I’m pretty sure I heard 30-plus speeches this weekend about Joseph and how his brothers meant the pit, the slavery and the bloody coat, for evil, but God meant it all for good. I heard a lot about Job and even more about the intended and massive eternal good that God meant through the abuse that happened at the cross.
And I never needed to hear any message more. It was THE powerful balm for my weary soul. His timing is always perfect! He meant this weekend for my good and, yes, of course, I can claim the promise of Romans 8:28 (that I heard quoted several times) in all
the things that occur in my life. Events, occurrences, schedules and mishaps are not all about me; but of course they ARE all about Him IN me and in you and in every faithful child. How can He take every single one of His called children this weekend across multiple convention sites and make the paths of our lives converge into one good thing? It’s because we are called according to His purpose and we claim that promise from an infinitely resourceful God. As one of my grandchildren said in her speech, “Like I said, I can’t even imagine it. But it’s no wonder I can’t even imagine it. God said He can do exceedingly, abundantly more than I can even ask or imagine.”
It strikes me on reflection that we are blessed in His family with so many intersections at a big event like Lads to Leaders. This (Nashville convention, this year) was the biggest convention in the history of Lads and it was full of wonderful cross-over reunions for most of us.
Lads is a physical family reunion for many of us. I got to be with all of my grandchildren except 3 week-old Lily. I got to hear them all speak. I got to hear them all lead a song. I got to see two of them teach with puppets and I got to see two of them achieve high scores in Bible Bowl. One of them got the 
Keepers award and a couple of them achieved the Good Samaritan Award. I got to hug and talk with cousins and sisters and brothers-in law and nieces and nephews. I’m so thankful for family.
Lads intersects with Polishing the Pulpit. Hundreds of PTP friends reunited in corridors and ballrooms. It made us remember good times and it made us say “I’ll see you this summer!” I’m so thankful for PTP.
Lads is an intersection of people from every congregation I’ve ever attended. There were people with whom I grew up and people from Henderson and Pulaski and Collierville and Jasper. Great memories of rich blessings of friendship in Him just overwhelmed me. I’m so thankful for His providence.
Lads is an intersection of prayer groups. Sisters pray with sisters. We become extremely close as we beg God together. But getting to hug sisters who are pleading for various sicknesses and trials is a gift. I thank God for the praying sisters.
Lads is an intersection of the sixties-something me and the six-year-old me. People I’ve known from the Adamsville church for all my life walked up and said “I’m ____________.” Then there were big embraces and fond memories just came pouring back. I’m so thankful for a childhood among His faithful people.
Lads is an intersection of Christian camps. Teen girls, over and over, shouted “Mrs. Cindy!” We took pictures and we said lots of “Are you coming this summer?” And there were lots of “OHHH yes! I can’t wait.”s. I’m thankful for youth events that bind them (and us) together.
Lads is an intersection of Diggers. Digging Deep is a bond of Bible study and fellowship that I do not take for granted! And seeing one or more of you Diggers at an event is a priceless collision! This weekend, I saw hundreds.
Most importantly, Lads is a great intersection with the future of the kingdom. Of course, I know that it’s not likely that every single young person who participated this year will be in heaven. (That’s the way the devil works!) But every single one of them has the individual power from heaven to get there! I’m still going to pray for every one to be there, because He is the God of more than I 
can imagine! I’m also praying that they all take the skills they are learning and just keep on using them year ‘round, year after year, to bring other souls to the cross. I’m so thankful for the display of a bright future for the kingdom.
Praise God for the children. Praise god for the Kingdom. Of such IS the kingdom.
I think it’s a pretty valuable family Bible time expenditure to get a piece of poster board or a dry erase board and draw a line down the middle and then let your littles write or draw the physical blessings on one side and the spiritual blessings on the other. They should learn the term from Ephesians 1:3. You should explain to them that spiritual blessings are things that God has given us to help us get to heaven. Cars are physical blessings because they help us get to the store and to worship, but we can get to heaven without them. Houses are physical blessings. We thank God for them, but we don’t have to have a house to get to heaven. Jesus did not even have one (Matthew 8:20)!