Saturday, April 27, 2013

The 2013 Orange Conference Is In The History Books

I'm home and the 2013 Orange Conference is over but it's impact on me has just begun. This year's theme was focus and the rethink thinkers knocked it out of the park. Every session as well as some of the added features gave us one opportunity after another to focus. I think my favorite addition this year was the gallery. This was a wonderful visual reminder to make each week count with the children in our lives both at home and at church. Every time I walked through something spoke to me that I didn't see the time before.  It was very powerful to me the focus on focus that was put into the making of this year's conference. Anyone who knows me know I appreciate a plan and as I think about all the work and the intentionally and emphasis on focus I have to say a big thank you to the minds of Orange. This year's event caused me to rethink my thinking, and rethink my choices as well as rethink my actions. As I'm rethinking I'm asking God to help me focus. I am so honored to have been a part of #OC13. Last night I went ahead and put the 2014 Orange Conference dates on my calendar. I plan to be there and hope you'll make every possible effort to do the same. If you can only go to one conference choose this one, bring your team, bring your Senior Pastor and Student Ministry team as well. In the mean time I have a year to work on my focus and make each week of these next 52 count in my home, my ministry and count in skin.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Orange Conference 2013 Is Underway

One of the highlights of my year is the Orange Conference. This is my 6th year in a row to be a part of this wonderful event. I had planed on coming to the 1st one in 2007 but I was in the middle of a ministry change. Each one has put something in me that needed to be there. One of the reasons I love The Orange Conference is that it's 5 conferences in one. There's something for #kidmin folks, #stumin people, college ministry, #fammin or next gen pastors  and Senior Pastors as well. This year's theme is Focus, if there is one thing the church and the family both need to do is focus like never before on the time each of us have left with our kids. What you do this week matters. Today I got to teach about "Leading You." Self management takes incredible focus. In this talk I taught about focusing on the 5 H's. Our heart, our homes, our health, our head and our hours. Your walk with God, your relationship with your family, your health, your thinking, and your time.
Focus is needed to be able to lead you. I have 3 other breakouts during the conference. Would you like to have my notes?  You can download them here. If you are at Orange and you see me please stop me and introduce yourself. Thursday at 4:55PM  I'll be doing a book signing over at the main Orange store. Please come by if you have any of my books with you. (You can also pick them up at either of the Orange Store.
I am so honored to be a part of  this wonderful event I am asking God where have I lost focus?  I'm also asking Him if I have been focusing on the wrong stuff? Lord, what needs more focus in my personal life? What needs focus in my family?  What needs focus in my ministry? These are important questions!
How about you? Where do you need focus?