“We’re going to write a book.” My friend Julie stated as we walked out of a weekend spent away at a Bridging the Gap women’s conference in 2011.

I look at her and smile, seeing her resolve, a sense of accord floods my heart as I nod in agreement, a hint of a smile on my lips.

As the weeks and months pass by after the conference we talk a little more about the idea of writing a book with little thought to actually doing it, no idea what we would write about or how we’d go about doing it. Julie and I always having a love of words, but seeing our gifting and  play out more through our careers as a lawyer and social worker. We continue to work, take care of our little families, plan gatherings and live life.

Until a year has passed and we once again find ourselves at our annual girls weekend away at the Bridging the Gap conference. With no kids to attend to, no agenda to meet, there with the simple purpose to meet with God and be with girlfriends, we once again feel strongly that we are to write a book.

Only this time we leave with our idea.

As we once again head home, we resolve to start chasing down this dream, first felt a year earlier. Over the next few weeks we meet and outline our book, that summer spending mornings each week together writing and talking, sharing and dreaming. Pulling my sister Kristin in on the fun, the only one of us traditionally schooled to write, we put together the bulk of our book that summer.

And with each step, writing the book, starting a blog, joining Bridging the Gap’s writing team, writing a second book—we see how God started all of this in a simple little seed, an idea, planted years earlier at a conference where we believed God to be BIG and dreams could actually be true. If only.

If only I’d believe it. If only I’d trust God. If only I’d be obedient to follow after it.

This year was no different. I heard and saw many women at the conference and soon afterward with a dream in their heart, a change in their demeanor, a new path God was leading them down.

And this excites me. Because God is still moving. Still speaking. Still using us—everyday people—to do his work on this earth.

So we’d LOVE to know friends, what did God do for you at the conference? What did he speak or impress upon your heart? What new thing are you daring to try? We told you that your story matters, we believe it, and now we’d love to hear it!

God Sized Dreams 2