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Since staying at Alena’s house pre-conference and then rooming with her at the conference, I’ve pretty much decided she needs to move into my spare bedroom. |
I had great intentions of writing an ACFW recap post today. Alas, great intentions do not blog posts make.
Instead, I’m going to keep it short and sweet and say simply this:
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I loved meeting Gabrielle Meyer (left) and Lindsay Harrel, my awesome CP (right) in person! |
Know that verse in Ephesians 3 that says God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine?
That’s how ACFW 2012 was for me. I had some very specific hopes for this year’s conference. Each one happened in a much bigger way than I’d planned. God is good.
Maybe I’ll get to a Top 10 Conference Moments post later on. Or maybe not. But for now, with my day job jogging back into my life and coffee calling my name, I think I’ll end with a question…
Have you have any “more than I asked or imagined” moments recently?
Comments 40
That is awesome!!! I’m so happy to hear you had a great time. Yes, I definitely have those moments and am so grateful for a God who gives more than I ask for….
God is so good, yeah?
Yes, it was definitely a great time. Hope I get to see you there some year. I’ve decided I’m going to ACFW every year for the rest of my life…hahaha!
We had a peaceful great family weekend at home. It made me so sad not to be in Dallas, but God blessed my time with my fam.
Glad you had a great time. Can’t wait to read the top 10!
~ Wendy
Would’ve been so cool to meet you, Wendy, but I’m glad you had a blessed time with the fam. Yes, the top 10 is coming…IF I can narrow it down to ten.
It was so great to meet you! This was my third ACFW conference and definitely the best. I left so encouraged!
It was so wonderful to meet you, too, and I’m glad you left encouraged. I have to tell you, I envied your fashion sense each time I saw you…you had the coolest outfits!
Loved the devotion you shared at conference, Melissa. I shared the highlight of the conference on my blog today. It was meeting the coolest couple at the gala, hearing their life’s story and then sharing in their celebration after he won the Genesis.
I read your blog, Sandra. What a cool story. I think maybe I waved at you once at ACFW, but never actually got to talk to you. Bummer. I was hoping for a reenactment of last year’s reading of Lisa Jordan’s kissing scene. Haha!
Melissa!!!! God did MUCH more than I could ever ask for or dream at the conference – and you were a big part of that amazing door opening experience. Thank you for your devotion on Friday morning and all the other wonderful things you did (both on stage and behind the scenes). I’m still spinning from the experience.
Oh yes, you had so many open doors, didn’t you? Yay for God working through your writing. So excited for you…and I can’t wait to read your book. Glad you liked the devotional…I was praying a lot about that, that a) it would touch at least one heart and b) that I wouldn’t make too much of a fool of myself up there.
Wah is right!!! My only consolation is that I get to see you and Gabe in four weeks. Yes, I am counting the days!!
Yep, the conference was the same way for me. It was seriously like a dream come true. I felt like I was finally home.
Yay for four weeks from now!! Can’t wait for Storycrafters!
I know, ACFW does have that “home” feeling, doesn’t it? So many familiar faces, so many awesome moments…one of which was meeting my CP.
Great pics and so nice to see you and Gabrielle and Lindsay got to meet up! I have lots of writing peeps I’m hoping to meet next year at ACFW! I’d love to hear insider insights on the writing classes, if you need ideas for a blogpost sometime…
Yay, hope I get to meet you next year. It was seriously cool meeting so many online friends in person. It was almost funny, too, because I feel like I know some of them so well that it seemed impossible we hadn’t actually met.
It was awesome meeting you and to answer your question, YES!
And it was awesome meeting you. And eating those cookies.
I loved the photos we took in your room that first day…it just felt so natural hanging out with you, Linds, Jill, Cindy, etc. Love you all!
Yay! I am so glad you had such an amazing time at conference. That’s how I felt about the first ACFW conference I went to. I can’t wait for the chance to get back to conference. Maybe I’ll meet you there in the future!
Yes, it would be wonderful to meet in the future. By the way, so many congrats on finaling in the Genesis. That’s such a huge accomplishment!
Wah! with you. It was a great conference. And ditto the Ephesians verse. God did so much more than I can imagine or ask this past week! And your devotion was awesome!!
Pat, we didn’t get to talk enough. But those minutes after the pizza party, all the Ponderers in attendance praying together, that was so special. Tears by the boatload.
So glad to hear your conference was a success. You deserve it all!
MTagg,
I had a total blast being your roomie! Can’t wait to see you in October!
And I can’t wait to see you. I love how many times over the conference we said, “We make good roomies!” So many things in common…
I’ll be praying for you and your in this next week as you travel for the funeral.
Also, thanks so much for being such an amazing hostess before ACFW. I just want to move into that upstairs bedroom of yours!
The whole conference was like that for me, too–way more than I could’ve imagined. I’ve been overwhelmed with thankfulness that God put me there. It was so great to meet you! Can’t wait to read your book!
It was so lovely to meet you, Susan! Overwhelmed with thankfulness–I think that describes me too.
So glad you had a wonderful conference!!
It was so nice to finally meet you and hug your sweet neck. You are a delight, and God has amazing things in store for you as a writer.
Thank you, Donna. I loved meeting you too and seeing your joyful smile!
I felt so incredibly blessed by ACFW this year and all of my writing pals!
Amen to that, Michelle. I feel like I just keep saying, “Thank you, God!” for all the wonderfulness of the past week.
Before I left for Dallas (and Houston), I prayed for a spirit of JOY. I asked God to help me to be a blessing and to celebrate others. God answered my JOY prayer in a humungous way!!! And by blessing others, I walked away with greater blessings and new friends.
Yayayayayay for God answering your prayer in such a big way. Oh how I cried when they announced your name. Like, seriously cried. Which is rare for me.
You’re right–being a blessing to others means you walk away feeling blessed yourself.
It was so fun to watch everyone’s FB feeds giving me little glimpses into the conference; so glad for all that God did there!
I hope you get to come some year, Amanda, so I can meet you in person.
Meeting you in person was one of my conference highlights. You’re every bit as awesome as I expected, Melissa–and then some. And, wow, did you ever do a great job delivering the devotion! I was so impressed.
And you’re every bit as awesome as I expected–and more! Sitting with you that first night was such a hoot. Oh the giggles! Thanks for the kind words about the devotions…I’m just thankful God kept me upright. Haha!
Melissa,
Looking forward to next year and expecting great things! The Lord reached down and hugged me several times this weekend while I was home wishing I was at ACFW – He didn’t forget me. Some wonderful unexpected blessings were just dropped in my lap and I still feel overwhelmed by His grace. God loves a good surprise party, doesn’t He?
Blessings,
Becky
I hope you can go next year, Becky!! I’m glad you had some unexpected blessings, though, while at home. Yay for God’s surprises!
I’m still marveling at the double-message God sent me through your devotional, Melissa. It was wonderful meeting you!
Enjoy that coffee…and the day job…
Oh I loved meeting you, Sarah!! And I’m so glad God spoke to you through the devotional. That was my prayer.
So happy for you, Melissa!! God frequently blows us away!!!
I had a recent trip to meet an author friend that was the same way.
He does blow us away…I love it! Fun that you got to meet an author friend. There’s something so incredibly wonderful about connecting with other writers.