I woke up this morning well rested, after spending the previous night driving from KC to Dallas to attend Ed Young's C3 conference. I've never been to the conference before and even though I've lived in Dallas, I've never been in Ed's church. So yesterday as Leo and I pulled into the parking lot, I was excited to be here, just not sure what to expect.
The speakers have been excellent, delivering not only the expected one-liners that we'll all use in our own churches, but also painting a fresh picture of what it means to be a leader for the cause of Christ. I've enjoyed it, laughed a lot, and already know I'm leaving here a better person, a hungrier pursuer of God, and hopefully a better leader. But I need something more...
Last night my parents drove over to have dinner with Tim and I and we got them to go to the evening session with us. As we walked in, and they handed us our glow sticks, I assumed my parents were already creating an exit strategy. The music started, I took my seat (thanks Tim for putting us in the back corner, behind a pillar), and something happened.
My parents didn't leave, in fact mom was waving her glow stick high in the air, and dad turned to me and said, "They should turn the music up." I laughed, moved to position myself around Tim's pillar, and joined in the worship. I raised my hands, sang along, and for a moment I got lost in the moment.
Next thing I know, tears were streaming down my face and I encountered... God. You cynics can blame my experience on Ed's charismatic style, the lights, lasers, and smoke show, the video screens, and the loud, pulsating worship music. But I know the true cause of my "emotional" display: God was there. And I'm thankful that so was I.
This morning, I'm hungry for more of the same. I want to be a better person, I want to become a hungrier pursuer of God, I want to become a better leader, and I want to put myself in the place where God is. So God I ask you to answer that prayer today, and help me to ask for it again tomorrow.
