Low on the Go!

Winter Conference 2007.

My friend Warren doesn't like the word "process". He says, and I quote, "I can't stand it when people 'process'." So, I am going to unpack Winter Conference 2007.

Heading into Winter Conference, I really didn't know what to expect. I did not have any official roles or responsibilities; my plan was to just be the go-between. The first year lackey. I arrived at the hotel on the 26th at 2am and I was completely tired out. As I was waiting in line, Ian arrived.

"How do you feel about singing?"
"I like it."
"In front of seven hundred people?"
"Sure!"
"Okay, we'll meet at 10:30am tomorrow after the staff meeting."

I'm not sure what I was thinking exactly, when I agreed to singing in the band. I mean, I love singing, and I love helping lead worship, but when I arrived at practice the next morning, I felt FULLY and TOTALLY inadequate. Here I was, surrounded by AMAZING talent, and while I like singing, I also recognize that I am fully unqualified and not very talented. After practicing almost all day,with a break for lunch and dinner, I was still feeling really ill-prepared, and I remember sitting at the front, waiting for main session to start, and crying out to God to help me worship Him.

There are few things I remember from Winter conference. Most (read: almost all) of my time was spent with the band, practicing. But there are a few moments that really stood out for me this conference:

Praying in French in front of 600 people.
Having many Quebecois approach me and thank me for allowing them to worship in their native tongue.
Hearing Eric Rose talk, and realizing, once again, the huge need that exists in Quebec.
Standing in line on New Years eve, waiting for hot dogs, with the boys in the band (I was one of two girls on our team of eight).
Hearing students from a variety of nations pray in their own language.
Hearing a girl named Sammi pray in Mandarin and bawling.
Singing on stage after midnight and seeing 500 students worshipping God.
Practicing in the early hours of the morning and singing till the late hours of the night.

It was my favourite conference, not because of a great party or great speakers or great friends (although, all three things DID add to it), but because there's nothing like standing up in front of 600 people and realizing that the only way you can do what you've been called to do (i.e. usher people into the worship of our Abba) is if you take steps of faith and trust that our God is a powerful and mighty God, whose name is the only name which has the power to save.