Category: Bright Lights Conferences

Bright Lights Conferences

Outdoors Alaska!

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Yesterday we enjoyed our first experience of outdoors Alaska… the fresh air, bald eagle, moose tracks, ice chunks floating down the river … along with a special time of getting to know the three sweet families who came hiking with us! (And their dogs.[smile]!) It was a beautiful afternoon. We also had a really encouraging study of 2 Timothy 1 in the morning and a very special time of sharing in the evening. Praise the Lord! Thanks for all who are praying for us. The Radiant Purity Conference starts tonight.

The stream close to the Vassers house, where half of our group is staying. Pictured above is Danielle Sobie (right) with some of the Vasser children

Rachel Vasser and me

After Bekah taught teachers training last night, the conversation erupted into a really sweet time of sharing and fellowship with the other Alaskan girls who came to help lead the conference. It is so special to be here because the girls here have much less like-minded fellowship.

People in Alaska obviously don’t get as much opportunity to attend Christian conferences and fellowship with other believers since they are so far away, which makes it even more exciting to be doing a conference up here.

Please pray that the Lord would work in mighty ways tonight, that each one of us would continue to embrace the Truth that sets us free, and that Jesus would be the core of everything taught and shown!

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:1

Bright Lights Conferences/Miscellaneous

“Where two or three are gathered… (via Skype) …”

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This morning we had a wonderful sharing / prayer time, via skype group call, with our team of five Americans who are going to Singapore and Malaysia next month (Sarah and myself, Bekah, Nickie and Dani), and two good friends in Singapore (Jolynn and Carolyn) who are helping to plan the conferences on that end.

It was a blessing to “meet” with Dani in Ohio along with our friends in Singapore, and it was a big encouragement to share thoughts, needs, struggles, desires, and goals. We are anticipating great things for this upcoming trip. We would really appreciate your prayers as well, remembering that “Prayer is not preparation for the work, it is the work” – Oswald Chambers

We’ll be gone for about seven weeks, starting in Alaska, then going to Singapore and Malaysia and Australia … coming home just a little before Christmas.

If you live in Alaska, Singapore, Malaysia, or Australia and would be interested in attending, you can register here.

“O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still” (Psalm 83:1).

Bright Lights Conferences/Singapore and Malaysia

Memories from Malaysia, 2008

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We are excited to be going to Singapore and Malaysia again this fall! This video brings back special memories from one of our conferences there back in 2008.

All over the world young ladies are seeking to be bright lights for the Lord! Please join us in prayer that the Lord would be at work in the hearts of many young ladies in SE Asia and do wonderful things for His glory. We will also be running some conferences in Australia.

“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.”
Psalm 117

Bright Lights Conferences/Strong in the Lord Conf.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Strong in the Lord Conference

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Karen and Elizabeth greeting people as they arrived.

The conference went smoothly and I heard many good reports from the small group times. Praise the Lord. We always enjoy running the conference at home where so many local friends are able to come.

Pictured here is Sarah leading a minute of silent prayer, encouraging the girls to commit to reading the Bible every day–even if it is just for a few minutes. We are always encouraged by the many girls who make this commitment.

“Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes” (Psalm 119:129-135).

Bright Lights Conferences/Radiant Purity Conferences

Radiant Purity Conference, Carrollton, Texas

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Sarah teaching a main session

Since we had many musicians among the leaders who were helping us with this conference, we pulled together a little ensemble to accompany the singing before the main sessions.

Our sharing time lasted quite a while as many had refreshing reports from their small group times.

We were blessed to have a large group of staff for this conference (local girls who joined us) … as is evidenced by the height of our empty-pizza-box pile.

I still can’t get over how cute this little guy is. We caught him in the place we were staying.

Waiting for the first flat tire on the way home to get fixed.

Waiting for the second flat tire on the way home to get fixed.

It was a great trip! God took care of us and we felt very blessed in so many ways.

Reports and pictures from the IOWA conferences coming next.

Bright Lights Conferences/Strong in the Lord Conf.

Strong in the Lord Conference – Carrollton, Texas

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Below is a slideshow of pictures from the Carrollton, Texas “Strong in the Lord conference.” We took one photo an hour (from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM) to show how Wednesday progressed. We were excited to see the Lord working in many people’s lives.

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Bright Lights Conferences/Radiant Purity Conferences

Topeka, KS, Radiant Purity Conference

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One of the highlights of our Bright Lights conference trips is the encouraging fellowship time before each conference when we (our group of leaders) share with each other what God is teaching us from the Word.

Once the conference begins, things become very busy!

The skits always keep us on our toes. Often someone is missing something backstage (well, that would usually be me [smile]) and we all frantically hunt for it… but it usually comes together just in time. [smile]

Many girls say one of their favorite parts of the conference was the chalk talk.

This skit on Saturday afternoon was about trusting God instead of listening to our fears.

Saturday night it usually takes several hours to pack up. Thankfully, we work as a team. (i.e. I take pictures while they work. Just kidding. [smile]) …And, though we’re tired, we are usually working with encouraged hearts – appreciating the many blessings God gave during the week and the ways we saw Him work.

Bins ready to be loaded into the trailer!

One sad part of each conference is saying goodbye to so many special friends…like little Bethany (whose family was hosting the conference). She had become Lilly’s little shadow. [smile]

We are now in Carrollton, Texas, and the Radiant Purity Conference here starts in about four hours. Thank you to any who are praying for us. I will be posting pictures from the “Strong in the Lord” conference here tomorrow.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23)

Bright Lights Conferences

Locked Out.

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It was about 10pm Tuesday evening. The “Strong in the Lord Conference” had ended for the evening, and would be starting at 9am the following day. Since we were video taping, we really needed to practice some of our skits that night to refresh the camera crew, since they haven’t traveled with our team for a while. We had a lot to do and it was going to be a late night. But first everyone went to the kitchen to eat dinner. 🙂

Oh no! Upon arriving back to the auditorium after supper, we realized that the janitor had locked the doors to the auditorium while we were all eating. Then he had left to go home. Dawn, our hostess, tried calling several different people, but it was too late at night to get a hold of anyone. Now what?!

I just felt like laughing…hardly believing what was happening. The only time we have EVER been locked out of a church auditorium is the ONE time we need to be in there the most to practice for the video. It’s in situations like this where it is fun to sit back and watch “how God will fix this one.”

My dad called a prayer meeting.

The guys unsuccessfully attempted many various creative ways to well, pick the lock… (don’t tell anybody :)) and trigger the motion release.

Then they began to think of other even more creative options to get into the auditorium: the air vents! But after a little investigating, they decided that wasn’t a good idea. I think the next plan was to take the door off it’s hinges…

Everyone was getting pretty tired and a little silly…(surprise, surprise)… and we were all glad when we heard that Dawn got a hold of someone from the church who had the access code. But I wanted to see someone go through a vent! I was thinking. Okay, I guess it wasn’t the time to complain about that. We were grateful to be able to get in and do the practicing we needed to do before it got too late.

This was just one of the many answers to prayer we saw while recording the conference, so thank you to all who were praying!

Here Stephen is sharing with the group about one specific miracle that happened regarding the audio on Saturday afternoon. Another answer to prayer.

Hopefully, at some point in the future, Bright Lights groups will be able to do “Strong in the Lord” video conferences, just as they are already doing Radiant Purity video conferences. It would definitely be a way to reach more girls.

Bright Lights Conferences/Strong in the Lord Conf.

Willoughby Hills, Ohio

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The Strong in the Lord Conference here in Willoughby Hills, Ohio ended Wednesday evening. Thank you to all who prayed for the video taping. There was a lot of joy among our group as we learned how well the taping went and as we heard about the little miracles that happened behind the scenes on the technical side of things. The conference itself went very well and we have been so encouraged by the feedback.

The Radiant Purity conference here starts in a few hours.

Please pray that the Lord works in hearts and lives– that His kindness (Rom 2:4) leads many to make the decision to surrender entirely to Jesus. We’d appreciate prayer for the small group discussions, main sessions, singing, skits, and all the other behind the scenes details…

And thank you for all of you who have been praying for our team. In our team devotional time this morning, Sarah was mentioning to us how it was such a huge blessing that there has been such joy and love in the group even though many are quite tired by this time. It’s so refreshing to be in a group where the atmosphere is one of joy and praise to God vs complaining — and we definitely attribute this to God’s grace!

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thess 3:12-13)

Bright Lights Conferences

PA Conferences

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The conferences in Pennsylvania last week were very encouraging. The church was wonderful to work with, and we saw the Lord’s hand work in many lives.

It’s been wonderful having such a great team of leaders helping us. One of the highlights is the time of sharing from the Word and prayer that we have as a group. Here was one of our prayer times last week. It’s such a huge blessing to have so many girls lead the conferences who love the Lord so much.

Please join us in praying that the next two conferences here in Ohio go well. The Strong in the Lord conference starts tomorrow night and the Purity Conference is on the weekend.