A Conference to Consider

In October of 2010, I attended the Together for Adoption conference in Austin. I didn't have a reason for going other than a feeling that I was supposed to go. I had attended the Verge conference hosted by my church earlier that year; they mentioned T4A, and I just felt a nudge, "go to that." I was just beginning to discover the whole adoption world through the adoption journey of our church's worship leader, Aaron Ivey, and his family. Then Together for Adoption offered an amazing discount for seminary students, so I signed up. As I registered, I noticed a pre-conference day called "Empowered to Connect" run by a woman I'd never heard of named Karyn Purvis. Again, I don't really know why I signed up for that, but I did.

Those three days changed my life. Literally (yes, really!). I sat in that auditorium and felt as though God were reaching into my heart and wrenching it for these children. I'm not much of a crier, but I cried more in that three days than I think I have ever cried. And so it was, in many ways, an intensely painful time. But as I sat, destroyed, I began to hear from God the answer to a question I had been asking since I applied to Dallas Theological Seminary in 2008. I felt called to seminary, but I had no idea why or what purpose God had for me in this world. At the conference, He answered. All the various ways He has wired me for this, equipped me for this, called me to this passed through my mind like a series of tetras cubes falling into place. And Christian, there is no greater joy than to get an inkling of God's will for your life and how you can glorify His name.

Since that conference, I have taken amazing seminary courses to help prepare me to shepherd children and families; I attended an intensive and invaluable training with that very Dr. Purvis whose pre-conference I signed up for on a whim; I now spend my days helping my church figure out how we can best equip our people to respond to the orphan crisis with the Gospel; I am training to become a foster parent.

One conference...endless repercussions...major life change. Unbelievable pain and indescribable joy. Check out this year's conference--pray and see if God is urging you to attend. I can promise you will not be disappointed by what you hear and learn through Together for Adoption.

Just don't say I didn't warn you. =)