There once was a girl 
Without a care in the world 
Then one day 
Everything changed 
 
As she walked by 
I saw the hurt in her eyes 
That I’ve seen before 
So I asked to talk some more 
 
When this world turns its back on you 
You can turn to me 
When this world tells you lies 
May the truth set you free 
 
When this world brings you down 
Lift your eyes up above 
When this world betrays you 
Don’t give up on love 
 
For so long 
She’s held on 
And kept a burden inside 
She’s tried to run from life 
 
She found out 
You can only run for so long 
She fell on her knees 
And opened up to me 
 
When this world turns its back on you 
You can turn to me 
When this world tells you lies 
May the truth set you free 
 
When this world brings you down 
Lift your eyes up above 
When this world betrays you 
Don’t give up on love 

I never gave up on you

I'll never give up on you. 

If you've ever experienced betrayal, you know how much it hurts. In the midst of our heartache, God is there. He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:8). He desires for us to come to Him and honestly share how we're feeling.

When I talked to God about a betrayal I had experienced, He reminded me that since He still loves me, I still have love to give to others. I don't have to give up on love because He will never give up loving me.   

About 8 years ago, God took my pain and turned it into a passion for women’s ministry. I love hearing other women’s stories, learning from them, and encouraging them as they pursue God’s calling. I also love serving with them. Because of this, every year I look forward to the Women’s Conference at my church. There is something powerful about being in a room full of hundreds of women, worshipping God together.  
 
This year, our main speaker was Lisa Harper. Even though this was the first time I heard her speak, I quickly connected with her and imagined us becoming close friends (a girl can dream, right?). She shared hilarious stories with us, but she also shared incredible truth. Here are some quotes from Lisa Harper:

• “Jesus may say “No” or “Wait,” but He will never say we’re not good enough.”
• “Satan will use a grain of truth to weave into poison."
  
• “Unless you’re the author, you don’t need an editor.”
• “Compare leads to despair.”

 
While I may blog about these quotes more in-depth in the future, Lisa also encouraged us to “stay in our lane,” (staying focused on the calling God has on our lives), to use our gifts to “run hard,” and to cheer for those around us.  I LOVE this!
 
I saw this lived out at our conference, as countless women (and men) used their gifts and volunteered to make this event a reality. They were enthusiastic about serving, because they love the One who calls us to serve.
 
I saw this lived out when 2 women from our church shared their personal testimonies.They courageously shared their struggles and pain, along with how God’s love, compassion, and power have been clearly evident in the midst of everything. Hearing how God is present in someone’s lane gives me encouragement to keep running hard in my lane.
 
What happens when we stay in our lane, use our gifts, and cheer for others around us? Lives are changed.
 
While we had over 700 women at our conference this year, to me, the most important number is 11.
 
11 women put their hope, trust, and faith in Jesus for the first time. 11 new sisters in the body of Christ.
 
And this is why we invest so much time and energy into our annual Women’s Conference. Even if it was just 1 woman who crossed the line of faith, it would be worth it.
 
I love the women God has surrounded me with in my life. They have been “Jesus in flesh” to me.

I love how God uses events like Women’s Conferences to encourage, empower, and reveal truth to us.
 
I’m already looking forward to next year’s conference!

Meet and Greet with Lisa Harper. She asked me, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Laura Story?" I immediately started laughing, and said, "Yes...I get that a lot."