Exodus 2009 - Make us One

I had the awesome privilege of attending my first Exodus Conference in Wheaton, IL. this past week. I will have to take bits of it and develop them into different blog posts - simply because I could not possibly get it all into one.

So I'll just start with the overall impression of the conference, my first formal introduction to Exodus, and meeting many of its key players.

I guess what really struck me is the humility and honesty with which Alan Chambers opened the first evening. This wasn't "Change Camp", nor was it promised that your struggles with SSA would be "greatly reduced" it you just followed these "17 simple steps". What was emphasized throughout the week was that God is glorified and Christ in formed in us during the 'process'. He has a plan and purpose, change is possible - but change may not look like you expected it to.

All very nice catch phrases, but the conference workshops and subsequent speakers fleshed these ideas out with practical applications and exhortations to pursue Christ and healing would come as byproduct of that pursuit.

There are several key areas that God spoke directly to me on, namely in my unforgiviness of self, my disbelief of God ever using me again, and a barrier that I felt was affecting my ability to connect with God.

And if that wasn't enough...there were the people! I have read some posts from individuals who feel that gathering a bunch of SSA strugglers in one place is like the "blind leading the blind" (Heaven forbid that we let sinners actually get together on a regular basis....oh no...we call that CHURCH). It actually was the Church that met there this week, the Body of Christ, doing what it supposed to. Loving, laughing, binding up hurts, teaching, correcting, worshipping...it was all there. In almost any church service I have been in (for years) I have felt that "If they only knew....they wouldn't want me here". The lie is straight from the Pit and this conference was chance to participate freely in worship and have the power of that lie broken. They DO know, and I'm STILL welcome!

# of days sober = 25