Today's the day! Around 10:00 AM, this little blog will redirect to my beautiful new author website designed by the team at Moody Publishers.
What a great new verb! Redirect means to send something to a new place or in a new direction.
Have you ever in your life been redirected to an unexpected place for an unexpected purpose? Most of my life has felt like I was going in one direction, and God "reached down from on high and took hold of me" (Psalm 18:16) to redirect me. I was like a toddler constantly moving towards danger or like a mouse in a maze that went to every dead end.
But God redirects. And when He does, something extraordinary happens.
I never planned or even imagined that one day Live with Flair would become part of a larger journey of writing and speaking. I never imagined that tracking thousands of ordinary days would lead where it has.
After all this time, I'm ready for a redirect because I trust the One Who Leads Me.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Monday, November 2, 2015
Humble Pie
I've been praying about how to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus instead of myself in the midst of so many exciting things like radio interviews, book sales, and letters from readers. It's easy to think highly of myself and forget that Jesus has accomplished everything through me (Isaiah 26:2 and John 15). Whatever fruitfulness happens in my life is an overflow of the Holy Spirit and the "good works which God prepared in advance" for me to do.
But still, it feels so important to speak and teach and write and be on the radio. And I sometimes love all the attention that comes from visible roles within the church. So in church yesterday (where we are newer attendees), when I saw the women's ministry director racing towards me after the service, I imagined I knew what she was going to say. Had she read my book? Had she heard a radio interview? Was she going to invite me to speak at a women's event? To sign books maybe?
She says, breathless and excited, "Heather, I had to invite you--because we have heard about you and your. . .
amazing ability . . .
to wash dishes--
if you would join our Clean-Up Team for the Women's Ministry!"
(It's true: I'm amazing in the kitchen when it comes to scrubbing pots and pans, and months ago, I helped wash so many pie dishes and platters and crockpots after a women's event. She noticed. She saw my talent with dish soap and sponges.)
I burst out laughing because I was so ashamed of myself and so humbled. And I realized all over again that I was seated with Christ in the heavenly realms where no task that He assigns is more important than any other. Scrubbing the pots is as vital as speaking up front, and I knew it.
We've heard about you and your amazing ability to wash dishes.
I needed this invitation yesterday. I was thrilled to accept this honored request to serve as the Scrubber of Pots for Women's Ministry. Hallelujah! She said to me, "It was just so much fun cleaning the church kitchen with you." It was. It was perfect. I loved that evening where I gabbed on and on with ladies while up to my elbows in dishwater.
And I remembered Philippians 2:7 and how I'm most like Jesus when I "consider [myself] nothing and take on the nature of a servant." I'm seated with Christ, and I complete the good works He ordains, whether large or small, displayed or hidden.
Sometimes the hidden tasks are so much more fun anyway.
But still, it feels so important to speak and teach and write and be on the radio. And I sometimes love all the attention that comes from visible roles within the church. So in church yesterday (where we are newer attendees), when I saw the women's ministry director racing towards me after the service, I imagined I knew what she was going to say. Had she read my book? Had she heard a radio interview? Was she going to invite me to speak at a women's event? To sign books maybe?
She says, breathless and excited, "Heather, I had to invite you--because we have heard about you and your. . .
amazing ability . . .
to wash dishes--
if you would join our Clean-Up Team for the Women's Ministry!"
(It's true: I'm amazing in the kitchen when it comes to scrubbing pots and pans, and months ago, I helped wash so many pie dishes and platters and crockpots after a women's event. She noticed. She saw my talent with dish soap and sponges.)
I burst out laughing because I was so ashamed of myself and so humbled. And I realized all over again that I was seated with Christ in the heavenly realms where no task that He assigns is more important than any other. Scrubbing the pots is as vital as speaking up front, and I knew it.
We've heard about you and your amazing ability to wash dishes.
I needed this invitation yesterday. I was thrilled to accept this honored request to serve as the Scrubber of Pots for Women's Ministry. Hallelujah! She said to me, "It was just so much fun cleaning the church kitchen with you." It was. It was perfect. I loved that evening where I gabbed on and on with ladies while up to my elbows in dishwater.
And I remembered Philippians 2:7 and how I'm most like Jesus when I "consider [myself] nothing and take on the nature of a servant." I'm seated with Christ, and I complete the good works He ordains, whether large or small, displayed or hidden.
Sometimes the hidden tasks are so much more fun anyway.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
These 40 Years
In Deuteronomy 2:7, we read this: "The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything."
It's true! It's true for me and you!
These forty years. As I turn forty on this very day, I rejoice in Jesus. I dwell in the truth of this verse; God watched over me through the vast wilderness of my whole life. He guarded me. He rescued and kept me. I never lacked anything because I had Him.
What a wonderful reality to finally know! What a refuge and fortress of strength!
(This is my next book--on this very verb "guard.")
So when I went to blow out candles and make a wish, for the first time in my life, I paused and couldn't think of what to wish for. It was all already here.
But I did want one thing that my family presented to me:
Slippers! Luxurious slippers.
Being forty and living with flair means you know exactly what you want and need, and you aren't afraid to ask for it. You know you want slippers because being cozy at home with family and friends matters more than anything. You know you want slippers because you love drinking coffee and sitting at your writing desk for hours to write books. You know you want slippers--luxurious slippers--because you're going to stay right here and settle into this life God has given you. Let's drink coffee, watch a movie, talk about life, make a meal, write, and read. I'll be in my slippers.
It's true! It's true for me and you!
These forty years. As I turn forty on this very day, I rejoice in Jesus. I dwell in the truth of this verse; God watched over me through the vast wilderness of my whole life. He guarded me. He rescued and kept me. I never lacked anything because I had Him.
What a wonderful reality to finally know! What a refuge and fortress of strength!
(This is my next book--on this very verb "guard.")
So when I went to blow out candles and make a wish, for the first time in my life, I paused and couldn't think of what to wish for. It was all already here.
But I did want one thing that my family presented to me:
Slippers! Luxurious slippers.
Being forty and living with flair means you know exactly what you want and need, and you aren't afraid to ask for it. You know you want slippers because being cozy at home with family and friends matters more than anything. You know you want slippers because you love drinking coffee and sitting at your writing desk for hours to write books. You know you want slippers--luxurious slippers--because you're going to stay right here and settle into this life God has given you. Let's drink coffee, watch a movie, talk about life, make a meal, write, and read. I'll be in my slippers.