The Most Memorable Moment of Relevant11

I’ve just got back from a weekend in Harrisburg, PA, attending the Christian Women’s Blogging Conference, Relevant. It will take months to process and recount to you all the beauty, inspiration, and practical insight I received from this conference, but I simply can’t wait to share with you the Most Memorable Moment I exeprienced.

• No it wasn’t hugging the necks of all the wonderful woman who have mentored, inspired, and changed my life forever – Amy Andrews, Sally Clarkson, Lindsay Edmonds, Lisa Jo, or Emily P. Freeman – the list goes on!
• Nor was it talking past midnight and bonding with my lovely roommates, Diane and Gretchen
• It wasn’t even getting caught on the stairwell with Ann Voskamp when the blizzard took the power out – memorable as that was!

No, it happened when, in a moment of quiet back in our hotel room, I heard a slight buzzing noise and realized my phone was vinbrating. I saw I had three missed calls from my husband, so I quickly called him back, aplologizing for the difficulty in getting a hold of me, and asking him what was up?

“Jesse has something he wants to tell you.”

My heart skipped a beat. I had a guess what this could be.

“Hi, Momma! I prayed to Jesus and asked Him to take the sin out of my heart!”

My first born, Jesse, and I

Oh, how my heart swelled as I tried to take in, with too-little sleep and with the miles seperating us, the wonder and significance of this sweet, sweet revelation. How I wished to hug my little boy and see for myself the new light in his eyes. Through the sobs in my throat I told him how excited I was to hear the news and asked him if he knew I had been praying for this very thing?

“Yeah – Daddy told me that.” He assured me, matter-of-factually.

How could I stand it, you ask? How could I handle missing this milestone in my son’s life? This first decision to step on the path of following Christ? I pondered the question after I closed my phone, bewildred at the joy-minus-grief in my heart. I contributed the grace and peace I felt to two things:

1. Jesse and his little heart were in good hands – Daddy did a fine job talking him through his questions and leading our son to the cross. I heard all about the conversation first hand from Jesse last night when I got home and knew God was there.
2. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was supposed to be there, at Relevant, that weekend. My weekend was like one great, big, 4 day-long, many-armed hug from God. I knew He was in control, and I thanked Him for yet another gift to cherish from the weekend. 

I can’t wait to tell you all about it! (Now back to laundry and cooking and getting caught up on my sleep!)