Heather Holleman's Blog, page 202

“I have made you and I will carry you.” Isaiah 46:4

In my daily routine of reading the psalms, I forget the beauty and precious promises of Isaiah. As I turn there today, I find this gem that makes me laugh because I have recently found more and more gray hair. 

The Lord says in Isaiah 46: 3-4 that His people are the ones “whom I have upheld since you were conceived and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

I think about this gentle, tender God, the One who upholds us and carries us as He has from our childhood till now. I think of the promise of His carrying us as we age. It’s a beautiful picture. I think of myself in His arms, gray hair and all, perfectly carried. 

And I remember how, 16 years ago, I cried from exhaustion with a newborn baby. A wise woman approached me and quoted Isaiah 40:11: “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

She said, “He is carrying you. Do not worry.”

He carries us.

The Lord carried me then, and He carries me now. He will carry us into the futures we cannot see.

 

Stand with Wisdom

When I think of the way people communicate on social media, I find my stomach in knots. It may seem smart, but it never seems wise.

I read James 3: 17-18 this morning:

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Let us stand as voices of wisdom.

A Life Goal: Psalm 112

As I read Psalm 112 this morning, I note so many worthy aims. The psalmist writes:

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,

    who find great delight in his commands.

2 Their children will be mighty in the land;

    the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,

    and their righteousness endures forever.

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,

    who conduct their affairs with justice.

6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;

    they will be remembered forever.

7 They will have no fear of bad news;

    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;

    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,

    their righteousness endures forever;

    their horn[c] will be lifted high in honor.

10 The wicked will see and be vexed,

    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;

    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

I think of these behaviors that I pray God develops in me and my family:

Blessing comes to those who fear God, who love His commands, who live gracious, compassionate, and righteous lives. Blessing comes to the generous and to the just. What I love about Psalm 112 is the extraordinary promise that this kind of living sets you up to “have no fear of bad news” and to never be shaken! Can you imagine? What a life! I pray this morning that the Holy Spirit produces in me this gracious, compassionate, God-fearing, and God-loving spirit at all times.

Always John 15

I examine John 15 to note the characteristics of abiding:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

I think about God’s work of pruning as we abide, of producing fruit, and of answering prayer. Is there any other way to live than this?

“Some plants grow best in shade.”

Do you remember when my daughter was talking about how certain people seem to have sunshine in their lives every day? These people enjoy happy, carefree hearts. Others seem to have dark days. They live with cloudy, heavy hearts. My daughter said that sometimes she feels this way. And then she reminded me of John 15 and Jesus as our gardener who plants us where we are supposed to be and who knows what we need.

She says, “I remembered that some plants grow best in shade. If I have dark days, this is how I’ll grow best.”

Some plants grow best in shade.

I remember this when I water my plants this morning. The plants that need the shade are growing so beautifully.

Some plants grow best in shade.

Some Things Carry Over

When my girls were little, we loved summer afternoon manicures and pedicures. I’d soak their tiny feet in warm, bubbly water, and I’d pretend we were all at a salon as I chose the perfect bright colors for their little toes.

Now, all these years later, I remember setting up the salon and how much fun we had. So I decide to call these older girls down for a trip down memory lane. There we sat around the kitchen table, soaking feet, choosing colors, and creating the perfect salon.

Some things carry over from the days of parenting little girls. I loved our afternoon salon.

A Royal Priest

This morning I spoke on what I’m learning from 1 Peter 2:9 and our incredible identity as royal priests. It’s such a beautiful, strange, and overlooked title.

In the academic world, I’ve navigated the most awkward conversations about my title for the last 10 years. Am I a professor? A lecturer? An adjunct? A professor of practice? Am I associate, assistant, full-time, part-time? What am I? 

The lack of a professional title bothered me for years as I worked as a part-time instructor with a PhD who, although not tenure-line, still led grad seminars, worked on committees, designed curriculum and various programs, and served as the course coordinator for advanced writing in the humanities. I’ve had others express embarrassment on my behalf that one as trained as I am would have such a low designation at the university. I’ve had people act ashamed for me. Perhaps this is why knowing I’m seated with Christ has helped in these insecure settings of comparison and ranking.

But outside of the university, when I’m interviewed on the radio or introduced on stage, there’s always still this moment of confusion about my title. Who is she? What is she? Do we call her a wife and mother? A writer? A speaker? A campus minister? A professor? An evangelist?

So when I read of this amazing designation in 1 Peter that, actually, I’m a royal priest, I feel a giggle rise up because those in the royal priesthood have this preeminent, authoritative title far greater than any university or corporate title. It’s the title describing who we are and what we’re doing in any situation. And it’s amazing. It’s better than anything because it’s what we are doing because of Jesus.

Royal Priest combines the highest of titles–both king and priest. Jesus as our great High Priest invites us to participate in a royal priesthood as if we were kings and priests both. We serve and worship Him now and forever as a kingdom of priests.

But as I began to ask what the royal priest does, I found a new identity as I entered any space. If you look through the Old Testament, you’ll find that the priest does three main things: bless, explain God’s word, and lead with the atoning sacrifice. When Peter says we are part of a royal priesthood, I’m learning that this designation means I have a special role in any setting. I’m here to minister and bless! I’m here to explain God’s word to you! I’m here to help you understand the sacrifice! You asked about my title? Well, let me just say I’m a royal priest. Keep it on the down low. I don’t want to cause a scene. 

But are we really to see ourselves as royal priests? Charles Spurgeon explains how Jesus provides our perfect qualifications for the priesthood including our clothing (we are clothed with Christ’s righteousness), the anointing (by the Holy Spirit), and the cleansing (by the final sacrifice of Christ to make us perfect). And now, we are in the world as agents of blessing, proclamation, and explanation of the sacrifice.

How powerful! How mysterious!

Who is she? She is a royal priest serving her High Priest, Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

High Diving

I remember summers at the Stratford Landing pool in Alexandria, Virginia. I remember that one afternoon when I climbed up the ladder, walked down the board, and jumped off that high dive.

I sunk deep into the water, into the kind of deep that presses against you and squeezes your insides and squeals in your ears. I wriggled up to the surface, proud and older.

The first key to high dive jumping is in the choice not to hesitate. For that split second, you could allow yourself to consider how afraid you are, how none of this makes sense, and how you might just drown. For that split second, you could slow down your pace, grab the railings, and begin the frozen stance that leads to retreat. You can’t hesitate.

But the second key to any good high dive situation is the reality that nobody is allowed to climb back down the steps. Climbing down was dangerous, slippery, and bound to create some kind of disaster in the life of the poor soul already beginning his climb up because he’s certain it’s his turn. The lifeguards and onlookers always cheered and reprimanded: “You can do it!” combined with “No going down the ladder!”

In this pool, on this high dive, you jump. You don’t hesitate, and you cannot go back. The real bravery, then, wasn’t even the climb, the walk, or the jump; the real bravery was the first shining step up. Your big toe, joyfully swollen and waterlogged, arrives on the gleaming, wet step.

And you’re off. Like most things in life, beginning was the real test of bravery.

A Blessing On This Day

Lord, help us experience Your presence today. Help us remember You all day long. Help us to see the way You treat us as Your treasured possession. Help us to notice beautiful things in our surroundings–in people, in nature, and in ideas. Fill us with joy and laughter and deep connection with others. Grant us wisdom and the power to do the things You’ve called us to do. Help us live a life of love.

Yourself in Any Setting

I discovered a new coaching question for personal development:

What settings help you feel most like yourself? What is usually happening in those settings? Who is present? What are you doing? What are you talking about? 

When the people you’re developing find some common elements of what helps them feel like themselves, you can ask how they can bring those elements into any setting of their lives.

I’ve learned what I need to feel like myself when I’m on stage or in a classroom. I’ve learned what I need to feel like myself when I’m writing, parenting, or relating to people in general. The great news is that these elements keep expanding.

I’m most myself when I’m in the role of encourager, teacher, or learner. In new settings, I love to think about who I might encourage, what wisdom I might pass on, or what I might learn here.

I’m also most myself when I’m able to talk about God’s word, grammar, and stories. I also love to prepare food for people, to tidy spaces, and to help others grow into themselves.

When I don’t feel like myself, it’s usually because I’m taking on a role that doesn’t ring true somehow. I’m performing, not living authentically.

I love to ask questions about the things I do that bring me back to the true me.