Blogging from Austin, TX--the National Youth Workers' Convention

It's sort of surreal to be typing a few feet away from Marko as he speaks. I read his blog just about every day.

I have not been writing for the past few months, trying to work out some personal stuff and ministry stuff. I don't think that I have many answers yet, but I'm definitely at a good place.

I love the YS conference for a few reasons:

1. I get to attend with a few of my fellow youth pastors from State College (PA), and we get to hang out for a week. These are the people that I get to partner with to see the gospel lived out in our town. I believe that God is moving in our fair city, and that he blesses our UNITY!

2. Thin Spaces at YS--Every year, almost every session is meaningful and spiritual, and God breaks through the day-to-day stuff to touch my heart. The ancient Celts believed that there are thin spaces in our world where the sacred/divine is able to break through into the "normal" life. That's what YS has been for me. I have found myself strangely refreshed in the loudness of David Crowder's (or here)"You are my JOY!", screaming those words to the Lord at the top of my lungs...being affirmed vicariously as the YS staff recognises the sacrifice and commitment of a youth worker who has been taking it on the chops...hearing the stories of other youth workers who have given themselves to the Kingdom, and to students. I wouldn't miss this...

3. Spiritual/Personal/Church health--my state of personal health affects the way I see everything, filters every speaker. There are a lot of youth workers who are struggling in their situations. I have been there, in a church where I didn't like/trust the leadership above me, didn't feel appreciated, supported, or wanted. But I'm not there now, praise God. Our church and our leadership is a blessing, and I would recommend that any youth worker looking for a job be very intentional about know the leadership before taking the plunge. If you love, trust, and respect the leadership, you'll go to the wall for those folks. Being in a good place is absolutely stinkin' incredible.

For the "not my favorite part" of this (or any other) conference: Christian/Youth Min Hero worship...I am part of the crowd that's down front for Crowder's concert. I often try to talk to the presenter of the seminar. But it sure feels a little weird sometimes, to go running up to the speaker at the end of the talk, and I wonder how they feel with lots of people hanging around for a picture, an autograph, a question or whatever. As I write this, Marko is 2 rows in front of me, posed like Captain Morgan (though his nametag says "Captain Flatulent"). Karl took a picture on his phone, but we aren't smart enough to get the pic to my laptop...

More about BBQ and good music to follow, unless it doesn't.

And PSU beat Minnesota in OT while we were in this seminar. Not too shabby.