NYWC: Day 4

We just finished packing up the majority of our stuff for the last day at convention. We have to get up early tomorrow to catch our plane back to Denver, CO.

The last day was like all the others –- we only wish this week could last longer. Deanna and I had the opportunity to interact with Tic Long, one of the convention hosts and YS execs. We told him that the convention is our favorite week every year. He commented about my hair (he said that it looked like I had been "rocking out") and asked Deanna about her 1-Life Revolution experience (ask her about it). Then he welcomed us back for our sixth year next year.

I attended a great seminar on Creative Bible Teaching by Jim Burns, the founder of HomeWord, this morning and attended another one by Doug Fields on Developing Student Leaders in the afternoon. I can't wait to start applying some of the things that I learned this week into play at Elevate Youth Ministry.

This day was my favorite day of worship as David Crowder took over the general session worship times. What an incredible band and great lead worshippers. I got lots of good footage from side-stage and front-stage of several of the artists. (Enough, I hope, to make our friend Barry Edwards come next year.)

Ted Dekker read his newest book with a multimedia backdrop at the morning session and the true-to-life Sue Thomas from the F.B. Eye detective show spoke in the afternoon session. Shane and Shane did a short but powerful worship set.

The day ended with a big concert featuring the Canadian boys from Starfield and everybody’s favorite southern rocker’s, Third Day. KJ-52 was supposed to be there to perform, too, but the promoter said that he never called or showed up. We never heard anything more about it.

We ran into a new youth worker friend, Paul Kind, from Rapid City, too. He is a new youth pastor taking over a youth ministry position at a church which I can't remember the name of right now. (Sorry, Paul, if you're reading this.)

All in all, the week was too much for words. I feel refreshed, renewed, re-energized, and re-filled with passion for the calling that we have to Destiny's youth. I hope that we can bring more Team Elevate leaders with us next year. Thank you SO MUCH to all of those who supported Amy this year and our other volunteers in years past! It means so much to us!

Time for bed. Got to get up at 5:00 am. See you when we get back!