Louie Giglio posted this on Facebook.....
It's hard to believe one week has passed since Passion 2010. I'm not sure about you, but I'm still trying to take it all in, and smiling as wide as possible on the inside knowing I was able to be in that moment. Seeing the grace and glory of God awaken, heal and inspire a generation to live to make Jesus famous made all the sweat and sacrifice it took to get there worth it.
In some ways I feel like I am still in the middle of the last session, watching people stand to affirm the change God birthed in their hearts. The first to stand were those saying they had met Jesus as Savior and Life-Giver during Passion 2010. So many stood all across both venues, expressing for the first time their new faith in Christ. The first I saw to stand was a guy near the front in Philips who jumped to his feet and shot his hand up so proudly...not like, "Hmmm, yea, me"....but more like, "HERE I AM! I have found life and forgiveness in Jesus!"
Yes!
So to that guy, whoever you are, and to all who were part of this gathering, welcome to week 2 of Passion 2010 as we "work it out" where we study, work, play and live.
One thing we forgot to mention at 2010 was the inevitable dilemma you run into once you're home. It goes like this:
Senario 1-
Friend asks glibly, "So...how was Passion?"
Based on the way the question was asked, you know you're in trouble and don't have time to unpack all you are feeling inside... and you're not even sure you could find the right words if you tried. The look on their face tells you they are not down for a long response. You reply, "Hmmmm, it was good," and frustratingly change the subject.
Oh well.
Scenario 2-
A friend or family member says, "So, what was your favorite part of Passion?"
Your brain goes numb and overload kicks in. Words do not come out of your mouth.
Oh well.
Scenario 3-
A friend really wants to know about Passion, asking, "So, tell me all about Passion 2010."
You talk for forty-five minutes straight without so much as taking a breath, only to realize that nothing you have managed to say quite reflects the depth of what God is doing in your heart. You consider going in for another forty-five, but settle for...."Umm, you really needed to be there!"
Oh well.
Welcome to the post-Passion syndrome. We should have warned you.
Obviously, not everyone feels it, but many of you now know what I'm talking about. That's not to make a big deal of Passion. I say let Passion's name fade. It's just to say that God did so much during the days here in Atlanta it's hard to really process it all right away, much less package it in a short reply.
We just wanted you to know we're with you today as you continue to embrace it all....
Awake!
LG
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Passion 2010
I do not even know where to start. There is so much that I want to say, yet at the same time there are no words I feel I can use that would do what God did (and is still doing) at Passion 2010 justice. The whole theme around Passion 2010 this year was “awaken”.
First night, Louie used the passage in John 11, which speaks of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. He took this passage and used it very applicably. He challenged us to pray this week for God to wake us up. I think that’s such a great thing to pray. I told my family group one night that I don’t want to think that I’m awake and not be awake…..if that makes any sense. Basically, I don’t want to think that I’ve got all this down, that I’m totally with God……but God is telling me something completely different….that I’m possibly asleep. So that is my prayer…that I will constantly be awake to Him. I also want to be awake to moments throughout my day where I would normally miss the chance to see Him or to shine Him.
One of the coolest things that happened at Passion was not even during our community groups, breakout sessions, main sessions, or even late nights. I witnessed it walking back to my hotel room the first full day we were there. As you all know, we are in this crazy cold spell. Atlanta, GA was freezing. We were all walking to the venues from our hotel rooms w/ crazy temperatures and blustery cold winds. My friend from ATL said that it’s never that cold there and this was just a freak occurrence. Anyhow, Amy and I were on the way back to the hotel when I saw a guy who was attending Passion give his Northface jacket to a homeless guy. I overheard him telling the homeless guy that it would help to keep him warm. My exact words to Amy were “I want to marry him.” I was so moved by him. To be honest, I don’t know if I could have done it. I want to be like that though. I got to see Jesus through him. For that, I am grateful. On the other hand, the day before Amy and I were trying to get into the CNN center to grab some dinner before main session started. (Side note: “Crazy” does not even begin to describe the CNN center when it is dinnertime w/ 22,000 college students) We were freezing walking into the food court and there are tons of people around us. We pass this guy among a crowd of students rushing into the center to get dinner. He is trying to pick up a nickel and a penny off the ground to put in a cup he is holding. I said to Amy, “Amy, did you see that? That is so sad.” …….That’s all I did. Meanwhile, I have a $5 and a $20 in my wallet. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized I missed that moment to show someone Christ. I didn’t even think that I could be the one who could reach out to him and show him the love of Christ. It didn’t cross my mind. Why? I wasn’t awake in that moment. I was too busy trying to figure out what I was going to get for dinner among all the craziness that I missed a moment that I could have shined Christ. My heart is that I’m more like the guy I passed on the street to my hotel….that I’m more like Jesus…..that I’m awake to moments of Christ moving…..that I wouldn’t miss God in my day to day living…..that is my heart.
God raised $668,597.95 for the 12 different organizations that were at Passion. Feel free to visit www.268generation.com/passion2010/dosomethingnow to see how you can make a massive difference in the lives of people around the globe in Jesus’ name. We had someone match out donations. When we left Saturday, over 1.3 million was raised in 4 days!! This is God and God alone! I am just so ecstatic over that! 1.3 million….for people who need clean water….people who need food….to provide a future for those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa….to stop sex trafficking in Nepal….to fund Scripture translation for the unreached….to love the homeless of Atlanta….to send Bibles to the unreached in East Asia….to help children thrive and grow in Indonesia…to support the underground church in the Middle East…to fund cleft palate surgeries for children in Afghanistan….to pull women from poverty in Haiti….to crush the injustice of the Dalit people in India!!!
This entry turned out a little different than I had planned. I wanted to write out everything that I heard and learned. I took 28 pages of notes while I was there and that would take forever. However, I love good conversations so if you want, I would love to join anyone for coffee to tell you all.
Please join me in making the name of the Lord renown! That is what Passion is all about…..Isaiah 26:8
First night, Louie used the passage in John 11, which speaks of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. He took this passage and used it very applicably. He challenged us to pray this week for God to wake us up. I think that’s such a great thing to pray. I told my family group one night that I don’t want to think that I’m awake and not be awake…..if that makes any sense. Basically, I don’t want to think that I’ve got all this down, that I’m totally with God……but God is telling me something completely different….that I’m possibly asleep. So that is my prayer…that I will constantly be awake to Him. I also want to be awake to moments throughout my day where I would normally miss the chance to see Him or to shine Him.
One of the coolest things that happened at Passion was not even during our community groups, breakout sessions, main sessions, or even late nights. I witnessed it walking back to my hotel room the first full day we were there. As you all know, we are in this crazy cold spell. Atlanta, GA was freezing. We were all walking to the venues from our hotel rooms w/ crazy temperatures and blustery cold winds. My friend from ATL said that it’s never that cold there and this was just a freak occurrence. Anyhow, Amy and I were on the way back to the hotel when I saw a guy who was attending Passion give his Northface jacket to a homeless guy. I overheard him telling the homeless guy that it would help to keep him warm. My exact words to Amy were “I want to marry him.” I was so moved by him. To be honest, I don’t know if I could have done it. I want to be like that though. I got to see Jesus through him. For that, I am grateful. On the other hand, the day before Amy and I were trying to get into the CNN center to grab some dinner before main session started. (Side note: “Crazy” does not even begin to describe the CNN center when it is dinnertime w/ 22,000 college students) We were freezing walking into the food court and there are tons of people around us. We pass this guy among a crowd of students rushing into the center to get dinner. He is trying to pick up a nickel and a penny off the ground to put in a cup he is holding. I said to Amy, “Amy, did you see that? That is so sad.” …….That’s all I did. Meanwhile, I have a $5 and a $20 in my wallet. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized I missed that moment to show someone Christ. I didn’t even think that I could be the one who could reach out to him and show him the love of Christ. It didn’t cross my mind. Why? I wasn’t awake in that moment. I was too busy trying to figure out what I was going to get for dinner among all the craziness that I missed a moment that I could have shined Christ. My heart is that I’m more like the guy I passed on the street to my hotel….that I’m more like Jesus…..that I’m awake to moments of Christ moving…..that I wouldn’t miss God in my day to day living…..that is my heart.
God raised $668,597.95 for the 12 different organizations that were at Passion. Feel free to visit www.268generation.com/passion2010/dosomethingnow to see how you can make a massive difference in the lives of people around the globe in Jesus’ name. We had someone match out donations. When we left Saturday, over 1.3 million was raised in 4 days!! This is God and God alone! I am just so ecstatic over that! 1.3 million….for people who need clean water….people who need food….to provide a future for those affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa….to stop sex trafficking in Nepal….to fund Scripture translation for the unreached….to love the homeless of Atlanta….to send Bibles to the unreached in East Asia….to help children thrive and grow in Indonesia…to support the underground church in the Middle East…to fund cleft palate surgeries for children in Afghanistan….to pull women from poverty in Haiti….to crush the injustice of the Dalit people in India!!!
This entry turned out a little different than I had planned. I wanted to write out everything that I heard and learned. I took 28 pages of notes while I was there and that would take forever. However, I love good conversations so if you want, I would love to join anyone for coffee to tell you all.
Please join me in making the name of the Lord renown! That is what Passion is all about…..Isaiah 26:8
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Am I Missing The Point?
Every year, it is tradition that my family and I decorate for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. This has not been the case this year. Today is December 12 and we have yet to finish decorating. This does not seem to worry my parents the least little bit. We do have a tree up in the living room and that is only because I put together an artificial 7 foot tree myself. Yes, it was a site with me barely reaching over 5 feet myself. Needless to say, it is leaning. However, everything that is up in our house as far as decorations go is because I did it. I do not understand how this does not even phase my parents. Our mantle was changed from Fall to Christmas tonight because I did it. I could not stare one more day at Fall leaves and pumpkins sitting on my mantle. I have not had the time to decorate like I want. For me to work over 40 hours a week is not unusual. Plus, I am currently doing two Bible studies....free time for me is very rare. As an interior designer, the fact that I have not been able to decorate like I want to or like I feel I need to is driving me crazy. In fact, I got upset tonight as I'm trying to fix the garland on the mantle and it just will not work with me like I need it. I just gave up and said forget it. I have been wanting my house to be decorated since Black Friday. Today is December 12.
Maybe it's just not meant to be this year. Maybe I'm totally missing this point on the whole decorating thing. After all, why do we decorate? Why do we put a tree in our house? Why do we put wreaths on the windows and candles in them? Why do we string the garland with lights? What about that reflects Jesus? Does it? I'm not so sure myself.
And maybe instead of telling people that I still haven't had time to finish decorating my house, I'll tell them instead how much I love this time of the year...not because of all the lights and decorations but because I get to celebrate my Savior coming to earth to rescue me....yes, I think I'll do that instead.
As far as the tree goes, I think I'll continue letting it lean.
Maybe it's just not meant to be this year. Maybe I'm totally missing this point on the whole decorating thing. After all, why do we decorate? Why do we put a tree in our house? Why do we put wreaths on the windows and candles in them? Why do we string the garland with lights? What about that reflects Jesus? Does it? I'm not so sure myself.
And maybe instead of telling people that I still haven't had time to finish decorating my house, I'll tell them instead how much I love this time of the year...not because of all the lights and decorations but because I get to celebrate my Savior coming to earth to rescue me....yes, I think I'll do that instead.
As far as the tree goes, I think I'll continue letting it lean.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Forgive Them
Today I was putting the tree skirt underneath the Christmas tree at LifeWay. We already had Christmas ornaments for sale sitting underneath the tree. I was moving those out from underneath so that I could neatly place the red skirt around the tree. As I was moving the ornaments, one hit me. No, it didn't fall off from the tree and hit me. The hit was much harder than that. This ornament was a nine inch nail. Two words were simply on the nail. Forgive them. WOW. I just sat there for a minute blown away. I couldn't do anything but just sit there and stare at that nail which I was holding. This same size nail went into my Savior's hand. My Jesus who loves me so much did that just for me and His words were, "Forgive them."
I have nothing else to say. He said it all. I'm speechless.
I have nothing else to say. He said it all. I'm speechless.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
What Am I Waiting For?
"Do you think that a woman with a husband, two children, a nice home, and two insurance policies is more satisfied with life than you are? Life is satisfying only when you diligently serve the Lord, whatever your circumstances.......Too many young women waste valuable years as they wait for life to begin-after marriage. They rarely realize the priceless free time they waste, until it is gone. Have you neglected some mission or ministry opportunities because you feared prolonging your unmarried state?" -Lady in Waiting by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones
I recently drove by a house that's located in the same neighborhood as mine. It's an adorable white two story house and it's up for sale. It has gorgeous trees in its yard that change color every year around this time. Speaking of the yard, it's quite a nice size yard that comes along with it. I was driving to work one day this past week and the thought crossed my mind that if I was married that would make a great home for my husband and me. It's not far from my parents house which is my house now too...But then another thought entered behind it, "Is that what I want with my life?"
A couple of years ago when I was up at Liberty, the Lord opened my eyes through a series of circumstances and spiritual emphasis week with Clayton King (www.claytonking.com). I realized that I don't want my life to look like American Christianity. I don't want to get married, have the 2.5 kids, dog, and the white picked fence. I don't want to drive my kids to the Christian school in my SUV and go to their Upward basketball games on Saturday. I don't want that Christian bubble....I don't want to settle for that. Christ has called us to a radical life and that's what I want for me. I want to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.
I am currently reading the book "Lady in Waiting" which I referenced at the beginning of my post. I read those statements and realized that maybe I have put something off. I've always thought when I find Mr. Right then I will know my direction in life. If he wants to go on the mission field, then I will go with him....I'm up for it....or, I've thought that I will find a career job wherever we end up living. The thought has crossed my mind before about doing the journeyman program. To lay it all out before the cyber world, yeah...I've also thought well if I go overseas then that's another two years of being single. I won't find anyone in Djibouti. I haven't seriously looked into it for myself....maybe I will. I received my degree in Interior Design which is grand...I love it. However, I also have a passion for teaching. I want to go back to school and get my teaching certificate. I would love to teach elementary school or either high school math such as calculus.....I know...two totally different worlds.
So I say all this mainly just to have it for myself. I like to journal....let me rephrase that, I like the idea of journaling. I do it occasionally but yet find myself not doing as much as I would like. My hand gets tired of writing. This, I find, is much quicker and easier. I don't know what the future holds. I know that there's so much that I want to do with my life. I guess to sum up all that I'm thinking, I ask myself this one question.
What am I waiting for?
I recently drove by a house that's located in the same neighborhood as mine. It's an adorable white two story house and it's up for sale. It has gorgeous trees in its yard that change color every year around this time. Speaking of the yard, it's quite a nice size yard that comes along with it. I was driving to work one day this past week and the thought crossed my mind that if I was married that would make a great home for my husband and me. It's not far from my parents house which is my house now too...But then another thought entered behind it, "Is that what I want with my life?"
A couple of years ago when I was up at Liberty, the Lord opened my eyes through a series of circumstances and spiritual emphasis week with Clayton King (www.claytonking.com). I realized that I don't want my life to look like American Christianity. I don't want to get married, have the 2.5 kids, dog, and the white picked fence. I don't want to drive my kids to the Christian school in my SUV and go to their Upward basketball games on Saturday. I don't want that Christian bubble....I don't want to settle for that. Christ has called us to a radical life and that's what I want for me. I want to make an impact for the Kingdom of God.
I am currently reading the book "Lady in Waiting" which I referenced at the beginning of my post. I read those statements and realized that maybe I have put something off. I've always thought when I find Mr. Right then I will know my direction in life. If he wants to go on the mission field, then I will go with him....I'm up for it....or, I've thought that I will find a career job wherever we end up living. The thought has crossed my mind before about doing the journeyman program. To lay it all out before the cyber world, yeah...I've also thought well if I go overseas then that's another two years of being single. I won't find anyone in Djibouti. I haven't seriously looked into it for myself....maybe I will. I received my degree in Interior Design which is grand...I love it. However, I also have a passion for teaching. I want to go back to school and get my teaching certificate. I would love to teach elementary school or either high school math such as calculus.....I know...two totally different worlds.
So I say all this mainly just to have it for myself. I like to journal....let me rephrase that, I like the idea of journaling. I do it occasionally but yet find myself not doing as much as I would like. My hand gets tired of writing. This, I find, is much quicker and easier. I don't know what the future holds. I know that there's so much that I want to do with my life. I guess to sum up all that I'm thinking, I ask myself this one question.
What am I waiting for?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Quick Thoughts...
I'm waiting to title this blog until I have finished writing. I'm not sure what all this post will contain. I have so much in my head that is itching to get out.
This coming weekend Kellie Pickler is going to be performing at the State Fair. I have been planning this event with my friends for over a month...seriously, I could not wait!
Creative Designs is a design firm in the town next door. The owner asked me to join them part time over the holidays. Of course, I was estatic. I received a call from them yesterday asking me if I could work Thursday and Saturday. YES! .....oh wait, 12 to 5 on Saturday....umm, that Kellie Pickler concert...yeah, it's at 7...and the fair....I mean I wanted more than an hour to spend there beforehand. So Saturday is not looking too grand right now. Did I say that?! Of course not! Was I thinking that?! Of course I was!
Everything I have planned and prepared for is finally here....from my class in high school, to my 150 hours of FREE labor at Stone House Interiors...yeah, I called them out.... to my classes at Liberty and my student loans that I am paying...anyhow, you get the picture. It's finally here.
And I want to miss it all because of a Kellie Pickler concert....
I thought this blog was going to be longer but it's 10:00....more will follow later on...I'm exhausted and have other things I should be doing....
until I have time again.......
This coming weekend Kellie Pickler is going to be performing at the State Fair. I have been planning this event with my friends for over a month...seriously, I could not wait!
Creative Designs is a design firm in the town next door. The owner asked me to join them part time over the holidays. Of course, I was estatic. I received a call from them yesterday asking me if I could work Thursday and Saturday. YES! .....oh wait, 12 to 5 on Saturday....umm, that Kellie Pickler concert...yeah, it's at 7...and the fair....I mean I wanted more than an hour to spend there beforehand. So Saturday is not looking too grand right now. Did I say that?! Of course not! Was I thinking that?! Of course I was!
Everything I have planned and prepared for is finally here....from my class in high school, to my 150 hours of FREE labor at Stone House Interiors...yeah, I called them out.... to my classes at Liberty and my student loans that I am paying...anyhow, you get the picture. It's finally here.
And I want to miss it all because of a Kellie Pickler concert....
I thought this blog was going to be longer but it's 10:00....more will follow later on...I'm exhausted and have other things I should be doing....
until I have time again.......
Monday, September 28, 2009
Why I Love Fall
I want to go on record and say that I just adore the season of Fall. What is not to love? The days are at the point where they are just gorgeous. There's no other way to describe it. You want to stay outside all day just because it's so beautiful. There is so much anticipation for me with Fall. I feel like it's the precursor to Christmas. We have Fall, but then we know what is coming after Fall which is the wonderful holiday of Christmas. I think that makes Fall even more exciting. You get to stay in the holiday mode for a while.
Things I love about Fall:
My heart smiled.
Things I love about Fall:
- cozy cool nights
- leaves changing color: red orange, yellow, green, gold...gorgeous
- the smell of leaves burning
- football
- hoodies
- chili
- pumpkins
- corn mazes
- mums
- the fact that Starbuck's comes out with the pumpkin spice drink
- pumpkin spice candles
- acorns on my walkway
My heart smiled.
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