Hope Spoken

Over a year ago I sat on Casey's sofa, feeling unusually welcomed and loved by someone I have only ever known online, and first heard about the heart and vision for the Hope Spoken conference. I was so excited that it would be in Dallas, so close to me, and more focused on Jesus than anything else. Because honestly, what I need more than anything else is Jesus. 

I found a very kind woman who agreed to allow to buy her ticket from her in payments over six months. And although I had been planning to commute back and forth from Fort Worth, my boss surprised us by taking care of a hotel room for Annie, Lindsey and I. This weekend was just what I needed. I want to process and reflect before I share some of what the Lord spoke to me over the course of the conference. But until then, here are some things that I really loved about Hope Spoken.

1. Food. 

                              

When we arrived on Friday, a super cute dessert buffet instantly drew every Instagram addict in. French macarons, insanely tasty cake pops, cookies, and candy were all perfectly displayed. All of our meals were included in the conference ticket and were pretty dang delicious too. Every meal included dessert... and not just something easy like sheet cake. We had fluffy layered cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream, cheesecake, and sopapillas. In addition to scheduled meals, there was snack buffet on Saturday with popcorn, cookies and brownies! And then after worship on Saturday night, these saints (who obviously understand my love language) delivered donuts for our share groups to enjoy. So, the foodie in me was full and satisfied all weekend long. 

2. Aesthetics. 

It was evident from the start that great thought and care had been put into creating a beautiful space for the conference. From balloons and paper flowers to the handmade stage to the registration table, everything was cohesive and lovely. 

3. The humility of the leadership. The conference hosts, every speaker, every small group leader displayed such genuine humility throughout the conference. Most of the ladies were not professional speakers, writers or event coordinators, but they came together to show how Jesus is alive and at work in their stories- through the good, the ugly, the painful, the unexpected.

I am grateful for the opportunity to go to hope spoken and inspired by the courage in the women who spoke to us about their stories. I will be back to share more about the truth I gleaned from those stories!