Quake: the recap

So, I was planning on writing about this before now and since I didn't I don't remember what all I would have said. I'm not going to repeat anything because matt already said a lot about the conference on his blog.

So what I will say is this: I really enjoyed helping out at the Quake conference this past weekend, and I felt God moving through everything. It was a unique experience for me, I think, because I kind of fell within the target age group (it was supposed to be for junior high--college kids). So even though I was helping out, I still felt like I had a bit of a different perspective in terms of the way everything went, and it did have some kind of impact on me spiritually, although many of the themes didn't apply personally.
What I kept thinking all day on Saturday as I watched these kids respond with stories about painful family relationships was I am so thankful for my parents. As I was putting the prayer stations together, one verse really stuck in my mind: "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me."
The whole day I could not get that verse out of my head. I thought about the heartbreaking reality that some of these kids have lived through. I was so aware that this was not the case for me, and the gratefulness for that incredible blessing just shook me. During the last session, they asked for teenagers with christian parents to gather and lay hands on kids without christian parents and pray for them. I had th eopportunity to pray with an amazing girl whose father and stepmother don't know Christ. My heart broke for her, and it reminded me of my friend Caitie, whose atheist father died this last summer.
I don't know how to describe the reality that settled in me at that moment. But it was one of thankfulness coupled with painful conviction, and the understanding that I have not been blessed for my own benefit, but I have been blessed so that I may bless others. It definitely shook me. I feel foolish for not having grasped that concept before, but I am so glad that it sunk in the way it did.

On the other side of things, it was awesome to feel involved and to see the level of work that goes into these things. I was very impressed by the entire band, but especially by Joel. I sat with him in the sound booth for the better part of the sessions. Honestly, I don't know how he does all that he does. Between the two of us we managed to complete all the crazy tasks Mike threw at him last minute. But it was still hectic back there, and yet Joel was calm throughout everything.
I was so glad to be able to serve with Joel because he has such an amazing attitude and such a servant's heart. I hope for his sake that he has some help lined up for the next conferences, because it was WAY more than a one-man job. The only time he showed even a hint of how difficult his work was, was when Paul dismissed the students. Joel leaned his head back on the pew behind him and happily said, "It's over," closed his eyes for like two seconds, sighed, and then got up and started tearing down the equipment. I was amazed.
As for relationships, I feel like the sacred space team really bonded over this whole conference. Paul and I had some pretty good talks about the team and at one point, as he was thanking us for coming, he said, "It feels like my family is here." I was really touched by that because it felt so true. It made me realize how much we have grown together in that we look out for each other and truly care about each other. Even Jeremy, who just joined the team a couple weeks ago, has already become part of the family. It was a good realization.
We also had to opportunity to meet and train some amazing (AMAZING) women in the Tri-Cities. They were helpful, joyful, efficient and some of the nicest people I have ever met. They are going to do a great job with the creative planning for the rest of the conferences, and I was blessed by spending time with them.

I guess that is all I can say about it for now. I would say so much more but it would be hard to explain the rest anyway. Overall I came away with an appreciation for the ways God has blessed me in my family, both at home and with ethnos.