Thursday, April 18, 2013

Pics/Clips & What I Learned at Beth Moore Live Last Weekend!

What a wonderful time the women from my church had when we went to see Beth Moore live last weekend! Unlike most in our group, I had never heard her live. I was thrilled that my daughter, Mary, went with me and we loved our pj party we had in our room. It was just Kentucky Fried Chicken and us for dinner before we met our group in the hotel lobby to head to the arena where Beth was to speak!

I have much to tell you about what I felt God was saying to my heart. It's not what you think. I loved Beth and her worship leader, Travis Cottrell, and so enjoyed having an extended time of worship before the teaching began. But even before Beth began her first talk, I could sense that God was already showing me some things He wanted me to learn. 

You see, I have been corresponding online for about a year with a person with Lifeway who is in Women's Events. Well, it was more like I was writing her, and she would write me back. Eventually, she had me send some sample Cd's of my teaching to her. Later, she contacted me and wanted to "pencil" me in to speak at a conference for moms, pending confirmation from someone on her team/staff. 

I found out that my sons (who attend the same college) had their parent's weekend the same weekend of the mom conference, and knew that wild horses couldn't keep me from being with my boys when they want me around. Well, I needn't have worried about any sort of conflict because I never heard back from anyone about the mom conference. I sent my contact a note saying I would love to speak at their mom event, but had the conflict of my sons' parent weekend (but I'm not sure they were going to confirm it anyway!).

I was so disappointed because I grew up going to the Baptist Book Store, (which later became what we know today as Lifeway) and I was so thrilled at the very thought of teaching an itty bitty seminar at one of their regional mom conferences. I adore the quality of Lifeway resources! I love their store! I had offered to speak on a few topics, but really wanted a chance to speak to special needs moms, and was hoping for an opportunity to teach a small seminar to encourage that select group of moms.

Now you know where I was coming from.

So when I sent that email saying I couldn't be free that weekend, I felt like I was telling the President I couldn't come to Camp David even though he really never confirmed my spot at Camp David to begin with!

So back to my first Beth Moore Live event last Friday night.

We got to our seats, which were—oh by the way—absolutely fantastic.

I look down and the first person I recognized in a sea of women is my contact at Lifeway. She is dressed in solid black and had one of those walkie talkies that told me she was really busy. Really busy. I had this huge desire to meet her in person. She was the one who had been so optimistic in our first correspondences. Besides, she had told me she was from my home state. 

I did go down and meet her and she immediately wanted to meet Mary. We scooted over close to where our seats were but when she realized we were seated upstairs, she told me she wasn't allowed to go upstairs and had to stay on the floor. But she did see where Mary was, and knowing that Mary is totally blind and partially deaf, she asked me if it was too loud for Mary or if we needed anything. We didn't; we chatted a bit more and I went back to my seat.

All this to say that this is what was on my mind before the event started — my disappointment about the mom conference, my wanting to know my contact better, my continuing to speak the messages I believe God has given me to tell in the places he has given me to tell it,  etc. (and oh, did I mention I have had 23 book rejections on my manuscript? That is not a typo, it's things as they really are.) 

It was time for the conference to begin and the live music was starting and part of me couldn't wait to praise God and part of me could hardly concentrate because I was keenly aware that God was speaking to my heart—amazingly right in the middle of all the sight and sound stimulation my physical senses were taking in. I'll do my best to repeat to you the essence of that message:

"Juana, why are you trying so hard to move to the next step? Don't you know that I can do anything? Don't you know that I am the One who closes doors? The One who opens doors? Why are you striving so in your own strength? Why don't you just come to Me about these matters instead of trying to go to other people? I know things that you know nothing about. You don't have to be sure that you talk to the right people and be at just the right place, for I look to and fro the whole earth to see whose eyes are turned toward me! That's what I want! Don't you want what I want? Do you want to want what I want? That's your part! So keep loving on Mary right now, and worship Me. Know that I am God, and  I make everything beautiful in its time. Enjoy being with your Sisters right now and the beauty of adoring Me together as you all lift your hearts up to Me along with thousands that are in this very room who love Me just for Me. Enjoy my servant Beth, and don't be jealous of her but happy for her that I am using her in the way I created her to be used. Jealousy doesn't bring about the righteous life that I desire for you. You see when you are happy for Beth, you can have a pure heart. I want you to have a pure heart because then you will see Me. I made you to be Mary's mama and when you help her and tell her the words on the screen or describe what's happening in the video, I take great pleasure in you. Cease your striving and just do the next thing in front of you that I've given you to do. Your part is to trust, my part is to work." 

I don't know how God had time (doesn't that sound silly?) to tell me all this when 8000 women were in the room, but then that's what makes Him God isn't it?

I immediately felt such calmness and peace, but still with the excitement of getting ready to worship the One who made us, the One who took time to speak to me in the midst of a crowd, like the time He spoke to the woman who just touched the hem of His garment in the midst of the mob.

He is able! He cares about the details of our lives. My life. Your life. Once again, God replaced my anxious, wandering heart with His presence! 

I took notes and I want to give you Beth's main points. Don't get me wrong, I was listening to Beth and taking notes, but I felt like I already knew at least one of the reasons God had me to carve out the time to come already (and we know what it takes for moms to leave home for 2 days!! Don't we?)

The ironic thing is Beth hopped up on the platform in her cute white skinny jeans and told us the word for the weekend was "secrets." Secrets! He had just whispered one in my ear! I heard His voice over all the pre-festivities music and the stimulation of 4 jumbotrons and video screens everywhere plus colorful bouncing balls going from audience member to audience member (which I had been taking it all in and describing it to Mary the best I could! You will actually see it in a clip below).

So here are just a few of the wonderful points Beth made (I really was taking notes!!!)

The Theology of Secrecy: Secrets Manifest!  Psalm 51:6:

"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place."

Wow. That was what God was telling me alone with Him just moments before the session began. The very same message. Come to Me, Juana. I have much to share with you one on one in that inmost place with just Me.

So if my blogs seem to be a little shorter or a little less often, I hope that means I'm spending more time one on one with Him. By God's grace, I want my time with Him to linger more. No time alone with God is wasted time, amen, Sister? Hopefully it will affect what I otherwise would have posted.

Ok, here are Beth's points (Forgive me, because we all know reducing Beth's lively, animated only Beth Moore can do talk—boppin' all over the stage in her 3" heels having a ball for Jesus talkthese 7 black points on your white screen does not do her justice, but I wanted you to have these takeaways just the same!):

1. There are Bad Secrets and There are Good Secrets
2. A Bad Secret Can be the Death of Us
3. No Secret has to Stay Bad
4. He Rewards Good Secrets
5. Our Father is Really With Us in Secret
6. Jesus Tells Secrets of the Kingdom
7. A Friendship with God is as Deep as the Secrets Between Us

She repeated this phrase often:

Be authentic with all, transparent with most, and intimate with some.

(At first I thought she must have meant be intimate with one, not some, but then she explained....meaning don't tell everybody everything! Some things are sacred! Some things only tell God. Some just a few people. And by all means, be careful what you put online!)

Enjoy the pictures and clips below! 

Mary replying to a text using VoiceOver software on her phone in our room. She asked Saturday if we could hang out in our hotel room and "watch" "I Love Lucy" instead of going back to the event! Yikes! (plus we didn't get in bed until midnight)!!! Ssshhh! Don't tell Beth!  (We didn't though, we went! Her hearing aid was set too high on Friday, and we didn't know & the noise level hurt her ears) She didn't use it Saturday and it was better:-)

Here's the women of our church in the hotel lobby before we headed for the arena,
 plus Angie's little girl, Lyla---a future Bible study goin' girl for Jesus!
Holly, Addie, Joan, Betsy, Sarah and baby Laney were somewhere in the back and missed our group pic!

If I had of clicked this just a few seconds earlier, Beth cupped her hands and whispered something
to Travis Cottrell that was only for his ears. Sorry so grainy, but it was too cute! That was our topic: secrecy!

Beth was everywhere!  It was so neat hearing God's word go out in the halls.
I kept thinking that even the arena staff were being blessed!
On Saturday, Beth wore a long lime green and black geometric top
with her blue skinny jeans, with of courseheels! She looked so pretty!
The Lord so freed me up from striving that Mary & I slipped out of the event
 a tiny bit early so we could spend time with my college roommate, Andrea, and her mom,
who live in Greensboro where the event was! So fun seeing them!

❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧❧
If you can't get these clips to play on your phone, try viewing on your computer!
They are each very short.




In the last one below, Beth asked people who had never been saved who wanted to be to call out their name to Jesus! This had gone on for a few minutes before I filmed it through my tears as nearly all were crying. This was Mary's favorite part at the event! The angels were rejoicing!


One of my favorite parts was at the very end. Beth had us gather in groups of 2 or 3—my partner was Mary. Each group held hands and repeated a prayer of relinquishment to God about secrecy in our lives and being in the secret place alone with God. Let me know if you want me to give you that prayer.


"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7


Walk by Faith,

9 comments:

  1. Thank you for this today, I needed it.

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    1. Oh, Jana, I'm so glad it spoke to your heart. Blessings to you! I mailed the giveaway you won out on Saturday, so be watching your mail!

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  2. tears as I read what God whispered to you in the midst of the big conference. . thanks for sharing. . .I needed to be reminded of that. . .so enjoyed this post. I appreciate who you are.

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    1. I appreciate you Su, more than you know. Just meeting you at She Speaks and knowing we both share a love for the Lord, and a love to minister to other women is a forever bond:-) I too, appreciate who you are and hope that you share your beautiful organizational and shopping tips on my Wednesday link up party every Wednesday. Blessings!

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  3. Hi Juana.
    I loved all that you shared about your trip to see Beth Live. I love how God spoke to you. I also love your writing. You are a treasure to not only your daughter but to to everyone who reads your words. Thank you for sharing.
    Dana

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    1. Hi Dana. Your comment so encouraged my heart. Frankly, I was a little bit scared to post that blog. I really didn't want to post it. So hearing that it blessed you spurs me on more than you know, Dana. I hope you keep posting on my Wednesday link-up! Your kind words make a difference:-)

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  4. Juana, oh how I love being able to finally use social media entirely for His good! I have shared with you the anxiety i feel over evil things I see, or bad ugly posts on facebook, that weighs heavy on me...so your post is an answer to my prayer & technical challenges trying to figure out google...and i was able to sit and read your post and allow the tears to stream as i totally understand what you heard from God. i too, tend to try to charge in, in anxiousness, and i am learning to wait. oh how I love Beth Moore, and miss her studies, so pray for me that God will show me when he is ready for whatever service he is grooming me for...im ready in my mind, but im trusting His timing. thank you Juana, for sharing your heart, and i agree, some secrets need to be between God & us. love you sister! Joy

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  5. i just commented,but not sure if it will come through..

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    1. Yes it did, Joy! Let's pray! Father God, I lift up my sister Joy to you today, this day of national prayer in our country. Lord, the harvest is great and the workers are few, and Joy wants You to use her as You will for Your purposes. She is open to whatever You have for her where she lives. Guide her Lord, as only You can do the the exact place of ministry that You would have her serve, to be used for Your kingdom purposes as You see fit. In is the in precious name of Jesus that we pray this, Amen.

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