Conference is physically demanding for me. I get up before 5 AM in order to drive to Jackson and get a handicapped parking space by 7 AM. I do enjoy that quiet few minutes before everyone arrives just to take it all in. One of my favorite people usually comes in early as well and we get a few precious moments to chat.
This has been a season of some discouragement for me. New health issues, fatigue, feeling the need to make some changes in my life and activities, have left me feeling lost at times. I have questioned aspects of my faith, wondering just where my place is.
This year's positive, upbeat Conference was a tonic for my tired body and my weary soul. There is just something indescribable about connecting with my fellow United Methodists, some of whom are personal, longtime friends. Many of them, like me, are cradle Methodists of many generations. This photo was taken as people circled around a precious delegate whose church had endured a terrible split, but was still vital and beginning to grow again. They "had her back."
I came away physically exhausted, but spiritually renewed. Thanks be to God.
