Heather Holleman's Blog, page 115

A Bible Verse to Encourage You Today: Psalm 84:11

This morning I read Psalm 84:11. I took a picture of it and texted it to my daughters to enjoy. I told my husband about it. Then, I wrote about it in my journal. Now, I’m telling you. After you read it, consider a person you might tell who needs it desperately today. Consider memorizing it for what it reveals about God.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.—Psalm 84:11
Written during a time of exile, this psalm reveals God as a sun (warmth, comfort, illumination, care) and a shield (protection, covering). He allows us to find favor in places where we need it. He honors us before others. Finally, He gives good gifts. If it’s a good thing for us, He will give it.
I consider the day ahead and the areas of my life. Think of your own. Where do you need God as your sun? As your shield of protection? Where might we ask Him to give us favor and honor? How can we recognize and thank Him for His good gifts?

Low Expectations While Hopeful

Another thing I’ve learned from living in a pandemic: keep expectations low, but stay hopeful.
With a rapidly changing situation with infections rising, I wonder if interstate travel will stop for a while at least in Pennsylvania. Will this mean no outdoor Thanksgiving with my family in other states? Will this mean no Christmas gatherings at all?
Maybe. And what about teaching for Penn State? What will in-person teaching look like in the Spring 2021 term? Will it exist at all? Who knows. Will my daughter return to college? Will high school even happen? More and more people announce a positive test, and I know we’re seeing an incredible spread of COVID. So now what?
I’m finding myself less attached to plans and outcomes and more attached to the idea that whatever happens, we’ll be OK. The pandemic has built resiliency in us all. We’ll adjust. We’ll persevere. We’ll be OK as we stay safe and keep others safe as well.

I’m Still Speaking Virtually (An Update)!

Today I spent some time firming up my contracts for my virtual speaking events for winter 2021. Yes! I’m still booking speaking events all the time. It’s so fun!
One of the unintended blessings of COVID-19 involves virtual speaking events that I might never have had the opportunity to provide. Whether I’m speaking in Canada, in a small town in Mississippi, or for a Seated with Christ book club in Kansas or Iowa, I’ve loved popping in on your computers without having to spend the entire day in airports, on planes, and then in hotel rooms. That’s been my life since 2015. But with some of the virtual events, I’m able to do far more. That has surely been a blessing. In September alone, I completed 19 virtual events–some large and some small.
While I will always prefer face-to-face gatherings and love the special blessing God gives when we gather physically together for fellowship, I see how virtual speaking events allow for more venues, more people, and more connection with less cost.
What does such an event look like? Sometimes, it means a pre-recorded talk with audience notes where I then pop in with discussion questions. Sometimes, it’s a zoom gathering. What I’m most looking forward to in 2021 are the two-day Seated, Guarded, and Sent retreats (one Friday evening talk and two Saturday morning talks). I also love just focusing on Seated and Sent or, for just a Friday evening talk, Seated with Christ. 
Feel free to reach out to me (Facebook, Instagram, Email) if you’d like to hear more or book a virtual event. I have a few spots left. And as soon as the COVID-19 surge passes, I’ll be thrilled to see you in person. Thank you for reading this update!

The Things We Look Forward to Each Day

I love writing down in my gratitude journal all the things I look forward to in a day. It builds hope for the day and also allows me to thank God for the all the little things that make for a great day.

On my list I’ve included my daily Bible reading time, my hour walk with my daughter, my afternoon “immunity drink” (the one with ginger, fresh orange juice, and kombucha), and the good recipe I’ll usually make for dinner (tonight it’s fried rice). I also love teaching my students at Penn State, and I look forward to teaching them each day (today we talked about how to give effective professional feedback in our peer writing workshop). Finally, I look forward to writing each day–whether I’m blogging, working on a new proposal, or drafting a novel.

What I love about this list is those elements that don’t depend upon money, power, or circumstances. I can do these things anywhere, really. Nothing can stop me from meditating on God’s word, from exercising wherever I am, and from using whatever expertise I have to develop others. Nothing can stop me from writing.

And nothing can stop me from gratitude.

It’s amazing to think we have these kinds of choices to build a day.

 

Build a gratitude list of things that don't depend on money, power, or circumstances. Anywhere we are, we can choose to meditate on God's word, exercise in some form, use our expertise to develop others, and write. #gratitude
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Gushing Out

Today I consider the verb that translates to “pour out” in Psalm 62:8 where David writes this:
“Trust in him at all times, you people;

    pour out your hearts to him,

    for God is our refuge.”
I look up the verb “pour out” in the Hebrew, and it’s a word that means gush out–like something bleeding or poured from a pitcher. It’s the sense of just going to God and letting everything gush out–your worries, anger, sadness, anxiety. It’s a sudden, uncontrolled kind of speaking to God. How undignified! How common and improper!
Don’t you love how the Lord doesn’t mind this kind of “pouring out?” We can gush. We can uncontrollably let everything out in an undignified way. I think people don’t realize what a kind, loving, and welcoming God we approach each day in prayer. He lets us gush.

Taking It Easy

One thing I’ve learned through COVID-19 is that it’s good and right to take it easy. For the past several months, I’d say things like, “It’s OK to relax; after all, we’re living through a pandemic!”
I’d snuggle into my pajamas and watch Gilmore Girls if I needed to. I’d sleep in when and if I could. I’ve become much more attuned to how to take it easy to preserve some joy and peace. More bubble baths. More walks. More relaxing evenings that aren’t so frantic to get things done.
If you’re feeling guilty for taking a break, remember to take it easy. We’re still living through a pandemic!

In Your Own Sweet Time

I love things that take their own sweet time. I love the beauty of late-bloomers. I love unexpected fruitfulness after years of waiting. After all these years of living with flair, I’ve learned that waiting pays off. God’s timing is never wrong. In fact, He’s setting you up for some kind of marvelous moment. Just you wait.
This morning–finally!–the young ginkgo tree decided to start letting its leaves change to that signature gold. We were worried. We wondered if our tree would ever turn colors. I even researched the problem. What could we do? Every other tree in the neighborhood boasted beautiful autumn leaves weeks ago. The other, older ginkgo trees had long ago blessed the neighborhood with golden leaves. They then dropped their leaves in acrobatic displays. They then stretched bare limbs to the sky.
But our tree? Green. Nothing. Not one sign of adherence to right timing or following the crowd or expected performance. We thought the leaves might just one day fall in all their greenness without ever having their moment of glory.
But wait! Once we’d raked all the fallen leaves, once we’d started walking and gazing at the bare, stark trees, and once we’d given up all hope of golden leaves, the ginkgo burst onto the autumn stage. Glorious in the lateness of it, magnificent in the solitary beauty of a tree who now gets all the attention, the little ginkgo wins the prize. And it only happened with the timing all wrong that then made everything right.

A Favorite Afternoon Refreshment

I’ve been loving this drink:

Fill a glass with plenty of ice. Add a few cubes of frozen ground ginger (from Trader Joes). Add a splash of elderberry syrup, 1/4 cup of your favorite kombucha, and the juice of one orange. You can also add a splash of lime juice. Top everything off with a can of your favorite sparkling beverage (I like LaCroix’s lemon). It’s a great drink full of health benefits:

Ginger: an ancient (and now proven) remedy for “numerous ailments, such as colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension.” 

Elderberry syrup: boosts immune system, helps lower stress, and protects the heart.

Kombucha: gives you probiotics and health benefits of tea.

Orange juice: Vitamin C! One orange provides 100% of the daily recommended intake.

Enjoy this delicious, fizzy, and fun drink.

 

Not Just a Footnote

In a tiny little footnote this morning, I read something about four ways to focus our attention when we think about God. I’m rereading Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life–a book I read back in the 90’s one summer at Camp Greystone. Back then, I became so excited to build my adult life around such disciplines as Bible reading, prayer, silence and solitude, and journaling (among others). I learned how the spiritual disciplines set me on the path to more fully experience God’s grace; rather than legalism, works, or drudgery, the disciplines could instead function as great sources of joy, beauty, and vibrant living. I couldn’t wait to begin!

I love rereading the words I underlined and the thoughts I had about new ideas like scripture memory and the commitment to journaling. Now, 25 years later, I see the fruit God produced in my life through the practice of daily Bible reading and scripture memory. It’s so amazing when I consider it.

In the footnote, I read how scripture teaches about four objects of our meditation: God’s word. God’s creation. God’s providence. God’s character. More than anything else, we’re told to meditate on God’s word. But then what else? We’re to meditate on God’s creation, God’s providence, and God’s character. What a wonderful way to shape the day to first meditate deeply on God’s word but then move out into His creation to mediate on His genius design! My heart can burst into worship just thinking about how God thought about making leaves change color in autumn. Think about it. It’s so beautiful.

And then consider God’s providence and the way He orders all things for our good and His glory. He upholds all things as Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign Lord. He intervenes. He works on our behalf. He provides and cares for us right now.

Finally, consider a day when you think about the character of God and His wonderful attributes all day long. Think about His love, goodness, and faithfulness.

Sometimes, I meditate on other things. I think deeply and focus on a wide variety of things whether current events, political positions, the future, or my own goals. I’m challenged by this footnote to not make the focus of my heart on God’s word, His creation, His providence, and His character a mere footnote in my day.

Today

A snapshot of life on this day: I walked to the coffee shop in the unseasonable warmth with a neighbor. We walked home and drank our coffee. I took my daughter shopping for a few things. I heated the leftover veggie chili for lunch. I took several walks with my daughter, and we talked to all the neighbors as they raked leaves. We then tried to make chocolate bombs for hot chocolate. We enjoyed watching our cat enjoy the backyard sun while my husband cleaned the fire pit for an evening fire. We checked election results. Sometimes, it’s good to record the day so you can look back in years to come on a moment in time.