Highlights from our KC trip

I loved every moment in KC! It was so great to be able to have real conversations with the Yaps, the Lees, and the Youngs. Why we don't have more sleepovers here in L.A. baffles me! We live pretty close to each other, but we all have family here so it's different. Here is a secret I learned....the sleepovers aren't really for the kids! They are for the adults!

What other time do you get uninterrupted time to talk about the things that really matter with other moms and dads of young ones? Let me tell you when....Uh, never. That's when. Unless your friends are kind enough to let you stay at their place for an extended period of time! If you every have this opportunity, let me just give you some advice. Take them up on it. It will be a once in a lifetime kind of visit!

I think the first night we stayed up talking until 2:30 and it was so good! I know you wish you were there because I was wishing the same thing for three years! And it was finally my turn. And boy did I take my turn! Sorry, guys. I don't know about you, but my body is still recuperating!
Can I place myself in the old category, yet?! I loved being able to talk every night with such good friends. This was probably my favorite part of the trip.

Other highlights of the trip for me:
1st time leaving the kids with the Yaps for Matt Gilman sets only to come back to find out that Josiah laid his body on top of Ali and tried to hold her hand while she was asleep. So cute and so sad! Rushing to another Matt G's set and almost hitting a deer on the way! That was scary! Really, I was amazed that we were able to hit as many prayer room sets as we did. Realistically I didn't think we would be able to go without the kids. But, the Yaps and the Lees encouraged us to go, so we took them up on it! Thank you guys so much for making this time happen for us!

It was so good to be there worshipping God in the prayer room. I was so blessed by the times we were able to go. God spoke to my husband in the same way He spoke to me. God healed me in my heart in places where I didn't know needed healing. The first set brought us both back to Josiah's birth and some of the phrases that were sung were: Everything that was stolen, I will give it back. I will restore it. He is going to make all things new, No more sorrow, no more death, He will wipe every tear away! Behold, I will make all things new. I will wipe every tear away!

And God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, no sorrow, no crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Rev. 21:4,5

He will turn our mourning into dancing! There will be joy!
This is the link to the set it's the Sunday, Feb. 13th set at 10:00PM Matt Gilman
The prophetic singer starts singing at around 1 hour into it. It sounds so much better coming from him than just reading these phrases.
http://www.ihop.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000066807

I have found a new love for singing God's word! It is so powerful and fun! I liked being in the front because I liked pretending that I was in a little room with my buddies.

If you fast forward to the last 20 minutes or so you'll see us or me having a grand ole time proclaiming His joy!

God is so good!!!!

Another Highlight: Twice during this trip us young moms had the amazing opportunity to hear from our Pastor's wife, Helen and Joy Maas. It was no doubt God's hand orchestrating this to happen. Helen just said that she felt that God wanted her to share with us. She took time to speak into our lives as mothers, wives, and daughters. It was so beautiful and priceless! Thank you, Helen for that sweet, sweet time! Joy Maas - this absolute treasure at IHOP. She and her children came to dinner our last night and just blessed us beyond description. She shared from her heart and we all just clung onto every word! She also shared 20 years worth of experience of curriculum for children's ministry with us. She didn't know that we were actually looking for a new curriculum for our children's ministry at Exodus! Amazing, amazing, amazing!

More pictures to come!