I arrived at the Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta, Georgia this morning, without a ticket to the event I intended to attend -- the Women of Faith Imagine conference. As a blogger and as a member of Booksneeze and sponsored by Thomas Nelson Publishers (which is the organization that produces Women of Faith), I was invited to attend the conference and blog about my experience. Since I had been to a Women of Faith conference about ten years ago, I was more than happy to attend.
The tickets were supposed to be mailed one to two weeks prior to the conference, but they never showed up! I kept checking my mailbox, and the closer it got to the date of the conference the more anxious I got. Finally, yesterday afternoon I could stand it no more. I e-mailed my contact from Thomas Nelson Live Events and was graciously assured there was a place for me at the conference, and that I could pick up my tickets at the Will Call office at the arena. I was excited, but also had a little bit of trepidation when I heard this news! You'll have to understand that I was beginning to think that maybe Women of Faith decided my blog wasn't what they were looking for to represent them, and therefore they would cancel their offer. That's some stinking thinking, though!
A little after 5:00 this morning I was on the road! From Prattville, Alabama, Atlanta is approximately a three hour drive, not including the hour you lose when you get to Georgia. Since the conference started at 10:00 and the ticket windows opened at 9:00, I was determined to be on my way early, even though I am not an early riser. Armed with my e-mail from Thomas Nelson, I approached the Will Call ticket window for my tickets. Of course they weren't under my name! With women lined up behind me, I stood patiently as the ticket agent took my e-mail and returned saying they would be right up. A couple of minutes later another ticket agent brought the ticket (I only needed one) and wished me a good time. Yea! I was in! Sounds almost like I was SNEAKING in, doesn't it? However, I had given the matter over to the Lord and was trusting Him to work it out.
Speaking of giving matters over to the Lord, my a/c broke down this past weekend -- the capacitor went out, and the tech said that if it wasn't caught soon enough, it could tear up the motor, and that I should pray that hadn't happened. Although he was using the term "pray" loosely, I wasn't! I was praying! I had intended to take my sons and go to my parents that day, but instead chose to work in the yard. When I went into the house it seemed a little warm, and then I smelled something burning (NOT a good sign), yelled at my guys to get out of the house and ran to turn off the breaker to the house. That's probably what saved us, because the blower, as of last night, was still working. Actually, what saved us was God's grace and mercy. You know He is concerned about the little (or not so little) things in our lives.
Sometimes Satan gets in there and tries to discourage us. Even though he cannot touch us and is not omniscient (all knowing), he does know human nature and will throw things out there, baiting the trap, to see how we will react (this was mentioned by one of the speakers today, don't you like the way they put it?). I could have let the a/c problem and the "problem" with the tickets, plus my own self doubt over my blog, get me down. However, I chose to turn the problems over to the Lord. Doesn't Satan try to get to us, especially when a great blessing is coming up? And coming full circle, that is exactly what this Women of Faith Imagine conference has been for me so far -- a great blessing. Thank you Women of Faith, Booksneeze and Thomas Nelson!
Wish you were here!
Reese
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