Wednesday, February 27, 2008

More about the National Youth Workers Conference....

Wow! There is a lot I could tell you about the conference this past weekend. We were bombarded with so much info and resources...it was wonderful!

Zack and I chose to attend an 8 hour (the time was broken up throughout the weekend) workshop on how to build or rebuild a dynamic youth ministry. This workshop really provided some key info and insight into youth ministry, and we are already busy trying to implement some of the framework that we learned about into our ministry. This workshop was all about building a sustainable ministry, which is what we want to do!

I also was able to attend a couple of sessions on the challenges of being a minister's spouse, and a session on thriving as a couple in youth ministry. I was very encouraged to know that I was not the only one who struggled some days! And overall, Zack and I were very encouraged to know that most youth ministers deal with the same types of issues, day in and day out- it is a very challenging job, but so worth it and so vital to youth! Needless to say, we are very, very thankful we had the opportunity to attend this conference!

Every night they had amazing key note speakers, such as Tony Dungy, Doug Fields, and the main guy for Dare to Share....he was awesome...but I can't think of his name right off! Also, they had some really great concerts! Sarah Groves was there....she sang, "I Saw What I Saw" which she wrote after her trip to Uganda ( I posted it a while back). It was amazing. And she signed a CD for Caleb...precious!

They also made sure to have just some fun stuff, as you will see if you keep scrolling (you have to watch this video...it is just a little taste of a youth minister's life!)

I found myself not thinking much about the adoption process, which was a relief in a way. I know that if I am not careful, I can get almost obsessed with the waiting and wondering....which can take my focus away from my own relationship with Christ, my marriage, and my ministry.
We did have some adoption news this week- the precious Steiger family and the Cole family passed through court successfully! Also, five or six families will be traveling to Ethiopia this weekend to pick up their children...I will keep you posted!


1 comment:

Ray and Lisa said...

Ray is a youth pastor too! Was the conference you went to put on by Group and Simply Youth Ministries? He said he thought that was going to be a really good conference and wished we could have gone. Sounds like he was right! Cute video clip, btw.
Lisa