Snapshot Sunday: Moments of Influence
If ever a day of rest was needed, it’s today.
Like our weekend, I’m full of moments.
Joyful moments spent reuniting with dear friends (like Jenna and Polly), filled with priceless and effortless conversations that could only be better if they happened more frequently. Joyful moments with inspiring women (like Jessie, Rachael, Kacia, Cassie, Ashley and so many more) who figuratively and literally hug you like they’ve known you your whole life. Like you are sisters who just have been separated by geography.
Loving moments, time spent with my best friend, who gave me such a gift by coming with me as support. The love I show him when I stir my 5 a.m. hotel room coffee with the handle of my toothbrush because I can’t bear to wake him by turning on the light to find a stir stick. The love he shows me when at 5:30 I mistake Rachael’s business card for a hotel room key and have to bang on the door for him to let me in. Not to mention witnessing all those ugly cry hugs and intercepting a few himself. What a guy.
Hard moments, like taking a huge and impossible-to-miss five foot fall while getting on stage in a packed banquet room for a Life panel Q&A. Oh dear. I now have a limp and a really good excuse to sleep through my gym alarm this week. And harder still, the moments of spilling my pride and my guts, becoming vulnerable and sharing my heart and testimony with those sisters of mine. Hard stuff. But nobody said the obedient thing would be the easy thing.
Inexplicable moments, like why in a roomful of seemingly all pregnant, seemingly all Southern women, I find myself cradling my belly protectively and saying “ y’all”.” I’m not pregnant, y’all.
And this inexplicable moment. Right now.
When I feel both hollow and full.
When I am sad to have left but overjoyed to be home.
When I feel like I have nothing left to share, but hear Him saying, “I’m not done with you yet.”
If ever a day of rest was needed, it’s today.
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Snapshot Sundays are my attempt to recapture Sundays as a day of rest. Feel free to participate (read more here)…or just rest.
I am glad you had a great time. It sounds like a fantastic weekend. God is amazing!!
Indeed He is! Hope you had a nice weekend too, Danica.
Glad to hear about all your moments –hope you have time to reflect and soak them all in!
I will for sure. Thanks, Amy.
oh Sarah…
i love your heart. i also wish that every single person and reader would know that you are indeed even more SWEET and REAL and WONDERFUL in person. I kept smiling all weekend when i thought about our fun date with our boys. they are so much alike it makes me giggle. i love them!! and God for bringing us all together. I know we will have a double date again soon. love you so so SO much!!!!!
Pols
XOXO
Oh goodness, I’m blushing. Polly, you are too, too much. We just ate up every second with you two. The girls loved all their little gifts today and I got to tell them all about the precious, precious friend who gave them to us. We love you guys and can’t wait until you come visit US! Love you!
p.s. i prayed for you Saturday and did you like 3 Sisters? Did you get the potatoes???
or the gigantic pancakes (my favorite is the pancakes that are as big as my head) XO
Oh girl, you know we got both! Well, we got the lemon cornmeal cakes and a side of hashbrowns. So delicious. I’m gonna have to come up with a lemon corncake recipe
Love this post, and I can identify with you on so many points…especially on the “I’m not done with you yet.”. And I cannot wait to see what He does. You were an inspiration to so many, including myself. Thank you for telling your story.
I appreciated your love and encouragement this weekend so much, Lena. I wish would could have spent more time together. Next time!
What a beautiful post! So happy it was a great weekend!!! You are such a light in the blog world.
So sweet…thank you Megan. He’s the light! He just lets me hold it from time to time.
So proud of you and so happy for you. I can’t wait to hear all about it. Our date can’t come soon enough!!! LOVE the pic on the top right. It makes me smile huge.
Oh good. I like your smile. Can’t wait to catch up with you this week, friend o’ mine.
Amazing! It’s always so empowering to come back from an environment that continually affirms who you are and what you believe. So glad you had a great time (aside from the little injury). I’m sure you did so great regardless.
I appreciate that, Lauren. Hope your weekend was affirming for you too!
The good and the bad. Thankfully we have so much good to be thankful for that we can’t even give too much attention to the bad and the ugly. Who has time? Life is way too wonderful to focus on the negative.
Sorry about your fall! I think it’s also a reasonable excuse to have dessert for breakfast.
Amazing! I am filled up just reading about it. I really wish I could have been there. I hope to hear more about it!
I wish you could of too, Cass. But you were being loved from afar!
So wait, your hubby didn’t come as my support?!
It was such a joy to meet you both and hear the story God has written thus far for you both. Until next time…:)
So nice to hear from you, Nick, if only to confirm that you and your sweet wife survived this weekend. I have never seen two (and a half?) people work SO DANGED HARD. I am in awe of all you both do in His name. Thank you both for all you gave me this weekend. You don’t know how much it meant to me and so many.
Beautiful post Mama Pea. It sounds like an unbelievable weekend, and I’m so glad you had such a great time (despite the minor injury… sounds like it was worth it!)
Oh, it absolutely was. Hope you had a lovely weekend too!
glad you had a wonderful time with amazing inspiring ladies!!
get some rest
xoxo
Thanks, Michelle. Love your new blog series…so encouraging and hopeful.
Thank you Sarah! That means the world to me coming from you!
I love you sweetheart
so excited to hear more about the conference and how God moved through it all!
And you know what? I totally would have accidentally acted preggo too
I hear rumors that all the audio from the sessions will be available at some point, so I hope you are able to give some of the great speakers a listen! I can’t wait to hear the ones I missed.
just wanted to say thank you. i love they way you are inspiring and write about god and his importance in such a way that makes me strive to be a better person and does not feel preachy. i really enjoy each of your posts. you really have a way of weaving stories together that make me laugh, smile, and think.
XOXO
Kate, that is so kind of you! I am honored that maybe you get a glimpse of His goodness when you read. It all comes from Him! Hope you have a wonderful week.
Your smile says it all. God radiates through his children!
Thanks, Carley. Lots of joy in my heart for and from Him this weekend!
Thanks for the touching play by play. Your posts always brings me back to where my life needs to be forcused on. Hopefully we will see you Thursday night???
I hope somehow! The girls have swimming lessons on Thursday nights. We are really missing that time with you all though.
Your posts are so inspiring, and the first site I go to every day. Thank you so much for sharing your life with us.
Thank you, Susan. It’s my pleasure.
And I”m not kidding: I just cried reading this.
I’m still a little sad I didn’t get more time with you – so perhaps we need to plan a trip out west to make me not sad anymore.
Yes.
Absolute yes. It seemed like we were each getting whisked away in different directions this weekend. But don’t mistake that for my lack of complete respect and love for you. You are a gem.
Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.
xoxo
This post gives me so much hope for my own future, Sarah. It verifies that we should always walk in His way and trust that when we listen to His call, we’re rewarded. It’s so simple but so hard sometimes! Regardless, we’re too blessed by His love to be stressed. Amazing. <3
Love that! Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s plan that prevails!
Your words are incredibly well put.
Thanks, Nadine!
Oh goodness, Sarah! Your talk was one of the highlights of my weekend! All that smiling and nodding – it’s because you were speaking from a place of true “surrendered Sarah”. You are a blessing girl. It was SUCH an honor to get to hear from you and chat (however briefly)! Lord willing there will be lots more chats to come! Thank you for pouring yourself out this weekend! (and on an unrelated note: um, you’re one of my fashion crushes)
Thanks, friend. I do pray there will be more chats to come–in fact, that’s my one regret from the weekend, but I’m trying to have grace with myself. (As for the fashion comment, I’m blushing and hardly worthy. If there was ever anyone in need of a Stitch Fix…)
It was so nice to meet a fellow Oregonian way over there in Indy. Blessed by your obedience and willingness to share the hard with us as well as the victories and glory in Him. So glad to have met you.
And you, Alia! Thanks for leaving a comment…I misplaced your card, but now know where to find you! Have a lovely week.
beautiful words. wish i could have been there to give you a sloppy hug!
I SO enjoyed hearing you speak! Next time, we will steal the big giant things of coffee to take home so there are no withdrawals!
Deal! Thanks for listening and for saying hello here, Julie. Can’t wait to catch up with you over complimentary coffee again.
So So So blessed to have heard you spill your guts, it means more than you’ll ever know. His presence was definitely there. So happy to have finally met! Did you adjust from all the time-zone jumping?!
I did, thank you! I wish we could have chatted after the session…I know we had more to talk about, but hopefully we can make it happen soon anyway. Hope you are having a good Monday!
Loved that you came. I’m still processing your session and how I’m not going to filter Him out anymore. Your words were sweet yet powerful. God is using you in so many ways. So blessed and honored to be graced with your presence there. aka you rock my socks pretty much
Thank you, Kimberly…for this comment and for trying to sort through my flood of words and emotions on Saturday. I hope you can take something from it, even if it’s just know that you blessed me by being a willing ear. I hope you have a wonderful week with a renewed heart!
You are so inspiring! I can only imagine that the words God gave you at the conference were so eye opening and a blessing to all. And that fall up the stage probably made them like you even more…kind of like messy hair. It’s endearing.
Hugs to you, hope you’re getting some rest this week!
Thanks, love. Been thinking about you lots.
Any chance there is a video of your speech? I would love to hear it – sounds like it was very inspirational. So glad you had such a wonderful weekend – and that your husband could join you!
There’s no video, but there is audio. My understanding is that the files will be available in about a week. I’ll let you know when I have more details! And yes, it was a really great time for Chris and I. I’m really glad he was able to come.
I long and pray for friendships like those.
God is good and I know He will provide:)
Thank you for your post- sounds like a wonderful conference! (except for the falling part)
Jessie
He will provide, Jessie! Honestly, I have had many conversations with my husband lately about how very blessed I feel to have made friends who are Believers. Just a few short years ago, I had not a single one. Not. A. One. He answered my prayers so abundantly! I’ll pray for those kind of friendships in your real life too…but you’ve got one here online if you need it.
Thanks, Sarah! I’ll definetly look forward to reading more here:)
Glad you had a great time…despite the fall. Ouch! Hope it heals quickly.
It was such a privilege to meet you and hear your story. So gracious of you to open your heart and share your soul. You are an answer to prayers: that people of influence would use it for His glory. Thank you!!!
Adri, thank you for coming up to chat with me afterward. It was so special getting to hear part of your journey as well and I look forward to reading more about it. Bless you!