A Series of Moments: Allume #1

There were so many small moments at Allume this past weekend that were simply too good to try to squeeze into one post, so I'm going to try to tell them over a series of posts. But, you know how I am, so enjoy this one, as it may be the only one that actually is written :)

I'm going to start with one of two one-on-one moments that have left me simply blessed. In a hotel full of 400 strangers, an introvert (like myself) can start to feel lost. The chorus of voices and laughter, the unending lines at meal times, the ballrooms packed full can drown out MY voice and God's whisper over me. I tweeted this, at one point:

Crystal Stine ‏@CrystalStine

The line for food at #Allume is an introverts worst nightmare. Gah. Can I run away now?

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I didn't run away, but I did take time to sneak away from the chaos. And in one of those moments God put me in the path of sweet Lisa Jo. Which, considering I was a weirdo & did a random "fly by hugging" the first day as she was talking to other people, is a minor miracle. I'm awkward sometimes...what can I say. We connected over work stories. She let me share some dreams God has put on my heart. She mentored. Y'all - if you think she writes a beautiful word, just wait until she's speaking it into your ears. In many ways I arrived at Allume carrying doubt, fear & bitterness about  this particular dream, and God used a face-to-face, in the flesh, real life conversation with a new friend to bring healing and hope. 

PS she's like a foot taller than me but came down to my level for this photo ;) 

And isn't that what community is supposed to be about? Digging deep into one another's stories. Asking the hard questions, sharing Truth in love, and lifting one another up with our voices and not just emails or Tweets? I do love doing that, and I think it's important, but this moment at Allume reminded me that God gave us each a voice. A writers voice. A mamas voice. A real, physical, meant to be heard in the soft parts of our hearts voice. The kind of voice that carries hope and encouragement through a twinkle in the eye, a touch of the hand, a hug on a hard day. 

this really does capture what i love most about these beautiful ladies :)

So in this moment I was encouraged to persevere. And in a way to quit .. but in the Jon Acuff kind of way  (gotta get his book!). But mostly, I was encouraged but the woman who IS (in)courage, who has paved a path for the rest of us to share the hard parts of life and open our hearts to other women online. 

That, my friends, was just one of the God-ordained moments at Allume :)