What does Jesus look like?
01 Nov 2011 5 Comments
in Culture, faith, God, Life Tags: community, Halloween alternative, outreach
Have you ever wondered what Jesus looks like? Contrary to all the pictures we may have seen of Him, I think we’ll be surprised when we come face to face with Him one day. But until that day comes, Jesus has already given us a glimpse of what He looks like here on earth. How do I know that? Because I saw Him last night.
Last night, our church held our first annual Harvest Fest at North Elementary in Opelousas. North Elementary is an under privileged school that we’ve adopted, to give them what many of them don’t have….HOPE and LOVE. (For the background of our involvement at North Elementary, read one of my previous blogs titled “Find the ONE”) Not completely sure what kind of turn-out to expect, our team came ready to serve our community with the love of God. Well, by night’s end, over 1400 people had come through the gates of the school!!
After getting home last night, I had such an overwhelming sense of the smile of God, over us as a church and over our community. Countless people had genuinely thanked us throughout the evening, totally blown away by our love and compassion for the city of Opelousas. A community that has longed sensed the sting of poverty and racism, had now felt the love and hope that only Jesus can bring. I felt as if my heart was going to burst!! And I could only imagine how the heart of God must have felt.
Jesus tells a story in Matthew 26 about feeding, clothing, and welcoming the poor, lonely and hopeless. He goes on to say that “whenever you do one of these things to someone who is overlooked or ignored, that was Me….YOU DID IT TO ME.”
So last night, we saw Jesus. This is what He looked like:
*A frail, elderly grandmother trying to keep up with all of her grandchildren….that was Jesus.
*A young, teen-age mother, carrying her newborn baby, while her other children ran around like it was Christmas morning….that was Jesus.
**Young girls who were pregnant, barely more than a child themselves….that was Jesus.
**Many, many children who said they’d never owned a bicycle (and some who walked away with their very first one!)….that was Jesus.
**Teenage young men who just came to check out what we were doing, but left having felt valued because other men took the time to talk with them and take an interest in their lives…..that was Jesus.
**Single moms, who’s very expressions on their faces, said “Thank you!! I needed this help!”….that was Jesus.
**Teachers and faculty of North Elementary, who very seldom feel the appreciation that is due to them, walking away overwhelmed at the love of God through His people….that was Jesus.
**Infant babies, dressed up as everything from witches, to lions, to princesses, to even a precious little lamb…..that was Jesus.
**Mothers & fathers, aunties & uncles, cousins & neighbors, brothers & sisters….who simply was looking for a fun evening with their families, not having to worry about their safety or security…..that was Jesus.
**And finally, countless volunteers, staff, cooks, students and police officers who took the day off from work, to serve this wonderful school and community…..they represented Jesus.
I’ve been in ministry a long time. You would think events like this would become the “norm” of what we do. But it’s not. There’s nothing “normal” about it. It’s the supernatural, tangible love and goodness of God that draws men, women, children, aunties, uncles and grandmothers (and even pastors and leaders 
) to Him.
I know it’s supernatural….because I sensed Him.
I know it’s tangible…because I felt Him.
I know what Jesus looks like….because I saw Him….last night.
Not a way OUT but a way THROUGH
11 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in faith, God, Life, trust, Women Tags: friendship
For the past six weeks, I have taught our women’s bible study groups on the friendship of David and Jonathon…”Two are better than one…” As God ALWAYS does, He has taught me MUCH more than I could ever teach our women. One teaching in particular, really struck a chord in my heart.
After David was anointed as king of Israel by the prophet, Samuel….after He defeated the giant, Goliath, after He served in Saul’s household and army, David suddenly found himself on the run for his life. Saul’s love and admiration towards David turned quickly to hatred and jealousy. David was being hunted down and assaulted, not for what he had done WRONG but for what he had done RIGHT. Saul didn’t hate David because he has evil; Saul hated David because he was good. Ever felt that way?? Suffering persecution and animosity from others, not because of what you’ve done wrong but because of what you’ve done right?? (But that’s another blog, for another time!! )
As I continued to study the life and relationship of David and Jonathon, God revealed a truth to my heart. INSTEAD OF GOD SENDING DAVID A WAY OUT OF HIS SITUATION, HE CHOSE TO SEND HIM A FRIEND. Someone to walk with, to encourage, to strengthen David in his most dire days. God could have easily wiped Saul out of the picture and immediately placed David on the throne as king of Israel. But He did not. He instead chose for David to walk THROUGH those difficult circumstances, but in His graciousness….God sent David a friend named Jonathon.
I’m afraid that so many times, as we pray for a way OUT of our current circumstances, we miss the very people that God has sent into our lives to help us walk THROUGH those same circumstances. Our Heavenly Father, in His love and mercy, doesn’t desire us to be alone in this life. He has sent us friends to walk with us….in good times and in bad. Are we so busy praying for a way OUT, that we don’t recognize the very people God has sent us, to help us walk THROUGH?
David himself, wrote in Psalm 23, “ even though I walk THROUGH the darkest valley….You are with me.” We must not stay or camp out in the valley. Our responsibility is to walk THROUGH the valley, confident that God is with us, but even more confident that God will send us friends….while we continue walking. Friends that will pray for us, when we can’t pray for ourselves. Friends to have faith for us, when our faith has run out. Friends to believe in us, when we genuinely don’t believe in ourselves anymore. Not a way OUT, but a way THROUGH.
Have you been praying for a way OUT, when in reality God is asking you to walk THROUGH? Have you recognized the people that He has sent you to strengthen and encourage you while you’re walking?
I give you permission to only stop walking for a moment. Stop long enough to look around and truly see WHO God has sent to you to help you walk THROUGH.
Ok….that’s long enough. Embrace and receive those friendships as a blessing and gift from your Heavenly Father. Now keep going…keep walking…..YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
S.P.A. Night Recap
13 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
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This past Sunday, we had our first S.P.A. (Spiritual Principles Applied) night of the 2011 season. It was our largest S.P.A. night EVER!!! My heart continues to be filled with gratitude & awe of the faithfulness of God to our women as we head into our 10th year of women’s ministry at Our Savior’s Church.
Just in case you missed it, or if you need to be reminded , here’s a brief recap:
As I used the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) for the basis of my message, we learned that God is asking (and even expects) us to take time for the ONE person that He is sending to us to show them His love. So many times, we can get overwhelmed at the great needs we see in our families, our neighborhoods, our work place, our community and even our nation, and we wonder what ONE person can do to make a difference.
Because of that mindset, I think the enemy keeps us held back from doing ANYTHING because we don’t realize the power of ONE. Throughout the Gospels, we read of Jesus’ teachings of finding just ONE. ONE sheep, ONE coin, ONE lost son…ONE beaten and battered person, left for dead on the side of the road. Just ONE. Though Jesus did command us to “Go and make disciples of all nations”, He knew we could only do it ONE person at a time.
Never before has there been a time that people’s hearts are so open and ready to hear and receive the Good News of God’s love for them. Through the story of the Good Samaritan, we see 3 things that God is asking of each ONE of us: Find the ONE, Reach the ONE and Be the ONE. Find just ONE person you sense that God is bringing across your path; reach that ONE by not just praying for them, but DOING SOMETHING for them in their time of need; and finally, be the ONE to that person by allowing God’s love, grace and forgiveness to work through you. Represent Jesus to that person. Remember, it’s the “GOODNESS of God that leads us (people) to repentance”.
Nothing complicated about that mandate: Just ONE. Not your entire family, or neighborhood, or work place or community. Just ONE. And if each ONE of us took that mandate seriously…..then we could see ENTIRE families/neighborhoods/work places, communities CHANGED FOR THE GOOD AND FOR GOD’S GLORY!!
So take this little reminder and FIND THE ONE, REACH THE ONE, and BE THE ONE today, this week, next week and so on and let’s see together what God will do in our worlds!!
I would LOVE to hear your stories of your ONE!! Please email me at FindYourOne@arisewomen.com and tell me about it!! TOGETHER we can bring a huge smile to the face of God as we are obedient to the ONE.
A Heart Like His
07 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
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Most of us have read about the life of David in I & II Samuel a million times. There is no other person in the Bible that more is written about than David. This fall session of women’s bible study, I am teaching on the friendship of David and Jonathon. But before I can teach on their relationship, I had to first give some background on David’s life.
In re-reading about David’s life, something “stuck” on me that I couldn’t shake. The Bible says that when God was searching for a king to lead Israel, he found a “man after God’s own heart”. I know that I’ve read that a million times over my lifetime, but something was different this time. God found someone’s heart that He recognized as resembling His own heart.
I wonder how many other people God looked at when searching for a new king? How many other hearts did He gaze on, only to pass them by because their heart condition wasn’t one that looked like His own?
David didn’t come from a royal bloodline (in fact, he had despised Moabite blood in his family heritage), he wasn’t from a family of priests or prophets. David wasn’t even “called into the ministry”. There was absolutely NOTHING special about David. Nothing special except the pure heart that he carried. A heart that loved God. A heart that looked much like God’s own heart. A heart that was so exceptional in God’s eyes that God chose David to be king BECAUSE OF HIS HEART.
I don’t know about you but I find great encouragement in that revelation!! There are many things in my life that I cannot change. I can’t change many of my circumstances. I can’t change my family history or heritage. I can’t change some of the mistakes that I’ve made, or disappointments of my past. But there is one thing that I can change: THE CONDITION OF MY HEART.
I alone can change the condition and purity of my own heart. I can make sure that nothing sinful stays in my heart. I can guard my heart against unforgiveness, bitterness or resentment. I can open my heart for God to fill it with more of His love, His compassion, His grace, His forgiveness. I HAVE THE POWER TO CARRY A HEART LIKE HIS. A heart that can look much like the heart of God.
That’s the only qualification that God is looking for when His eyes roam over the earth to find someone who He can use for His glory: A HEART LIKE HIS OWN. David caught God’s eyes because of his pure heart. Can the same be said of me? Of you? May our pure hearts capture God’s attention when He’s searching for someone to be used by Him.
What choices do you need to make today for your heart to resemble the heart of your Father? Is there someone you need to forgive? Is there someone you need to release to God because you’ve allowed them to control your life long enough? Do you need to repent because of things you’ve carried in your heart that no one else knows about….except God?
Those choices aren’t easy to make, but they are necessary to carry a HEART LIKE HIS. I think we all have room in our hearts for more of God’s grace, faith, love, hope, and forgiveness.
I don’t want the eyes of God to pass me by because I haven’t allowed Him to purify my heart. My greatest desire is for His eyes to see in me a HEART THAT LOOKS LIKE HIS. I think that’s the greatest accomplishment of all. Some days I think I carry that heart. Other days, it seems like I have such a long way to go.
Will you join me in making a committment to our Heavenly Father?
A committment in carrying a HEART LIKE HIS.
The Right Thing
30 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in Uncategorized
Over the past week, I’ve had to ask myself this question multiple times: “In the eyes of God, what’s the RIGHT thing to do?” Not what I feel like doing, not what is justified for me to do, not what people expect me to do, but in the eyes of God, what’s the RIGHT thing?
This may sound very simple to those reading this, but when there is a major action required on your part that could change everything in your life, the question isn’t so simple. I’ve lived my life trying to do what’s right. Right in the eyes of God and right in the eyes of others. Sometimes those two things coincide, but many times they don’t. Right in the eyes of God ALWAYS trumps the eyes or opinions of others. And so many more times, THE EYES OF GOD are the only eyes seeing you do the right thing.
God blesses “right-ness”. In fact, the Bible calls it righteousness…right choices… doing the right thing. I’m more committed to doing what’s right in God’s eyes now more than ever. Whether other people see and recognize it or not…God sees, God knows, God blesses our “right-ness”.
I’ve never been a person that’s wrestled with outward, blatant sins. But in the deepest places of my heart, I know whether I’ve done right in God’s eyes or not. I know whether I’ve pleased the heart of God or not. And I also know those times when I’ve chosen to think that some of my decisions or actions aren’t that big of a deal, but when looking back, I realize that I may have disappointed Him. Not in sinning but in NOT doing what was right in His eyes.
So as I faced a very important decision last week, I DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES. Most people will never know that decision, but GOD KNOWS. And I think that He was pleased. I could have easily justified doing nothing, much less what was right. But the greatest desire of my heart is to bring pleasure to His heart. It’s not always easy, but it’s always RIGHT.
Be still and KNOW…thoughts from the beach (part II)
16 Aug 2011 1 Comment
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Continuing my thoughts from our beach vacation
When I felt God speak the revelation to me about being still….”Heidi, it’s your responsibility to be STILL…it’s My responsibility for you to KNOW”, I began to wonder how many other significant things does God want to tell me, but my mind has been too busy to hear Him?
I don’t think God is holding on to His wisdom, revelations, instructions or knowledge, expecting us to beg for it. I think there is MUCH He wants to speak to us but far too often, we’re just too busy to “be still” and hear Him. My prayer is that I will continue to “be still” in my heart and mind. Even though life continues on after the beach get-a-way, I can purposely STILL my mind and heart to hear Him better.
God reveals Himself, His heart and His purposes to us through stillness.
There’s a passage of scripture in the book of Matthew, that my husband and I read many times over while on vacation. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matt. 11: 28-30 Message Bible)
How many of us can relate to those verses?? God instructs us to LEARN (which means we may not currently know how) the UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE. That is now our new mantra: learning the unforced rhythms of God’s grace. His promise to us is that He won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on us. If I feel the “heaviness”, then it simply means that either I’m putting that weight on myself (which is usually the case!! ) or I’m allowing someone else to put it on me. God IS NOT placing a heavy weight on me….or on you.
I find myself at the doorway of an entirely new season in my life. My second daughter is a senior this year and will be graduating and moving away to college by this time next year, which will leave only one teenager at home. I will be facing an “empty nest” before I know it. Spiritually, I’m also facing a new season. So much of what God has spoken to me about assignments He has given me, I am on the brink of seeing those things come to pass.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God is speaking STILLNESS to me at this season of my life. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that He’s helping me to LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE either. I think He knows what will be absolutely necessary for me to walk forward into this new and exciting season: BE STILL AND KNOW…..
Enough about me…..let’s talk about you!
Are you STILL enough in your heart and mind, to hear the voice of God if He needed to tell you something? Do you desire to KNOW Him more, but haven’t been STILL enough to listen? Have you allowed the HEAVINESS of life and responsibilities to weigh you down? Do you also need to LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GOD’S GRACE?
Half of the battle is just recognizing where you are. It’s not too late to begin making some changes in your life. It’s not too late to begin to BE STILL and it’s certainly not too late to begin to KNOW HIM. What are some changes you need to make?
Do ONE thing each day to STILL yourself. Turn off the radio/music in your car and just listen with your heart. Take a moment to simply sit down and BE STILL. It will take some time for your mind to settle down but be patient….it will happen. Get up a little earlier, just to sit and listen to what God wants to say to you. Take a walk outside (in the cool of the day, of course!) without your ipod, and BE STILL in your mind and heart, enjoying the creation of God.
It is simply amazing what STILLNESS will do for you!!
“BE STILL and KNOW that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
Be still and KNOW….thoughts from the beach (part 1)
10 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Culture, faith, God, Life Tags: margin, quiet, stillness
Our family just returned from a two week vacation to the beach. Out of 22 years of marriage, this is only the second time we’ve been able to get away for two consecutive weeks, and I must say….it was pure bliss!!
My husband has been teaching a series on Sunday mornings entitled “Margin”, speaking about the absolute necessity of creating margin in our lives. He’s not teaching on this subject because we are the experts on it, in fact, just the opposite. We both have strongly felt God’s leading to make a conscious decision to create more margin in our own lives. Life is just too busy, especially in ministry. Too many appointments, too many phone calls, too many demands on our lives……we just need some more margin.
As we left for our vacation, I purposefully shut my phone off and decided to forgo any other means of social media….facebook, twitter, blogging, etc. I needed not only physical rest, but more importantly, mental rest. Now let me say this….we’ve been in a great season, seeing God do great things in us and through us, but my mind has just been too busy.
When I was a young mom, with young children, I purposefully set areas of margin in my life because if I didn’t, I was certain to go crazy!! But I have found that as my children have gotten older (one in college, the other two in high school), their demands on my time have lessened a bit as they’ve grown more independent. Instead of continuing in those areas of margin, I (not realizing what I was doing) filled up any extra margin with doing more and more. Now mind you, the more and more were good things….in fact, VERY good things, but as the last few years have gone by, my areas of margin have become less and less.
As we left for our vacation, I was weighted down a bit in my mind over many decisions that needed to be made once I got back. There were many areas that I needed divine clarity and direction. I had prayed about these things but could not seem to get the clear answers that I was looking for.
The second day that we were at the beach, with my beach chair sitting at the edge of the water and my toes curled up in the sand, I just sat and began to ask God for the direction that I so desperately needed in so many areas of upcoming ministry. At that moment, it seemed as if heaven opened over me and a flood of answers began coming to my mind. In only a matter of minutes, I got complete clarity of the direction and strategy of our upcoming women’s bible study. I sensed a very strong leading of the Holy Spirit for my message for our Sept. SPA night, and I even got an adorable idea for a children’s book!!
I was totally blown away by how easy and clear everything had come to me, after months of fretting about all the areas that I needed direction. I began walking down the beach with such gratitude and thankfulness to God for His continued faithfulness to me, despite my worry. I was reminded of the verse in Psalm that says, “Be still and know that I am God”. As I walked and prayed and pondered that verse, I felt the voice of God speak so clearly to my heart. This is what I sensed Him say to me: “Heidi, it’s YOUR responsibility to be still. It’s MY responsibility for you to KNOW.” As I pondered His words to me, the revelation of it become more and more clear. God is not sitting in heaven holding on to all of His wisdom, revelation and knowledge. It is His desire for us to KNOW Him. But so many times, we are too busy to receive the wisdom He has to give us. MY responsiblity is to be still. As I learn the discipline of being still, God will be faithful to give me the KNOW.
I’m still a bit in awe of that day on the beach and how easily His wisdom came to me. It is God’s greatest desire to share Himself and His heart with us….we only have to BE STILL.
I’m not unrealistic enough to think that I can sit on the beach for the rest of my life and just hear God share all His wisdom with me. But I am now determined to make purposeful decisions to BE STILL. That’s all God is asking of me…be still in my heart and in my mind and let Him give me the KNOW part. I just have a feeling that there’s a lot more of the KNOW that I need, and I can’t wait to hear it!!
(I will continue these thoughts next week Thoughts from the beach, part II)
Time to Heal
19 Jul 2011 1 Comment
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Tomorrow I will visit my doctor for my 6 month check up on my foot. It’s been 6 months since I had reconstructive foot surgery. I know what you’re saying: “Heidi, I can’t believe 6 months has passed so quickly!” Well, if you were the one with a cast and crutches, then a boot, and ENDLESS physical therapy sessions….you wouldn’t think it’s gone by all that quickly!!
Before my surgery, my doctor told me that it would be a full, one-year recovery process. As he was telling me this, I nodded my head politely, but inwardly was thinking, “ Doctor, what you REALLY mean is that for NORMAL people it takes a year to recover, but I’m not your normal person. I am a strong girl with intense determination, that accomplishes whatever I put my mind to. I will be totally back to normal LONG before a year!”
Well….guess what??!! It’s been 6 months and I am absolutely NOT back to normal. And guess what I’ve decided? The doc was right. It will be a full year (just like he said) before I am fully recovered. REGARDLESS OF HOW STRONG AND DETERMINED I AM, HEALING IS NO RESPECTOR OF PERSONS…..IT TAKES TIME TO HEAL.
Outwardly to everyone else, I may appear to be totally healed. But I am not. I still walk with a limp, my foot is still not functioning correctly, and I am still in physical therapy. I am not yet fully healed. I have confidence that in a few more months, I will be back to normal…just not yet. I must be patient….patient with myself, patient with the recovery….patient with my healing.
As I’ve walked (no pun intended ! ) through this process of healing, I’ve come to realize that our physical healing is very similiar to our spiritual healing….the healing of our heart. Our hearts get injured. Sometimes by our own doing, many other times, by the doings of someone else. Divorce happens. Rejection comes. Abuse crushes. Families breakdown. Hurt and pain, damage and injury happens to our hearts. As Christians, we allow the Healer to come and perform surgery on our most delicate organ. And after the surgery, comes the season of recovery. Though the Doctor may say it takes a while to heal, you tell yourself you’re different from everyone else and your healing will come quickly. For some it does….but for most it does not. There is no rushing our healing……IT TAKES TIME TO HEAL.
So be patient with yourself. Be patient with your Healer. Be patient with your heart. It just takes time. Continue to walk through the season of recovery. Though on the outside you may look fine, deep down….you know how injured your heart really is. Be faithful to draw near to your Healer; don’t walk away from Him. Reach out to others and allow their encouragement to soothe the pain of the brokeness. Be patient with the process because on the other side of this recovery is a healthy, healed and whole heart. IT JUST TAKES TIME.
Just as I will walk into my doctor’s office tomorrow to get the update on how I’m doing, I pray my thoughts here will be an encouraging update on your heart condition: Be patient, be encouraged, be hopeful in knowing that your Healer is still working on you and your precious heart. IT JUST TAKES TIME.
Find the ONE
12 Jul 2011 3 Comments
in Culture, faith, God, Life Tags: compassion, evangelism, hope
I came across a quote a few days ago that really shook me a bit.
“IF I LOOK AT THE MASSES, I WILL NEVER ACT. IF I LOOK AT THE ONE, I WILL.” – Mother Theresa
You don’t have to look very far to see the “masses” and to recognize that the “masses” are in trouble….big trouble. Whether it’s the nightly news, radio, newspaper, social media, etc. in the natural, the world in which we live looks very bleak. But if you look closely with your spiritual eyes, you can sense that God is up to something…something very big.
When looking at the big picture, it doesn’t seem that one person can make much of a difference in a nation with so much turmoil. But when we choose to look for the ONE person that needs God’s love, all of a sudden we realize there’s something we can do.
God has been challenging my own heart to FIND THE ONE. Find just ONE person and be Jesus to them.
Find ONE neighbor, ONE teacher, ONE retail worker, ONE waitress, ONE family member, ONE co-worker, ONE fellow human being and BE JESUS TO THEM!! It’s certainly not complicated….just ONE. There really isn’t anything new under the sun because that’s exactly what Jesus did while walking this earth. There was turmoil, unrest, massive problems in His day also….but He looked for the ONE. The ONE that needed healing, the ONE that needed wholeness, the ONE that needed forgiveness, the ONE that needed a Savior. Just ONE.
“If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look for the ONE, I will.” Let’s not look at the massive problems and despair that we see all around us; let’s look for the ONE who needs to know that Jesus is still capable and willing to invade their lives with hope and love.
Jesus even told us to leave the crowd to find the lost ONE. (Luke 15) The lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son….all representing the lost ONE.
There’s only one problem with being Jesus to that someONE…you have to have enough of Jesus in you to represent Him well to the ONE. You don’t have to be perfect or have everything together in your own life. You just have to have enough of His love, His compassion, His hope, His grace in your heart, so that you can offer that same love, compassion, hope and grace to others.
I’ve heard someone say, “Statistics are just statistics, until you meet the one person that the statistics represent.” Several weeks ago, I divinely met the ONE which the statistics represented. But it wasn’t just a person, it was an entire school. A school with such heart-breaking statistics that no one with any conscious could walk away from it and not be compelled to do something….something significant.
I not only have found the ONE person, I have found the ONE school. Our church is adopting an elementary school in Opelousas that needs someONE to bring help and hope to their precious children. This is just ONE school in one of the poorest states, in one of the poorest parishes, in one of the poorest cities to which God has called us. But it is the ONE school that desperately needs our help.
So we have decided to not only find the ONE, but to BE THE ONE. Be the ONE who offers the love, compassion, hope and grace of Jesus. No small task we have before us, but one that God has asked us to lay hold of….and lay hold of we will!!
So what about you?? Don’t look at the masses….look for the ONE.
Thankfully, Jesus did look beyond the ONE to see the masses and He did do something!! He died for the sins of the world, but He also died for the ONE.
Can you hear the challenge?? Can you feel the cry of God’s heart?? Whatever your ONE may be….find it, embrace it, lay hold of it…..FIND THE ONE and be Jesus to that ONE.
Together…by ultimately impacting the ONE….we impact the masses. Sounds like a God-idea, doesn’t it??
It’s Not About Me
28 Jun 2011 22 Comments
in faith, God, Life, Marriage, Parenting, trust, Women Tags: faith, grace. forgiveness, identity, restoration, self-worth, trust
I’ve never thought of myself as a self-centered person. Being in full-time ministry for 23 years, it’s always been about the people that God has sent into my life, whether it was to teach, minister to, pray for, disciple, or just listen. So a few weeks ago, when my pastor said to me, “Heidi, it’s not about you”, it shook me a bit.
Here’s the context of his statement: Over the past several years, I’ve known that I’ve needed to write more….whether it be through a blog, or through a book (or books)….it’s been a strong leading of my heart, knowing that it was really God Himself directing me.
Just like I thought that I wasn’t a self-centered person, I’ve also never seen myself as an overly analytical person either. I’m usually not too “heady” about things….until lately. I would think things like, “Everybody on the planet is writing a blog. Why another one?” or “There are a million Christian books out there. Why another one?”
These are the questions that I brought to my pastor. (Along with my husband, and many others, my pastor had also been encouraging me to begin writing.) As I voiced these concerns to him, he very matter-of-factly stated: “Heidi, it’s not about you. It’s not about whether there are a million blogs or a million books. It’s about you being obedient to God. God has given you an assignment. You have a message that the world needs to hear. The gift you have will help others. It’s not about you.”
So with that fresh perspective, I must be obedient.
Here’s my message: He’s healed my broken heart. He’s restored an identity and self-worth about myself that I’ve searched all my life for. He’s given me eyes to see what I do have and what He’s blessed me with, instead of eyes that only see the wrong that’s been done.
He’s protected my heart from bitterness. He’s given me the ability to forgive others….truly forgive from my heart, not just with my words. He’s given me the honor and priviledge to communicate to others. He’s given me the message that He can restore and redeem ANY heart, ANY life, ANY mess….including mine.
Now let me ask YOU the question: What is YOUR message? What is it that God has done for you, that YOUR world needs to hear about? Remember, it’s not about you…it’s about your assignment from God to bring hope and healing to a lost world.
So with that being said, I will be blogging and I will be writing. And I will be keeping you up-to-date with what God is doing because “it’s not about me”.
(I would love to hear your thoughts about what I’ve shared. Leave me a comment and let me know. We’re all in this together!!)
