I was listening to a message by David Wilkerson today. If you don't know who he is, look for the book the "The Cross and the Switchblade" on amazon.com and learn about his surrendered life! It's an amazing story!

Anyway, he pastors Times Square Church in NYC. He is an anointed preacher, and really brings the Word!

He was talking about passion and anguish. These are two things I know about! I have experienced both! His message resounded with me in significant fashion.

One of the ideas he conveyed is that 'passion is the offspring of anguish.' He spoke of not being able to have true passion unless it was born thru a season of brokenness.

How true is this? I identify with this deeply.

The passion that I have is the direct result of seasons of brokenness and anguish. As the Lord prepares me for the future, I find I am experiencing the same.

We don't like such things. We even want to avoid the topic, as most identify too closely with it. We'd rather hear messages that make us feel good about ourselves (meanwhile we walk in disobedience). However, I am not sure how many of us actually realize that God is doing a real work within our hearts as we stumble through the valley.

We are familiar with the "fight or flight" response.

There are times I want to flee. I wanna run, hard. I wanna do my own thing, or do His on my timetable.

None of those options lead to joy. Each are empty pursuits.

True passion is birthed from anguish.

I'd rather experience anguish producing passion than the obsessive lust that leads to an empty soul.

I am leaving this week for Cambodia, and won't return until the end of the month. I do not know what lies ahead, but am anxious to be obedient, and will utilize the passion He has developed within me to serve as best I can.

I would ask you to be praying for my wife during this time.

Also, please lift up my daughter Lauren and her husband and his family, as we attend her father-in-laws funeral today. He had been fighting cancer. He was a godly man who set a great example!


Lord, be exalted in each of us and the decisions we make! May we be passionate for you!


dad