Apostolic Passion

Rollin and I are taking a class this semester called "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement."  It's every Monday evening from 7 to 10 at night.  Each week they bring in different speakers, which is so awesome to be able to hear from such a variety of pastors and missionaries.  This class has been so eye-opening and has changed the way I view God, the Bible, and my life.

There is a textbook that comes along with the course and each week we are assigned readings.  I just finished reading one of the articles called "Apostolic Passion" by Floyd McClung and wanted to share some excerpts from it because I thought it was fantastic and convicting.

The first paragraph of the article:

'The term "passion" is used to describe everything from romance to hunger pangs.  I don't know what it means to you, but for me passion means whatever a person is willing to suffer for.  In fact, that's the root meaning of the word.  It comes from the Latin paserre, to suffer.  It is what you hunger for so intensely that you will sacrifice anything to have it.  He word "apostle" means a sent one, a messenger.  "Apostolic passion," therefore, is a deliberate, intentional choice to live for the worship of Jesus in the nations.  It has to do with being committed to the point of death to spreading His glory.  It's the quality of those who are on fire for Jesus, who dream of the whole earth being covered with the glory of the Lord.'

'I know when apostolic passion has died in my heart.  It happens when I don't spend my quiet time dreaming of the time when Jesus will be worshiped in languages that aren't yet heard in heaven.  I know it's missing from my life when I sing about heaven, but live as if earth is my home.  Apostolic passion is dead in my heart when I dream more about sports, toys, places to go and people to see, than I do about the nations worshiping Jesus.'

Um...wow...do I dream of the whole earth being covered with the glory of the Lord...to the point that I am willing to die for it?

Here's some more:

'We live in a world of competing passions.  If we do not die to self and fill our lives with the consuming passion of the worship of God in the nations, we will end up with other passions.'

And lastly:

'If you have apostolic passion, you are one of the most dangerous people on the planet.  The world no longer rules your hear.  You are no longer seduced by getting and gaining but devoted to spreading and proclaiming the glory of God in the nations.  You live as a pilgrim, unattached to the cares of this world.  You are not afraid of loss.  You even dare to believe you may be given the privilege of dying to spread His fame on the earth.'

Wow.  I am afraid of loss.  The thought of martyrdom scares me.  But Jesus does give me hope because I know he can change me and change my heart.  And that has been my prayer today.

If you want to read the full article you can read it on the author's blog here!

song of the week

This is another favorite song of mine right now.  My favorite part is the bridge where he sings:

"There's gonna be a wedding, it's the reason why I'm living, to marry the Lamb."

It moves me to prepare my heart and spirit for the return of Jesus.




What do you think of this song?

every month (in pictures)

Tonight Rollin and I got in an argument.  But we still like each other.  And, of course, we love each other.  In fact, right now while I'm working on this post he's following the A&M football game while I decided to collect a picture of each other every single month that we've been together. We enjoy just being in the same room together, even if we're doing separate things.  We started dating May of 2009, so this month is our 53rd month together as a couple.  I ALMOST have a picture from every month we were together.  Maybe it's silly that I did this, but I enjoyed looking back on our months together.

Taken June 5th, 2009.  Who knew that a year from this year we'd be getting married.

Taken July 2nd, 2009.

Taken July 16th, 2009.  We got into our first fight on a this hike.  With many more to come!  Hehe.

Taken August 5th, 2009.

Taken September 7th, 2009.

Taken October 20th, 2009.  This is a cute story.  We had a conflict earlier that day and didn't really get to resolve it.  He was at school and was going to be at class in the evening.  So I decided to go on a run to campus and find him before he has his class.  Well, little did I know that he decided to skip class to come home and spend time with me.  We finally found each other.

Taken November 14th, 2009 on Tiki Island.

Taken November 28th, 2009 in Chicago, IL.

Taken January 2nd, 2010.  He flew to Illinois and proposed!

Taken January 21, 2010.

Taken February 13th, 2010.  Celebrating our first Valentine's Day.

Taken March 3rd, 2010.

Taken April 10th, 2010.  I was so eager to take pictures of bluebonnets my first spring in Texas!

Taken May 22nd, 2010.  Just two weeks until our wedding!!

Taken June 5th, 2010.  We got married!  This picture was taken in the limo on the way to the reception.

Taken June 11, 2010.  In Jamaica on our honeymoon.

Taken July 25th, 2010.  Celebrating 50 days of marriage!

Taken August 4th, 2010.  On a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This was taken sometime in September 2010.

Taken October 10th, 2010.  We were visiting the Riverwalk in San Antonio!

Taken November 5th, 2010.

Taken December 5th, 2010.  We celebrated 6 months of marriage!

Taken January 2nd, 2011.

Taken February 11th, 2011.

Taken February 19th, 2011.

Taken March 31st, 2011.  Rollin's birthday!!

Taken April 25th, 2011.

Taken May 22nd, 2011.  This is Pedernales Falls State Park.

Taken June 6th, 2011.  On our FIRST anniversary trip to Austin!

Taken July 19th, 2011.  We were going to take a big hike but our car wouldn't start.  So we just hiked Eagle Cliff!

Taken August 5th, 2011.  We attempted to hike up to Spectacle Lakes...but didn't make it.  We still had a good time.

Taken October 15th, 2011.

Taken October 23rd, 2011.

Taken November 29th, 2011.

Taken December 3rd, 2011.

Taken February 11th, 2012.

Taken March 25th, 2012.  There's always a trip to see the blubonnets.

Taken April 6th, 2012.

Taken June 5th, 2012.  SECOND anniversary trip to Corpus Christi!

Taken July 1st, 2012.

Taken August 3rd, 2012.

Taken October 8th, 2012.

Taken November 18th, 2012.

Taken December 25th, 2012.  Our FOURTH Christmas being together.

Taken January 26th, 2013.

Taken February 16th, 2013.

Taken March 20th, 2013.

Taken March 25th, 2013.  This picture was a timed picture on a tripod.

Taken May 3rd, 2013.

Taken June 5th, 2013.  THREE years!

Taken July 4th, 2013.

Taken September 13th, 2013.

Wow.  We both look so different to me.  We looked so young when we first started dating.  The trials and struggles of marriage have worn on us.  Yet I believe it has made us richer in many ways.  There is a depth that was not there before.  I am a happily married woman.