Ok, ok… it’s official. I’m a Ben Arment fanboy.
Story ’09 was awesome.
WIBO ’10 was ok.
Story ’10 was incredible.
DreamYear ’10 was a kick in the pants.
DreamYear Weekend ’11 was a tipping point.
Why am I on the bandwagon? It’s not because Ben is a mythical figure spitting lightning bolts of truth, nor do I think he has the Midas touch, clothing everyone he coaches in gold diapers. But, I do think he has his fingers on the pulse of the creative class, and has branded himself as the “Chief Permission Giver” to the creatives in the church. Pushing them/us to go, do and be what God has created us to become. This might seem lame to those outside of the Religious bubble, who might scoff at the fact that we would need a champion of our creative calling. Nonetheless for those of us in the bubble, we desperately need his voice. We even need his raised voice, his passionate plea, to shake us from the coma of copycat creation and safe production, that we are currently living within.
This weekend was extra special for me, because I was able to bring along my wife, who runs a non-profit Women’s Home for gals 18-60 who are struggling with life controlling addictions. As she is the “realist” in our family unit, I need her to come along side of me, as a con-conspirator in my dream, bringing me back down when my dreams are too lofty and pushing me ahead when my fears paralyze me. I think this weekend proved that as much as I need her… she needs me to be the “idealist” to her “realist.” Pulling her past the insecurities and anxiety that big dream sessions induce, spurring her to be the visionary in her current role as Director of the Women’s Home. And with her dream to expand the facility from the current 6-bed house to a 20-25 bed facility, we will be dependent on each other (and God, who is the author of our dreams), to achieve our respectably audacious dreams.
Candace left the weekend, inspired.
I left the weekend, exhausted (in a good way).
I would whole-heartedly recommend that you sign-up for the next DreamYear weekend in Washington D.C. and come with your idea cap on, as Ben, et al — will demystify your dream and push you to tackle the todo’s that are left in it’s wake.
4 Comments on "dreamyear weekend in review…"
Ben is brilliant and DY has already started changing my life.
I know we didn’t really chat but I overheard your wife talking about what you’re doing and I think it’s fantastic. I can’t wait to see what God does with you!
Thanks Jason! Good luck on your project as well!
Kicking myself for not going and won’t be able to be at the June one either.
While people tend to verbally encourage us to be fearless in whatever God has created us to do, most do it from a place of safety. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it, but I think half the reason why Ben really has that pulse is because he’s constantly in the mess of dreaming/creating/doing, too. Anyway, grateful for the man. And technology so that I can read everyone’s tweets/posts from the things I miss.
Can I just say that my fave part of this post is that paragraph about Candace? Yeah, I’m a sap.
yep. you should have come! it would have been good, and you could have met my better half, who would have loved to meet you #IRL. And yep, it’s my favorite paragraph as well