Pink Impact Impact!

Last week was our annual trip to Gateway Church for Pink Impact women's conference. Worship was Amazing, incredible, moving, inspiring, exciting...I had never heard Andy Anderson before, and LOVED HIM. He was hilarious. Like Katy said, He was so funny you didn't realize he was making a point, and then it smacks you. That may not be an exact quote from Katy, but that's the jest. Of course, I have heard Beth Moore many times, several times in person and innumerable times on video. I KNEW she would be great, and she was. But the real surprise to me was Holly Wagner. I have heard her before, but, I felt like this week, what she shared had much more depth and impact than before. I think that is what I went away still thinking about, so I will give a brief summary of what Holly shared. Romans 1:1; we are slaves of Jesus Christ, each of us with an assignment. We need Courage to carry out the assignment God gave us. God's word to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, "Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Be courageous! That command comes up so many times. God does not want us to be afraid, because He is with us and He has fully equipped us with power, strength, weapons,a nd protection. Have you noticed that God's armor listed in Ephesians 6 doesn't have anything that covers your backside? Helmet, breastplate, belt, shield, sword, nothing covers your back. Why would that be? Because we are to face our enemies head on. We are not running sway. To be effective, you need to have the Courage to be yourself. Remember what happened when King Saul gave his armor to David to wear to fight Goliath? David couldn't wear it because it didn't fit. David didn't try to fit in Sauls armor and go out to meet Goliath in the way Saul would have done it (if he had and the courage to do it). No, David knew he had to fight Goliath his way. David not only had the courage to face Goliath, but he had the courage to be himself, not fit someone else's mold. Think of Joshua, who had to follow Moses. Talk about a tough act to follow! Deuteronomy 34 says that there had never been anyone like Moses. Moses defeated one of the greatest nations on earth and freed Israel from slavery. When the people were hungry, Moses provided food. When there was no water, Moses struck a rock and water flowed out...Moses was a military commander, judge, administrator, spiritual leader, teacher, and counselor. How could anyone fill those shoes. The one God called could. Moses did nothing on his own. God did it all. God told Joshua, "I will be with you just the way I was with Moses." and He was. Joshua led the people well, led them into the Promised land and led them to defeat their enemies there. God did not duplicate the Miracles that He had done through Moses. God did new things through Joshua...like take out Jericho with marching and blowing trumpets! Joshua didn't need to be Moses, he needed the courage to be himself. We need to know that courage grows in adversity. That makes so much sense, I feel silly writing it. I don't need courage to face the day when I am spending th day with friends or the grandchildren. That's not a problem. Those days don't make my courage grow. Courage doesn't grow when your not afraid. Some flowers have to have a lot of attention. They have to be pruned and watered and fed just right. (I don't have any if those). Then, there are the flowers that grow right up through a crack in the sidewalk. It doesn't get a thing, but there it is. That's the girl I want to be, thriving in the difficult environment, pushing through the concrete to bring beauty. God chooses people to fight the battle. he chooses us to be his mouthpiece, His hand of justice. He needs us to be courageous. Let's not settle. Stand up to do what God calls you to do. Be courageous and be tough.