First off, let me apologize for completely disappearing for the last week or so. It was never my intention to be away so long. But man, Catalyst came with a big ‘ol bang and stole every ounce of my energy. Okay, that’s enough of that…
Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Catalyst Conference. It was a complete whirlwind that stirred a lot of things, good and bad, inside of me. Candidly, I am still recovering and processing (if you’ve been around here before you know it takes me a long while to process). But I wanted to be sure to share My 10 Favorite Things About Catalyst 2010.
1. Digging deep with my Catalyst/3DM Coaching Group (Brian Wurzell, Bianca Juarez, coach extraordinaire Jo Saxton, Hillary DeMeo, and the “MIA” Kyle Zimmerman.) LOVE these people. So thankful that they are boldly speaking into this season of my life.
2. Learning from Francis Chan. The man truly is fired up about emulating the life of Jesus. Some might call him “radical” but it is clear he is just faithfully working to live out the word of God. He has me wondering if Jesus is truly more than my Savior, if He is my role model?
3. Joyfully belting out John Mark McMillan’s “How He Loves” with 13,000 of my closest friends. One of the best worship experiences of my life!
4. Learning from T.D. Jakes that we need to get on out of the “cor-ner.” That “people who play it safe are not leaders.” That “if you always do what you have always done, you will only be who you have always been.” That “you need to make yourself uncomfortable.”
5. Hearing John Ortberg. That man is one gifted communicator. His book, The Me I Want to Be, has profoundly affected the way I think. I am still processing a couple of things he said on grace.
“Transformation requires at least as much grace as salvation.”
“Grace is God doing anything in me that I can not do myself.”
6. Boohooing as I watched Jimmy (who broke my heart last year) meet his Compassion child.
7. Having Andy Stanley reframe the story of Jacob and Esau. I know this…I don’t want to trade my future, my calling, my legacy, for a “bowl of stew.”
8. Watching Michael Hyatt teach a roomful of eager participants about the importance of “Platform.” Such an engaging presentation…made me so proud to call him “boss.”
9. Debriefing at night with my Catalyst roomies Trish, Bianca, and Annie. And laughing so hard that I cry trying to figure out the techno-style-video-chat with Sarah and Keely.
10. Witnessing a human cannonball. I lie. Actually, I hated the human cannonball. All I could think about was how that poor man was going to die a gruesome death in front of 13,000 strangers. Thankfully he made it. This time.
Were you at Catalyst? What were your highlights? If not, what were you up to last week?
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.