Seven Week Update

It has been SEVEN weeks since I last blogged. Can you say, “Summer job that I love but keeps me from blogging.” Okay, you don’t actually have to say that, but it is why I am behind on blogging. And it is not that I haven’t had anything to say. That has NEVER been a problem for me. There is always so much to share about what God has been teaching me about the adventures this set-apart life has taken me on. I have a whole bunch of blogs written that I need to edit and post. Hopefully, I can get those finished soon.
There are a few other reasons why I haven’t been blogging as much. First, Twitter. Yes, I may have hit an all time low in my life (as some might say) and created a Twitter account. It is easier for me to take two minutes to come up with a sentence about my day or what God is teaching me instead of a five paragraph blog. If you have a Twitter feel free to follow me. @heidi_johnson.

Secondly, I got an iPhone as a graduation present. It is easier for me to use Tumblr on my iPhone and I created a Tumblr account that I have been testing out this July. I really do like it and I am using Tumblr when I have a thought or idea that is too long for Twitter but not long enough for my Blogspot. So now I am going public with the fact that I have a Tumblr. Again if you would like to follow my Tumblr the URL is http://thehallowedadventure.tumblr.com Yes, I switched up the name from Set Apart Adventure to the HALLOWED Adventure. I have been loving on the word hallowed this month. Hallowed means regarded as holy, set apart, sanctified, sacred.

Moving on! The third reason blogging as not been such a big priority lately is I want to WALK my TALK. I don’t just want spend hours talking about how it should look to be on a Set Apart Adventure, I want to actually live it out!! Therefore, it is actually a good thing, when I go seven weeks without blogging because it means that I am too busy living out the Set Apart Adventure to sit down and write about it. However, since I have spent seven weeks without blogging I have SO much to say. So many tips and pointers I have for you all that I had to learn the hard way this summer. So many incredible miracles and beautiful moments that I have witnessed and been apart of  that I want to share to encourage you on your own Set Apart Adventure.

The past seven weeks have been filled with ice cream kisses, long games of baseball in the park, bike riding on zig zag-y trails, listening to tattle telling and ridiculously hard to follow stories that make no sense, constant laughter, screaming at two little” sharks” grabbing my legs in the pool, blowing things up and shooting at things with nerf guns, refereeing wrestling matches, and going to every single park in my hometown for picnics. In other words organized chaos.

My weekday morning routine consist of a early morning wake up call to greet God at my window as He explodes the sky with the perfect blend of colors just to say Good-morning back to me. I put on clothes that I know in a few hours will be covered in boogers, spit, grass stains, and dirt. A half hour later I walk into the best smelling store in the world: Peets. I get my extra hot caramel latte and find a cozy corner and dive into my Bible. I know it is the best way to get wisdom, love, and strength to take on the day. By the time I finish reading from Psalm, Proverbs, and Romans, I am ready to face another day. And every night I go to bed grateful, humbled, and feeling like the luckiest, richest, most loved girl in the world.

God is good. God is love. God is the sound of laughter. God is the fun during playtime. God is the ultimate tickle monster. God delights in bringing joy to His beloved children. God is there to wipe the tears from our face when we fall down. God is there to put a band aid on our “owies”. God is there in our arguments over toys. And God surprises us when He loves and encourages us instead of yelling in anger when we didn’t quite make it to the potty in time…

I have been spending countless hours Nanny-ing this summer and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you couldn't tell by now I am watching over two boys. I usually nanny girls so this is a whole new experience for me. I was worried at first, I love playing with girls: playing house, baking cookies, dress up, makeovers, dancing and singing to Justin Bieber, pretending to be Princesses, and picking flowers at the park. However, I love boys too! They are so much fun in such a different way. I have my fingers cross that I will have boys one day when I’m a mom.

Speaking of being a mom that is one thing I have learned this summer. I am called to be a mom. I know that may seem like an obvious revelation but I truly believe motherhood is a calling. Especially, raising godly children who are in love with Jesus and know how to love others. That is no small task as I have learned this summer trying to teach my boys about Jesus, serving others, and loving the people God puts in our life.

When I get discouraged (which happens a lot) I keep going back to Proverbs 31 where it paints this beautiful and captivating picture of a godly woman, wife, mother, and ministry worker. Even though I have read this passage of scripture hundreds of times, I am always inspired and convicted by this Proverbs 31 woman. I recently read "The Lost Art of True Beauty" by Leslie Ludy and she wrote this about the Proverbs 31 passage...

"A Proverbs 31 woman--She lives a miraculous, superhuman, victorious, amazing fulfilling, poured out life. She is stunningly beautiful, dignified and strong, stronger than every other woman around her. She is the living testimony of God's beauty, power, and love. "

I have been praying Proverbs 31 over my life. Praying that the Holy Spirit would start molding me, transforming me, and changing me into the greatest example of a Proverbs 31 woman the world has ever seen. And this is no simple prayer. Throughout history, there have been many incredible women who were pictures of a Proverbs 31 woman. But this is the desire of my heart. I know that I could never do this on my own strength—only by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working within me. This will be a process that will take my whole life. But I am willing! Oh am I willing to be used.

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy...She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. Her children call her blessed; her husband also praises her. Many women do noble things, but your surpass them all. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised." ~ Proverbs 31: 20; 25-26; 28-30 (just a few of my favorite verses from that passage)

As you can see there is LOTS going on in my life. I haven’t even begun to talk about the process of preparing to move to Seattle in the fall. That is a blog post in itself. I hope you all are having a lovely summer.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law ~Galatians 5:22-23

Praying that the Holy Spirit would crash into us. That all the fruits of the Spirit would burn deeply in our hearts.

Love & Blessings,

Heidi