Vision Leaks: How to Fill Your Passion Back Up Again

Passion.


It's what drives our every move. It's that step forward when you feel like you can't make it anymore. It's a hand being raised as high as it can reach. It's an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action. An interest followed by exaggerated zeal.


Can it be that God created in each of us a different passion that all work together for the furthering of his kingdom?


Ask yourself: What kind of culture, aspect, and growth are you trying to create with your life?


Because I don't think the question is 'How much passion do you have,' but 'What are you passionate about?'

For a long time my passion was music. But it wasn't just music, it was more than that. It was worship. I was a church three days a week, involving myself with the high school worship team. I had a family there and a place to belong. If I wasn't at church doing worship, I was at home practicing, singing, playing guitar.


And then it was gone.


Not the music. I could still sing and play guitar- but my passion. I started asking myself if I ever really was passionate. And now, looking back I know that I was.


But vision leaks. You will be so passionate about your own individual interest, and then one day you might find yourself unable to even look at the paintbrush. There's nothing wrong with you. We can't always have passion just as we can't always feel the presence of God in that all powerful, peaceful, revealing way that God sometimes chooses to gift us with. Because if we always felt God's presence, it wouldn't be as powerful as the way he does it now; waiting for the moments we need him most so that we can bask in his glorious presence and give him the praise that he deserves.


So remember that just because you can't feel God, doesn't mean he's not there. And just because you feel lack of passion, doesn't mean it won't return.


The negativity of the enemy may sometimes be overwhelming. But how do you take air out of a bottle?


You fill it with something else.


We need to continually be refilling ourselves with vision and drive. I've found that a good way of doing so is reading my bible and praying.


It makes one guitar strum something more than music. One brush of paint, more than a picture. One basket shot more than a game. It turns into, not what you can do, but what God has given you the ability to do and how you can offer it back up to him.


It turns into worship

"Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22

Love, Bailey

Expectant for the Future

photo via

Becoming 2013 is on it's way! There's been so much planning, excitement, and ideas; you girls are in for a treat!

One of the things that have definitely been an influence for me everyday is planning, and I kind of had the same issue in middle school as well. 

Planning is an awesome thing; it teaches you to be prepared and ready for an upcoming event, however, if you plan to much, you're being absorbed into the future instead of the present. See what I mean?

The cycle began during middle school, when I was so focused on high school. "Pick your classes, email your counselors, and let's do this." Before I even got into freshman year, I emailed the colleges I was considering for the requirements. I was way too stuffed into the concept of being organized.

Then, this year came, and I was so focused on next year classes to take, just because everyone kept asking me what I had in mind. I found myself saying, "I don't know" a lot, and I thought it was considered a bad thing that I wasn't sure.

Finally, I went to a college-browsing event at the mall the other day, and I was back onto planning college. People asked, "Oh, what are you thinking about majoring in?" And again, I found myself saying, "I don't know."

But you know what?

 Saying "I don't know" is okay. 

You see, we can't plan the future accordingly to how we want it to go. If we did plan everyday for the rest of our lives, we'll be consumed in our expectations, which sometimes, will not live up. 

What if I told you that we have someone who already has created our days? What if I told you that He has planned it unique and specifically to you? That's right. 

So, as a result of all this, I've instead found myself letting God take control in what He has to offer me. We learn along the road and become more brave in our actions as we conquer them. You see? The whole part in becoming is that key word, "ing". My English teacher once told me that when you see the root "ing", it means it is continuos and is still happening. 

That's right, folks, all of us are becoming. 

We are always going to become something, and we are always going to learn how. 

The next time you find yourself stressing for the future, lay back, and live in the time being! You'll find yourself totally relieved when you have faith in our awesome Father and learn as you go with Him :) 

~Madi
Becoming Conference Intern

Memories

On Julianna's blog {http://juliannamorlet.blogspot.com/}, she is currently doing a writing series where everyday she posts a new prompt. I thought it would be fun to write some of my responses here!! And you should too =)

Her first prompt: Describe your earliest memory.

~The waves crash down on the shore and the wind is chilly but freeing; birds wander to and fro on the sand. My parents are holding hands in front of me, my dad carrying Daniel. I am trailing slowly behind them, searching the damp sand for half-buried treasures and hopping from sun beam to sun beam as they pierce through the stormy sky. I am maybe 4 years old and we are at Cannon Beach, Oregon.

This was me, care free and innocent before I knew where California was, before I understood the value of money or where Daddy went everyday. I follow my parents away from the ocean and into the sleepy beach town. My favortie time of day: Bruce's Candy Kitchen. This family owned and operated candy store has always, always been my all time favorite store. The sweet smells of hand spun taffy, carmel apples, and chocolate covered anything is a favorite from my childhood. The salt water taffy was the only thing I ever got; I would eat pieces of everyone else's prizes but the taffy was all mine. The day goes on and I only remember glimpses and blurs from there but I remember being carried to the car by my older brother and falling asleep with a beach towel draped over me on the car ride home. 

This beach is more to me than sun, sand, and surf.

Cannon Beach has been and always will be (to me anyways) a special place for my family. That trip is the first in a series of memories of family Thanksgivings and reunions at Cannon Beach. It was our first Oregon trip after we moved to California when I was 7, it was where my family met to grieve after my Poppa died when I was 12, it is a perpetual stop every time we road trip through Oregon to Washington. I learned to love the grey, overcast sky and the salty wind that never ceased to turn my nose red. Cannon Beach was an important spot in my heart because it is something that my family has always done together, no matter where everyone was or what was happening in their life, this beach is where we came with one another. To eat Mo's clam chowder and walk through the musuem that held all kinds of sea animal bones, or gaze at the crazy expensive jewlery made from sea stones. Cannon Beach is my earliest memory.

{My sister, Victoria/ My Cousin Aleigha/ Me}

What is your earliest memory?! Does your family have a place similar to my Cannon Beach?

Tell me in the comment section below <3
Love you girlies!

Incurable Fanatic

"If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large."

-William Wilberforce

Make me an INCURABLE FANATIC.

Recently I watched a movie called Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. It was a documentary about the sex trade all around the world.

It was heartbreaking. It was horrifying. It was painful to watch and parts of it physically made my stomach hurt. I definately cried, numerous times.

Our culture considers it taboo to talk about the sex trade, but the reality of the situation is that it is happening. It is growing. It is here. It is estimated that over 2 MILLION children are exploited each YEAR.

What!? How? How have we not stopped this? How is this business still growing?

These are people, human beings, innocent young girls that are being traded day and night for money. Because of greed, because of lust, because we live in a crumbling world. Their bodies the property of another man. Their voices, their cries for help, muffled by corrupt police and political figures.

One man who is involved in rescuing girls in Cambodia with the International Justice Mission (ijm.org) recently participated in the raid of a brothel where he recovered the pajamas of a 7 year old girl, with blood stains from her abuse and torture. This is not okay. WE need to be thier voices, WE need to communicate to these girls that they are loved, they are not forgotten. WE will not let them forever live unwillfully selling their bodies.

Girls are broken down by their pimps, told endlessly that they are worth nothing. They are stripped of any sense of value; any dignity is beaten out of them. One previous prostitute, when asked why she became a prostitute answered "because I thought that was all I was good enough for. Both my mom and my grandma were prostitutes so I thought it was my destiny, it was in my blood. There were numerous times that I wanted out, but I was threatened not only with my life, but with the life of my family and those closest to me."

It may seem like a big cause, and it is. But we can make an impact, we can help stop this horror.

HOW?!
1. Praying- prayer works. prayer is poweful, especially when we come together in prayer

2. Spread the Word- Do NOT be ashamed or embarrassed to talk about this issue. Tell your friends about, ask questions, research organizations. GET INVOLVED.

"You may choose to look the other way but you can never again say you did not know"
Will you be an incurable fanatic with me, and stop at nothing to rescue and restore these girls?

Get Your Head IN the Clouds

What are you dreaming about today? 
Write about it in your journal.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Photo Credit

Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do

Photo Credit

On the Occasion Of...

{the promised post from last tuesday...but blogger was being stupid}

Today's post is a letter to someone who has inspired me!

Dear Jules <3,
 You are leaving and yes, i am quite sad BUT i am also very excited for this journey that you and tyson are beginning with the Pitts family. As you begin this new journey, i want you to know about the journey you are leaving behind and the huge role you have played in it.

My Journey. This journey was going simply in wild circles until you came along. You spoke passion into my life, you helped uncover desires that my heart was unsure of. I knew that i was made for more, the word tells me this, but i had no idea for what or why.

TO BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS.

You gave me an outlet for these words that have so much meaning to girls around the world. You gave me someplace to begin to make a difference, to begin to have an impact on this world. And for this i thank you.

With my whole heart, i thank you for being bold and pushing aside your fear in order to pursue the dreams God placed in your heart.
~ Thank you for believing in me and my words, for giving me all the many oppurtunities that you have
 ~Thank you for speaking truth into my life time and time again.
~Thank you for the wisdom you have offered me in my relationship with Andrew.

You have inspired me to live fully into my dreams, without fear of failure. I am a voice now for girls who are trapped and in need of rescue...Because of you.


You have impacted me!

love always,

Dream Big: Circles or Octagons??

Dreams can sometimes be scary. 
But when we let go of our fears, our dreams take shapes we never knew existed! 
What we thought was a circle, turns out to be an octagon! (Yup. I went there.)


Sometimes we have these little baby ideas of what we want to be when we grow up or what we want to do NOW, but we have no idea how big they can really get. 


Let me give you an example: 
There was a girl named Xenia. No one really knew her but she sang at her church. It was like pulling teeth getting her to sing in front of the little kids. Her big ol' dream was to be able to sing in front of people. Anyone. 


Then one day, she just decided to do it. She was going to jump off the cliff of possibility, gave her dreams to God and hoped there was some sort of trampoline at the bottom. Little did she know that "trampoline" would be NBC's show, The Voice. 


She didn't win, but that didn't matter. Her "circle" dream of singing in front of people, turned into an "octagon" dream of singing in front of millions of people on national television. Crazy right?


So what dreams do you have? 
Did you write any down this weekend at Becoming Conference? Tell us! 


Dream big sweet friends and then give them to God!


Love,
Julianna

Dreams of 2011 // Vlog

Hey lovelies!
This year has totally transformed me and shaped me so much and I definitely wanted to share this with you! God is so good and is the reason behind all these crazy dreams.
Happy New Years & be sure to register for the conference!
Love, Madi <3

Waiting

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Sometimes I don't understand why I have to wait all the time.


These past few weeks, God has really challenged me. With friends, with school, with writing, with music . . . you name it. There's days where I wake up and I beg to God, "Give me a best friend who is true and trustworthy," or "Make time go fast so I can get school over with," or "Improve my singing or instrument playing so I can do something with it even more, so I can lead,"or "Share and let others know that there's hope and light out of darkness and that you don't have to focus on temporary things,"  but . . . here I am waiting and I am still praying every day for these things.


But you know, just a couple hours ago, it really hit me that God is telling me to be patient with myself. He's telling me to not be so wanting, but to actually be humble and wait.


I think pretty much everyone can relate. We're designed to be impatient and to want things to come to us sooner or for us to try and be better, yet we can't unless we find God in that somewhere and ask Him for advice.


I came across this verse not too long ago and it totally connected with how I was feeling. Although I begged God over and over and over, I realized that I really just needed to focus on God and be reminded for the future. Yes, I may have crazy dreams of becoming an actual worship leader or finally heading to high school and going to a homecoming dance for once or have a sister-best friend like back where I used to live, but I don't think God will provide me with those things until I find confidence in what He'll, I hope, do with my life. He already has rocked it, so why am I asking for more? Anyways, this verse has empowered me to just remember God & remember why I'm here in the first place:


"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to enable them to fulfill the purpose for which they are called" -Romans 8:28


He's already figured out our purpose. It's just our job to remember the outcome and direction for that, though. So, be patient, lovelies, with whatever is going on! It's hard, but it's worth the wait. Even though it's easy to forget it, God is in control. 


Love, 
~Madi (:  

Becoming: Girls of Christ

So, as I've getting prepared & all set up for the Becoming Conference, I've been doing a little interviewing myself! I asked about eight friends what dreams they wanted to fulfill in life and the person that they would eventually want to become. 

I got so many great responses like modeling, missionaries, even being a black-belt and a powerful person, but the one that caught me the most was a dream that almost wasn't even a dream . . . if that makes sense! 

The person that wrote to me this response has truly been considered my sister my whole life, growing up together, and of course, dreaming together, so it surprised me when she wrote back.

"I'm not exactly sure what my dreams are, to be entirely honest. I know I dream of success and happiness, but otherwise . . . I'm not even sure I have dreams!" 

Maan, did she throw this at me! Almost every day, she would come over and we would stand on my window seat, acting as if it were a stage, and putting on our own "concerts" for each other, singing our brains out (I still do that!)  And when we weren't doing that (which was never, since we loved to be each other's singing judges), we were either dancing and acting in her basement as if we had our own web or TV show, or on the computer playing random wedding games (don't ask!), or cooking who knows what. 

Before she responded, I was coming up with things she would've wanted to be, like we both did since we were in 2nd grade, yet I wasn't expecting this . . . when I read it, it really made me think and I wanted to share my brainstorms with you to see if you can relate.  

1. We don't have to know where we're going. 

We, all of us, are still on this journey . . . we'll fall, we'll be confused, we'll get lost, but it's in that struggle & journey where we end up realizing who we truly were meant to be. This is something I've been tremendously struggling with, but I've realized that it's okay to be lost, because I have so many people to guide me through it. 

2. We're gifted. 

Each and every one of us have some sort of talent in this world, so, why not use them? God has planned out and hand-picked us with the abilities we're given with. Never take them for granted. 

3. We are becoming girls in Christ.

We may not know where we're going, we may not know what we'll use our gifts for, but I'll tell you this . . . God is using you. He is using your gifts & talents & dreams to reach to those who are unlovable, spread His gospel to every ear hears, and to shape up who He has uniquely created you to become. 

So use those crazy dreams you have & never stop. (; This song below, White Nights by Oh Land [recommended by Miss. Chelsie Belcher] , has been stuck in my head for the last few weeks, but I think it's a perfect song for this. The video is pretty much expressing  these crazy dreams that are bottled up, and that it's okay to be yourself or be difference. Out of all of it, there is a purpose that will benefit many. Have an awesome week!

-Sing along with Lyrics here.

-Madi 

We All Have Dreams #2

Dream #2

To be a loving and supportive wife.  Now I know what so many of you are thinking, 18 year old girl dreaming fluffy happy rainbow dreams about marriage and meeting my “soul-mate” and living “happily-ever-after” in a magical land of butterflies and fairy dust. Ha! That is not the case at all, quite the opposite really. I have a very sad and raw view of marriage. Almost every person in my family, extended family included, has been divorced. At least five women in my family have been cheated on by men that had promised to love and cherish them forever and at least two of those women have been abused and at least two  women ended up married to a drug addict. Needless to say, marriage scares me more than anything. The idea of trusting a man with my heart is about the most terrifying concept to me because I have seen what a man can do to a woman’s heart. I have seen the pain and I have seen marriages break under pressure. It is near impossible for me to believe that one man can be content with me for the rest of my life, much less completely in love with me. And it is near impossible for me to trust a man, much less submit to him! I struggle with doubting God’s plan for marriage, yet I see how beautiful it can be. I see the covenant God has made marriage, it is a picture of his love for the church. I so deeply want to see another completely, the ugly and the bad and the annoying, and I want to choose to love him and support him through everything. I want to do this simply because that is what Christ has done for me. I want to cover another’s flaws with love, like Christ has covered mine with love. I want to trust my future husband and submit to him, because I trust God’s work in him. I want to paint a picture of God’s covenant love on this earth with another. I know it will be hard, Im not naive or stupid.  I also know I will have to marry a very patient (christian) man to deal with my cynicism about marriage, but there is something so beautiful in the design God has made. And it is beautiful because Gods love for us is beautiful. I deeply desire to work with another to display that covenant love. I want to display God through my future marriage, that is my dream.

-KC

We All Have Dreams #1

Dream number one: learning to play the piano.

I know it seems like a silly dream, and they all wont be like this, I simply wanted to start this dream series off on a lighter note. So here it goes, I REALLY WANT TO PLAY THE PIANO, and I want to play well too.

I love to sing, but I don’t have the guts to do it anywhere where I can actually be heard, and I love to write, sometimes I even write songs. I so deeply want to compose music on a piano. I want that moment. That moment where you have so many emotions building inside of you and you pour them onto the keys.

I want the freedom to turn my feelings into a melody. I want to share what stirs me without needing to say anything, and then I want to say it all at once.  I want to play the piano because it just may give me the freedom to sing.

-KC