In which I am humbled instead of star-struck {takeaways from #Allume}
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“Sarah!”
I came up behind her, calling her name to get her attention. For one and only one reason:
This woman, (author of multiple e-books, co-author of one book in print, co-founder of Allume), told me to. Well, not me specifically, but all of the Allume newbies. “I love newbies! And I want to awkwardly hug each and every one of you! So come find me!”
I don’t regularly read her blog. She wasn’t on the list of people that I wanted to make sure that I hugged. She was one of those “celebrity bloggers” that I didn’t care to even try to say hello to because, well, it’s not like she’s going to remember my name anyway, so what’s the point?
But instead, I found myself saying, “You told me to come find you for a hug, so here I am!”
She wasn’t kidding about the awkward part. She embraced me readily. I returned the favor and then, as most normal hugs go, I pulled back. But she held on tight. And while she held me she said, “I am going to hug you for six seconds. Because research shows that if you hug someone for six seconds, chemicals are released and you are bonded to that person. So now, you and I are bonded for life!”
Yep. Sarah Mae and I. We are bonded.
It was one of the most humbling moments of my entire Allume experience.
_____
Later on that evening I made my way to the live Five Minute Friday Party, taking a seat near the front right by the microphone because it was an open seat with people I knew.
Lisa Jo Baker was there, but it wasn’t the first time I had seen her. Actually, I saw her from the elevator within about 10 minutes of entering the hotel! “Oh, there’s Lisa Jo right there!” I said to the girl I was with, a little surprised, as if I didn’t expect “people like her” to be wandering around the hotel just like “normal” people like me.
But again, she wasn’t on my list. While I participate almost weekly in the Five Minute Friday party and I do follow her blog, again I dismissed her as “one of those big-name bloggers” that I didn’t really care to meet.
(Are you noticing a trend here?)
The truth is that I have nothing against Sarah Mae or Lisa Jo or Ann Voskamp or Emily Freeman or any of the other key-note speakers, authors, and truth tellers. I just don’t like to obsess about them for the big reason that everybody else does. My default is to go against the grain, against the crowd. If the crowd is mobbing so-and-so, I’d rather head the other direction, simply because I don’t want to be a crowd follower. (Even if, in my heart of hearts, I would really love a chance to meet her or get my picture taken with her.)
I tell myself that these “big-names” that others rave about are simply over-rated. They have 8,000 or 12,000 or 85,000 Facebook fans and people hang on their every word. So what? I read a lot of blogs and that girl with 300 followers has just as much good things to say. She’s just a woman, just like me, just like her…good grief she’s human!!
(I may or may not have had a dream a few days before Allume where I stood on my chair during the live Five Minute Friday Party and yelled such things to the entire room of women…)
But as I was there and I watched Lisa Jo Baker flit through the room, smiling and hugging people, “over-rated” was the last word I would have used to describe her. Her very presence radiated with joy and the beauty of a woman who loves Jesus and wants to make a difference in the world with the gifts she has been given.
If you read my Five Minute Friday post from Allume, it probably sounded like I was star-struck, being all like “Lisa Jo Baker is standing five feet from me and she picked my word,” but star-struck wasn’t how I felt. It wasn’t my proximity to her that overwhelmed me, it was the humbling experience of being a part of a community so much bigger than me that was borne out of her simple idea. It was the energy of being among women whom I get to interact with on a weekly basis on Twitter and hearing their words read, live. It was the spirit of stillness as we all wrote, together, for five minutes. It was almost as if we were one organism, one being, with Lisa Jo as the leader, creator – or maybe more like the momma who gave birth to the community and has gone on to nurture it for three years.
I was relieved when she shared how she’s never usually ready with the prompt and her husband has to bug her about it, while she fumbles around the house in her messy hair and junky clothes. Because, well, that’s how I usually am around my house on Thursday nights.
And I WAS honored that she selected one of the words I submitted as a suggested prompt (as I had sent a list of 13 words, and I’m sure others had submitted words as well). Humbled because it was such a perfect word for the spirit that was in that room that night and even the spirit among the girls on Twitter who couldn’t be there.
Then she approached me afterward with a little box in hand that held a silver necklace with that very word, Together, on it. I don’t know how God orchestrated it all. I had no idea when I submitted my word that Lisa Leonard Designs and Dayspring, the parent organization of (in)courage who was sponsoring Allume and the Five Minute Friday Party, had a necklace with that word on it. I don’t know if that’s why Lisa Jo picked that word or if it was just some coincidence. I don’t know if she brought it specifically to give to me or just had one in her bag because she is an (in)courage contributor.
All I know is that there she was, giving me this necklace.
And so I asked her for a picture. Not so I can show all of my friends and readers that OMG I got a picture with Lisa Jo Baker!, but because she is a beautiful person with a beautiful heart and she took the time to make me feel important and cared for. Because her community is a generous, inspiring, and unique sisterhood. And because she radiates Jesus.
Maybe you are reading this and you didn’t get to go to Allume and you are thinking that I just really lucked out to have these experiences. Let me tell you this:
That woman that you admire and follow and Tweet at and quote in your posts, hoping that maybe she will notice you? She’s a woman just like you. Yes her words are inspiring and yes God is doing amazing things through her ministry. But as I stood there in front of her, humbled as she gave me a necklace, an awkward hug, I didn’t see a star – I saw a sister.
I doubt that either of these women will remember me for very long, if at all. I’m sure that they hugged and took Instagram photos with many other women just like me. But that’s okay. Because in the brief moments that I spent with them, they didn’t see another star-struck fan, another follower. They saw me as a person worth taking the time to notice and hug and bless.
And that is why they are all kinds of beautiful.
_____
For more posts about my Allume experience, please check out my landing page here!
11 Comments
amyctilson
All kinds of crazy amens over this, girl. We have such a similar take on things. I have a feeling we are soul sisters that haven’t met yet. <—- that. On Sunday morning I couldn't believe it hadn't happened. 🙁 So glad you were there, though, and got to soak it all in. Another time, and definitely on Thursdays.
Aprille
Amy I did see you a few times but I didn’t know you even knew who I was so I didn’t bother trying to catch you! I was sitting on the couch right by the mic during the (in)couragers meetup so feel free to cyber-kick me now for not saying hi!
happygostuckey
Loved this post, Aprille!
Too Darn Happy (@kimahall)
You have put my thoughts into words, Aprille. When I got home and was exclaiming over meeting Logan, Lisa-Jo, etc, I explained it was not about the celebrity aspect at all.
So, hugs and kisses, sister. So nice to meet you at Allume, and so nice we had a chance to talk!
Aprille
They were all so wonderfully down-to-earth. As were you. 🙂
Lisa-Jo Baker (@lisajobaker)
OH Aprille, you humble me. And you’re making me sort of awkwardly choked up here in Starbucks. I will always remember you because I’m going to keep drawing on your list of generously submitted FMF words and because the women in that community, I’m in awe of them and how they love on each other and open doors and break down stereotypes and model community like so much Jesus that it’s hard to swallow sometimes, you know?
I totally feel like the mama who was honored to birth this community and now just proudly watches in amazement and the great and lovely things they’ve gone on to do. Us with the sweat pants and crazy hair late nights, just taking five minutes to connect and remember that God made us all artists and that when we write, we’re the ones who read and learn the most.
so many warm wishes – and so thrilled that your word happened to have already been stamped into an (in)courage necklace. Such sweet serendipity.
Your messy soul sister,
Lisa-Jo
Aprille
Now I’m the one all choked up. No words, just hugs and awe at this community.
Brianna R Wasson
Aprille, I too am with you, my friend. All the famous people I got to meet there. And hang with. And I didn’t want pictures necessarily (well, ok, I should have taken pictures!) because I didn’t want to be all crazy star struck. But I left that place — I believe it was sacred ground those four days — knowing God is up to something big, and we all get to be part of it in whatever way He gave us to participate. So we’re teammates lighting the world with Jesus. And I love being partners with you and with all those 452 women. Thanks for the words that showed me your heart. Lovely.
katemotaung
What a lovely glimpse into Allume. Thank you for sharing your heart with such grace and honesty. May the effects of the conference continue to have lasting ripple effects in this pond of grace and beauty.
NJ (@acookieb4dinner)
Sounds like you had an amazing experience!
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