The time has now come for my YLC 2017 review. I was going to do it on my Facebook page but since I am a blogger, I thought why not formulate a piece on my blog. Okay, so as I am sure you have gathered from the title, these are my top 10 from the ATL and YLC. If you were not there- I am pleased to inform you that you missed out (so start preparing for 2018), and if you were, then some of these points you will identify with. Let’s jump in:
10: Atlanta’s environment
Atlanta was just a beautiful city to be in. I love nature and the beauty that comes with it- so being in an environment where I looked around and saw trees, I was very happy. Yes there were moments where I was like: Atlanta is way too hot right now! Then I thought about how much I needed a tan, and I had to thank God for the ATL sunshine. I believe it was a calming environment as well, and though I was in a very busy environment at times, it didn’t feel like it. It was also clean, and kept clean.
9: The Hospitality of the City
From the moment we stepped off the plane in Atlanta the people were nothing but hospitable. You could tell it was the nature of the culture in Atlanta. In our travel to the hotel we actually took a shuttle instead of the sky train. When we discovered we took the wrong vehicle to get there, the driver hinted that he would drop us back at the airport and show us where the sky train was located. Instead He went out of his way to drop us off at our hotel. The hotel I stayed in was really nice and the staff were as accommodating as they could be. There were times when they went above and beyond to accommodate and take care of us. Our waitress in Arize who makes amazing hot chocolate by the way was just so wonderful, and couple that with our very courteous uber driver consider my day made ‹‹‹‹‹ this was all on the first day, so imagine the rest of the week.
8: The Convention Center
The Convention center was impressive. The quality work put in to ensure that the space
was as functional as possible was very evident. It was clean. It was spacious. We weren’t falling over each other. There was a space designated for each and every session, and no one felt as though their class was somehow forgotten, and treated as an after thought. The staging was well done, the lighting was great, and the quality of sound was notable. You could tell that time was spent, considering the placement of everything in the convention center. Excellence was certainly the name of the game.
7: The Welcoming Committee
You could not miss these volunteers. They were present at every point throughout the YLC journey, answering questions, smiling and greeting. They most certainly created a great atmosphere where all the guests felt that they belonged. They were also very much on time- when you walked through the doors of the convention center they were at their post ready to say “welcome back”. They understood their role and they did it well.
6: The Jokes
YLC 2017 was filled with plenty of hilarious moments. We had fun! From the sense of humor of the many speakers, to the laughs we got with our friends. If you were at YLC 2017 and you didn’t have a good laugh, then you were not paying attention. We were there on serious business, but we also understood that laughter could not be left out of the mix.
5: Dr. Tenney’s Mic Drop One Liners
This had to be a point of it’s own. Dr. Tommy Tenney has a way of just delivering some lines that shift your whole life……looool. He had some very tweetable moments- “the disciples brought back a happy meal but one transformed woman brought back the whole town”. That comment about Adam having more than one rib- had every one in that convention centre like: WHAT JUST HAPPENED??!!!
4: The Conference Fellowship
The air of fellowship at the conference was wonderful. I met people from all over for the first time, and my interaction with them did not feel like the first time. It felt like we were old friends reuniting. As a result, learning and being in break out sessions with my fellow young leaders was so easy. That sense of comradery was very much present and I absolutely loved it. Being able to worship and develop in a comfortable environment was a huge PLUS for me. The connections made at YLC 2017 are connections that I will most 
certainly treasure.
3: The Worship
The excitement to learn and grow was almost palpable. The young leaders who were gathered in the Georgia Conference Center were not afraid to throw their heads back and give a shout of praise. You could hear the worship coming through the walls during breakout sessions. Since you knew that shout was as a result of God just helping someone, you could not help but worship with your brother or sister even though you couldn’t see their face. Can we take a moment to talk about how God just showed up in our evening services. My heart was truly blessed. It was a privilege to be among people who were not afraid to give King Jesus the glory He deserves.
2: The Speakers
The line up of speakers was very well thought out. From what I observed, every speaker taught the right session. I didn’t get to be in every single session, though I wish I could have been. Through the information my friend’s and I shared, I realized that every single session was worth being in. Every single speaker came well prepared for the topic they were speaking on. If it was to talk about developing a sermon- then that is exactly what they spoke about; on that note Dr. E. Dewey Smith’s breakout session (as a friend of mine would say) was LITTED. They came with fresh bread and they completed their tasks well.
1: The Knowledge and Wisdom Shared
Acts 20: 18-21 (NKJV)
“And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These were words that Paul shared with the Elders of the church before he left bound to Jerusalem. He told the elders that he kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to them. This is how I came back from Atlanta Georgia feeling- the session speakers came to pour out keeping nothing profitable back. Every bit of knowledge that they could share for the benefit of the young leaders gathered in the conference center: THEY DID! A mark of a great leader is the ability to selflessly impart knowledge and wisdom in hopes of raising up leaders who are just as good, and even better than they are. When I tell you I returned home with my cup full and running over: believe it! It was a joy to listen to them, because they were not only transparent, humorous and passionate- they were themselves.
Now I just want to take a second to talk about:
** The Conference Host**
It would be remiss of me to not mention Elder Mark Moore, Jr. It would also be impossible to put a number by his name, because his obedience to God is why I can make this list. You can tell he holds himself to a high standard, because of the quality of excellence demonstrated at YLC 2017. It is all in the details, and in the details you can tell that he definitely loves the Lord and loves what God has enabled him to do. I enjoyed watching him honor his family, because in honoring his family and the volunteers he told the whole conference that you can’t do it alone. It also told us that his humility was real, and that the respect and love he had for those who came to the conference was also real. I would like to give a big round of applause to Mark Moore, Jr. and his team on a job well done. It was a splendid weekend. I pray that God will continue to bless you, your family and your team.
YLC 2017 was a life changing experience, and if you were not there this year: BE THERE IN 2018. One common thread that I noticed in every session that I attended is this: it is important to be yourself. Being fake can be tiresome, and for the oil to flow like it is meant to, then you have to be YOURSELF! My reminder to you wonderful people who are reading this post is to be yourself. To my fellow YLC people- don’t be afraid to comment and share what you gained from being at YLC 2017. It was a pleasure meeting all of you, let’s keep in touch ♥♥♥♥♥
Ashley Keene #followerofJesusChrist
