“I’m all in. No matter what’s ahead.” – Rachel Christian
Rachel Christian recently joined Northstar’s college ministry as they headed to the Georgia Dome for Passion 2017, whose stated purpose is “to see a generation leverage their lives for what matters most.”
Rachel, a high school senior and one of the youngest of the 18-25 year olds in attendance, said she was overwhelmed by the number of people. “It was crazy. Like 95% of the people we saw in the subway were headed to Passion. And to be in that huge Dome with over 55,000 people my age who all had one focus: Jesus. The worship was powerful. I looked across the Dome and was so inspired to see this many of us giving praise to Jesus with worship leaders like Chris Tomlin and David Crowder, two of my favorites from the Passion Band. Overwhelming! All centered on Jesus.
“Our society thinks we are a generation that has left the church and will not stand for anything. It was great to prove that wrong. Over 55,000 people totally involved in worshiping Jesus and impacting their future. We saw college students move forward and sponsor all the kids in 4 1/2 countries for Compassion International (over 7,000 children total, in El Salvador, Rwanda, Tanzania, Indonesia, and hundreds in Bolivia). Students care to share the little money they do have to make Jesus known around the world.
“Then there were the sessions. The speakers were amazing. Francis Chan was my favorite,” as she flips through her notes on her phone. “His topic was exactly what I needed to hear. He said that we have to stop listening to ourselves and getting in the way of ourselves. Instead listen to God’s thoughts, which are higher than ours (Ephesians 1:18 and Isaiah 55:8-9). ‘What Jesus did makes you beautiful,’ Francis shared. We are the riches of his glory.
“Levi Lusko talked about two sides to every chain. Like Paul’s story being chained to the soldiers. We can look at it like, ‘Hey, I’m stuck here chained to this soldier.’ Or we can be like Paul, who turned it around and was like, ‘This soldier is chained to me and I have the opportunity to share Christ,’ and he did (Philippinas 1:12-14). So many people were influenced. Levi urged us to endure for the things we will do in the future, wherever God puts us.
“Lou Giglio said, ‘Jesus didn’t come to this earth so we can get some of Him and stumble to the finish line. He wants us to be all in‘ (Ephesians 3:14-19).
“Attending this conference impacts where I’m headed next. It was so inspiring in each session, the encouragement I needed to for what’s ahead. I don’t even know where I’m going to college, but I know if I keep God’s thoughts before my own, it will work out just the way God plans it. I know I can endure through each stage of my life and serve Him daily, not worrying about the future because He has a plan for me, looking for the other side of the chain when things are hard. It’s encouraged me to be all in with Jesus in my life. So, I’m all in. No matter what’s ahead.”