NEXT

Ok, so it’s pretty much here! The Next you have all been waiting for…is a seriously short four days away! In order to help us get ready, I’ve put together an extremely necessary ( though not nearly exhaustive) packing list:

_ Toothbrush and toothpaste (really, this is very important at a conference with other singles!)
_ Journal (do NOT forget this! You don’t want to be searching for a gum wrapper to write notes on because you forgot your journal.)
_ Clothes (hey, it’s usually a given but I have friends who have gone on trips where their clothes have been neatly packed up and the suitcase got left behind. It’s not a bad thing to check off the obvious…unless you’re looking for an excuse for a whole new wardrobe!)
_ Cell phone (to Twitter the conference and to text your friend how many extra shots of espresso you need in your Sbux drink)
_ Spending money (because the bookstore is always one of the bestest places EVER at a conference! No joke, y’all!)
_ Bible (no explanation needed.)

And, FYI, throughout the conference I will be Twittering the details of the various messages and events that take place. So tell everyone you’re leaving behind to follow along to find out what’s happening. And if YOU want to Twitter, use the #thisisnext tag. Oh, but a word to the wise: you might wanna skip the Twittering during the messages so you can get the most-est out of them. Then after, you can Twitter all the incredible quotes and application points to your heart’s content!

Finally, I asked my friend, Jessica Britt, for some reasons why she was looking forward to Next. She and I have both been to quite a few…so what’s kept her coming back? Read on…it makes me want to be there NOW.

Recently, a teenage girl in our church told me that when she saw the Next sticker she thought about me. Huh? Well, I’m somewhat of a Next fanatic. I have many legitimate reasons for being one, or so I tell myself (and all my friends that put up with my excitement). No conference can change a life, only God can. God has used New Attitude (oops, I mean Next) year after year to draw me closer to Him. I have met Him differently each year, but I’ve always walked away with a better knowledge and love for my Savior. I’ve also had the amazing privilege of attending every New Attitude/Next. Wow, God is so kind. I cannot believe this is the ten year anniversary. I am so grateful to Josh and his amazing team: ten years of faithful serving and care. I want to be like them when I grow up!
Next has provided me with many memories and opportunities to build biblical relationships. Whether is was getting a cup of coffee, praying for someone, walking around the Galt House at 2 am talking about God, laughing uncontrollably when we should be asleep, or asking hard questions - Next has been one of the many ways God has chosen to use friends in my life.
So, in four days I will board a bus at 5:30 am. We will drive over nine hours and arrive in Baltimore sometime that afternoon. I will check in to our hotel, register (receive some awesome packets and bracelets!!!), and then sit by the front doors for an hour (after all, you want a good seat). I will then worship my Savior in song, listen to a message about the Savior, sing some more, have biblical fellowship with ten people I may or may not know, and then grab a snack and stay up way too late. I’ll wake up and do the same thing on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday! Passionate worship. Incredible teaching. Building biblical friendships. Crazy memories. Lots of fun. I think those are legitimate reasons to be a Next fanatic! 

…we’ll see you in four!