Preparing for the Amazing

The day I finally decide to sign up for the Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference, I go to the website only to find out the conference is full.  Bummer.  I am placed on a waiting list that is who knows how long. Wait?  Wait.  That was mid-April.
May came and went.  Nothing.


June 9, I receive a phone call.  My name was up on the waiting list.  I have 24 hours to decide.  God says go...through the voices of some wonderful people in my life.


What now?  Do I prepare for a speaker evaluation group?  No, I am on the waiting list for that.  Do I prepare to meet with a publisher?  No, I am not ready for that.  


June 23,  I find out that I am in a speaker evaluation group, and that there are publisher appointments still open.  In a moment of crazy ridiculous boldness, I make two appointments with publishers.  I know that this means I will have to work on a proposal and a pitch sheet for my bible study.  The conference is a month away.  I am insane.


June 25, I leave to go on a week vacation to the beach with my family.  God clearly says do not work on She Speaks stuff while I am with my family at the beach.  The days are counting down.  I am resistant, but obedient.


July 2, I return from the beach.  I am rested.  It's a good thing because re-entry is always hard.  Laundry, emails, and snail mail demand my attention.  What about a book proposal or a pitch sheet for my publisher meetings?  And as I read the She Speaks attender Facebook page, I realize that I also need business cards, an awesome blog, a speaker promotional sheet, a twitter account, a Facebook page, the list goes on.  What????  There is no way.  

July 4, I wake up with a spring in my step.  I will do it all!  I begin a new blog (my old one had 3 entries in two years!); I create a Facebook page; I begin working on business cards, speaker biosheet, and my other things for my publisher meeting.


July 5, I wake up sick.  Stomach is all messed up.  Mind is spinning. God says STOP.  Though I don't take any medicine, the Lord puts me in a deep sleep for about 8 hours.  I worry I will not sleep that night, but I sleep another 8 hours. What is the Lord teaching me?

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.  After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.  Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it." 
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3: 1-5


"Follow Me, Kelli.  Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before...and consecrate yourself, set yourself apart for me, for tomorrow I will do AMAZING things among you."


July 6, and for the next 14 days, I am awakened every morning between 4 and 5 am.  And I am not a morning person.  It is as if this is the time that God is using to consecrate me.  I am prompted to pray for people in my church, people in my community group, women that will be at She Speaks. God and I also have some great conversations during this time.  I share with Him my worries, my needs, my wants, my dreams.  He reminds me of His deep love for me and His unique plan for my life.  


I write several more blog posts.  I work on my 3 and 5 minute messages for speaker evaluation. I create business cards, a speaker biosheet, and a pitch sheet for the publisher.  I  create a Facebook page and open a Twitter account.  I read about writing book proposals, but am not able to finish one.  But more than all that, I consecrate myself, I prepare myself, I ready myself for what God wants to do with me.  I spend time in His Word, on my knees, and in worship.


July 20, I meet with my community group.  This is an awesome group of people that prays for one another.  I share with them how God is waking me up every morning at 4 or 5 a.m.  to pray, listen, and commune with Him.  I talk about how incredibly sweet the time is.  And then I tell them how very tired I am.  That I need one good night's rest before I leave.  I am leaving the next day.  


July 21, I wake up.  The clock reads 7 a.m.  I have been asleep for 8.5 hours.  Wow!  Thank you, God.  I receive 3 emails that day from people in my community group.  They were all awakened between 4 and 5 am.  They took my shift!  After I finish packing my things, I leave for She Speaks.  


...And it is AMAZING.  Stay tuned.  I will tell you more in the days to come.


In the meanwhile, what amazing thing is God preparing you for?  And what is the hardest part about His preparation?


I am praying for you sweet bloggy friends...
May you unwrap many gifts today!


Kelli