's a pretty good deal! How great is our God!"

I don't believe it's a coincidence that He has had me practicing these concepts over and over this week in preparation for these teachings. This afternoon when I got home from a couple errands, there was a car parked in front of my house that had one bumper sticker on the window and it said 'Nothing is Everything' ... Isn't God funny!! Just in case I was thinking of tweaking anything last minute, He wanted to make sure that I've got this truth IN MY HEAD and my heart!! For it is only with my 'nothing' can He truly use me in His pursuit of His beloved.

I would appreciate your prayers for travel, as well as over the whole weekend, especially over my need to 'perform', rather than be who God wants me to be and say what God wants me to say. I know who I am without Him and it will take WAY more of Him than me to make this work.

I'm attending along with my Sis-in-Law (Shelley R) who is going to be participating in the 'writer's track' to also pursue what God has put on her heart. We leave tomorrow (Thurs). My evaluations are Friday and Saturday evening (not sure when Shelley's meetings are), and then we return late Sunday. I will keep you posted with how things go and, God willing, will have much to share with you from the refreshing, Spirit filled weekend!!

In Christ alone,
Jill




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