Favorite Quotes of She Speaks

I’m linking with a Link Up Party today over at my new friend Courtney’s Blog.

YES, WE HAVE THE SAME NAME.

You have to click this and go read her most embarrassing moment of the She Speaks conference.

Let’s just say our similar names got confusing.

Go read THIS and then come back here…

Ok, are you back?

The irony is that I am a peon. Like a “nobody” in the blogging community. I saw her on twitter just before I left for the conference and thought “Wow, she has 27,000 Facebook fans. I need to spend more time on her site. People love it for a reason. I should try to meet her.” So, the whole thing was just so funny. I was stalking her, she felt dumb because of the confusion. We are now friends.

So, I better take time to process this whole thing. It’s not going to be short. I have had several questions about it – and I’m going to guess others might be thinking.

So, I’ll interview myself in hopes to explain the insanity or ride that I’m on with God.

Why did you go to She Speaks and what is it?

I had the pleasure of meeting with author/speaker Lysa TerKeurst back in February when she came through Orlando. A friendship began at that point and we have stayed connected. She learned that I had just started blogging and I that I truly wanted to use it as a chance to encourage moms and give God all the glory. She encouraged me to come to She Speaks in July. She said it was a place where around 500 or so women (who also feel led to write or speak in their ministry or job or life) get together and just plain learn. You have breakouts from published authors, well-known speakers, bloggers, marketing professionals, etc. It sounded great to me. I’m a lifelong student and I love getting better in any area of life – so sign me up.

What about this book proposal thing?

I learned during the registration process that you could have the option of meeting with publishers while at the conference. Outside of this conference, you just simply cannot meet with publishers of this caliber without an agent – so I went for it with some fear.

Did you have a book idea at that time? NO! I just clicked “yes” to the meeting like a crazy person. I just knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to to meet with those people and learn the process if I got a big fat NO. I’m not sure why I enjoy the thrill of throwing myself open the world for rejection repeatedly. Weird.

The closer it go, I learned how INTENSE it is to write a book proposal. I prayed and looked over the site on what you have loved the most. I kept reminding myself of the mission of Lil Light O’ Mine and why I started this in the first place. I can’t tell you what the book is or about or the name – because the news is great. My meetings shockingly went really well. They responded so well to my ideas and I’m now in a waiting game to see if any of them want to pursue a contract. I can tell you this – it’s for you. It’s for moms – same mission as always. To empower moms and change little lives through innovation in the home.

Are you trying to “make it” or be someone? Or have you always wanted to be an author? I have never had “write a book” on my list of life goals. My story is long but it goes like this. Love, love, love my career and job in Marketing with Chick-fil-A. Get pregnant and decide to stay home. Miss my job but love being a mom. Have a HUGE a-ha moment that God didn’t want me to “give up” my job – he wanted me to just transfer all of those gifts, talents and experiences to use for Him for something bigger than I could imagine. Enter Lil Light O’ Mine. I could type for 2 pages on that realization for me – how to use all of me for all of Him. So, no… I do not want to be “someone”… I always want to serve someone. However that looks – in the form of a book, product line or coffee talk on my porch – I’ll go there.

What is the next step? My next step is to pray big. Pray for wisdom, discernment and closed doors or open doors. In the process of encouraging other families – I cannot allow my family to implode. I need to protect the point of my passion. Families! My family – my marriage – my kids. I have to wait to hear back from those publishers and agent that seemed pretty excited. They might return and say, “Courtney who?”

What about all of the product ideas? I still have a proposal of products that is being reviewed by a couple companies. My dream is to get the ABC Scripture Cards into the mass market. I know they are a product meant for the retail environment. All of you have proven they work in the home and moms want/need them. I love to create the ideas – not so much running the ecommerce store/details of it. J

Where are you struggling? Trying to be patient and not get ahead of God’s plan. Trying to discern between what are “good” opportunities and “great” and “best.” Again, I do not need a job and I am grateful for that. I feel passionate to use my creativity, innovation, marketing experience, passion and writing to empower others.

Any other thoughts Courtney? Why yes, Courtney, thanks for asking. J I am just so grateful for so many people supporting. I truly feel thrilled with any way that this goes. If Lil Light O’ Mine and its ideas and products are a need – it’ll happen and I’m fired up to take the ride (keeping family a priority). If it’s not – I’m totally in love and smitten with my baby girls and need to take some naps and color more with them anyway.

Now, on to way more interesting stuff…