Pouring Another Cup of Fresh Grounded Faith…Part 2

In continuing Monday’s post, I wanted to dish a little more about the fabulous Fresh Grounded Faith Conference I recently attended.

On Monday I shared Jennifer Rothschild’s “Gutsy Girl” affirmations. To recap, “Gutsy Girls” say: “I can”, “I am”, and “I will.” 

The enemy would have us believe untruths about ourselves. He’s the master of deception and he delights in our missteps. His arsenal of battering rams includes: doubt, fear, anger, insecurity, and negativity.

Our Heavenly Father, on the other hand, sent His son, Jesus Christ, to give us victory over all of these things!

Sometimes we’re ready to quit because of who people say we are and who we believe we are.  As Jennifer so eloquently reminded us: we must fix our eyes on Christ and stay in His word daily to remain grounded.

Award-winning singer, songwriter, speaker, and author Kathy Triccoli knows a little something about remaining grounded. Who would have ever guessed that someone with 17 number-one radio hits, 19 Dove award nominations, and 2 Dove awards could ever struggle with bulimia?

Kathy’s heartfelt testimony of how she battled fear and insecurity while finding her place in the world struck a chord with the audience. Granted, not everyone has had an eating disorder or abused laxatives, but most of us know what it’s like to have deeply guarded secrets (battles) that threaten to overwhelm us from time to time.

Kathy shared that she ultimately overcame her bulimia through counseling, prayer, and divine healing.

To hear Kathy sing on the radio is one thing, but when you hear this beautiful lady belt out those songs in person–wow! The power of her voice and the phenomenal vocal range she has is almost indescribable. It’s obvious that she has a spiritual gift.

Carl Herrgesell, Kathy’s accompanist moved me to tears as his fingers danced like lightning across the piano keys. Carl was nominated for his first Dove award in 2010, and he’s just released his fourth solo album. Besides being an accomplished pianist, Carl sings beautifully. He’s been touring with Kathy for the past 15 years.

Angela Thomas, a southern born and bred “Gutsy Girl”, tremendously blessed my heart, also, during the two-day FGF conference. Angela kept the audience in stitches of laughter as she related humorous snippets from her own family life. Besides being a wife and mom, she’s also a gifted story-teller. She’s honest and transparent, and she had us at her first “Welll, heyyy, ya’ll!”

Though quite adept at tickling our funnybones, Angela’s life wasn’t always peaches and cream. Many years into her first marriage, her comfortable, Leave it to Beaver life crumbled around her, leaving her with two small children and a mountain of fear. She faced depression, tough choices, and overwhelming insecurity.

Angela spoke about Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 16) and reminded us that the Lord is still in control of all things when everything seems to be in control of us. The key is to hone in on that “still small voice” and listen as He gently redirects our paths and shows us a new vision for our future.

Angela reminded us:

God sees us in our invisibleness. Others may ignore us, but God doesn’t. God is the One in charge of our destiny. He uses tough times to shape us, grow us, and mature us.

We’re here to be the light of the world. We experience heartache and healing during the refining process. The outcome far outweighs the pain.

As we journey out of the darkness, we may be called upon to “Be the sunshine!” so we can rally others. Our ministry is often a field ripe for the harvest. We can choose to be slackers or we can sow a few seeds!

Today, Angela is happily remarried to the man of her dreams. She’s passionate about God and she’s a best-selling author and teacher.

Another huge blessing during the FGF conference, was the night the Duggar family shared their testimonies in song and message.

Many of you know this family from their reality television series that airs on the TLC channel.

I’m not sure where to even begin. Let me just say that these lovely folks are the real deal. They’re normal, everyday people who enjoy the same things we all do–just on a much larger scale!

I was expecting the Duggars to address the large crowd for perhaps just a few moments. After all, they did have a large family with several young children who I knew would tire easily. I was completely blown away when the children all pulled out their violins and performed the most amazing concert, with their instruments and a capella. It lasted a good 30 minutes! Their sweet voices were precious as they lifted up hymns of praise to our Heavenly Father, and it was truly one of the best concerts I’ve ever been privileged to attend.

The youngsters then left the stage, and their parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, spoke to the huge crowd. (Again, probably another 30 minutes or more!) They talked about how, as young parents, they struggled with many of the same issues that couples do today. They resolved to give all matters to God, realizing that by their own strength they were limited, but with their Father’s help, the possibilities were endless. They reminded us that it’s not about “religion.” It’s about having a relationship with Jesus.

Toward the conclusion of the Fresh Grounded Faith conference, Jennifer, Kathy, and Angela wrapped up the event by praying for all the ladies in attendance, especially those who were struggling with issues of self-esteem and deliverance from life problems. They praised God for answering prayers during our brief time together.

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How do you recharge your batteries? Why is it important to walk by faith and not by sight?