Big Weekend

     So, I had an extremely eventful weekend.  So eventful, in fact, that I needed to write about it. 


     I had the distinct honor to be the speaker for the Kentucky District UPCI Section U Youth Rally for September.  Several other churches were in attendance.  Sis Liz, her husband and several from New Life along with Sis Tiffhanie made sure we had an awesome worship service. Then came time to preach.

     Honestly, even though I have preached many times before-including a few times outside of my local church, this was probably the one time I was the most nervous.  It was my first time preaching an event on a sectional level, meaning multiple churches would be there. I was honored to have several friends be there from other churches.   If you have ever been in a service that I preached in my earlier years, you would have known that I once was quite fond of object lessons, something I'm actually starting to get back to. I decided to try that method again and brought one of my swords in as an object lesson on grabbing a hold of the Word, Holiness and the Cross. Good bad or indifferent, I preached my guts out, lost my voice a bit, and many young people came to the altar. 

     I was in doubt of myself the entire time, until that is a parent came up to me and told me that what I had said was exactly what their child needed to hear and that it was perfect timing.  At first I was thinking 'that sounds good,' as I humbly thanked them and continued to make my way to speak to someone. Then another parent said a similar thing to me.  When I finally made it to the person I wanted to speak with, they greeted me with a smiling nod and a "well done," prior to walking away.  It finally sank in to my thick head that it didn't go bad like I thought it did...as I almost always think it does. (I admit it, I "sometimes" have some confidence issues, no matter how I try to play it off, or how my ego is perceived.)  I was truly honored to have been part of that service and it is an experience that I will never forget, and hopefully get to repeat again (but only do better ;-D ), in the future. 

     While this is definitely one of the highlights of my ministry, and specifically during my time working with young people, I'm glad the weekend didn't end with Friday night.   We had great youth class Sunday morning, followed by an amazing evening service.  Then after the evening service someone pulled my lovely wife and I to the side and gave us this momento to make the occasion.

     After receiving this keepsake, those that pulled us to the side spoke some things into our hearts.  While I wont share anything that was said specifically or who it was I can say that it gave us much encouragement about the future and really finished off a big weekend with a very humbling moment.

So sparing you a lot of the details (you are welcome) that was the big weekend in a nut shell.