The Bella “Making Life Beautiful” Conference was an absolute success! Family Harvest Church reported that the conference attendees almost doubled from last year’s Reality Conference…and I’m so glad they did! A few highlights…
Thursday was a rare Indian Summer October night. Forever friends sat on hay bales watching I Love Lucy around fire pits, roasting marshmallows.
Friday morning we were treated to the concise teaching of the conference hostess, Linda Thompson.
Notable Quotables:
On the fact that God called creation good, but He called mankind very good…”There’s nothing more beautiful than a human being.”
Linda also defined masterpiece as “an artist’s best work.” We are His masterpiece! His best work!!
Holly Wagner taught the next morning session.
Notable Quotables:
On Ha. 3:19….”He is my personal bravery.”
She asked…”Do you want your tombstone to read: She arrived here safely?”
“Life requires courage.”
“God has trusted us with this moment.”
“There isn’t armor for our backside, because we’re supposed to be running toward our problems, not away from them.”
The last morning session was given to the lovely Hayley DiMarco.
1. Love is not what you think. It’s not what Hollywood or Romance novels report.
2. Love is not what you feel. Love can not be a feeling, because God commands it. You can’t command a feeling.
3. Love is not true without Christ. I John 4:7-11. Love proves our inheritance.
When we reconvened in the evening, Hayley DiMarco was once again the speaker.
Notable Quotables?
“Humility is the foundation of all righteousness.”
“Pride is the foundation of all sin.”
“The teachable soul is beautiful.”
Following this lovely teaching, we had a rocking afterparty! The fashion show opened with the beautiful Esther Sullivan singing a soulful and Christianized version of K T Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See.” The fashion show featured beautiful girls of all ages; girls who had just been reminded of the beauty that can only begin from the inside out; ladies who were not self-conscious, but confident that the Audience of One was pleased to call them “very good.”
Finally, Saturday started with a beautiful continental breakfast of berries and yogurt, granola and assorted breads.
Hayley DiMarco opened with a teaching on guilt and pain.
Notable Quotables?
“We can never believe that our guilt is too much for God’s grace.”
“Failure is foundational. It is the foundation of our faith.”
Our final speaker was the energy packed Holly Wagner. She taught on the power of being you.
Notable Quotables?
“Have the courage to be who you are.”
“Courage only becomes courage in the middle of adversity.”
“Courage grows when we focus on the cause.”
Excited to count graces with Ann Voskamp:
#18 – Grateful for pumpkin flavored anything.
#19 – Thankful my son’s first day of college went so well.
#20 – Walks with my dog on perfect Indian Summer days.
#21 – Women like Ann Voskamp, Linda Thompson, Holly Wagner and Hayley DiMarco who are honest enough to share their weaknesses so we can become stronger.
#22 – The smell of wood burning to the glow of a harvest moon.
#23 – Long shadows of light stretching across my living room floor
#24 – That I have ears to hear the lonely train whistle at 5 AM.
#25 – Thankful, thankful, thankful for my wonderful family at FHC, for making the Bella Conference such a success!!
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