At the Oregon Christian Writers conference at Multnomah on Saturday I once again realized why I love this group. The entire event was planned to encourage. Poppy Smith spoke on the power of our words and was both clear and entertaining. The keynote speakers give us the broad picture of our writerly life. And then the workshops we attend give us the opportunity to hear from those more experienced in the craft. The natural interactions we enjoy as we see friends and get updates on one another’s work give the opportunity to get fueled up again to stay focused on our work. I love the opportunity to meet new people with like interests and who are looking for ways to gain more knowledge, share what they know and who love to see another writer succeed. OCW has cultivated that supportive environment and I think all the members benefit from it. I came away with the usual overload of new ideas and information, but also with a sense of belonging to something bigger than my own little workplace at home. We do have things to say through our writing and we do have the opportunity to impact others with the power of our words. Thank you OCW.