How God Sent Me to Relevant
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I am so excited to start sharing some of the things that I took away from Relevant. It really was a heart-changing weekend for me and I am so very thankful that I was able to go. Before I can start sharing what I learned, however, I have to share how God sent me because it was totally and completely a God thing from beginning to end.
I shared a little bit about how I came to have a ticket, but that was only the beginning.
I’d been trying to work out how to go to Relevant since I first heard about it back in March or so, but nothing I tried worked. I had not the slightest success finding a sponsor or raising money through the sale of my e-book. Now I know why I was unsuccessful. If any of my efforts had worked, I’d never have given God the glory for my trip…and He clearly deserves all the glory.
So, late Tuesday night the week before Relevant, I get the call from Jolanthe and Jenn telling me to pack my bags because I’m going to Relevant. Later that night, since there was no way I was sleeping after that phone call, I sent off four emails – one to Shannon, who had emailed me two months to the day earlier about rooming with her, and three to some contacts in the homeschool curriculum community with whom I have good relationships to throw myself at their mercy ask about sponsorship. I was thinking that maybe one might be willing to just pay my travel expenses and another my lodging.
That was at around midnight. The next morning, I was praying about it all. I asked God that, if it was His will for me to go to Relevant, He would work out all the details and, if it wasn’t His will, He would show me that clearly and quickly, so that I could bow out gracefully and let someone else have the ticket.
Less than an hour later, I checked my email. Yes, Shannon would love to room with me. She had never even looked for another roommate! She said that every time she had thought about contacting someone else, she’d felt God telling her to wait. She was obedient to the nudging even to the point of coming to terms that she might not have a roommate. Then, Brian called to tell me he’d gotten an anniversary bonus at work. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to cover some of my expenses.
It was at the point that I became confident that it was God’s will for me to go and that He was going to work out every singe detail. I honestly did not even worry about it anymore after that.
The following night, we went to my sister’s house for dinner. My mom gave me some money for my trip and when we got home I checked my email only to discover that a sweet blog reader had sent me a donation.
I went into the weekend absolutely confident that on Monday I would hear from one of my homeschool curriculum contacts about sponsorship. I did. I got an email from Dr. Wanda Phillips, author of our absolute favorite grammar curriculum, Easy Grammar, asking me to call her to discuss sponsorship.
Dr. Phillips, I’ve discovered, is one incredibly sweet, godly woman. After I’d told her about the mission and purpose of Relevant and after she’d assured herself that I would be safe to drive as far as Jolanthe’s house alone, she started asking me about my expense needs.
By the end of the phone conversation, not only had she graciously agreed to cover my travel and lodging expenses and reassured me about the travel aspects of the trip based on her own travel experiences, but more importantly, she prayed with me. From beginning to end, Dr. Phillips treated me as she would have treated her own daughter, and I was totally blessed by the experience of God using His people to love on me.
Not only did God take care of every need, but He blessed me beyond what I could ask or imagine. I had another anonymous donor who blessed me with a financial gift that I was told I could either use for this conference or a future endeavor. The morning I was to leave I received an email from a homeschool acquaintance telling me that she had recently traveled the very route I was driving and assuring me that it wasn’t bad at all and I’d be fine. Just a little reassurance from God.
My God literally worked out every single detail. I had someone comment to me on Twitter that I probably deserved a little credit. My reply? Nope, this one was all God. And it was, from start to finish.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
– Ephesians 3: 20-21
To God be the glory for blessing me in this way and arranging all the details for me to hear the heart-changing messages that He knew I needed to hear at Relevant. The things He spoke to me while I was there have changed me and affected my family in such positive ways. I am so thankful to all those who allowed God to work through them to get me to Relevant. You have each blessed me more than you can know.
Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
Hi Kris! I originally bought Easy Grammar on your recommendation and am now using it for 3 out of 4 kids (the youngest is a bit too little). I am so happy to continue buying it knowing how sweet they have been to you. It is one of our bigger commitments in Home Educating because we have to have it shipped to the UK from the US, but it is so worth it. The kids love it and I don't have any problems getting them to work at it. Thanks for recommending it to us.
So pleased you followed God's prompting to go to Relevant.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. In all my struggles with homeschooling, being a mom, homemaker, wife, ect. I spend alot of time praying for God's assistance. Some days I feel he's not listening. It was truly a blessing to see God's work in your life and in the planning of your trip. I can't wait to hear all about what you learned. I could use some life changing right about now. LOL
Jennifer @ crowfamilyof5.blogspot.com
Kris, thanks so much for sharing this inspiring story. I really needed to hear it right now … What a wonderful reminder of what happens when we submit completely to the Lord's will.
I'm so glad that this dream was fulfilled for you and that it blessed you so much.
Hugs,
Vee
Amazing!! Our God is so great! Can't wait to hear what you learned 🙂
In the same way He led you there, He totally removed the desire from me. You know how badly I wanted to go, then all of a sudden, wild horses couldn't have dragged me there. I went from giving it up and being neutral to absolutely not wanting it. And good thing I didn't waste time trying to go, because there's no way I could have with my health issues that came up. I love that. He could have just kept me from going, but He changed my heart so I wasn't thinking of it and planning for months.
God does care about every little thing in our life, so glad you're sharing this!
Reading your story all over again is wonderful and I am so thankful that God worked out every little detail for you to attend.
I'm also so thankful that we were able to meet in person. 🙂
Love you girl!
Hi Kris!! THANK YOU for sharing this! Seriously.
I would have LOVED to go to Relevant '10, but we were sort of unsure about it when we first heard about it.
I followed all the tweets, watched what I could catch on the live feed, and cried along with you all just as if I had been there myself. My husband has been amazed at all I learned and the changes in me because of that.
It was ALL I could talk about for a few days … and even then I couldn't talk about much without crying.
I was SO excited when they announced they'll be having one next year as well. My sweet husband gets 2 full weeks vacation time next year and already said we could use it to go to Relevant!!!!
I think about the costs of the conference, of driving 26 1/2hrs one way to the conference, of boarding our 2 cats and dog while we're gone, and, of course the cost of lodging … and I get a bit freaked. Especially since I'm a small blogger right now and kind of doubt I COULD get a sponsor.
But between my husband (who says, regardless we ARE going) … and this post? I realize I just need to chill. God will make a way if it is indeed His will for me to be there 🙂
God is so faithful and good to us. I love how He works everything out. If only we would trust Him more. I know that He will work everything out in my life, but sometimes I don't act like it.
Loved reading about how God guided you to Relevant. He had His hand on you every step of the way.
i found this post while searching for info on Relevant and I'm so glad that I did! Thank you for sharing your amazing story with the riches that God blessed you with! You really did wait upon the Lord – and that, my friend, is a very difficult thing to do! Blessings to you!
@ Philippa – I had a friend tell me that they don't use Easy Grammar, but that she'd consider using it just based on all I told her about my interaction with Dr. Phillips. We have been Easy Grammar fans for about six years or so now, but it was really nice to learn what incredibly sweet, godly people are behind the products that we so enjoy.
Thank you all for your sweet comments on this post. I don't recall a time of ever feeling more loved on by God through His people as I did during the whole experience of getting me to Relevant and through the way He spoke to me while I was there.
I think we so often know in our heads that He loves us more than we can imagine and that He forgives us completely of our sins when we repent, but sometimes it's hard to get that message through to your heart. God succeeded, loud and clear, in getting that message to my heart through this experience. It really has been heart-changing for me.
What a great blessing!!!!