Psalm 37:4 states "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  I was reading this verse today and I was focusing on the desire of my heart with weddings, engagements, and marriage.  I was thinking why these desires were not being fulfilled in my life.  However, God spoke to me instantly saying Heather for the past 7 years you have been telling me the desire of your heart is to help the poor, serve Me and others, love on kids and people who have never been loved.  Why are you thinking I don't have the plan?  Often times our minds get so wrapped up in the world and what is going on around us the we forget to fix our eyes on what is unseen rather than seen (2 Cor 4:16), to trust in the One who is the maker and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Phil 4:8). God will meet all the desires in our hearts.  We have to trust in His perfect plan and timing, not our own!  I am beyond that He is in control and I am not; however, I must decrease so He may increase!

I love how God can give you the scripture you needed to read, the story you needed to hear, or the prayer you needed to pray.  God has really been providing me with sweet encouragement and I received it again today at Life Church.  Craig Groeschel has been sharing different sermons he has done around the world.  Toady's sermon came from Acts 20:22-24

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-- the task testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Paul was leaving his comfortable life in Ephesus to take a leap of faith with God.  Craig pointed out 4 things that will happen when you take a leap of faith.
1. Spirit's prompting- It wasn't MY choice or My idea but I am compelled by the Spirit to move to Haiti.  There is a longing in my heart for this poor country and kids. What is the Spirit prompting you to do?
2. Certain uncertainty- This is the fear of not knowing.  In order to step into your destiny you have to step away from security.  If you are not living with uncertainty then you are not living by faith.
3. Predictable resistance- it is in the rough times when God is doing something inside you.
4. Uncommon Clarity- This is what I was made for... this is why God put me on Earth.

All of these 4 things from Paul are what is going on in my life.  At times no one understands, it is hard to explain why I am moving to Haiti, but I am compelled by the Spirit to trust God and take the leap of faith!  What a blessing this sermon was in my life.  It is Gods way of telling me to be patient for 1 more month... He will provide, I just have to fix my eyes on all that He is. Not what the world is.

Thank God. Why God?

I often find myself asking God so many why questions.  Why did I have to break up with my boyfriend?  Why can't I raise all of my support?  Why do I have to be gone when a lot of great things will be happening to my friends this year?  Why can't I just get a job here?  Today I was reading my devotion that I read every morning and today was God speaking directly to me, it came from Sara Young's Jesus Calling focusing on Psalm 116:17 and Philippians 4:4-6


Thank Me for the very things that are troubling you.  You are on the brink of rebellion, precariously close to shaking your fist at me.  You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about My treatment of you.  But once you step over that line, torrents of rage and self-pity can sweet you away.  The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving.  It is impossible to thank Me and curse Me at the same time. My thankfulness can and will make a difference in my heart.


Wow!! How much do I need to reverse my thinking?!  I should be thanking God for allowing wonderful parents and friends and family supporting me!  I have the honor to help God further the kingdom because we all know that He can do it with out us;  however he uses weak, sinners like you and me to help me!  What a blessing.
 

"Don't worry about anything.  Instead pray about everything.  Tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for his answers". Phil 4:6.  I have been praying to move to Haiti for as long as I can remember.  Instead of focusing on what I will be missing here at home in the States,  I need to be thanking God for allowing this dream to become reality =)  

One Step Closer

I feel so bad for how I have not been updating much on my blog.  However, I have been busy preparing for Haiti and spending time with friends.  I am still in the process of raising support.  I am about 40% of the way to reaching my goal.  I feel beyond pleased for the way my friends and family have been supporting and encouraging me.  I am praying God will provide more funding for me;  if you would like to donate please click this link Outside the Bowl Donation Link and then donate =)  if you have any questions please just contact me and let me know!  If you can put me on your prayer list to let all of my support and funding to come in quickly because I am leaving in a little over than a month.

As Haiti is getting closer (about 40ish days away) my heart gets scared and Satan is all around trying to tell me lies.  One of my friends once told me, when you know Satan is trying to work against you, you should take it as a compliment because he is fearful of how you are impacting God's kingdom.  God has been walking with me every step of the way.  One day I was talking to one of my friends and I said I don't know if I am ready for this change, he told me I think you are more ready than you think.  It is moments like that, where God uses friends to show me that I am ready, that I will not be alone, and that God will never leave me nor forsake me.  I am a child of God and there is not anything better than knowing you are safely with your Father.  I do get fearful of leaving my comfortable life here in the states with my friends and family, but I am more fearful of not listening to God's calling for my life.  I want nothing more to do His will.  It doesn't mean it will be easy, but I know I will not be forsaken. 

I have gotten all of my bedding for Haiti and it is with the Tugwell family to be shipped to Haiti.  They are planning on leaving the first week of July and I will come a few weeks later. I just found out today that my brother, mom, and dad will be going to Haiti with me when I move!  I did not think my brother was going to be able to come but God can make the impossible, possible and I am SOOO excited he gets to be a part of this new move.  I will keep you posted and hopefully get some pictures updated soon!  God Bless.  

"Whoever serves me must follow me." John 12:16

I promise I will get better at posting on my blog once I am in Haiti =)  Right now has been a time filled with fun, joy, and business.  I have been able to spend time with family, see my baby cousins get baptized, and see two of my very close friends get married.  With all of this business became a battle.  I found myself relying on myself and not listening and hearing from God.  When I am not digging into the Word and praying continually, Satan sees the areas to creep into my heart and knock me down.  Seeing all of my friends getting married, getting jobs, and living life; I was beginning to reconsider what God is asking of me.  Why am I having to leave my comfortable life? Why can't I stay with my wonderful boyfriend?  Why am I not thinking about weddings right now?  These questions were not coming from the Lord.  As soon as I stepped away from my selfish thoughts and began to read the Word and hear from my Creator again, it all became clear.  Jesus says, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My father will honor the one who serves me." How can I be scared?  How can I reconsider the life that Jesus has called me to?  God will go above and beyond to fulfill every desire in my heart and will meet all needs according to his glorious riches-- the only thing I have to do is trust God and to say yes to Jesus.  I have to deny myself daily and place my life in His place.  There is no better place to be than in your Father, your Creators arms.  What a blessing that God gives us a purpose on this world.  You can live for yourself or you can run after the Man who has the plan, who knows the answers, and knows how to meet all of your needs.   

As I am patiently waiting for the moving day to come, I am getting to spend wonderful time with my family and friends.  I am continuing to work on raising support to help provide plane tickets and additional funding needed in Haiti. If you would like to help just click this link Outside the Bowl and donate what you feel would help! It is the most encouraging thing to know I have friends and family who believe what God has called me to is important. For those who are praying for me pray that God will continue to provide financially, prepare my heart along with my families heart.  =)

I Lean Not on My Own Understanding

Here is a picture of the beautiful Tugwell family. I cannot wait to be a part of their family and we will be starting this new journey together!

I thought that after giving my defense for school that the work load and stress you lighten up.  However, I felt as soon as that stress ended God was ready to work on my heart, and life almost became harder.  I realized how much support I was/ am going to be needed to raise, and how much I needed to devote myself to prayer and hand every part of my life over to God.  I could no longer any control any part of it-- I had and still have to through off everything that hinders between me and my creater- Romans 12.  Also, I read something that I wanted to share with others- "Your prayers move God to change the world.  You may not understand the mystery of prayer.  You don't need to.  But this much is clear: Actions in Heaven begin when someone prays on Earth" 1 Peter 3:12.  I have so much more to share but still need more time to gather my heart and thoughts.  "He must increase and I must decrease" John 3:30.  Also, I tried to put a picture of our house but cannot get it to work.  Hopefully I can get that for you all soon!  Only 1 more week until graduation =)  What a road this year has been...

After Hard Work

I can't believe that it has been almost 2 months since I posted on my blog about Haiti.  However, school got super busy but now after hard work I can finally say I will be graduating with my Masters in education in about 2 weeks!  God has provided so much for me this year by showing me beauty and encouragement any time I felt like I couldn't make it. The people that have been placed in my life this year will forever be a blessing.  I am beyond excited to see where God takes everyone in the next step of life! 

Some updates on Haiti now that I finally get to think about Haiti!  Lori and I are planning on taking a trip the end of May so I can see what is going on in Haiti, what I need to pack, and what life is going to look like next year.  Originally, we had planned my parents to come with me at this time as well.  However, our wonderful God had a bigger plan and He knew that was not going to happen.  Now it is just Lori and I going while my dad is going to get to work in the hospitals in Honduras.  It is beyond wonderful what all God plans when we do not even try!! Oh, and my parents will be coming in July when I move-- they will just come back to the States while I stay in Haiti!

After defending my action research and finding out that I passed, I felt overwhelmed with the thought of leaving this comfortable life and everything that I love and know to move to the poorest country that I don't know anything about.  God kept placing scriptures on my heart to ensure me that I am doing his plan not mine.  That in order to be my disciple I must deny myself daily and take up the cross and follow him.  I know that this next year will be amazing and hard at the same time.  Knowing that this is what God wants makes it more exciting than scary.  

If you feel that God wants you to come along side this journey with me, I would love your support through prayer or a donation.  My goal for this year is to raise $5,000 this will include my plane tickets (I am planning on 2 trips, 1 to move and 1 for Christmas) along with living expenses (I am planning on living on $200 a month).  If you feel that you are called to make a donation and help contribute to this cause you can click this link Outside the Bowl- Donation for Heather   and make a donation of your choice =) There are directions on this link/ page to follow what to do in order to donate. I can't wait to see what God has planned with your help!