Follow Your Passions

I've really been thinking about what my passions are lately.

Like, the ice breaker question when someone asks me what my hobbies are.
My normal answer is work. Because I really like what I do.
But then they ask "No, like in your free time."
And then I make up something like swimming or running or cooking or baking.
Which I like to do, but never really thought that it was a hobby.

But lately I've been thinking. And I think that to have a hobby, you must be passionate about it.
So maybe all those years I was just thinking I had no hobbies, but I just had some passions.

Although some things changed a little, I would say my passions are relatively the same and I've been so privileged to get to put those to work. My passions are:
1. Media
2. High Schoolers
3. Cooking
4. Outdoors

Christine, Me, Emma - making VerveCreative grow <3

I've only lived in Minnesota for 18 months. Can you believe that? It's felt like a lifetime.
But I've been able to connect and get involved with my church and other people and create lasting relationships. Through that, I've been able to LIVE MY PASSIONS.

In this fast-paced world, that's so hard for so many people to do. They always say "I want to do this…" or "I wish I had time for that…" But, I just decided that I was going to go all in and do it. And the results have been fantastic.

This past weekend, I got to go up for a day and and play with the Verve Youth Group, as they experienced God mixed with fun. Not only did I get to go down a snow tube for the first time (and walk up the giant hill), but I got to take cameras with me. Outside, I mostly did GoPro work, but inside, I got to grab the 5D and shoot away. Even though I was dead tired, it was an experience that brightened my whole day.

On top of that, every other Thursday, I meet with a Connect Group and we talk about the sermon from the previous week at church. It's so awesome to see what kind of people come together and the conversations are endless. (Literally, we force ourselves to separate at 11pm…) That fills me so much, but I also get to cook for these people every week.
And if you know me at all, I love being able to feed people. I regularly say "I wish I could feed the world." And I'm working on that.

Among so many other things…dinners with friends, coffee with friends, running around the lakes, laying out by the lakes, visiting different places with people…I've been able to fuel my passions and really thrive in this city.

I have an endless list of people who I'm thankful for making this happen (#1 is my mom) and it's so encouraging to get to be part of these groups and do what I love every week, and every day for that matter.

If you feel stuck or you're struggling to find where you belong, I dare you to follow your passions…and maybe turn them into hobbies…find time for what YOU want to do and what makes YOU happy. I promise you great things will come of it. Great people will come of it. And you will be able to look back and say that you tried.

<3XOT