Charles Dickens once said, "I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time."

I show up to the office everyday about 10 minutes after everyone else. When I worked at Northview Christian Church in Danville IN we had a day care program and one of the rooms was across from my office. Audrey Norman was an elders wife and a teacher for the class across from my sweet office pad. Needless to say, Audrey had a “saucy” way about her. We didn’t so much communicate with each other so much as snap back and forth like Clams that didn’t have enough energy for a all out war, just enough for biting sarcasm. Audrey would say to me as I entered the building every morning, “Banker’s hours hey?!”. My response, like clock work, “I haven’t ever seen a bank open at midnight!”. Both of us would walk away as though we had scored a point in the ongoing quipish war. It was enjoyable! I am ten minutes late every day now because I drop Riley off at Mrs. Goswick’s 1st grade class in Webster Elementary school. There is something cool about your kids still wanting you to drop them off at school. I hear that changes later on.

As I read this quote this morning I thought of 3 people that embody the essence of this everyday. Chase Allcott, Sara Hill and Yanee Bravenboer are, respectively, Program Assistant, Program Assistant and Administrative Assistants in the Conference wing at Christ In Youth. And over the past year these 3 friends of mine have served this ministry, me and ultimately Jesus with their great attitudes and selflessness. Chase has taken on the leadership of the team when traveling to allow me to fly to every event (so I can drive Riley to school a few more days a week); Sara's 9 years with this ministry has given priceless direction and guidance that only she has the experience to offer and Yanee has modeled for all of us this year an attitude of complete submission before the father. I have said it more than once and it bears repeating, “Yanee has a special spiritual quality of a “glue” like substance that holds teams together.” On a year where we have had many young feuding interns this has been especially trying for her temperament. You have all grown so much this year and I am humbled to work with you. I am indebted to you. My family is indebted to you. Thank you for working with me to make Christ In Youth conferences rock. I love you guys.