Does PASSION Drive You?

My Word of the Day – PASSION: more than just enthusiasm or excitement, PASSION is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind, body and soul into something as is possible.

What is it that drives you, motivates you and causes you to jump out of bed each morning with exuberance? Is it your family, your spouse, your hobby, or your job that you really don’t even consider it a J.O.B., because you love it so much? Based on the definition of PASSION and the questions I just asked, maybe you can’t think of anything that you are PASSIONATE about.

My youngest grandson, though he knows little about having to make ends meet or being responsible for a spouse or family, I’ve seen such PASSION in him for what he is responsible for – his animals. I’ve shared it before that he provides daily care of his 3 donkeys, 5 goats, a longhorn, his cat and dog. His PASSION for his responsibility doesn’t even seem like a chore to him. These recent photos (I’m here caring for these two boys for the week.) show a little boy that adores his animals. He bounces out of bed and heads to the barn and calls out “Where’s my girls? Where’s my boys?” What a PASSIONATE dad he will be one day.

Thank you for driving my PASSION. I wake up with PASSION to provide yet another blog and FB post. I am relentless to seek God’s wisdom and words that might encourage someone each day. My PASSION for God tops everything else. There is nothing that takes the place of time with Him, knowing He was my FIRST love and will be my LAST love – pleasing Him drives my decisions and everything within my being.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the act of living that we forget why we’re living. While it’s important to do what’s necessary; it’s also important to take time to reflect on the life we’re creating. When our last day arrives, don’t we want to look back and know our life mattered -- that it counted for something?

At the start of this new year, I want to close my eyes and feel my spirit excitingly begin its next journey without fear or regret. I want to live with a PASSIONATE heart. Here’s a few ways that remind me how to live with PASSION:

1. Take responsibility for my life and live every moment, every and every day like it could be my last.

2. Live every day with the expectancy, something good is going to happen in this day.

3. Turn negative thoughts and situations into gratitude by choosing to see what’s good in my life.

4. Love what I do. If I'm not PASSIONATE about what I'm doing, consider what I love to do and then start moving in that direction.

5. Take a honest look in the mirror. Michael Jackson’s lyrics to “Man in the Mirror” are a good way to start making changes that bring about PASSION for something other than myself: "I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him to change his ways; And no message could have been any clearer; If you wanna make the world a better place; Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.” If what we see within our heart and attitude needs changing, then we start changing it right now.

6. Make time to follow my heart’s desire. Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

7. Share my love and what is burning inside my heart with others who can encourage and inspire me.

8. Seek God for my PASSION: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make direct your paths.”

Let's start today to live our lives with PASSION and when we do, then every day of 2018 will start out with overflowing joy for what each new day holds!