She Speaks and Godwinks
There are moments, even days, when the Godwinks cannot be denied or ignored. I had one of those days on Friday. I signed up to attend my second She Speaks conference which is a Proverbs 31 conference for women who are seeking to write, speak, and share God’s word. I attended for the first time last year and quickly signed up for my next year. The night before the conference, I began to wonder why I was attending this year. I knew what I needed to do with my writing, I have a proposal I need to send to two publishers, and I am beginning my speaking engagements. Last year, I knew I was there to bring a friend so she could write. God made it clear that I was there because He wanted me there to push me in my writing. This year, I didn’t know why I was at the conference, I just trusted and obeyed as I walked through those doors. Shortly after walking in the conference room filled with 600 women, someone walked up to me and asked if I needed a seat for one just as I was pulling a chair out from another table. I pushed the chair in and sat at her table. That was the start of the Godwinks.
I can’t think of a better way to spend a day than in worship and fellowship with a large group of women filled with God’s love. We had breaks between speakers and had the chance to get to know the people at our table. I overheard one of the women sharing that her husband served a special operator in the military, as I listened, it became clear that our husbands were meant to connect as their paths had so many similarities. (check out their PTS & Me podcast to learn more about this shared path) Not a coincidence. I later had to step out for a call and someone approached me when I finished that was also sitting at my table. She introduced herself and shared she was married to a service member and also served as a police officer herself. We chatted about the foundation her husband and her had started and I immediately knew our lives would remain connected long after this conference as they were driven to build a place of restoration for both military members and families. The additional Godwink? She lived in the town that my family and I were going to that weekend on vacation. Not a coincidence. When I went back to the table, on our next break, I went back to that stranger that had asked me about an open seat. As I talked to her, she stated she also served in the military along with one other member at our table. The best part of all? She said she prayed for God to guide her to the person that needed to sit at the table-and she landed on me. (check out her web page and book!) I know many reading may see coincidences but this wasnt’ a military conference. This wasn’t a room full of veterans. This was a room packed with 600 women and over 12,000 online from all over the world, and God brought this small table together to further His word, to further His purpose for us all. Now that is a Godwink.
And just in case you thought it was just a one off or just my table, I ran into another woman later in the day that has lived in the area for years and always hesitated to come to She Speaks. This was her year. She had invited two friends and was looking forward to finally joining. Her two friends ended up backing out but she decided to come anyway. As we talked, she shared that the two women she sat with at her table, complete strangers, had walked a similar path as her and she found immediate connections. What the world seems to take away, God provides. Another Godwink.
I am not a person who likes large crowds and even though I may seem comfortable engaging with people, I am usually exhausted at the end of the day. This was different. Instead of feeling drained, my cup was filled to overflowing. God’s presence was so evident within those walls and in our encounters. I was surrounded by women that love the verse “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your should and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27, NIV). How thankful am I to be one of those neighbors. How thankful am I that I walked through those doors. Trust and obey.
Today, I pray that you open yourself to loving others with all your heart. I pray that you see deeper than the “coincidences” and bear witness to God’s hands in your life.
I pray these words spoke to you, please share with a friend. Don’t miss a blog, subscribe to my web page.
