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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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March 1, 2019

Fun Announcement!

You know those moments where you just wish you could push a button in your mind that would act as a sort of ‘screenshot’ and be saved forever so you could pull it up again and again and immediately be transported back to that time and place? I’ve had more of those in my life than I can count and most involve my children. But, one such moment happened last year that seemed so simple at the time but was truly so impactful.

I had the great privilege of being a speaker at the incredible Becoming Conference which takes place each year in the beautiful hills of North Carolina on Lake Junaluska. During one of the breaks, I wandered down to the lakeshore to just bask in the sunshine and soak in the beauty of my surroundings. I saw groups of women sitting together, happily chatting and I had that fleeting moment of wishing I was there with my best friends.

As I walked past one particularly happy group, they said hello to me and invited me to come join them. So I did. And as we sat and talked and laughed together, friendship was born. It was such a seemingly simple act, the inclusion of someone new to them, and yet it reminded me of why I love this particular conference so much.

No pretension, no exclusiveness, no cliques. Just women who are genuinely enjoying a weekend filled with inspiration for making your home a haven and doing it all on a budget.

And, you guys I am SO thrilled to announce that this year not only am I going to be keynote speaker but I am also going to be one of the co-hosts! I’m teaming up with my amazing friends Jen of Balancing Beauty and Bedlam (original founder), Karianne of Thistlewood Farms and Dana of A Slob Comes Clean .

During the weekend of July 26-28 we will be bringing you some of the most amazing classes and sessions which will encourage you to live intentionally by becoming more creative and purposeful. And we will have SO.MUCH.FUN.

Registration is now open and this is definitely a case of the early bird getting the worm because anyone who buys their ticket before March 31 will be entered to win two free conference workshops (furniture painting, crafting, calligraphy, etc.) AND two free boat cruises on beautiful Lake Junaluska!

To get your ticket(s) and read more about what you can expect from this amazing weekend head over to the Becoming Conference website.

And, while I know that for many of you it won’t be possible to make this trek, I’ll be bringing you along with me through Facebook Live videos and other online activities so that you too can join in the fun!

This past year has been filled with a lot of highs and lows for me and I went through a period of time when I experienced a bit of a crisis of confidence when it came to the calling God has placed on my life. But, over and over again He has affirmed that this is exactly what He wants me to do. To be available to listen and encourage, to support and share. And to encourage women in all walks of life to invite more peace into their hearts and their homes. Whether I do it here or in person at a conference or retreat, it is truly the greatest privilege and joy!

Please let me know if you have any questions about the Becoming Conference or if you would be interested in having me speak at an event near you!

Much love,

14 Comments Filed Under: Community, Good Ideas

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Comments

  1. laura janning says

    March 1, 2019 at 4:06 AM

    how exciting to co-host and speak. i went to becoming a few years back and may have to considering going again this year. Best of luck!

    Reply
  2. Cindy says

    March 1, 2019 at 8:11 AM

    I am so happy for you! I love who you are and how you walk through life. The conference sounds so fun. Great people to be with. Congratulations! With love and prayers!

    Reply
  3. Lynn Tripler says

    March 1, 2019 at 8:40 AM

    Congratulations
    What a awesome thing
    I enjoy your web site so much.
    Thank you and God bless you
    Lynn Tripler

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 4, 2019 at 9:58 AM

      Thank you so much Lynn! I appreciate all of the support and encouragement more than I can express!

      Reply
  4. Sandra says

    March 1, 2019 at 9:02 AM

    I have recently come across your blog and it is so refreshing. Love the way your words flow and I am glad I found someone who seems to understand me. Keep up the good work! Oh, and congratulations!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 4, 2019 at 9:58 AM

      Hi Sandra! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that you found my blog and how much I appreciate your encouraging words. Thank you so much! Have a great week! ~ Vanessa

      Reply
  5. Julie Briones says

    March 1, 2019 at 9:31 AM

    So thrilled for you, Vanessa. I know the Lord will be glorified through the conference!

    Reply
  6. Michele M. (Finch Rest) says

    March 1, 2019 at 11:01 AM

    Your joy is truly right in front of my eyes reading this happy news! My best wishes for this wonderful opportunity. ♥

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 4, 2019 at 9:54 AM

      Awww…thank you so much dear friend!!

      Reply
  7. Chelly says

    March 1, 2019 at 3:29 PM

    I was there last year and already got my ticket for this year! So happy you’re going to be there again! Can’t wait!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 4, 2019 at 9:54 AM

      Woo hoo!!! So glad you are going to be there again Chelly and look forward to seeing you. We’re going to have so much fun!

      Reply
  8. Carol Reddin says

    March 2, 2019 at 3:58 PM

    What exciting news. Congratulations! So very happy for you.

    Reply
  9. Irene Wolf says

    March 2, 2019 at 6:14 PM

    I’ve been to a couple of “Women of Faith” conferences and this sounds like the same amazing group sharing their faith and belief in God. Wish I could attend to hear you in person Vanessa!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 4, 2019 at 9:53 AM

      How fun would it be to get to see each other Irene! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!

      Reply

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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

If you feel like your soul has been stripped bare and you've been left exposed and vulnerable, may I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you to see the beauty in this 'season of the sticks'.

“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7
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It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
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