the blessing of friendship

Friday night I got to hang out with some old friends that I have not seen in years. Once my mind put two and two together as we planned our trip up into Minnesota, I realized that my dear friend Angela was going to be a much better reason to go than the Mall of America!! So I was blessed with the chance to reconnect with this old friend from our days in Spence Hall at Evangel University. Ang was one of the first people I met at EU, my suite mate for a year, and had a deep, challenging impact on my faith as a new Christian. It was pretty much wonderful to see her again!

Not only did I get to see Ang, but her husband Nick came home after work, and we got to catch up. Nick has been to Bangkok a few years ago, so he was able to suggest a great restaurant to visit, and some people to say hey to when I get there. But, cool thing was, their friend Josh was also there, and I know Josh from WAY back in the day--we met at the New Student Orientation bonfire freshman year! I didn’t know that any of them knew each other, so it was a great surprise. We all hung out until late in the night, catching up, laughing, and watching an episode of The Office (perfect way to spend time with friends, huh?) before I had to head back. Wonderful.

As Angela and I caught up on the past few years of life, I was overwhelmed by how God brings people into our lives, and though sometimes they are taken out of our lives faster than we would like, He also brings them back into the picture at just the right time. For this facet of His faithfulness, I am grateful. I am so thankful that Ang, Nick, and Josh are back in my life, and can’t wait to see how He brings all of us back together again someday--I personally voted for the next reunion to be in Bangkok. Ha.

So if you’re reading this humble blog, please know that God truly is interested in our friendships and relationships in this life. He brings people into our lives to bless us, challenge, us, and encourage us. Life may try to take those we hold close away from us, but as a Body of Believers we know that we WILL meet again. The time and place may not be known to us, but we have a promise of eternal fellowship. It may sound cheesy sometimes, but it is the honest truth given to us by One who does not lie.

Hoping to see each of you soon,
Heather

"missionary heather"

WOW. So, as I said in the last post, I am now in my itineration process for Thailand. Sunday, July 20th, I had my first service with Dysart Assembly of God in Dysart, Iowa. IT WAS AMAZING! The congregation was so loving, welcoming, and plain awesome, and the service went very well (except for some technical difficulties which all present can laugh at for some time to come).

This trip to Iowa has actually been about a year in the making. My pastor in Springfield, Jim Dougherty, and his daughter Treanna (one of my best friends) offered to take me to some of the congregations that they know in this state. We had quite the eventful drive up here yesterday (including a late start, a broken drive belt, a replacement vehicle with bad brakes, crazy heat, and unknowingly driving through a tornadic thunderstorm), but God kept us safe and we were somehow revived for the service in the morning. Dysart Assembly opened their arms and their hearts to me, and I think we all genuinely had a good time in the service, as well as the delicious potluck lunch afterwards (I am so blessed and spoiled!).

Not only was the congregation very responsive to the message and opened their hearts to the needs in Thailand, but everyone was so encouraging! I got to meet with and talk to quite a few people in the congregation, and it was a pleasure just getting to know people better. I even acquired a new set of “parents!” Lloyd and Yvonna are on the ministry team that leads the church, and adopted me as their daughter! Yvonna and I especially hit it off, and I have a standing invitation to return in two years when my time in Thailand is over. Yah!

The title of this entry comes from the end of the service at Dysart. The Holy Spirit was moving in everyone’s hearts before the service, actually guiding a few of us to the same topic (the Cross and salvation); Yvonna and I were powwowing after Sunday school and found out that He had given us the same message to teach the children that morning! So Yvonna began the service, and I got the chance to tell the children about Thailand and give them some information about her people instead of them going off to their own service. Afterwards, Yvonna invited me back to the kids’ room where I taught them the two phrases I know in Thai (hello and thank you, haha). As I was teaching them, Yvonna kept referring to me as “Missionary Heather.” It caught me off guard the first time, but then I realized…hey, that’s me! This is a huge responsibility to take upon myself, but I know this is what the Lord has created me to do. So I will assume the role of Missionary Heather with both pride and humility, and do my absolute best to bring Him honor and glory at all times.


For Him,
Missionary Heather

truly a vacation for the soul...

Hello everyone! I have left my new favorite country of Canada, and am writing this from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Traveling has been great so far, I actually slept on the flight from Vancouver to Minneapolis (which I usually have trouble doing, so praise God!). It was sad to leave Sarah and Canada, but I’m excited for what’s next on this journey…

I really want to open up with everyone on this blog entry. I know that a lot of my entries lately have been pretty basic and not very “spiritual,” but I want to assure you that this last trip turned out to be more of a vacation for my soul than for my body. Sure, I stayed in a nice, hotel-like dorm building, ate amazing food everyday, and played outside in ideal 72 degree weather all day…but the part of me that benefited most from my time in Vancouver was my soul.

Life has been hectic, hard, and slightly soul-killing lately, so it was great to get out of Springfield, get away from the humdrum of everyday life and duties, and remember what I have been created to do. I am learning how to step away from the world and retreat to that sacred place of communion with the Lord--no matter what tries to keep my attention instead. While in college the Lord was constantly teaching me how to manage my relationship with Him despite so many demands on my time; after school I learned how to avoid complacency in both life and spirit. As I transitioned into working full-time I had to ask Him how to balance a sometimes slow/sometimes break-neck work environment with a relevant life lived before Him and my co-workers; and now, still employed but also preparing for moving to Thailand and fundraising full-time, He is quietly and faithfully showing me how to come away to the quiet, still waters (Psalm 23, gotta love it!) and spend time with Him. The past week in Vancouver was key to figuring out this piece of my life-puzzle.

Not only did He speak to my heart so gently about balancing my life with Him and the demands that surround me constantly, but He reminded me that this calling on my life is HIS calling. Let me explain: for the past couple of months I have struggled with feeling inadequate in my calling and unable to itinerate, learn the Thai language, minister effectively, etc. I know that the onslaught has been the work of the enemy, but it has also caused me to be even MORE dependent upon the Lord. I suffer from a weird desire to be very independent in every aspect of my life…and the Lord is slowly breaking me of that quirk. It’s both a healthy and unhealthy aspect of my personality, and He’s helping me work through the unhealthy part of it. In Vancouver I was reminded again and again and AGAIN that He desires me to be dependent upon Him. God enjoys it when we rest in Him, look to Him for guidance, and rely upon Him for the big and the small things in life. I am learning again how to do this very thing.

So I now find myself in Iowa (it's actually Sunday, July 20th as I finish this post), beginning my itineration process. I have a more quieted soul within me now, as I hold on to the exaltation that David makes in Psalm 131:2, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” In all actuality, it is the LORD that has quieted my soul within me…and I am unbelievably grateful for that fact.

Resting in Him,
Heather

a soul-reviving vacation

I am now convinced that I need to take it easy more often and find places that bring me back to what really matters in life. And I have found one of those places: Vancouver, BC.

For those who know me well, I am someone with far too much on her plate; someone who over-commits herself to activities and responsibilities. The result is a life lived with adventure and full of experience; but also a life lived on overdrive with not enough time to spend with the ones I love. Sure, I am productive. But is it production that echoes in eternity, or is it just being "busy"?

I am asking myself these questions this week.

I had plenty of time to think on the plane ride here yesterday, and Sarah and I are traveling mainly by bus and skytrain around the city, so there's ample time for reflection. I am realizing that I sow too much time into things that don't deserve my time--and I want to change that fact. I want to spend more quality time with friends, and exert more energy to let those around me know how much they mean to my life. This is a new and on-going goal of mine.

Spending a week in Vancouver is also teaching me the importance of relishing in nature. Why else would God have given us such a beautiful world, but to praise Him for it and enjoy it?! Vancouver is dotted with beautiful parks, beaches, and outdoor activities. I'm taking advantage of the free ones this week! I currently spend too much time indoors, and I want to change that as soon as I get home.

Another lesson that Vancity has unknowingly taught me already is the importance of relationship. I've already seen in other countries how the emphasis is put upon relationships and people, rather than appearances and belongings (and there are of course exceptions to the rule everywhere)--but I am seeing the difference with new eyes this time around. I want to be more real with people and appreciate them even more for who they are.

So far, this has been a wonderful and meaningful visit with Sarah, as well as a glimpse into my heart and God's soul. I pray it continues.

Here is a picture of a bag that I saw while shopping with my Aunt Bonnie in Arkansas last weekend. It verbalizes well what I have been learning this week:

Learning to breathe,

Heather

apparently, large earrings are considered a security threat to air travel...?

Yeah, so...apparently my love for large fashion earrings clashed momentarily with my love for travel today. At the KCI airport (at 6am, by the way) I got in line at security, put my stuff in the bins, checked my pockets, and proceeded through the metal detector. It went off. So the lady informed me that I had one more chance to go through the detector, and I'd better find whatever it was that set it off. She helped me check my pockets, I wasn't wearing a belt...and we couldn't figure it out. Finally, I pointed at my earrings, and though she was skeptical I went ahead and put them in a bin and attempted to clear security. Everything was fine the second time through, and it turns out, my earrings above are made out of something seemingly hazardous (or at least metallic) to the security men and women of KCI. Glad they're keeping us safe, though.

Hope you enjoyed this quirky little fact, and hope it made you smile!

Sarah and I are having a wonderful time in Vancouver so far, I'll try to keep you all updated.

Thinking about moving to Canada someday,

HG

on the road

My suitcase is sitting by the door, my backpack is ready for me to put my laptop in it, and my passport is waiting in my purse... It's not quite time to head to Thailand yet, but the travel bug has hit me once again and I'm going to visit my friend Sarah in Canada. In a few hours I'll drive to KC to fly out bright and early tomorrow morning. Pray for safe travel, and for lots of fun and relaxation before I hit the road again to Iowa to fundraise.

I will try to post some awesome pictures once I get the chance. If you've ever been to Vancouver and have ideas on what we can go see or do, email me!


Resting up,
Heather

i have the greatest family

It is getting late on Sunday night, and I just got back from Arkansas earlier this evening. It was a wonderful weekend getaway for July 4th, but as I get ready for bed, I realize how much I miss my family already. There is nothing like the hustle and bustle of a full house of relatives...and my heart is aching without that sound now. Lord, gird my heart with the strength to say goodbye this fall...