Passion

By Whitney Jones

Just this week I spent an entire afternoon driving all over God’s green earth to find the exact items my daughter needed for a school project.  I went to three separate places looking for specific items, the most difficult of which to find were a particular type of Twizzlers. I was determined that I would find the exact kind she was describing so that her Science project which was due Friday, would be perfect.  

Driving home successfully with all the correct supplies I felt thrilled.  I walked in the door, beaming believing my thirteen-year-old would share my enthusiasm.  But much to my surprise she wasn’t as passionate about the Twizzlers that had eluded me all afternoon.

Clearly, I can be a passionate parent, and I have always had a very passionate personality. As a child I was passionate about gymnastics and practiced every day to get better and better. I disciplined myself to balance school and the long hours in the gym so I could be the best gymnast that I could possibly be.  This passion for gymnastics fueled my passion to live a healthy lifestyle as an adult and help others be healthy.

As a preteen I started becoming passionate about others and befriending those that got picked on at school. I wanted to be friends with everyone, even the kids that weren’t popular or well-liked by others. This passion led me to love others, even those that live very different lifestyles than me. Today, this passion for others is fueled by providing a safe, loving environment for children in a crisis through Safe Families.

As a teen I was passionate about children and I enjoyed babysitting. I wasn’t the type of babysitter that invited my boyfriend over and ignored the kids. I was the type of babysitter that painted with the kids and took them to the zoo and swimming. I truly loved being with kids and watching them learn about the world around them which led me to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. Now I am fueling my passion for others by teaching kids about God and His infinite love for them.

 No one taught me to be passionate about gymnastics, other people or children. It is the way that God wired me to be. However, along the way I had my parents and other role models in my life that helped guide me and turn up the “passion dial” in my life. You see we all are hard wired to have passion. We just have to figure out how to use that passion for God’s glory.

When kids move into the teenage years, we need to turn up the “passion dial” in their lives. It is critical for teenagers to make personal connections to what they learn. They need consistent opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ so they can start to understand how to be the church. Teenagers can do amazing things with their gifts if we as parents and leaders give them something important to do.

We want our kids and teens to be young people fueled by passion, but that passion is only fully realized when we understand who God is and where we find our true identity. As parents and leaders we want to turn the “passion dial” in their life so we can help kids understand “Why Am I Here?”  

Can you imagine what life would be like if your kids developed a sense of passion that mobilized them to do what Jesus did on earth? What if they each understood they are designed to personally participate in God’s story to show His redemptive plan to every generation?

Our children look to us to discover what passion looks like.  Unfortunately, we often quiet the passion in our lives for things that are more practical or seem more responsible.  But if you want to unlock the passions of your son or daughter, and turn the “passion dial” up in their lives, encouraging them to use their gifts, talents and abilities to further God’s kingdom – then it starts by modeling what it looks like to live a passionate life instead of a passionless life.

You don’t always have to be efficient.  You can choose to live from your passions and pour yourself into the things that you care desperately about.  You can find the things that break your heart and you can make a difference in fixing them.  You can do all these things, and all the while practically demonstrate to your kids the results of a life lived from our passions.  So give it a shot this week.  Find something you are passionate about, drop everything else and turn up the dial together.