Joy Comes in the Morning: Created to Connect

Joy Comes in the Morning was birthed from a season when grief and loss was all that I knew. For a few years, there were times when I could not grasp that a better day was ahead. Psalms 30:5 was a lifeline for me as I read the promise: "Weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning."

After losing my mom unexpectedly, I searched for something I could do in her honor. One of her greatest passions was spending time with hurting people and offering them hope through her hospitality, home-cooked meals, and listening ear. I knew I couldn't open my home to this many women at one time, but I could create a place for us to come together and enjoy these same things as a community.

When JCIM launched, I pictured a day where women could come together to connect, find moments to laugh, weep, embrace, and empower one another with the testimonies of finding JOY after pain. I imagined women from all walks of life, woven together for a moment in time to reflect on the goodness of God even when the wind and rain seemed like it would never fade. The first two years exceeded any expectation I could have conjured up and I remember just looking around the main room, bursting at the seams with women and I thought, "Wow, only Jesus could take a story like ours and make something this beautiful come from it."

This year's theme for Joy Comes in the Morning is "Created to Connect." We will focus our weekend together on the importance of being connected through community. No matter what your season looks like, no matter how big your obstacle, there is a purpose and good plan for your life.

Some of our breakouts will include:

Joy through: Raising Littles

Joy through: Creating

Joy through: Affirmations

Joy through: Grief and Loss

Joy through: The Quiet Place

Joy through: Forgiveness

Breakout leaders include: Jamison Merritt, Abby Hagan, Lisa Grigsby, Hannah Thornton, Becky Wathen, and many more!

*The Sister Shop is now accepting vendors and there is no charge to set up.* We want to build community by supporting women who create-- this includes books written by local women, home-made items for sale, or t-shirts and other attire. Please donate at least one item to our door prize give-away so we can bless women with your gift. :)

Friday Night:

5:30PM Doors Open

Light finger foods/ Mix and Mingle

6:15 Welcome/Door Prizes

6:30 Worship

The word: Faith Harralson and Lauren Early

The Sister Shop and Photo Booth open

Saturday:

8:30AM Doors Open

Light Breakfast

9:00 Welcome/Opening prayer and pictures

9:15 Worship

The word: Morning Devotion and encouragement Breanna Tron

10:30 Breakout One

11:15 Breakout Two

Lunch

Speaker: Jodie Bivens and Hannah Blandford

Sister Shop/BreakAfternoon Session:

Worship

Laura Murphy and Elisha Lyne

Prayer Time/Connect

Prayer Room is Open/Sister Shop Opens

Tickets include light snacks Friday and Saturday, a catered lunch, breakout session materials, a joy journal, and several treats in your swag bag.

Host or Publisher Laura Murphy