Deeper Still...

I'm back from Deeper Still in Atlanta. What an amazing weekend!  I've been trying to think of what I could write that could begin to describe it - and I'm really at a loss for words (Brad, I'm sure, finds that hard to believe :) I'm going to give it a shot - so read ahead if you'd like to read a little of what I learned.

After a little shopping (Archivers is the BEST scrapbooking store I've seen in a long time - why can't we have one here??  And IKEA - wow. wow. wow.) we headed to the hotel and then to the conference. There was drama at the hotel - rooms not ready, they ran out of double rooms, rudeness, etc.  Just suffice it to say that we were stressed a bit before we got there.  We ended up sitting in the 3rd tier of seats - concourse 31 to be exact.  We were higher than we wanted to be, but with 19,000 women, it was best to move away from the crowd and get 12 seats all together.  The moment that the praise and worship music started all of those things just melted away and He showed up. God in the Philips Arena... awesome.

I wish that I had a CD of all of the music that we sang this weekend. I've been searching the internet to see if I can find Travis Cottrell and the Living Proof Ministries Praise team. No luck yet, but I'm going to go to Lifeway tomorrow and check for sure. Awesome.

Priscilla Shirer gave the first talk, which focused on Exodus 19. She talked about how God places us in the desert on purpose so that we can fully experience Him. It is hard to think about God choosing the desert for us, but He does.  There are things that happen in the desert that allow us to see and hear Him like we never could elsewhere - when we are on our backs, there is no where to look but up - to Him.

She talked about the Isrealites and the path that they took to get to the Promised Land. It wasn't the quickest or easiest path. God chose the hard way for them. And they didn't hurry. They rested in the desert and focused on God, recognizing His power and showing Him that they trusted Him. I need to do the same in my times of trouble.

He asked the Isrealites to do 3 things in preparation for the trial. First, He asks them to remember what He's already done on their behalf (v 3&4). He found us - we didn't find Him... Take time to remember what He's delivered you FROM. And He will deliver you every time. Not only does He deliver us, He also draws us to Him. He wants us to be close. 

Second, He calls them to recognize their spiritual identity (v 5&6). God is the only one that has the right to to give you an identity - no one else! We must be on guard, because the enemy is out to attack us. He comes at us in many forms - True spiritual discernment is the ability to tell the difference between with is right and almost right (not just what is right and wrong). I LOVED that statement - wow. We have to beware of the new age philosophies out there that are twisting the truth (even using Jesus' name!!)  Turn to the scriptures and find out who you are.

Third, He calls them to a new level of surrender - to practical obedience. The Isrealites agreed to obey God before they even knew what He would ask of them.  This kind of obedience requires the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - and when you have it, you will like things you never liked before, and you will not like things that you loved.  That is what new life does for you. 

When we can do these things, we will come through the desert and He will call us to Him so we can see Him with our own eyes. We are all invited to see Him - but many times we want to send someone else to see (Exodus 20:18). Don't let someone else do for you what God wants you to do for yourself. I for one, want to experience Him personally. I want to give up the things that are holding me back and go the distance!

Ok, that's enough for tonight :)  If you are still reading, you deserve a gold star!! Priscilla was funny and so personable - so relate-able for us. But she didn't give an 'easy' message, that's for sure - but one that will help us to go Deeper, Still.  I'll write about what Kay and Beth had for us tomorrow...

I'll just close this post with a picture of the great girls that I went with this weekend... 

The picture is blurry :( but you can tell that we are all happy (and cute with our matching shirts and bags - thanks Lisa!!). God blessed me with these wonderful women who not only support me, but keep me accountable! I am truly blessed.

Ok, and one last thing. I heard little feet coming to wake me up this morning and I wasn't quite ready :)  As Bennett crawled in to bed with me he said 'I love you mommy!'  PAUSE. 'But I love God more than anyone in the whole world'.  He gets it. AMEN!