This year at the Stronger Conference, a young minister stopped me as I was walking out of the room at the conclusion of a workshop and she said, "I want to tell you something..." (I was all ears.) She said, "Do you notice how many of the speakers this weekend are saying, "Now, I'm just being transparent when I tell you..." or "I'm just keepin' it real..." I nodded yes. In fact, I mentioned that I was one of those speakers. I think I probably said a few times in both my keynote message and my workshop that I was just "keepin' it real." After I affirmed that yes, I had noticed that -- she said, "Do you know why they have to do that? They do it...and you do it, because so many people don't keep it real. So many in leadership aren't transparent, Deanna. That's why all these people speaking here feel an urge to declare their transparency.." I let her know that usually when I say, "I'm just kee
The first two days at the conference I had the privilege of speaking to the nation's women's leaders. I just adore these women. I made so many friends and can't wait to see them again!
The national women's director, Mama Taifa (pronounced "Tie-eee-fa") prepares to introduce Barb Kuert who will introduce me to the women's leaders.
The women I spoke to were national leaders, sectional leaders, presbyter's wives, and pastor's wives.
The women that you see to my right are the national executives' wives, as well as Mama Taifa - the national women's director.
The ladies listened with rapt attention to every word I had to say. (Um, can we bring them to America?! ha ha No seriously 98% of my ladies here listen too and are just incredible, and for the 2% who don't, they are just do-do heads anyway...)
Waiting for the interpreter to finish so I could continue with my point...
I absolutely loved teaching these women and getting to know them. They brought such joy to my heart!!!
Explaining another point to my interpreter to have them get it across to the ladies in a way they could understand.
Me with one of my interpreters, Mama Joshua. Someone would always be assigned to sit by me and interpret for me what the speaker was saying.
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Do the Kuerts happen to have a son named Jon? I used to work very closely with a guy named Jon Kuert when I organized the NCU missions trips.