Today It's About Me Time

I am so stoked today! This afternoon I will be meeting up with about 100 pastor's wives and women in ministry from around the country...we are all going to connect at "Armed and Dangerous", a 3-day retreat just for the gals!!

Yesterday I was in Walmart and was getting butterflies just thinking about being at the retreat and kept laughing at how silly I felt...it was kind of like the same feeling I had before Christmas Day as a little girl...that excitement and anticipation of knowing that I was going to get something great but not sure of exactly what! Yeah, I did say "get" this time...what I AM GOING TO GET!!! It's a little strange for me to think like this, however I'm looking at this trip as a gift from my father, God, to me, his daughter.

So I am planning to laugh a lot. I plan to connect with as many women as I can. I plan to listen and gain from the experiences of others. I plan to learn and be open to new things. I plan to eat good food and rest when I can. And I plan to seek God for His real purpose for me being in Nashville this week. Ultimately, I plan to bask in the gift of "me time".  Ahhh...just the sound of it...soooo good!

Masks

We just started a great new series at Happy Hour this past Sunday called "Masks". Tim posed this question in his message, "Who is the real you? Not the person you pretend to be sometimes, but who are you, ... really?" Many of us are covering up some junk that's been in our lives a long time. . .maybe it's a deep hurt, a painful regret or a difficult situation that you are in right at this very moment. We show others who we want them to see, not always who we really are.

But know this. . .although the mask will keep your true identity from being known to others, God can see the real you behind the mask even when others cannot. And that is definitely NOT a bad thing. You see, God wants you to reveal yourself openly to Him and not pretend that you have it all together. He already knows what's going on and honestly loves you in spite of it! That is EXCELLENT news for us, girls! So reach behind your head and untie that mask and be real with God. . .He's waiting.

James 4:8/Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.