Sunday, June 28, 2015

My 2015 Pinky Promise Experience

Hiiii Blog Fam !

          Do you see how I'm on a roll already?... See? I'm doing better!

                                           #WontHeDoIt !


                            **Iphone black girl emoji hands in the air!**


                Okay, so I'm here to blog about my experience at the Pinky Promise conference which was Amazing ! Now while that is my summary of the experience, don't worry I will be breaking it down exactly to what was A-mazing and also what was.... not. so. much. a-mazing.

                       Now before I do, I need to say this so please clean your glasses or if you don't wear a pair, blink a couple of times so you can read this clearly ....because I will not be misunderstood on here.  This is my blog, my views, and pretty much my perspective.  I will always be respectful, the best I can, as well as be honest, and I will stay true to moi **smiley face**  so with that being said, I ask that you respect my opinion(s) and if you don't dig it, then beat it. 

                                       Thaaaannnkkkkssss.

                                       OK, let's do this! 

          So first a general gist about the Pinky Promise conference.  It's a conference put together by a phenomenal team headed by the Founder, Speaker, and Author, Heather Lindsey who is basically pro-abstinence/celibacy and pro-women being all about their walk with God. (check out her Website & Instagram here. Also more info about the conference here).  Going to this conference, My friends, my sister, and I were all in this place of great expectation from God.  Individually, we'd been going through some difficult tests and from many conversations, we just needed a renewal, some real encouragement...a word...


                                  Yeah it was pretty serious.

But we were so excited and went with ready hearts to take it all in.  The conference is in Atlanta and so since we had never been, we also got a package deal to see some awesome sights like The Center for Civil Rights Museum, the CNN center, and World of Coca-Cola amongst other places...  But I digress, back to the conference...

It was so awesome getting to the Hilton Atlanta where it was held, We felt sooooo welcome!  There were all these ladies with fascinator hats and smiles with ready hugs to welcome us at the door.  We got registered and got these cute pinky promise bags with cute freebies and a name badge (great idea) with the schedule conveniently attached to the back.  I mean you could tell a lot of thought went into the planning stages.  

                
Cute !


Forgive my nails but My name Badge! Keeping with the Pink Theme 

The Schedule on the Back. Super Cute and Efficient Idea *thumbs up*



                         Thursday, aka Day 1, was pretty chill.  All we had to do was register and relax until the worship experience later that evening.  Looking back, my friends and I appreciated the gaps in between the events.  They were well worth it so that we could tour the city, get food to eat, or just relax and reflect.  That evening, the worship experience was literally wow!  The band came to do nothing but praise God !   We were so happy and it was easy being ushered into God's presence.  Day 2 & 3 were filled with activities such as peaceful quiet time, Zumba, Meet & Greet, Book Signing, Clothing Swaps, fun seminars for singles and married women, mothers and business owners.

       
My beautiful fashionista roomie, Mo, found quite a few clothes at the swap ! me ....not so much. 

Oh here's a pointer that will save your life: bring a SWEATER! We had to squeeze into my Roomie's wrap

The Crew: L to R: Mo, Winnie, Me, and Sade.  The hall was full minutes after this. We were just early. Oh and we were in the middle of an already full half-room. 


         My favorite was the modesty talk with Jennifer Spears!   It was great hearing about how modesty is not just about your physical appearance but your HEART as well... Anddddd I got to personally talk to and take a picture with her !!  **eek!**
Me, Jennifer Spears who spoke on Modesty, and my bff Sade !
Jennifer Spears speaking on Modesty

             Now at the end of each full day, Friday and Saturday, was a sermon aka preaching. Friday's was by Heather's hubby, Pastor Cornelius Lindsey (men check out his website and blog here!!), and Saturday was by Heather.  When I say you had to be there.... like I can't FULLY and in detail talk about what they preached (at least not in this post) but let me tell you... it w-r-e-c-k-e-d !!

Here's like the most basic of basic points that hit me from the messages:

1. Christians have got to be more DO-ERS of the word instead of just hearers.  It simply does no good until you ACT out your faith.
2. Judge Y-o-u-r-s-e-l-f  daily
3. Do you have a heart for people and God's work? or just yourself? 0_0  #majorouch


                      And here I thought I was going to get some cutesy, everything-go'n-be-alright, rainbows and flowers message....

                                            *buzzer sound*

   Yeah, I definitely left with a heart to DO, and be more like Christ and not just talk about it.

                                              PHEW!

    OH!  There were also ONgoing initiatives that you could have totally plugged in to:

1.) state wide baby shower for single pregnant/ low-income mothers (still happening..check the site!)
2.) 24 hour worship where we prayed for the state of the world (especially as the South Carolina shooting had just happened : (   *sigh*


Now for the parts I didn't like, rightttt... Well, honestly it was no shade to the event but more of a call for us as christians to just do better.  During the praise and worship, it was pretty disappointing watching some ladies just sit down and just stay on their phones the whole experience.   Like you paid all this money to come and justtttt do that...? huh.  And of course, there were the people that came for the WRONG-EST reasons....like to:

1.) find a man  (there was a men's conference literally a stones throw away *sigh*)

2.) to sit 0.5268 inches from heather and cornelius's face  -- like seriously, stop idolizing human beings!  It's okay to get excited about meeting someone who is such an awesome beautiful vessel of truth but uhhh, some people just needed to relax and get with the message. 

3.) to NOT network.  really? it's a conference. Get our of your comfort zone and meet someone new!  I did! and I even wish I met more people.  **adding that on my to-do list for next year*

                  But that's it though.  No one is perfect. Not even I.  We can alllllll do better.

As for the conference, I am so sure next year's will be even MORE LIVE!!!  I sure hope they add a screen and show the lyrics to songs that are being performed during worship so that people who are not familiar can sing along.   I also plan by God's grace on being more of a helper in the form of volunteering and spreading words of encouragement to more and MORE people like through this blog and let them know that GOD LOVES and He LOVES so completely.  He takes us as we are and makes us so MUCH MORE in HIM.   So I'm totally cleaving and I'm never ever letting GO.


   I can't wait for NEXT YEAR'S PINKY PROMISE CONFERENCE!!! 


                                    Whoooooo!!!!!!



My beautiful crew with Pastor Cornelius.  

                                              



Until next time Y'all,
Peace Fingers,

Charlene 





Thursday, June 25, 2015

Worship in Response



Yes...*sigh* 


 Yessss..  I understand....


I am so so guilty and accept all charges of abandonment to the state of my blog and my blog family. 

But since we're so full of grace! LOL! I know you all have forgiven me and I'm backkk!!!..


Like For Real this time...

Okay fine, you've heard that before.  Let's just fall back on that grace & pray for your girl! O-K! 

SO, right to the Post...  Mannnnnnnn, Can you Believe we are about to end the HALF mark of 2015 Already!?  Wow! Just WOW!  I literally can remember bringing in the Year and just having that usual sense of renewal and excitement and PURPOSE......

Well, where did it go?

For some of you, you might be filling just... bleh these days... Just going through the motions, Just existing...And you know, sometimes, in your mind, that's just better than drama, 'cuz no one wants that... You've got bills as it is, and Just watching the NEWS honey, Phew! can be so depressing.  

Racism.  Bad Economy.  Lying Politicians.   Gender Switch-ups.   Terrorism.  
Natural Disasters.  Death.      

I mean it all can make you want to hold your head and just SCREAM!!!!

I've heard people say "Just come back, Lord"  "Lord we've had just about enough." "Just come, and end this madness".   I've felt like that as well.  I've felt like these tears need to just stop running, for real.   I too want to go to that place where there will be no more suffering but just peace and joy and happiness ! Yes, Heaven is the goal for every one (at least it is for me !).  However, how many of us are honest enough to realize that if Jesus came back now, so many people, people even you know....maybe even you yourself....won't be going with Him...

Hmm.

What's my response to it all?  Instead of cowering in fear at the stream of ongoing depressing news, at people disappointing you over and over and then over again... Instead of just giving up, because it is soooooooooo easy to give up.  I know.  Instead of all that, I choose to worship.  


You see when Paul and Silas worshipped in Acts 16, like TRULY worshipped, God MOVED.  They were not chilling on the rooftop of a hotel in Du'bai.....I mean if you are, that's fine too...no judgement..... But Seriously, they were in pain, in discomfort, in shackles, being scorned, but they CHOSE to worship.  So maybe you need to right where you just WORSHIP God and give it to Him, because that's WHERE He will Move on your behalf.  Maybe you need to just stop doing Life on Your own will and just say, God I Need You...because I just don't know How to on my Own.  

I attached my current favorite worship video by Shana Wilson. She is simply out of this world with her worship.  I also attached the lyrics if you don't know the words.  Enjoy!


Lyrics attached here 


Here are some Bible Verses I love on Worship:

"Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you"  Exodus 23:25

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge." (Psalm 19:2)

And would't you know that Psalm 19:2 was not lying!!! If you don't want to Worship, God's got the heavens and the skies praising Him !!  Look at these pictures I captured on my phone a few days ago...




He's sooo awesome....

Just worship in response, y'all.

I'll see y'all in the next blog.


Peace fingers,

Charlene