It seems like just yesterday, the only way to communicate entailed sitting down and penning a handwritten letter (which, by the way, I still love to do!). Or we had to pick up the phone and call that "special someone".
Don't get me wrong – I'm thankful that technology continues to develop and that we have several methods to stay in touch with one another. However, it seems that we as a human race are drifting further & further apart. We long for connection and companionship – yet we find it hard to stick it out through thick and thin. Pain and pressure from every area of life seem to be crowding out the relationships that we hold so dear.
Thanks be to God, there are simple, yet profound, answers to this dilemma in which we find ourselves. CONNECT + COMMUNITY + CAUSE. Connecting with God, sharing Community with one another, and living for a Cause greater than ourselves are truly what keeps us healthy – united!
That's our focus for SHINE 2011! As we embark on our next SHINE decade together, we hope to create an atmosphere that allows you to CONNECT with God in a more intimate & passionate way! Helping to lead us in this pursuit is my dear friend and world renown speaker, Wendy Treat, and noted author, Dr. Caroline Leaf. Each brings an explosive understanding of our uniqueness as women that will empower us to be the strategic women God has called us to be!
Our connection with God is the catalyst for everything that flows out of our lives. Connecting with Him causes us to recognize our need for each other. Through our loss, I simply would not have survived these last two years without the love of my family and friends – without living in COMMUNITY. I am eternally grateful that God designed us to do life together! Life's journey is richer, sweeter, more vibrant and victorious – when we commune with one another. Community fosters belonging, cultivates strength and nurtures the soul!
Every year at SHINE, we highlight various CAUSES - both local & global – that give us opportunity to pray, bring hope, healing, and solution to God's kids in need across the street and across the globe. We know that as we stay connected with God, remain in community with one another, and stand behind His cause; we will make a significant love imprint on our world. Isn't that what it's all about? Living to give our lives away in reckless abandon in order to bring Heaven to this glorious earth!
So, with heartfelt joy and great anticipation, I invite you to join us in Austin, Texas, for SHINE 2011 on October 20-22, 2011. We've been praying for you, and tirelessly preparing for this epic adventure we call SHINE! A time of passionate worship, life-altering messages and fabulous treats! Get ready for God to bless your socks off & inspire you to SHINE!
