This is the 5th 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 51 young adults with tickets to attend #Passion2019. What better way to invest in our young adults then providing them an opportunity to grow spiritually in their walk with Jesus.
Below you’ll see a photo of everyone who attended with our group and below their photo you’ll see a write up of their reflection of Passion 2019. The Lord is at work within this amazing group! The Hewitt Foundation is already counting down until Passion 2020!
Hello! My name is Reilly Griffin and I was fortunate enough to get one of the extra tickets from the Hewitt Foundation for Passion Conference 2019.
For the past four years my image of God has been incredibly skewed and so I fell away from the church and my connection with Him. When I was 16 my parents got divorced, my brother was diagnosed terminally ill, I found out my dad wasn’t my dad, that it was some man my mom cheated on him with, I had a career ending injury that lost me my college scholarship for volleyball and I was raped by my best friend, and later hospitalized for the depressive pit it sent me into. My mom kept saying it was God punishing her for her decision to divorce my dad. Why would I want to worship a God like that? For the next four years He would let me know just how wrong I was to turn my back.
A few months ago I hit rock bottom for what seemed like the fifth time in 2018. Every time I was stubborn and refused to turn to God. No matter what happened, if my parents disowned me, if I was assaulted again, if I went to jail I said I could do it myself. I eventually wore myself so thin dealing with PTSD from 15 years of sexual abuse and being distanced from anything with meaning or substance I felt worthless and that I had no option but to kill myself. I woke up in the hospital after taking two bottles of tylenol barely alive. I should have died. The doctors had no idea how I was still here and said it would be very short lived. My family that disowned me came to say their goodbyes and I accepted my fate. By a miracle I survived and recently got a clean bill of health. I soon realized this was God’s way of saying he wasn’t done with me yet and I had this overwhelming, heavenly peace about that. It was still hard to get involved in church regularly though since I am all alone in my walk, or so I thought.
The day of Passion my nanny mom messaged me and said she got me a ticket and I was going. I was ecstatic since so many had said this was a life changing experience that brought them close to God and that was exactly what I needed. I decided to trust God since I knew I had no one to go with and I would be walking into a sold out State Farm Arena totally solo and I am so glad I did. I met Craig for the ticket and when he discovered I was going alone he quickly invited me to join his group. I instantly clicked with everyone I talked to no matter their age or walk.
Waiting to get into the first session Craig introduced me to another girl my age in the group who had survived similar traumas as me. She’s now my closest friend and biggest confidant. It was so cool to see all the heavenly confirmations that I was supposed to be there. Then Louie opened with a sermon on broken families, absent fathers and anxiety. My father has never claimed me as his and that sermon helped me accept that and know no matter what my earthly father does, no matter how he disappoints and hurts me, I have a perfect one in heaven so ready to claim me and love me with the greatest love in the universe. It felt like my years of “daddy issues” from verbal and physical abuse melted away.
The next day I still felt separate from God though, just like I had for four years. So in the opening worship I prayed the entire time begging Him to tear down the walls I had built up between us, to rip anything that was keeping us apart from my life. I got three texts ending friendships and relationships within the next thirty minutes with people that were holding me back. I finally felt the presence of God sweep over my body for the first time in my life during Kari Jobe’s worship session. The 20,000 people in that room all worshiping Him, the sudden breaking of all the barriers between Him and I were just so overwhelming, it was the most beautiful moment of my life.
That night I was able to share my testimony for the first time with a few of the students in our group and they all came up to me after, hugging me and insisting He had some big plans for my life. That all of this was not for nothing, and that I was going to be able to help others like myself because of it. These were words I was begging Him to tell me because I didn’t want all of it to be for nothing.
Thanks to Passion Conference, and the Hewitt Foundation I was able to finally reconnect with God. Depression and anxiety I battled with for eight years melted away and I feel it’s finally gone for good. I realized my greater purpose and that youth ministry is something I’m very passionate about being involved with. Most importantly, I was able to come home to my Father that’s been begging for me for years. Had I not met these people, or been in that environment to finally fix my relationship with God I do not know where I would be, or where my life would be heading this year. I finally know i’m not alone and that I have an entire support system in South Carolina. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity, and for all the connections I made this trip. This has changed my life forever and I truly hope other kids can come after me and benefit the same way I did.
This foundation is changing lives and I can’t wait to see who is next!
This year’s Passion Conference was by far the best! The excitement level and anticipation was definitely rising as we traveled to the conference. After we arrived at the hotel and checked into our rooms we headed to the State Farm Arena to grab a quick dinner and get in line. Even though it was raining, it didn’t stop 20,000 people from gathering to worship.
Passion 2019 started with everyone across all 4 venues singing Great Are You Lord. This is a well known song that helped unify the worship at the gatherings. What better way to begin this year’s Passion Conference than with everyone singing about God’s greatness! It is powerful to hear the voices of so many people worshipping at the same time.
Louie Giglio was the first to preach at Passion 2019 and he began by talking about what it meant for God to be our father. A bold statement that came from his sermon that really hit home to me was that “I am worth Jesus to my father.” It says in John 3:16 that God sent His son to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. If we look one verse further we can see that it was God’s plan to send Jesus to save us and not condemn us for the sins that we commit. Even though I have a great home life and have an earthly father, it is good to know that God is also our Father and he is always watching over us with unconditional love and grace.
Chad Veach was the next to preach from the word of God and he gave a powerful message about having a craving for the Lord. Psalm 42:2 tells us that our soul craves being in the presence of the Lord. We should be able to put our trust in God and not be afraid to run to God when we need him. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us that we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding, but put our trust in the Lord and he will keep us on the straight path. When we put our trust in the Lord we know that everything we need is in Him. We get our strength from the Lord. We also should have unshakable,audacious hope. It was interesting how he gave the analogy that hope is the architect and faith is the builder. Hope is the design (blueprint) and faith builds (creates, puts into action) our Christian life.
During many of the worship sessions my eyes would wander around the arena as I was worshiping and I noticed the section on the floor for the people who are deaf. It was powerful to see them using sign language to worship. After I noticed this I told several others to take a look. It was amazing to see that Passion can accommodate the needs of everyone attending the conference. I had not thought much about how deaf people learn about God. Shortly after that Louie Giglio came up and talked about how this year’s opportunity to give would be to help deaf people hear the word of God in countries all over the world. It was awesome to be part of a group of young people contributing to such an amazing organization that can make a difference in God’s kingdom.
Matt Chandler told the story about the woman that Jesus met at the well. He knew who she was and what her story was before she realized she was talking to Jesus. God knows our story. Another amazing truth that Matt Chandler shared was that God’s Grace is for the journey. God’s grace is not just until we mess up a certain number of times. His grace covers us even when we don’t deserve it. Matt Chandler also said that the way of experiencing the grace and mercy of the Lord is through our wounds. We will not live a perfect life just because we believe in Jesus we will still struggle again and again, but God’s Grace continues to cover us through the journey.
Christine Caine preached about how people were amazed/astonished and marveled over the things that Jesus said and did. One thing that was crazy though is when Jesus marveled in the roman centurion’s (who was not as familiar with him as many others were) bold faith. Christine challenged us to have faith that would cause Jesus to marvel. When thinking about that I remember how hard it is to spread the word of God with people you don’t know. We have to get out of our comfort zone. We cannot always remain comfortable and safe. We have to have faith that is as bold, brave and courageous as the Roman centurion’s. One thing that stuck with me from this sermon is that a faith filled life is not a pain free life. We will struggle. We will have hard times. Our faith can either hinder or allow God to do something powerful through us. If we do not do it God will raise someone else up to do his work.
In Louie’s last sermon he preached about hell wrecking Thomas. Yes, I said that right. He shouldn’t be labeled as “doubting” Thomas. Jesus came back for Thomas even when Thomas was not certain that they had really seen Jesus risen from the dead. Jesus came through the walls of a locked room to speak to Thomas. Thomas was honestly investigating if it really was Jesus. He had some real life questions that needed to be answered. Louie told us that God is not intimidated by your investigations because the more you dig the more validated it will get. We have to find the bedrock (foundation) and build upon it. Thomas doubted until he not only saw but physically touched Jesus’ wounds. We have the power to be a flame in the darkness. Think about what Thomas could do with knowing that It was actually Jesus standing there in front of him, risen from the dead. I’m sure that he was on fire for the Lord from that moment on.
The challenge that was presented to me this year was to be a flame in the darkness and to have faith bold enough to tell others about God. Even though I can’t talk about my religion at my school, I can show the love of Christ to my students by showing kindness, compassion and encouragement every day.
Special thanks to the Hewitt Foundation for providing me with a ticket to Passion 2019. Thank you Craig Hewitt for planning and leading this trip each year.
Earlier this semester I wanted to go to Passion 2019, however being an adult with bills and debt to pay I couldn’t afford to go. Three days before Passion (my birthday actually) I was actually talking to Sunday school friends at how it would be a miracle if I could go. That day I happen to pass Craig Hewitt in church. I did not know that this brief encounter would bring my small miracle. Craig later texted me saying he had a free ticket and invited me to go with the Hewitt Foundation for Passion 2019. Obviously I was ecstatic and said yes!
This past year I have grown closer to God than I ever have before. I recently had a few traumatic experiences I was recovering from. It was in the suffering, the hurt, the pain that I God met me and rescued me. After 5 long years of turning away from God and the church, this past year I started going to church again. God and the wonderful God he is I am now a leader for our young adult bible study and am at Columbia International University getting my Clinical Counseling degree specializing in Sexual Trauma, PTSD, and Domestic Violence. My plan is to eventually start a ministry for these women who have been through so much and give them sanctuary in the church.
It has been literal years since I have attended anything remotely close to a Christian conference. I have never been to Passion so I had no idea what to expect, just that I needed to go. Everyone was telling me it was going to be life changing, and it hyped me up.
When we got to our seats on night one I was taking it all in. I did not know the songs, I did not know the people in our group yet, I was just enjoying the setting. When Lewie Giglio gave his sermon, it was powerful. He brought attention to how suicide rates have increased by 70%, that with the invention of the iphone and internet we now have not only access to all the good in the world, as all things that are given come from God first in purity, that we also have access to all the evil in the world. That what God always gives in goodness, the Enemy will pervert and attempt to destroy it. His words were accurate, as I am in pursuit of a clinical counseling career and knew the facts he was giving were in 100% true. I gained major respect and appreciation that someone is preaching and bringing attention to the mental health crisis, but was more impressed with how he brought attention to the fatherless generation. That through these things, Satan has attacked fathers and has created a fatherless generation. Why? Because Jesus referred to God as a father more than anything in the new testament. That Satan is on a mission to corrupt the image of God in our generations eyes by corrupting the image of what a father is. Lewie then continued to bring the correct image of who God is as our Father. It was remarkably healing
I was blown away, but it did not stop there. When the sermon was over and we were leading into our next worship song I opened my eyes to see two girls a few rows below me embracing and sobbing. I watched one girl hold her friend tightly and say “I know, I know, I know, I know this hit home. I know but we’re going to get through this. We’re going to get through this together.” and prayed over her friend. The two just held each other and cried. These girls looked so young and I was immediately touched. I turned to my left and saw a group of gentleman my age (mid twenties) arms around each other with tears streaming down their faces praying over each other. In that moment I paused and just looked into the room. What I saw was 40,000 people moved by the Holy Spirit. I just suddenly hit me that all these people, 40,000 people were touched and craved Jesus Christ. As Passion lead into worship I saw thousands of hands go in the air praising God.
All I could do was weep because I felt the presence of God in that room. That sermon just brought such restoration and healing to thousands of people. I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t talk, all I felt was this immense joy that was overwhelming. It was as if God himself was standing besides me and whispered “‘Here as in heaven’” (Matthew 6:10) “Heaven has come to earth in this moment and you’re experiencing it. I am here.” For the next 45 minute worship session all I could do was weep. It was by far the most beautiful encounter and experience in all my life. I have never in my life been in such a holy place.
My make up was wrecked, mascara everywhere. When the session was over and the lights came on Craig turned around looked at me and chuckled saying “Night one.” I laughed because he was right. The next two days were life changing. By the last session I walked out ready to take on the world. Something that was said at Passion was “You are the light of the world. This world is full of darkness. What particular darkness needs your light?”
I know where God has placed me to bring out his work and ministry, but this was affirmation for me. After everything that I have endured, I know it was for divine purpose so that I can minister my particular “darkness” of women who suffer from Sexual Trauma, PTSD, and Domestic Violence. After Passion I am entering my second semester of CIU Graduate school with eagerness and encouragement to embrace this year with open arms. I am so deeply appreciative of the Hewitt Foundation for providing me this opportunity to encounter God and be reminded of his literal awesome power and plans for my life.
The posture of my heart going into Passion 2019 was completely and utterly broken. In the past eight months I have experienced heartbreak and loss like no other. It left me questioning God. My prayer life turned into negotiations. God if you just give me this, then I’ll be happy. I was ultimately mad at God for allowing so many awful events to take place in my life. I really gave up on the thought that God was for me and he is working all things together for my good.
Walking into Passion 2019 I was very nervous. I knew full well that the Lord was going to open my ears to the things I needed to hear. I knew that there would be a reckoning since that’s just how the Holy Spirit works. I was eager but at the same time hesitant because I just kept playing over and over in my head all of the bad things that I’ve been through in the past eight months.
In the past eight months I had started to believe the lies of the enemy. That my heart will never heal. That I will never find a husband. That I won’t graduate. That I wasn’t good enough and surely the Lord isn’t for me. I was reminded at Passion 2019 that those are all lies, but the Lord speaks TRUTH. He is the ultimate healer. Only he can heal my heart from its brokenness, but in order for that to happen I have to willingly ask for him to come into my life and do the work for me. I can’t rely on myself or anyone else to heal my heart.
God is the ultimate provider. He can and will give you the desires of your heart, but with that you have to have faith. Faith filled life isn’t a faith exempt life. Christine Caine talked about how we should have faith that amazes Jesus. That the enemy is constantly after our trust. That’s why having an unwavering faith is crucial. When we get familiar with the Lord and ALL that he’s already done, we will get amazed. The miracles he performed for David, Sarah, Ester, Mary, The Wisemen, Peter, Paul and Silas, he can surely perform miracles for me in my life.
That’s something I am going to strive for this year is to really lean into having a faith that amazes Jesus. By doing so, I won’t have to listen to the lies of the enemy and know that I have a heavenly father who speaks truth over me daily. With having a faith that amazes Jesus comes with understanding what is from the Lord and what isn’t.
It’s easy to get caught up in whatever circumstance or situation you’re in and think about all of the things you want to happen and how you want them to happen. For me past decisions and relationships have been chosen out of selfish desires and I can’t think of one time I asked God if this is something he wants and is he in the center of it? A song we sang at Passion said,
“If You’re not in it
Then I don’t want it
Let all else fade away
Take the whole world
Give me Jesus
Let all else fade away”
This is goes hand in hand for having faith that amazes Jesus, you have to ask yourself daily if he’s in it? And if he’s not that we shouldn’t want any part of it. Which is extremely difficult because selfishly we want the job, we want the boyfriend or girlfriend, we want things to go our way. If we would surrender our worries to God and have that faith that amazes Jesus and rest in knowing that he’s in the center of all things in your life – then we will see the blessings upon blessings that the Lord is capable of doing in our life!
Entering 2019 I still have a broken heart but it’s well on it’s way to being healed through and because of Jesus. I have no idea what the year holds for me but whatever it is, good or bad, I know that the Lord is working things together for my good. He is the ultimate healer, the author of my faith and I welcome him into my life today and every day!
Thank you Hewitt Foundation for making an affordable way for me to attend Passion. I feel so encouraged going into the new year regardless of my circumstances. By you providing these free tickets its changing lives for the next generation. I am forever grateful.
To begin, I did not want to go, for I was scared, nervous, didn’t think I would fit in or have friends. I was wrong. Craig pushed me to go, and I am forever grateful he did, my life is changed forever. To the Hewitt foundation, thank you for this opportunity, my life would not had this change without your group. Thank you for what you do for each and everyone of us in this group. It truly changes our lives. With that being said, Passion blew my expectations out of the water and my faith has grown much stronger since the conclusion of passion, more than I ever thought possible. For those of you who haven’t been, I suggest you go. It will be the best thing you’ve done in a long time.
When I reflect back on Passion, there are several different moments that stick out in my head. The sounds of worshipping with 20,000+ other believers. The belly ache that came from consistent laughter with some of my closest friends. Dancing like no one was watching during every single performance, because I just couldn’t contain my joy. Most importantly, I walk away with the sweetest reminder to cultivate a faith that would cause Jesus to marvel. To be bold in the pursuit of my relationship with Him and my relationships with others. After a few weeks of apathy, Passion reminded me just how powerful, compassionate, and worthy Jesus is. In August I begin a full-time position in ministry and Passion was just what I needed to motivate and empower my faith into something deeper than it has ever been before. It was more than silly moments with friends and jumping over consistent puddles of rain. It was three days that I will remember for years to come. It would not have been possible without the Hewitt Foundation, so I owe all of my thanks to them and their supporters. Patiently awaiting Passion 2020!!!
I know no better way to start my year than by going to Passion. Passion 2019 was both a game and life changer for me. In 2018, I started my year with Passion 18 and high hopes for my faith in the year to come, but as I had feared, I fell from my “Jesus-high” early on. Luckily, I am able to admit that I was not always the most faithful follower of Christ and am able to move on shamelessly. In 2019, I will spread the name of Christ without any fear of what people think of me (thanks to Christine Caine’s message on looking weird) or doubts that God will be leading me every step of the way.
I am so thankful for how the Lord has used the Hewitt Foundation in my life and in so many others life’s. I would not have been able to go Passion without the Hewitt Foundation.
Passion Conference now means a lot of things to me. I was encouraged greatly by going to Passion. Being in a place with 20,000 Christians brought tears to my eyes. I stopped singing for a moment during one of the songs on the last morning and looked around. I was filled with joy and strength in Christ, because with Christ in us He gives us power over Satan, fear, anxiety, the future, you name it. Christ gives us power in Him! We have a shelter in our Abba. I grew up in the church and had the head knowledge of this, but it hit home for me. Our Father has His arms always waiting for us, because of His love for us. That is something to be in amazement over. God does not put pressure on me to perform. He simply wants me to believe and have faith in Him, the rest follows. That changes my perspective of my day to day life and my future.
I left Passion with a reminder that no matter how small the flame, that flame can start a fire. I’ve always thought that I have to live up to something or become something before doing great things for the Lord, but I was reminded that I only have to come as I am. Come to Him with my worries, my craziness, mistakes, and future. He already knows all those things. I only have to come in faith and let Him do His will.
2019 will be a year of growth that was started at Passion. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.
I took a big leap of faith by attending Passion 2019. I got on a bus with a bunch of strangers and headed to a conference I knew nothing about. By trusting God and His plan, I came back from Passion 2019 with a full heart, stronger faith and new friendships. Passion was such a wonderful experience for me and it came at the right time in my life.
This year I had an amazing opportunity to go to Passion again. I went last year and it was amazing. I told myself that I would bring friends this year to Passion, which sadly did not happen. I ended up going without knowing really anyone again. On my ride to Craig Hewitt’s studio my mom and I talked about my future and what I wanted to do with my career. I ended up changing my mind to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. The people that I roomed with actually helped figure out my plan and gave me some guidance. The last full day of Passion my favorite speaker, Christine Caine, talked that night. She talked about not being afraid to follow what God wants for you to do with your life and to take risks in your faith. It really helped me decide that I wanted to be a nurse and not go to medical school. Passion seems to be a place that provides guidance and comfort even when you aren’t looking for it. It’s an amazing place to feel connected with God and other people in your generation who are trying to figure out their paths with God as well. I had another amazing time at Passion and can’t wait to go to Passion 2020!
Attending Passion 2019 was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was life- changing. Worshipping and praying along side of so many other followers of Christ is something I will never forget. While I was there, I had a spiritual rebirth because I realized I was not taking time for Christ daily. After Passion, I have set a goal to always shine the light of God and I have faith that Jesus will use me as an instrument to bring others to Him.
Wow Passion 2019! Just when I think “Surely they can’t top last year”‘ they did!!
This was my 5th year going with the Hewitt Foundation group. I’m always amazed at the messages and how they reach our young adults. God speaks through everyone involved with Passion and delivers just what our group needs to hear. From the powerful messages through the speakers to the amazing worship times with the many musical artist. It’s so obvious that Jesus is in attendance each and every minute of Passion.
The little videos about fathers and self harm and pornography were bold and spoke volumes even with no sound. As Louie spoke the first night about our fallen world and how we have a phone issue and a father issue I saw student sit up in their seats and leaning in to listen. When he said “A primary relationship with God is between a father and a child” I saw tear fill their eyes and yet a sense of relief as well. They have a loving father and He is going to meet them where they are.
What I took most out of this conference was the overwhelming message that was poured out on our young adults. If you woke up this morning, God’s not through with you. Your are important to God and when you feel like nobody is praying for you, Jesus is!!!
Satan wants us to feel overwhelmed and unworthy in this dark world but don’t fight the devil in the dark. When you try to fight the things of this world by yourself, it’s like snuggling up with a blanket that’s too short. You need Jesus to fight the darkness. He can use your little light to start a bonfire so go be a light for Jesus and watch as His grace pours over you.
I love going to Passion and I love seeing what it does to the young adults in our group and although I go for them I always come away feeling like there was some small moment that was just for me.
Passion 2019 was nothing short of incredible. This year really changed my perspective, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. It caused me to have hard and difficult conversations with friends and family. It made me want to become a better Christian, and be 100% and nothing less. This year’s conference showed me what it is like to surround yourself with strong faithful people, and how different my life could be if I had more of a community around me, pushing me to be even better for Jesus every day. This is something I am really striving to find, and work hard at to have.
First off I would like to thank the Hewitt Foundation personally for taking me to passion 2019 I had a great time listening to worship and getting to meet new people. I thought the worship was amazing. My favorite singer from passion was Lacrae. He wasn’t my favorite because of the songs he played but for the message he put into his songs and throughout the performance. One thing that stood out to me that he said was how god is not one with us yet. It stood out to me because sometimes I feel like the things that I have done in the past are unforgivable and that god has given up on me. But when he said that he made me realize that God is never done with us and that he forgives us for our sins. Another thing I got out of passion was how we as Christians shouldn’t be afraid to share our faith on social media. We are too caught up on who can get the most likes or if this picture will be good enough for everyone to like. So a goal for this year for me is to not care what people think of me on social media when I want to brag about our one true God. I also have had trouble in my faith with God. I have trouble committing to something that I know I don’t have control of. It’s scary to me to not have control of what I’m doing. Like the lady said the second night we might look stupid by having faith in Jesus but it’s the weird people who have it right with faith in Jesus. So again I really want to thank you for the opportunity in going and I hope to be part of it next year.
Thanks to Craig Hewitt and the Hewitt Foundation, I was able to attend the Passion Conference of 2019. After concluding the conference, I am able to say that my connection is stronger now than it has ever been. Passion 2019 not only helps grow you closer to Jesus Christ, but it also helps you to give back to your community. To have the opportunity to attend as an underclassmen was most definitely an opportunity that I am eternally grateful for. Passion helped me to realize that no matter how familiar you are with Jesus Christ, no matter how you think he may not always have your back, he does. He will be there through it all and that for me really hit home. When Louis spoke on behalf of us not all having great fathers, that especially hit home. Growing up for me, without a primary father figure was really tough. To me, my mother is everything to me. When she tells me how proud of me she is, means the world to me because I never got that as a child. I have to say overall, Passion 2019 really did change my perspective on some things in my life and help me to grow closer to Jesus Christ. The speakers were phenomenal and so were the performers. I hope to have the opportunity next year to attend along with The Hewitt Foundation, but as for right now, thank you for allowing me to have the opportunity to attend this year.
Passion 2019 was the most incredible way to start out the new year. I could not have asked for a better opportunity to grow in my faith, as well as make new friends and grow closer to others. At Passion, speakers gave insight as to how our relationship with God works and told us that we are God’s children, and he wants a close relationship with us. Passion also brought to surface what many high school and college students struggle with; pleasing others. Topics like this helped me to understand more about how I want to stray from pleasing those around me and instead amaze God. I absolutely can’t wait for the next opportunity to go to Passion and continue this experience!
Passion 2019 was so unbelievably amazing, and I truly loved it with my whole heart! I am so thankful that I was able to go as part of the Hewitt Foundation group! I’ve always heard nothing but good things about Passion, and one thing that seemed to be in common about hearing was that it would be “life changing.” Well, I was like ok whatever it can’t be that big, but I still wanted to go and see for myself. I can officially say now that I’ve been it really is “life changing.” If it’s anything that I took away from this conference it is this: “life change is only through seeing and receiving and not from hearing.” So as I tell my story for those of you who haven’t been, you truly won’t understand until you go which I highly recommend to everyone!
At Passion 2019 I don’t think that I’ve ever worshiped like I did when I was there. When I got back, I had pretty much lost my voice! All the speakers were so great! For me the first night was the best! As a lot of people know everyone has their own spiritual highs and lows. And really for the past several months ever since I got back from my mission trips from over the summer, I haven’t felt the same way and really felt like I was on a spiritual low. Because for me when I would be on a spiritual high I would get this feeling of warmth and the feeling of being secure like I knew, myself, that God was there and present in my life! I thought I always had to have that feeling to know that I was on a spiritual high. But what I realized on that first night was that I don’t always have to have that feeling to know that God is there and present in my life and ever since I realized that I’ve been as happy as ever on a spiritual high! And for me that was my “life changing” moment.
I would like to start off by saying thank you so much and that I am so thankful to have received the opportunity to ride along on the journey of Passion 2019. Over the course of the trip, I met new friends that share the same love of God as me, listened to fantastic worship music, and dove into deep topics during each message. Unforgettable memories were made both in the arena and in the hallways of the hotel. I will never forget how touching Wednesday night’s message was and how unified the audience felt during it. Passion 2019 brought me closer to God, and introduced me to some really great followers of Jesus. All in all, the trip exceeded my expectations, and I am so grateful to have received this opportunity.
Passion 2019 made me realize a lot of things. Going into the week I was unsure of what it was going to be like. The more practical side of myself thought I wouldn’t know anyone and it wasn’t going to be something I would truly enjoy. Man was I wrong.
I’m glad I didn’t listen to my self to much before the trip. That’s the thing about God he’s just not practical, he’s not rational, in fact he’s the opposite. Radical, undeniable, unchanging, and defying all logic. Gods plan is so much bigger than what we can think or imagine.
A week or so after passion I finally realized this. Even though I didn’t know what was going on and still don’t, God does. To me that’s what faith is, knowing Gods plan is greater than what you could ever think.
The best part, is the plan is for people who don’t know everything. We as humans are imperfect people. All God asks is that we believe he sent his son Jesus to die for our sins. And if we confess that then he will save us from our sins and give us eternal life.
Before passion I knew that and without a doubt know that Jesus is my lord and my savior. However, it was because of the worship and the speakers at passion that I was able to understand a little more about God (to say the least). The whole trip and still now afterwards I hear god saying well done, good and faithful servant.
Passion 2019 was incredible. It was so nice to be able to worship with friends, listen to the word of God preached, and meet new people all while being in Atlanta. My favorite part of Passion 2019 was listening to Matt Chandler live. He’s a very gifted speaker and God has really blessed him with the ability to preach. I’m so thankful for the Hewitt foundation and the opportunity to go to passion 2019. I’m looking forward to next year already.
Passion has taught me SO much. The most important thing that I learned was the power of friendship. I could write this and go-on talking about how each message and worship session impacted me (because it totally wrecked my heart sometimes), but I would not have learned nearly as much if it wasn’t for the friends I had with me and the Hewitt Foundation for providing us with the opportunity to go. After each session, my friends and I would discuss what we like, what we learned, what we still didn’t understand, and many more, than we would share answers that we had learned and how we plan to apply it to our lives. I can gratefully say (even though it has only been two weeks since Passion) that my friends and I still talk about how different sessions are impacting our lives and our thought processes. Thank you, Hewitt Foundation, for this awesome opportunity!!
Passion 2019 was in one word, for me, intimate. Each message received gave me a new outlook at what is to come. For the first time in my life I truly understood what it meant to be loved by the Father. Having heard this over and over in my lifetime, there were always doubts especially when I messed up. However, Pastor Giglio preached a message the first night on the Father’s love for us, and as said above I had never truly understood it until this moment. How fervent God was to have us, what adoption truly meant, and to have the image of the Father smiling at me. What a message and depiction this was. Not stating that this credit was due to Giglio, as all things are according to God, but he did a marvelous job at delivering what God had laid on his heart.
Passion is always a place of conviction and repentance. One thing that I began to notice last year was the expectancy of it. When we are expectant of Jesus, He will show up. He shows up always, but the whole idea and prayer of expectancy is so crucial not just for Passion but for all things. If this expectancy rolled over to everything in our lives such as youth group, church, college ministries…what would it look like? This is one idea and word that I want to live by in the future. I want to be expectant and hopeful for every thing that is attended or done in Jesus’ name. To be joyful for them. To be humble in all situations. I want to have a belief that is seen by others around me. I want to pick God over every other temporary item in this life. I want God at the true center.
For someone who didn’t originally want to go to Passion and was coming up with every possible excuse not to go, I ended up having a great experience and learning a lot from the speakers and the students as well. I am so incredibly thankful for not only what the Hewitt Foundation has done for me but also what Craig Hewitt himself has done for me. In three short days he was able to give me a community to fall back on when I may be going through a hard time and that’s something that everyone needs.
The first night Louie Giglio spoke about students not having a father figure in their lives. Listening to Louie talk about this I didn’t know how this message could possibly relate to me because I feel as I have been blessed with a father that has been around and is always there for me. After the session I told Craig I felt as if that message wasn’t for me and he explained that that message was for me and he was right. That message is for me. It’s for someone in my life that is struggling with a father figure and God gave me that message so that I’d be able to help them through that tough time. This may not have directly impacted me but this could impact a lot of people that are in my community whether I know it or not.
I also felt like God was trying to tell me that He wants me to use the light that he has given me to help others find their light. Darkness is a scary thing for anyone and being the person that can shed light into their world is great thing, so whether I’m simply praying for them or having coffee with them weekly to talk to them about God, that light in them is being lit. It may be a small flame but it has started and it will spread.
So as I start 2019 I hope that I can become someone that amazes God with my faith. I want to stop trying to amaze others and just do me with Jesus by my side. I no longer want to limit God, I want him to use me and show me my purpose. I don’t want the fear of what will happen to me or what people will say about me stop me from stepping out and spreading His word. I want my faith to stop wavering so that God can use my life the way it was intended to be used. This year I want a to give Him a reason to MARVEL.
Going to Passion has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school. I grew up listening to the albums, reading the books, and dreaming about the day that I was old enough to go. This year, with the help of the Hewitt Foundation, that dream came true. It was everything that I had dreamed it would be and more. I found myself challenged by the words of the speakers, moved by the incredible music, and inspired to act as the beloved child of God that I know that I am. Passion 2019 met me in a place where I needed every word that was spoken to me and motivated me to leave my idols of approval and success behind. We talked about hearing the same words that had been spoken many times differently and I felt that several passages and even song lyrics found new meaning. I was so inspired by such an incredible gathering of followers and can only imagine what next year will hold as Passion moves to a bigger venue and becomes an even greater testament to the power of the Lord. I am so thankful to the Hewitt Foundation for making this experience possible!
First of all, let it be known that I would not be able to attend Passion 2018 if it was not for the Hewitt Foundation. Financially, I did not have the means to attend Passion on my own and the Hewitt Foundation knocked down that barrier for me. I prayed that Passion 2018 would spark a revival in my faith as I hit a plateau this whole past year. God answered so generously. I was reminded of how much my Father loves me and that He doesn’t want to be known as my master or Lord, but as my Father, which is so tender and intimate. My heart and mind was refocused on who God our Father is. I was reminded that I am worth Jesus to God. I was pointed to all these faithful servants in the Bible who looked like complete fools, but they were serving God faithfully and that’s all that mattered to them. If we’re completely following the Lord, chances are people will look at us as foolish. I learned that that’s okay with me. However, my favorite part of Passion was that I was able to worship Jesus with 40,000 other 18-25 year olds. No one can deny God is working when you see something so powerful like that. I am so grateful to the Hewitt Foundation for this experience and for Craig Hewitt for sacrificing time and energy to see this through.
I have wanted to go to passion since I was a freshman in highschool, and I don’t regret going this year. Passion 2019 was truly amazing!! It was all around a really great experience. I enjoyed the fact that I got to worship my savior Jesus Christ with people I love. I have know Craig since the 7th grade and am grateful for him allowing me to go. I made a lot of connections and feel like I am stronger in my faith. I am looking forward to passion 2020!
Passion 2019 was my fifth year having the opportunity to attend the conference, and once again it surpassed my expectations. The three days that we were in Atlanta were days that I was completely encompassed by the Holy Spirit. Being immersed in the worship, and learning the word alongside 20,000 plus students is an experience that is unparalleled. This year, my biggest takeaway was that spiritual endurance is what I need to focus on throughout this year. I don’t want what I’ve learned and what has touched me to stay in State Farm Arena. I want to take the gospel and the passion that was instilled in me, and become a light for those who haven’t been touched by the gospel. I want to thank the foundation for allowing students to attend Passion who would have otherwise had to turn down an offer due to finances. By offering this incredibly generous trip, students lives are changed, and in turn the Kingdom is expanded. Passion is by far the most influential time in my year and I am so excited to see what God does in preparation for Passion 2020.
Going into Passion 2019 I had incredibly high expectations based on years past, and to no surprise those expectations were blown out of the water. Passion 2019 absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. From the very first night when Louie preached about letting go of anxiety and harped on how God is no where close to the same as any earthly father, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Louie’s message hit home for me in numerous ways, and for the first time in what seems like years, I truly felt God right there with me. Leaving the message on the very first night I felt an enormous weight lifted off my shoulders and I felt like I could breath again. The second and third days were just as incredible as the first. Between Matt Chandlers message on being truly known by God and letting go of our shame, and Christine Caine’s message on being “believing believers” I was absolutely blown away by the way God was showing me the changes I need to make this year. Over the three days I spent at the passion conference I grew in my faith, made incredible new friends, and learned so much about who I am, and who I want to be. Going into 2019 I am excited and ready to see what God has planned!
This year was my first year at Passion! This was one of the most outstanding thing that I have experienced. God spoke to me in many ways, I mean in many ways!! When Louie was taking about father figures, it hit me pretty hard. I haven’t had a really good father in my life, but he reminded God was my father and he would never leave me. I have made so many new friends and that I literally love!! I would definitely go back next year!!!
Passion 2019 changed my life because it gave me the realization and opened my eyes to the fact that my generation has the power to do more than I ever thought possible. I had this idea that all my generation cared about was gaming, partying and whatever is considered “cool.” This conference gave me the hope that our generation will spread the word of Christ and be good disciples just as the Lord has asked us to be. I specifically loved what Christine Caine said about we need to stop trying to impress our world and start trying to make God marvel at us. So often we see and think everyone has the “ perfect” life, but we need to start focusing on doing things that will make God proud of us and cause him to be amazed because that is when miracles happen. Our generation has the ability to change this perception and I hope more than anything that we will take advantage of that while using the lights placed inside of us and wait for God to start a bonfire.
My Passion 2019 was an unforgettable experience with many emotions. I witnessed the Lord touch so many hearts in such a short amount of time and to me there’s nothing greater in this world. My favorite speaker this year was Christine Caine who centered her testimony around how we, as people, should spend more time amazing God, not amazing each other. One thing she said that stood out to me was; “A faith-filled life is not a pain exempt life.” So many things we struggle with in our everyday lives, for example; anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts make us want to pull back from God but as Christine states “we weren’t meant to live a small life”. We must fall into the hands of our Savior. I truly found it inspiring how passionate Christine was about everyone in our generation living a life following our righteous Father leading us to the gates of Heaven.
I knew going to Passion 2019 was going to be moving, beautiful, and fun (it always is) but this year it was special in a few different ways that were really unique. As always, the worship was great, the teaching was awesome, and the opportunity to be with over 10,000 of my peers in a stadium worshipping Jesus. But on top of that, I got to form some really special relationships with some of the guys in our group which really made the trip so much better, and is why going with the Hewitt Foundation is a special blessing. From talking with Brendan after every session and just getting to know each other really well, to talking with Wilder about Jesus and getting to have really honest conversations about where he was at, to catching up with Carson and getting to talk about how our struggles and victories have been this past year since Passion 2018, to going to Waffle House at 2 in the morning and just laughing till we cry, the friendships and moments that came with them at Passion 2019 reminded me so much of how Jesus makes us into family with each other, and how beautiful that is.
My first experience at Passion was amazing and life changing! I learned that God can bring me out of darkness and that He is for me and never against me. He made me the way He did because He loves me! Anxiety has been a big deal with me for the past year but now I can say that my anxiety doesn’t control me anymore. I had a lot of fears going on the Passion trip and I think it was the unknown of going that made me anxious. Once I got there though, I had a sense of ease that was on me. I had an amazing time with my friends and I made a lot of new friendships and got to worship and praise God with them and grow in our relationship with the Lord! One thing that stuck out to me during Passion was “God sees you where you are right now. You don’t have to change for Him. He loves me just the way I am.” I don’t have to change who I am. I can be who I am because He made me that way.
I can’t wait to go back next year and experience worshipping with everyone in the Mercedes Benz stadium and create more friendships and grow my relationship with the Lord even more!
“This year was my first trip to Passion and it was absolutely incredible! Every message we heard seemed to apply to me in some way which I found amazing. The most powerful message for me was one about having such an incredible faith that Jesus is marveled by it. One question asked was “what about your faith is going to amaze God?” and it really made me think about my faith right now and what I can do to to amaze God. Going into 2019 I will strive to live my life in such a way that I can make God marvel. I’m so thankful to have been given the opportunity to hear the amazing messages and build the lasting friendships. This experience was truly something I will never forget!”
Okay. So, I’ve been to passion two times before this year, and I told myself last year that I wasn’t going to go again because I didn’t feel like I got what I wanted out of the trip, and there were a lot of distractions that got in my way. But, of course Craig texted me as usual asking me to go. First response was, “I don’t think I can go”. Of course Craig asked me what was getting in my way of going, and I was trying to figure out a nice way to tell him. I finally relented and told him that I didn’t feel like I got a lot out of it in the previous year and was just struggling with personal things. However, Craig being Craig, he wasn’t going to give up on me easily. God used him to continuously encourage me to go because the Lord knew it’s what my heart needed. Later, my mother then told me that my sister might would go if I went. So, I finally gave in and decided I would give it another chance, and let me tell you that I’m glad I did.
I have had a lot of junk in my life in these last few years of college. I got into unhealthy relationships, partying, drinking, and I pushed my relationship with the Lord to the side. I kept praying about it because I really have wanted the closeness with the Lord, but I was lazy about doing my part to make it happen, and the fire inside of me was just burnt. I needed the tough love my family and my best friend gave me to continue to breathe into me and push me to where my life should be.
The messages at passion really did connect to how my life has been, and I finally felt like my relationship with the Lord finally grew a little bit. Christine Caine had one of the most powerful messages I’ve ever heard, and I want to continue to learn more from her. Some of the biggest things that I liked that she said was “stop trying to impress the world”…”don’t stay safe and small”…”be willing to look foolish”…”I have the opportunity to MARVEL Jesus with my faith”… and so much more. It was also awesome to walk through that trip with my younger sister and seeing her grow in many ways. And let’s now forget how awesome the worship is!!!
So, once again. Thank you for sponsoring me and giving me this opportunity that I’ll never forget.
I’m very thankful to have been able to go to Passion 2019. This was my third time going to Passion, and I thoroughly enjoyed it again. This year, I especially enjoyed one message in particular. Louie Giglio’s message on the first night was extremely impactful. I have grown up with an incredible earthly father that tries his best to exemplify my heavenly Father’s love for me. But Louie’s message made me think about the truth that God is a perfect version of my earthly Father, and I am grateful for this. This message was a huge reminder of the miracle that God chose to make His primary relationship with me that of a Father and a Son.
I went into Passion extremely nervous socially. But I knew I needed to go because I had really been struggling with my faith; I had a lot of doubts and I felt like I needed to spiritually wake up. I am a very shy and reserved person, so I was worried about going to Atlanta with 50 people that I didn’t know. I truly came out of my box, and everyone who came was so incredibly nice and welcoming. Everyone was so inclusive and treated me as if they had known me for years. I made so many great friends through the process. On the very first night, the message brought me to tears, that was the first time I ever felt like God was talking to me. That entire night was such a surreal experience and really helped me to ‘wake up’. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Each day brought me closer to God, and I feel stronger in my faith and I’d recommend anyone to come. I really look forward to coming back to Passion 2020!
Passion 2019 blew my mind and forever changed my life. Honestly going into it I did not know what to expect I was excited, but nervous because I would have to meet so many people. This is not a challenge for me but I knew it was going to be awkward at first, in the end it was lots of fun and not awkward at all. The sessions were so impactful by the first night I was in tears due to the strong presence of God in the room. Throughout my whole life I had felt Christ and I knew he was there and present in my life, but I had never truly felt him in the room with me until the session when Christine Caine spoke. I was totally moved by the way she described how dormant and non-active the people of the church are and how our faith is not on fire like it should be. I was convicted when she talked about Jesus not being amazed at our faith. In Luke 7:9 Jesus says “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Thaumazo means to be amazed, marveled, wonder, astonished. Only twice was this word used in the new testament and both times it had to do with faith. The first time was the amazing faith of the centurion and the second was the unbelief of those who knew him best. Familiarity is dangerous and when she started talking about how we get to comfortable in the fact that knowing God is always going to be there I felt truly convicted. I had not been outreaching like I should and my faith was growing weak. Listening to her I realized my faith was based on my resources and the thoughts of people around me not truly having a faith on fire that is recognized that he is the Son of God and all he has to do is say the word because he is THAT powerful. I was limiting God to what I could think of not letting him reach full potential in my life. I want a faith that amazes Christ, he is not going to be surprised by my gifts and talents because he gave them to me and he is the one who tells me how to use them, but I want to have a faith that shows he says go and I go he says come and I come like the centurion servant in Luke 7. I was thinking about how my obsession in this world is trying to be perfect at everything I do. Christine talked about how we need to stop trying to be awesome because he is awesome and he is all we need. When we realize that we are not nothing, but he is everything the pressure will be lifted off our shoulders. In the last couple of years as I have matured I stopped caring about every little detail of what people thought of me and started focusing on myself and what God thought of me. She really hit home when she directed the sermon on how beliving is weird to most people and the stuff we believe is even crazier. I mean really we believe a man who died 2,000 years ago paid for our sins, and he somehow rose from the dead, immaculate conception, and that the words written down from so long ago still apply to us, what? That’s crazy. People are going to laugh and call us insane but we know we as christians cannot argue the way to a place where we say God it is all about you, but we can believe the way to that idea. I want to get back to the old school loving God not the loving God where I feel like I have to be cool and fit in and worship him within the boundaries of this world but truly being able to portrait the love of christ through me and how much my heart longs for him. Lately I have had trust issues because for all of my life I have believed the good in people and given them my full trust and then gotten hurt and felt like I was put in an ambulance emotionally. We can’t obey a God we don’t trust so I have to work on my trust issues in order to fully obey Christ.
If you have ever met me you know I am the worlds biggest scaredy cat ever to live. A lot of times fear stops us from stepping into the purposes of God and many times we end up in an ambulance spiritually. We need the faith that amazing God because a faith filled life does NOT mean a pain free life. Jesus never said if trials come he said when he just said he will be with us through the storm. A lot of time we pick the safe things but life is risky and hard. In the wise words of the broadway musical Hamilton” dying is easy, living is harder.” We need to be bold and live a life of faith, because we walk by faith not by sight, we are faith people. We need to have faith on fire like Noah who was building something that he didn’t know what it was, an ark, for rain that he hasn’t got a clue about; just pure faith. An I don’t know, for a haven’t got a clue. This session really touched and challenged me in my faith the most but all of them were extremely impactful. One of the songs they sang named “Fade Away” by Passion says “ take this whole world, give me jesus, let all else fade away.” In that moment I felt Jesus Christ more present in my life than ever and all I wanted was for the reality of my world to fade away and it just be Jesus. I want God to truly be amazed and thaumazo at my faith. I want to know what it means to feel like a fool when I am outreaching and to realize that I might have an I don’t know for an haven’t got a clue but it is more than nothing and we have to trust in God. Passion taught me how to love others and how to truly have a faith on fire and I will carry that into my schools and spread the gospel. I will carry that experience and always remember the wonderful things that happened, the relationships built, and the love I felt. I truly can not wait to come back next year!
Passion 2019 was one of the best experiences of my life. I was able to open up and talk about sensitive subjects with my peers that I have never been able to do before. Worshipping alongside 40,000 other people made the experience all the more powerful. It really was incredible to see so many people listening to the sermons, seeing the impact their words had on everyone, and praying together. I made many new friendships that will last a lifetime, and we were able to share common experiences together.
As 2019 begins, I feel refreshed and ready to take on the year because I was able to get reconnected with the Lord. I feel confident to face any obstacles that may come my way, and always know that Jesus is there for me. Reading back through my notes that I took at Passion helps remind me that I am a strong Christian who only needs Jesus. I am so incredibly thankful to be a part of Passion 2019.
Passion was a life changing experience. While I was there I felt Gods love and peace surrounding me. I was reminded of many truths at passion. Jesus can set me free from my anxiety. He loves me no matter where I am on my journey. We have a God shaped hole in our heart that only He can fill. Jesus cemented my worth when he died on the cross to save me from my sins. You cannot out sin the cross! Your limitations are not greater than God!
Passion 2019 was phenomenal. Having seen broadcasts and other videos pertaining to passion in the past I believed that I knew what to expect from passion this year. As you can imagine, I was wrong. Being able to be at passion in person was unlike anything I have ever experienced before and truly surpassed my expectations. The feeling and energy that there is when you along with thousands of other believers from around the world are united, and worshiping our savior together really is enough to leave some people speechless. The experience overall allowed me to get closer to the Lord while also making good friendships. I loved it and hope to attend next year.
I’m so thankful that I got to go to Passion! it was the perfect way to start off the new year with my best friends. Passion truly changed my life; because of the Word that I heard I decided to apply to be a apart of Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters servant team for the summer! I learned to follow God and trust wholeheartedly in Him because He knows what He wants to do with my life. I’ve been listening to the Passion album a lot, specifically on the lyrics and what they mean. I can’t wait to be back for Passion 2020!
My overall experience at Passion 2018 was remarkable. In just three days, I met many amazing people and heard many inspiring testimonies. Going into it as someone who isn’t very religious, I was given needed insight about the unconditional love and acceptance of the Christian community. In all honesty, I embarked upon this journey with a bit of hesitation and doubt, but instead left with a new family of close companions and an understanding of all God can do in the lives of those who open their hearts to him.
This past year has been full of personal growth for me, mentally and spiritually. I have been through a lot this past year, dealing with major health issues, losing people I thought had been close friends and feeling lost and confused with the direction my life was going. I never stopped believing in god, but I did lose a lot of faith in him. Coming to passion was a last minute decision for me. I knew instantly it was something I desperately needed. And thank God I went, because it was truly a life changing experience for me. I know now, who I am in Christ and I know that God has a reason for everything. I can now look back on everything I’ve been through, and am still going through, and thank him for it, rather than be upset about it. These obstacles in my life have only made me stronger in my faith and shown me the way I need to be living. My 2019 has started off very strong because of passion. I have amazing goals I have set for myself and one of them is to spread the word of God and open peoples eyes. I want to be a light for others. I am so much happier now, knowing he will always be by my side and I want others to know this to. I am still not sure how the Lord is going to use me, but I am more ready then I have ever been and I know he has a plan for me. Thank you Passion for being my light.
I have been to Passion several times now, but this year stood out to me most. The first few times I went I felt lost. It didn’t feel right it wasn’t my type of scene; I hadn’t been to church in years except during the holidays. I felt I didn’t belong there. Approaching my final year of college I have had many experiences and seen many things. I’ve had good things happen but then I have also had even worse things happen. On June 18thin 2017 my best friend was killed in a hit and run. I feel like this was really the defining moment I became in a state where I just tried to distance myself from God further than I already was. I was already distancing myself but I felt this was the thing that really shattered my faith. I thought, “If there was a god, how could he take one of your best friends, someone you hear from everyday that is always trying to hang out?” I started drifting further and further away.
When Craig first text me about Passion I wasn’t really planning on going. Then one of my friends texted me and encouraged me to go. The first two days honestly I almost got up and walked out because I felt if the speakers were talking directly about me. By the end of the second day though I was pulled in. All the speakers’ messages were all equally as powerful as the others, but two stuck out to me most. Honestly there’s so many things that stood out I could write about, but I am sticking to two. The first speaker that stood out to me was Matt Chandler. Matt Chandlers message was incredible. It was about bringing all your scars to Jesus. He already knows everything, run towards him not away from him. This spoke to me, I had spent all my time running away from him instead of towards him. A lot of people think they are not good enough, but Jesus says come as you are. This really gave me a sense of belonging at Passion. I felt welcomed, like I was led there and in that moment I knew it was where I was supposed to be.
Louie Giglio at the end of the Passion conference really put an exclamation point on things. He said, “Stop doubting and believe”. I had so much doubt and disbelief at the beginning of Passion. I felt almost like it was directed at me. Louie said “Investigate, the more you investigate the truth will be validated even more. Let your walls down, let him in”. It was in this moment I could actually feel my chest tighten. See I had spent so much time doubting him and disbelieving, not knowing why certain things happen and why they happen. After Passion I found a verse I really liked, that I think has a powerful message. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). That is such a powerful verse. We seek answers he wants us to investigate. Louie spoke of developing “bedrock” and building our faith on top of it. Well I sought and I found, I knocked and the door opened. My bedrock has been built and I am ready to see where it goes. We all have the ability to knock and find out, so just seek him, knock, let your faith guide you, it will be tested, but don’t let it be broken, have the type of faith that marvels Jesus.
This week I learned that there is a father in heaven that loves me even though I don’t know my real father all that well I know I can trust him and put all my faith In him and that really moved me know that he will always be there for me that the biggest thing that touched me this week.
Reagan (LEFT): Attending Passion 2019 through the generosity of the Hewitt Foundation truly blessed me in a multitude of ways. Beginning my year surrounded by my own generation lifting up the name of Jesus Christ, rejoicing in everything He is, everything He has done & will do, making new friends and just enjoying this beautiful life He has given us, was truly an unforgettable experience and has changed the trajectory of my year for the better. I am a girl who has been following the Lord for a while now, about ten years, but the Lord is constantly revealing His heart to me more and more and I am so expectant of how He will work in my life this year after hearing the messages at Passion.
While every message at Passion this year was full of good teaching & life changing truth, Christine Caine’s message has given me the most to come home with personally. She shared a story of leaders of the underground church in China telling her that the only way they teach witnessing is to witness to their executioners as they are being lead to execution and that statement wrecked. my. heart. It really made me think: who am I to speak on faith when there are people around the world who believe in the Lord’s goodness so fully that all they want as they’re being led to slaughter is to share His love with someone else? There are no words. That’s the faith I want—faith that the Lord will marvel at. This year I’m going to be focused on that one day at a time, spending more time learning who He is.
The last thing I have to say about Passion 2019 is that it was truly just what I needed to begin my year. 2018 was far from kind to me, and being surrounded by the people of God and feeling His presence, was perfect. Having words of encouragement spoken over us, and just hearing again that I am worth it to Him was monumental after a year that made me feel worthless. I am so excited to start the year that way again next year. Thank you!!
Cayleen (RIGHT): Going into PASSION I was excited, but more for the adventure of the trip and the people I would be surrounded by as my faith has never been the strongest. I have always been a believer in Christ, but in the past two years I have found my faith shaken by events surrounding my life that I cannot control. I was skeptical going into this trip that much would change. Leaving the first night of worship I felt something towards the Lord, but it was not exactly a joy, it was I feeling of confusion on why God allows such bad things to happen in life, but with discussion at the hotel with other members of our group I began to get a better understanding. The second day was a day of slow realization that ended with me becoming more accepting of the Lord and appreciating the fact that I am myself and no matter what happens, I am full and understood through Him. I also had fun bonding with others and sharing experiences with our trip to Waffle House later that night. Waking up the next morning was hard as my roommate and I were very tired from our late night talking, but the last day of worship and praise did not disappoint and was worth it entirely. I came home from this trip more understanding and accepting of both the Lord and myself; and I look forward to the next PASSION conference.
If you would like to see a few personal videos taken during our trip to Passion 2019 check out these links:
Passion Music – Mosaic “Tremble”
Passion Music – Lecae “You ain’t talking bout nothing”
Passion Music – Lecrae “All I need is you”
Passion Music – Passion Band “Great Are You Lord”
Passion Recap Video (Made by one of our young adults attending, Bre)
If you would like to watch the sermons from Passion 2019 check these out:
Passion 2019 worship:
