FRIENDS. 2017 is here and I couldn’t be more excited!! To make this year even more fun, which I’m already filled with excitement from graduation to my departure on the World Race, I got to kick it off at Passion Conference with my dearest friends! In case you haven’t heard, Passion is absolutely amazing, and everyone should go at some point in their life, but those are my thoughts:)
The worship. Oh. My. Goodness. Nothing really compares to how beautiful it is to see 55,000+ college aged students all gathered from around the nation and around the world worshiping the name of Jesus. Talk about arms high and heart abandoned, the chills I got from God’s presence overflowing in that dome was crazy. Worship is one of my favorite things ever, I absolutely adore the intimacy I have with Christ when I can just lift my arms to him and surrender myself to Him and tell Him how beautiful He is and how grateful I am for the freedom He’s given me.
You are worthy of Your name, Jesus.
The vessels. Christine Caine, John Piper, Beth Moore, Francis Chan, Levi Lusko, and Louie Giglio. God spoke through those people in some mighty ways, and it would be selfish of me to not share what God revealed to me through their messages and testimonies. Here are just a few things that I learned/that He showed me:
- The Greek word for Endurance is “Hupomone” and that means, “to remain.” Having endurance through Christ is remaining in Him, at our highest mountains and our lowest valleys.
- “If you aren’t faithful here, you won’t be fruitful there.”
- You have to be able to decipher between a Godly ambition, which longs to please God, is fueled by love, is spirit empowered, etc., and a selfish ambition, which longs to please yourself and takes your eyes off Jesus.
- You will minimize the triumph of Christ on the cross and His resurrection if you don’t hate and understand the essence of evil in you.
- The essence of evil is the failure to treasure God, the failure to find satisfaction in Him, and desiring things that aren’t Him.
- Satan isn’t out for our money, our homes, etc., he is after our FAITH so that we cannot please God.
- God loves us so so much that He calls US His glorious inheritance. (feel worthy)
- Pray for your thoughts and don’t rely on them.
- The beauty of the cross is absolutely DEVASTATING, to the point that it cancels all of our guilt and shame and makes a way for us to have a relationship with Jesus.
- Jesus always breaks the bread before He multiplies it.
“I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation. I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken. Holy, there is no one like You, there is none besides you, open up my eyes in wonder, and show me who You are and fill me with Your heart and lead me in Your love to those around me.” – Housefires
That’s my prayer as I go throughout this new year, a year of so many changes, whereas Jesus and his promises will remain the same. That’s the savior I live for.
