Deeper Still 2009

This weekend I was privileged to attend the Deeper Still 2009 Women's Conference in Greensboro, NC with some spectacular Christian women and friends. It was truly a life-changing event and left me so full of God's love that I surely will never be the same! God allowed me to go deeper still in His Word, in prayer, in worship (the unbelievably talented Travis Cottrell from Boone, NC was our worship leader), and in fellowship, not only with the 4 other incredible women I was there with, but with the 11,000 others that filled the Greensboro Coliseum. I learned so many valuable life lessons from 3 renowned Bible teachers (Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore) that I wanted to capture these things here so they are never forgotten...

• We have entangled ourselves in everyday life so much that we do not know God the way we should. We cannot live the way everyone else is living. Don't look at now, look at eternity. This world is not the end of His plan. --Kay Arthur
• God is saying, "Wake up! Listen to Me! Believe Me! Live by faith because without faith it's impossible to please Me." --Kay Arthur
• Don't prefer the teachings of others [pastors, Bible scholars, Bible study leaders, etc.], instead know what God's word says. God rewards those who diligently pursue God. --Kay Arthur
• REST is the activity of Faith for Today...unite the Word with Faith and Live in it Today. --Kay Arthur
• Sometimes faith brings promises and benefits, but we must realize that sometimes it doesn't. Every trial in your life is to make you more like Jesus. --Kay Arthur
• Sometimes we must change the foundation of our spiritual life in order to grow like we're supposed to. --Priscilla Shirer
• No matter how impossible it may seem, God is able to do the impossible. God is able. In the midst of the impossible, NOW is the time to deliberately turn our attention to God (not ourselves or the situation) and know that He is able. --Priscilla Shirer
• Whether God does what we ask Him is a question of His sovereignty...believing that He can is our job. --Priscilla Shirer
• God IS power, He doesn't have power. --Priscilla Shirer
• If we truly believed that God is God, we'd let Him do His job. --Priscilla Shirer
• God is capable to do beyond what we would consider to be beyond...He can go beyond the beyond! When you realize God's ability in your life (with big or small things), it changes what you request and changes the way you pray. Pray, "God, here's what I want...but if You've got something better up your sleeve, do that!" God's power is inside us and it's time to put that power to work! --Priscilla Shirer
• If your view of God and His ability changes, the circumstances may not necessarily change, but the way you look at those circumstances will. --Priscilla Shirer
• When Jesus gets a hold of you, He will never let you go. --Beth Moore
• There are two types of relationships with God: (1) where your daily needs are being met; and (2) where you enter in to be with God and fellowship with Him, which requires you to disengage with the things of the world, but it's here that you have a true relationship of enjoyment with God. This is oftentimes the missing element in one's spiritual life. --Beth Moore
• God meets our needs, but we must take the time to go where He is and enjoy the bread of the presence of God. --Beth Moore
• God's presence in your daily life is a FACT not a FEELING. --Beth Moore
• God's word is perspicuous...He WANTS to be understood! --Panel discussion with Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore

Satan tried everything to prevent me from going to this conference...he tried everything from a bounced check (i know, how embarrassing - that hasn't happened to me since college - good grief!), to a nasty allergy/sinus attack, to invading my thoughts and making me doubt whether I wanted to go or not. I'm so glad that God prevailed and that He made a way for me to go! I know that He wanted me to hear specific things there that are answers to prayers or guidance & clarity in so many areas of my life! I just pray that I will always cherish the things that God taught me through these 3 incredible speakers and that I have the opportunity to attend something like this again....or God, if you've got something better up your sleeve, I'll take that too! :)