Passion

I had a really awesome conversation with a couple my husband and I know over the weekend. We were at a Halloween party in the kitchen, munching on a ridiculously yummy seven layer dip and chips and chatting about life, more specifically our jobs. We talked about the importance of passion, and of being in love with what you do rather than just doing something for a pay cheque.

He is a photographer, she works with her husband on their shoots. He is also a part-time drummer (and a great one at that). And we weren't alone; also in the room were many of our other professional musician friends, including a bassist, drummer, keys player, my husband the guitarist, and me the vocalist. Not all of us are doing music full-time, but for most of us that is the goal. My husband is playing more than he isn't, teaching lessons twice a week, doing local gigs and out of town shows with an up-and-coming country act (he actually flew out this morning to play a few shows in Eastern Canada). Our bassist and keys player friends are full-time music, and our drummer friend owns a landscaping company and does music on the side. I was in a room with passionate people.

We talked about how amazing it was to have so many like-minded friends. We discussed how awesome it is to have this support structure around us. We said that we could see so clearly how God's hand is in everything; I married into this support structure and have built relationships with these people, and as I continue to build my career and play more and do more, they will love me and encourage me. We are so fortunate.

So much passion in one photo

I realized today that passion and faith can't be separate. We (my friends and I) are all passionate about what we do, but our jobs and our goals are not traditional. We can't just go to school and leave with a career. The arts don't really work like that. But the more that we lean on God to lead us, the more we see doors opening. It is so exciting to be able to share in this with our friends, our best friends. God placed these desires in us, and He is not without a plan, so we all need to trust that God will open the right doors at the right time. Passion is great, but faith and trust are what will lead to fulfillment. The Bible says to lean not on your own understanding. A career in music is forcing a lot of us to learn that lesson quickly, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Be passionate. Love passionately, work passionately, seek God's heart for you passionately.

-SP