The Problem with She Speaks

As you know because I couldn’t shut up about it I spent much of last week and weekend at the She Speaks Conference. I had the absolute best time. But there’s a problem with conferences such as She Speaks.

You have to come home.

I had such an amazing time. I learned a lot (A LOT!), had two successful publishing appointments (hooray for BOTH of them requesting my non-fiction proposal!), and just plain had fun. Though I have to admit, I was more than ready to see my family, sleep in my own bed, and not have 5 stories to conquer just get get my morning coffee. (Fact: Hotel room coffee just isn’t the same as downstairs’.)

But there’s something about a weekend such as this past one which makes you never want to leave. There’s just something about it that makes coming home to reality not feel quite right.

I’m guessing I’m not the only attendee to feel this way.

Maybe it’s because our new Fashion & Compassion accessories just don’t work as well with yoga pants as with brand new, Just-For-She-Speaks outfits. Or because there isn’t an entire wait staff serving (& cleaning up!) after every meal. Or because you’ve finally figured out why the heck Platform is so important.

Or maybe it’s something different … Maybe it’s because you’re different.

Because nobody at home knows you see life through a new filter…

And nobody at home knows you have a whole new slew of BFFs ready to go to battle…

And nobody at home knows you have spent months at war with an unseen enemy…

And nobody at home knows that war’s victory was celebrated on knees with hands raised in a dark conference room surrounded by your 800 BFFs…

Nobody at home knows that despite victory, you’re in a state of ruin … utterly wrecked.

I’m not one to speak churchy language or believe every second is a “God moment” that feels deeply spiritual or whatever else is feel-good, churchy-ness …

But God showed up in Concord, North Carolina last weekend. In every room. In every interaction. In every breakout session. In every book purchased and pitched.

My question upon arriving home was how to pick up the pieces of that wreckage and glue them back together.

And my answer was found looking back over weekend notes and conversations.

We pick up a piece of brokenness by listening and being with Him. Then we pick up another piece with obedience. From there, He restores us.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

Maybe when I’m able to do that, pick up all that wreckage, then maybe everybody at home will know.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)