:)

This picture sums it up.

Last week, my mom sent my baby and I on a post-Adored date. Oh my, it was wonderful. I don't know if it was because we hadn't sat and looked at each other in months, or eaten all weekend, but either way, it was wonderful. Thanks Mom.

Can I pal-eeze just tell you about Adored?! It was the most challenging, yet rewarding! weekend of my life. And more than anything, God was present, in charge, and at work.

Let me first remind you how Adored 2.o started:

Matt: "Rebekah, I think you need to do Adored again, but bigger."

Rebekah: "Yeah, ok."

Matt: "No, I'm serious---you are supposed to bring in Britt Nicole."

Rebekah: "Hahahahahahahahaha"

Matt: "Rebekah, I'm serious. "

And now, here I am, 3 months, a weekend with Britt Nicole, and 375 girls later.

It's funny, right? How some people (Matt) can have no problem believing what they hear from God. And even less problem doing what they hear.

So, last weekend was it. We were originally planning on 150 girls coming, and by the time registration was over on Friday night, we had 375 girls from 6th-12th grade. Plus leaders. No big deal.

Here's the summary of the weekend:

Friday night.

Chaotic registration with over 15 churches present.

Pizza party where the pizza was seriously like the fish and loaves.

Every single room in the new church building packed full of hormonal, yet wonderful, teenage girls.

The session on Friday night included yours truly speaking on "Eve: A Missed Call." But I'm no big deal--not when Britt Nicole is on the stage with her band.

And, of course, ending the night with a 80s dance party. What's wrong with hundreds of girls doing 'Thriller' in a baptist church basement? It. Was. AWESOME.

Saturday.

Chaotic breakfast because every single girl thought they needed a frap from our coffee shop. It's funny....now.

Session 2 with me speaking and Elizabeth Hunnicutt leading worship.

Incredible break out sessions on things like modesty, inner beauty, dealing with pain and hurt,etc...

A psycho afternoon of pampering. Services offered, but not limited to: massages from real massage therapists, manicures, hand waxing, facials, make up, hair cuts, up-dos, and brow shaping. Yes I'm serious. Brow shaping.

A wonderful third session by Kim Porter and Liz.

A beautiful, sit down, fancy smancy Italian dinner for all the girls (again, about 400).

AND concluding with a KILLER sold out concert by Britt Nicole.

There ya go. Adored. In brief.

But I'm not brief. So stop here if you are. :)

My highlights.

1. My husband. Matt was so wonderful. Supportive doesn't do it justice. He was INVOLVED. He was invested. From surprising me with a dozen roses right before the concert, to emcee'ing the concert, to rolling a million tables, you name it--Matt did it. Oh yea--his best move: on Thursday, realizing/worrying that we might have close to 350 girls (we were wrong) Matt had the brilliant idea to add an option during the free time/pampering: inflatable sumo wrestling/jousting/jumping castle. And he was right on! The girls loved it! You get boys out of the picture and girls just...wanna have...fun. :)

2. Speaking. I love speaking. Teaching. Talking about this God who has changed my life and the promises he has for us. I felt God's power and help when I was on the stage. There are few things I love more. The nicest surprise was that I had zero nerves. I felt like I was speaking to like 20 girls.

3. The concert. SOLD OUT. That wasn't even on my radar! God is so above and beyond good. We had over 1,000 people at the concert. (I think, for what I remember, at that point I think I was kinda walking around like a zombie.)

4. Britt Nicole. Wow--she is awesome. Matt and I went to the airport on Friday morning to pick her and the band up. Five minutes after meeting her, she starts asking questions about Adored, the heart of it, my vision for it, etc, so that she could partner with me the best. We were just amazing at how normal she was! And laid back! And she just oozed Jesus. She puts on a great show, but she is all about ministry and jumping into the lives of her listeners. No joke, during her concert, she got off the stage and started praying with girls in the crowd.

5. But the bestest part of Adored was Saturday morning. I have never ever ever experienced the power of God like I did then. I spoke on "The Samaritan Woman:Called to More." Man it is a incredible story. About a trashy, hurting woman who was pursued by Jesus. About a scarred lady who met the God of multiple chances. A woman who was offered the healing, life giving water of Jesus.

At the conclusion of the talk, with Liz Hunnicutt playing in the background, I invited the girls to come up to our baptismal (which looks just like a well) and experience Jesus. Maybe for the first time, maybe to start over, maybe to find forgiveness, maybe to promise a life of purity, and for a lot of them, to find healing.

Oh friends, I cannot tell you the gentle, yet powerful work of God in that room. Girls that were saying, "I don't want to go to the well of the world anymore, I don't want to live with this chronic thirst." Girls that were saying "I believe that the 'more' that God has for me, is what I want." And they came up front, girl after girl after girl, some smiling like they were gonna pop with joy, but most of them tear stained. Tears from guilt that was turning into conviction, tears of brokenness, and so many tears of pain that was on it's way to healing.

Leaders were lined up along the side of the room and along the alter to pray with the girls. I lost track of how many girls felt God tug at their heart for the first time and gave their heart and life to him.

I could go on and on and on...and on.

BUT to those of you who have listened, brainstormed, or prayed with me over Adored, I want to thank you. Thank you for partnering with us in getting God's promises to the girls of this generation. And please don't stop. They need Him. So bad.

(I'm having difficulties posting photos, sorry. There are some on facebook though.)