Heather Holleman's Blog, page 37

Not Making Simplicity Complicated

Today I chuckled about how I can make even something like simplicity overcomplicated. Many of my friends and students deeply value “simplicity.” I think to myself all about what simplicity means and complicate the very word that means uncomplicated.

I love simplicity. I love anything related to clarity and ease���not just in writing and home decorating and clothing���but in spiritual matters. A mentor once told me I overcomplicate spiritual problems that truly have simple solutions. She used to say, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.” I thought about the way I overcomplicate symptoms of fatigue or headaches or slow-thinking. Sometimes the solution is simply having a large glass of water! Often big problems have very simple solutions.

As a speaker, writer, and teacher, I’m growing more childlike and less complex. I’m valuing simplicity.

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You as the Answer to Someone’s Prayer

This morning, I enjoyed a wonderful thought: What if I served as an answer to someone’s prayer today? I wrote in my prayer journal to God that He could send me today to be an answer to someone’s prayer.

Is someone right now praying for help? For encouragement? For a word of wisdom? For direction? How will God send me to help? I pray He sends us, along with His ministering angels, to live our days as answers to someone’s prayer.

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A Student of the Student

I recently began asking students to share their favorite music for us to create a class music playlist. I’ve learned how much people love to connect about music. As a music lover who always has music playing in the house, in the car, in the classroom, at work, or anywhere I can listen to it, I’m delighted to discover new music from my students. This time, I loved the jazz enthusiasts in my class. One student immediately listed his favorites which I’ve been listening to all morning while I work.

He included the following: “Romance” by Hiroshi Suzuki, “Body and Soul” by Paul Desmond, “In a Sentimental Mood” by Duke Ellington, “Night Lights” by Gerry Mulligan, “Swan Lake” by Chet Baker, “Take Me” by CASIOPEA, “When Sunny Gets Blue” by McCoy Tyner, and “Ladyfingers” by Herb Alpert.

We play each student’s favorite songs throughout the semester. We connect over music, and it’s a beautiful thing. I love the above songs. Take a listen! I found all of them on Spotify.

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Shining

I love picturing ideas in my head to help me understand God’s activity in my life. Biblical images, for example, of God’s guarding care prompted the book Guarded by Christ. I loved picturing myself in the fortress of God’s love and imagining a castle to help me. Of course, every day, I picture myself as “seated with Christ” as a way to inhabit the reality of Ephesians 2:6. I’ve even tried to imagine angels around me as I step out to do something new in ministry to remind myself of unseen aid. All of these mental exercises help a mind like mine.

This morning, I remembered another biblical image to help me think about my work on campus and in my community. I kept thinking about the number of times we’re told we “shine” or that God “shines” on us. The priestly blessing in Number 6 goes like this: The��Lord��make his face to��shine��upon you and be gracious to you. I love in Zechariah a picture of us shining. We read: On that day the��Lord��their God will save them, as��the flock of his people; for��like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. Or consider Psalm 34:5 and how “those who look to Him are radiant.”

Mostly, I kept returning to Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:16: In the same way, let your light��shine��before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

I also considered Philippians 2 when Paul says to”do all things��without grumbling or��disputing,��that you may be blameless and innocent,��children of God��without blemish��in the midst of��a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine��as lights in the world,��holding fast to��the word of life, so that in��the day of Christ��I may be proud that��I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

What if we picture ourselves as walking around like huge spotlights, our faces shining from God’s love; our good deeds casting a warm glow; our kind words radiating out around us? There you go, shining on everything.

My verb of the day: shine.

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Back to It

Early this morning, I traveled to campus to peek into my new classrooms, pray for students who will arrive to my Tuesday / Thursday classes, and get organized for a brand new semester. Things are finally starting to feel “normal” after the COVID years. It’s hard to believe what it used to be like: masks everywhere, socially-distanced seats, hand sanitizer in abundance, and cameras for Zoom attendees. This time, it felt more like the old days. I even printed a syllabus since we aren’t as terrified of germs on paper. More joy, less fear. More hope, less despair.

I’m so thankful. I pray it’s a wonderful semester. I pray God pours out His love and blessing.

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Equipped with Psalm 37:11

All night and today (with a terrible migraine!) I meditated on Psalm 37:11: The meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in abundant peace. I spent some time thinking about the word “meek.” It means humble, poor, afflicted, and downcast. I considered how God reserves a special blessing for the meek, and in Christ, they always enjoy abundant peace. With a migraine, I did feel rather meek, so I recited the verse over and over gain. As I read the Hebrew words for this verse, it seemed like it read that the afflicted will nevertheless take possession of or seize the earth. I reasoned that the meek, because of God’s power them, take possession of whatever enemy territory lies before them. They have power, authority, and dominance because of Jesus. They go forth and live in the shalom peace God promises those who depend on Him.

Jesus reiterates this in Matthew 5:5 when He says “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Isaiah, too, promises something for the meek: “The��meek��shall obtain fresh joy in the��Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.”

I love thinking about this word “meek.” In the Outline of Biblical Usage (Larry Pierce), I read this about being meek: “Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time. Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will.“

I would like to grow in meekness and delight myself in abundant peace.

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In Spite of You

Something I always worry about involves a migraine striking on a day I need to teach or speak. Well, this morning, a migraine came! Perhaps the colder weather, perhaps something I ate, perhaps a night of poor sleep���who knows why? Even after taking medicine for the pain after the aura, a migraine effects can last for 72 hours. It might feel like pressure in your head, a foggy mind, or even nausea for the next several days. Whenever a student tells me they have a migraine and must miss class, I now understand why they might miss classes for the entire week. Bright lights hurt you; loud noises hurt you. Often, people stay in bed in a darkened room.

To make matters more stressful, I have a local speaking event tonight. Can you believe it? What will I do? I pray about this, and then I remember how God’s power is made perfect in weakness and how the Holy Spirit’s work isn’t dependent upon my excellent delivery. Maybe God deliberately debilitates in some area in order to allow the Holy Spirit to work. He must push us out of the way. He must decrease us and increase Him.

And I’m OK to write this and speak off of notes. All this to say, if you suffer from migraines, I understand.

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Thinking About “Wellness”

This semester, I’m on a new committee to think about student well-being and success. Serving on the Student Well-Being and Success committee for the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State means I’ll spend a significant about of time learning about these ideas of well-being and success. I’m already applying the skills I teach in advanced writing since my first question involves accurate definitions. How do we define “well-being?” How do we define “success?”

As I gather my thoughts, I think about all the categories of wellness we might address in students’ lives: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, spiritual, vocational, and financial. I like thinking more about the social, vocational, and spiritual categories of wellness. I seek to answer questions like these:

How do we help increase a student’s sense of belonging?

How do we help students develop wellness in their work patterns?

How do we help students think about their spiritual lives in college?

I’m excited to serve on this committee and learn more. I’m excited to see what action steps we’ll take. I’ll report back on our efforts!

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Decisions, Decisions

I want to move into 2023 with clarity. I want to know I’m making the right decisions about where to spend time and invest energy. As I plan my To-Do list today, I realize how many choices I could make in just one day. What do I say yes to? What do I decline? Have I said yes to something without consulting the Lord?

Psalm 25 struck my heart today. It reads like this in verses 12-15:

Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever on the Lord,
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.

I take seriously the idea that God instructs us in our decision making. But how? I’m learning it requires time to sit in God’s presence to talk to Him and listen���just like you would a friend. You might ask God, “Should I say yes to this?” When I do this, I wait for the voice of the Shepherd which always resonates with the fruit of the Spirit. Do I feel increasing joy and peace about this? Am I being pushed or can I take time and make a patient choice? Does this decision help me grow in kindness, gentleness, and self-control? Does it help me bless others and grow closer to God? Is it something I’m doing in my own strength or by faith?

Next, I think about places where I feel feel ensnared either by overcommitting or simply saying yes to a direction that doesn’t seem right anymore. I love how God can “release my feet from the snare.”

Growing in the ability to listen and let the Holy Spirit guide us often takes years and years. I continue to learn to seek God and listen before I rush off into a new direction. I pray for clarity for us in 2023, and I know God will give it.

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The Psalm You Need Today

Do you remember how I told you that I read Psalm 18 as a young woman so much that it disintegrated? It’s true! It’s missing from my old Bible, worn away from highlights, notes, tears, and coffee stains. In my new Bible, I’m always so delighted when I arrive at Psalm 18 as part of my “5 Psalms a Day” reading. Here are the parts that just make me love God so much. Consider the verbs of God (of course!) as He reaches down, draws us out, rescues, supports, and delights in us.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.

I also love these verbs from a few verses later:

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop;
    with my God I can scale a wall.

I ask myself what feels “dark” that needs light. I ask myself where I need to advance against an obstruction in any way.

And finally–I just love this part of Psalm 18:

As for God, his way is perfect:
    The Lord���s word is flawless;
    he shields all who take refuge in him.
 For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
    and keeps my way secure.
 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
    he causes me to stand on the heights.
 He trains my hands for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains me;
    your help has made me great.
 You provide a broad path for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

Consider the loving ways of the Lord and all He does for us.

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