What Is Your Passion?
 

An acquaintance of mine asked the question of a group of us, "What is your Passion?"

I asked them, what is your definition for Passion, cause that can mean so many things to so many people. They said, "A passion is an intense drive that one has for a particular thing or activity. It consumes your thoughts during your down time if it's not your occupation. When people ask you what you're passionate about, you don't have to think about it."

After reading through that definition a couple of times... I had to be honest. I think back over my life, and the majority of the people I've known in 39 years of living weren't really passionate about anything. Even most of the ministers and preachers I've worked for, and most of the church people I've known really weren't passionate about anything.

There were things they cared about, but not really passionate. And most of the people I work with, and know aren't what you would call passionate people. They wake up, meet their duties of the day best they know how, try to live right, serve God as best they can, work hard, try to be honest in paying bills, go to bed at night, and tomorrow do the whole thing over again. Not passionate about anything per se, just trying to do the best they can at living.

And I would have to say, I'm not passionate about anything. I don't have a passion. Not saying that's a good or a bad thing, but I don't think there are that many people with a PASSION.

What say you? Do you have a Passion (keeping with the above definition)? If so, what is it? How do you view people without a passion?

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

If I am passionate about anything it would be about God,
although I would not say I always have an intense drive,
I can say He consumes my thoughts.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Music and singing is my passion. I'm not a professional artist or musician by any means. However, not a day goes by that some song or lyric from somewhere doesn't pop into my mind.

I absolutely love talking about music with others who share a similar interest and don't mind talking about it with me. I'm also constantly on the look-out for music events, although I haven't gone to as many as I'd like.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

I'm passionate about the Word of God. It seems I can never get enough time to read it. I read it every chance I get, and there is a Bible somewhere in almost every room of our home. It is life to me, and truth. I am passionate about worshiping and praising Jesus, it is something I do every chance I can get, I want to talk about Him, sing about Him, and just love Him from the depths of my heart.

There was a time in my life where my passion was other things, mainly crafting, and it stole my time away from God. The Lord showed me these things, and all my crafting tools have gathered dust over the last several years, but my Bible and my time with the Lord is the most precious thing to me now.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

so to those of you who have posted... does everyone you know have a passion? Do the majority of people you know have a passion? The majority of those I know don't have a passion, I don't have one. There are things I care about, but I certainly don't have any passions in my life.

Is it a bad thing to not have a passion?

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

let me answer this way:

you can have a successful marriage w/o passion,
but with passion the marriage is greatly enriched.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Espresso Coffee, children and their education, and a hot woman who is about to bear my fifth child.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Missions

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Farming is my passion. I love everything about the pastoral life. To see God's creation each day in every season and to be in tune to so many Bible principles- sowing and reaping, leaving those who are safe and going to find the lost, wheat and tares- this life makes His word come alive.

Life and death happen on a farm- moment by moment. Dominion over the earth is experienced as real. His attention to every detail becomes apparent in the most vivid ways while watching bees make honey or ants make hills.

His power is undeniable and our helplessness without Him is realized in thunderstorms and hail that crush new seedlings and droughts that dry up the very earth until it cracks. His mercy is apparent in the fresh start of each spring with new shoots that break the cold chilled soil and reach for the sun.

Nurturing baby animals and tender plants and helping them to live had given me a new understanding of His tender care for us.

To be able to cultivate, grow, raise, keep and care for everything that is needed to sustain life but still needing Him to fill my soul, helps me to understand my place in His plan and my value to Him and makes me love Him more than I ever imagined possible.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

I'm loving these answers, and very obvious that some of you have some things you are very passionate about. Great answers.

But I pose the question again... do you have people you know that don't have a passion? What is your assessment of that? Do you think they are missing out or if that floats their boat so to speak....

Or do you believe, everyone actually has a passion of some kind whether they know it or not?

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

So much easier to get a fuller image of God on a farm, imo (never been on one, been a city boy all my life)

I think there is some discussion of this def of passion at
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,"
and...won't say anything about tools gathering dust in pursuit of God,
except to say that while some pursuits might surely take one away,
they might just as easily be a wonderful expression of God, also.

I mean, Christ was a mason (or carpenter, if you prefer)--
but He also more or less "laid that down"...I note it was to "go out,"
however, and not become introspective, for whatever that may be worth?

http://www.wikihow.com/Discover-Your-Passion

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

I would have to say my passion is beginning to turn to searching the scriptures. Just trying to get the word in me at the moment and waiting for the spirit...

Other than that, I would have to say Guitar is my second fav. I have played ever since I was about 7 or 8 years old.. Learning about my heritage (Which is Greek and Norwegian.) Learning to speak other languages is way up there for me too.

There is something about a language that tells you about that group of people as a whole. Like in icelandic there are numerous ways to describe wind... where we only have a couple, simply because we don't have a need for that many words for it... or in indian there is a word for the feeling two people have when they look at each other but are too shy to go say something to one another... they must have great stress on that feeling to give it its own word. Kind of gives you a deeper connection. I love language learning.

As well as studying martial arts, mainly krav maga and wing chun. I'm also interested in history.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Jesus Christ, his spirit and his word. 38 years ago today he gave me the Holy Ghost. He has been my passion since that day.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

This is it! I did not find farming until I was in my 40's although I did find gardening :) I have met people who grew up on a farm and all they can say is that they are glad they got away "Too much work!"

Don plays guitar at a level not reached by many in this world. He loves it and has spent a lifetime perfecting it. I often say 'Could you turn that amplifier down, I'm trying to read!' having little appreciaton of what it takes to create music. Others can listen to Don play for hours and days on end.

Before farming my passion was medicine. I loved everything about the human body and learning all the secrets of what made it work and what caused it to fail.

And yes I think everyone has the potential to be passionate about something but not every season in life will find us in hot pursuit of something passionately. :)

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Happy Birthday MTD

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

God, family, friends.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

not Don Alder (youtube) by any chance? If not, you gotta link? If not, you should consider putting him on youtube! Very easy now.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Woo-hoo! Very cool; you have made much of it.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

My passions would be the things I focus on, care the most about and spend the most time and effort on. Currently, that would be God, family, music, my home & garden, friends and community outreach.

Things that I'm not passionate about are things I can do without and really don't care much one way or the other.

If you want to know what a person is passionate about, just watch what they do. Their life will center around their passions. I don't define a "passion" as something someone talks about all the time, although that can fit into the picture in some ways. Passion is a driving force that defines your priorities, your lifestyle and your choices. IMO, everyone is passionate about something.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

My father and I are both passionate about Southern Gospel music. Between the two of us, we have nearly 800+ cds.

I am also passionate about politics, history, family, friends, and religion. One of my overwhelming passions is to know more about the ways of the gifts of the Spirit.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

You said exactly what my acuaintance said. And honestly, I think that there are some of us in life, that just don't have a passion. I probably didn't in my younger days, but life isn't like that for me now.

There are many of us, that life is about getting up, working 50+ hours at a job we're not crazy about, but desperately need in this economy to survive, meeting church obligations, trying to be a good citizen, chores and duties at home (no wife and live alone, so it's all me at home), family obligations, trying to be the Christian God would have me be, going to bed, and starting all over the next day. I don't have any hobbies, nothing I collect, no spare time to do anything, etc.

I look around me, and see a ton of my friends, especially in recent years, just trying to live. Nothing we're passionate about, but just trying to make it day by day and make it one more day. So, I'll have to disagree here... I used to have many passions, but that luxury is gone in my life now... just how it is... and I see many others in the same boat... and frankly, that's okay. Nothing says you have to have a passion.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Maybe you better have another look at your signature line and put that together with what you've said above? God gave us this life to really LIVE, to experience the earth in all it's glory. He could have made it any way he wanted to... with just enough to subsist but He made it glorious with so many wonders. If I were not a farmer, which requires being in one place much of the time here are some things that I would enjoy to the point of considering them a passion:

Fishing/Hunting
Horseback riding
Photography
Travel- especially the RV variety
Travel to other countries

If I had not broken my leg into many pieces that did not properly knit I would include:

Distance running
Hiking
Surfing/Water skiing

One of the things that nearly ruined my life was obligation. The one I had to church especially. Having to be somewhere every time the doors opened, which in my case was 5 times a week, was beyond too much. And while these people were/are my friends and I enjoyed seeing them, we did not really get to interact that much. After all those years I finally came to the conclusion that another sermon is not what I need to live for God... what I needed was to actually LIVE for God. To His glory, in everything I do.

In addition to farming I am a blogger and a raw food advocate. Getting people healthy means something to me. Going out to eat fat filled restaurant food after church with a bunch of people who were already grossly overweight three times a week was not consistent with that at all but it was really the only social outlet in our church except special occasions (which also usually involved food). So for now our little group of home churchers t is working much better for me. They are mostly farmer/homeschooler types, like me.

I truly hope you find things to love in life and to be passionate about.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

There is no contradiction between my signature line and what I said. Seems like you always want to argue with anything I post and find fault.

I'm just saying, I think the whole "have a passion in life" is a luxury for some. And there's nothing that says you have to have a passion in life. Some people just live and are content just living a simple life with no frills and nothing they are really passionate about. And that's me, and I'm very, very content. Out of all the people I know at work, church, family.... there are very few that have a passion, but most of them seem very content with their lives without one. My acquaintance made is sound as if someone without a passion was somehow depressed, opressed, and lacking... and I don't believe that is true in all cases.

By the way, never said I didn't have things in life that I loved....that's a different topic... I said I don't have a passion in life. Big difference.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Bro Robbison I am not 'arguing' with you. You asked a question and I am trying to help you answer your question. I live a VERY simple life but I find pleasure in watching grass grow. So simple does not equal boring or discontented.

One of the keys for me in how I saw your post was that you repeatedly refer to your life's activities as 'obligations'... the antithesis of 'passions'. I too work nearly 50 a week off farm in a hospital. I spend time helping people transiton from health to sickness and sickness to helath. I find great joy in that. I did not list it as a passion because I am currently trying to leave it to farm full time and I didn't want to sound like a big blow-hard... but actually I love my work. It is not that my job is just so great... It's an attitude. I realize that God could have made the world any way He wanted but he did not make it just for us to subsist He made it for us to flourish!

Whatever we do should be done for His GLORY.
My answer is if you do not feel passionate about what you are doing, perhaps you are not doing what God intended for you to.

In example, you are a minister correct? But admittedly not passionate about it. I would like to suggest a book to you, "Called and Sent or Just Went", you can find it here:

http://pentecostalpublishing.com/node/3899

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

:thumbsup

I think it depends on how you define "passion." There may be a disconnect there.... To me, "passion" is the driving force behind most our choices (although many things are simply responsibilities), and so I see what people do and I assume these are the things they are passionate about.

There are times when our choices have led us away from our passions and IMO, that's when we need to reevaluate and organize our lives to include the things, people and experiences that matter.

Of course, we can't expect our whole life to be full of excitement, either. We survive the humdrum so that we can enjoy the special moments and special people. That's life.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

It's just a discussion; not an argument. ;)

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

I'm also passionate about my dog, Siegfried, he is my walking and running partner. We eat breakfast together in the mornings, he likes scrambled eggs, but not french toast. He walks me to the door in the morning when I go to work, and greets me when I get home. He keeps me company when I'm watching movies, reading books, or whatever I'm doing. He likes me better then he likes anyone else in the world, and with the exception of my husband and sister, I feel the same towards him.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

This is how it was framed as the definition of having a Passion in life. So this is the working hypothesis I was hoping the thread would go from so that we're all on the same page in how we're defining, having a passion.

Yes, I am a minister, and love doing what I do. I am called, know that without a shadow of a doubt, but I wouldn't say it's my passion, working within the confines of the definition that was provided to me by the person who asked me the original question.

There is nothing that consumes my thoughts during my down time... I don't have down time. There is nothing that immediately jumps to mind if someone asked me what I'm passionate about.

I have a great love for ministry, my family, living right, and other things... but none of them are a passion for me. I don't think everyone has a passion, and don't think they are any worse off in life without one.

Someone posted they loved to see grass grow... cool, but that doesn't mean it's your passion just cause you love it.

Someone also asked about "obligations". Life is full of them! Life isn't about being happy and enjoying yourself, sometimes you get to do those things, and sometimes you don't. We are here for His Glory and His purpose, our agenda, wants, desires and even happiness are far down on the list most of the time. We're here to do right and be kingdom minded, not have a good time.

MY WHOLE POINT OF THE THREAD... is... working within the confines of the definition that my acquaintance provided, I answered them that I don't have a passion. And from that, this person seemed to infer that everyone MUST have a passion in life, or somehow they are less fullfilled in life. And I just don't buy that.

I've known my parents for 39 years, they've been married 48. I've never known either of them to have any passion about anything, but they have been wonderful, amazing parents. They have a successful marriage, and they are very happy and content.

Maybe just living is enough in itself for some of us, and we don't need the luxury of having a "passion" in life. Possibly???????

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

It does depend on how one defines passion... I guess I could say I am very passionate and aggressive in my business, and I do love it. But I am also obligated to perform well, to provide for the family and make another trip to Europe a reality..

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Based on this definition:

"A passion is an intense drive that one has for a particular thing or activity. It consumes your thoughts during your down time if it's not your occupation. When people ask you what you're passionate about, you don't have to think about it."

I would still answer that my passions are:

God (and His Word), family, Music, home and garden and community outreach.

I have an intense drive for these particular things or activities and these are things that consume my thoughts and most of my time, the latter by design.

Are you sure you can't say with equal fervor that you are passionate about God, His Word and/or ministry? Your posts convey that.... It seems like on this thread that you're looking for a certain "feeling" and you've decided that you don't have that feeling about anything in your life, but I don't know if that's a good place to start with the analysis. Also, referencing your parents: if they've been married for 48 years and were good parents, I would say they are passionate about each other and passionate about you. ;)

Passion isn't necessarily exhibited in flamboyant ways. A person who consistently and persistently pursues the same goals over the course of a lifetime is demonstrating that they are passionate about those goals. A person who stays loyal and true to the same people over the course of a lifetime is illustrating that they are passionate about those people.

If I were answering your acquaintance FOR you, based just on your posts on this forum and nothing else, I would say: "Yes, Bro. Robbins is passionate about God, God's Word, pursuing godliness...and a baby named Andrew and his family." You might say that you're not passionate about these things, but your "speech betrays you."

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Does anyone else hate that Ms Bratty is right 97.8% of the time?

See her last post for spot on evidence!

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

97.8%? 97.8%? I feel like I've been demoted!!!! :heeheehee

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

That's to keep your ego in check. Not to mention you are wrong at times (a la Zimmerman)...

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

:D

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

YOU asked how others view people who do not have a passion. When I answered your queston you faulted me for an honest answer.

There is already a definition for the word. You can refine but not redefine it. I answered based on the common defination of the term passion.

You will find that no matter YOUR WHOLE POINT, when you post in a public forum you will get many points of view. You have to learn to stop seeing any that are not in agreement with yours as a personal affront. Or post as some others have that you only want opinions that agree with yours and list your rules in advance so we do not get confused. To come back later to say how we did not meet your expectations is not fair.

My point was and is that if something is seen as obligatory it often loses it's joy. I raised five children. Having myself been raised in foster care I was well aware that it was not something I HAD to do. I did it because I loved being a mother and I loved them. I never felt 'obligated' I felt blessed. I would consider that I was very passionate about being a good mother. :)

About the grass growing, which you seem to have a hard time believing I am passionate about... I read Stockman magizine, and books like All Flesh is Grass. I buy special seed, I spend hours and days deciding which clovers, grasses, legumes, etc. will make my pastures good enough to raise cattle who do not require supplementation of commercial grain. It is a passion and seeing it come to fruition with lush greenery that sucuessfully does what I planned for it to do is satisfying beyond measure. If that is not a passion, you will need to again redefine what the rules are for that term in your world.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

In my inbox this morning from other passionate grass farmers ;)

I wanted to let everyone know that we will be having our 19th annual Clover/Forage Field Day on Wednesday, April 25th. Registration is $20 at the Iola Community Center in Iola. Iola is about 75 miles NW of Houston. Lunch is included. Gene Sollock will be speaking on surviving the drought, forage production, clover planting and other topics. I will be speaking on getting started...electric fences, rotational grazing and cattle selection. Our guest speaker this year will be Jason Kramer of Yonder Way Farms. Yonder Way Farms does multispecies grazing and is a "Farmer's Market Extraodinaire"! The afternoon session will be out at Sollock Farm. You can get more information by contacting our Bedias Creek Soil and Water District clerk - Kenda Mahaffey at XXXXXXXXX Other information and website links can be found on our website: www.texasgrassfed.com

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

We'll just have to agree to disagree. Because under the definition my acquaintance gave me for passion, there is nothing or no one that fills that order in my life... and honestly, that's fine.

Not looking for a feeling, but I'm a black and white guy. And the definition he gave was pretty black and white, and there's really nothing that fits that for me.

My overall point, was this guy's reaction to me saying that I didn't have a passion, and that I thought many people I knew didn't have one was like..."that's horrible. They're missing out on so much of life." And I found his response to be sort of condescending.

He made it sound as if unless there was something you are passionate about in life, that your missing out, and I know so many that are examples of the opposite.

There's nothing wrong with just living life day to day, doing what your supposed to do, fulfilling the responsibilities and obligations of the day and doing right by people, and then going to bed and doing it all over again the next day.

I know some people that are passionate about fitness... it consumes them. Some about their hobbies. Some about their family or cooking... and bully for them. More power to them if they feel that's good for them... but not everyone has that... and there's nothing wrong with that... I suppose that's what I'm trying to say.

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

Your aquaintence was probably not condecending he was probably incredulous.

Passion:
Synonyms
1. Strong feeling, fervor, zeal, ardor.

Antonyms
1. apathy.

Perhaps you are a little depressed. Therapy maybe? You are quite a young man to just plod along doing what is right with little joy in it. No judgement here Bro. Robbins just a sincere desire to not see you at the end of life having not really experienced it to the fullest. Christ came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Peace to you. :)

Re: What Is Your Passion?
 

I guess we're just defining it differently--even using the spinoff definition that you gave. It seems to me like you're saying that it's fine to be content with regular old life (and I agree), and you're saying that that contentment with a plain, simple, unembellished life means there's no passion. (That's where I disagree.)

I DO agree that a person doesn't need to have spectacular hobbies or some recreational activity to be passionate about. I do think that we all have passions and that our lives reveal what those are--over time. That's where you and I will have to agree to disagree, I suppose. Some people are passionate about being lazy; some are passionate about being wasteful; some are passionate about drugs, alcohol or immorality. Not all passions are beneficial or wonderful; some are downright destructive. Still, if a person deliberately devotes time and effort to something, I believe it can be called "their passion."

I think I get what you're saying to your friend, though. That it's fine to be content with life as it is, and not have a lot of motivation to find some exceptional hobby or interest on the side? Maybe... :whistle