Authentic

I didn’t listen to my gut (AKA God) when I asked the keynote speaker, Robin, if I could pray for her 10 minutes before we were to start. She was typing on her phone and busy. I knew others had likely already prayed over her. But. After all, I was on the prayer team. That was part of my “job,” right? Umm. Hello pride.

After her gentle, “No, thank you. I think I am covered,” I slunk away, embarrassed. I continued to pray silently over the people entering the room, but I really wanted to run and hide. I had known better. I hoped no one had overheard my conversation with her.

The evening worship and the powerful keynote address touched me. The speaker’s heart for God and for others shone through her words. Yet still, I was embarrassed that I hadn’t listened to logic and my gut and had approached the speaker.

The next morning, our last morning, at breakfast, I sat with Traci, one of my new conference friends. “Robin Jones Gunn heard about my story and wanted to talk to me in person today. I’m going to watch for her at breakfast.” Right then Robin walked up and set her bag down in the chair next to Traci. I sat on Traci’s other side. Just one person between me and the gentle Robin.

What happened next blew me away just as much the keynote address the previous evening. Because, yes, it was the same keynote I wrote about in the last post. Robin looked me in the eye and said, ” I was praying I would see you today. I wanted to apologize for my abrupt response last night. I have felt badly about it. I am really sorry, I just had a lot on my mind.”

Jaw drop.

And just like that the embarrassment rolled off of me.

More importantly, I saw the evidence of authentic faith. A well known international speaker who has sold millions of books, walked out the faith she speaks about and writes about. She cared enough for a stranger that she asked God to give her a chance to apologize. Really, I was the one who needed to apologize, and I did. But she reached out first.

That encounter will live on in my memory as one of the most impactful parts of this conference. And there were many impactful moments. Thank You, God, for this example of authentic faith.

Check out pictures and info on her Instagram account. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5GxMZNx9pl/