I looked back to exactly one year ago in my blog archives and saw something amazing. The things I posted prior to last year's D-Now were much more anxious and giddy than this year. Everything was focused on drawing together and becoming a family. JGen was still young and rolling like a freight train, and things were shaping up to be exciting and earth-shattering.
So I wonder what is different this year? The vibe seems different.
For one, last year we had roughly 40 kids. This year, we have that number in high-school boys alone. We've added a D-Now for the pre-youth age kids and that number is astounding. So, all told, I think the head-count for people this weekend is above 150. That's just unreal.
Maybe there is a nervous apprehension about this weekend. The number of students alone is humbling. Maybe it's the curriculum. The whole focus is different. Let's face it, the things we talked about and prayed for last year have come to fruition. Our student group is closer and more regular. The leadership this year is made up of a who's who of SCBC youth group graduates and that is very cool.
I know that's alot of random, choppy thoughts but my point is that this year has excitement of its own. Just because the vibe is calmer doesn't mean the intensity is less. Personally, I'm looking forward to this weekend for different reasons than last year. I'm looking forward to someone realizing just who they really are in Christ. I'm excited for that heart that will see that the things we morph ourselves into in order to fit in are pointless and that being who we are, who God made us to be, is where we find true joy and purpose. That's a lesson that I had to learn the hard way after a long time of chasing the world's ideas. I believe that God will use this weekend to spare someone that worthless journey.
So here we go. Hang on.
