Catrina Benham's Blog

With Simon in Singapore this week, it's been a bit "heads down, getting on with it" this week - no time for blogging! Simon and Ben D are having a wonderful time at the Asia conference. The 7 hour time difference means that communicating is a challenge, but we're finding ways! Simon has phoned us at 4.30pm (11.30 pm there) and that's great - so good to hear his voice. However, the easiest thing is to keep a fairly frequent text conversation going on which is so very cool. It's so immediate - and it doesn't matter what time of day or night it is! I loved texting,...now I love it even more! so, it's all good:o) And he's home Monday :o) And I'm going away Wednesday :o) ! Great news about the Real Conference is that we now have over 200 women booked in - hoorah! It's really only around the corner now, so it's scary, sorry meant to write exciting ! Really looking forward to seeing what happens when all our plans come together and God breathe

Quick blog to say yippee! we now have over 171 women joining us for the Real conference (including our international guests) As I said yesterday, I like to tell everyone if I've had a good meal; been for a lovely walk somehere new; found a coffee shop or watched a great film...so I just want you all to come and be part of the day , spending time with other women and with God. Urgent info to share with you is that we will be praying for Real during the Thursday evening prayer meeting . The Bible says that "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain" and we really need God's presence, help, direction - we need to hear His heart for the women at the conference - without Him, all our hard work is for nothing. So if you are able to, please do come along on Thursday ready to pray - I'd love to see you there, and I'd be rubbish on my own!

Friday night - it's the weekend! :) Just received the latest figures for guests booked into the Real conference - it's now 137 women plus a number of sponsored places plus the Albanian and Polish women - hoorah! So very exciting to see their names listed - to be able to pray for them now ; and to look forward to us all gathering together, believing  without doubt that God will meet with us. There's something special about a large group of women deliberately choosing to carve out time to be together and to hear from God for their own lives and for those they love. At Real we'll hear God's word unpacked in the most relevant way , we'll worship with no distractions, we'll laugh ( a lot - just seen a v funny video which I must try and squeeze into the schedule!) we'll hear powerful stories that make faith rise in our hearts; we may cry, we'll pray, we'll talk (a lot) we'll eat and drink together (lots of lovely goodies coming your way) and

Hey my friends, it's countdown time - only 10 more days until the earlybird cut off date for Real! Yep it costs £20 to come, so long as you book by 17th May. So far we have 121 women booked in - plus 10 sponsored places, and some places allocated for the Albanian and Polish ladies. Everywhere I go I carry round the list of names with me- so if you're booked up for Real, you come with me in my car, in my handbag, to work, to the shops, to friends homes, to the coffee shop! You are with me and I am praying for you :) Really looking forward to seeing that list grow and grow - so come on, book your place! And if you've booked in, why not invite a friend from work, or from the past, or from Facebook - why not invite a sister or neighbour? Why not invite a friend who worships in another Church and see if she'll bring some friends? We are so blessed in Kerith - and we're blessed to be a blessing - so let's pass it on! Remember we have some generous women in Ker