Hewitt Foundation | Passion 2018

This is the 4th year leading a group of young adults to Passion. Each year is an exciting time of worship, fellowship and time with Jesus.

The Hewitt Foundation was able sponsor 53 young adults with tickets to attend #Passion2018. What better way to invest in our young adults then providing them an opportunity to grow spiritually in their walk with Jesus.

Going to Passion was far more life changing than I could have ever imagined. I thoroughly enjoyed the worship and music but what really stood out to me were the messages delivered by the speakers. My favorites were Tim Tebow, and Priscilla Shirer. Both of their messages really allowed me to open my heart and reflect on things in my life especially my first semester at college. On top of that growing close with the guys in my room and making new friends was also one of the best parts of the trip. I went to high school with two of the guys for four years and spoke with them more in the three days of being there than I had in the four years of knowing them. I am really looking forward to next year’s trip and making more friends.

Thank you again for the chance to go to Passion. It was truly a blessing, and the messages and songs we heard, as well as the friends I made, are things that I can’t wait to carry with me into this New Year.

First off I’d like to say that I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend Passion 2018 with the Hewitt Foundation group. It was definitely a blast getting to know everyone, even when we had to endure the freezing temperatures before the first Session! For me, however, this was my second year attending Passion and God worked in some amazing ways. The songs and speakers were out of this world, but for me the real magic happened outside of the event. Walking to Session 5, we ended up walking by a homeless man, at first I walked by, but I felt like God was tugging on my heart to go back and talk to him. After sitting down with this man, whose name is Jimmy Johnsons (like the race car driver but with an “s” as he said), he told me about his life and how he became homeless. It turns out he had put everything on the line for his daughter, 4 years old at the time, to have open heart surgery. The surgery was super expensive, meaning he’d have to take out a loan and put his house and items on the loan as collateral. A few years later, his daughter ended up dying, the bank pushed up the payment, and when Jimmy couldn’t meet the deadline, they took his house. He became homeless, because he was trying to give his daughter the best life he possibly could. I definitely felt convicted, because I originally just thought that he was just a homeless guy asking for a free handout. It occurred to me that during our 10 minute conversation, he hadn’t asked for me a single thing. Eventually our conversation turned to Jesus, and the gospel, about how all of us our homeless, yet Jesus came down to take us home. None of us are worthy, and even in our darkest moments Christ loves us. We ended up walking toward Passion together, and before we parted ways we prayed for each other, and wished the best down the path that we’re called down. For the first time in my life, I didn’t see a homeless person, but a brother in Christ who deserves to be treated like a human. This is how Christ made us, to love one another, despite what we look like or what we have. I would’ve never had the chance to meet Jimmy, or learn this lesson from God if it wasn’t for this trip, and for that I will be forever thankful.

Going into Passion 2018 I was extremely excited, but truth be told I had no idea what God had in store for me. The atmosphere in the arena with people my age all worshiping Jesus was absolutely stunning to me. The worship songs seemed to get right to the grievances I had in my life and the powerful words of the speakers helped me to see that with Christ I can defeat the demons tempting me and following me. I fell in love with Christ at Passion 2018 and it is a joy that I never want to lose. Thank you to the Hewitt Foundation for allowing me to attend Passion with an amazing group of young adults!

First of all, go to Passion. If you’re reading this, you’re interested, and rightfully so. It’s such an incredible experience! There’s absolutely nothing like it… From the amazing worship, to the even more amazing word delivered by wonderful disciples of God, you leave with a changed mind and heart. Whether you feel as if you are already on fire for Christ, or have been going through the motions of a lukewarm relationship with Him, your faith will never be the same. I went to Passion 2018 dimly and came back brighter than ever. I’ve had the opportunity to not only be surrounded by thousands of believers, but to take my experience and what I learned every single day to the nonbelievers around me. Passion really gave me the confidence to walk boldly in my faith, and I can’t wait to see what it will do for you! 

Growing up in the church at a young age taught me that God is our Lord and Savior and we should live for him because he loves us and gave up his only son Jesus Christ in order so we could live and be washed of our sins. It never really hit me how powerful that was and I always had a lot of questions. Why don’t we get taught about him in public school? Why can’t I see him? How does he work? Questions no one can really answer.

Passion 2018 was the best one yet. I have gone since my senior year of high school so this is the fourth year I have attended Passion Conference. My favorite speaker by far was Christine Caine (but she always is). She spoke mainly about shame which ties into anxiety that I have been dealing with the past couple months through college. It was a blessing to be able to go to Passion and hear the messages that God out in my path that I really needed to hear.

Passion 2018 was probably the best way I could’ve started my year. Going in, I did not expect to be with such a welcoming and spirit filled group of people, but the way God set out our days together, he showed me that the group was exactly that. I will never forget my experience with the Hewitt Foundation and anxiously look towards Passion 2019 with them. Thanks to this years conference, I have also decided to turn my life back around and follow God shamelessly and unconditionally. I now realize that God is not only a huge part of my life, but he is a necessity. All thanks to the Hewitt Foundation for getting me there.

Passion 2018 was incredible! Of course, John Piper was my favorite thing about passion. One thing I love about him is, he preaches the gospel so boldly and he preaches straight from the text. It was my second time hearing him preach live so I really enjoyed that. The worship, guests speakers, and other pastors were great too. I enjoyed meeting new people from our group and worshiping with different people. One quote that impacted me: “It’s a beautiful thing that the King desires to hear us sing”. We’re so blessed to be able to worship together. Thousands of people, worshiping His name for His glory. I think that’s awesome. Also, a huge thank you to the Hewitt Foundation for providing me with a free ticket to Passion 2018. I can’t wait until next year.

Passion 2018 was my second year attending Passion with The Hewitt Foundation; one experience not outweighing the other. Going alone this year gave me such a freedom to meet new people and not rely on my comfort zone of friends. I quickly met two girls, Jenna Bodie and Breanna Boyd who I spent most of my time with, each of them sharing tremendous stories. This trip really helped me realize my need for community in Anderson. My favorite speaker was the last session; Priscilla Shirer. She talked heavily about how the devil is scheming for our hearts, and how he hates knowing we are children of God, but will still try and distract and discourage us from what God wants in our lives. Satan will disguise himself in things of flesh and blood. But our hope rests in Ephesians 6, with verses 12 and 13 reminding us “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” What a promise knowing we are part of His Kingdom’s army!

I will say last year, the worship songs I knew more of, which I enjoyed. But this year I was about to enjoy some old and learn some new songs too.

God can and will do amazing things if we simply surrender and focus on Him. The devil will try and distract and take away but God is still good. He is oh so good. Left Atlanta feeling much more intimate with the Lord, a feeling I pray stays near for myself and everyone who attended Passion.

I want to thank you for sponsoring so many students to go to Passion.  What an amazing thing to do for this generation and I feel so blessed to be a small part of their journey.  It makes my heart smile knowing that 40 or 50 years from now some of these amazing young adults are going to be telling their grandchildren how they came to know Jesus – on an awesome trip to Atlanta, Ga, with 53 other students, to go to a conference where they learned how to worship on a different level and hear speakers that really spoke to them and at some point on that 3 day trip they made a decision that ultimately changed their life.

For me passion was incredible. It was my first time going and really didn’t know what to expect. That morning we left i was full of excitement, but the excitement didn’t end there through out the time in Atlanta i was anticipating the next session then the next and so on and so forth. There wasn’t a moment i didn’t enjoy. I think for a lot people including myself on the best parts of passion was the people i was with. From all the laughter, hugs, cries, sleeps shared with each other friendships were formed and friendships grew stronger. The worship experience was like nothing i had every seen the Holy Spirit never left the building not even to use the bathroom! But in all seriousness was of the most incredible experiences of my life. It is definitely one to tell my kids about one day.

Attending Passion 2018 was a great way to start the new year! It’s awesome to be able to focus our minds, hearts and souls on Jesus for a few days with thousands of other college age students. This year there were three Passion conferences all going on at the same time. It’s crazy to think that around 40,000 people were worshiping Jesus at the same time. I loved being able to worship alongside many popular Christian artists like David Crowder, Kristian Stanfill and Matt Redman.

I was inspired by Priscilla Shirer’s message about wearing the armor of God. The devil attacks us when we are most vulnerable. Priscilla said it best when she said that if the devil has tactics we have to have tactics too! Ephesians 6:10-17 informs us of the armor that we can equip ourselves with to help keep the devil away. This reading also discusses how prayer can help keep the enemy away. Praying more consistently is something that I need to work on in my life. I get too wrapped up in trying to make my prayer sound right or sound deep and well put together, when really it should just be a simple conversation.

I was also inspired by Christine Caine’s message where she talked about how Adam and Eve felt no shame before eating the forbidden fruit. Eve had a dialogue with the devil and the devil was able to trick her using the, “Did God really say?” phrase. God left us a guide book that tells us exactly what he says and wants us to do with our lives. Memorizing and quoting the Word is not enough, we have to be able to live it out in our lives. I love when Christine said that Christianity is not a behavior modification system. Living a life reflecting Jesus will help keep the enemy away from our hearts, guarded from the enemy. The enemy wants us to turn away from the Lord due to our shame. We have to rise above this and make sure the Devil knows that he will not win. We cannot hide from God.

Overall this year at Passion I began to understand how it is important to have people in our lives that we can trust and live life with. I would say that I struggle with this because I don’t like opening up to others. I would normally think to myself I can do it on my own and I’ll get through it eventually. I now see the importance of being willing to let people come alongside me in life. A New Year’s resolution for me would be to stay in the word and grow my relationship with the Lord.

I was really excited for Passion 2018 because I wanted to start the new year out with a new sense of clarity in my walk with Christ. Unfortunately for me I did not get to attend all the sessions due to getting ill during day 2. Even though I didn’t get to attend all the sessions, I still saw God working and talking to me. This group of people, most of whom I didn’t know were so very attentive and truly concerned with my well being and comfort. These complete strangers wanted to carry my luggage for me, tell me they had been praying for me, and get me drinks to make me feel better. Even after the trip was over, I received messages from people on the trip asking me how I was doing to make sure I had recovered. This concern from people I didn’t know showed me the good in the world that is still there. In college, all we experience is people doing for themselves and only concerned about their own lives. This group of college aged students showed their hearts for others by the way they cared for me and that was amazing to see. It was a great reminder that there are people in this world who will do for others when there is no gain for them; they do it just because they have a heart for people.

So, going into passion conference I had many many things on my mind. I had become anxious, judgemental, hypocritical, and would often be silenced by depression because I was at a loss on what to do, how to discern true Christians, correct theology, things like that. I also came to a point where I wasn’t sure how to approach a person or what to say to them to hopefully get to bring up the gospel and my testimony. I had seen so many different people “putting their own spin on things” that I wanted to get to the truth but at the same time to be humble and graceful about situations because after all, of all the sinners I am the worst (1 Tim 1:15).

I came into passion knowing there was repentance needed but I didn’t want to just be saying it I wanted true repentance. I wanted to be a doer and not a hearer (James 1:22). It started out with a conversation with Mr. Craig on the bus ride to passion and then with my bro Phillip about the Holy Spirit when we got to the hotel. I was still debating on what was truth and what was not, so I kind of shied away from the situation knowing I still needed more study before I said anything concrete.

So, the first night the worship of course was cool, because it’s a conference man, you know its about to be a rock out pre-heaven jam sesh. After the music is over we settle in for the big opening and then Levi Lusko comes on the stage, love that guy. He brings a word, titles it “Kicking the Bucket List” and just a few things I jotted down from his sermon were as follows:

• The more you look forward to the next world, the less you’ll need from this one. (Matthew 6:33)
• Whats next is greater than whats now. (Romans 8:18)
• Follow Jesus, not your dreams (Matthew 16:24-28)
• Never come in second, when Jesus is in 1^st Place (Deuteronomy 31:6, Phillipians 4:4-9, Matthew 6:25-34)
• Cannot forget Pauls testimony, there is no one “too far gone” (Romans 15:7, Hebrews 10:24, Acts 10:34)

Then the next session was John Piper, and here is what I jotted down from his sermon, I loved his opening quote, “None of us deserve to be here”. Before I give the notes though, let me give more details on into the intro of this message. Piper began to quote Job 22:24-25, “and consign your gold to the dust, the gold of Ophir to the stones in the wadis, the Almighty will be your gold and your finest silver.”. Now this is Eliphaz speaking to Job as Job is going through his many afflictions and sufferings and sorrows. See Piper gave a heeding warning to be awake, alert, and viligant in the beginning and informing us the dire need that we not become a “mindless sponge”, meaning you soak everything in and everything is ok, when, it very well could be deceitful. Eliphaz said a truth but God was angry at him. So, Piper begged the question and said that what he had prayed on was how can he say that and God not be angry with him. Now here are my notes as follows: (keep in mind this is my thought process on these things, not verbatum or exactly what he said or thought)

• Alert/Vigilant/Diligent (Matthew 5-7:29, Matthew 28:19-20, Revelation 3, 2 Tim)
• What is it like to delight in God? (Phillipians 3:1-21, 2 Corinthians 6:10, Psalm 23)
• What is the actual experience of enjoying God? (Psalm 63)
• Is that your highest God given obligation? (Phillipians 1:21, Colossians 2:6-7)

Here are answers to the questions and other thoughts/notes

• THIS IS REAL! The reality of God is the greatest reality in the universe. (Romans 1:20)
• To enjoy God is to enjoy a person
• Essence of love is delighting, John 14:15, that verse is an altogether verse you don’t get one without the other.

Then, after more teaching, he went on to give a beautiful display of the gospel by putting it in this way when he was about to take his wife out for their anniversary. You know the old school go buy your girl some roses and ring the door bell and when she opens the door she says, “where did you learn that from? Who told you to do this? Did you get this from a husband magazine?” or should it have gone like this, he rings the doorbell, she opens the door and is speechless, and he says, “I want you to go get cleaned up real nice, put on those earrings I bought you, get ready because I would love nothing more than to be with you and to spend this night with you!”

After piper spoke I did not listen that intently to some of the other speakers. But I write this in grace, because on the last day the Lord brought some awesome clarity and had a truly refining moment on the bus ride home after I had a conversation with one of the guys that was outside passion yelling in the bullhorns ya know? I’m going to try to sum it up by using the text I sent the guys. I pray that it will bring it all into conclusion for you, reader. The text is as follows: (this is how we text now-a-days, don’t judge me on the grammar)

I pray that grace mercy and peace from Jesus Christ be with you and guard you when you read this! Don’t just go off of my words, it’s not my words that have power, but Gods in the beautiful handiwork of the Bible!

I talked to one of them, and bro, it was scary, but we talked and it literally was just a simple conversation and he asked me had I counted the cost and he said he felt called to leave a few things that had went on in his life and he said don’t be misled as to thinking your gonna do this big thing to give to God, it mainly scared me bc it was bc he was yelling outside at all of us, however I’m pretty sure he was quoting scripture! These guys know there stuff, but I literally felt a huge weight in me when I talked to him, he was gentle, a lot more gentle than I thought he was going to be when I talked to him, so gentle as to it had me thinking he was about to harm me or something, both of us sat there quite uneasily it seemed, and when I couldn’t take it anymore bc I felt like I was about to get left by yall and literally had all these thoughts come up in my head as to should I stay with them and leave everything I had going on in my life and then I had conflicting thoughts questioning what about school? What about my parents? What about Craig and all them? What are people gonna say? What are people gonna think? Just a million questions tbh I honestly just was weighted down to the point where I couldn’t quite talk well or come up with any conclusion bc I also had the thought that I don’t want to leave this if this is possibly what the Lord is calling me to? The thoughts were on and on and that’s why I was so quiet packing and getting on the bus that day bc I literally could barely stand, by the weight I was feeling. But I searched up the website on the pamphlet he gave me and I read some of the reviews and one took me by surprise where I’ll send you the screenshots if you want and I’ll point out what I thought was sketch but the Holy Spirit led me into understanding and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of God on the ride home. As I read the pastors testimony of this church these guys are from, I agreed with him and these guys have literally even broke up in the middle of Joel Osteens church but got arrested as they preceded in. And the Lord revealed things to me in this way, Christ wants us to know Him and follow Him whole heartedly for sure, read His sermon on the mount beginning in Matthew 5! But there are certain races he has for each person (Hebrews 12:1), and all this understanding truly came all from the grace of God by the Holy Spirit for sure! We do not follow people we follow Christ, the reason I would not be yelling outside the place is because it’s not inviting and calling all sinners to come and speak with you to share in sufferings and afflictions always pointing back to Christ!(Galatians 6:1-5) If I were to do something like stand outside a big conference I would just simply hold a sign saying, “Can we please talk about Jesus?” Isn’t that what all the sinners did throughout all the salvation stories? Doing everything they could just to see Him, touch His cloak, come into His arms by surprise? I would encourage to also ask what did the Pharisees do? But also, realize who we are again, all sinners carrying our cross and often hard and sometimes humiliating walk of death to this world but alive in Christ! See it’s actually quite simple, but it’s hard and not by human will power or human timing that it is made simple, God the father prunes if we remain in Him and He in us.(John 15). And my question now well what if that day comes where I could very much so lose everything and be hanging on by a limb? Do I want to be like I was, depending on Christ alone to bring me into understanding as to why it’s happening like I was talking to this guy? Yes.

The beautiful and powerful simple gospel was brought into understanding by the power of the Holy Spirit leading in truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ by the grace of God! tbh I didn’t really listen to any other speakers as intently that spoke there because I was still learning and will be learning until Christ comes again! I do have a few things to say on the other speakers but for rn just rest in the grace and peace that I hope and pray the Holy Spirit leads you in! Please don’t just trust my words, let’s get together in Gods word!

Christ gave us everything in Himself by His life, death, and resurrection when we deserve eternal separation and punishment (Hell). Everything is here and gone tomorrow (James 4:14) don’t get so caught up in the future, but realize that ministry starts now (Ephesians 5:15-21). I pray no joy is robbed from you! Get in your bible much! Everyday! Love all people, hate sin, love the sinner(Romans 8:13 & Romans 12:9-21). Gospel centered over self-centered every single day (Romans 1:16)! Praise God! Amen!

Knowing Craig Hewitt brought me to the amazing experience called Passion. Before coming I was very much a luke warm Christian who was trying to find her way closer to God.  At first I didn’t really want to go because I didn’t really know anyone but when I arrived I found a few friends, from being a CHP Rep. I still wasn’t sold on the conference once in Atlanta and I was convinced that this wasn’t going to be fun. The moment I stepped into the arena I felt something urging me to take a second look. The first night had breathtaking worship and amazing talks. I already found myself moving closer to Him and wanting to come back. The second day was what really sold me and solidified my want to follow Him. After Christine Caine talked I felt like God had reached in to me and told me to get rid of all those sins and shames that I had been carrying all by myself. I felt overwhelmed by serval emotions, like a happiness and a calmness that I haven’t ever experienced, in worship that night. I was sad on realizing that the third day was drawing near and I’d have to go home to the ever trying world. On the third day I realized how I don’t have to be at some conference to feel Him but that He is everywhere. Upon coming home I made a pact to start devotion and prayer every morning in order to further my walk with Christ. Passion has forever changed me and I can’t wait to come back next year!

This was my first time ever going to Passion and I really enjoyed it. My favorite part of the conference was being able to hear from all of the incredible speakers. These sermons helped me realize the potential that I have to do great things for the Kingdom. I am thankful to have had this opportunity and it will be a memory that I cherish forever. Passion helped me put aside my shame and walk in the grace that God has given me.

What an incredible way to start off the new year at the 2018 Passion conference!  This was my first time and to say it was soul shaking would be an understatement.  I walked away with a deeper love for Christ and a refreshed energy to use every platform, opportunity, and gift that God has given me to further His kingdom.  Just a week has past but I’ve already been able to share some of the messages we heard and part of my testimony with multiple people. I’m so grateful to the Hewitt Foundation for giving me the opportunity to go.  It truly changed the trajectory of my year and my life!

God used Passion 2018 to show me a little piece of Heaven. Sure, the bands were amazing, and the speakers had awesome messages, but the best part was being surrounded by likeminded people. Being surrounded by thousands of people, all singing the same thing, “God, you’re so good,” and how true that statement is. John Piper reminded me to pay attention to the words that I sing and to make sure I believe in those words, so during worship, that’s what I focused on. As I reverberated the words, I intentionally spoke each word to God, knowing that the He deserves so much more than I could ever give Him.

On the last day, Sean Curran, one of the worship leaders, said that everyone had to be on the same page about only one thing, that there is nothing that Jesus has not already overcome. God used Sean and the song that followed, Almighty God, to remind me what was really important in life. No matter the circumstance, no matter the situation, the war is already won, and the victor is on my side. This concept is something I’ve known for a while; however, recently I’ve been struggling with something, and God reminded me that nothing is too big for Him.

I went into Passion 2018 with the Hewitt Foundation with a very open mind. My best friend asked me if I wanted to go with her and I knew immediately I wanted to go because I had always heard such great things about it. But I still didn’t put many expectations on what I would get out of the trip. I’m glad I had that mindset going into it because God blew my mind with what He did in my heart through the speakers and the music at Passion. I also enjoyed the fellowship I was able to have with students my age and younger because of it being a college age group. Overall I would encourage anyone who wants to start their new year off in fellowship and Christ filled encouragement to go to a Passion conference.

Passion 2018 was such an incredible experience. I went into it not knowing what to expect and left with such a great understanding of the Lord’s love that I was able to free myself of weight I had been carrying and allow myself to see not only myself, but others in Jesus’ eyes. As Christine Caine stated, what Jesus did for me is bigger than what they did to me. I learned about the importance of not turning your fingers to point to people, things, and circumstances for the cause of things instead of recognizing the enemy in disguise. Don’t let the enemy believe more about you than you do, as Priscilla Shirer said. I’m so thankful to have had this experience and seen how the Lord connected me with others in order to take a step closer to His glory. God worked in magical ways at Passion 2018.

Passion 2018! What an experience. This was my first year attending Passion, and I had no idea what to expect. I knew it was a place where a bunch of Christians would go to worship and learn more about the Lord, but I didn’t exactly know what else there was to it. The first day at Passion I was not impressed due to sound issues and having to stand out in the cold. The second day I wanted to have an open mind and give it another chance to impress me, and I am so glad I did. The speakers were amazing and their messages about putting on the full amour of God and being unashamed to share the word of God were so incredible. I also really enjoyed being able to sing my heart out to Crowder!! I’m so thankful I went because I was able to make relationships with people my age and become a lot closer to people I already knew. Thank you so much to the Hewitt Foundation!!

I have always wanted to experience Passion, and last year when I was finally able to I was unable due to sports.  Thankfully, this year I was able to attend, and I was very ecstatic about it.  I have been to church camps before, and it is awesome to watch God work in a group that big.  However, this was different.  Passion is a lot bigger, and I was excited to see God in a group this size in person and not just hear about it.  Passion was nothing short of my expectations.  While the worship was incredible as people everywhere were in complete abandon.  Another thing that was awesome was the sermons.  Unlike some, my favorite was John Piper.  He referenced the Bible every time he could, and the true passion he had in his heart you could hear it.  He did not have to say the word louder or in a different manner, but he plainly spoke the word of God and spoke what God laid on his heart and God did the rest.  However, while these things were incredible and left me in awe, my most favorite part really did not have anything to do with Passion, but Passion was merely the location we were at whenever God decided to move in this person’s heart.  For a while I have been praying for one of my close friends from a while back.  College really was hard on her, and she took the wrong path.  I had been crying out to God for a while, and I just knew that this was where He was going to work in her.  Luckily during one of our “dinner” breaks I was able to eat alone with her and just talk and love on her.  I got to see her heart completely soften at that table, I got to witness her be in complete abandon to the Lord during worship, and I got to see her have an urge to follow God as I have never seen.  Yes, Passion was incredible, but nothing is more incredible than seeing someone completely abandon what the world offers and accept the Lord’s offering with full pursuit.  I can’t thank Passion enough for allowing this location, but all in all I can not thank God for showing up and showing out when I really needed it.

This year at Passion ’18 was my second time going to this event. Last year was the first year I went and I had the most amazing time and the Lord worked wonders in my life. Leading up to going again this year I thought that there was no way that it could be as good as it was last year, but I was wrong because it just as good as last year. The speakers this year were so inspiring and hearing them speak set a fire inside of me that I hope will continue to be there through this year. Each one of the speakers had something to say that really stuck with me. The first night Levi spoke and he said, “ The more you look forward to the next world the less you will need from this world.” Him saying that really hit me because I find myself looking for things in the world to please me, but the reality is that there is nothing in this world that can make me happy. Jesus is the only one who can make me happy. John Piper spoke the next day and he told us that our highest obligation should be delighting in the Lord. Which goes along with what Levi had to say because while we are here on earth we should be finding our joy in the Lord and delighting in him not focusing on the things of this world. The next day Christine Caine spoke and she spoke on shame and fear. One thing that she said that stuck with me was that if we don’t know what God says then we will believe the lies of the enemy. That statement hit me hard because the devil is always looking for was to destroy us, but if we have our faith in the Lord and we are constantly in the Word of God then it will be harder for the enemy to get to us. That is not to say that in this life we won’t have suffering or pain, but we will have God with us to get through this life so that way one day we are able to spend eternal life with the Lord. Louie Giglio spoke to us the last night and he explained to us that we are all like arrows. When our arrows are shot into the air we have no idea where they are going to land, but God does. Nobody’s arrow is going to land in the same place because God has different plans for all of our lives. Pricilla Shirer was our last speaker and she was amazing! She told us that we need to take up the full armor of God. The devil is scheming against us and we must wear the armor of God so that we are prepared for whatever is thrown our way. All of the speakers, the music, and everyone was so amazing at Passion and I am so grateful that I got to go this year and experience feel the presence of the Lord. Worshipping with my friends was incredible and I am so glad that I was able to bring some of them with me to Passion! Hopefully I will get the chance to go again next year, but for now I am excited to see what the Lord taught me at Passion come to life this year!

This was my first year attending passion, my sister Blake went last year and came home saying amazing things about it so when she asked be to go I was super excited. I was nervous about going with a new group but when I met all of them they all acted like they had known me for years.  One thing I most enjoyed about Passion was the worship. Being in a room with other believers and hearing them all sing and watching how each person worshipped was amazing.  Some of the lyrics that stuck out to me were “Fear doesn’t get to sit on your throne, you are ever almighty”.  Those lyrics stuck out to me because they applied to my life. Each speaker at passion was incredible. I learned so much from them and hearing them speak. They all touched my heart in a different way. One thing that was spoken about that touched my heart and really got me thinking was “the more you have from god, the less you’ll need from this world”. These things that I learned, I have brought home and will apply to my life. Im super thankful I was able to go and make so many new friends. I can’t wait to go next year!!

Passion 2018 has really opened my heart to let God into my life. I learned so much from passion how to live a good life in God’s eyes and how to minister to others. I ended up sponsoring a child in Ghana and I would have never knew about the problems going on over there if I didn’t go to passion. I met wonderful people and got to share great stories and make new memories with them. Passion 2018 was a blast!

I am so thankful to have been able to go to Passion through the Hewitt Foundation. Going into it, I hoped that Passion would be a time of spiritual growth, reflection, and revival. My expectations were exceeded. So many areas of my Christian walk gained new or forgotten truths about who Christ is and who we are. Whether learning to set my treasures in heaven or truly delighting in Christ as a person, or identifying lies of Satan and recognizing his spiritual warfare so that I can truly walk in freedom with chains broken— passion taught me so much. I would definitely recommend going to Passion to anyone who is 18-25 years old because it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. 

Passion 2018 was such an amazing experience for me, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to go with the Hewitt Foundation. I was so excited to start off the new year with fellow believers worshipping and learning more about our God. I had some high expectations for the conference, and they were exceeded in many ways.

The worship and the messages were all very inspiring, but I was most convicted by John Piper’s sermon about delighting in the Lord. I have always been told to read my Bible, go to church, pray, and all of the other things that could be considered worshipping God, but I have never thought about delighting in God for who he is rather than what he does. Just like we are to enjoy people of this earth because of who they are rather than what they do or have, we are to delight in God because of who he is as a person.

Another idea that was very thought-provoking to me was the concept of not “turning off” our brains while we worship. Musical worship is a beautiful thing, but so often we get caught up in the beat of the music or the emotions of it rather than focusing on the actual glorification of God. I was challenged to think more about the lyrics that I sing instead of just raising my hand when the song reached its climax.

I am so thankful for the experience that I had at Passion 2018, and I already can’t wait for next year!

Being able to attend Passion for the second year in a row was truly a blessing to me. The year of 2017 brought so many ups and downs and being able to start 2018 attending this awesome event was a great way to start my year. Every song and every speaker spoke to me a new and almost fresh way. One of my favorite speakers from the conference was John Piper. Every time he speaks he blows my mind. The way he shares the gospel and different views with others is simply amazing. One point that he shared with us was that all of these “things” were created for us to know God. One example he gave was honey. Honey was put into existence so we could know the sweetness of the Lord. That’s why in the Bible the Lord is compared to honey. And that’s what changed my whole life. All these things that we have and we own are in existence so we can know the Lord and get the best idea of Him possible. And that simply blows my mind. Another example he gave was a mother. A mother is someone who is always there for you and while you’re growing up will hold you and cuddle you in their arms. A mother constantly gives out love even when she’s not feeling it or is really angry with you. But that is why God made mothers. So we as children could know what it’s like the be loved and held and taken care of because that is the way God works. He will hold us and care for us even when he’s really angry at us because we are His child. This again blew my mind. I was literally speechless after John Pipers message. Later on that night Crowder was leading worship and he sang his well known song, How He Loves. As I was listening to the lyrics I realized how fierce Gods love for me was. In the song it says “His love is like a hurricane, I am a tree. Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.” This hit me so hard. I instantly imagined a hurricane and how fierce it was. I imagined the high winds of a hurricane and how the trees bend so far and some of them snap because of the fierce winds and waves and water. My mind was blown yet again when I realized that that is how Gods love is for us. The same way a hurricane is so fierce so is Gods loves for people like YOU AND ME. Isn’t that crazy. How much God Loves a wretched sinner like you and me. That is what Passion 2018 did for me and if you ever have the chance to attend then you should!!!!

I went into this event not really knowing what to expect and I didn’t think I would have so much fun. Well… I was wrong. The speakers were my favorite part because the speakers put the messages into a prospective that I could understand and connect with in my life. It helped me reconnect with God because sometimes I can feel myself drifting away. I would highly recommend Passion for anyone especially high school seniors because we are going through so many changes and new steps in life. I had a blast worshiping our amazing God and i can’t wait to go back!!

Passion 2018 was one of the coolest experiences! This was my first year attending and I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I tend to be quiet and keep to myself when placed in large group settings, so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy going to such a big event, but I had a great time! Hearing some of my favorite songs live while being surrounded by people who love Jesus just as much as I do was such a unique experience. One of the first things I took away from Passion was lyrics to the second song in the first session that said, “I know who I am because of who You are” and this was a great reminder to me that while I was so different from every person in that arena, the thing we all had in common was that our identities are in Christ. In addition, hearing Priscilla Shirer speak was the highlight of the conference for me because she is someone I greatly look up to. Once I graduate college I want to write books and speak to single moms and teenage girls about confidence, identity, love, etc so getting to witness her speak to an arena of 18-25 year olds made me so excited for what God has in store for my path. As Louie Giglio stated in his sermon, what we have dreamt for ourselves is so much smaller than what the Lord has planned for us, and if that is the case I am so very much looking forward to seeing how God is going to use me as a vessel to impact lives! Thank you so much to The Hewitt Foundation for allowing me to be a part of this experience!

Passion 2018 was such an amazing and eye-opening experience. Before going, I was nervous because I hadn’t been to Passion before, and I didn’t know many people going on the trip. However, I was able to meet so many new people that had hearts on fire for Jesus, and I was able to grow in Christ and worship Him with this awesome group of believers. Even more, I had the amazing opportunity to hear from powerful speakers and performers who continually blessed me with truth about God.

Most of all, Passion opened up my eyes about shame. I had never realized how much shame I had been carrying around daily. I thought that shame was engrained in my character, and that feeling shame about my identity was inherently inescapable. I had thought of shame as a character trait almost, not realizing that God has much better intentions for my life. At Passion, I realized that God never designed us to feel shame – We are created in His image, and shame was never a part of His perfect creation. But, when sin entered the picture, so did shame. But the best news is that God, through Christ, has already destroyed shame and put sin to death. He has made me a new creation, dead to my old life, desires, and passions. Even better, He gives me a new identity as His daughter, adopted into His family and called redeemed. I no longer have to hide in fear or shame, but instead can walk boldly and confidently, knowing that no matter what the world around me may say about where my identity is found, my identity is ultimately found in Jesus alone, and He calls me, redeems me, and loves me unfathomably. How could I spend another moment walking in the burden of shame, when Christ already defeated shame, nailing it to the cross, and giving me the hope of a new life and eternity with Him? So I can walk forward, ready to spread His kingdom and reflect His glory, leaning on His strength and power, knowing that I am completely and perfectly affirmed in Him, no longer weighed down by shame, choosing to embrace the identity that Christ spared nothing, not even His own life, to buy for me.

I can’t thank Christ enough for blessing me with the opportunity to hear His truth at Passion, and I am so grateful to the Hewitt Foundation for inviting and sponsoring such an amazing trip!

Going into Passion 2018 I had been asking hard questions and not really understanding certain aspects of my faith or God. I was asking God questions like “Why do I have to wait for some of your promises, while other people get to experience them now?” I was tired of being patient even though I knew that’s what I was called to do. The other people were experiencing God’s promises out of his will and I was a little jealous. I wanted to live a righteous life but I felt frustrated in the waiting. At Passion 2018 I realized that while I was thinking about God, I wasn’t seeking him. I wasn’t delighting in the Lord each and every day. I wasn’t passionately reading his word. I wasn’t fervently praying. I was listening to my own heart and asking God what was wrong with my emotions. Many days I did not pray, and Satan told me lies about myself. I became fearful of my classes and my campus. I hid away from the things I didn’t like instead of challenging my friends and classmates.

At Passion 2018 I rediscovered the freedom God wants to give me when I lay every thought and feeling on Him. When I did this, He took it away. I felt unshackled, courageous, hopeful, and most of all completely unweighted and unashamed. I realized that waiting is actually a joy in my life. Waiting is another way for me to grow closer to Jesus. God is a patient waiter: He waited for me to accept him, He waits for me to run back to him, He continues to wait for others to find him and He waits for the day when He gets to come back to this Earth and be worshipped by all of creation! True waiting means I’m not wishing my life away, and I can be content in each moment with the Lord, even if I’m away from many people I love at college. With this attitude, heart, and the armor of Christ, I am fired up to return to my campus, continue to overcome fear and do everything in and for Jesus’s name!!

Going to Passion was everything I had hoped for and more. I really enjoyed getting to meet new people and spend so much time diving into my relationship with Christ. Every speaker was incredible in every way, and I feel a lot more confident in my relationship with God again. I felt peace with God like I had not felt in a long time. I am so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to go to Passion 2018 with the Hewitt Foundation. I hope to see these amazing people again in the future and keep furthering my relationship with God by using all of the tools and words given to me by all of the speakers. Thank you so much for the opportunity to go and meet so many awesome new people.

Passion 2018 provided an opportunity for a new experience of and understanding of God’s love. In every moment of worship I felt Jesus’ intense grace and fulfillment of the promises He has made to me. He worked through my relationships with the people there. It was really a blessing to see friends from high school that I haven’t gotten to be around since we left for college. The community and fellowship I got to be apart of while on the trip was a big encouragement. I’m thankful for the Hewitt Foundation for making it so easy for us students to go. The Hewitt’s have shown me what it means to live a life loving God. Because it was Jesus’ will for me to be at Passion I experienced His strength and power through both the songs and the messages given by the speakers there. Passion 2018 was the perfect way to start the new year renewed by God and His love. 

Passion 2018 was such an amazing experience to connect with Jesus and to really see the Holy Spirit move. All the speakers at Passion were incredible, and they used Jesus’ word to assure me that Jesus does have a plan for each one of us, and that we really need to put all of our trust and faith into his plan. Passion emphasized that we are each on the earth for a reason, and by continuing to follow God and our own passions we will reach that reason. We always have to remember that there is no plan that is greater than Gods plan, and that he will never lead us astray. 

I really enjoyed getting to go to passion this year. At first Craig asked me if I wanted to go, and at first I really didn’t want to go. However, Craig encouraged me to go. So, of course I decided on a yes, and I’m glad I did. It was a much needed refresher, and the cool part was that I got to meet a lot of people. I enjoyed the speakers especially Kristin Caine and Pricilla. They were some of the most amazing and powerful women, and great examples of godly women. I can only hope to grow in my faith the older I get, and I definitely would encourage anyone that’s gets the chance to go to passion to go

Passion 2018 is one of the most inspiring and captivating events I have ever attended.  This one event reached far beyond the walls of the Phillips Arena.  The testimonies and lectures were heard in three different venues and were broadcasted on a global scale.  Each session was full of worship, speakers, and prayer.  The speakers were amazing, unlike any I have ever seen.  Their passion was radiant, and their energy was felt throughout the entire stadium.  Most of all, they were understanding and accepting.  They knew that every single person in the audience was at a different place in their life and in their faith.  And no matter where you may be, they made sure to convey that your past does not define you and that God’s love for you is unwavering.  Worship was one of my favorite parts of this event. The music brought to us was phenomenal. The songs were original, and many of them new.  It was a powerful sight to see thousands of young people praising our God through song.  Overall, Passion 2018 was a life-altering three days that I highly recommend!

Passion 2018 was such a phenomenal experience. This was my second year attending. I plan to continue attending Passion yearly as long as the Lord allows. I truly believe it is a soul retreat that everyone needs to experience. I am so blessed to have been able to attend Passion with the Hewitt Foundation. My favorite speaker from Passion 2018 was Christine Caine. She comes from such a broken childhood, which has led her to advocating for a life free of shame. She taught us this year at Passion that God didn’t design us to carry the burden of shame. We were literally created to never know what shame felt like, which is pretty amazing to think about. My big take away from Passion this year is that Jesus is all that matters. This is an obvious thing but it really sank in for me while at Passion. Jesus is where I find my peace, my joy, and my purpose which means that every aspect of my life needs to be rooted in Jesus. Passion was the best start to my year and I am so thankful to have been apart of such an awesome conference.

At Passion 2018, Christine Caine challenged our thinking by asking the question “who told you”— who told us the lies we were believing? Who told us we were unloved, unimportant, unworthy, or any other terrible thing we were believing about ourselves or about our lives? Even though this wasn’t the main point of her speech to us, God used it to forever change the way I think. Hundreds of lies I hadn’t realized I was believing until that moment flooded my mind. Who told me I wasn’t smart? Who told me I wasn’t beautiful? Who told me I wasn’t worth listening to? Who told me I was annoying and no one liked me? Suddenly, I felt empowered.  I heard God telling me “If I haven’t said it to you, then you don’t need to listen to it”. As if someone had flipped a switch, my whole world was changed. I felt free and ready to conquer my own mind that I had felt so trapped in for so long. I didn’t have to be a slave to my own thoughts anymore. If it’s not true, I don’t have to believe it— and I just have to ask a simple question. Who told me this?

At the very start of this year, I was given the most amazing opportunity to go to Passion 2018 with The Hewitt Foundation. Needless to say, it was awesome. I had two very transformative realizations during the conference, and I’m very excited to share them with you all! GOD IS SO GOOD, AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW IT!

First off, Christine Caine spoke at Passion and of course– she rocked. At one point in her talk she challenged our thinking by asking the question “who told you this”— who told us the lies we were believing? Who told us we were unloved, unimportant, unworthy, or any other terrible thing we were believing about ourselves or about our lives? Even though this wasn’t the main point of her speech to us, God used it to forever change the way I think. Hundreds of lies I hadn’t realized I was believing until that moment flooded my mind. Who told me I wasn’t smart? Who told me I wasn’t beautiful? Who told me I wasn’t worth listening to? Who told me I was annoying and no one liked me? Suddenly, I felt empowered.  I heard God telling me “If I haven’t said it to you, then you don’t need to listen to it”. As if someone had flipped a switch, my whole world was changed. Before, I felt like Sadness in Inside Out when Joy draws a circle around her and tells her she is only allowed to feel in that one circle. The lies I was believing were telling me “you are only allowed to feel this way, and if you feel any differently you are only kidding yourself so stay right there”. I was a prisoner in my own mind, and a captive of the enemy. But, like He does so well, God broke the chains in my mind that were keeping me in that place.  I felt free and ready to conquer my own mind that I had felt so trapped in for so long. I didn’t have to be a slave to my own thoughts anymore. If it’s not true, I don’t have to believe it— and I just have to ask a simple question. Who told me this?  
As if that wasn’t enough of a mind = blown moment, God also showed me what a transformation my life has taken in just a few months. I’ve mentioned before that I went to the Motion student conference last year in July and I’ve shared how that conference was what God used to show me that I can’t do life without Him. While at the Passion conference, I kept having memory after memory of what my life was like only 6 months ago. I felt God showing me how dearly and intricately He has taken care of me in that short time. Like I shared in my previous post, God has healed me beyond belief of almost all my deficiencies, and that by itself is reason to celebrate. I feel like I’m living again, and it’s an incredible thing. I kept expecting to have the same moments at Passion as I did when I was at Motion, but I heard God telling me, “You don’t need to be rescued from the grave this time, Allison, because you already have been. Now I’m teaching you how to walk with me”. I swear, when God speaks to you, it feels like an equal punch in the gut and in the heart because 1- I can’t believe the God who made this Earth is speaking to me like we’re pals right now and 2- I am so undeserving of this, and yet I am freely given this forgiveness and love. IT BLOWS MY MIND, Y’ALL! Anyways. I just can not get over the fact that I’m alive and living happily right now. Again, I’m not smelling roses on every street corner I pass, but I’m pretty close considering I’m no where near the state I was in 6 months ago.

Thank you for reading me blubbering about how awesome our God is. I’m not even sorry, because He sure as heck deserves it and SO much more.

I wanted to say thank you to my very dear friend, Cait, for convincing me to put some effort in and do the application to go with the Hewitt Foundation. You were completely right, it was 100% worth it, and I’m so grateful for you in my life, dude.

I can’t imagine a better way to start off the New Year than by attending Passion 2018. The conference gave me the perspective I needed to live out this year in the best way possible. Everything from the speakers, the worship, and the community screamed ‘Jesus.’ All of the messages somehow seemed to intertwine and build upon each other. The message that stood out to me the most was preached by Pastor John Piper. All of my life I have been a Christian, dutifully reading my Bible and trying to live a righteous life, sometimes out of routine. Pastor Piper explained in the most beautiful way that I am called to find joy and delight in the Lord, not merely check him off of my to-do list. I shouldn’t read my Bible, or have quiet time just because it is what I’m supposed to do. I should be doing those things out of a genuine delight in the Lord. Leaving Passion 2018, my prayer for this year is that the Lord will instill in me a renewal of his joy, and that I will find true happiness and delight in spending time with him. I want time with the Lord to be something I crave over anything else in this world. I am thankful to have been a part of an event that sang songs completely about who Jesus is, and that provided speakers who genuinely presented the Gospel and what Jesus did for me. I would not have been able to attend Passion this year if it were not for the Hewitt Foundation. They made the trip so simple. Not only did they help provide a ticket, but they also arranged transportation, the hotel, and reserved seating. It was such a blessing to attend the event with a group that not only provided community (and yummy snacks), but that also made attending this event as easy as possible for me. So to the Hewitt Foundation, thank you. My 2018 will look drastically different because of you getting me to Passion! Go team Jesus.

Passion 2018 exceeded all of my expectations. This was my first year going to Passion, so I did not know what to expect. The planning and work to arrange this entire conference blew my mind. It was so cool to see such famous and renowned speakers in Washington DC one night, but be speaking live in Atlanta the next morning. The messages God had to share were powerful, and we spent a lot of time talking and sharing our thoughts about each speaker with our roommates. It was incredible how close I became to the people I roomed with even though I hadn’t met them before. It will be exciting to be able to keep in contact with them throughout this semester. I am so glad for all the things God did as we built relationships. One of the highlights outside of the conferences was when we were getting dinner as a group. When we couldn’t find the Chick-fil-A, we asked a homeless man for directions. He responded by asking for us to grab him a meal. So we invited him to join us. As we ate, we asked about his background and his beliefs. While he claimed to be agnostic, we shared our faith and the gospel. We all held hands and prayed with him before we left. Experiencing that with my roommates was certainly something that was memorable. Each of the speakers had a message that changed the way I thought about a lot of my world view and relationship with the Lord. I feel they will be the perfect way to start 2018 and prepare my for my spiritual goals for the year. I am so thankful for all God did in those couple days, and cannot wait for Passion 2019!

Passion 2018 was amazing! I heard from many people over the years that it was an awesome experience, but never really looked into it seriously. I’m so thankful the Hewitt Foundation invited me to come because it happened to work out perfectly this year that I could go. Totally a God thing. The speakers were amazing and the words they spoke were impactful and well supported by the word of God! I’ve looked back at the notes I took several times because there were certain aspects that really stuck out to me and are important to remember as I go through this year and life. The speakers showed us how to arm ourselves against the lies of the enemy, how to overcome those lies, and how to focus more on God and our relationship with Him in a social media world. Additionally, the music was awesome. So many different artists played and I was in awe at the beauty of thousands of people worshipping the king of kings. I met some great people in our group that I became close with. Even the people I didn’t know or officially meet were always nice and welcoming. Passion 2018 was a great experience that sparked tons of growth. If you can make it to Passion 2019, go! You won’t regret it. 

Passion 2018 was such an incredible experience. The Lord has been reminding me of the freedom that I have in Him through Jesus, and He continued reminding me of this while at Passion. It’s so important to live out the freedom that Jesus purchased for me on the cross. I don’t have to live a life of guilt or shame any longer; I don’t have to strive to live a life of perfection to earn God’s love or grace; I don’t have to sit in my sin or struggles. The Lord has given me freedom from these things through the cross, His love, His grace, and through the community He’s given me.

Passion 2018 was an awesome experience for me. First off, I made friends with the room that Craig put me in, and we both can relate to the same things and it was really nice to have someone there for me and somebody who understands what I go through. Out of all the speakers, my favorites were Christine Cane and Priscilla Shirer. They both gave such powerful messages and I really learned a lot from them. My first semester of college was really stressful and I had to adjust to a lot of things so I prayed a lot about it. I know that God got me through everything and He made me stronger and He helped me fight through everything that I went through. Those two speakers helped remind me of how strong God’s love is and that I am not alone. The overall trip was amazing, and the worship and the sermons were awesome. Hopefully I will get to attend Passion next year!

Passion 2018 was the perfect way to start off the new year. It was a experience I will never forget. Passion 2018 allowed me to grow spiritually and become closer to God than ever before. I am forever thankful for the oppurnity that the Hewitt Foundation gave me to go on a life changing journey with Passion 2018!

Passion 2018 changed my life forever!

This was my first year going to Passion 2018, and it was the best way to start off the new year. I heard from amazing speakers, and amazing Christian artists all the while hanging out in ATL with a sweet group of people. A few days before we left, I was really nervous that I wasn’t going to fully enjoy the trip because I only knew 2 people going…. but even the bus ride down there proved that to be wrong. Everybody was so friendly and had open arms to welcome me and others in since it was our first time. I’m so glad I decided to go! Despite the cold weather, I made new friends, and experienced something new that showed me that everything natural cannot take care of the supernatural. That there should be no guilt when He has died for our sins and our shame because IT IS FINISHED. God showed up big time each session and His presence was so obvious. My favorite speaker had to be Christine Caine and her question of “Who told you that!?”- how the enemy tells us lies, but if we have faith in Jesus Christ, the enemy knows it cannot destroy us. What a great reminder of how strong our faith in Him is! I’m so blessed and grateful that I had the opportunity to go. I would definitely suggest going if you’ve never gone before, it’s really a life changing experience that opens your eyes and heart to what God wants to do in your life. Thank you Craig and the Hewitt Foundation for putting this all together! I plan on coming along for Passion 2019!!

Passion 2018 with the Hewitt Foundation group was an incredible experience. Every speaker and song brought forth God’s glory and spoke to me in many different ways. Throughout 2017, I was anticipating hearing Pastor Levi Lusko speak at Passion and he did not disappoint. His encouragement to follow God’s plan, regardless of if it’s “post-worthy” or not, stuck with me. Hearing John Piper speak his wisdom was an honor. I will never forget his point that God created good things on earth, such as honey, just to give us a small taste of how sweet heaven will one day be. The two female speakers, Kristine and Priscilla, stood out to me. It was so encouraging to see fellow daughters of God bring forth such a strong Word. Kristine’s message was one I will not forget. She mentioned how daughters (and sons) of God are royalty, and when you are royalty there are just certain things you don’t do and certain ways you don’t act. Kristine’s wording was so perfect for me to hear, because she answered the question I often am asked: Why don’t you drink? Party? Etc.? Knowing that there is another daughter of God that views herself in the way that I view myself brings me comfort. Priscilla was such a powerful speaker. She used so many seemingly casual anecdotes, but each one had a shocking and powerful point to them. One that I loved was her example from The Lion King. She described how Simba was trying to scare off the hyenas with his small and weak roar, but eventually his father, King Mufasa roared behind him, scaring away the predators. This symbolizes how we are weak in ourselves, but with the armor of God, we can defeat all evil. This example even prompted me to rewatch The Lion King when I got home in order to look at this scene in a different light. Aside from the amazing speakers, the worship music was a great factor of Passion 2018 as well. Every song was completely focused on God, with different genres and styles of music for everyone. I will never forget Passion 2018 because this was when God led me to sponsor a child through Make History Together. Overall, Passion 2018 was an incredible experience and I hope to return in 2019!

Passion 2018 was a great experience. I loved hearing the speakers and all of the knowledge that they brought to the table. My favorite speakers were Levi Lusko and Priscilla Shirer. Levi’s message really spoke to me, especially when he used the example with the scales. He reminded me that the things that worry me and bring me down feel so heavy on a worldly scale, but when you put those things on a scale that is God-sized, those worries don’t even show. This helped me to visualize how I can found my life on Jesus, giving him my worries. Priscilla’s message was very interesting to listen to. I really enjoyed hearing her examples from her son’s baseball that led to deeper meaning. For example, when she talked about her son having confidence against a hard team when he heard that they knew who he was. This relates to how I can be confident in my trials against the enemy because I have the amour of God surrounding me.

My favorite part of the Passion conference was hearing John Piper speak. I have read many of his articles on the Desiring God website and it was really cool to hear him preach. He is probably one of the wisest people I have heard speak. I also liked hearing The David Crowder band perform. I have seen them at other concerts and they are always so good. Passion was a fun and interesting experience and I would recommend it to others.

I thought the Passion conference was fun, energetic, and exciting. My favorite parts involved the worship music. I really loved hearing the Passion band, Matt Redman, and David Crowder. The lyrics felt very powerful to me every session. My favorite song was “So Will I” because this is something I listen to when I’m feeling down. The lyrics remind me my purpose for being here on earth. I also love when the musicians stop using the microphones and the whole stadium sings together because this was powerful to hear. It makes me have hope that there are so many people my age who love to praise God. I’m so glad I got to go to the Passion conference.

I had an awesome experience at Passion 2018. I went into the week praying for God to teach me something impactful and life-changing. As always, the Lord showed me more than I could’ve ever imagined. I was most impacted by John Piper’s message. I have always had trouble bridging the gap between enjoying the things that God has given me and enjoying the actual person of God. Piper taught that my delight in God doesn’t stop at delighting in the things He has given me, but that it continues to actually enjoying God. He also helped me understand practically how I can do this. This was life-changing for me because I have always had the habit of loving the gifts that God has given me, without really delighting in the Giver. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to have gone to Passion, and I am thankful to God for showing more of Himself to me while I was there.