Lynnette Cretu, Daughter of the King

The rain is falling in buckets right now. The brown crunchy grass is soaking it up, grateful for being replenished. I am thankful for this gift from God. I get a reprieve from watering today. My Father took care of it for me.

I just returned from the She Speaks Conference and it is difficult to find words to explain my experience. Simply. God was there.

My first evening in North Carolina, I had dinner with the ladies I "met" on Facebook. God was stretching me. He knew, walking into a room where I didn't know anyone was out of my comfort zone. I sat at the table and made small talk through dinner, we shared our stories and our hopes for the weekend. As dinner finished and people slowly returned to their rooms, I could see God's fingerprints. The few remaining ladies at our table discovered connections: stay-at-home moms, exploring the path God prepared for them. One of the moms, has a ministry for young girls, it was an answer to my prayer. God had put it on my heart to start a ministry like this with my daughter, but I didn't know where to begin. As we talked, the connections grew and we all became good friends.

The second day brought more answers. God (and Mom) has been telling me for a while now that I need to find my voice and be true to it. How do I do that I wondered. I listened to amazing authors tell their stories, each one different and wonderful, the way God planned. Tell your story, I heard. You are the expert of your life. God created you exactly the way you are for the purpose He wants you to fulfill. Invite people in. Be honest with the messes, the skinned knees and the amazing saving grace that rescues you every time.

He is amazing and He does save.

The prayer room was the place I most wanted to visit. The women of Proverbs 31 placed different names of God on the table and prayed over each of the 650 women at the conference, our names were individually matched up with one of the names for God. I couldn't wait to find my name. I was unprepared. I eagerly entered the room and stopped as I realized the air was heavy with His presence. I could have stayed there forever, soaking in His love. Once I recovered from the awe and wonder, I found my name matched with El Shaddai, The All Sufficient One, The God of the Mountains, God Almighty, (no problem is too big for Him to handle). The problem, I soon discovered, was that I was holding on to my problems. I wasn't trusting Him enough to let go of them. I had to open my hands in order to release everything into His loving and fully capable hands.

God spoke to me again and told me to slow down. He said the only title I have that matters is "Daughter of the King". While I was pushing ahead for the next thing, I was missing the most important things right in front of me; the time with my kids and the conversations with my husband. I was searching for a ministry outside my door when I already have one inside my home.

Lysa TerKeurst said, "be an extreme noticer of life, noticing provides the technicolor". But how do I do that when it doesn't come naturally? Again, in only a way that He can, he brought someone into my life to answer the question.

Hoping to delay our good byes, I tried to get on the shuttle to the airport with my friends. We planned on having lunch together before flying home, but God had other plans. I ended up leaving the hotel several hours later on the last shuttle, with all of the other "late flight" people. I sat in the back and started up a conversation with the two ladies seated next to me. As one of the women began sharing her ministry I almost fell out of my seat. Her ministry called Living the Abundant Lifestyle is how to look at life and appreciate the gifts God has given us for today. I couldn't believe it. God spoke through her... and I... didn't say anything.

Our shuttle arrived at the airport and people scattered to various check-in locations. Once I made it through the pressure and scrutiny of security, I could hear God speaking to my heart. "Lynnette, you should have told her how her ministry touched you. You should have encouraged her." Yes, Lord you are right, but she is gone now. How would I find her? An email will have to be enough. God and I talked all the way to my gate. I knew He was right. I made my way to a restaurant to grab a sandwich and guess who was there... my Abundant Living friend. I ordered my food and talked with her over a leisurely meal. I confessed how God had spoken through her and how much I needed her ministry. We shared our experiences and the things we learned at She Speaks. I thank God for that surprise appointment.

While I am overwhelmed by everything I learned, I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with such wonderful women. As I thought about writing this post, and trying to capture all of the moments, I didn't know where to start. God reminded me of a conversation we had back in February while I was praying about attending the conference. God said to me "Go. I will make your direction clear. You need to be there, and I will make the way." He is so good. He did and He did.

As the rain falls this morning, I feel like the brown crunchy grass. I was so thirsty for Him. My Father took care of it for me and I am grateful for being replenished.

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11


Thank you God for your perfect appointments that fill us, beyond our imagination.