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Ten Ways to Be a Blessing at Allume

By

Allume Light
I attended the Allume Conference last year and discovered that a blogging conference takes the virtual out of virtual reality. We get to meet bloggers who are more than a “thumbnail picture” on a computer screen. Those comments at the bottom of a post are from real people! Imagine that.

At Allume, we get to have face-to-face conversations with the writers we’ve connected with via our blogs. Our online friendships transform into “real life” friendships. We also get to meet new blogging friends who understand this innate desire to put our thoughts into words. We get to meet bloggers who share a similar passion for serving others and lifting up the name of Christ. And we get to learn about the ways we can use our own blogs to serve others and have an impact around the world.

I’m so excited to return again this year. And I have to tell you: I haven’t done anything to prepare for the conference. I’ve not even had new business cards printed. (I think my old cards will be fine.) I’m just planning on coming and having a great time.

I do have one pre-conference ritual though. It begins on the plane. Since I fly out from Los Angeles, I have a few airborne hours to prepare my heart and mind. So I spend this time making a list and then praying.

On my list, I write down all things I’d love to do while I’m at the conference. I write the names of people I’d like to meet. I write the times of meet-ups I’d like to attend. I even write down all the technical aspects of blogging that I’d like to learn more about.

And for all my list-making, I know there’s always something more — something deep in my heart — that has yet to find its way onto my paper. So I ask God to show me those hidden hopes I dare not speak. Those secret desires I dare not write down.

Lord, reveal to me any hidden “expectations” I might have.

Inevitably, a few more words find their way onto my list.

Then I lay my list on my lap, and while 30,000 feet in the air, I surrender every hope to the foot of the cross.

Lord, I lay my expectations down.
I give these next few days to You.
May I learn from them what You would have me to learn.
Please open my eyes to see those around me who need a friend.
Open my heart to hear their stories and to truly listen
with the same love and grace You so lavishly give.
Lord, help to see these next few days as an opportunity
to be a blessing to others more than an opportunity
to check off items from my list.

By the time my plane lands on the East Coast, my vision for the conference has been renewed, and I’m reminded of Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Then I review another list — one I made a long time ago: Ten Ways to Be a Blessing. And I customize it for the specific upcoming conference.

Allume Friends

Ten Ways to Be a Blessing at Allume

1. Keep an eye out for lone conference guests.

Invite someone to join you at your table for dinner or to sit next to you at a session.

2. Offer to help a mom with an infant.

Ask her if you can help carry her bag for her. Offer her your chair if there’s nowhere else to sit. Offer to help her through the buffet line. Sometimes a mom simply needs a third hand.

3. Pray for the speakers.

They’ve worked hard to prepare their talks, and they’ve likely given up time with family to be with us.

4. Visit with the sponsors at their tables.

Ask them about their work and the different ways that bloggers can get involved. Pray about possibly partnering with one of them.

5. Learn the name of the person who makes your bed and brings you clean towels.

Pray for her. Perhaps leave a thank you note for her at the hotel’s front desk. Share with the hotel concierge how much you appreciate her.

6. Learn the name of the person who refills the glasses at your table — or the name of the person who stands behind the buffet line to refill the trays of food.

Smile. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a huge difference in a person’s day.

Concerned about something with your meal? Find the designated Allume staff to share your concern. They’re there to assist you.

Let’s be a Light to everyone who works at the hotel. Let’s refrain from lodging complaints directly with the hotel staff. They work hard all day, mostly behind the scenes, and I think it would be awesome if they went home to their families saying, “Wow. The guests with the Allume Conference are the kindest guests ever.”

7. Pray for Logan.

If you see her in the hallway, ask if there’s something you can do to help. Tell her how much you appreciate all the hard work she has put into making this conference happen.

8. Make arrangements ahead of time to connect with someone you want to spend time with.

Are you hoping to sit with a friend at a meal? Instead of saving a seat at a table, perhaps make arrangements to meet in the lobby or by the buffet line. That way no one has to approach a table with empty chairs only to be told that those seats “aren’t for you.” Ouch.

9. Devote some time to the Prayer Room.

It’s a beautiful room especially designed to provide a quiet sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of a busy conference. It’s a place of solace. It also has a table with rows of small books; there’s one for every attendee. You can write encouraging notes in them. It’s one of my favorite parts of the Allume Conference.

10. Bring your jeans and bras that are in good condition.

The bras will be given to women freed from human trafficking, and the jeans will be cut up and used to make shoes for kids in Africa.

Whether this is your first or fourth Allume experience, you are among friends. And if you ever need someone to sit with or someone to talk to, you can send me a note, and I’d be happy to meet up with you.

What are some other ways we can
be a blessing to others while we’re at the conference?

 

I haven’t done anything to prepare for Allume. It’s okay. I’m coming to have fun. <Tweet that!>

At Allume, we learn about ways we can use our blogs to have an impact around the world. <Tweet that!>

At Allume, our online friendships transform into real life friendships. <Tweet that!>

 

 

Comments

  3. Denise, last year I got to meet you briefly, and I was thrilled. I hope to give you the biggest hug next week. Your heart is just beautiful. Your words make me even more excited about Allume. Thank you.

  5. I love your heart and how others focused you are. You are such a blessing and this post is so important because it seems there is a lot of stress over the whole conference thing going on. It’s so good for people to pull back and remember these things. Can’t wait to see you! Hopefully we’ll get more time this time around to chat.

    • Alia, you are so so dear to me. From the first moments I read your words on your blog, I just knew … yes, you. You, my friend, are an inspiration. I love that Allume brought us together last year, and I can’t wait to visit with you some more next week! 🙂

  6. Thank you for giving us practical tips and a godly perspective for approaching our time at Allume. I’ll be following your lead 30,000 feet up. Love this!! And can’t wait to connect again soon!

    • How fun that the Allume Conference on the East Coast was the catalyst that brought us together here on the West Coast. My goodness, we’re practically neighbors! I can’t wait to get to know you better. 🙂

  7. oh this is it!! exactly right on all 10 (although as an extrovert I struggle with leaving the people to go spend time with the Lord…need to but must choose to). Thank you for writing all these out. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!

    • Heather, I just love your heart. Yes, time away to spend with the Lord is first and foremost.

      I’m so glad you’ll be at Allume. I’d love to connect while we’re there. 🙂

  8. I love, love, love this!! And while my flight isn’t as long as yours I look forward to reviewing this post next week!! (and I’m using last year’s business cards, too) 🙂

  9. What a privilege to call you friend, and I am joining you in the list-making, expectation down-laying and prayer-surrendering at 30,000 feet. Continuing to ponder this beautiful list and longing to be part of it coming to life. Thank you for your heart and for pointing us exactly where He wants us to be…serving and giving and loving as He does. Love you so much! xo

    • Well, my friend, I believe this will be Conference #4 for us as roommates together! What fun! I’m still in awe of what the Lord had in mind, unbeknownst to us all, 13 years ago when He designed our paths to cross. What a blessing you are to me. 🙂

  10. OH!!!! Only a week away!!! I’ve not had time to write, or go over lists or much of anything online for the past 10 weeks…just now sitting down and sent my room mates an email asking a couple of questions. 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Blessed to be among blessers blessing the blessed!!!
    {and rooming with a fellow Packer fan…}

    • I’m so excited you’re rooming with us! I just wish the Packers were playing an early Sunday game, so we could watch it together. That would be SO FUN! But alas, the Packers play the late Sunday evening game, and by that time, I’ll be back in L.A. (I’m hoping to make it back in time for kick-off.) I can’t wait to meet in person! It will be such a great weekend. 🙂

  11. I can’t wait to see you! These are 10 really great ideas to bless. I love learning the names of our servers and room keepers. They are a blessing and need to be blessed!

  12. Denise – You ARE a blessing! Wish I was going to Allume…maybe next year! I am sure we will meet in person one day, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise. You all have a blessed time in the Lord. I can’t wait to see the overflow of every one’s time there.
    Hugs,
    Kelly

  14. Denise, I know you fulfilled each of these blessings yourself. You certainly blessed me as I entered the Allume area. You were the very first “official” person to greet me. Your joy, your effervescence, your warmth made me feel so very welcomed. Truly, you set the ambience for my entire experience! I cannot thank you enough, Denise. Your love for Jesus just “alluminated” the whole place! So glad that this time we got to talk. The JT retreat was wonderful, but I really didn’t have a chance to connect w/ you there!
    Love
    Lynn

  15. Thank you for this, Denise! This will be my first year and I’ll be coming alone, knowing no one (I’m also flying out of LAX so maybe I’ll see you!) 🙂 I love the idea you have of writing down all of your hopes while in the plane and yen surrendering them to God. For me, it will be laying down all of my fears. Also, thanks for the heads-up about the jeans and bras- I would have never known that! Looking forward to meeting you!

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