Monday, September 8, 2008

Going DEEPER STILL in Las Vegas

This weekend I had the privilege of attending the Deeper Still Event in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wow, what a weekend! To sit under the teaching of Priscilla Shirer, Kay Arthur, and Beth Moore all in one event, and to participate in the worship led by Travis Cottrell and his team was, well, it was an experience that was profound and moving! Priscilla opened the event on Friday evening with an excellent teaching on
Exodus chapter 19. She impressed upon us that God has us in a 'wilderness' from time to time in order to bring us closer to Him, and that it will be worth it. We learned too much to mention here, but what spoke to me the most was that I need to 'pitch my tent' as they did in the wilderness so that I can experience the blessing that God has for me in that wilderness, instead of always being impatient and looking at what could be ahead (therefore missing the NOW blessing). I SO needed to hear that this weekend! I have been in a sort of wilderness myself lately, with some frustrations and questions about where ministry is headed. I am convicted to enjoy the NOW blessings in what I am doing, and let God lead me to the next step in His timing, not mine. An altar call for the opportunity to accept Christ as Savior followed, and many responded - what a moving thing to witness!
Kay Arthur spoke on Saturday, and WHOA was it convicting. That woman is just amazing and I want to be HER when I grow up!! She knows the Word of God inside out, and can bring the Word to us in a way like nobody else. She challenged Christians to make excellent use of the Word of God, especially in these times of uncertainty in our country. She gave us warning of what is happening and will happen if we do not obey the Word personally and as a nation.
Beth Moore BEGAN the afternoon with a unique altar call. She challenged us to 'mark today as the day' that you accept that you ARE forgiven, and have been delivered. Not just know it, but BELIEVE IT and live it. Lay that thang down, as she says. Hundreds went forward for prayer, and it was just a privilege to pray through that whole altar call as chains dropped off women in bondage of all sorts. It doesn't get any better than that, in my opinion! She then taught on John 1:1-18, verse by verse. We memorized it as a group (that was fun, doing it section by section with arm movements in usual Beth Moore style), and we were reminded that we have a Deliverer who 'became flesh and made His dwelling among us', and that He IS the One and Only (no man will do, only God can be Savior to us). Excellent teaching!
A fun time was had during the panel discussion. The 3 teachers took questions from the Deeper Still blog, and it was partly serious spiritual stuff, and partly hilarious, silly stuff. Kay convicted, admonished, and challenged us on the subject of sex - not many women are willing to be that bold, and I am so glad that we have a Titus 2 woman like her to talk about the hard topics with us!! It was serious, and silly, all at the same time! The 3 together make quite the comic team - it is impossible not to adore them completely by the time the event is over.
We live in amazing times as Christian women!!!! To have an event like this (5700 women this time) in a city like Las Vegas was so powerful, and you just knew God was up to something HUGE. The enemy worked hard to mess it up in more ways than we will ever know, but he did NOT get a victory this weekend in Las Vegas!! Praise the Lord and His Word!!
His Word IS LIFE TO US! Read it, meditate on it, memorize it, study it, LOVE IT!!!
Enjoy the following video recap of the event, with Travis' amazing vocals:

2 comments:

I am Katy, said...

Sounds like an amazing event. Thanks for sharing how God used it to speak to you in what you are going through right now.

Laurie said...

what a great weekend AM...thanks for sharing!
hugs
laurie