Monday, October 28, 2013

After Allume!

Allume was amazing! I have so much to share! 
{Me and my roommates...once strangers...now sweet friends!}

When I returned home, I was eager to show off my swag. As I pulled out more and more free stuff to show, my littles looked less and less like they believed me. "How much money did you really spend? " My family was attentive and interested....and fascinated! More to come about the swaggy goodness!

My husband asked me, "Who was your favorite speaker?"  I wasn't sure. I had to think. I said, "It was all one big conversation...one message...one challenge. My favorite speaker was... Jesus!" It just came out of my mouth, but it was so true. God had prepared one message for all of us at Allume. He spoke the message through keynote speakers, break out session speakers, impact opportunity speakers....and in the sweet conversations and story sharing that was going on all over the landscape of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. We shared over meals, during photography classes, while standing in line for breakfast, while exiting the elevator and walking to our rooms. We listened while we ate cupcakes, packed boxes of bras to be sent to Africa, while we raised  our hands in worship or sat quietly in the prayer room. The conversation was continuous....the one between us and God.

He was making it clear. We all matter. Big time bloggers, small time bloggers, never hardly ever bloggers,  we matter.  This conversation was about our hearts....made by him, for him. A heart that is only truly satisfied when it is fully surrendered. And...We all have a story that he is crafting as art. That as we share our stories, we are inviting others to realize that they have a story too. And...We are all important as members of the body of Christ. We have gifts and a purpose.  We can accomplish so much more when we lay aside the need for comparison and just abide and move as he directs...to accomplish a common goal.

I am taking some time today to pour over my notes from this weekend. Like I said, I have so much to share. Before I left for Allume, I wrote a " 7 days of before Allume" series. I realize now it was incorrectly named...the 7 should have been a 6. So...for this next series, I'll leave off the number altogether and just call it "After Allume!"

If you were a part of the conversation at Allume, Thank you. 
I'm looking forward to so much more.

3 comments:

  1. YES!!!! My favorite speaker was Jesus too!!! Someone said to me today that it was going to be hard to top this year's Allume next year, and I said how thankful I am that I don't have to top anything since God was the one who made it so amazing anyhow! And as we all know, he's in the habit of even outdoing his own goodness! Thank you so much for sharing! Hugs and heaps of blessings on you! - Logan

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  2. Hi Jen!

    I've been catching myself up on your posts and then found my way over to the Allume link-up...I am really moved by everything you've written! What a blessing to spend a weekend with other women who share our love for Jesus. I would love to attend this conference next year!

    Have a beautiful weekend, friend. xoxo

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  3. Jen, this is beautiful! I am so blessed to have met you. And those were some great conversations over cupcakes. ;) Love you, girl! Can't wait to read more.

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