1/10/11

We Cannot Fathom.

Not even two weeks in, and this year has already been way too good :)

Over Christmas break, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA.  After an afternoon of driving, I met up with three of my Asbury friends, and although I was very much enjoying my sedentary, holiday lifestyle in Mississippi, it was a perfect and much needed change of pace.

If I am being honest, I need to say that I have always shown hesitancy toward huge Christian conferences like this one. In the past I have assumed the teaching to be predictable, and the attendees to be impacted by little more than a temporary spiritual high. I carried this presupposition there with me, as if I had the right to limit God to my expectations, or lack there of.  But it appears that God will move despite a lot of things if He wants to, including a skeptical brunette in a crowd.


It was a pretty amazing experience getting to be one of 22,000 college students worshiping and learning all together in the same place.   The speakers were incredibly challenging, tackling issues such as the importance of acting out what you say you believe, how to make Christ the foundation of who you are, and a call to genuine, radical living. My heart was truly touched, and my mind undoubtedly stretched.

On top of having my faith rocked (in a good way), I got to spend time with three of my dear friends from Asbury.  It was awesome to have the three of them all to myself for a few days before school. They are the best.

Leah, Jacob, James


GET THIS....

Do Something Now, is a huge social justice movement orchestrated by The Passion team and hundreds of their volunteers. This year at Passion 2011, the 22,000 students were united for the world in Jesus’ name.  The goal was to fund ten local/global causes for a cost of $450,000.  Pretty great goal right? Well, Our God is Greater.

Here are just a few of the astonishing numbers:



Restoration and a future for 10 girls trapped in sex slavery in Bolivia at a cost of $36,000. Given: 22 girls rescued/restored!




$50,000 to fund 50 Hydrocephalus surgeries in Uganda. Given: 141 surgeries!




200 small business loans for Afghan entrepreneurs totaling $40,000. Given: 387 loans!




Build 15 homes in Haiti at $54,000. Given: 39 homes!




Final Goal: 450,000
Total Given: $1,167,249.24


God - limited to our expectations?


Seriously, Maddi. Shut up.





3 comments:

Bethany Ury said...

Sounds like an amazing conference! I agree, I am usually skeptical of those things as well...but what a great reminder not to put God in a our nicely wrapped box on the shelf. He always blows our minds.

Unknown said...

Maddi this is wonderful. I didn't know the final figures for Do Something Now, but it is incredible to see God in the many situations. I'm very blessed and thankful to have been able to share such a spiritually revitalizing experience with you. God is so good! All the time.

-Clev

Kate said...

Wow, that's amazing! So neat to hear about the outcome! Glad you loved it!