9:45pm; Two asleep, and sitting with our oldest now… Not at all bad considering how different today has been for everyone… I’ve been at a ‘care for the family’ conference (http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/), and Daddy took the kids to see Nanny & Granddad for the day and picked me up again at the end for the drive home.
It’s been a very encouraging day, the theme was ‘faith in the family'(http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/working-with-families/faith-in-the-family) so how could I resist booking in!
Alongside seminars on inviting God into the heart of marriage, opening the doors of our home in hospitality, when someone in the family chooses a different way, raising a child takes a whole church, there were inspiring speakers encouraging us to see God’s heart and hope for faith filled families, lots of introductions to thoughtful resources, and a chance to worship, pray and respond to what we heard from God.
Some of the things that caught my attention:
God does not call us to ‘be fine’, but to faith (K Hill)
we impress people with our achievements, but we connect with people in our vulnerability
faith in the family – in, integrated, in amongst, intentional, in order that out of this in can be found and brought out glory to God as others find God’s love. (P Jinadu)
Reflecting on 1 Peter 2 & 3
Invite Jesus in to the real, messy, unadorned authentic family and invite others to meet him there – invite Jesus into the struggles and failures, the joys and fun and invite others to meet him there…(P Jinadu)
“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” (Isaiah 54:2)
family is made for more than itself… (R Parsons)
Feeling encouraged, and challenged to keep hanging in there…keep reaching out… keep on seeing family life as an opportunity to see God at work (in it & through it)… keep on opening my heart to understand more of God’s unconditional Father love for me so I can grow my unconditional love for others.
Really thankful for a chance to pause, and be fed food for thought.
(Though A clearly pointed out on the way home that I have now had my quota of conference time for at least a year!! To be fair it is the 3rd sat I have had this autumn so I guess he has a point – it must be Daddy’s turn!)
clearly nurturing 
I imagine you as the keynote speaker at an event like this – when your book is published and available to buy at the conference. Your wisdom and insight is too precious to keep in. Glad you had chance to rest and be fed. More of this!
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