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YEC 2011

So I know that it was a couple days ago, but I haven't had time to blog since we got back Saturday night.


I'll start with the basics. YEC stands for Youth Evangelism Conference which is sponsored by the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. It is a youth conference that is once a year in March. This year in was March 11th and 12th. It is held in Nashville. 


This year Addison Road was the worship leader. Afshin Ziafat was the speaker Friday night. Saturday morning, we started with Addison Road. Then Derwin Gray spoke. For the third session, the youth groups spread out across Nashville to complete different service projects. 


My youth group got to Prayer Walk in downtown Nashville.


We had a list of what we were supposed to pray for. 
First, we started at the Courthouse. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but it is HUGE. We were supposed to take a few minutes to pray for all the people that had to come to the courthouse.
Second, we walked to Rymer Auditorium. 
Third, we walked down Music Row. We were supposed to prayer for those that give up everything to come to Nashville to try it in the music business. We prayed that they would find the hope we have in Jesus.
Fourth we walked to the Justice Building. The police station. We were supposed to pray for those that risk their lives to keep Nashville safe.
These were only some of the places we went. I can't remember all of them.


The speaker Friday night was Afshin Ziafat. This is Afshin Ziafat's Website link.
His story, what God has done in his life, is amazing. The way God has used him and blessed him is awesome.
Here is his biography from his website.


"Afshin was born in Houston, Texas. He moved with his family to their native country of Iran when he was two years old. In the midst of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Afshin's family moved back to Houston when he was six years old. In second grade, he was given a Bible by a tutor who was teaching him the english language. He read that Bible 10 years later as a senior in high school and came to faith in Christ. His conversion to Christianity was only the beginning of his journey to understand what it would look like to follow Christ.


Ultimately, his family would disown him because of his faith in Christ. His story illustrates the call of Christ on each of our lives- to follow Him regardless of the cost. In doing so, Afshin found that the reward was greater than the cost. He found the life Christ had for him. Afshin says, 'My story is not about a man's faithfulness to God; it's about God's faithfulness to a man.' His story is one of hope and inspiration, which demonstrates the truth of Matthew 16:25 - that whoever loses his life for the sake of Christ will find it.


Afshin received his undergraduate degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages degree from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.


Currently, Afshin resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife Meredith. He is the founder of Afshin Ziafat Ministries and travels nationally and internationally proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in churches, retreats, camps, conferences, and missions. Afshin speaks weekly at Truth Bible Study at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He also partners with Elam Ministries and travels into the Middle East regularly to train Iranian pastors. Afshin's passion is to teach the Word of God as the authority and guide for life, to preach Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Redeemer of mankind, and to proclaim the love of Christ as the greatest treasure and hope in life."


Some of what he told us is not in there and sometime I might tell more about it, but for now, I'm off.


Thanks for reading.


In God, Emily

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