It has been a great week. New places. New experiences. New ideas. New acquaintances. My mind is overwhelmed with all that was crammed into a short amount of time and space. Maybe that’s why it all happened in Las Vegas!

While I was dazed by all the sites, wonders, scents and tastes Las Vegas had to offer, I met some pretty incredible men and women at the Senior Administrative Assistants Conference who serve Jesus faithfully beside their respective pastors in their home church. Some of these ladies will become friends for years to come. These folks were amazing.

I learned some pretty invaluable information. I learned tips and about tools that will make my job easier come Monday morning. I gleaned priceless gems during casual communication while walking, standing in line or sitting around a table. All of this is jammed inside my little brain and within the pages of my notebook. I can’t wait to begin putting it into practice.

There were other things I learned along the way. I am able to find my way around Las Vegas without getting lost…despite the mountains on all four sides of this city! I am not the city girl I profess to be. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Las Vegas, at least not to go to the strip. But I’d go to the outlying areas in a heartbeat! These are just a few things I learned…I’m sure you’ll be hearing more as time goes on.

What I loved most about this trip however, is that God met me there. Well, He was with me from the start, but when I pushed aside all the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, I saw God. I experienced God. I breathed God. And it was glorious.

On our last morning of the conference, we had some time to reflect about our own spiritual well-being. I’ll be honest with you. There are women I met on this journey who were struggling spiritually. Their work puts them on a collision course with spiritual drought. There’s little time to worship, there’s little time to retreat, there’s little time to push aside the demands of the job.

You see, an assistant has a brain that is usually focused on a task that needs to be accomplished. Our brains are engaged with a duty instead of meeting God in the moment. So this portion of the week was especially exciting for me. Oh yes, I am always in need of a little spiritual boost, but I knew there were many sitting in that room that really needed to be in communion with God.

After a few words of instruction, we were allowed to spread out across the campus of the beautiful church property. Earlier in the week, Shan (my boss) and I had had a conversation about Elijah in 1 Kings 19. At the conference, we gleaned some beautiful information about Elijah from 1 Kings 19. There was something in this chapter God wanted me to hear or see or embrace. All I needed to do was open my heart to what God had to say to me.

As I left the building, I immediately found my little place where I would come face-to-face with God. There were two rocks under a tree. I couldn’t help but think this was my broom tree and that God was going to meet me there. I was so right. In that hour, I talked to God. I read from His Word. I quieted my spirit. I heard from Him. Right there. In the middle of Las Vegas (not on the strip, but in Las Vegas), in the middle of the desert, God’s glory was revealed. And what a beautiful moment God and I had.

Perhaps you are weary. Perhaps you are in the middle of a spiritual drought. Perhaps you haven’t seen or heard from God in a very long time. If that is the case, isn’t it time to reconnect with God? Isn’t it time to reengage with what God longs to provide? Isn’t it time?

At the church where we began and ended our conference, there is an area on their campus that depicts some of Isaiah’s words. These are beautiful word pictures for us to envision. Just imagine.

“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into boom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.” (Isaiah 35:1 – NIV)

“I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into springs.” (Isaiah 41:18 – NIV)

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19 – NIV)

This is what God wants for you friend. To be new. To be refreshed. To be filled with joy. I pray that you will not allow today to go by without finding this Spring of Living Water to wash over you and bring new life to your soul.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna