Becoming a Woman of Influence

On Friday, I left with women from our church for our ladies church retreat.  I was very excited to go and yet leaving things "unfinished" with the adoption process that I hoped that I would have been able to finish before going.  I was excited to have a weekend with the "girls" and be challenge by God's word and yet still desiring to be at home to work on the paperwork.   Leaving a pile of papers for Andy to begin working on, I packed right before leaving and off we went to LADORE retreat center for our weekend where Kim Checkeye was going to be our speaker on "Becoming A Woman of Influence .  Little did I really know how God was going be challenging be and encouraging me at the same time.

Our speaker was Kim, from "The Truth For Women".  She started out her talk on Friday night reminding us that she had been at our church about 1 1/2 -2 years ago for a ladies tea.  She said..."Who was there for that event?"  After having to think back I remembered being there.  Then she said..."Does anyone remember what I spoke on?"  To which I felt terrible to realize I remember going away from that night being challenged at the time but now, not really remembering what she spoke on.  She said she couldn't remember either so she started looking back in her files..."Becoming a woman of Influence".  "Do you think God had something to tell us this weekend?"  Kim asked us.  "Something that he began preparing in us a long time ago".  WOW!  That spoke volumes to me as well as many of the other women in the room I think.  Through out the weekend God used Kim to open our eyes and hearts to "Becoming a Woman of Influence". 

Through this weekend I started to see how 2 years ago God pressed on my heart to pray that God would open Andy's heart to adoption if this was what he wanted for us (even though I was questioning myself).  Now, being at the same location that I prayed this prayer, my eyes were opened to how God was using me to "Be a Woman of  Influence" in my husbands life... my daughters lives... in the lives of my friends... through our family at Faith,  and now the life of my daughter,that we don't even know yet.  It is so amazing how you can have such a love  for someone you don't even know yet and such an ache in your heart for.  Just Wanting to know her.  I continue to be reminded of God's love for ME..How He Loved ME.  So much, that through sending His Son Jesus Christ  to die on the cross for my sins that I am able to be HIS child-ADOPTED into HIS family.