Happy New Year!

I would like to start 2019 on ECP with a story. This is the story about my Passion 2019 experience.

First, I want to explain what Passion is. In 1997 a young man and his wife decided to minister to some college kids in their area. As the years went by their ministry grew, and now, 22 years later, Louie Giglio hosts a large, three-day event every year, featuring Christian music artists and speakers, all geared toward the spiritual growth of 18 to 25-years-olds in their faith in Jesus.

Passion 2019 was my second year to go. Hosted in four different locations, I had the privilege of attending the Dallas, Texas venue. I wasn’t even going to get to go, for financial reasons. But God provided a way through my church.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from God during the days of January 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. But I was looking forward to the music of Crowder, Kari Jobe, and of course Passion. I was especially looking forward to Christine Caine’s sermon. I had the chance to hear her speak a couple times before, and have grown to love her fire for the Lord. I thought God might speak through her, and my expectations were blown away!

During the first four sessions we learned that the love God has for us comes from a perfect Father in Heaven. We should run to God, letting our anchors go down in Jesus, taking our lights into the darkness, so God can make a bonfire from them. And we learned to let God heal us of our past wounds by letting Him see and touch them.

The music was incredible. We sang about God’s greatness and love, and how we were going to show the world what He has done.

On the second day, we were let out on a dinner break. My group and I went to the mall to find something to eat. I saw a woman, sitting in the mall, and I thought I should share Jesus with her. But I was terrified. I have never actually talked face-to-face about Jesus with a non-believer, let alone a complete stranger! I said no.

Upon returning to the conference I felt guilty for not following through with the calling on my heart. Then I listened to the Passion music again and felt ashamed. The very words I had been singing I didn’t mean. Then, Christine Caine took the stage, and boy, did God speak through her! She said exactly what I needed to hear.

She said that we, as believers in Jesus, need to have a faith that amazes Jesus. In the gospel of Luke, chapter 7, verses 1 through 10, there is a story about a Roman Centurion whose servant was close to death. The Centurion sent messengers to Jesus, asking Him to come and heal his servant. Jesus answered his call, but He was not allowed to come into the house. The Centurion said that he was not worthy to have Jesus come under his roof, but if He would just say the word, his servant would be healed.

Jesus marveled at the faith of the Centurion, claiming that He had not found such faith among the Israelites. He said the word, and the servant was healed.

We need to strive to have a faith that amazes Jesus. We try so hard to be amazing to the people around us. There is no power in that. We should try to amaze God instead.

God is amazing. He can do things through us that we can’t even imagine. We believe weird things, like the immaculate conception of Jesus, and His rising from the dead. If we can believe these weird things, why not believe God all the way through everything? We can’t argue our way through life, but we can believe our way. If we believe God is everything, and stop trying to prove that we’re amazing, we have less pressure on us, less pressure to perform.

Get in your prayer closet! Be a believing believer, because there are enough unbelieving believers in the world. Don’t make Jesus marvel at your unbelief (Mark 6:1-6). Be faithful.

Faith is predicated on trust. The enemy is after your trust! If you don’t trust your Heavenly Father, you don’t have faith in Him, He can’t work in and through you. You don’t need extensive knowledge and resources to share the gospel. You just need faith.

Now, a faith filled life is not an easy, pain free life. But I would rather suffer pain because of my faith.

Don’t confuse Infrastructure with Jesus. Don’t confuse other people with Jesus. Those things will disappoint. But Jesus will never disappoint, and will always take care of us.

Now, our generation today thrives on safety. “Whatever you do, make sure your safe, make sure you’re financially secure, don’t take big risks.” But God did not call us to be safe! God did not create you to be small and safe! Don’t stay in a religious box! Life is only a vapor. It does not last long. Don’t waste your vapor. Death is not the issue. Death comes to all. No one goes through life and comes out alive! The question is are you going to live the life that God has called you to live?

These are just the highlights. These were the very words that I needed to hear. God has been telling me to share the gospel with so many people, and I say no every time. Now, I knew I had to say yes. I ran to the restroom, there at the venue. to dry away the tears I had been crying. While I was trying to calm myself down, a Passion volunteer, known as Door Holders, asked me if I was okay.

I told her everything, and she asked If she could pray with me. She prayed that God would save a thousand people through me, and that she knew she was asking a small thing. Then She said that God had not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. It was a beautiful moment, and I thank God that she was there.

The next day was the last one of the event. I was sad, but not for long. Louie Giglio closed it out by saying that we are sent. We, who had attended Passion 2019, were to take what we had learned and share it with others. We are sent by God, every believer, into the darkness, right where we are, right where He is calling us to be. We just need to have faith, and bring our little lights, and God will make a bonfire from them.

I feel the fear I have had trying to crawl back into my heart, and I am working on saying no to fear and yes to faith. I will pray more, and think less. I will say yes, instead of no. God has changed me, and I want to stay that way.

You can to listen to Christine Cain for yourself on YouTube now!

Elizabeth :)

Jesus Loves You! <3