passion::part three.

"im not ashamed of the one saved my soul."

passion day three.
with an early wake up call & achey feet we walked several blocks from our hotel to community group. no other way id rather begin the day. we talked about our purpose. that we were created for one. god didnt just save me from something. he saved me FOR something. we are HIS masterpiece created in christ to do good works. and the best part is he created these good works in advance. my life has purpose & meaning and its as simple as following him & seeking what that is.
the morning sessions consisted of some incredible worship music. like all of them. i think worship music is where i connect with jesus the most. which is funny because i cant sing to save my life. but thats ok. instead of one person coming out and bringing the message louie giglio, beth moore, francis chan, john piper, and my best friend lecrae read scripture and it was really neat because first we all stood because louie made a point that the message is still worship so why do we stand to sing and sit for the message. so we all stood while they read scripture and every little bit we would pause and simply pray for the lord to speak to us through his word. and he did. and it was a really cool time.
for the afternoon session we got to hear from four people who are involved in organizations that are standing up against human trafficking and slavery. and it was the neatest thing to listen to them. they are SO passionate about what they do because they know it is something the lord has called them to. my heart beats for that so i really really loved that session.
literally i had to prepare myself for the night session. john piper. that man is a DEEP well of wisdom and i look so forward to hearing from him. but it takes listening to him there, reading and rereading his notes multiple times after & listening to him again when i get that session from my passion all access pass to fully process everything he said. which i love because i continue to learn & grow from it. he talked a lot about how jesus intends for my life to bring him glory. i exist for that reason. to put gods infinite glory on display. and seeing & savoring the supremacy of christ frees me from the bondage of sins. and i need to be set free. and freedom is knowing that we are totally & completely his. and its doing what we love to do & it being gods will. something else i really loved is that coming to faith in christ is not a "decision" its a DESIRE. and coming to faith in him requires a resurrection from the dead. and the supremacy of his grace awakens the spiritually dead. he has the power to do that! and he DESIRES to do that. to awaken us all from the dead. to awaken us and bring us to life into a place where can know and love and follow and glorify him. thats what i desire. his name & renown are a desire, not a decision. i am so thankful that over and over and over the lord has reminded me that he pulled me out of the pits & out of the bondage of my sins even when i was not & am not worthy and he gives me life. and he gives me life with a purpose. to bring him glory & to put his glory on display. thank you jesus for that! seeing leads to freeing which enables loving.


on a different note i got to meet two blog friends at passion. hello! it was the best thing ever. first i got to meet lindsey. it was so fun to meet her & talk to her in person! need to get that picture from you, lindsey!
next i met nicole. she was precious & it was so fun to meet her too! i am really thankful for the friends jesus has put in my life...through blogging. i mean they are really great friendships and i think thats the neatest thing.

i found some time during the hustle & bustle of the day to go to the freedom station. what a gift. the freedom stations is where you donate to do something now. for the 27 million people still trapped in slavery. all throughout the line were facts about slavery and visuals to help us try to imagine it. but i dont think we can ever fully imagine it. at least i cant. but im thankful for the opportunity to give to the cause of their FREEDOM. its humbling. and heartbreaking at the same time.

late night. oh man. how do i sum this one up. i will try but i dont think words could do it. after out night session of community group all 43,000+ people there walked outside to the international plaza in complete silent. it was cold & dark and there we all stood in complete silence. but in prayer. prayer for the 27 million. in the center of the plaza was a large sculpture that had everyone there had worked on over the few days of passion. it was a massive hand that stood TALL over the buildings and after you gave in the freedom center you went out to the international plaza and added your own part to the hand. prayers and scripture and words were written on anything from blue jeans to teddy bears to soccer balls. things that have been made by slaves. and they were added to the hand. the hand that would stand tall in atlanta to show what we were raising our voices for. surrounding it were thousands of white flags. representing the 27 million slaves. did you know that right now there are more slaves than ever before in history? yep. at midnight every single one of us 43,000 lit a candle. and we continued to pray. to lift up before the lord those trapped in the horrible and sad reality of slavery. they cant raise their voices, so we got to do it for them. we prayed for freedom. freedom from slavery and freedom in christ. that they can know both. and not long after every candle was lit, the hand was illuminated. and it was something beautiful. and slowly singing started. and then it was even more beautiful. i felt the presence of jesus then  maybe more than i ever have before. it was a moment i will never forget and i am thankful i got to be apart of it.

"i believe everyone needs a healer.  someone to walk through the fire. all i need, i have found. everyone is looking for a savior. when it feels like the worlds going under. all i need i have found. in my life. jesus. more of you. jesus. you are the one. youre everything. jesus. my heart sings. jesus. you are the one. you are only one. everyday theres a hope to remember. yesterdays been washed in the water."


pictures from day three.

 david crowder.

 i think maybe i peed my pants when lecrae came out

 sweet nicole

 i love this.

i didnt take this one. i got it from passions twitter page.

goodness. what a day. thank you jesus for another day full of you. thank you for meeting us there. its not over yet. there is one more day. and it was a good one.