...and she's off to She Speaks!

     Well, blogger lovelies, I'll be saying au revoir for just a few days. I will be away at the She Speaks 2011 Conference until Sunday. I am super excited that I was blessed with the gift of being able to attend this year's conference. I had heard about the conference last year from my momma...and then it became my pipe dream. I had entered into scholarship contests and didn't make it, but God still had plans for me to go. Even though I was quite disheartened after my failed attempt at getting a chance to go to She Speaks this year God still saw it fit to throw a lovely little miracle of His own my way. And today because of that little miracle (ahem, e-mail) I am packing my things up and will be heading out on the road in the morning! God is amazing, is He not?

     Honestly, I am in such a dreamer mode right now that I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that I will actually be leaving my Home tomorrow morning to drive to Concord, North Carolina to attend a writer's conference that has been my pipe dream, now turned into a beautiful reality, for so very long. I am sooooooooo very excited about attending the conference!  And about meeting my roommate, Joanna, and all of the many lovely writer's and speaker's that will be there too! =)

     As of today I've finished writing my article for my writer's peer critique group, made myself some adorable 'business' cards and now I am in the process of painstakingly packing everything that I will need to take with me to the conference for the next three days. As you all know I am no fan of packing...usually...but today I am a ginormous fan of having to pack a 10 ton suitcase for my dream writer's getaway! I am so ready to learn more about the art of writing and about how God personally wants to use me and my gift of writing for Him.

     Most of all I am thankful to God for letting this opportunity of a lifetime come to fruition. I didn't think I would ever be able to attend, and then I got an e-mail in my inbox that will forever be remembered as one that has changed my life forever...yes, I already know it will change my life and I'm not even at the conference yet! I got an e-mail from a Proverbs 31 writer who had found my blog, loved my photography and knew that I couldn't afford to go to She Speaks. Then she changed my life forever with one simple e-mail.


     Curt and Marybeth Whalen generously went above and beyond, and have blessed me with the gift of attending She Speaks this year. You may know Marybeth Whalen as one of Proverbs 31 Devotional writers, as well as a contributor to She Reads, Southern Belleview and as the author of the novel's 'The Mailbox' and 'She Makes It Look Easy' which is her most currently released novel. You can also find Marybeth on her personal blog too: Cheaper By The Half Dozen. She is a lovely writer, with a huge heart and I absolutely cannot wait to meet her in person this weekend at She Speaks! I will forever be indebted to her and her husband.

     Thank you very much Marybeth, and Curt, for blessing me in such a monumental way. Truly, I am speechless and in awe of just about everything at the moment that is going on in my life as a wannabe-writer because of you both. Thank you so much for sparking one of my dreams to life, and for also deciding to pour into me by taking a chance on me.
 
     Well, it's about time that I finished packing up my things and spent some time in His Word before I head to work for my last work night of the week (it's been inventory week for us at the Family Christian Store and it's been crazy, but good...lot's of extra hours! Praise the Lord!) If you wouldn't mind saying a prayer or two for me this weekend while I'm away at She Speaks I'd be truly thankful for it! I so desperately want this time at the conference to strengthen my God given abilities as a writer, to mold me and to stretch me further than I've ever been stretched before in my writing abilities. I hope that there will be a deeper stirring in my heart, and that God will steer my heart towards Him even more. I want to hear Him, and what He has to say specifically to me this weekend through the many speakers, writer's and peers that I will come into contact with.

     I hope you all have a very blessed weekend! Remember to shine brightly for Him, and to lay those burdens of yours down at His feet every morning when you wake! I sure hope you'll choose to be a 'Mary' this week.

Much Love,
Sarah Elizabeth

3 comments:

  1. So excited for you, dear! I hope you keep us updated ;) Have a wonderful time!

    Blessings!

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  2. PS: Thank you for having my blog button up on your 'Blog Love' page :) ♥

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  3. Can't wait to hear about your time there!

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