With a Little Help From My Friends

Twenty-four hours ago, I was huddled back stage waiting to step up on the platform and deliver a message God had laid heavy on my heart.

I usually love to talk.

A lot.

Just ask my family who instead loves it when I take a breath. You know, so they can actually get in a word or two.

But yesterday, although I had pages of notes all typed out and color-coded, I felt like running away.

Now perhaps it had something to do with stepping up and speaking at a weekend conference as “clean-up batter” following Lysa TerKeurst, Beth Moore and Angela Thomas. (I am totally not kidding.)

Perhaps it had something to do with still not being back down to my goal weight and wondering “Does this outfit make me look 10 pounds thinner?” and “If so, the camera on the wide screen will just put it all back on!”

Maybe it was because just before the conference in our P31 speaker team time, we heard an awesome presentation from professional speaker trainer Tom Davis of Children’s Hope Chest. Maybe I was afraid I’d fall short and not remember all the powerful yet practical tips he gave our team for what to do on the platform to make sure our message connects with the audience.

Whatever the reason, I wanted to feign the flu, go back up to my hotel room and pull the covers way up over my head to escape.

Enter my friends.

Like heat-seeking missiles, one by one, my sweet Proverbs 31 sisters found me. Prompted by God’s spirit, they’d been awakened early with little-ole’ me on their mind. So they stormed the Throne on my behalf.

Others joined.

Old friends who were there.

My prayer team at home and around the country.

My new-found friends in my speaker evaluation group.

My sweet Kenna who was to sign a song at the end of my talk with the beautiful, worshipful woman of God, Cheri Keaggy.

My behind-the-scenes, patient, seeks-no-spotlight, college-sweetheart-turned-husband, Todd.

Yes, one-by-one they found me.

Texted me.

Hugged me and prayed over me.

Just like the New Testament folks who carried their friend to Jesus, my friends carried me too.

So dear, sweet sisters who were there, please know that when I stepped up on that stage, it was not me you were seeing.

It was the body of Christ.

My sisterhood of “sistahs”, taking a sometimes broken, formerly-battered, talks-on-organization-but-has-no-groceries-in-the-house-and-a-sinkful-of-dirty-dishes-as-we-speak woman and lifting her up so she could stand.

To all of you everywhere who felt compelled to pray:

I thank you.

I love you.

I’d never dare to do ministry without you.

I only get by with a little help from my friends.

________________________________________________

NOTE: Due to the number of new readers popping over from the conference, I’m gonna leave up the last post from fashion-queen and God’s girl Miss Shari Braendel to give you just a little longer to comment and enter to win the fabulous giveaway. Winner will be announced Wednesday. Hugs to you all!!!!