Things had been buzzing all day. By 9:30 or so, the only preparation we had left to do was click “Publish Event.” So, at 9:45pm Monday night, we stopped all the chatter and bowed our heads. As a small group of volunteers, we each prayed for each person who was hitting refresh, for every couple who needed to be there, for the speakers, for the volunteers, for no technical issues with registration.

Then, Mark hit that button, and we all waited to see what would happen. We expected it to fill quickly. We had talked the registration up a good bit, encouraging people to have some “fast fingers.” But, in those 30 seconds or so before the first email notification of a registration came in, a little doubt crept in, and I confess that I thought, “Oh, Lord, what if hardly anyone registers tonight after all?” It was that little feeling of nausea in the pit of my stomach that tells my brain, “What in the world are you doing? How did you end up here? Do you really think you can do this?”

And, then the first email hit Mark’s inbox. Four of us gathered around his screen and another two watched us via Skype as the emails came in one after another, and we responded in shock. As quickly as they started pouring in, they stopped.

It took 4 minutes and 16 seconds according to the time stamps on the registrations to fill Together Called 2014.

Less than 5 minutes of craziness left our heads spinning. We read through each notification, excited to see names—some familiar ones and some we have families we have never met before—of the people we would be pouring grace on this February. For a little while, I forgot all about that momentary feeling of doubt that had felt so real only minutes before. God didn’t let me forget it entirely though; instead, He spoke to me through it.

This isn’t your thing; it’s mine. I’ve called you to this, to serve, to give, yes, but the success of it—success by my definition—from registration right on through until the last person drives away from the retreat in February rests on me. It isn’t about you at all; it’s about me.

In about 5 months, this room will be buzzing, likely not unlike my dining room was buzzing Monday night. There will be lots of chatter, women giving hugs to greet one another, some laughter and stories shared. Maybe a few of those men and women who fill this space will get that nauseous feeling in their stomachs too, and they’ll be asking themselves, “What in the world are you doing? How did you end up here? Do you really think you can do this?”

As He continually reminds us of our calling, our prayer is that He’ll do that for those couples at Together Called. Maybe it will take 4 minutes and 16 seconds, maybe it will take the whole weekend, maybe it will be a much longer process that only begins that weekend when we’re together. Regardless of how long it takes, I trust that it will happen, He’ll speak to each one of those parents and parents-to-be and remove those doubts and fears and remind them of Truth.

This parenting thing isn’t your thing; it’s mine. I’ve called you to this, to serve, to give, yes, but the success of it—success by my definition—from the waiting to bring your child home, to when you become a family, right on through until your nest is empty and your children are building their own nests rests on me. It isn’t about you at all; it’s about me.

If you want to be added to the waiting list to join us, click here. We’re doing all we can to serve all who want to be there and are already actively pursuing how we can do that better going forward.