It Really was a Stretch…

Amanda on March 2nd, 2010

Back from the SYM Conference in Chicago, wheewww! HUGE sigh of relief. Don’t get me wrong, it was grrreat. But I am beat. And still amazed that they ask me back each year :) (not fishing for a complement or anything) But seriously, I am not a speaker! It doesn’t come naturally, I have a crazy hard time communicating what’s in my brain and getting it to come out of my mouth. Writing is so much easier. You can take your time, think it through, erase it, start again, and even trash it right in the middle… Not so much when you are speaking to a bunch of people. “Oh dear!”, is all I think when I think about some of the things I said. I mean, I didn’t cuss or anything (not out loud at least).  But it was so hard to find the right words that I was so excited to talk about.

It is so strange that God would ask me to do something like this if He knows this isn’t how I am shaped, right? I don’t like this awkward stretching of myself. I am not comfortable in this position. I am super happy and content to write my blog, maybe a book sometime soon, and be on my merry way. Its clear that God has shaped me for some things and NOT for others.

This type of feeling seems to be a theme in my life right now. Stretching. I’m going to start calling it torture. You know that verse in the Bible that says God doesn’t give you more than you can handle? I’m going to find it, cuz I don’t know exactly where it says that…but I’m going to find it and cut it out. I’m doing more and feeling more and dealing with more than I feel that I can handle.  God knows that, right?

It’s starting to sound like I didn’t have a good time at the conference and I really really did. And I actually have a good sense of humor about the whole speaking gig.  You know when your wrestling with your family and its funny and silly but still rough and you might get a little bruised. And then it turns into a “dog pile” and everyone jumps on top of you and it hurts but your still laughing, and its tight but you’re still barely breathing? That’s just how it feels.

Anyone else ever feel like Stretch Armstrong?

Discuss (13)

AD HERE

Diana at 5:52pm March 2

Stretch Armstrong!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That is so taking me back a few years! Ahh, the stretching. If we weren’t stretched we’d never grow, then complacency sets in. Go Stretch!

Megan at 3:17pm March 11

I just want to thank you so much for what you and Cathy spoke into at the youth conference. My husband and I weren’t able to go this year but watched you talk about marriage online. Every time I see or read what you or Cathy write, I think, “I wish I knew them!” Ha! Seriously, though, your comments on seasons in ministry cemented the decision for me to pull out of youth ministry. I wrote about it on my blog, but – basically – it was such a difficult decision that I kept going back and forth on and had been praying about before I watched you girls at the conference. Once you spoke about being at home with the kids and putting them first, I knew what I had to do. My husband and I keep seeing affirmations that this was the right choice. So I just wanted to thank you! You may not have felt like you did much, but you are touching peoples’ lives and I appreciate your honesty and the reality of what it is to be a youth pastor’s wife. I never really fit the typical pastor’s wife stereotype, so it’s just great to know that I’m not completely crazy! All of that to say, thanks for ministering to me. :)