Oh! The Places You'll Go!

After several refusals, my mother finally got me to agree to speak at Ladies Day.
How did she do it??
She had one of her best friends ask me, knowing I couldn't say no.
It worked, and so I've been working stressing the past couple of weeks to get my lessons together.
Ladies Day is an annual event at my home church that has been going on since the year I was born.

Ironically enough, I had never actually been to a Ladies Day.

Every year I lived at home, I was the child care,

and once I moved to college, I was never available to be there.

Needless to say, it was more than a little difficult to prepare for something I had never been to.

Lucky me though, I am married to a guy that has a gift for preaching and teaching.

There is no way I could have made it through these lessons without Michael.

I would create an outline of what I wanted to say, and he would 'sermonize' it for me.

And 3 days before the event when I decided to completely throw out one of my lessons, 

he helped me to re-write a newer better one.

^^Each and every detail of the day was so perfect.

The theme I chose was "Oh! The Places You'll Go!" based on Proverbs 3:5-6.

Everything was decorated with maps, and globes, and other travel objects.

The favors were Eiffel Tower keychains, which if you know me, you know it is perfect.

And the food, oh the food!

They had different recipes from all different countries...

and each one was amazing!!

^^This was less than half the room of ladies.

Yikes!

The last count I heard was that there were 94 women there.

This picture is during my 2nd lesson when I gave everyone time to share with each other.

It was a special moment.

^^In the words of Eminem, "on the surface I look calm and ready"

But really, I was sweating buckets.

^^Some incredibly important women in my life.

I really did feel unworthy to be teaching them, but am so thankful for their kindness and encouragement.

^^She was my flower girl in our wedding.

It meant so much that she was there, and listening to every word I said.

She even called me 'awesome'!

^^Just reading a little Dr Seuss to the ladies.

I had no intention of reading the book, or even referencing it, but then I read it.

And I loved it, and I just had to share it.

I used the book to share some practical applications in the second lesson,

while the first lesson was based entirely on my theme scriptures.

^^The best part of the day was having both my mom and my mother-in-law there to support me.

These are two women that have been such important influences in my life.

I have seen them go through many journeys, 

some good, some more difficult,

and I have witnessed the growth of their faith through these journeys.

I am so thankful to have two wonderful, strong, loving women to help guide me as a wife, and one days as a mother (though sooner would be better for them on this one)

I am so blessed to be their daughter.

All in all, the day turned out to be pretty wonderful!

Its amazing the ways that you are blessed, simply by trying to bless others.

I was so blessed by the women that were there: whether my old teachers, mentors, babysitters, or friends, they all mean so much to me, and my spiritual journey.