How Do You Leave Home Long Enough to Go to a Conference?

A friend asked me how I started attending conferences. Such a good question!

Early in 2019, I had attended two conferences in my life, both around marketing.

I had started thinking about prayer, and was working on the Prayer Refresh, and I figured at some point I should probably know more about healing prayer. I wasn’t consciously thinking, “I want healing prayer for myself.”

In retrospect, I absolutely did—I’d had a horrible rash on my face for about four and a half years at that point, and nothing had touched it. But internally I assumed that the rash was permanent. So I didn’t really think I was going for me. I wanted to learn more.

But how to leave? My boys were ages 17 to 5. I felt fairly indispensable. (Didn’t everybody stay alive because I cared for them?! Well, no … not really.)

And, of course, the conference itself had a nominal cost, but the price of the travel, the hotel, the food—not a small expense. (As a frugal person, I know to get a hotel with a hot breakfast included, if possible, so I can at least have eggs. And if I pack Ebars, I can skip a meal every day.)

Not all conferences have been equally life-changing, but the first one I chose to attend, Christian Healing Ministries, was transformative.

Today, when a possible conference grabs my attention, I pray about it. I check with Phil around scheduling, and, especially if it’s a work-related conference, I’ll ask Bob, as my business partner, to make sure we’re on the same page.

Sometimes I’ll sense the need to wait. I only sign up when I’m released to go.

And, of course, leaving when the youngest was five is completely different than leaving when he’s twelve. My boys can all get themselves lunch and dinner now. Seven years ago—they probably sort of could have.

So if you’re not yet in a season to leave home … the season could change.

I have heard from a few places that conference attendance is down this year.

I think that’s too bad, because I leave a good conference different than I arrived.

On the other hand—I also appreciate the opportunity to attend virtually.

Lord, guide our steps, in this season and every season. Open our eyes to conferences and connections that we will find helpful. We recognize that even in Jesus’ day, the people would go out for several days to hear his teaching. May we be attentive to your voice. Thank you. Amen.

Strengthen one another,

Amy Joy

You are invited! Sign up for the Prayer Refresh, an email series with short prayers to pray as you go about your day. The first five readers all wrote me at different times and said, “This is changing my life.”