Today was such an awesome day in my life. It was a time that enabled the fire in me to be turned up just a little more...

I want to start out by thanking Shawn & Tricia Lovejoy and the the Mountain Lake Church staff for allowing us to be a part of such a great conference.

Shawn, thank for cleaning my clock!!! (did I just thank him for that???) Seriously, we are just starting our church planting adventure and I already see so many areas in which I need discipline (the worst word in the dictionary). "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) Thanks for loving us me enough to share those hard word to hear.

"Great leaders are healthy."
"Christ has to work in me before He can work through me."
"If the only time I open my Bible is to study for a message, I've got a problem."
"Balance building great churches with building a great family."
"Self control is about getting under God's Control."
"People won't respect us as spiritual leaders if they don't see us as disciplined people."
"Discipline gives us authority."

Thanks Shawn, I have already started journaling my daily Bible reading, but after your message, I am going to start journaling my prayers too! Roll Tide!!!

Devin Hudson, thank you for reminding me to trust in The Gospel. Devin has left the religious south to go to SIN CITY. He has seen more "stuff" in a little over two years than we will ever encounter in Florence, SC. Already in ministry, we I have gotten caught up in all the "business" of church planting... Devin reminded us to trust in The Gospel. Music, methodologies, dress code, and meeting locations do not change people...THE GOSPEL changes people! It is not about us and what we can do... it is about what God can do.

"To make it about us, empties the Cross of it's power"

Do I trust the Gospel?
Do I trust the Gospel for my people?
Do I trust the Gospel in my culture?

"Am I keeping my bar as low as Jesus."
"Only the Gospel changes lives."
"I am careful what I criticize, the Gospel is larger than my preferences."

He left us with this question concerning guests of our churches... "What do people think they must DO to be a follower of Jesus?"

Steven Furtick, Man... I really wish you would learn how to preach... (JUST KIDDING!!) Today was the first time I ever heard him in person. WOW sums it up! He challenged us me to become an audacious (marked by originality) leader.

"Courageous leadership is not a product of cut and paste. It must be born from inside out."

Steven shared from Joshua 10 where Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still. It is funny to think about what he said next "what if Joshua would have said... I will pray for a miracle like Moses did and maybe God will part the land like He did the sea." Joshua prayed for a new miracle. His own... Joshua was not to copy Moses... He was to be the leader God called him to be!

"Don't mix and match miracles, let God do His own in you."
"Don't build a Mr. Potato Head ministry." (in reference to taking different pieces from different churches)

Thanks Steven for inspiring me to dream big!

I met so many people today. It was truly an awesome experience I will never forget.

Congrats to Paul Peterson for advancing to the next round of the Guitar Hero contest! Now if I can just get Jay Hardwick past the first round tomorrow... Sorry Chris, I gotta root for Jay!

I can hardly wait to see how God will bless tomorrow!