Celebration Shine!

Last weekend I was privileged to attend a women's conference at Celebration church in Jacksonville, Florida. They call it Shine, and shine it did.

From the time I was picked up at the airport by two young people, Sean and Liz, who treated me like a celebrity, I was flat-out spoiled.


I had a personal assistant assigned to me. Elaine. A perfect hostess. (Check out the Shiny smile.)


Two lovely ladies to assist me at the Children's Cup booth, Erika and Laura. (See those Shiny faces?)

People would come by as we set up the booth and prepared to begin the Grand Event, asking whether I needed anything. They brought me water and food. Elaine drove me to the hotel and picked me up there. She got up early Sunday morning and took me to the airport. And, bless her heart, she treated me to a really really nice supper Saturday, bringing along a friend with a heart for missions, whom I've also grown to love, Jeanna.

I met all sorts of awesome people. I heard fantastic messages from the Word. I laughed 'til I thought I'd cry at some really strange events (that had nothing to do with doctrine or salvation--just funny shows!) put before us. Who'd have thought Dancing With the Stars would be there? And did I really see John Travolta?

The facility there is so so beautiful. We set up the booth in the new Lounge. Check out that Shiny floor!

You'd have never known it was church. Didn't look anything like what I grew up in. But everywhere I went, everywhere I looked, there was the Love of Jesus Shining forth and expressed and practiced. Isn't that really what Church is about?

Thanks for including Children's Cup, Pastors Kerrie and Stovall. Y'all are awesome. You make my heart shine!

PS "Shine" is putting sewing machines in our Swaziland CarePoints so we can teach the young ladies a trade, enabling them to eventually earn a living to support themselves. A huge thanks to all of Shine!