Passion: Let it Stick

                                

The thing that I prayed most often at Passion as I would watch the students in Kneel (a blog to come!) is Let it stick, God. Don't let them get over this. 

When we had the simulcast at our church a few years back, Beth taught on the parable of the sower.  Jesus' explanation:

Luke 8:11-15  This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

So often we think that "the Word of God" in verse 11 is the gospel...and it is, but God does not stop speaking to us after we come into relationship with Him.  There is so much more that the Lord longs to say to us.  He is constantly speaking a Word over us...whether it comes in studying Scripture, a sermon, a Godly friend, in prayer, in praise, in a song, an answered prayer.  One thing Beth taught is that our hearts need to be good soil for that Word as well.  She talked about how life's worries or pleasures can choke out a Word...how Satan longs to snatch a Word from our hearts...how we can move on from a Word.  We can have hearts of good soil willing to listen and be changed.  It has stuck with me and become an oft spoken prayer when God speaks to my heart.  Please let it stick.  Let me hear the Word, retain it and persevere to produce fruit through that Word. 

So, at Passion I was constantly praying over students Let it stick, God. Don't let them get over this...knowing that we don't live on this mountain.  Now I am praying that for myself as well.  As I have gotten back to "normal life," I find myself asking God not to let the Passion experience leave me. 

Our youth always have a contest after a retreat seeing who can wear the armband longest.  I kind of thought is was silly...until I could not make myself cut off my Passion armband...a week or more later.  Cutting it off was like saying I was done with Passion.  I don't want Passion to be done with me.  God, let the ways You spoke to me stick.  I want to be different because of Passion 2011.  Please, God, let the Word given dwell in my heart and change it forever for Your glory.

Happiness

Today was happy.  I have been thinking about happiness a lot lately.  I have started praying happiness for a friend...that is what I want for him...a season of happiness.  But I have had a few discussions with people I value who think happiness is fake.
I know the difference between joy and happiness.  I get the idea of joy being found within you and that happiness is a result of circumstance.  I also don't think happiness is a worthy pursuit.  But fake?  As in not real?  I don't think I agree with that.
Searching for happiness with leave you empty.  Deciding you should be happy based on the things you have, a position you find yourself in or the current state of your relationships will leave you disappointed.  Dwelling on happiness will rob you of it.  But I do believe happiness exists.  It is not lasting or strong. Happiness is fleeting and rare...or plentiful.

Joy is abiding.  Contentment is strong.  They are worthy pursuits...and not just worthy but necessary.  Joy and contentment are knowing Jesus and that our hope is secure.  They are found when we understand that the our past proves that our present and future will be good.  When we can see that God has always been there and will always be faithful.  Having joy and being content in spite of our circumstances is realizing everything we have been entrusted with...our talents, our trials, our gifts, our knowledge, our strengths, our weaknesses, our past, our present...everything we've been through - good, bad and ugly, where we come from, our goals for the future...all of it has been given to us for one purpose...to bring glory to God. (that's inheritance talk right there!) 

But happiness exists.  It's a smile, a look, smores, laughter, friends, cake, campfires, love, finally getting it, a game, a hug, baring your soul to someone you trust, a good book, music, feeling fabulous in a new outfit, chips, frosting on your nose, doing nothing with someone you want to do everything with, learning something new, a good cry, the perfect pair of shoes, the best meal you have ever tasted, an intelligent conversation, helping someone...

Happiness is a moment...it's a choice.  Happiness is a gift from the Source of our joy.

Passion: Worship for 24,000

You think you know what a lot of people is...I've done things with lots of people there...but being in close quarters with 24,000 people for 4 days is massive.  There were more than 22,000 attenders and more than 1,000 volunteers.  SO cool.  There are so many attenders of Passion that they run two simultaneous live venues.  Philips Arena holds 15,000 and there are 7,000 that congregate in the Georgia World Congress Center (did you know the world meets in GA?  me either).  The time when the most people were together in one place was actually during lunch on day 3...outside on the rotunda.

What made being with these 24,000 fantastic people so special is that these people were here for Jesus...to give Him, to receive Him, to serve Him, to know Him.  Just being with these amazing people encouraged me.  It should go without saying that they were nice (but we know that not every one who knows Christ is nice all the time...because we aren't nice all the time).  But there was a feeling in the air...Jesus was almost palpable.  He was so present.  It was true pretty much all the time...I always felt a heavy reverence...but never as wonderfully present as during worship.

   (GWCC)

I love praise and worship...whether it is personal, with my church family or at events.  But there was something about the worship at Passion that was overwhelming.  Chris Tomlin ushers you into the presence of the Lord (more on him in another blog).  The outpouring of the Spirit was so abundant that I spent most of the time I was able to take part choked up...uttering my praise to the Lord...or singing at the top of my lungs hoping He would hear my heart.

 (Philips)

Most of the time, I spent praise and worship in a room designated for the volunteers.  I was so proud to be part of a group so willing to pour themselves out for strangers (again, a topic for another blog), but they showed why they were willing servants in their worship.  These people so obviously love Jesus.  I will never forget singing Marvelous Light with them.  It was the first night with the live feed, and it wasn't working well.  The feed would go in and out...so Charlie Hall was only singing some of the time but, man, we praised God the whole time...we were never in the wrong spot or off key when Charlie would join us again!  It was transforming because it was such a raw outpouring of the heart.
The thing about worship is it sets me at the feet of the Savior.  It readies my heart to hear Him speak to me.  It softens my desires so I can hear His.  It's almost like the Spirit in me is awakened because He recognizes an attitude of praise...it reminds Him of home.
I feel myself trying to cling to the feeling that I didn't have to work to find at Passion.  I spent those four days sitting at His feet so I didn't have to find the time to get there like I do now.  On our first day back in our "real lives," I told Troy I was experiencing culture shock.  Everything in my life felt ordinary but me.  I felt extraordinary.  I am clinging to that feeling...because, truth be told, I am extraordinary.  The same Spirit that left me speechless or shouting praise is alive in me. 

But I am missing worship with the 24,000 today.  It is eternity set in my heart.



What I learned at Passion 2011

SO, I had the most amazing experience to begin my year.  Troy and I had the opportunity to volunteer at Passion 2011.  So often while at Passion, I thought I want to blog this...since then...I haven't had to opportunity to try and capture it all.  I have decided to stop trying. 
One thing I know for sure Jesus was there.  Over and over He was showing Himself to me and not just to me...the cooperate outpouring of the Spirit was overwhelming and overflowing.  It really was one of the best experiences of my life.  I hope I never forget it...but that is a blog yet to come.  I have decided to blog Passion in a mini-series.  I can't promise a schedule (seen a TILT lately?), but I will in bits and pieces try to share the amazing things God is still teaching me from that few days.

Before I blog Passion, I figured that not everyone knows what Passion is...where it comes from, who it is...
Passion is a movement that began in 1997 led by Louie Giglio with the purpose of encouraging college students to seek the face of God, asking Him to ignite in their souls a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ and a desire to spread His fame to everyone on earth.  Their purpose and passion comes from Isaiah 26:8 which says "“Yes Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.” (this is a combination of NASB and NIV). 
I am part of the 268Generation.  I love that the emphasis is Jesus...that if we pursue Jesus, if we fill our lives with Him, that He will spill out and be made known by how we choose to live our lives.  I want that kind of life...passionately pursuing Jesus and making Him famous. 
And the line-up doesn't stink: Louie Giglio, Frances Chan, Beth Moore, Andy Stanley, John Piper, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Dave Crowder Band, Charlie Hall, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels, Tenth Avenue North, Gungar, Dave Platt, Gabe Lyons...

Dinner Discussions

Each night during dinner, we have a dinner discussion...Troy has random questions, scenarios, verses or words on little cards, and we pull one to discuss.  It is a great teaching time and peek into what our kids are thinking.  We all really enjoy doing them.

 
Tonight's dinner discussion was 3 things you would take to a desert island.  We decided that there was food available and that we knew we would be rescued in about 3 days.  It was so interesting to see what the kids focused on...Nate was very practical...as was Troy.  They brought things to help with shelter or food...like an ax, knife and rope.  Abby wanted a TV and an ipod...until she was told there is no electricity.  Then there was Ian.  He was afraid of being attacked by monkeys.  He list was this: a shovel (to hit the monkey over the head), a rope (to tie the monkey up) and lip gloss (to give the monkey a girlie face...ya, I don't know).
So here's my list:

1. My Kindle - it keeps it's charge for a month, plays music and has several different books including 3 versions of the Bible currently on it.
2. Philosophy 3-in-1 shampoo, body wash and bubble bath - I will be clean.
3. Our king size soft, yummy blanket - to lay on or cover up in.  I am not a fan of sand.

If I was allowed a 4 and 5 - Troy and toilet paper. 

Confessions

• I am a little obsessed with my new kindle.  Troy got it for me for my birthday ( a month early!).  At first, I was worried we would not be a good fit.  I was so wrong.  I love it!
• I am very cautious about who I put myself under the teaching of...which can sometimes mean I don't receive a Word God has for me because I am not willing to listen to the person sharing it.  This is so much more true with people I know than with people I don't know...which is curious considering I am a minister's wife.  One of the first hard lessons a minister's wife who wants to worship learns is that the man you had a fight with on the way to church can be used by God to teach you during the sermon.  Who am I to decide who God can use...
• I almost always have Harbo Gummi Bears in my purse.  You never know when you might need gummi bears and Harbo is the only real thing.
• I am the least ambitious person I know.  I would much rather do something insignificant for something I believe is of eternal worth than something considered important but ultimately meaningless...leaves me frustrated a lot.
• Speaking of doing something small with eternal value...I want to blog Passion, but it's so big.  Soon...in bits and pieces.  Bearing the name of Jesus - You are all to me.
• I love the bromance to pieces.  I so appreciate their relationship and what it means to Troy.  They have the type of friendship men need but most don't have.  I love it...but sometimes I'm jealous.
• I hate foul language.  I hate it even more when someone who is intelligent and has good character stoops to that level.
• My dad is the best person I know.  He is a man of integrity, who you know knows the Lord because of how he acts.
• If you hear me say "aawww" in a sad, sympathetic way, I have probably seen someone I like in a fashion disaster.  I take bad fashion personally.  I want everyone to look their best no matter what their shape...the right clothes, hair and make-up can make a huge difference.  I will go shopping with you and be honest.  I even thought about throwing that in the Yellow book as a service.  Looking great can change the way you feel.  Saying all of that does not mean I have never had a fashion disaster of my own!