I am curious how many of you are planning on attending the Pepperdine Lectures next month. This is always a very exciting time of year. The combination of speakers, seeing old friends, and taking some time off to get my cup filled is a vitally important part of my spiritual life each year. If you haven't ever attended the Lectures, I hope you will consider going in the future. I know you will be blessed by your time in Malibu.I wasn't very familiar with the lectures until about five years ago. I had presented some classes with my friends Donny Dillon and Eric Brown that year on reaching young adults at the Spiritual Growth Workshop in Orlando (now called Equip) and got connected with Jerry Rushford who at that time directed the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. After some discussion over the phone, Jerry invited Eric and I to present two lessons on ministering to young adults at the 2011 Lectures. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but when it was all over I knew I had to go back.Two years later I was back again, this time with Missy at my side and I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing it was to be there with my wife. We were at a period in our lives of trying to discern what God was calling us to and it was at the 2013 Pepperdine lectures that God connected us up with some ministers at the Westside Church of Christ here in Bakersfield. They told us they were looking for a preacher. We told them we would let them know if we thought of anyone. Then they made themselves clearer and said they thought we should apply. Six months later we found ourselves in Bakersfield at a fantastic congregation.Pepperdine is like that. You never know what you are going to experience there. The connections you will make are rich and deep. I thank God for the Pepperdine Bible Lectures and what a difference they have made in my life and ministry. These Lectures have literally shaped the life of my family, my wife, and my children by all of the things that have happened as a result of attending.So if you ever have a chance to come out to Malibu in May, please do. You won't be disappointed.