Panel Discussion/Cowboy Ball

I was asked through a freind at church if I would consider speaking in a discussion panel at church during a Women's night. I had been to womens retreats and seen discussion panels at Cornerstone. These Women were always well spoken, confident, and knowledgeable of the bible women. This was way out of my comfort zone and the last thing I wanted to do and  no way was my instant thought. I knew that I should not respond with a big No, which would have been the easy way. Instead I prayed about it and I pondered over it. I was nervous every time I thought about it. I was asked a month ago and had so much going on with my aunts, that I felt I had a good excuse to get out of it. Then I realized, God doesn't want my excuses, he wants me, he wants me to be real. I was asked for a reason and I should not turn it down. I figured if God wanted me to do this, he will help me get though it. It was way out of my comfort zone, but maybe that was the point. The 4 of us that were asked were all more less the shy and quiet type and I got to know the other ladies better through preparing for the night. I agreed and went into it with some prepared answers to questions, but I needed to point my words to truth and God. The night was 2 hours and much of the time was spent in worship, prayer and breaking down a section of Psalm 19. Our time grew short in a hurry and our panel discussion time got cut short. We only got through 3 of our 8 questions. The 4 of us sat at the front of the church, on stage, on couches, with microphones. I did not like being in the spotlight. My words were smooth and I felt confident in my answers and felt it went well. I had to discuss how I find quiet time to spend in the word and how to deal with suffering. The first question I felt convicted because I have a really hard time spending time in the bible. I do however spend much time in prayer. I wake each morning and sit on the edge of my bed doing a few stretches while I pray for my day. Then I pray with the kids during morning devo, then at lunch, and many times throughout the day. I pray a lot when I drive. There were other topics and I talked briefly about my aunts passing and how I spent so much time in prayer and reading scripture verses of hope and peace and finding refuge in God. One of my friends later told me that her mother said she could tell I was the most extroverted person on the stage. My friend, who knows me better, laughed and said, " That definitely was the Holy Spirit". I am probably the most introverted of the women there. She and others told me I did a great job. I always feel like I get flustered and know what I want to say but it never comes out right. I have no doubt, the Lord was helping me through and I was glad when it was over.
The next morning our church ladies were headed to a ONE conference at Cornerstone. Amber and I were going to ride together. There was a lot of snow that morning and Amber put her car in the ditch before she even made it to my house. We both ended up staying home.
The weather was bad the rest of the day. Jayden had her rodeo Cowboy Ball in Ames. Jayden had planned to have a date. She made arrangements with one guy , but he had a rodeo over the weekend and couldnt make it. She asked another and was asked by a couple that didnt have good reputations. SHe ended up going with her freind Erica. She said the food was bad, there was a laptop playing musinc for the dance, the lights stayed on and nobody really danced. By 10:00, they told everyone thanks for coming and that was that. It was supposed to go until midnight.