conversations from the couch

this theme reminds me a bit of theory behind the red NYMC couch. Not that we’re trying to get people to use tissues–but it’s about what happens when people sit down and just “let it out.” Authentic conversation. Stay tuned for the next blog post–we’re announcing the details of the great couch round-up contest. (BYOC to NYMC)

If you plan to fly in, and are shopping nearby airports, Cincinnati (CVG) is only 20 minutes away, but the Dayton airport has some super-cheap rates. ($173 round-trip from Denver) Dayton is about 1 hour from Cinci–not sure of shuttle schedules…etc. Check out the forums on the NYMC site for ride-shares too. Might be some good savings–especially if you’re coming with a group!

Mark DeVries track on Secrets to a Healthy Youth Ministry; and Bo Boshers’ track on Mentoring are almost maxed out with people reserving seats in advance too. (just a heads up with some insider info!)

I tend to mimic the personality of the person I email with exaggerated punctuation. I’ve recently been emailing Jeanne Mayo, founder of Youth Leader’s Coach, and the most brilliant human-sparkler of a person I know. I looked over a string of emails we just exchanged, and every single sentence I compsed has a minimum of 2 exclamation points. I used 9 exclamation points several times… and these emails are just about hotel confirmation, parking and airfare. 

My emails have turned into turn into e-squeals!!!!!!!!!

And the best part of it is I’m still not technically supposed to be announcing it–but I can’t stand it any longer! Plus–I just looked at the Kutless website…and NYMC is on their tour schedule…so you heard it first here!  The details have been inked for weeks–but stalled with Christmas break and a few little details to clear up (their people making sure we weren’t going to market Kutless with weird copy like “open mic night with Kutless” or “Back stage passes for everyone to hang out with Kutless in the green room” or something of that nature.)

Anyway–that’s the big announcement–(thanks to Allen Weed at Interlinc for making this a super-easy deal) The bad news is that Leeland won’t be joining us this year (in person, anyway)–Leeland had a change in their tour with Casting Crowns that kept them in Florida through Sunday too late to make the general session time.  They were legitimately bummed, and their booking agent was legitimately nervous when I threatened to post his personal cell phone and email on the blog to field complaints about the cancellation of a band this late in the game. I still think we could negotiate some free Leeland CD’s (for everyone) in return for a few days of extreme aggravation. HMMMMM….

golleeeeee that’s been a long time of the same stuff. A HUGE thanks to our web team (and Karen) for wrestling the details out of my brain and up on the website–you guys are awesome, and I should buy you some food or something. Check out the totally updated conference schedule, and the HUGE list of workshops! Now if we can just get the 43 other speaker bios we’d be even better….

 There is detailed travel information on the conference website–including driving directions, addresses, and the info to book your hotel in the discounted room block.

Here’s a quick recap–click the above link to get more details:

The conference is being held at the beautiful Duke Energy Center (downtown Cincinnati Convention Center). We have the entire second and third floor. The hotel is the Millennium Hotel–and it is attached via skywalk so you don’t have to walk outside. We have negotiated special discounted room rates with the hotel–please check the link and use the code to get into the NYMC block. FYI–The hotel room block is almost full–please book now if you want to get into these discounted rooms.  

The red couch from the brochure (and the blog header) is actually real–and super comfy. Danette Matty (my new bff and workshop speaker & affinity group leader) sent me this photo–she’s on the left, Todd Henry (another one of our workshop leaders and affinity group mentors) and me on the right. You might have checked out the red couch at the Group booth at one of the many events it traveled to this fall…and it’s coming to Cincinnati as well. In fact–there are a bunch of fun ideas brewing about couches at the conference…more later

Another conversation last week that was super-powerful was with Guy Wasko, a big-hearted youth worker with a huge gift of leadership.  Guy is leading the Affinity Group for youth workers who are struggling with church leadership.  (The original title of the group was Help–My pastor is a Pain in the @$%, but the team figured that was sort of offensive and disrespectful.  Now I just murmur it under my breath.)

Anyway, it’s a small world because I keep bumping into people who know Guy.  Karen and I met a former intern of his, Andrew, this fall at another event. Andrew offered to volunteer at NYMC, and as we chatted a story emerged about his journey in youth ministry, meeting Tony Dungy, the death of  a dear friend, etc. We were blown away–and have Andrew’s story into the general session program on Friday night.

As I was talking with Guy last week he shared more bits and pieces to the story, and both of us were in awe of the significance of a common thread through the details. The story keeps unfolding into some deeper areas that touch on the legacy left by many people.  God’s fingerprints are everywhere on this–and after we talked, Guy sent me an email recapping some of our conversation, and a few more of his thoughts. It’s a conversation and keeper email I’ll treasure for a long time–one that I’m saving to refer back to on the days I’m burned out and bitter and can’t see the big picture past the yucky life details. Here’s some words from Guy Wasko’s email that should resonate with almost everyone:

I have only a small handful of experiences where God has blessed me with the rare opportunity to see and realize that He has been working through and using me to make a difference (leave a legacy) in those around me. From a phone call from a student that I haven’t spoken to in months to, the ongoing story of Andrew Smith, I am grateful for those small glimpses that remind me that it is He that is working and restoring and rescuing…not me!