My Favorite Moments from SLS14

Gosh, what a whirlwind. From Tuesday, December 31 to Wednesday, January 8 I was living the dream as an event planner. SLS14 was incredible and I can hardly believe it's over. Since arriving home on Wednesday I have rested up and I think I finally know what day it is. 

So many incredible things happened at SLS. It's hard to pick just 10. But here's a quick list of moments I wrote down on the plane.

My 10 Favorite SLS Moments

1. The crux of SLS was what we called "Power Sessions." Students were randomly sorted into small groups and were supposed to teach each other the basic tools for evanglization that they learned earlier that day. It could have fallen a part so easily. So watching the Power Session begin to  actually work on Friday night was awesome. Everyone filed in, got into their groups, and figured out who was going to do what for the rest of the week.

2. Okay, great. They got into their groups...but would they actually teach each other? After all of my things were settled Saturday afternoon, I headed down to Marsalis Hall to see how the Power Sessions were going. I was not prepared for what I was about to walk in on. There in that exhibit hall were 1500 students teaching each other how to share and teach the gospel message with others. I was so overwhelmed. I could feel the grace pumping through the room. I teared up and thanked Jesus for these students who were open to learning how to share His love with others.

Image via John Paul Rudolph.

3. Did you know that Pat Lencioni and Matt Maher are good friends? Well, now you do. During the closing session, Pat was talking about Matt, and Curtis interrupted by saying, "Pope Benedict told me never to name drop." Quite the hilarious moment.

Image via EideCom.

4. Christine, Carol, and I went to see the beginning of Dr. Sri's keynote on Saturday. I was unable to sit in on the opening keynote on Friday night, so this was my first time in the main ballroom with all of our attendees. Steve Pries, our emcee, introduced Dr. Sri and the crowd went crazy! The students were standing and cheering - before he gave his talk! It was cool to be in there for that moment knowing I had helped make that happen in my own small way. Carol, who does our speakers and entertainers, loved that moment a lot.

Image via John Paul Rudolph.

5. John Paul let me listen in on the production com and watch production on Monday night during the keynote. It was crazy and fun to hear them count down the keynote and call different camera shots. 

6. While on com, I got to help our emcee, Steve Pries, and Matt Maher sneak into the audience to do an in-house interview before the keynote. It was so fun and the crowd went crazy. 

7. After Curtis keynote Monday night (a lot of these top moments happened Monday...), we launched SEEK 2015. The student's reactions were so great - one jumped up and yelled, "I'M REGISTERING RIGHT NOW!" Christina verified it over the walkie.

8. We ended SLS with series of short talks on what it means to be a Catholic Leader in the world. Pat Lencioni talked about what it actually means to be successful. He told the room full of students that if he had the choice, he would rather his kids grow up to be FOCUS leaders than anything else. It was pretty powerful.

Image via EideCom.

9. The high of SLS: Adoration/Confession night. I loved adoring Jesus from the balcony Sunday night and realizing just what was happening all around us. The incense, the spot lights, the worship band, the procession - it was all beautiful. I was overwhelmed each time the spots would hit Jesus and I would see students weeping. Walking through the ballrooms there were students being prayed over, a packed confession line was overwhelming. In this moment I felt so grateful to be called to this mission with FOCUS. I am so humbled that Jesus has asked me to bring others to Him through these events.

Image via John Paul Rudolph.  

Image via John Paul Rudolph.

10. As SLS drew to a close, all FOCUS leadership starting say that this event is a game changer for FOCUS. My favorite quote came from Jim, my team director from last year. Jim said,

"We will be talking about what FOCUS was like pre-SLS14 and post-SLS14. FOCUS will never be the same after this weekend."

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible!

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STUDENT. LEADERSHIP. SUMMIT.

This is it. The big day. The big moment. What my team has been prepping for the past year. What you have all been waiting for...

FOCUS' STUDENT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: LAUNCHED INTO MISSION.

The ballrooms are set, some Bishop's are here, the host campuses are looking snazzy in their navy and neon green "Follow Me" shirts, and our team is all plugged in and connected via our walkie talkies. At 3pm CST students will begin to arrive via bus, plane, and car. I seriously cannot wait.

A few weeks ago Christine gave me the advice to plan so well that I could spend the whole day at the pool. I feel very prepared, but I am on guard and ready to start running. I trust that my incredible Special Events, Liturgy, and Sponsorship Committees have got this in the bag and I am excited to support them along the way.

I'll be heading back to Denver after the Summit has completed and we've launched these 2,000+ attendees into Mission. So unfortunately, there will be no updates until after January 8. When I get back I can't wait to tell you more about the ways the Lord moved this week!

To all of my mission partners: thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and support! Now that we are here and about to start in Dallas, I am even more humbled by your generosity. As I am waiting for students to arrive it is clear more than ever that this event would not be happening without you. So thank you, and know that I'll be praying that the Lord blesses you and your families as we run this event.

Goodbye for now, and I'll see you post summit!

T-Minus 1 Day: SLS14 prayer requests

--Update from the hotel: there are a lot of flight delays and cancelations for tomorrow already. Please add everyone's arrivals to your prayers!!--

Happy January 2, everyone!

Did you know that I've been in Dallas with my team since December 31? We have been setting up for SLS and having a lot of meetings (pre-cons, as they call them in the event management biz). I have loved every crazy second of it. More committee heads are arriving today and we are one day away from 2,000+ Catholics overtaking this hotel to learn how to evangelize and give their all to the Lord.

As we approach this monumental event, I humbly ask for your prayers. Here is a list of my top 5 prayer requests for SLS14.

1. For my team. Christine, John Paul, Christina, Carol, Sean, and myself. Pray that we are able to be calm, that nothing too crazy or out of control happens. And when it does, pray that we are able to handle it with grace. 

2. For all of the students. That they encounter Christ, that they are pulled deeper in their relationship with Him. 

3. Sunday night. Sunday is all about prayer and all about encountering Jesus. As active evangelizers, it is so critical that we are rooted in Jesus. We cannot give what we do not have ourselves; we cannot share a person we do not know. This night (January 5) Sr. Mary Gabriel of the Sisters of Life will be speaking about prayer, followed by a night of adoration and confession. Pray that our attendees will be open to encountering Jesus in a deep way this night.

4. For all our speakers. Pray for their health, for their receptivity to the Holy Spirit. Pray that Jesus uses them to say exactly what He wants them to say to inspire and equip all of our attendees. 

5. The aftermath. What I love about SLS versus SEEK is that we are equipping these students for mission. This SLS will be hands on and so very practical. This event would be a failure if these students left and did not start evangelizing back on campus. So please pray that they will be inspired to spread their joy and love of Christ when they get back to campus!

Thank you! Know you will all be in my prayers throughout this event.

7 Quick Takes on SLS [10]

--- 1 ---

My brain can't think of anything besides SLS right now. The other day Carol, Christina, & I all dreamt of the Summit. I've worked a good 40 hours this week and it's not even Friday yet. So if you're not interested in hearing about the Summit, this isn't the 7QT post for you.

--- 2 ---

This week I discovered I love play-by-plays. Well, I already knew I loved play-by-plays, but I learned they had a name and they're AWESOME. Basically a play-by-play is the minute to minute schedule of what is happening at every moment at an event and all details needed in that moment. I've been making these for my daily life since I became Director of Special Events for DG my sophomore year of college. I finished the Special Events PBP this week and the Liturgy one should be done tomorrow. They are some of the most beautiful excel spreadsheets I've ever seen.

--- 3 ---

Today is my last day in the office before the Summit. All I can say to that is AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I can't believe we're only 2 weeks away. Maybe when it's all over I'll have other things to talk about.

--- 4 ---

Have I mentioned that I love my team? Because I do. We had a informal team Christmas party yesterday after work and it is just so fun to hang out with them and chat about events and our lives. I'm looking forward to our New Years Eve celebration (aka work) when we are in Dallas.

--- 5 ---

Speaking of play by plays, I may or may not have made one for my time at home next week. Some might call that OCD, but I call it good time management. Seriously though, if I don't stick to this work/family time schedule, I will work 100% of my time at home. And that would be lame.

--- 6 ---

At work yesterday we had a long team email chain that turned into hilarious pictures of T-Rex. Why? Because Carol told us that she used to have reoccurring dreams of T-Rex's and Velociraptors trying to break into her house. This was my favorite picture:

Image via.

--- 7 ---

HEY ALL YOU NEBRASKA STUDENTS, DRAKE STUDENTS, & MISSIONARY FRIENDS OF MINE THAT WILL BE AT SLS. If I don't see you while we're in Dallas and you're there, I'll probably cry. So pleaseeeeeeeeee try to find me? And be okay with seeing me at weird hours? Or just waving and saying hi and knowing that I really do love you and I'm not ignoring you? Okay, great. Can't wait to see you.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Pope Francis' First Apostolic Exhortation

It's crunch time here at the FOCUS Events Office. SLS registration ends ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! So things are getting crazy up here in the mountains.

In the meantime, pop on over to the FOCUS Blog & check out Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation! I will be reading this on my plane ride to KC tomorrow. Look for some of my reflections later in the week!



Pray for our team over the holiday as we wrap of SLS registration!

Image via.