I've Been Exposed!

To speaking that is.

 

     Last Saturday morning was my first and possibly last speaking engagement at a women's breakfast in Mesa, Arizona.

The hour and a half drive from Pine to Mesa started before sunrise. I got into my car, turned the key and the information screen showed I had very low tire pressure on the rear right tire. Not wanting to take a chance and drive down the mountain with that problem, I proceeded to unload my belongings and books and transfer them to our truck so I could drive it instead. While doing that, I noticed at least eight big boxes in the back of the truck bed filled with various food products and cans. My husband was going to take them to St. Vincent de Paul's food bank that same day. I couldn't keep them in the back of the truck if I was going to drive it, so I quietly unloaded them onto the planter by the front gate. I didn't want to wake up my husband. Later in the day after I got back, he was not happy that I did not wake him up to help. I considered the unloading of the heavy boxes my exercise for the day. Smile.  Just a side-note. It was 18 degrees outside when I was doing this. After that was done, I got into the truck and pulled out to the main highway, and there just a half a mile on my left was a group of deer feeding on the side of the road. My headlights lit up the area where they gathered.  It was a peaceful sight.

     I imagined all week, that I would practice my speech all the way down the mountain, but mostly drove in silence. It was about sixty-five miles later where I encountered a Sheriff detouring traffic on the road I was on due to a bicycle race that morning. The road I needed to go down was closed so I had to take another route. About ten miles later, there was another road closure because of people running in a 5k and 10k race.

     Fortunately I got to my destination in plenty of time and spoke to approximately thirty women at the breakfast. My talk was on forgiveness, tied in with the scripture from Proverbs, chapter 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and he will direct your paths.

Weeks before my talk,  I also recited it to a select group of friends and family. I asked many for prayers that to speak effectively and no doubt those prayers were answered. My Mom was at the breakfast also and manned the book table. She sat among the women during my talk and told me she watched the ladies attentiveness when I spoke of my faith and trust in God.  All in all it was a great experience for me. I did have several ladies come up and thank me for my talk and one encouraged me to keep speaking as others need to hear the hope that can come from tragedy. Another said that she felt like she was my sister as she had gone through a similar chain of events in her life.

     I had made time for the ladies to ask questions and I was very comfortable in answering them. A couple of questions that I was asked were how do we know when to forgive and also about discernment.

      I honestly don't know if that was my last talk or not. I will let the Lord be in charge of directing that path. If I do speak in the future, Hopefully I will grow in my ability to make a difference in people's lives by sharing my story and mostly by acknowledging the Lord's presence on all my paths.

Book News !

 

 

I have two book signings on the calendar. One is on June 9th in Payson, Arizona at Oasis Christian Books and Gifts Store. Come up and Meet Me In The Mountains from 11:00am to 2:00pm
The second is at Breath of Life Retreat House where I live. Our home is chosen by the Rim Area Gardeners to be one of the homes on tour this year showcasing the grounds of the property. I will be selling and signing books at this event. The tour is scheduled for June 16, 2012 from 8:00am – 4:00pm. Tickets are required for the tour and can be purchased at the library in Payson and also at the Chamber of Commerce, Payson Jewelers, and Ace Hardware.