October 9, 2020 – Michelle Lesley

I recently had a wonderful time of Scripture-centered fellowship at the Standing Firm on God’s Word Conference hosted by First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, Oklahoma.

I flew in on Friday afternoon and had a wonderful time chatting with Pastor Derek McMurtry and his lovely wife, Valarie as they whisked me away from the Oklahoma City airport to my hotel in Lawton, just down the road from Chattanooga.

Now, everybody who travels has at least one funny travel story, and among all the other blessings on this trip, I think I found mine as I was checking in to the hotel.

I went up to the front desk, gave the desk clerk all of my information, and she promptly turned over my key card. I followed her directions and easily found room 150. After inserting the card into the lock a few times (I miss the days when hotels used actual keys), I managed to enter the room. The first thing I noticed was a framed print of Proverbs 27:17 on the desk.

“Well, look what a neat little thing God did!” I thought. “That’s one of the verses I’ll be teaching on tomorrow. And maybe this hotel is run by Christians!”

The second thing I noticed was that the bed was unmade…and that there was also a briefcase on the desk…and the bathroom light was on….

“OH!” I shrieked, loudly enough to scare the daylights out of anyone who might have been in the bathroom (and possibly the entire first floor). When no one emerged, I backed out of the room and hastily retraced my steps to the front desk.

“Was something wrong with your room?” the clerk inquired.

“Wellll….”

So I had a good chuckle at the whole situation and assured the desk clerk that everything was OK while she apologized profusely and quickly checked me into another – manless – room.

Then it was off to dinner with the McMurtrys, and Holly and Suzanne, two of the conference coordinators.

I love Mexican food. Hmm…these guys look so familiar!

Saturday, it was go time, and I had the pleasure of driving through the beautiful Oklahoma countryside between Lawton and Chattanooga.

Aren’t these pretty? I’m not sure what they’re called, but they look very similar to the Black-eyed Susans that grow in Louisiana.

Chattanooga is a charming and homey town.

The wind really does come sweepin’ down the plain!

The conference venue: The Chattanooga Civic Center

A quilt made out of news stories and photos that tell all about Chattanooga

And, of course, the ladies did an outstanding job of decorating festively…

The planners chose just the right format for their very first conference, two teaching sessions and a Q&A session.

Session 1 was The Necessity of the Bible. We explored the reasons the Bible is so imperative for us as Christian women along with some tips for studying and incorporating more Scripture into our daily lives.

In our second session, The Sufficiency and Authority of Scripture, we took a look at how and why we are to submit to the authority of God’s Word, and why the written Word is sufficient for our every need as Christians.

Next, it was time for a delicious lunch and warm fellowship.

And then our Q&A session. These ladies asked some smart questions!

I was blown away by the kindness and generosity of the hostesses and attendees. Before I left, they showered me with gifts and kind words.

Thank you notes and love offerings
Snacks! Hostesses always know the way to my heart.
Spurgeon Study Bible and “In Christ Alone” pendant
Thanks so much, everyone!

As soon as the conference was over, it was back to the OKC airport, which is called the Will Rogers World Airport…

…and then on home by way of Dallas/Ft. Worth, where I got to watch a stunning sunset as we were landing. A beautiful end to a beautiful day.

Naturally, this picture doesn’t do justice to God’s artistry

It was so encouraging to meet and teach the lovely ladies of Chattanooga. Big hugs and thank you’s to everyone at FBC- Chattanooga for your “bend over backwards” hospitality and for a stellar conference. I highly recommend this warm and welcoming church to anyone in southwest Oklahoma who is looking for a doctrinally sound body of Believers to join.

If your church or organization is ever in need of a speaker for a women’s event, I’d love to come share with your ladies as well. Click here for more information.