Women's Conference, Take Two

Yesterday I showed you the beginning of the women's leadership conference I went to this past weekend. Want to see a little more? (If your answer is no, then I guess this was a short reading for you today!)

Travis Cottrell and his team did the music throughout the conference. (Travis travels with Beth Moore to lead worship at her events.) I didn't know most of the songs they sang throughout the weekend, which is, I suppose, the peril of listening to southern gospel all the time, but I was pretty much the only one there who didn't know the music. I don't think they noticed that I just stood quietly. ;)

The first general session speaker was Christine Caine, and if you heard the podcast yesterday, you heard my dismal attempt at replicating her delightful Australian accent. I'd never heard her speak before and enjoyed her very much.

And after that session, I went to a very very full breakout session led by Lisa Harper. Oh how I love her teaching. I'd never heard her in person before, but I've done her studies and heard recorded teachings. Just love her.

This is HALF the room before it even totally filled up, if that gives you any idea how ridiculously full it was. This was the session I was heading into when I was run over by the older woman who WAS going to be in the front row, no matter who she had to take out to get there. (Comical and ridiculous all at the same time.) Anyway. By the end, all the aisles and holes were filled with more chairs and people on the floor, too.

After that, I finally found the coffee.

Ryan found some too. At Cracker Barrel, where he had dinner with my parents. (Didn't he do a nice job on that photo?)

That evening closed out with some panel discussions and some thoughts by Shelley Giglio. She's married to Louie Giglio, and together they lead a church and conferences geared toward college students.

My hair was not at its best on Friday, so just accept my apologies at this time.

This was the bookstore area of the conference. It was like Black Friday at all times.

Ryan sent me selfies while he caffeinated.

It was like we were having a coffee date hundreds of miles apart:

And I was with a few more people:

This is Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter, Emily. She spoke about her work with Show Hope, which is an organization that helps with adoption. I really enjoyed hearing about her work!

Robby Gallaty spoke in one of the main sessions. He's the pastor of the church where the conference was held and had a really incredible story of overcoming addictions and of God's work in his life in finding balance and health. I knew Ryan would LOVE that beard, and indeed it was the first thing he mentioned when he saw the picture. "Look at that beard!"

And the last speaker we had before lunch on Friday was Kelly Minter. I really enjoy her and actually got to hear her TWICE, because she spoke in another session later. She had some great stories, but she also shared some great truths!

I think I'll wrap it up there today and finish up my conference stories tomorrow!