Finishing That Thought....

So it has been a few weeks since I returned from my whirlwind weekend  which looked a little like this....Friday night concert in Pittsburgh, PA for the LWML National Convention, a Saturday noon set in Prescott Valley, AZ and then an evening concert opening for Casting Crowns, followed by a next day fly out to San Antonio TX to speak and sing to 27,000+ youth at the Alamodome for the National Youth Gathering. Wow, looking back, I think about all that God packed into that weekend and I am blown away.

Since then I have been on the road traveling with family and now I sit, finally processing all that God did. I stand amazed.

There is still so much inside my heart that I can't express, so I am going to get to the punch and tell you what blew me away the most. It pretty simple actually.

God answered my prayer!

My prayer was this.."Lord, may your Spirit pierce the hearts of your people the way that YOU desire and not the way that I may want to. Will you change them, will you change me and speak to us with what you want us to hear and not the points that I want to get across"

He did it! The stories that I heard in response to my words and songs that weekend confirmed that only God could have spoken to their hearts in such a way, only God through His Spirit can sink that deep.

Only God could have set me on stage during the worst migraine of my life (and I have had many) and taken the pain for away that moment so that I could sing with all my heart to share His message through song. Only God! Only God!

As I said to a crowd of 27,000 as they cheered when I told them of the victory Christ had in my life,  I exclaimed "THAT'S OUR GOD!"

That is our God, That is what He does.... Our God, Our God!!

Amen and Amen!

Now, if you like pictures and fake hashtags..#ENJOY!

Speaking at the Alamodome, San Antonio TX

Yes, that's me in the background. Not embarrassing at all...NOT!

LOL

Walking through the Convention Center meeting so many wonderful people

Singing "How He Loves" at the NYG Post Mass Event

One of my favorite things...Talking to people!
#NYG #San Antonio

This lady surprised me and made my day. One hug from Terry Kieschnick, former First Lady of the LCMS and your smile grows a little bit bigger!
#NYG #San Antonio

Met some youth from our alma mater, Walther Lutheran High School, Melrose Park, IL
#San Antonio #NYG

 An amazing women of God, Jessica Stevens, shared with the gathering the  miracle that God did in her life
#NYG #San Antonio

 Ran into a group from #Chicago~ My hometown
#NYG #San Antonio

Great time meeting so many people

#NYG #San Antonio

Even met a cousin that I had never met before
#NYG #San Antonio

Getting to see my long time friend, Kim
#NYG #San Antonio

 Jason Gray amazing artist who sang that night as well with Casting Crowns
#ELEVATE Music Fest AZ

 Waiting to sound check with Jonny Diaz in Prescott Valley, AZ

Performing at the ELEVATE Music Fest, AZ opening for Casting Crowns

Got to eat lunch with hundreds of women that came to hear our story of grace

#LWML PA

 My husband and I share our testimony in Pittsburgh, PA LWML Convention

 Debbie, who I first met in Nashville, drives in to be my roadie extraordinaire for the night in PA

#lifesaver

Thought #1

I have a feeling that it is going to take me a few days to finish this post. It has been a whirlwind of a week and I have so much in my heart to share that I'm not even sure how to get it all out. I am going to write a few thoughts just to get them down and I have no idea what this will look like after I process my thoughts, rewrite what I have written and hear more from the Lord.

The one thing that is pressed so heavy on me, especially after spending four days with 25,000 youth and hearing so many stories of brokenness and pain, is this.... Ultimately, our youth (and all of us) don't want us to fix them or give them all the answers..... they just want to be heard, to know that they matter, to know that their feelings matter.... simply put, they just want someone to listen and to know that they are loved regardless.

Maybe that's enough for this post, maybe I don't even need to write anymore, maybe I just need to stop talking and simply listen.