Interrupted by Grace {Day 11}: Opportunities

I'm sure you noticed that yesterday I had the opportunity of sharing a post at itakejoy, Sally Clarkson's blog home.  I was interrupted by grace to receive a brief, affirming note from her at the end of the day about my post.  What a gift.  You know, I get so nervous about how exposed I feel writing in someone else's space.  Often my prayers are for God to guide me in what to say.  He has answered those prayers.

I don't know that I have the brain power to tell the whole story about my connection to Sally and her ministry.  But boy, if it isn't so very obvious God intended for our paths to cross.  I learned about Clay and Sally Clarkson originally in a book I picked up about homeschooling from the shelf at the library in Cambridge, MA called Homeschooling Methods.  Nothing about the book's cover indicated it's Christian bent, which it decidedly had.  The final section of the book was about whole-hearted home education and had a piece by the Clarksons.

From there, the rest is history, I guess.  A combination of providential moments and opportunities grasped.  I had the immense privilege of attending a weekend intensive in Sally's home in Colorado in the summer of 2010.  I was still pretty new to the Clarkson's ministry, but learned so much that weekend and met so many lovely women who wanted to serve other women and their own families.

Since the intensive, I've had a few opportunities to speak or lead breakout sessions for some women's retreats.  Again, these have been things that God has dropped in my lap at very specific times.  I stand amazed every time I think about any of those experiences.

I'm humbled by opportunities God has provided for me since I first started to say out loud that I'd like to be a speaker/teacher for women.  I'm thankful to have those to look back on to remember to breathe deep and relax, while I keep reading and learning and growing where I'm planted right now.  He provides in the places where we dream; He is the real dream giver and dream fulfiller.

I was very surprised late last summer to be invited to contribute at itakejoy, surprised and thrilled!  With each opportunity offered, I take another step in the journey, find another place to learn and grow, and have another chance to pour out from what I've been given.  It's all of grace and I am so thankful.

Hopefully this is reasonably coherent, because I need to prioritize getting to bed over editing this evening.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!