{"id":2717,"date":"2012-06-13T16:59:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-13T20:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=2717"},"modified":"2012-06-13T17:23:15","modified_gmt":"2012-06-13T21:23:15","slug":"the-passion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/06\/the-passion.html","title":{"rendered":"The passion"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Mark has been a close friend for as many years as I’ve worked with The Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0We were talking on the phone as we do at least once a week. \u00a0Mark began calling me on a regular basis about five years ago. Even though he is 20 years my junior we have a deep friendship and I value his opinion.<\/p>\n

“For years, I’ve felt your passion for the mentally challenged community but I’m only beginning to understand it,” he confessed to me last week. \u00a0“At times, that passion has been more intimidating than contagious.”<\/p>\n

I wasn’t sure that his comments were meant as a compliment or a point of correction. \u00a0He continued, “Because of your passion, I could not help but feel that I should be doing something, as well.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Passion is an interesting emotion. \u00a0It comes from desire, knowledge and deep concern or deep joy. \u00a0Most of the time when I write or speak about the mentally challenged community, it is done from a deep sense of joy. \u00a0I feel a great sense of humility to be given the honor to be able to serve this amazing population. \u00a0In the decades that I’ve been ministering in this cloistered sub-culture, my heart has been moved more by joy than frustration.<\/p>\n

Concern can be passed from one person to another. \u00a0Fear and doubt grow like orange mold when groups are infected with the life-robbing spores. \u00a0Joy can be transferred through laughter. \u00a0Even a smile can change the moment for another person.<\/p>\n

But passion must come from within the individual. \u00a0Godly passion comes from seeds planted by the Holy Spirit in the heart of a person. \u00a0No amount of preachy talk, scolding, or coaxing produces passion. \u00a0Even experience and camaraderie will not produce passion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Passion forces and then allows you to go against the very fiber of you personality. \u00a0I have friends who have such a passion for displaced women that they have built and fostered a ministry for these women, complete with a new building. \u00a0They are sold out regarding their commitment. \u00a0Yet, they live frugal lives. \u00a0They watch every dime and quarter, not allowing even one to slip through their fingers.<\/p>\n

I believe that God has given me a great gift to be passionate about a people who may be ignored in the hustle and bluster of 21th century maneuvering. \u00a0What is the passion of your life? \u00a0Do you believe that God has given this to you?<\/span> or have circumstances allowed\/forced you to become passionate?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mark has been a close friend for as many years as I’ve worked with The Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0We were talking on the phone as we do at least once a week. \u00a0Mark began calling me on a regular basis about five years ago. Even though he…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,5,3,40,186,49,16,147,8,4],"tags":[690,21,688,7,699,715,701,694,19,405,406,6],"class_list":["post-2717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autism-spectrum","category-christianity","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-leadership","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-simple-truths","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mental-retardation","tag-passion","tag-passion-for-ministry","tag-simple-scriptural-truths"],"yoast_head":"\nThe passion - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/06\/the-passion.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The passion - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mark has been a close friend for as many years as I’ve worked with The Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0We were talking on the phone as we do at least once a week. \u00a0Mark began calling me on a regular basis about five years ago. Even though he…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/06\/the-passion.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-06-13T20:59:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-06-13T21:23:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/06\/passion-150x150.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. Howard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The passion - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/06\/the-passion.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The passion - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","og_description":"Mark has been a close friend for as many years as I’ve worked with The Special Gathering, which is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0We were talking on the phone as we do at least once a week. \u00a0Mark began calling me on a regular basis about five years ago. 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