Last year, I was blessed to be asked to speak at the opening year of the 2:1 Blogging Conference. I really had no idea what to expect since this conference was the first of its kind…a blogging AND homeschooling conference.
I spoke on the homeschooling track, but this next year I will be speaking on the blogging track on the topic of Growing a Blog that Reaches Out. I am so excited to be sharing how to use your blog as a ministry and find the readers who need your message the most.
Today, I’m going to give you my Top 10 Reasons for attending the 2:1 Conference (because this conference and its mission and message and heart for Christ blew me away!) and then I’ll be linking up on Many Little Blessings’ Top Ten Tuesday.
#1 – I’m speaking. (Did you really think I was going to put this at the bottom of the list??? 😉 ) I’d love to see you there and get to meet you face to face!
#2 – Time spent in fellowship with the Body of believers. I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful it is to be in a room full of bloggers who all have a heart to do the Lord’s will with their blogs and with their lives.
#3 – Time spent with Christian homeschoolers. Not only did we get to talk blogging, but we got to talk homeschooling for the Lord!
#4 – Late night chats. I loved just sitting around with other homeschool bloggers discussing all sorts of things from photography to setting up blogs to homeschool projects. It was such a community feeling.
#5 – Awesome speakers! No, I’m not talking about myself here, but rather the other speakers I heard last year. This year’s topics and speakers look just as fabulous! And the really wonderful part is that every speaker brought their faith front and center. There was no mincing words. They were there to honor Christ.
#6 – A great new venue. While I enjoyed last year’s conference setting, this year’s looks unbelievable!
#7 – You’ll get to meet our newest addition! This probably should have been #1! 😉 That’s right, this little one will be accompanying me, my husband and several of our children to the conference.
#8 – You’ll learn so much. I have come to realize blogging is a never-ending learning process. But the wonderful thing about 2:1 is that no one there expects blogging to become your life. We are all homeschoolers and know that blogging cannot be #1, so it is approached in a balanced way that is refreshing!
#9 – Everyone is so genuine. There are no pretensions at 2:1. There’s no “looking good for others” or pressure to be a certain kind of blogger. The speakers don’t see themselves as untouchables who aren’t there to mingle and learn, and the attendees aren’t made to feel like they don’t measure up if they don’t have a certain following or make a certain amount of money or blog about certain things.
#10 – The presence of the Lord is there. I cried. More than once. But especially during worship time on Sunday morning. We were gathered and God was there. I have no doubt the Lord has His hand on this conference because knowing how Cheryl Pitt (the name behind the conference) had to fight an uphill battle to get this conference off the ground last year when only a handful of people truly understood her vision, I know that no human could have possibly pulled this all together into the conference it proved to be.
You will be blessed! And I would love to see you at the 2013 2:1 Conference this coming April near Washington, D.C.!


Cheryl Pitt says
Amy, thank you do much for sharing! This whole post warms my heart but #10 brings tears to my eyes. It so true, God showed up in mighty ways before, during and after the conference. I was in awe. I’m so thankful he used 2:1 to bless so many.
Stef Layton says
looking forward to spending some REAL time with you this time around!! =)
Amy says
I hear you there! That was one of my regrets from last year…I never spent any time w/ you!
Jenny says
Look forward to seeing you again, and maybe meeting some of your readers, too! C’mon, folks! Join us!
Liz says
I so much want to start blogging. I think I am going to start after the first of the year. Would the conference be good for those just starting out? I live in Colorado but my folks live near DC, so we could visit them at the same time!!!
Amy says
Liz,
Yes! This conference is absolutely PERFECT for the beginner!
Shay says
I am really, really hoping to go – I was planning on it last year but had a death in the family *right* before I was scheduled to leave. I just have to wait around to finalize some other details first before I can decide on going this time. *crossing fingers*
I would be bringing my newest addition as well – he will be around two months old then! So hard to imagine now. It would be so neat to meet you as your blog is one of the first I started reading back when we started homeschooling! 🙂
Amy says
That would be wonderful!
Gena says
I have a question. I’m considering going to 2:1. I’d love to bring my husband, and I see you’re bringing yours. Is there anything for the men? I’m assuming all the sessions are just for ladies. And even the evenings are full for the ladies attending, right? I’m just wondering if my husband and I would never see each other?
Thanks, Gena
Amy says
Actually, there were men in the sessions. Some of the men got together as well, I believe. This is not just for women and my husband would love to meet some other homeschool dads. 🙂
Gena says
Well, I’ll talk to him then. 🙂
–Gena
Gena says
Oh, and I’ll be bringing my baby, too, who will be 10 months at that time!
–Gena
Amy says
I’d say the babies could play together, but I don’t think my little one will be much for playing quite yet. 😉