I am so ding-dang excited I'm having to restrain my fingers from typing THIS ENTIRE POST IN CAPS! Out of the utmost concern and courtesy for those offended by screamy letters (and potentially excessive exclamation points), please consider…
My Top Five Reasons
I Can't Wait to Attend Blissdom
[1] Soul sistahs
One of my favorite unofficial events last year was our Blissdom prayer gathering. Without any real plan but with the goal of tying our hearts together and encouraging one another by praying, it was a time of refreshment and remembering whose we are and who we are in Christ. (It's all too easy to lose focus when you're at a blog conference; there are so many talented, "successful" bloggers, it's possible to feel defeated and "less than" and to believe a whole lot of lies).
Please make plans to join us this year and bring friends old and new! We'll be praying from 7:00-7:30 am, so plan to come a little early and we'll have coffee and snacks waiting on you (thanks to Lindsey Nobles and her friends at Thomas Nelson). Heartfelt thanks to {in}courage for offering their Beach Party space for our use again!!
Since this isn't a Blissdom-sponsored event, will you help us out by doing two things?
- Enter your Twitter handle in the Linky below so we can get to know one another prior to the conference and prepare enough coffee and snacks; ~ and~
- Help us get the word out! Post about the breakfast on your blog, Facebook or on Twitter (use the hashtag #BlissPrayer} and/or include a badge in your sidebar linking back to this post (you can select all from the box below and it'll provide the code).
{Thanks to Dawn Camp for creating the darling buttons for our use; if you love the image as much as I do, it's from a gorgeous canvas available for purchase from DaySpring!}
[2] Sharing the role of Lifestyle Community Leader with Sandy Coughlin
New this year,
Blissdom organizers have created 20 Tribes/Niches with a host of Community Leaders to act as the go-to people within each group. This is a
brilliant and thoughtful addition to the conference, designed
to encourage mentor relationships among bloggers before, during and after the conference. Community Leaders are the point people to receive questions and offer advice, hugs…and chocolate when needed :).
Immediately following the opening session, each tribe will meet at "their" table in the main ballroom (your niche table number will be projected on the screen); this is when we'll meet one another, exchange business cards and Twitter handles, and have a quick Q & A if necessary.
To say I'm thrilled to join Sandy as Lifestyle Community Leader is an understatement! Blogging at
The Reluctant Entertainer, Sandy is also the author of a
gorgeous book that shares the same name.
If your blog is hard to define and you write a combination of lifestyle-related content–
- family
- faith
- marriage
- parenting
- entertaining and hospitality
- personal interests (for me, in addition to the above, poetry, photography, friendship, important causes…)
- stream of consciousness… 😉
…then we invite you to join our (almost non-) niche! Though we wouldn't dare to say it's the best tribe, we think it's pretty doggone special!
[3] The thrill and honor of leading a session
Along with presenter
Hollee Temple and co-speakers
Jennifer Doyle and
Dawn Schnee, our
official session title is:
"Longevity and Balance: The One Where the Old Timers Complain and Then Rally with a Vengeance; Disillusioned Newbies Welcome."
After speaking with these ladies by conference call, I'm even more excited than EVAH. We're four diverse personalities who'll explore some rarely discussed issues (balance, jealousy, success, addiction and competitiveness) doing our best to acknowledge those Big Elephants in the room.
If you were even thinkin' about attending this session, let me give you a gentle push in our direction. You'll definitely come away with newfound insights and inspiration.
* * * * * * * *
Whew! This is getting long (imagine that!), so I'll continue with my next two points soon. Stay tuned! Remember to link your Twitter handle below if you're planning on coming to the Blissdom Prayer Coffee on Friday morning!!
(For the link URL be sure you use this format: http://twitter.com/YourTwitterName)
Blissdom is by far my favorite conference. And it looks like this year is going to be amazing. (I saw that Michelle Branch is going to be there!) So sad that I can’t come this year, but I *will* be there in 2012!
Y’all have fun!
Count me in! I need to start filling in a schedule with all of these things…:) *so excited* Look forward to meeting you, Robin!
I’m so excited that there’s a #LifestyleTribe… I was feeling all sorts of left out there for a while. LOL 🙂
Will be writing down the info about the Prayer gathering as well!
I’m pretty sure the LifestyleTribe is where I belong! I’m excited to meet everyone and to go to the prayer gathering. As Blissdom approaches, I’m only getting more excited about my first blogging conference!
I’m so jealous. I really want to be at Blissdom this year-primarily to meet/see people like you! *sigh* maybe next year! Have a fantastic time!
I can’t get to this page. http://blissdomconference.com/community-leaders/
Has anyone else had a problem?
Hi Robin –
I just read your post and was wondering…for those of us who can’t attend Blissdom:(…hoping next year if there was a way for us to join in the prayer time from our homes? If those who can’t attend could gather in their own home and pray as well? Don’t know if I’m making sense? I believe prayer IS SO important…it is key. Do you have a prayer list going? For example, the names of the speakers we could pray for ect.
Hope this makes some sense:) Have a blessed day…Tiffini
one of my most favoritist parts of last year was praying with that group. and now that i really know you…it is BLISS!
xoxo
(I just love you, your heart, all our beautiful Jesus radiating in you, friend. He really has made you a leader with a servant’s heart…)
For some reason I am having trouble with the Linky. But I really want to come to the prayer breakfast. So I’ll come back & sign up later. I can’t wait to meet everyone!
I’m looking forward to all of this! Thank you! See you at the prayer gathering and the lifestyle community table! ~ Michelle
Bridget,
Shewt! I'm a Blissdom fan, too, and I sure do hate you're waiting til next year to come again. But I'll plan to meetcha there, k? 🙂
Alicia,
I know! I finally realized if I didn't write everything down I was gonna miss something fun…or important….or BOTH! Cannot wait to meet you, too! 🙂
Well, hellow "Dutchbeingme" :),
Your enthusiasm has been an encouragement to me! Thanks for tweeting about our Lifestyle Tribe! It's gonna be a treat to meet YOU and I DO hope it works out for you to come to the Prayer Coffee :).
Ahhh, Leigh…you're gonna LOVE IT! But, just keep in mind there's SO much going on it's easy to feel overwhelmed (or like everyone else knows everyone else–WHICH IS NOT TRUE!). The prayer coffee is GREAT for keeping perspective by focusing on Christ. I know this from experience! 🙂
Headless Mom,
Blogging changes when you start meeting people face to face. I so wish you could be there…but we'll cross our fingers (save pennies???) til NEXT year! 🙂 xo
Cyndi,
Did you check again? I had no problems pulling up that page from your link or from the Blissdom Conference site itself. Hope the problem is resolved :).
Tiffini,
LOVELY idea!!! You're making PERFECT sense. You've given me the idea to try to fool around with Skype or Livestream or SOMETHING, and if I do, I'll make sure to post about it! Here's a link to the speakers; I'm not keeping a list but everything about the conference is somewhere on the site. And THANK YOU for such a kind, generous spirit!! 🙂
http://blissdomconference.com/blissdom-conference-speakers-2011/
Lisa,
Aaaaameeen. It was a conference highlight. Cannot wait to see you (and so many) and have this special time again :).
Ann,
Oh, how I wish you could be there with you. Thank you for your words of affirmation here; they mean a LOT :). xo
Alicia,
I checked it and it still seems to be fine so I hope it was just a temporary glitch. Link away and be sure to tell your friends!! The more the merrier at the crack of dawn! 🙂
Michelle,
I LOVE it when I know in advance I'll get to see some attendees both in the Lifestyle Tribe AND at the prayer coffee. That way we can have more than a passing "hello" :).
Hi Robin,
I’m going into this with a sense of wonder–really praying about what God has for me, what He wants me to do with this tiny little blog-o-mine. And now I’m totally relieved to know about this prayer time and that I’ll have a chance to meet with some like-minded women. I can’t wait to meet you after all these years, too. 🙂
I can’t add my Twitter link, for some reason, but you can add me to the list. @ShellyWildman.
Thanks, and I’ll see you soon.
Shelly
Oh yeah, one question about tribes. Can you just show up to your tribe or do we have to sign up ahead of time?
Shelly!!!!!!! I know! Jo-Lynne told me y'all were roomin' together and I did a little happy dance to know we'd finally get to meet!
I have no idea what's wrong with the blasted link thing (I'll add you and anyone else who's having trouble if they let me know!!!!)
As far as tribes, you don't have to decide or sign up in advance (THOUGH I HOPE EVERYONE CONSIDERS LIFESTYLE if it's close to fitting 🙂 ); you'll be able to show up at your table the morning of :).
Looking forward to seeing you SOON! Sounds like you have a lot to keep you busy! Fun!
Yay! You are my GIRLFRIEND Leadah! =) <3