So I have been waiting to blog on this. So if I sound like an excited schoolgirl, “like” don’t tell me or email me about it! ;)

It was a powerful weekend with a powerful speaker. Pastor Mark Batterson, in the words of Bon Jovi, “Saw a million faces, and he rocked them all”. Ok, so maybe there weren’t a million men at this retreat, but Pastor Mark did a great job. Was their any doubt?

Everyone would be proud, as I mustered up the courage to go up and speak to him about giving my wife and I a shout out. I will be emailing him this week to remind him.

I managed to speak with him on a few different occasions, but I realize that everyone wants to speak with him. Needless to say I backed off from really wanting to sit down with him and poke his brain a bit. Who can blame me for wanting a little one on one? It’s like going up to a successful CEO of a start up business and asking what are some of the things he learned that took him to his destination. Wouldn’t we all want to ask questions like that with those that we see do the right things and become successful? We want to learn from them. I am no different. I just didn’t want to be seen as some over the top zealous “ninja” stalker. (Pastor Mark, if you read this, disregard the stalker comment.)

Moving on…

I did have a moment…a moment of revelation. Maybe, its just clarity…I don’t know, but it spoke to me and as I lay it out in text, I hope it speaks to you.

Somewhere at the retreat I could help but think that the majority of churches across America are small churches of up to 100 people on any given Sunday. Bigger churches don’t make up a great percentage, although they become the model of what all other churches want to be. However, big churches were once small churches and when I hear ministers speak at leadership events or even at men’s retreats, it is usually about the things they learned while their church was small still. Which led me to wonder if the best moments of learning or excitement in our life are in those moments when we are still throwing stones?

What do I mean?

Well, I am sure most of us know the story of how David defeats Goliath with a single stone. When we think of David’s battles, we also think of what he said before he walked into that battle…of how he had faced the lion and the bear. You know what? Judging by the accuracy of his throw at Goliath, I bet he killed the lion and bear with the same weapon. You don’t get great at anything unless you practice. I can see David slinging stones all day while watching the sheep. Most of us daydream about a time when we can be courageous. Of course after those events, David was given a sword…and with the sword, the people of Israel, would sing songs of David killing his tens of thousands.

Now here is what is significant. I would venture to say that David’s fondest memories are when he was valiant with the stones. They are definitely his more memorable moments. Think about it…the David versus Goliath story is much more publicized today than most of his other moments in battle. The greatest moments in his life were based off his stone throwing, not his sword conquering.

I would venture to say that the greatest moments in someone like Pastor Mark Batterson’s life, aren’t defined so much in what decision he is going to make next, but the decisions he has made to arrive where he is at. It’s his stone throwing stories that we will remember…his beginning that is so impressive. Regardless of what he might continue to do, people won’t talk about the size that his church might grow…they will talk about where it came from and what it endured to arrive at it’s destination.

So it is with him…and so it shall be with you. I hope your throwing stones…your moment will come with the sword, but you will never forget your stone throwing days.