Breaking FREE!

Okay -- for all who are interested Breaking Free was incredible! It was wonderful, it was awesome and it was More than a blessing to me.
I met so many incredible women that I new only from the Internet. Sarah (our New Orleans sweetheart) and her sweet Mom, Di from Ohio and her sister (whose name just escapes me), Tammy and Jenny and Cathy. Traci and Linda and Vicki. The beignet girls, the Deanie's girls. The lady that was rushing to make the Mississippi wedding. So many and most I've forgotten your names, but your sweet faces are in my heart.

I've written several blog posts on my blog about the lessons -- you can find them at www.MaryRSnyder.com .

Breaking Free is an amazing Bible study that I did 6 1/2 years ago and it blessed me then and this taping blessed me now. If you've never done it, consider it. It will change your life!

Mary

Only a few days until ....

Hi all! I'm just so jazzed about New Orleans! I will get in around 3pm on Monday and are so looking forward to meeting all of the Siestas! I've met so many of you online and can't wait to put a real live face with a name / blog name.
Don't forget the great lunch gathering on Wednesday that Sarah planned for us!! Go Sarah -- read down a few posts for all the info.

I will have my laptop and plan to do a quick blog update several times during the week. I will post it on my site www.MaryRSnyder.com and put something on here to let y'all all know it's up.

Also, if you want to connect with me I will be at the Providence House and under the name Mary Snyder. If you would like my cell number please email me directly at MarySnydr AT aol DOT com.


I can't wait to be there, praying for safe travel for all, open hearts for the message God will give each of us individually, and for a time to get real with Him.

See you all in New Orleans!

Mary

Praying for You

Hi Ladies,

I just want you to know that I will be praying for you over the next week. I am praying that each of you will have a safe trip there and back. I am also praying for your families that I know will miss you while you are gone. I pray that each one of you will leave your chains of bondage in New Orleans and go home absolutely free of strongholds.

Have a safe and wonderful time!

Cindy

Tickets

There are some ladies that are still looking for tickets for the taping. Anyone have any extra tickets available? If so, just comment on this post and those looking for tickets can get in touch with you.

The time is near!

Okay, Ladies, the time is near!!! Is everyone else getting as excited about next weeks events as I am? I'm so excited, that here I am, posting this at 2 am, because I can't sleep thinking about next week! It is going to be a fabulous time of digging in the Word, powerful worship, meeting friends (old and new), and of course, breaking free!

Here are the details for our Siesta lunch on Wednesday:

We will be having lunch at The Market Cafe located at 1000 Decatur Street (on the point at Decatur and St. Peters Streets) in the French Quarter. It is a wonderful open-air cafe that serves traditional New Orleans food. If we are lucky, we will get to hear a live band. We will meet at 12 noon, eat, and then whoever wants can enjoy the shops and French Market that are nearby. I will be making reservations, so if you all can leave a comment stating how many will be in your group, that would be helpful.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you! If you have any questions, you can contact me at sarahmparks@gmail.com.

Roll Call -- Who's Going & Where are you Staying?

Only a few weeks to go!!

I can't believe it's almost here -- and I'm just so excited.

5 nights (and one day) of God teaching me through Beth Moore -- His humble servant!

I'm so looking forward to what the Lord has for me and for all those who will be there. I just know that there's a mighty work going on right now in the hearts of those who will be there -- those who will be soaking up the teaching, the teacher, the staff, the leadership of the church, the staff at Lifeway, and the Living Proof Ministries group.

I'm praying that God will touch all of us as only He can.

For the Roll Call -- where are you coming from? How many in your group? and where are you staying?

I'll go first,
Mary from Alabama
6 (including me)
Staying at the Providence House (at the Seminary) --great rates!

Who's next?

Mary

Want to get together?

Hey ladies! This is Sarah and I live in New Orleans and am so glad you all are coming to have some fun and get the Word in my city! Mary and I will be working together to set up a Siesta get together and would love for you all to join us!

We are planning to get together for lunch on Wednesday. By then, everyone should be settled in and familiar with where they are staying. I know that many of you are staying at the Seminary and others staying downtown, so we will try to find a central location to meet up.

Also, if anyone needs a ride on Sunday or Monday from the airport to your hotel, let me know (you can e-mail me at sarahmparks@gmail.com). I am willing to pick anyone up and get them where they need to go!

I'm looking forward to the Breaking Free taping and meeting you all!

The Time is Drawing Near

The time is approaching very quickly for the Breaking Free taping. I know many are very excited.

I am unfortunately not going to be able to attend as I had planned. I am sad over this, but God always knows what He is doing. One of our sisters Sarah Parks who sent us a great deal of information regarding the area has agreed to help organize a get together for the all Siesta's who would like to hook up during this event.

Since it has been some time since we began this blog, I would like for everyone is who still attending and who would like to meet up for lunch or dinner to respond and let us know who you are and where you will be staying. It would also be helpful to include whether or not you will have transportation around the are.

I will be actively monitoring the comments and getting them published right away! So start commenting and let's get this event scheduled! I know it will be a blast!

PS: Does anyone still need a ticket? I have only one and will offer to first person who asks. I don't know any other way to do it.

Urgent Prayer Request

As I am sure many of you are aware, dangerous weather is quickly approaching the New Orleans area and neighboring states. Let's keep our sisters in Christ close to our hearts in prayer as the fierce weather surrounds them. We see examples in God's Word of Jesus calming the seas and silencing the the storms. Let's join together to uplift our sisters, pray for their protection, and ask God to place in their hearts peace, courage, and strength.

Ticket Request

Is there anyone who can be taken off the "Need Ticket" list or is there anyone who needs to be put on it that isn't?

Prayer Request

Someone suggested we have a place to share prayer request so that we can rejoice together in New Orleans over the answered prayers. I think it's a great idea. We can share here in this post until I find another place for them. I'm not sure we want them on a list on the front page, but then again that might be ok. Please let me know what you think.

Transportation

Several comments have been made regarding transportation to the event from hotels, seminary etc. If you are driving and have room for others to ride with you to the event, please post where you are staying and how many could ride with you.

I am driving (well my dear husband is) and can probably comfortably provide transportation for 3 others. I will be staying at the seminary.

Why Is Attending Important To You?

Hi Ladies,

I thought it might be interesting to hear from each other why it is so important to us to attend the Breaking Free taping.

I will start just to open the conversation. Several years ago I had fallen into a really bad depression. I had left an abusive husband, was raising 2 daughters on my own and had moved to a new city where I knew no one. I had tried to stay in church and hold on to my faith, but I was growing very battle worn. My daughters and I were looking for a specific church one Sunday morning, but I got "lost" and couldn't find it. In my efforts to find it, we passed a nearby church and it was the same denomination I knew so I thought "Ok God, maybe this is a sign from You" and we went in. The people were friendly and I felt at home almost immediately.

A few days later, a lady visited me from the church and invited me to a study she was getting ready to hold at her home. It was Beth's Breaking Free. I had never heard of Beth at that point and no idea what I was getting myself into. The study saved my life. So many nights I had laid awake wondering how the best way to end this life would be without destroying my young daughters. I thought all the damage done to me in my childhood and past adulthood had destroyed me and that not even God could love me now. All the love, forgiveness and mercy stuff was for other people--not for people like me. Not after what I had been through and the mistakes I had made.

Breaking Free had a new message for me. One of healing and hope. One of love, mercy and grace for people just like me. It has been about 7 years now since I did Breaking Free and even now I sit here with tears flowing down my face at how God spoke to me through this study. It was during this study I began sleeping with my Bible. I held it like a teddy bear. I began curling up in my sheet imagining in my mind that it was the hem of His garment and if He would allow me to just lay at His feet I could rest for a while and be ok in the morning. I've healed and grown a lot since then, but every now and then when life is caving in I still pull the sheet close and say "Lord, I just need to rest here at your feet for a while."

So, to be at the taping, to hear Beth personally teach the study again, is just more of a blessing than my heart can comprehend. I just knew from the moment of the posting that I had to go--no matter what the sacrifices required.

So, what is your story? Why is it so important to you?

Welcome!!!

Carolyn from Warm Alaska came up with the idea of having a siesta's "get together" for those of us attending the Breaking Free taping. We spoke via email and decided a blog might be a good place communicate with each without taking over Beth's blog.

On the right side of the screen is a list of places to stay. Please send me the name and email or phone number of where you are staying. This serves two purposes--1. Those still needing a place to stay may be able to find one here 2. We can choose a central location to have a siesta lunch or meeting. I will not list who is staying where on the list for privacy and safety issues.

If you have a room reserved already and are interested in sharing your room, please send a comment.

Many of us are having to make careful adjustments and sacrifices to financially be able to attend. If you have ideas for cutting costs and making the dollar go a little further, please share those ideas.

Please let us know anything else you would like to see on here or that you would like to know and we will try to find out and post it.