Passion

This is from a compilation of notes that I have written in the past and I thought this was as good a place as any to start this new season of my life as a blogger.

So for those of you how have spent any length of time with me, you know that I think...a lot...and then all of a sudden a whole bunch of words get spit-up onto a page and I make you read it, or listen to me read it. Well, here is the latest musing that has made its way onto my computer. A well-know church and ministry leader once said that young people who want to be involved in ministry have only two things - passion and stupid stories..and that is what is what we desperately need! For experience always comes, but true passion and vision, especially when it is new and fresh, should be encouraged and given room to flourish.

This last year has been about learning what passion is. I have also known what I am good at, what my strengths and weaknesses are, understood that I would do a wonderful job at a certain profession, knew what I liked and disliked...but I was not sure about what I loved or what I really wanted to do. I did not understand passion. To be honest, I did not think that I was one of those people who had passion...... And then the revelation that everyone was created in passion, for passion, to be loved by a passionate God, who is passionate pursuing His Bride!

Passion is that which God puts in your heart to make you feel the most alive. It is the Love of the Father and of Jesus' desire for his Church. God wants every one of us to live out of passion, for he sent His Son so that "we might experience life, and life to the fullest!"To often, however, we accept what we can do, what seems logical and like the best thing in this status-oriented, materialistic, rational world instead of pursuing true life and the promise of its fullness. To live with passion is to go after the heart of God, to desire to come into alignment with his plan and will for your life, and to cast aside all that hinders you from attaining your purpose: to be loved by the Creator, to love God and further His Kindgom here on earth. I want to live out of passion even if it means all I have is stupid stories.

My sister teases me a lot about this six letter word. She says my slogan or mantra for life should be, "Be Passionate," and my whole family smirks at the number of times I wirte or talk about it. Over the last six months or so, this six letter word has begun to show up all the time and God seems to highlight it at every turn. From songs that I hear, books I read, sermons I listen to, when I am praying or simply in the conversations that I have with people throughout the day, "passion" is the word constantly buzzing in my ears and stirring in my spirit.

We are being called to live passionate lives for God and to stand with courage for his Name! This is a generation that is desperately searching for something that will give them life, something that they will feel passionate about, something to give their lives to - be it a human rights cause or saving the planet or AIDS awarness and prevention...but we are all searching for real life that fulfills and excites our hearts. The only place to find real joy, fulfillment and passion is in Jesus Christ, and this world desperately needs to see and witness people who are filled with true passion! So, my favourite word has become "Passion" and I pray that it remains so for a very long time!

My passion: 1) Loving and worshiping my Creator, Savior, Father, Helper and Friend 2) Seeing this generation live in the freedom of who God created them to be! I want to help lead, speak and mentor youth and young adults to experiencing the Love of the Father, the Grace of the Savior, the power of the Spirit, and the freedom of living Brave lives full of purpose and passion - impacting the world around them.

Here we go!