sooo, there’s a word that has been coming up in the past few weeks…
PASSION…
i’ve used this word in several conversations…with several different people…and i’ve really been taking a look at my own life and seeing areas where i’ve had PASSION before, but it’s been lacking recently…i’ll be honest with you…that bothers me makes me FLIPPIN MAD!!!
God has given me a PASSION to lead people closer to Him…closer to what He has created them to be…and a couple weeks ago i was able to do just that…in leading ONE God, ONE Voice, ONE Night…i didn’t want to simply lead worship…i wanted to lead people closer to Christ…through song…through scripture…through seeing what God was doing in a ministry called Royal Family Kids Camp and allowing people to be a part of that work…
in the process of planning and preparing for the event i was amazed at what all needed to get taken care…i had no idea going into it, what all would be required of me…there were so many details that needed ironed out…and they seemed to change all the time…there were moments when i was STRESSED to the MAX!!!
but thanks to this thing called PASSION…it didn’t matter what came up…what was messed up…what i screwed up…i had to lead…i had to press on…and in the end i may have been completely exhausted…but it was sooo worth it…when i should have crashed, i couldn’t sleep…i just kept running through each and every detail of the day and the event…excited to see the reaction of people and how God was working in their lives…excited to be a part of what He was doing…
this all helped me realize something…i may have the microphone taken from me…i may not have the opportunity to lead worship EVER again…i may NEVER get a call from a church to come and serve in full-time ministry…but i have a family that needs a leader…i have people around me that are thirsty for a leader….a leader with PASSION…and people, circumstances, and the areas i’m lacking in can’t/WON’T take away my…
PASSION…
it’s something that God has given me…it’s something that i have to do…it’s a PASSION to lead people…i have to lead…i have to press on…NO MATTER WHAT!!!
i’m sooo thankful that God has a PASSION for me…a PASSION sooo strong that my mind can’t comprehend it…it caused Him to give His only Son…i HAVE TO strive for that same PASSION in my own life…to keep it burning strong…NO MATTER WHAT!!!
PASSION…
Keep the PASSION, don’t ever let a man, in all of our flaws, take that away from you! KNOW that you are missed dearly… and that in some of our eyes a bit of PASSION left our services when you stopped leading worship! I know God has that PASSION for your life and you WILL GO ON TO DO GREAT THINGS! (Side note: never underestimate the importance of being a passionate leader of your family, as I’m sure you are… it is through one child at a time that we will lead the next generation to know God’s love.)
“Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world,
That fight for our love, and our passion,
As our eyes are open wide and on you.
Grant us the privilege of your world view,
And may your kingdom be, what wakes us up, and lays us down.”
Focus all that Passion on God and your family. He will bless that more than anything else you could do! Time is never better invested than that spent with Jesus and in teaching God’s word to your wife and kids. Praying for you. I love you more than you will ever know.
God granted us a very short period of time of passion with you as worship leader and we thank Him for this…. Whatever the cross or the circumstance just know that you Jon, child of God: are so full of passion for the God who created you, who loves you that it oozes out of you. I can and will pray that someday I will hear your mighty voice again and your wondrous messages outpour to us as a congregation.. In the meantime, use this passion with your family with your work, with your life and continue to grow and be the God like person you are… till then, I will just keeping listening for that voice again…..