|PIC1|Mark and I and a great team of people have just completed a mission in Rwanda called 100 days of Hope. It was in response to the 12th anniversary of the genocide which approximately 1 million people were brutally and savagely slaughtered within this 100 day period, and our hearts were SO convicted to just get in there and bring hope and love to the amazing survivors and heroes who live in this land today. I do not tell you about this work to tell you about us, but to paint a picture of what is to come... and to encourage you in all that you are doing and bringing as artists and worshippers, that in the end... it’s always about OTHERS.

I guess it’s been a few years since I unmistakably heard the voice of the Lord deep within my spirit, that as the sound of worship rises from the earth...and the hearts of ordinary men and women are challenged to the core to change and to truly be the hands and feet of Christ, well, so is the grand responsibility being made aware to our hearts for the broken and seemingly forgotten.

1 Cor 13 talks about the power of a heart that is motivated by love and what it is truly capable of....

Psalm 149 talks about the true worshippers, with the high praises of God in our mouths AND a two-edged sword in our hand...valiantly praising a pathway through life that leads to true and complete freedom...

Isaiah 61:11 ’For as surely as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it spring forth, so surely the Lord God will cause righteousness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the Nations.....

Through the love of Christ we are changed..... we who hunger after Him MUST be experiencing change in our hearts... BUT FOR WHAT??

Jesus, at the well in John 4:24, when speaking about spirit and truth worshippers, was more interested in the life of a broken woman, and her journey of wholeness, than with his own reputation...and her story continues to bring freedom to her entire town in the very next chapter.

To be known as leaders in the realm of worship and praise, creative expression on any level... and yet not be known for the love in our hearts, is a great tragedy too great to express. Making sure you create room in your heart for passions other than your fulfilment or your own needs is pretty much where it is at... and as passion fuels it all, lets talk about your passions for one moment.

A life void of passion is grey, dull, boring, and certainly doesn’t represent life... but when your passions are misdirected, they can get you into trouble.

A passion for something which does not belong to you or ever should...will drive you to complete distraction and frustration...and to the extreme end, will only cause great anguish and heartache.

A passion without boundaries, say for prominence, fame, money or any measure of temporary fixes... again... the fruit will be short lived, and you’ll end up with an insatiable desire for more.

A passion for God’s will to be alive in your life fuels your choices and directs every step...healthy passion.

|AD|Passion for your family, and your church, and healthy relationships, and for all you are putting your hand to be prosperous...healthy passion.

Passion for music and art and its execution to be the finest you can possibly bring...great passion! passion, with Godly purpose.... This is passion that when delivered beautifully, will bring a great sense of fulfilment. There is no greater sense of calm on your inner world when your passion finds its wings in a healthy way.

So my friends.... So much to say, but let me conclude by saying, that I pray with all my heart that this next incredible season would be saturated with stories of how we not only sang the words and played the songs, but we MODELLED the life... part of a Romans 12 understanding of what worship is. If you are consistently running after methods of worship, and not a life of worship, you’ll forever be dissatisfied. As David prayed... CREATE in me a clean heart... RENEW a right spirit within me. So, if your heart is not in the right spot... DON’T PANIC!! Just pray like David prayed... and ask God to bring about the change needed. He is a faithful, most loving God!!!

James 1:26... ’if anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue deceives himself, and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’

Love you and totally believe in you....
Xxx Darlene.
Let’s go change the world...

If you would like more info on Hope Rwanda just go to the website, www.hoperwanda.org



Darlene Zschech
Christian Today Columnist




Darlene Zschech is a renowned singer and songwriter, also the worship pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. Her best known song "Shout to the Lord" is sung by an estimated 25-30 million churchgoers every week. In 2000, Darlene received a Dove Award nomination for 'Songwriter of the year' and has received the 'International Award' from GMA (Gospel Music Association). Darlene Zschech and her husband Mark are currently serving as executive directors of Mercy Ministries.