“For such a time as this” Esther 4:14
I had the privilege of attending Relevant – where 200 Christian, women, bloggers gathered at the beckoning call of Sara Mae, Muthering Heights & Mrs. Money Saver. This one-of-a-kind conference hosted some of the most seasoned bloggers on the planet as well as the newest of newbies, all in one place with one purpose of heart.
I went to Relevant to observe and absorb ~ in short, this is what I found:
Wives and mothers who have hammered out their dreams and despair on keyboards in the privacy of their homes ~ have rocked the world with the heart of the Father in the nitty gritty of daily living. The world has taken notice. ‘Mom bloggers’ are ranked 2nd in Internet trafficking only to – pornography.
Book deals are being signed as their stories have grown past the blurbs of blog posts and are now being placed into the hands of hungry readers. Publishers are poised to ride this unidentified wave of information that spills freely out of our homes and into the streets of everyday life.
Mom bloggers are defining family and faith to a searching world.
Crystal Paine - sat the tone of the meetings by confessing her weaknesses as a world-class blogger as Money Saving Mom. She went from a SAHM, blogging about her journey to make a dollar stretch – to the focus of corporations who want to know how she’s lead the online world in her systematic approach and creative delivery. Marketing background? Nope! Not even a college degree. Just a wife and mother committed to God’s purposes in her home. Amazing!
Angie Smith – wife of Selah singer, Todd Smith – blogged through the pregnancy and loss of their daughter Audrey Caroline in Bring the Rain. Their story of love and loss has erupted into book form. She’s now book signing and speaking on what we all hold most dear – our families, our babies, and this heavenly gift of family. In the end, she frankly told us – although she’s honored to carry the Lord’s message – she’d so much rather have her precious baby girl. Angie has an uncanny ability to speak and write on what matters most in life. Her words rocked our worlds.
Ann Voskamp – my all time favorite – was introduced by Sally Clarkson – {Oh yea, she was there too!} Ann poetically voiced the difficulty of living; loving and dying to self in the four walls of our homes – surrounded by those we love the most. With her words, she crafts an artistic mosaic of life, in pieces – us in pieces, heaven on earth – bit by bit. She unveils life, the ugly and the beautiful – the welcomed and unexpected, as A Holy Experience. And we, the readers – are stopped in our tracks. She explained how through blogging the Lord heals 2 hearts with 1 story – the writer and the reader.
I’ve never been to a ladies retreat that housed more laughter, abiding joy and heart-felt connection. The banquet room was filled with bloggers of all flavors, who sat speechless, staring, crying, numb – free. Twitter #Relevant10 was pushed to its limits as morsels of truth invaded the airways – nonstop.
Acts 2: 17 – “In the last days it shall be, God declares this, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…”
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes! Wasn’t it just the most God-filled time? I’m so glad we shared a room and stories and laughs over things like pizza delivery boys.
It was so nice to meet you at Relevant 10!! Hope your flights home went well! Have a blessed and peaceful week! Bonita
Can’t wait to hear more! So grateful you were able to have the experience! You are an inspiration, following hard after those things you feel so called to!
Sounds beyond amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with those of us who could not attend!
Connecting with you was honestly a highlight for me…so thankful for your sweet spirit. These words were a precious re-encounter of a simply amazing weekend.
You really captured the humbleness of the weekend. We encountered each other, different experiences and through it all, saw Christ glorified. Amen.
Thanks for the CD – your singing is lovely!
Debi, it was so nice to meet you this weekend. I look forward to reading your blog in the future!
i love this! beautifully written, Debi. “…filled with bloggers of all flavors, who sat… speechless … staring, crying, numb … free.” <- so true! i am continually thanking God for seating us together on the plane. and i pray our paths cross again soon. love you!
Glad you had such a great time!
Wow. It’s amazing to see the power and impact that our words can have. I’m so glad you were able to experience this! I’m so proud of how far Above & Beyond has come and I’m thrilled to see it grow and thrive. Many Blessings!
Those ladies certainly amazing!!
I came expecting to be informed, I left changed. My husband keeps saying “I’m so glad you went, it was so good for you.” It helped that I had two amazing roommates who let me just chatter on for hours and who shared with me their own stories. The biggest thing I learned at the conference from God was that none of us are alone, there are so many out there with similar stories.
Sure appreciate you, Debi!
Debi, you have captured the power and beauty of the conference so well! This line especially gives me goosebumps: “Mom bloggers are defining family and faith to a searching world.” I’m so glad to have met you and hope to get to know you better as we share our blogs. You have a beautiful spirit that’s evident even before you speak. I believe God is going to use you mightily to encourage young moms in His ways!