What are you passionate about?
One thing that both brings the world together and drives us apart are the things that we as humans have decided to passionately love or hate. These things can range anywhere from favorite restaurants or sports teams to religious and political beliefs.
Someone asked this question recently on a video of a conference I was watching, and it caused me to pause and have a short time of self-reflection. What am I passionate about?
Just the other day I discussed with a coworker how I believe that Tulsa, Oklahoma is in fact, the best part of the state—God’s country if you will! I grew up in the Tulsa area, which could have something to do with it. It was the city with which I identify my first 19 years of life, and so many pleasant memories. But even as an adult, and as an OKC resident now, I still love Tulsa the most.
I love the feeling of being in Woodward Park in the springtime, walking around the Philbrook grounds on a hot summer day and catching a drive-in movie at night. Going to a Drillers or Roughnecks game and sitting on the grass, or the many evenings or Saturday mornings we spent in the car driving to soccer games. I love visiting the Tulsa Zoo, even though that is one area in which I will admit OKC bests Boomtown, perhaps the only area.
My family is another thing I can talk about for what might seem like forever to most, but I would just be getting started. Being the youngest of six children has been and will always be one of my favorite things about myself. I love my huge family.
I also have six nephews and one niece with which I will admit, I am overly obsessed. They are all in the Tulsa area and some of the most precious blessings of my life. Each time my siblings tell me that their little ones asked about “Emmy” or my cat or dog, my heart swells, and in that moment that child could ask me for literally anything in the world and I couldn’t give it to them fast enough!
My parents are also in the Tulsa area, Verdigris to be more specific, my hometown, which I also love. I’m convinced that my parents are in-fact super heroes, and the best people on earth. All I’ll say is I’ve never seen my Dad and Superman in the same room, and I’ve never seen my mom and Wonder woman in the same room, I’ll let you put two and two together.
I am also completely head over heels for my sweet hubby, Casey. I find myself actively stopping myself from talking about him in social settings so as to not wear out my welcome or tire my friends with the same old gushing about my saint of a hubby. I could go on for days about all of Casey’s attributes, but I’ll just say he loves me and loves me well, and I am so blessed by him and his servant’s heart.
I also talk about my pets, often. I love my kitty, Hagrid so much it hurts, even though the same feeling is rarely reciprocated, I keep coming back for more. My husband, a huge dog person, got me Hagrid the first year we were married for my birthday, I knew he loved me then. We also just adopted a dog, a Boxer named Sadie. She is adorable, even though I will admit owning a dog took some getting used to…for both Hagrid and myself. Now we can’t imagine not having her around, at our feet, at all times.
My point with all of my ranting and raving about my favorite city, my family and my pets, and the point of the speaker in the video was, don’t you love talking about things about which you are passionate? When was the last time you talked someone’s ear off about Jesus?
Do people say about you, ‘Oh man that Emily loves Jesus,’ or ‘Don’t get her started talking about Jesus, she’ll never stop.”
Sadly, I don’t think that would be the immediate reaction of people when asked about me, maybe it would be. But what I’m saying is I SHOULD, without a doubt, be able to answer ‘Yes!’ when asking myself the above-mentioned question.
Recently I heard an incredible way of explaining the question I seem to have heard many times, “If God is so good, why is there killing and sin in the world? Why do people go to hell?”
The person explained saying that God did not create people to be evil. When He created man and woman, he created us with a free will, or the option to choose. When people go to hell, it’s because God has allowed them in His Sovereignty to choose and is honoring the choices they make.
I had never heard that answered so clearly and simply. So now, I feel equipped to answer that question concisely, and I will back it up with Scripture, as I think Scripture should always be present in a conversation about God. This is just one way I am going to talk about Jesus more.
Bring Him up in everyday conversations as you would talk about your favorite sports team, favorite band or place that you’ve visited. Because when we love something, we should love to talk about that thing, right?
We could all do better to talk more passionately about our Lord and Savior and what He has done for us and the world. Why not start today?