Heather Holleman's Blog, page 44

The Verse You’re Tucking in Your Bag

Today I enjoyed listening to my great friend and mentor tell me about the Bible verses she’s meditating on. I love that she always has a “favorite Bible verse” that’s speaking to her heart. She showed me the verses, and as she did, I thought to myself that I always want to be the type of person who has a special Bible verse tucked into her bag or on her phone. I always want to be the type of person who speaks God’s word to people, at just the right time in their lives. I always want to be the type of person who loves God’s word like she does.

The verses come from Isaiah 58. We read this:

The��Lord��will guide��you always;
��������he will satisfy your needs��in a sun-scorched land
��������and will strengthen��your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
��������like a spring��whose waters never fail.

Together, we marvel over the imagery of a sun-scorched place where nothing should grow. We think about how we might find ourselves in a scorched place in life. But God satisfies us. He strengthens us right in that place. And then? We experience a miracle inside us. We’re suddenly producing more fruit and finding Living Water every day.

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Always Active and Never Removed From You

A friend just sent me a ministry update that included the words from Andrew Wilson who wrote the book Incomparable. Wilson writes:

“The fact that God sustains all things, even the stars, should cause us both to fear and to worship. To fear, because we have a God we are dependent upon if we are even to continue breathing. To worship, because��we have a God who is active in the world at all times, and therefore will never be removed from our situation. Next time there is a clear night sky, look up and remember: God created all these, calling them by name, bringing them out by number. And because he is strong in power, not one is missing.”

The quote delighted and comforted me as I repeated active and never removed. God is active here, right now. He is never removed from your situation. How wonderful to remember this today!

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3 Things to Remember: His Power, Your Weakness, His Counsel

This morning I reflected on the greatest things I’ve been learning in the past year. These three lessons keep me rooted in the Lord, steady on my feet, and free to do unusual things. If you asked me my favorite question (in the cognitive category of the Six Conversations), I’d say I love when people ask me what I’m thinking about or learning. So here’s what’s on my mind about my new way of living:

First, we need God’s power.

I call to mind this truth from Zechariah 4 where we read, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord. My power makes nothing happen. God’s Spirit does the real work. When I ask God to control and direct my life by the power of the Holy Spirit, things happen that I did not produce or empower.

Second, weakness is our strength.

I remember my year of weakness���through surgeries, illness, anxious traveling, sadness over a new stage of life���and how God reminded me day after day that His power is made perfect in my weakness. I read 2 Corinthians 12:9 with fresh eyes as Paul writes the words of the Lord: ���My grace��is sufficient for you, for my power��is made perfect in weakness.�����Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ���s power may rest on me. In the midst of weakness, I understood how nothing depends on me; everything is God’s power flowing through me precisely because I’m incapable of anything (see above from Zechariah). Weakness is my strength.

Third, be led not driven.

Lastly, I read the mistake in Joshua where the Israelites move ahead of God and trust their own understanding. We read in Joshua 9:14 how “the men of Israel took some of their provisions;��but they��did not ask counsel of the��Lord.” As a result, they are deceived. I remember the words of a wise intercessor who gave Ashley and me perhaps the best advice of all: Be led, not driven. When I remember the importance of inquiring of the Lord and seeking His counsel before moving out into any new direction, I stop, slow down, and remember to be led, not driven.

Three things: The Spirit-filled life. The weak life. The led life.

I continue to learn this new way to live.

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All the Free Gifts

Hello! To celebrate my birthday (it’s today!), I thought I’d give YOU gifts instead. First of all, if you’re reading this on email, feel free to jump on my brand new website and check out the design.

And now the free gifts for you:

Here’s an excerpt for you to enjoy and pass on.

Here’s my list of my Favorite 100 Questions to ask my students (or anyone).

Here’s a little handout to help if you get stuck in a conversation.

For those of you who are longtime readers of Live with Flair (and visitors to the old website), you’ll note that I didn’t list How to Write with Flair as a free download. Well, just for you, it’s free today!

I hope you enjoy these resources. If you’re loving The Six Conversations, drop a review on amazon.com. I’d love it!

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A Little Pumpkin Village

I think these little pumpkin cottages are the most adorable thing! (photos below) On our street, so many children will come trick-or-treating tonight, and we carved these cottages (well, really my daughter did) to display the miniature pumpkins we grew this year. We’ll put tea lights in them to light them up this evening.

I think this adds to my value of “coziness.” Those little pumpkins look so cozy in their houses. As I studied the Danish concept of hygge (and spent time with my dear Danish friend), I realized the joyful feeling that come as the weather feels colder and the days become darker. It’s not a time to feel sad or eager for spring and summer; instead, it’s a time for “coziness.” My friend taught me that hygge is all about soft textures, warm lighting, candles, hot beverages, and anything that creates a snuggly, cozy feeling: a purring cat, a crackling fire, a steaming tea kettle, and loving conversation. It’s about being tucked into a spot, like little pumpkins in their pumpkin cottage. Like Mousekin in his Golden House. Like my family and cats in our home in our Pennsylvania neighborhood. Here we are, tucked in.

Pumpkin VillagePumpkin Cottage

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Start With This

I’m not sure why, but certain things cause fear in my heart. I’m probably interchanging that word with “anxiety” since fear refers to the response to actual danger. But there’s no actual danger. Nothing bad is happening. But I fear bad things will happen. I become anxious (heart racing, sweating, spiraling thoughts) related to possible […]

A New Look. And Let’s Start with Verbs!

Thank you for your patience as we awaited the new website design! I hope you enjoy the cleaner look and easier navigation. To inaugurate the first blog on this new site (that’s still Live with Flair—don’t worry!), I thought I’d talk about some verbs: I loved meditating on Psalm 145 recently. I relate to the […]

Observing the Leaves

It’s a perfectly dreary October. The wind blows the leaves down all around me as I sit in the backyard with my cat.

I love looking carefully at the leaves—their shape, color, textures. I love the droplets of rain on this one. [image error]

Overtaken

This morning, I sat enthralled by a verb in Deuteronomy 28:2 when Moses describes the blessing for obeying the voice of the Lord.

It’s a simple sentence: And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

I stop, of course, as the verb. Overtake you? I remembered reading so many passages in scripture of battle where an army “overtakes” the enemy. It seems absolutely aggressive, like a powerful and overwhelming pursuit.

I pictured myself going about my ordinary day with God’s blessings coming after me in hot pursuit. How wonderful to think about it! I want to stop, turn around, and let myself be captured by God’s blessing over me.

Does God bless like this? I smiled when I thought of God’s goodness and blessing overtaking us–like it hunts us down, captures us, and takes us in as a prisoner. It’s wonderful if you think about God’s blessing overtaking us. 

Blue Skies in Autumn