PASSION 2020: MY TRANSFORMED FAITH
Oh, praise the name that makes a wayThere’s nothing that our God can’t do
I am speechless at the sound of 65,000 world changers worshiping one Name together. I marvel at the mighty power of God that revealed to me for the first time in my life that love is not a chore. Loving Jesus, my Heavenly Father, my King is NOT a chore. Loving His people; His creation; my brothers and sisters IS. NOT. A CHORE. Here’s to many more days loving— not because I “have to” but because I GET TO! Oh, praise the Name! Jesus, our redemption! I’ve never felt the need to lift both of my hands; I’ve never felt the need to dance, jump, shout, clap during worship, but this week— I did. Because the joy of the Lord that overwhelms my soul truly cannot be contained no matter how hard we try. His name is JESUS— meant to be worshipped; meant to be shared.
There is a King of GloryThere is a God who saves One who is strong and mightyFreedom is in His name
Convinced this is the clearest picture of Heaven I’ll see until I’m in Heaven with Jesus. THIS. IS WHAT. HEAVEN. IS. LIKE. The closest thing to Heaven we have on earth!!
Jesus, you are my song. Why do I not spend every minute of everyday in your presence? I am so full of songs to praise because Jesus has changed my heart by allowing me to be a part of something that united 65,000 hearts for the cause of Christ. I’m coming back to Tyler with a flame, and just like Passion’s flame was carried from Jerusalem to Atlanta, Georgia, I’m so spiritual equipped to carry me flame from Tyler to wherever the Lord takes me in my lifetime. I wish I could express to you the chains broken this week. I wish I had words to explain how much my cup is overflowing… but I’m speechless. In pure awe of the Father. Jesus, my King, Sean Curran said it’s all about perspective—now I see you differently. MY. HEART. BEATS. DIFFERENTLY. EAGERLY. URGENTLY. FOR. YOU. NOW. LIVING FOR YOU IN ALL CAPS FROM NOW ON. Jesus, you change everything. You are all that sustains me. I agree with your greatness.
Wow. I am so proud to be a part of this generation. What a time to be ALIVE! ROARING 20s BABY, except this time: the roaring is coming from the Lion of Judah; Jesus, the King of Glory!! IF THE OCEANS ROAR YOUR GREATNESS SO. WILL. I. !!!!!!!!!!
There’s nothing that our God can’t do There’s no prison wall He can’t break through
Passion was TRANSFORMATIONAL. Passion 2021… I’m so excited for you! Living: changed— my motto for 2020. Also: LOVE. IS. NOT. A. CHORE. wowie, I’ve never felt more peace, joy, love, or pure excitement in my life. I. RAN. OUTTA. THAT. GRAVE. fo sho. Passion, I wanna stay 4ever!
• A L L P R A I S E • Sean Curran— the ACTUAL goat!!!!!! ON. REPEAT. FOREVER!!!!!! 2020 MOTTO PT. 2!!!!!
I fix my eyes upon youI fix my eyes upon YOU!
Ps. I usually edit my blogs after I brain dump everything into a draft, but not this post! This post is going to be unedited— just real excitement & joy because that’s what our lives should radiate… unedited, real, raw love for our Savior!!! Alright, now that my heart has exploded all over this page– let’s break this thing down day by day:
D A Y O N E
The last day of 2019– bittersweet. But after spending 10+ hours packed in a small church van, my soul was too ready for some rejuvenation. AND MAN, OH MAN WAS MY SOUL SOOO MUCH MORE THAN REJUVENATED!!! Night one began with these words:
There is a King of Glory There is a God who saves One who is strong and mightyFreedom is in His name Open the gates of HeavenLift up a shout of praise There is a lion roaring Jesus, the King of Glory
WHAT. A. cELebRAtiOn!!! I can’t explain the overwhelming joy that I felt as reality set in: there IS a God who saves… and He SAVED ME. A sinner; undeserving, yet He longs to be with me! SOME. ONE. PINCH. ME. Jesus, King of Glory, you deserve all my shouts; all my praise; all my shouts of praise; my every breath is yours– Lord, yoU wAnt ME!! In no time I was reaching for the Heavens; my most authentic worship in a while— God’s creation in her truest form. AND THEN LEVI LUSKO BROUGHT SUCH A WORD!!! (everyone did but oh my goodness I wasn’t expecting this!)
Now, I’ve got to admit, before Passion, I did not know who Levi was but that didn’t stop the God of the impossible from speaking directly to my heart through him. I’m going all in… my every yes is yours!!!
Some highlights from the FIRE message
Post Levi Lusko me & 65,000 of my brothers and sisters rang in the new decade by literally speaking Jesus’ name over 2020 as the clock stroke midnight AND IF YOU ASK HIM TO MOVE HE WILL MOVE !!!! The prayer that was lifted up in the room as the clock counted down::
65,000 world changers lighting up the stadium, minutes away from 2020!!! What the moment was like!
Swing wide all you Heavens Let the praise go up as the walls come down
and then all of a sudden it was…
D A Y T W O
January 1, 2020. A new decade, how refreshing it was knowing that Jesus’ name had been spoken over the next ten years of my life (well over 2020, but it’s a new decade so I can count it as 10, right?).
I could write a whole BOOK about day 2, and my experience at Passion as a whole, but the biggest way that He transformed my heart that week is, like I said earlier:
L O V E. I S. N O T. A. C H O R E.
Now, I’ve heard this countless times throughout my life, but never really dove into what it means. I had always heard that quiet times & prayer are hard to begin doing, but it’s soon becomes easy if you stay consistent. This planted the belief in my head that quiet times were just a to-do list item; a chore and I lived my life that way— whenever I missed a day of quiet time, I didn’t have one for months because my willingness to start just wasn’t there. But why does it have to be hard in the first place? Why is it that we only feel God’s presence in a mighty way at big events like Passion? And the question that I’ve always struggled with: how is it so easy for others to have a quiet time? I mean really, they never skip a beat! Here’s why: because God is a forever God who loves us with no end. If we claim to love God, but don’t have enough “motivation” to have a quiet time… do we REALLY love Him? You see, it’s not a matter of hard, or easy, or time, or motivation, it’s about LOVE. If we claim to love God then spending intimate time with Him should be our nature because when we treat it like a chore, God himself begins to feel like a chore— and here’s the thing about chores: we don’t love them.
Think about this: it’s Christmas time and you’re having family over for dinner… it’s not hard to laugh with them, to eat a meal with them. It’s not a burden. You spend time with them simply because you love them. No motivation or time required. We love them because we just love them, and it’s time we start loving God just because we love him. As someone who lives in us & puts breath in our lungs— He is God; alive and moving through us. He is not a chore and neither is love.
Also, we wonder why the “fire” we have for God dies so quickly, but you know what? Fires are meant to be put out. If we truly love Him for who He is and live in just that way— that’s pure passion and love for the Lord that could never be extinguished. There’s no fire to be had! So is your love for Jesus just a fire waiting to be put out or is it love that’s eternal, everlasting and true?
Ps. I can’t take credit for those words, they came from Michael Lawson & they ACTUALLY WRECKED MY WORLD!!!
My girl Sadie Rob said it so perfectly: even after denying Jesus 3 times Jesus asked Peter– let me repeat that for the people in the back– Jesus asked Peter if he still loved Him. Peter didn’t have to ask Jesus if He loved him because Peter KNEW Jesus loved him.
That.
That. Is. It. We are Peter and that is our faith. We never seem to forget, or question if Jesus loves us because WE KNOW. And beyond that, who are we to question God? Who am I that the highest King would welcome me? But Jesus has to ask us all. the. time. When I doubt my salvation: “Jessica, do you love me? Yes Lord, you know I love you.” When I let anxiety consume me in the moment: “Jessica, do you love me? Yes Lord, you know I love you.” When I look past conviction and decide what’s best for myself: “Jessica, do you love me? Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” and every time Jesus says: “then feed my sheep. Follow me.”
Sermon notes from Sadie Rob!!
HE LOVES AND IT GIVES US PURPOSE. If that doesn’t immediately change your life, your posture, your actions… wyd? God’s love is not confusing! its just pure, supernatural love.
*INSERT SERMON HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 2*
Christine Caine can’t NOT bring a word! She’s so wise!
Christine Caine can’t NOT bring a word! She’s so wise!
John Piper: The most intelligent man I’ve ever encountered.
John Piper: The most intelligent man I’ve ever encountered.
D A Y T H R E E
If I had to describe Passion 2020 in one word, it would be transformational… because of day three. The one where WE GOT ON THE FLOOR– I’m talking FEET away from some of the most influential gospel vessels of this GENERATION!!! But the reason why day three was so life changing and faith altering was not because of the killer seats, but because on that day, the Lord emphasized worship to me. For the first time in 5 years, the Holy Spirit broke through my prison walls and reestablished my identity in who He is; that nothing I am on this earth is of worth, but that He makes me worthy by his blood and beautiful and loved. But not only did He reestablish my identity in that moment, giving me room to just forget it again… He laid the foundation; led me to the rock that is higher than I. And let me tell you… IM. NEVER. COMING. DOWN. To be wanted by the One who gave it all IS THE SWEETEST FEELING. Here’s a little excerpt from an Instagram post I wrote that better explains the feeling:
“This picture is very special to me. A pivotal point— a turning page in my relationship with Jesus. Up until this week at Passion, I had only worshipped with BOTH hands lifted high once in my life (I was 13 at my first youth camp) and you know what? after I did, I allowed Satans lies to make me self conscious about how my left arm looked, kinda bent/kinda straight in the air. So I never did it again. But the Almighty power of Jesus broke through my walls in this moment. Jesus, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords made both of these hands. He made both of these hands to worship Him. To serve Him. To love Him. And He sees no flaw in them; His creation is perfect. How dare I be ashamed to reach for Heaven with BOTH of them? Chains were broken in this moment. 5 years later I worshipped in full freedom of a God who loves me just the way I am. AND. I. BELIEVED. EVERY. WORD. Lord, I pray that I never grow weary of praising you with everything I have, every piece of me you created. No matter how the world sees me. No matter how I view myself. You wouldn’t change a single thing about me & I pray that I wouldn’t ever want to. This is your glory alone, Jesus. Why should my heart grow weary? Don’t be so downcast, O my soul. You are in every moment. You are my greatest miracle.”
“LISTEN AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF OBEYING” – Shelley Giglio. love LOve LOVE this because for the first time my heart really wanted this. I, for the first time in seeing 65,000 other people soaking their lives in perfect love and desire for God, desired to be obedient… AND ACTUALLY BE OBEDIENT. Never putting my hands down again. Worshipping wildly forever & ever because I LOVE my Father SO MUCH. MY LOVE FOR HIM IS NOT A CHORE. Walking in obedience forever & ever & ever & ever & ever. Saying an immediate yes forever & ever & ever & ever & ever. YOU’VE WON MY HEART, JESUS, YOU’RE ALL THAT I WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve never wanted You more in my life!
*INSERT SERMON HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY THREE*
Shelley Giglio: my new GIRL!! Whata word!!!
Tim Tebow: so humble. So kind. SUCH a great man. SUCH great words!
I pray that my experience and thoughts at/from Passion 2020 inspires you and challenges you to get on your knees and tell Jesus you love Him, and ask Him to empty your heart of all other things & fill it back up with adoration and overwhelming love for Him so that everything you do overflows of the hope you have in Christ Jesus (Rom. 15:13)! I pray that you read this and you’re convicted to open up your heart and let the Lord transform your faith & move forward in sanctifying you. I am SO humbled & grateful for a God who not only TRANSFORMS MY FAITH but WANTS to transform my faith & make me more like Himself.
PASSION 2020: TRANSFORMATIONAL. PIVOTAL. LOVE. IS. NOT. A. CHORE.
Passion 2021, I’m so ready for you. Who’s coming with? ATL AND NY BABY!!!!! #already #counting #down #the #days !!!
XOXO, Jess 🙂
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