NYWC Day 2

Another cool day at YS.

The first seminar I went to was one on making bridges to the gay and lesbian community. Wow! I really took away a lot of great stuff with helping to relate, understand, and serve those having alternative lifestyles. Really good stuff. The guy who spoke, Andrew Marin, he is just such a good guy. Totally committed to his ministry. Lots to blog about at a later time. Really good stuff.

Stopped by my man Sean’s workshop. He had a packed house and had Kurt in the back to heckle him.

Went to the first General Session and it was Phyllis Tickle. She did a great job last year in Atlanta. We were really blown away. So I was pumped to hear her again…until I realized she was doing the same talk for the folks who weren’t at Atlanta. Really good stuff. I was blown away. Jen and I decided to skip out and we got us some PF Chang’s.

Rode the elevator with Shane Claiborne. Got to speak briefly with him. should have had him call my old volunteer Nicole. she's a huge fan and would have freaked.

Yesterday I rode the elevators with a couple players from they Seattle Supersonics.......ERRRRRR, the OKC Thunder. they are...tall.

Afternoon, I went to Marv Penner’s seminar on Cutting. Wow. So much stuff here. Really sad. Really glad to get more info on how to help.

The second general session was by Matt Redman’s youth pastor…great speaker. Very motivating.

YS did all their freebies at once this year. I was kind of wondering where they were, but we got them all at once this year. I remember my youth pastor coming back from YS with all kinds of swag. It was so cool. And when I first started going…we got tons of stuff. It has progressively gotten to be less and less freebies…and this year, we got stuck with some John Tesh CD that was evidently donated or bought at a ridiculously low price from Barnes and Noble, because you know they couldn’t sell it. Pretty weak. We did get Rob Bell’s new book…so that was nice.

Ended the night with Doug and Cathy Field’s Q and A session on marriage…man, I really appreciated the reminders about marriage. I need to blog and really make some decisions about this because I have really been failing in keeping marriage and my kids a priority.

Here’s what Doug said: 1. No one cares more about your marriage and your kids than you do. 2. We are all just a phone call from being replaced.

Lots to consider. I so appreciate the time here to think and learn, pray, and connect with friends and meet others. Really well spent money.

Next year they will be in Atlanta so we’ll be bringing our coaches again. That will rock.