A Note From Jessie – Covenant Newsletter, September 2019

Days upon days have passed, and I am still reeling from the beauty that was the Rooted in Christ: Family Conference. 

What a morning. 

As I have reflected over all I heard, all I saw, and all I learned, it struck me that this blog space would be the perfect place to tuck some of the treasures that I gathered during the conference. Storing those pearls of wisdom here serves the dual purpose of sharing them with you, as well as preserving them as reminders for myself to return to often and marvel over anew.

So, here we go. Here are the “Pearls of Wisdom” I gleaned from all of the magnificent humans listed below:

From Mark and Susan DeVries:

Perhaps it is time to stop working so hard on our relationships and begin enjoying them again. Laughter has tremendous healing properties, and joy can be contagious.

From Sissy Goff:

Anxiety can also be contagious. Remember to breathe. And also remember that, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers and knows those prayers have been answered.”

From Betty Ann Santi:

We each have a latent “Mama Bear” inside that can be triggered in competitive environments. Lead with grace and inclusion, keeping in mind that, “God’s blueprint for your child’s growth and development pattern is yet a mystery and may be surprising as it unfolds.”

From Jeremy Shapiro:

We all have stories from our past that– whether we are aware of it or not—  hold significant influence over our current patterns, fears, and relationships. Bravely entering into the pain and messages of our past will not only help us unearth deep truths about our personalities, but it will also bring us closer into the arms of our loving Father who has been with us every step of the way.

From David Thomas:

Being purposeful parents requires becoming “students of our children,” curious about their inner thoughts and motivations, and aware that the children we are given may be very different than the children we imagined.

From the attendants who eagerly participated in each session and walked the halls during the interims with tears in their eyes:

Keeping our ears open, our minds ready, and our hearts vulnerable will help us learn and grow and share beyond our wildest hopes.

From every single staff member at FPC:

Being part of a team is a humbling, inspiring, and fortifying gift. I am grateful beyond words for all the hard work each and every staff member poured into the Family Conference. Special shout outs go to Sabrina Vlahos, the awesome Young Adult Program Coordinator; Karen Fitts, Deb O’Brien, Tina Rose, Leanne Hudson, and Valerie Duncan of the wonderful Children’s Ministry Team; Erika Shapiro, the most joyful leader of Camp Watermelon; Bryan Miller, the Pied Piper of the Recreation Department; Chan Sheppard and the inspiring Preston Taylor Ministry team; Tim Minnefee and the amazing Maintenance Staff; Kim Rogers and the talented Kitchen Staff; Ronzo Cartwright and the skilled Tech Support; Kayla Clark in the incredible Communications Office; our beloved FPC volunteers such as Amy Pearson, Rachel and Lipscomb Davis, Tricia Scott, Raygan Greer, Mary Elizabeth Colton, and Angelina DeVincenzo; and of course our fearless and bright-shining leader of Young Adult Ministry, Josh Rodriguez. What an honor it is to be teammates with dedicated, hard-working people. 

Gratitude abounds.

God is good indeed.

Amen.

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