Even after several twelve-hour days on my feet and hardly
any sleep while volunteering at the Catalyst Atlanta conference, I left feeling
energized, so sad it was over.
As I checked attendees in on Wednesday, I greeted people who
had traversed the wide circumference of this spinning globe from places like
the Philippines, South Africa, Australia, England, and Canada. Some were travel
weary but high in spirit to be part of what God was doing at the conference.
On Thursday and
Friday, I worked in the resource center at the front of the Gwinnett Arena. When
the doors opened at 8:30, I could only marvel at the 11,000 who streamed into
the Arena to be inspired, encouraged, and motivated to reach the world for
Christ.
I met people I may never see again this side of heaven like
my friend from Jakarta, Indonesia, and look forward to seeing other new friends
like Laura in the near future.
I hugged close Melissa and Mandy whom I’ve long loved but
rarely get to see, and wished I could have spent more time with them.
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And if I didn’t already feel blessed, I had one of the
biggest surprises of my life.
On Wednesday, I slipped into a session where Ann Voskamp was
speaking. She delivered an inspiring message encouraging us to pause and give
thanks, to be present in His presence in this moment, and to pour out and bless
others. She left the platform immediately after her talk, and I assumed she’d
headed to the airport so she could get back to Canada and those six children of
hers.
But the next day, I came around a corner, and there she was,
her standing at the Zondervan booth, and no one around. I could hardly
speak for tears, when I told her how much her honest and transparent words had
meant to my family at a very dark time. The next thing I knew she had her book,
One Thousand Gifts, in her hand, and she signed it to someone who’s very
beloved to me. We hugged tight.
It took me quite a while to get myself together, so that I
could once more do my volunteer job, but I will long treasure the wonder of
these amazing hours at the Catalyst conference.
I don’t know how next year could be any better, but I’m
ready to do it again.
May need to get some orthopedic shoes, though.
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20)