Blessed to Have Been There

The quality of the picture is poor, but I wanted you to see the sea of people both on the main floor and in the balcony.  People were turned away at every session, even though they had three huge overflow rooms with screens and they packed every available space, there was still not enough.

We had planned to tour downtown Holland and do some shopping and eat there, use the pool and hot tub and perhaps take in a museum in Grand Rapids.  Much to our dismay we had very little time for any of this.  The Holiday Inn was 1/2 hour away and we had to allow extra time for getting lost, which we did several times.  And you had to be there at least two hours before the session started in order to get a seat in the main auditorium.  The last night we arrived 2 1/2 hours early because we stayed in town and it was a good thing, because the people who arrived two hours early did not get in at all.  I felt so bad for them, what a disappointment that would have been.

We were all the way over to the left of the stage for three of the sessions, the last one we managed to get in the center but way in the back.  The music portion, by Matt Redman, was really awesome.

I've watched Joyce on TV before and read a couple of her books, so I knew I liked her style of teaching, but had no idea how much I'd be blessed by attending the conference.  I leaned more in 3 days than I've probably learned in the last three years.  My whole being felt tons lighter after just the first session.  We were filmed by the TV crew during the first session, I don't know if or when it will be televised or if it will be cut.  Joyce started her first session by giving an alter call before she even began teaching.  I've never in my life have seen anyone do it that way and was shocked at the response, there was over 300 people from that first alter call.  The two ladies I went with stood to receive Christ -- and that's when we were filmed.  I was oblivious!  Totally into the whole experience and had no idea what was going on. I had a solid red sweater on.  There were over 1,000 people total who received Christ at the Conference.

The battery on my camera died.  I wanted a picture of the beautiful bushes and my friend Maria.  We didn't have anyone to take the picture but us, so Lisa took the picture of us and then I took a picture of them.  We didn't get any of the three of us together.  And lo and behold my eyes are closed.  When will I ever learn to take extra batteries!

I'll post more on the conference at a later date.  I have company coming and spent the day whipping the house into shape.  Just let me say that if you ever have a chance to go to one of her conferences don't turn down the chance.  You'll be richly blessed, I surely was.