Community is essential to our daily life.

Especially as Believers – we need friends, accountability, support, encouragement. The list goes on. It’s something that God meant for us to crave and something He wants us to experience. The vision for the Influence Conference is to open the gates and start building our “Tribe of Believers,” our community of bloggers and business owners, created to help each other pursue God’s calling on our lives. It gives us the opportunity, as Christian women, to come together in our struggles, in our triumphs, and connect on the same level.

Personally, I tend to have a bit of social anxiety when it comes to large crowds or big events. Chris, my husband, and I are normally the ones who sign the book at a wedding reception and slip out as quickly as possible. So, you can imagine that something like Influence throws me a teeny bit out of my comfort zone.

But something bigger than that, bigger than my own insecurities, is the excitement that I will have time to connect with women just like me. Some could be moms, some may or may not have a blog or a business, some may be younger and still trying to find their place… but we will all be able to come together and find a common ground: Jesus. And purpose. And what that means for each of our lives.

That we want to use our voice, our platform, our “influence” for Him. Because, that’s what really matters in the grand scheme of things.

It doesn’t matter if we come to Influence with friends or if we come alone. By the end of this conference, our hope is that every attendee leaves feeling equipped to pursue their calling and is continually encouraged and connected through their tribe.

I blogged yesterday on my personal blog about my struggle with “fear of man,” how often times I let Satan squelch my purpose or my influence because I am so consumed with avoiding negativity, letting fear get to me. Sometimes it’s just plain fear. Sometimes it’s insecurities. Sometimes it’s disbelief in myself.

So, I am excited to be encouraged at Influence. It’s what anyone in my shoes needs in order to be equipped and ready to use my voice for Him.

To learn from others, to connect and create new relationships.
To be revitalized and inspired by a new community of women that are about to rise up as Believers and pursue God’s plan.

Sometimes we need something like this to refill our tanks. Sometimes we need something like this to find our purpose, to understand where we fit. And sometimes we need something like this to be thrown out of our comfort zone in order to see what God really wants for us.

I can’t wait to be there. I hope you’ll join me. Take the leap! – Casey