It’s been a month since I’ve even written here in this space…no surprise really since I was running Allume which happened this past weekend.
I want to recap things…the weekend… but, I have to confess that it’s near impossible to recap a weekend when that weekend was really the culmination of an entire year for me.
So I don’t know where to begin. And maybe I begin a year ago when I was on the phone with the kind friends at (in)courage and I cried and said that I had no clue what I was doing. I was handed this thing called Allume, a thing I never looked for or even wanted to dream to do, and suddenly when I realized that my dear friend Sarah Mae was fresh out of vision because she has given so much over the prior 3 years, and that I needed to get some vision, I felt just lost and totally inadequate.
So I cried on the phone with Saul and Lisa Jo, and I got off and called Sarah Mae and was angry that she had “hung me out to dry.”
Or at least that’s how I felt a year ago.
But God knew…and He knew that He had a vision, and that because I didn’t, I’d ask Him to share with me what He wanted to do. So I listened hard. This whole past year I have been on my knees listening hard, making decisions, and then holding them heavenward for holy confirmation to be given.
So this past weekend for me, it was confirmation that I listened and heard Him speaking, because the King of Heaven and Earth showed up in that space, and for 3 days, the Hyatt Regency Greenville became holy ground.
I had felt for months that Christ-centered identity would be spoken, that there would be exhortation for faithfulness in the still places before we’d be called into louder ones, that a brokenness would be permitted, life would be breathed onto dry bones, and then that from the fullness that we have in Christ, that we would be made aware of the overflow and the generosity we can then pour out. I had never known how that would happen, but it began with Ann, continued with Melanie, broke open with Jennie, breathed life with Bianca, and then poured out with Jeff. And in between in all of the sessions, more of the same…a calling, a filling, and an outpouring.
The body of Christ united not just by what we do (the writing, the blogging), but by who we are, and why we do what we do.
I’m still spinning from it all. Soaking up the joy of a revival that I believe was birthed in many hearts as we spent our time together. And I’m taking a couple of weeks to celebrate God’s goodness of what has been done, and asking for his wisdom to see where He leads us all together next. And I have a few ideas, but just like this year, I can have ideas and plan up to a certain point, but the space that made what we shared so holy, was in the parts that God did, that we couldn’t begin to know.
Amen and Amen!
Allume changed me forever. Thank you Logan, Jeremy and all the staff for having the courage to step out in faith, to sacrifice your time with family and friends to bring together this powerful meeting. I cannot wait for next October. I love you guys!
Love this! It was truly an amazing, God filled time with all of you beautiful and messy girls!! Thank you for being so obedient.
xoxo
Susan
You are a gift (and I know I say that a lot, but I just want to make sure you KNOW). Walking with you throughout the last year with Allume and the adoption and hard things that you have been through, it all meshes together. They are not separate, but one. That’s what makes Allume so unique for me. It’s not a place for me to “get away” anymore. It’s a place for me to enter into the quiet spaces of my own soul–and to hear Him not just for the day, but for the upcoming weeks and months and what He wants to do through me in my home and through my blog.
This year He spoke heavy on me about resting in Him through the remainder of our adoption process. Which continues to be silent. He surrounded me with people who had a burden to pray with me and for our girls. He gifted me with the knowledge that He’s there and He cares.
I am looking forward to the upcoming year — and my husband is looking into bringing the family next year, but we shall see. 🙂
Logan,
I loved reading this. Your heart is so precious. For certain reasons God put the red light on me attending Allume this year, but just reading post after post of what happened I have been moved and blessed, and I feel so honored to be part of this big picture online. Allume is the outpouring of what we all do. How words on screens and voices raised in blog posts, all come together to offer a “holy ground” in this cyber world. I have loved watching you take this project and fulfill what God started at that first Relevant with Sarah Mae. I will always feel a part of the Allume community because it is kind of like my home church online, and where my blogging was birthed. You are beautiful and I can’t wait to see where God leads you and Allume for next year. God willing I will be there! xoxo
Love these thoughts, Logan. This was my first Allume Conference, and I wasn’t disappointed. The Lord blessed me with so many new friends and so many wonderful insights. I feel like He dumped out a puzzle in front of me — so many pieces to look through and put together. The sorting and piecing-together will go on for some time, all in HIS time.
Thank you for your obedience!
Susan in VA 🙂
I keep saying the same thing. There was a spirit of generosity that spoke to people and set them free to be themselves and embrace their gifts and callings. And it started at the top with you, a surrendered heart asking for the embrace of Jesus’ hand all over it. That was obvious as the spirit moved over and through people. I’m blown away by what God did in the prayer room with people. Privileged to be part of it.
You did amazing!
Logan ~ just as He was leading you, He also drew each one of us to Allume. His Presence was undeniable! Enjoy your time of rest, my sweet friend… I’m already looking forward to His plans for next year!
MaryAnn
Logan, thank you isn’t enough for all the hours and energy and prayers and tears I can not even begin to imagine or understand that you faithfully poured out in planning and preparing for Allume. Your reflections here were exactly my experience. The blogging, the craft…it was all so secondary to the awakening in my heart and the beauty of God goodness through community. Blessings to you, friend!
The vision is God’s, it was always God’s. I believe you did exactly what God had in mind for this year. Next year He may chance, weak, move laterally or update all together. Your job, is to listen and you did it well. I don’t believe that He places on you the burden to have all the answers.
This year’s conference was beautiful, and in unlikely places we found Holy ground – Holy Halls, Holy bathrooms, Holy hotel rooms, Holy floor in the prayer room, Holy ground in the chairs as we listened to the speakers. He found unlikely places to love us and make himself known to us and each place was Holy Ground.
You, and all the staff glorified Christ in your obedience and that is all your are responsible for – the result are the responsibility of Christ.
I’ve wanted to go to Allume ever since it was relevant, but God made me wait. I waited and and learned about blogging. I learned how to grow my blog, and I learned the “right” thing to do. Finally when I get my first chance to go to a blogging conference I went knowing how to be a good blogger but not what I should be focused on. Yes I knew I should be focused on Jesus, but what did that mean? What did that mean for my ministry? God used Allume to not teach me how to be a better blogger but to give my LIFE completely and utterly over to Him and allow Him to write my story. I don’t think I would have been ready for it a few years ago. His timing was absolutely perfect 🙂
Hi Logan,
I am new to your blog and the Allume website; I only learned about the conference a few weeks ago and have spent hours reading some of the blogs posts in the link-up. Wow. I wanted to let you know how much these posts mean to me and how much I have needed this kind of inspiration and fellowship. There are so many Christian (blogging) conferences out there and although I haven’t attended any yet because they did not feel “right”, I have prayed about each one, asking God to show me which one would be a good fit for me. After reading through your blog, the Allume website and link-ups, I have my answer. This conference has been on my mind and heart so much in the past 48 hours. I wish I had learned of the conference sooner, because now I have to wait a whole year to attend! 🙂
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your work in His ministry; I am all the way in Hawaii, but I love that the sweet Lord brings us all close together at heart.
I hope to meet you at next year’s conference!
Aloha,
Angie
“The body of Christ united not just by what we do (the writing, the blogging), but by who we are, and why we do what we do.” YES
I came to Allume because last year a good friend went and told me it was a great experience and that I’d enjoy it. I didn’t really believe her but I went anyway, and have to confess that I went in expecting the typical conference scene, lots of pretty talk but no depth or takeaways for my real life. I’ve never been more happy to be wrong.
So, thank you for being willing to do hard things, to trust in the vision that things can look really, really different in a year’s time, and for all of that listening.
One of your best posts yet. Very well written dear. Great,great summation. You just helped me process everything that happened a little better.
Dear Logan, I just wanted to let you know what an amazing woman of God you are (as is evident in this post) and how much the Lord has used your faithful service and wise words at Allume to convict and grow my heart!
Thank you SO VERY MUCH for all of your loving dedication in making Allume truly the BEST year ever. The teaching, the worship, the fellowship, the service projects – it all drew me closer to my God and Savior and I cannot thank you enough!! With much love and appreciation, Kelly
Logan,
I just want to personally thank you and your staff for all the hard work in put into this conference. IT WAS AMAZING! God was in every step of this event, and it was awesome to see how He’s moving through the hearts of women. So blessed to have attended Allume. Grateful for your faithful service to the Lord. Blessings, Kasey
Logan,
Let me just say that God is AMAZING. He used Allume… by giving the speakers, musicians, and people the inspiration to plan as they would without knowing what would come — everything connected together perfectly and flowed to each person’s heart. A theme was intricately woven together and spoke to each individual lady for what SHE was personally going through at the time. I MEAN COME ON! HOW A-MAZING is our God???!! Just so blown away. Praise you, Jesus! 🙂