As I shared bits and pieces of my testimony with the students, their eyes were wide and some of them had open mouths.
“Who is this girl you are talking about?”
“Yea, I feel like I am talking about a different person…”
During our LifeSkillz class that Coraviece and I are conducting in Mounds and Cairo, we have opportunity to teach the students about a lot of cool stuff. I am amazed at how this has all worked out. I mean, come on…I was about to meet with a group of teen girls this summer and do exactly that – teach them about positive decision making, myths of drug use, peer pressure, sex, STDs…and now I can actually get paid for it. Praise Jesus!
God opened the door for me to share a little about some past experiences. My only hope is that they learn from my terrible mistakes and make better ones. Also, that they would see the glory of God in my life. That He is the one that turned me around.
After LifeSkillz, one of the gals was helping us unload our stuff at Cora’s house. We got to chatting about quite a few things. She asks us why we are so concerned about what the teens are doing.
“Why are adults always giving advice, can’t we just learn from our OWN mistakes?”
I began to share with her how I grew up in the church and yet didn’t understand who Jesus was and why he died on the cross and why that mattered in my life. I told her that IF an older woman would have come into my life to share the truth about Christ, maybe I wouldn’t have made such poor decisions. I told her with passion, how much I loved her and wanted to see her make good choices and not suffer the consequences that I faced as a teenager. We talked about a lot of things and prayed before we left. Overall, I am just in awe, watching God touch the lives of these teenagers.
Seriously, the first time I went to the Elmwood Housing Projects, I knew there was a unique connection. There was something pulling me there to love the children and teenagers in that place. I was overwhelmed with the Father’s heart of love, five years ago when first passing through the Housing Project. As Stacy, Heather, Joel and I did an attempted outreach, passing out freezy pops on a hot summer day, my heart sang. I was overwhelmed with hope for these people.
Sure, I was naive, and had no idea what their daily struggle looked like.
Sure, I was white, they weren’t.
Sure, I came from the north and a totally different culture altogether growing up in the “burbs.”
Sure I had lived in the same house all my years of growing up and had “stability”, which these kids did not.
Sure, I thought I had something to offer.
Sure, I was filled with misconceptions and pride.
I asked the Lord if I ever came back to Cairo to live (which was TOTALLY NOT ON MY RADAR at that time as I was about to live in S. Minneapolis for a year), could I have a ministry at Elmwood. He heard and answered that heart cry.
A year after the freezy pop outreach…
I find myself living in Cairo. The very place I was thanking my God for NOT sending me the year before during my internship with GreaterWorks. Stacy, Heather, Joel and I lived in South Minneapolis and worked in the main office for YouthWorks. Great experience, that’s a story for another day.
The Two Rivers Team decides to split up into teams of two and divide up the town and hit the streets for a prayer walk – EVERY WEDNESDAY! Yea, this was certainly a lesson in perseverance as many days we (or some on the team) didn’t want to go out. Evangelism and outreach is my thing. God just built it in me. I usually don’t get too nervous or afraid, I just love to go out and talk to people about Jesus and pray for them. I’m no expert and I have a lot to learn, but I am pretty much addicted to this stuff. When I see God touching people and ministering to them, this little girl in me gets all excited and giddy. I can’t help it. Guess where me and my partner are assigned?
That’s right, Elmwood!
We would knock on doors asking people if they needed prayer for anything. You would have been shocked and pleasantly surprised by the response of these community members. I mean, here we are, two white girls from up north with a funny accent, asking people who we have NEVER met if we can pray with them. The response, many received prayer right there in their doorway, many welcomed us in their homes! This was quite the opposite response to some other community members who shared the same skin color, were “well to do”, and had their “own church”. I’m not upset about it, just reflecting on how interesting things work out sometimes. We did the prayer walk thing for about a year or more (in that structure).
Four years after the freezy pop outreach…
I am getting my homeroom class started for the day (Jr. High Math), and one of my boys blurts out…”I remember you coming to Elmwood Ms.C! I remember you walking around with a cooler filled with freezy pops. You were with some other people, walking around and talking to the kids at Elmwood.” I had to hold back the tears as we recounted that day, five years ago. Here, this student remembered us coming through the projects, with a feeble attempt at loving our “neighbor”. And here I am teaching this student. Seriously, I never thought I would even be in Cairo over a year, and I certainly never thought I would teach in this town (or any town for that matter).
WOW! God is so GOOD!
Just yesterday some of us ventured back into Elmwood. It had been a while, since our summer outreach program, summer meal program, children’s ministry, and even worship ministry at Elmwood. It’s really been a while since we have done some ministry up in that place. You see, Elmwood is probably on my top five places in Cairo. It’s not just a place for ministry. It’s a place where I receive too! I have friends that are prayer warriors there that will lift one up for me.
Jesse has been doing some outreach on his own lately. Seriously, this brother is steadfast. He was going out to different places in town on his own, just trying to win some by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s probably hard to go out as a brother. You approach ladies, and they wonder why you are talking to them…it could get funny. You approach the men…they wonder why you are talking to them…it could get funny. See what I’m saying. I believe it is MUCH better to go out in twos, and male/female groups are the best for reaching both men and women. Just my opinion.
We hit up Elmwood again. This time it was Jesse, Stacy and myself. IT was good stuff. I was able to reconnect with a couple parents (of my Jr. High students) and some old friends. I spent most of my time with Phylis. She’s one of the warriors I was telling you about. A Grandma who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. I’ll have to write a whole blog about this amazing woman of God. Stacy and Jesse played with some children and were also able to encourage an older gentleman at Elmwood.
God, continue to bless the families in Elmwood and raise up a Spirit of Praise in that place. I believe that PRAISE will be their weapon in fighting the enemy. Protect them, provide for them, love them. Open their eyes to who YOU are JESUS!
(A friend of mine is part of this effort in putting together resources to bring awareness to people and bring them to a place of motivation to actually DO SOMETHING about this terrible crime.)
Another good friend, Jessica McClure, who had previously worked at Two Rivers (and lived in the bedroom next to mine), and is still a part of our family is going to Thailand for three months. She will be working with women who are a part of the sex trafficking industry, helping them see there is a way out. She will be going with AIM (Adventures In Missions) her current employer.
If you have a heart to be a part of this, please ask the Lord how you can get involved. There are numerous ways you can help these women and men…
Learn more about sex trafficking and how people are affected.
PRAY!!!!
Tell friends about it, post a video on your blog, website, facebook, myspace, or email it out to your friends and family (many are unaware at the alarming numbers of PEOPLE who are caught in this trap.
Ask if you can do a presentation at your Bible Study, fellowship group, or church on this topic to bring awareness to the church.
Do a fundraiser and send money to indigenous leadership in a country that are creating safe places for women to find refuge.
Support a missionary working in this field.
Ask the Lord if YOU are to GO.
Be brave, courageous and fight this battle…for we do NOT fight against flesh and blood (Eph. 6).
For the past two nights I’ve been getting my praise on in Paducah with brothers and sisters from Eddie James Ministry…okay they have like a million names (like our ministry), but this would be the most familiar. This ministry is raising up a generation in LOVE with Jesus. Taking them off the streets, out of gang life, drugs, addictions, sex, alcohol, hate, bitterness, unforgiveness, fear, shame, guilt, fatherlessness…the list goes on. Basically this family lives RADICAL for the LORD 24/7…at least try to. I LOVE IT! I LOVE THEM! God is soooooo GOOD. Hearing their testimonies made me weep….seeing the Spirit move made me jump…the anointing…the FREEDOM! Sometimes when you worship you feel hindered, because of your own junk, issues, pride…sometimes it is because of the environment…this was NOT the case in Paducah Monday and Tuesday. There was such a FREEDOM to worship – young, old, white, black, Latino, baptist, Pentecostal…they were all getting down! I really did feel like I was at a house party for Jesus.
TUESDAY: The TR staff invited a bunch of youth, filled our cars and took off to Paducah, KY to experience the Lord. Yeah, most of these youth did not have a vibrant/growing relationship with Jesus. In fact, we have been praying for these SPECIFIC youth and have had close relationships with them for the past three years. It was so fun to walk into a church with these kids knowing that they were going to experience Jesus in a different way than normal “Sunday Church”. There’s a spirit of religion in this town, so most likely they have been tainted by that. (I understand this phrase might not make sense to some of you, please email me and I will break it down.) We walk in and shortly after finding some seats right up in front on the floor, they get into it. I’m talking “YOu are Worthy” was the first song…this makes you want to get up and shout. Which I did. The youth are looking at me like, “Ms. Heather, it’s okay to do that in CHURCH?!?!” haha. Some of them were looking like that, others were just bug-eyed and didn’t move for like 30 minutes. What they expected and what they experienced did NOT match up…but I think they were glad in the end. We got crazy in worship, they shared some POWERFUL testimonies of deliverance of all sorts of stuff, and had a type of an alter call. NOT the type that is manipulated by words, pressuring people to come forward, music playing on the emotions in the back…NO! It was the real deal…not a “one prayer” rescues you from hell type of thing either. It was sincere, lead of the Holy Spirit and POWERFUL. Basically Eddie James asked everyone to consider their hearts before the Lord. That title or position DID NOT MATTER. We are all desperate for JESUS! He asked people to just come to the front and kneel before the Father lifting holy hands to Him WHO IS ABLE to save them and give them NEW LIFE. One of the first girls to go up was one that I have been ministering to for about a year and a half. She is precious before the Lord and to me. I have seen her struggle, cry, laugh, smile, question, and yes even surrender. She meant it, it was for real. She is now a NEW WOMAN. Of course, it is a process for each of us…BUT I knew we spoke afterwards that something had shifted in her. A couple other boys also went up….they didn’t make the commitment YET, but something shifted in their hearts too. They are both in 6th grade, my friend Robyn is their teacher. One just asked Stacy for a white Bible and is now reading John as an AR book in SCHOOL! Check it, MANY of the kids in that class are reading the BIBLE as an AR book! haha! LOVE IT! Watch out Cairo…you are about to get rocked by some radical revivalists! There is a stirring at the schools, EACH ONE OF THEM in Cairo. I feel it, I see it, I hear it, I believe it! After sowing nearly four years of prayer in the schools for the teachers, students, administrators, curriculum…he starts to built a little HOPE where there was none. You start to really believe for the things you are asking for…yea! It’s not so far out there, like it was the first day you started praying. A Spirit of faith arises and you PRAISE THE KING! Amen.
TUESDAY: I knew I was going both nights with a full car. I just didn’t know WHO was going to be coming the second night, until I was doing some work in Ms. Harper’s (Band Director) office. I was minding my own business when a couple girls come up, “Ms. Heather, where you going tonight?” You see, they had already heard from a couple others that went or were invited…they wanted in. haha. I was a bit hesitant because I didn’t know how to deal with the flood of students that would REALLY want to go, when I only had space for four…the other staff were not going the second night, so it was just me. God knew. I had invited about four that couldn’t come, and He invited four new ones. So, it ended up being three gals (including the one that took the plunge the night before) and one guy. It was funny because I just told them about it THAT day, in fact the male student had not even asked his dad until I got there to pick him up…but he let him go…even though I said we’d be back at midnight. That’s cool. I prep. them a bit before we get there, asking them questions about their experience (I didn’t know these kids as well…just see them at school), tell them what to expect…it’s okay to feel weird…blah, blah, blah. We walk in as they have already started the party…the other girl (who had been there Monday) and I start dancing and hopping around. The others are like stiff boards wondering what is going on…they’ve probably never seen white people get crazy for Jesus like this…haha. The great thing about it is, the ministry is a mixture of all different types of cultures and so was the audience. These kids are the majority in Cairo, so when they are around more white folks, it gets a little uncomfortable sometimes (trust me, I have talked to them about this). So, I am aware of their “reactions” they whole time, just allowing God to do what He is going to do. This night I am less concerned about how I respond to the Lord. I tamed it down the first night, but last night I was just me. I think that’s okay too. I didn’t need to wear a mask or try to be what I thought they wanted or felt like Ms. Heather should be.
They did rapid fire testimonies…they had a different type of alter call prayer…they did personal ministry and deliverance (again, ask if you are curious)…it was sweet. The whole time the youth were a bit hesitant, but VERY curious and God was definitely doing something. One girl went up for prayer, Eddie actually had the whole place pray for her…REALITY of the LOVE of the FATHER. Amen. We all need a good dose of that. Next one of the other girls looks real sensitive, I ask if she wants to go up…she says no, but she would have someone come to her. I find a female staff and she prays over her…on target. This girl was so eager for prayer, she says, “I just need prayer. I need all this stuff broken off.” WOW! Humbling. She couldn’t express in words, but God KNOWS HER HEART! It was beautiful. The other girl kept wanting ME to go up for prayer. I told her I NEED it all the time, but didn’t feel now was appropriate. I even asked the youth to pray for me as I go into the school…they wouldn’t. Too much fear of man…
For the male student…I knew that he wanted prayer from one of the dudes, but was too hard to admit it. So, one of the guys was talking to us afterwards and I asked him to pray for __________. He said, “Yea, I’ve been praying for him all night.” He begins chatting with this guy and he does pray over him…some truth, some destiny, sprinkled with the WORD. My type of prayer, love it. Afterwards the student is really hit by the Spirit and doesn’t know what to think. He is breathing real hard and I ask, “What do you feel?” He has a big smile and says, “Nothing, I’m okay.” “Right, you are getting touched by God.” “He’s feeling something.” We all laugh. It’s all good.
Next thing you know God is breaking through in some other areas. The deal ended a bit earlier, but that’s okay we needed to spend time fellowshipping. We are hanging out with the prayer warrior guy, and some other guys…just free style singing and rapping. This is my kind of fun. The youth were in fear and wanted to sing but were afraid. I felt the Lord was going to break off the “Fear of Man” in a big way, through them singing out loud. Yeah, crazy, because I know I suffered from this too about five years ago. Christian (the warrior) starts going ape nuts singing something absolutely beautiful…my youth are AMAZED. WOW! I say, “Now your turn.” Knowing they have all this comparison and fear. For like half and hour Christian, some other dudes and I are singing trying to get them to join in…FINALLY break through. One of my girls starts singing her favorite song, “slow motion.” This girl can sing! My friend Tiffany (who I met at Books a Million a couple months ago) comes in outta no where and starts singing Amazing Grace. I NEVER knew she could sing like that! Talk about anointing! Next, the dude wants to give it a whirl…he starts singing, “This little light of mine.” Then we all start singing together. It was really ___________________…I can’t put a word to it, but basically, “ROCKED MY FACE OFF!” haha. For real, this stuff blows my mind. Here we are at this worship deal in a town 45 minutes away, that the students found out about a minute ago, now they are getting set free of all this stuff and falling more in love with their Creator. Yea!
Last stop is the basement before we leave. It was really going to be a quick convo…that doesn’t EVER happen with me…I should know better by now. We go downstairs where the 40 EJM peeps are eating. It is really “supposed” to be off limits because they need a break from people (I totally understand). But, I was trying to get in contact with the head dog in charge to set up a Cairo worship deal. The youth come with and I am talking to this brother…telling him about Cairo and why I think it would be a blessing for them to come. THey are going to pray about it. Actually they are doing an IL tour starting in the south…what town do you think they should start in?!? HA! Let’s see, maybe that little one right at the southern tip…hmmmmm….we’ll see.
People are eating, fellowshipping, laughing, singing…I get held up in the room where a man is playing all these Misty Edwards and Rick Pino songs on the piano. A couple other brothers are singing their hearts out, so I join them, why not? Ha. Talk about a unique blend of voices, it just worked. The youth were cool, they were dancing in the hallway with some other people. It really just felt like a big family reunion to me. After an hour or so, we are needing to head out…it’s 11:00 already!
One last thing, I had talked to Eddie the night before and asked if I could pray over him and some of the team. He is on his way downstairs to rest and I stop him and his PA in the hall…”Can I pray quick.” Of course. Beautiful. We all join up (some of their team) and pray. Holy Spirit inspired words, I have nothing.
God is good. I love my family. The end…or the BEGINNING!
<a href=”“>
<a href=”“>
Christian…I think you need to teach me these dances…lol.
I have been stepping back onto the mountain of Education recently. I’ve noticed quite a few things at the high school that I really dislike. One, a lack of a desire to learn. Hey, I’m not even pretending to say that when I was in high school I LOVED learning. Certain subjects, yes, not all. The students lack motivation, because they lack vision.
Here is a tool that I think would help – the ActivBoard by Promethean. Perhaps I love technology a bit too much [cue song from Napolian Dynomite…”I love techonology”] but this activboard would be stinkin’ amazing to have in class. Check it out.
So, yeah, let’s pray it in since I am pretty sure I don’t have an extra 2 grand sitting around, and I don’t think the Cairo School District does either. Jesus, hook us up.
What a night! Seriously, what just happened?!? I think I am still overwhelmed by the power of God.
Let me try to summarize this story for you.
Tonight I went to Charleston to work out. Get my run on. I am training for a few marathons you know (running, rollerblading, and dancing). That’s another story. On the way to the Health Club I noticed the tire getting really low. Too low in fact to drive back to Cairo. Heather and Jesse had already put the spare on, the original one had a leak in it, and I have not gotten it fixed yet. Shame on me. I meant to do that today in the midst of all the business, but it slipped my mind. Oh, well God had other plans anyway.
I end up saying goodbye to my friend J at the club and heading out the door, knowing full well he was going to see me walking to the truck stop/restarant and stop to get me. You see, I have this rule. I don’t ride in vehicles with men I barely know…espescially in Cairo. Yeah, I am pretty strict about this – there are too many things that could go down, so I just don’t allow it to happen. Even if I feel he is “a nice guy”. It’s okay if you think I am crazy. I’d rather be crazy and safe than something else. So, of course, he sees me walking (really it is like a two block distance, not far) and pulls over.
“Heather, WHAT are you doing?!? WHy didn’t you tell me you had a flat? You know I could help you or give you a ride home!” He is kind of upset, and I can tell he is offended that I didn’t trust him because he prides himself on being a “nice guy.” I have discernment that he really is in fact a “nice guy”, but I have this rule in my mind and I would just rather be smart about stuff. So, in the nicest way possible I explain that I can walk the 100 feet remaining and that if he went to get his pump that would be great.
He comes back to help me pump up the tire and just lays it out, “Heather, I was kind of offended when you wouldn’t get in my vehicle and let me take you to the truck stop. I mean, it is dark out here and those semi trucks go by so fast. It really wasn’t safe.” Understand, this man is about my dad’s age (a bit younger) and single and African American. Nothing wrong with any of those things – I just don’t ride with men from the community period. Don’t matter if they are black or white, it is sketchy. After explaining that I knew he was a nice man with integrity and my rule and that it had nothing to do with him being black, he understood. Quickly, we pumped it up and I headed back to my “Perkins” truck stop to sit down and do some reading. It really didn’t bother me, I have had so many car problems in the past – each time there ends up being divine appointments on the other end, so I just sat and waited for it to unfold.
Reading I did not do…praying, prophesying, testifying, and praising – YES. My good friend’s dad – Pastor Terry was actually hooking it up at the buffet when I came in. We had a nice little chat, sharing testimonies of God’s goodness in provision. As we are talking the other two people at the restaraunt join in our conversation. Pastor Terry then starts directing his focus on B, a female truck driver who is sitting fairly close to me. He just whips out the prophetic words – BAM, straight to her heart. Starts reading her mail. She starts crying and explains her desire to come back to the Lord. She had known the Lord and walked away, now truly desires to come back. We talk a bit more, my phone rings, I catch up with an old high school friend. This friend of mine really wants to go to One Thing, but lacks financial resources. Aparently B (woman at restaraunt – stick with me, it’s coming togehter pretty soon) overheard the convo. Pastor Terry was about to leave, so we said a prayer together regarding some things we chatted about. Before he leaves, B (the female truck driver) hands me a $20 bill and says, “THis is to help your friend pay for the hotel. I wanted to help.”
WHAT?!? Hold the train.
Here is a perfect stranger wanting to help my friend, who she has never met. Crazy! This stuff is crazy, I tell you. Oh, wait, the best part is yet to come!
B starts sharing more about her life…struggles with alcohol, drugs, bad friends, you name it. She believed the Lord had her come to this specific truck stop to have an encounter with him. She is truly repentant and wants to come back into the arms of her Father. So, we start praying for her. Meanwhile, S (woman who works at the truck stop – who actually gave me a ride home 15 min. away) comes over to also pray with us (she had just punched off the clock), along with her friend and another pastor guy who just “happened to be there”. We are all praying over her, the Spirit falls. She is weeping like a baby. I can barely stand because the presence of God is so thick. She starts repenting before the Lord and asking for help and guidance. Pastor Terry starts praising Jesus in tongues. I just can’t even contain it at this time and begin laughing. Not because it was funny, because of the goodness of God!
I tell you what, sometimes I feel like my life is composed of movie scenes. I think, this stuff IS really happening!
The best part is, the Holy SPirit wants to do MORE! Always, there is always more where that came from! After our prayer session, we are all standing in awe of God. Here we are a bunch of “strangers” praying, praising and whooping it up at a truck stop.
It really isn’t surprising to me in a way. God had already spoken to me about this particular place being a place of encounter with the Holy Spirit. A place where lives are redeemed and people have their eyes open to Jesus. Every time I go into this place (which happened a lot more last year) I have divine appointments with people. For some time I have felt lead to ask the manager if I could play my guitar and sing…not for money or a concert, just to shift the spiritual climate.
Worship is warfare.
Worship brings the anointing.
So, my friends, pray for an open door to do that.
I’m out.
Good night.
PS I think I need to start going to this place (Cheers Truck Stop in Charleston, MO) more often. Just on my way out after I work out or to sit and write…whatever, I just need to be available to Him. Praise God for the most “unlikely” of places to become a habitation of His Spirit! I love it!
A couple summers ago Kristy, Jess and I took a little road trip to South Dakota for a music festival to sell our Kingdom Fuel necklaces. While there we hooked up with some amazing people. Other folks who were selling “christian merchandise”. One really stuck out to me, this young guy about my age designs and sells t-shirts for a living. Really, he has lots of passions, and one of them is mobilizing youth for battle. I’m not talkin’ bout crazy Jihad stuff, I’m talking about the real spiritual battle we face everyday. Most saints don’t even recognize it in the first place, that’s where the enemy catches us off guard. If we don’t even believe we are in a battle, where is the sense of fighting? Check out Ephesians 6 if you are confused about all of this. The battle is NOT against flesh and blood – but against the principalities, the evil forces. Stand firm saints, the road is about to get rockier. Our nation is about to go through some difficult times. BUT, we know the ONE who has already claimed VICTORY over death and the grave. So, have no fear and walk in love as we see tribulations coming (Matthew 24).
Okay, back to this “Live Offensively”. This brother travels a ton ministering to youth – at schools, at music festivals, pretty much wherever the Lord opens a door, he’ll walk right through.
Recently I found the shirt in my closet that he had given me. We traded, some guitar pick necklaces for a shirt. Sounds like a deal to me! I love this shirt because it is pretty bold in your face. I like the shock value. People don’t expect me to wear a shirt that has the word, “porno” on it.
(Every porno has somebody’s daughter in it)
I really want to get a couple shirts about being a Virgin and wear it at the high school here in Cairo when I am volunteering. A couple of the teen girls saw my anti-porno shirt and were wondering about the others that were sold on the website. I told them about the “Virginity Rocks” shirt, and one of the students said, “I want to where that to school!” Coming from a girl who has not committed her life to the Lord, a girl who is saturated with an environment that is completely sex crazed…pretty much a big deal! I told her that if I got permission from the principal (he should have no problem with it) that I would where the shirt on the same day that she wants to where it – making a statement. She said, “We need to have other girls where these shirts, we need to start something!” This was exactally my thought, get a bunch of righteous (only by the blood) students to where these shirts, declaring PURITY in the halls of Cairo High. Warfare baby! Remember, I’m talking about the spiritual warfare, no school violence here – only in the SPIRIT realm.
(I’m loving my husband and I haven’t met him!)
So, I had an idea…find people who want to support the teens in Cairo (remember, they are economically challenged) by purchasing a shirt or two (av. cost is 16 bucks) for them to where to school. Really, it WILL change something in the spirit realm and the natural realm. If you only heard what the boys say to the the girls and how they brag to their boys about you know what. It really makes my heart sad. Just the other day I was subbing and hanging out in the gym with some students. One boy was sitting with six girls and he began to call them “whores, sluts and Bs”. In front of ME, a teacher! What the heck? Seriously, there is a major demonic force at this school. The light of Christ is entering and crushing the enemy. After I told that boy to get out of my face, I calmed down and had a conversation with him about the power of words. He is a leader at the school, he has the power to influence…for good or evil. Once I broke it down to him, I think he understood a little bit more. Pray for him. God wants this one.
(I heart homosexuals)(Jesus has compassion for those who are looking for love in the wrong places)
(it was me)
(check out the website for the writing on the back of the shirt)
If you are interested in supporting this minsitry (purchasing a shirt for a teen to wear), please comment or email me personally at: heathercarn@gmail.com. If 15 people committed to doing this, I believe we would see SIGNIFICANT change!
Recently I feel like Jehovah Sneaky is pulling a fast one on me, but I like it! haha. Seriously, I don’t even know what is going on with my life anymore. If you were to ask me five years ago, “Where do you think you will be in five years?” I NEVER would have thought this place. But I am SO THANKFUL for where He has brought me. I never would have chosen this life, but I am glad he has given it to me by His grace.
Here is just a short list of things the Lord is doing in my life right now, that seem totally opposite of what I ever wanted or desired. But now, I don’t want anything else…but His will!
I have been volunteering in the junior high (math classroom) for the past three years. I wanted to use my degree, but not actually teach. I NEVER EVER EVER thought I would want to teach in the public school system. I really didn’t have the confidence or motivation for it. After graduation I thought I would be on the mission field in some regard. To bring you up to speed I have recently gotten my substitute teaching license and had my first two days of subbing (in the class I volunteer with) this week. Guess what? I LOVED IT! I love teaching these students math, I love teaching them about life, I love teaching them about character development and life skills, I LOVE IT! This is not even an easy school to teach in, the students have tons of baggage from their families and bring it all to school with them causing a dysfunctional environment for everyone. Good thing I serve a BIG God who can take care of that. Check out the school’s report card to get a better picture of where the studetns are at academically.
I always told my parents not to expect me to make a lot of money, it has just never been important to me. I have always wanted a job that was fulfilling and satisfying and more importantly where the Lord wanted me to be. Of course, this is not always easy and living on faith certainly isn’t either, BUT is causes a deeper dependance on the King of Kings who owns EVERYTHING! So, I believe I am a missionary here in Cairo getting prepared for the mission field in the marketplace. I do believe that someday I will be wealthy or influence many wealthy people to GIVE to the KINGDOM (1 Timothy 6:17-19). No, this is not something I just dreamt up one day, I believe the Lord has spoken it to me and confirmed it many times. It is really not about the money, more about being a steward of His resources, and that get’s me excited.
I have always been more comfortable around the poor, the broken, the “down and out” of society. Rich, white people kind of intimidate me sometimes. I know, that sounds silly, considering where I come from (White Bear Lake, MN). That’s just how I work, I love connecting with and sharing life with these people. No offense to wealthy whities, I just feel more comfortable around others. This fits perfectly into what I thought I would be doing – heading straight off to the foreign mission field and ministering to the hungry, the dying, the needy, the thirsty, the naked, the prisoners, the widow, and the orphan. All was well with Heather’s world, until the Holy Spirit spoke to her last Christmas about ministering in Hollywood. WHAT?!?! This was definitely not on my life plan. That was for other people. People who are into famous people, people who are into “what’s in and what’s out”, people who are into fashion, people who are knowledgeable about the “industry”, people who really have a heart and burden to reach the lost in one of the wealthiest and most influential places in the world…certainly NOT ME LORD! I didn’t have a heart for them, usually I didn’t give a rip, or I would judge them based on the little I knew about their lives. God you want me to do what? I have always had a pull toward Cali, even ask my mom. When I was younger I always wanted to go there and eventually live there. Still not sure how it all works or what it will look like, that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that God HAS changed my heart towards those rich white folks and the people who are in the industry. They need Jesus just as much as the Maasai tribe in Kenya, Africa. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
Music. I have always been self conscious about my singing voice. It wasn’t until after my first summer with YouthWorks in Bramwell, WV that I realized I could actually sing out loud and people wouldn’t run away screaming covering your ears. Seriously, I had issues. Now, I LOVE singing and leading worship. It is all about Him, not about me. I am even in the process of recording my first CD. WHAT?!? Never would I even consider this in the past. Playing instruments has always been fun to me. I grew up playing the trumpet from 5th grade to 9th grade, and boy do I wish I would have kept it up. For all you youngsters out there ready to give up on band, think again. It is such an amazing skill to have. Recently, I have gotten back into playing my trumpet and am even helping some of the band students here in Cairo. I have been playing guitar off and on for about three years. My friend Anthony in town is teaching me how to play the piano/keyboard. Praise God! I felt the Lord speaking to my heart about learning to play many instruments and teaching them to children/teens. This was totally NOT on my radar. If anyone reading this would like to donate to the cause, give me a call – I am collecting instruments.
So, next time you say, “Oh, Lord, I will NEVER do _____________________,” think again. That might be the VERY thing He wants you to do. He never wants us to rely on our own “skill and gifting” but instead on His Spirit.
Chaplin Ralph hooked me up with some Bibles, and lots of Spanish Bibles this morning before we zipped off to our work site. I was hoping to give one to the neighbor who played the sax. for us the other day, the teen girl named Star that I just met and the owner of the house we are working on.
Today was a nice work day. Our goup is constantly switching peeps as people are in and out of the free clinic helping Marcia. Sharon was with our group today and Sara was out. We were finishing up on the dry wall mudding, which is always fun – for a moment. If this was my job I would frinkin’ go crazy! My arm would have to build some serious muscle in my shoulder area. It burns! Anyway, we got a little giddy. That over tired silliness that comes out when you are with a group of people you just feel so comfortable with – you know the kind. I love that stuff. I love to laugh. It is some of the best medicine – not that I am sick. If you are sick, I suggest you get a good laugh in, it will do your body some good.
We took off early to head to the beach for a bit and now we are getting ready to head out to dinner.
More to come later. Tomorrow is our last work day and we will be heading back to Cairo. I miss Cairo. I miss my friends there. It will be good to sleep in my own bedroom again too – compared to this shoe box of a bedroom with 5 other ladies…not that I am complaining, I love community time too.
I was able to return to the same house, which is great because I was hoping to reconnect with the two custodial staff I prayed with the day before. The morning started with us praying together as a team. It felt really good to commit our day to the Lord, asking Him to guide us, protect us, open up opportunities to speak to people in the community.
I recognized last night during our processing time, that I really love to work hard and do physical labor and construction stuff – learning new skill and all. BUT, I also LOVE to be with people. To encourage them, to speak words of life to them, to pray with them. It is more of a challenge when I do not have this kind of daily interaction. Plus, I am really missing Cairo. I never thought I would say those words. Usually I am so happy to get a little bit of a break from that place, that I don’t really miss it at all. Now, I feel much differently about Cairo. No longer seen as a mission field, but seen as my home (one of my homes). Okay, back to Biloxi. People interaction, yeah, that is what I prayed for this morning. Also, I prayed for surprises. God provided in answering each one of the prayers we lifted up together this morning as a team. It was certainly fun and entertaining to see them unfold.
The neighbor came home home and we began chatting with him a bit. Found out he works nights, so he was on his way in to sleep before going back to work. A nice guy, and I was hoping we would have more interaction with him. Our team has not actually me the home owner of the house we are working on yet, because of his busy work schedule. I am just dying for people interaction, you hear me? Anyway, so the neighbor ends up stopping by a couple hours later. He tells Mike (our team leader) that he has a surprise for us. We began joking around, “Maybe he is going to do a song and dance. Maybe he is going to finish the sheet rock. Maybe he is going to install the toilet for us.” haha. The surprise was better than all of those silly things. He told us that recently he began playing his saxophone again. He hadn’t played in years (probably since high school). There is a song that had been rolling around in his mind the last two days and he practiced it yesterday (not even with the sheet music). He kept trying to get some sleep, but he heard a voice telling him, “Go over and play the song for the goup and don’t worry about messing up the notes.” I asked if it was the Holy Spirit. He said yes, but he had never heard this voice before. Was I thankful for his obedience! Such a beautiful song flowed from the bell of his saxophone as he moved through the song with such ease and gentleness. I was taken back by the beauty. After soaking in the moment, he began to describe the impact that we had on him, coming from Illinois to volunteer and help people we had never met. He realized that he too has something to give and that he must not be selfish, but give. Pray for this man, W as he described himself as non-religious. Heck, I am not religious either (except about brushing my teeth), but I think people have different definitions for the word. Praise God for His divine placement! I am praying that W will continue to hear that voice and yield to Him.
My classroom called life...Kingdom lessons 
