Heather Holleman's Blog, page 234
July 24, 2017
Sweet Provision
On my way to reading the Psalms this morning, I instead find myself in 1 Kings 17. I read again such a precious story tucked into four verses:
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook” (2-6).
Can you imagine? How wonderful and supernatural to have God order the birds to deliver meals to Elijah. I love this story because it showcases God’s power, control over nature, specific direction, and care for His servant. It’s also delightful. It’s also rather whimsical. God could have arranged the food to come by any means, in any way, and yet, He chooses a bird delivery system.
Birds!
God, You are wonderful! You are good, and we delight in You! Thank you for your sweet provision, in a wonderful way, for your people. Help us see your provision today that might just arrive on the wings of some unconventional, unexpected system. Sometimes we’re Elijah, and sometimes we’re the birds that come to feed others.
July 23, 2017
What We Most Need
Today I felt so comforted by the fact that people don’t need me when I’m teaching or speaking in front of larger crowds; they need God’s word. If I were to clarify a personal mission, it’s to connect people more and more to the power of God’s word in their lives.
It’s so wonderful to think about ministry, not in terms of new ideas or better strategies, but in terms of how effectively we can introduce people to the Bible because it brings them to Jesus.
July 22, 2017
He Is Always Teaching
Lately, I’ve been so comforted by God’s role as Teacher.
No matter where I am, there’s something to learn. This helps me when I feel stuck; I become a learner. I take on that role. I look and listen, and I respond with joy to what God teaches.
July 21, 2017
A Good Verb: You Shall Not Slip
In Psalm 18:36, we read this about God. David writes, “You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.” Twice more in the Psalms, we read the promise that God does not let our feet slip as we trust in Him.
When we feel unsteady, unsure, and confused about what’s next or where to go, we take comfort, as David did, in how God enlarges our paths and keeps us from slipping.
July 20, 2017
Another Great Coaching Question
Today I talk with a woman about the best coaching question. Try this:
What do you want to do in your life that you feel that you cannot do? How can I help you move forward or make progress in this area?
Helping people understand what is against them, where they feel they lack power or agency, or what roadblocks stand in the way of what they wish to do helps them and you as a coach. How can you help? How can you gather the local community to help? How can you bring others with expertise into the situation?
What do you want to do that you feel you cannot do?
July 19, 2017
Asking God for This
I love in James how we learn a root cause of “disorder and every evil practice.” It’s this:
envy and selfish ambition.
I begin to pray that God would destroy envy and selfish ambition within me by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. “Wisdom” according to James 3, that showcases envy and selfish ambition is actually foolishness. It’s “earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil.”
But wisdom from heaven is “pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.”
Oh, that God would make us wise!
July 18, 2017
Simple Pleasures
I remember when life felt joyless and painful. I remember the first week I started my blog to record what it could mean to live with flair. I wanted to sip beauty out of ordinary days. I wanted to worship Jesus and escape from myself. So I wrote about pleasure and whimsy and wonder every single day. It was a tiny trickle that led me to an ocean.
Today, I found myself rejoicing over the joy and gratitude I felt over a popsicle on a hot day. It was a pineapple popsicle. I drank water with ice cubes. I felt so thankful for ice cubes. I told God about the blessing of seeing the blessing, the blessing of knowing that it didn’t have to be this way.
When I thank God for popsicles and ice cubes, it becomes easier to live a whole day of gratitude for every simple thing He gives.
July 17, 2017
I Go Back to the Seed Sown
I love Psalm 97:11 and the imagery there in the NASB translation: “Light is sown like a seed for the righteous and gladness on the upright in heart.” It’s different from the NIV which says,”Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.” In both, the idea of shedding and sowing is more like the idea of scattering seed to take root. It’s such a nice image to remember.
I think of God planting seeds of light and joy in my heart that only grow and grow until they bear so much fruit that even others are blessed by the harvesting of it.
July 16, 2017
Weeks and Weeks, and Then Visible Growth
We’ve learned that you can indeed grow an avocado plant from the seed. It just took months! We began in May, and now this growth! I used these screws instead of toothpicks because they kept breaking. What’s so wonderful about growing an avocado plant is that the roots grow for so long first.
You have no top growth until the roots become established. It’s such a great spiritual principle when we’re impatient for visible growth. Something is happening beneath the surface first.
July 15, 2017
Some Hand Holding
I love Psalm 73:23. The psalmist says about God, “I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.”
It’s just so sweet and loving to think that wherever you go and whatever situation you’re walking into, He is holding your hand.
Picturing God holding my hand today makes all the difference.
