Prepare with Prayer

I will not be at my usual place next week because I'll be on my way back home from a writers' conference. I'm pretty excited about going to the Mount Hermon Writers Conference.

I went to the conference last year and loved it. This year, I'll know my way around a little better, and hopefully, I'll get a little more out of it. I'm hoping to not have that freshman wide-eyed stare this year. Hoping to look a little more like I belong there.

Last year, my roommate used a lot of patience with me at night when I was tired. We were talking about my characters. She was trying to help me. I was really tired - and a teeny bit scatter-brained.

Thank you, God, for experienced writers who love to help out the unpublished and unenergetic conferees.

This year, I'll have a different roommate. Big surprise. Maybe I won't scare this girl off. The good news is that my first roommate and I still love each other. Of course she loves me. She's a godly woman.

I know that God has called me to write. I wouldn't spend money on conferences if I wasn't sure of my calling. I also know that success doesn't show up just because I'm called to write. I must prepare.

The best way to prepare is to ask God what He wants. After all, prayer is talking WITH God.

I've looked through my Bible to find scriptures that mean something to me regarding this particular conference. Psalm 42:6 "...I will remember you from the... heights of Hermon..." I'm going to Mount Hermon. I definitely plan to remember God every day from the heights of Mount Hermon. I'll be asking for safety as I walk up and down the hilly campus to get to various workshop locations. I'll be asking for wisdom so I can carry on intelligent conversations with experienced members of the writing community. I'll be asking for guidance in all areas of my experience there.

Psalm 47:6 encourages us to "sing praises to God" and "sing praises to our King". I will be joining in the crowd of worshippers singing praises to our Living God.

Psalm 57 reminds me that I take refuge in the shadow of God. I cry out to Him and He fulfills His purpose for me.

Psalm 52 speaks of my trust in God. "I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints."

When I talk to God, I usually try to listen. He may want to speak. I know how it is when my son speaks to me, and then leaves without listening to what I'm saying. I sometimes raise my voice so he can hear me as he's leaving. I pray that God will help me hear Him, that He will raise His voice above my emotions this weekend. I pray that I will hear Him well enough that if He chooses to speak through me to someone else, I won't miss Him.

Thank You, God, that You know my weaknesses. Give me courage to serve where You send me.

"to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen." Rev 1:6