nylc09.com

It's official! NYLC09 Registration is Cruising! We were out of the gate a little slow, but we're crankin' now! My personal favorite presenters Jeanne Mayo, Ed Young, Judah Smith, Greg Stier and Chris Hill. I'm sure the others will be off the hook, but I haven't had the opportunity to hear them as of yet.

We're enlisting the Cadre to help promote it. My prediction is that we will be sold out by the second cut off date of February 20. Jeanne laughed when I told her and promised a little PF Chang action if it did indeed happen. The world has yet to see what will happen when 8 Cadres (268 youth pastors) get behind her on this. If I was a gambler, I'd lay money on it!

I still need to do some proof reading on the site, but you can check it out at nylc09.com! Don't delay, registration has begun!

Who Are You Intentionally Coaching?

Monday and Tuesday we hosted in Atlanta 36 youth pastors from all over from the north, south, east and west (20 different states). I love that the Cadre dot the nation and, with the addition of two Canadians, hopefully eventually the globe. Cadre 220 was incredible, fun, funny and just plain awesome.


The world keeps getting smaller and smaller. Today, one of the guys, Pete, emailed me and said "Hey Judy, I forgot to tell you...since it's a small world, I know someone who knows you. You helped get him connected back with God. He's a youth pastor in my area. Do you know Ben Stuckey? He said you were the best..."


I love that he is in the trenches in the same area as Ben. Plus, it's great to know you are making a difference.


I love the fact that I get to coach such an incredible team of Master's Commission Cadre leads, they made me smile with their text over the last three days...


James wrote, "I love you Judy! Thanks for caring enough to coach me!!! I will have my phone on loud. lol"


Kayla wrote, "Thanks judes. I love you so much really and I can't wait to learn all that I will from you this year."


Jay wrote, "Judy you are an amazing woman of God and thanks for being a mentor in my life. Love you :)"


Robby wrote, "Hey, thanks for the coaching. It really means a lot that you're willing to do that."

Those were text from about 4 of 15 of the MC students that I am personally and intentionally investing in this year. Between the Cadre, the MC gang and Oxygen, I honestly think I have the greatest job in the world. Things that make it so...

1. As you can see, we say, "I love you" a lot and really mean it. It took me awhile to get used to it, but now would not want to live without it!
2. MC Atlanta's tag line is, "It's a family thing." If you hang out here more than five seconds, you quickly realize that is an undeniable fact.
3. We live and breathe authentic affirmation.
4. We coach hard. Students and youth pastors know the only reason we do is out of the enormous amount of love we have for them. We will do everything within our power to not only prevent them from trainwrecking their lives and ministries, but to set them up for short-term and long-term success.
5. We work circles around the rest of the world. Lazy youth pastors who use the word "balance" to justify their laziness drive us insane. I remember Mark saying, "I don't want to be balanced, just healthy." It marked me.
6. We fight against "favoritism". We honor and coach the individual regardless of what they bring to the table and can "do" for us.
7. We disarm our insecurities by talking about them.
8. The staff is "for" each other.
9. We are genuinely just plain friendly.
10. We have the most amazing friend, mentor and coach at the helm leading by example in every area.

Who Are You Intentionally Caoching? Know they are hungry for it!

Who Are You Cheering For?

We're in the midst of some busy days. I love it most of the time. It was great to pause for the weekend, I didn't check voicemails or emails. It wasn't as relaxing as I'd like, it involved moving my mom and a 5:30 a.m. hospital run with her after her boyfriend of many years colapsed. I wasn't able to call and connect with some treasured friends; however, I did get some much needed sleep. Watching the EMT's worked on Jim while he was unconscious had all sorts of spiritual analogies for me. I will share later. In the meantime, everyone is buzzing around here preparing for the first Cadre that comes in tomorrow and the Retreat and second year Cadre next week. I love this place. The MC gang is off the hook, nailing it in every area. It is a site to behold. I love the opportunity to speak into the lives of the next generation of leaders. You would be proud of the group. I know I am. They make me smile when they cheer for me every time I get the opportunity to speak into their lives, even on the little stuff. Who are you cheering for? It makes a difference, it makes life fun, it keeps them in the race running hard.

Breathe Judy, Breathe

Last night around 8 p.m., I paused to breathe deep. It's been a crazy busy stretch for the last 40 days and it's time to breathe deep this weekend. We've brought in the new Master's students, ramped up the 115 Cadre, brought in our board for our two day annual gathering (which included creating a 170 page notebook, figuring out a field trip and tokens), sent out nearly 300 promo boxes for NYLC to the current and previous Cadre, placed our new MC students in 02 groups after a few meetings, got the NYLC website up and sent out a 70,000 piece mailer, sat through a 3 year audit of our financials for a new mortgage, got the children's ministry into a flow after we transitioned to a new director, pumped out two NYLC promo videos.... I'm going to breathe deep at home in Indiana after I got a cheap ($159) round trip ticket to Indy. The computer is staying back in Atlanta. I'd shut off my phone if I could. It's time to hit the pause button, the first Cadre Advance is a week and half.

In the midst of it all, we went through the Atlanta gas crisis and my shoulder going frozen. The good news is that we now have gasoline and after nearly four days of my shoulder being pinned unvoluntarily to my side (seriously, not sure you could have gotten a thin book between my side and my arm), my shoulder de-thawed. What a wicked adventure.

Those Words Weren't What I Wanted To Hear

I injured my shoulder on Sunday night (I'd tell you the story, but it's pathetic) and all throughout Monday and Tuesday I was in pain and kept losing more and more mobility. I currently can raise my upper arm all of about 2 inches. It felt like someone was continuously beating my funny bone (it wasn't my elbow though, but my shoulder ... and it sure the heck wasn't funny). After 12 Advil and 1 Vicoden yesterday, I went to a doctor today (which if you know how much I hate doctors, is a big deal) who said he couldn't help me, but recommended an orthopedic doctor. Some of his words were "your shoulder is frozen," "it looks like you might of torn your rotator cuff," "it definitely looks out of whack," "corizone shots," and "physical therapy." Ugh! Not what I need right now. I've been living in sweat pants and track jackets the last three days. I never knew how hard it was to get dressed with a shoulder out. So, I declare this "Be Grateful For Your Shoulders Week." Sis, I now know a little bit of what you went through. At the height of the pain, which always seems to be at night, I so wanted my mom. Sad considering I'm 44, but just being truthful. Today, life is better, the pain is manageable, I just can't move the thing. The only exception was when one of the middle school guy gave me this ginormous hug and put his full weight on my two shoulders ... can you say, ouch!