Passion: Chris Tomlin

I am a people watcher. I love seeing the truth behind a statement or action by watching its portrayer. It fascinates me to see how people respond or react and wonder what the response means. Obviously, the better you know someone the more likely you are to be correct in your assumption about their feelings. All that to say, I could be completely wrong in everything I am about to say because Chris Tomlin and I aren’t real close =)
There are tons of amazing worship leaders. At Passion, there are no less than 6 phenomenal ones. But I love Tomlin. Aside from the fact that his voice is amazing and the words to his songs usher you into God’s presence, I think his goal is our experience with Jesus…not hit songs, money, fame…or even the art of what he does. Every year for the past few at Passion, Chris has written a whole new set of praise and worship songs. To watch him lead worship is beautiful because he is most excited when the people he is leading are enveloped in worship to their Creator, Sustainer and Savior. It’s like when he is writing he is thinking about the moment at Passion (or wherever) that people will be so caught up in Christ that he in irrelevant in the process.
I love it…because that must bring so much honor to our Lord. To see someone who could (and, honestly, he could) be in it for himself give all the glory to God. How beautiful.

FAB: Things I Love

So I obviously wasn't very faithful to the TILT (Things I love Thursday) idea...I think mostly because my idea to put out a blog every Thursday was confining and my inner rebel must rebel in areas of little consequence or I will find myself in a lot of trouble.  SO, I haven't done one in awhile, but I have come across a few things that I want to share with you because I love them and the world should know.

Speaking of things we love...it's Girl Scout cookie time!  I can hook you up if you need your fix just email or facebook me!!
So, Troy found a website that you should check out when studying the Bible: http://beta.mystudybible.com/  It is called mystudybible and it is really fantastic.  You do have to make some compromises like using the HCSB translation of the Bible...but lucky for me that is the version that I have been using as our church reads through the Bible this year.  It is a very reliable translation and would be considered in the same vein as the NIV or NASB.  What's cool about this site is that you can scroll over words and find the original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek word used as well as how many times that word is used throughout the Bible.  If you are serious about studying and it won't confuse you, this can be a great tool.  It is very much like the Bible software Troy had to purchase at Johnson which I love and use all the time.  This is the Beta version so they are not done developing it and some functions of the website are not in use, yet.  Hopefully, that means it will only get better!!  So, check it out and tell me if you love it as much as I do!

 

Nexxus Dualiste Dual-Benefit Shampoo & Conditioner

So, in case you haven't heard, I color my hair.  A lot.  But I also have really fine hair...and sometimes it can be dry...or break a lot.  All that to say when I shop for shampoo I have to decide what to focus on...which issue is making me the most crazy at that moment.  So I bow to the genius of Nexxus.  Nexxus makes this great shampoo/conditioner that treats two issues at the same time.  It is actually two separate formulas that when pumped out blend in your hand for the first time...my shampoo bottle has two separated halves...a split personality!  Not like one super shampoo that claims to fix all the problem of the world and fails to deliver but two separate shampoos that pump into one.  Genius.  Now I can treat the color as well as add volume...or whatever problem I choose to address.  I admit it's pricey...but I only pay 3 bucks for a box of color most of the time.  I love it!!

TIL next time...!!!

belittling

I am pretty sure there is a point at which constantly being put down or belittled by someone you love does one of two things...it steals the love you have for that person or it becomes the way you think of yourself.  Sometimes both.

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...