The awakening of a beautiful two years.

“I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly. Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye. Out of the darkness and into the sun. I won't forget the place I come from. I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change and Breakaway. SPU are you READY??!!” ~September 22, 2011

“Seattle Pacific University, is e a dream come true, flawless, mesmerizingly beautiful, charming, and a soul mate! I am very blessed and thankful to be here. Grateful to God for making this possible! God truly does give good gifts to His beloved children!!” ~September 25, 2011

I love overcast, drizzly fall mornings. I broke out my rain boots today. They're pink with a vintage-y floral print. They make me happy. And I can use all the happy thoughts I can get when I have to wake up at 6:45AM Monday-Thursday for my Music Theory and Aural Skills (Music Ear Training) classes. As much as I fight the early mornings, a part of me secretly loves waking up early. The campus that is usually booming with life and chaos is still deep in slumbers until about 9am. Those courageous and daring enough to take early morning classes quietly walk around like ghost around campus.

I have found joy and peace eating breakfast at 7:20 AM in an almost empty cafeteria with my brown sugar and raisin oatmeal with a steamy hot mug of coffee. Most mornings I sit by myself, which oddly I enjoy and look forward too. It is the only time of the day where I can hear my own thoughts. A few minutes where I can be content with just my own presence and God's. I get time to reflect on my schedule for the day and decide early in the morning how I am going to live out my day. To be joyful always, to show grace and love to the students and staff that I encounter today, to make a conscious effort to stop and be thankful for the everyday miracles all around me. My life is very, very full here at SPU.

I was told not to have too high expectations for college. I told myself that I didn't want to be let down. But as the hopelessly over the top dreamer that I am, I couldn’t help myself. I dreamed big! I wanted only the best and most wonderful college experience. And after almost two weeks of being at SPU I have realize my dreams were not that far off. My expectations have been fulfilled. I already feel deeply cared for and loved by the girls on my floor. We are a family. The community here on campus is strong and connected by a common love for Jesus which then reflects itself in a genuine love for others. It is absolutely beautiful. You should come visit and see for yourself. I promise you will be shocked and inspired. I know I have been.

My relationship with God is stronger and more alive and thriving than ever. I am in an environment that is constantly encouraging me to go deeper in the everlasting ocean that is God. To know more, feel more, believe more, accomplish more, and be more and more like the Jesus who loves me so much-for a world that is thirsty for Him. I am discovering everyday more and more about who I am, my calling, my talents and gifts. I am pushed to perfect and nurture the talents that God has entrusted me with. These are exciting days in the Kingdom of God. I am pumped to have a part in what God is doing and moving in the world. It's about time for an Awakening and/or Revival! SPU has a heart for the things that break God's heart. These past few days have been incredible. Every single day I am inspired, encouraged, moved, empowered, and thankful!

Don't be fooled though. It is hard being here too. My professors see my potential and will not let me casually stroll through class on just my natural talent in communications and music like I have been able to get away with in high school. Since I am at a small university the professors invest in each student and really know the gifts and talents and natural ability of each student. They have not let me be lazy and just give enough to get by. They encourage me to pour out everything. To work hard not just to get by, but to go above and beyond. My professors, pastors, and God since I have been at SPU have given me a vision of my ministry potential. They have asked me to consider what I could accomplish for the Kingdom of God, if I devoted myself for the next two years to learn, grow, and constantly step outside my comfort zone. If I think my life is full now, if I think my ministry is alive and good now what could it be if I poured out absolutely everything the Lord has given me?

(Don't worry I have been taking as many breaks as I can for FUN too! There is not shortage of fun on campus)

And so the past two weeks I have been working harder than ever, I study a bunch and practice non stop. I live, breathe, and dream music, communications, and the Bible. There are moments where I hate it. I just want to quit and take the easy and comfortable way out. But I have seen such progress in just a week of school and training that I get empowered to keep on pushing through. If I already see improvement now where will I be after fall quarter? After a year? After two years? The possibilities are endless and exciting. Without a doubt I am called to be at SPU.

I will do my best to continue to keep you all updated on my adventures here! It truly is a set apart adventure. Love you all!

Heidi

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be SET FREE! And that the time of the LORD’s favor has come. ~Luke 4:18-19

End of August 2011 Update

It would sound charming for me to say that I am writing this at my favorite cozy coffee shop with a perfectly crafted cappuccino from Compass or Paper Tiger. Plus, that is where people expect me to be. But what’s the fun in fulfilling people’s stereotypes and expectations of you? Okay, so maybe if I am honest I would say I do wish I was writing in my favorite coffee shop. The truth however is that I am in a loud, chaotic, my hometowns very own children’s dream land…Kids Club.

Oh yes, I can barely hear myself think over the little two year old girl in a flowery pink shirt and pig tails crying because her mother said it is time to go. Or the constant interruption every 10 minutes from my own little bundles of energy racing over to tell me some story in super sonic speed that I cannot follow at all—since they both are talking at the same time. I smile and nod my head enthusiastically and pretend that I understand every word and when they finally stop talking tell them “oohhh…that sounds like too much fun.” This is my default response to long stories from Luke and Jack, my three and eight year old boys I am watching this summer. 

Kids Club is a child’s dream a massive jungle gym equipped with plastic ball pool and cannons, big spiral slides, an indoor pool with its own water slide, a gym with a foam pit and other stuff for kids taking gymnastic classes, and a tiny food shack filled with all the garbage food that kids love but has absolutely no nutritious value. This is only the second time I have taken my boys here all summer. To say they are excited is an understatement. They know that Miss Heidi is not too fond of Kids Club. They know that a drum starts to pound really loud inside her head and she has to take two of these small red pills that make the pain go away (Ibuprofen) and then make a stop at Peets for coffee.

I am ranting on about this because I just finished Blue like Jazz today. Mr. Don Miller is a brilliant writer and thinker. I am desperately in love with the way he speaks his mind and the way he writes about Jesus. He ends his book thanking all the coffee shops He wrote his book at. As I am hear writing away I am imagining myself at one of the coffee shops he wrote about; Common Ground. I have always wanted to go to that coffee shop the one onHawthorneit just never has worked out for me to go. So as I am typing away in the loud kid zoo, I am pretending I am at Common Ground instead.

Don Miller seems like an authentic person, true to himself, I think I could be friends with Don. If I ever meet him (I only 15 minutes away from Portland) I will just walk up to him and say that I like him. Since apparently he likes to know that people like him. I would also make him buy me coffee because Blue Like Jazz alone sold over a million copies and is a best seller. And I am a young aspiring writer, speaker, and worship leader going to one of the most expensive colleges inWashington. However, I do like Solid Rock better than Imago Dei. And stand firm on my opinion that Compass Coffee is way better Stumptown. But I think we could look past those differences. Simply put, after reading Blue Like Jazz I feel like Don Miller and I are dear friends. It’s one of those types of books; you will have to go read the book to find out for yourself.

(10 hours later)

Well Luke came up to me in the middle of typing away on my laptop (I was on a roll) and demanded that I feed him. By the time he finished lunch, Jack was ready to go home. The next moment of down time I could fine to restart up my laptop and beginning writing again wasn’t until I scooped myself some chocolate ice cream at 12:29am and got cozy in my bed. That is an everyday occurrence of my life as a full time nanny this summer. Early mornings and late nights. I love it though. And after skyping my friend who left for college last week it will help prepare me for college. Every moment of this summer has been perfect, not easy, but worth it. I cannot wait to be a mother someday but I also know that I have a lot of things I want to accomplish before then.

I leave for Seattle Pacific University in 23 days. I cannot wait. I am so ready and feel prepared for this next step, this new season, this next chapter, this new adventure in my life. Only by the grace of God. Tomorrow is my last day hanging out with Jack and Luke all day long. They start school on Wednesday. I cannot believe this day is here already. Time sure does fly by. Now I need to begin the task of cleaning out my room, organizing what I need to take to college, throw away, donate or leave here. I need to make sure all my ducks are in a row with financial aid stuff and print out the list of “Things to Bring”. AND I need to start working on the cute DIY projects to decorate my dorm room. I could keep going on and on but as I sit here tonight…well actually this early morning…I realize there is a lot to do in 23 days. But I will not let myself get stressed or worried. God is good and everything will get done. It always does. God has proved Himself faithful in this area of my life over and over and over again. I want to enjoy this time. To have fun with my friends and family and treasure every moment in my heart because I know it will never be this way again.

Well this is my end of August update! I have been reading through Romans this month and I will leave you with one of my favorite passages…

God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir-not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to God and Father of our Master Jesus ~Romans 15:4-6 MSG

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

June Update

Come with me on a journey…

A journey that started four years ago when I thought I knew what my life would be like. Oh friends, how I had absolutely NO idea what God actually had planned.

A journey where God, day after day, drenches me with an inexpressible joy. A joy that is overflowing in my heart and makes my smile radiant. A joy where I wake up every morning happy and ready to serve my Savior.

A journey that has taken me deeper into the ocean of God’s heart and His relentless love—a true, beautiful love more wonderful than anything I could ever imagine.

A journey where I am daily learning to utterly depend on a faithful God and to trust in HIS ways and plans over my own.

A journey where my Good Shepherd at times has lead me through valleys’ of death and green pastures with still waters

A journey where I have accomplished, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, parts of my calling and mission beyond my wildest dreams.

A journey that requires me to pick up my cross and follow my Savior. To daily pour out more and more of my self.

A journey that is far from over…

It seems so surreal to me that it is already June. This June is extra special because it is June 2011. When I was a little, wide eyed, carefree, barefoot, dancing around the playground with flowers in my hair—fifth grader dreaming about the wonders (*cough* unrealistic expectations) of middle school and the joys to come of one day being a high school student, I figured out what year I would graduate high school. June 2011 seemed so far away back then. Yet, here I am, 18 years old, holding tightly to the few days left I have of my childhood, but it keeps slipping through my fingers.

However at the same time, I can barely contain my excitement and my imagination is going wild with the possibilities of this new chapter of my life story that I am about to embark on. This year I have been learning about how God is the author of our life stories and how He promises, when we fully give up the pen to Him, to write a thrilling, one-in-a-million, set apart adventure story. Even in the short time that I have surrendered my life to Christ, He has taken me on the most incredible adventure. I have been loving on 1 Corinthians 2:9 this month:

No eye has seen, No ear has heard, no mind could fully understand, the amazing plans that God has for those who love Him

God has plans to use our lives in ways we could never fully understand. The life God has planned for us is not something we can accomplish in our own strength, wisdom, and love.

God has a plan for my voice. Even when the world says I’m not good enough.

God has a plan for my writing. Even when I don’t believe it myself.

God has a plan for my passion for public speaking to advance HIS Kingdom. Even when my friends and family think I should use it to advance my own kingdom.

God has plans for all the gifts and talents. Even when people say that my vision of impacting thousands or millions of people for the Kingdom of God is foolish dreaming and ridiculous. Yet, God has so graciously entrusted with me with all these gifts and He is going to work through me to do the impossible. Because is anything too hard for God?

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose ~Philippians 2:13

There is a quote I have written on my study bible (it is about ready to fall apart because I use it so much) that says, “No matter what we know about Jesus now, there is always more to be discovered and experienced. In fact, even eternity won't be enough to fully grasp His insurmountable glory and brilliance.”

God is an endless frontier. He is a frontier that no one has reached the end of or fully explored. I am constantly challenging and daring myself to go further. There is always more to be discovered and experienced. And so I devote my life to running deeper and deeper into this endless frontier. That is truly the set-apart adventure. Because as we go further into the never-ending ocean of God’s love the waters get sweeter and sweeter, life gets fuller and fuller, and my soul continues to overflow with an indescribable peace.

Hebrews 11. I read that chapter over and over when I need inspiration to keep running after God. God is worth it. Look at what some of the Bible Greats did when they surrendered their lives to God and trusted in His power in their lives to do the impossible…

Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies. Women received their loved ones back from the dead. There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn't deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world. ~Hebrews 11:33-38

When you aim for the impossible, you are usually misunderstood, scoffed at, and at odds with the rest of the world. But what if our so-called impossible dreams are not impossible at all? That is the truths that I am holding on too as I enter into this new season in my life.

For the rest of June I will continue to blog about my reflections as I begin this new chapter of my life story and as I watch my childhood come to an end. God has put this subject on my heart and hopefully I can do my best to find the words to explain it all. It’s now officially summer for me. I am done with high school and my first two years of college. I have exactly three months before I head off for a new adventure in Seattle. I have no idea what the future holds but I do know: that it is wonderful to be in the hands of the living God…it’s a hallowed adventure of a lifetime.

Believing in the Impossible by the power of our Great God,

Heidi
 

 
(Pictures from Audrey Hephurn Complex tumblr)

Worshiping through the Storms of Life

I’m sorry this blog took so long to post. Life has been beautifully chaotic and blogging has not been a super high priority on my To-Do-List. However, summer is so close, which means weekly blogging is more of a possibility. I wrote this blog a little over a week ago. I thought about breaking it up into two parts but it needs to stay in its full and original form. I understand that its really long but when your pour out your heart about topics like worshiping God through the storms of life there tends to be a lot that needs to be said…



It is POURING outside right now. Seriously, I have literally never seen it rain so much in my life. This is an odd statement for this born and raised Northwest girl to declare because I should know all about the rain. Just now though, all the water of Heaven decided to fall upon this tiny coffee shop; like the sky is crying in despair. Luckily, I am sitting by a massive window safe from the rain in a warm, oversized, comfy chair; a front row seat to watch the rain fall. And then out of nowhere it stops. After a solid two minutes of massive down pour…silent peace. The storm didn’t move on without leaving behind its mark. The parking lot is soaked and huge puddles are scatted everywhere. Unfortunate costumers waddle into the coffee shop completely drenched and seeking a much needed (and deserved) cup of extra hot coffee. I give them a laughing smile and they can’t help but smile back—life is funny like that. The truth is you can always find things to smile and laugh about even after being drenched by a massive storm.

As I turn my attention back out the window, I can see the sun forcing its way through the hovering dark, rain clouds. The clouds are moving on to rain on some other place. Yet, the sun stays behind to clean up—drying up the mess the storm left. It is almost odd to see the bright yellow sun after the sky turned black and rain pounded the ground seemingly out of control. At last, a beautiful rainbow has been painted in the sky. It is one of those flawless rainbows. A perfect arch filling up the whole sky. There is no doubt as I stare out the window; the storm has past. I continue to type away on my laptop in the calm after the storm. And as I witnessed this bizarre weather play out before me, I cannot help but think about how this relates to the past week in my life…

It has been a tough week for me personally, for my community, and for the world. I have never been so aware of spiritual battles and warfare in my life. Spiritual warfare is very real. In the past week I have had to endure two hometown teen suicides, one of them being a very good childhood friend of mine. I have watched horrific videos and images of Joplin, Missouri being totally destroyed and left in pieces by the deadliest single U.S tornado since modern record-keeping began 61 years ago. This natural disaster has killed at least 125 people. And finally the false “rapture” claim that the world was going to end on May 21, 2010. It is not tragic that this didn’t happen—I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Jesus makes it perfectly clear that, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). The end of the world could happen in our lifetime, a million years from now, or even tomorrow. The truth is that we do not know. We cannot predict the end of the world. And those that try to predict it are false prophets. The thing that is tragic about the false call on the Judgment Day is for people who don’t know Jesus or the Bible and who actually believed this guy. Many people are now disillusioned and have lost faith in God over some man’s false prediction over something the Bible clearly states cannot be predicted.


A spiritual world, spiritual warfare, and spiritual battles are VERY real. There is so much going on all around us that is unseen. There is a war going on between two conflicting kingdoms. The first, the Kingdom of God! God wants everyone to be saved. This is the Kingdom of love, life, and light. The other kingdom is the kingdom of Satan. Satan wants every person in the world in hell. He wants your soul and your faith. This is the kingdom of evil, death, and darkness. Our lives here on earth are during wartime, NOT peace time. Peacetime is coming, the day we see Jesus face to face and hear, “well done Good and Faithful servant”, but that time is not now.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ~Ephesians 6:10-12

Satan is heartless. He could care less about the things he destroys or the people he takes from us to try to shake our faith. That is why it is so important to worship God through the storms, the trials, the hardships, the suffering, and the heartache that comes with life. When we worship we are looking Satan straight in the face and saying “You cannot take my faith. You may take my friends, my family, my house, my money, my job, my possessions, my health, but I will NOT let you take my faith. It is the best way to fight spiritual warfare. We will NOT let Satan get what He wants—our faith in God. We will stand strong. I will stand strong in the strength that God so freely pours into me through the Holy Spirit. I will stand in the rain.

Here a just a few of my favorite stories and encouraging scriptures in the Bible that are all about praising and worshiping God through the storms of life.


The first chapter of Job is a story about Satan questioning whether God’s most loyal servant, who was full of integrity, had genuine faith in God or loved God only because God had blessed him with success, family, protection, a house, and money. Satan declares that if God was to take away all of this Job would surely curse God. God let Satan test Job. In a matter of moments every changed in Jobs life. Four of Job servants come at the same time to announce that Job has lost all his farmers and animals, fire came and killed all his sheep and shepherds, and that he lost all his children in a wind storm. Job hears all this tragedy and the first thing he does is fall to the ground and worship God. He says, “The Lord gave me what I had, And the Lord has taken it away. Praise the Name of the Lord”.


Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke”…And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. ~2 Corinthians 4:1;8-10;13;15-18

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. ~1 John 4:4

Acts 16. Let me tell the story told in Acts 16. This is my favorite story in the book of Acts. Here we find Paul and Silas being beaten for preaching the Gospel in Philippi (the people and town that Paul wrote the book Philippians for) they're then thrown into prison. Locked up, guarded and chained deep within the dusty prison and all hope seems to be lost for Paul and Silas. Uncertain whether death would be their fate or being forever locked in prison; there doesn’t seem to be any reason to worship God in this dark, cold prison. However that is exactly what Paul and Silas do! Through out the night, even late into the night, Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns to God! Wait a second…let’s break this down. Worshiping God after being beaten? Even while being chained and locked up in a prison? Yup, Paul and Silas after being beaten and thrown into prison are worshiping God.


But the story doesn’t end there Acts 16: 26-28 explains, “Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” Paul ends up leading the jailer to salvation. My favorite verse in this whole story is the second part of verse 26, “the doors immediately flew open and the chains of EVERY prisoner fell off”. Paul and Silas worshiping God didn’t just free themselves from the chains of the prison but every other prisoner who was chained up. How incredible to think that us worshiping God through the storms of life could not only free us from the bondage of brokenness, pain, hopelessness, despair but also the people around us who are in bondage!! The story doesn’t end there, in total despair of the idea of being punished for the escape of all the prisoners, the jailer is about to commit suicide, yet Paul not only convinces him to not commit suicide but also leads the jailer to salvation in Christ. All of this happened because Paul and Silas choose to worship God through the storms and trails of life.


Another reason I love Acts 16 is that so many times we as Christians (and I am extremely guilty of doing this) tell God we refuse to worship Him, refuse to serve other hurting people, refuse to trust Him until he sets us free from despair, heals our brokenness and makes us whole again. Then we will go and be a blessing to others. Then we will worship Him. But God says no, no, no, YOU go be a blessing, YOU go serve, YOU lift your hands in worship even when its hard, YOU love the other hurting, broken people around you and then, by going, by praising me even amidst the storm you will find your healing and restoration. This is how God works. It is clearly shown in Acts 16. Paul and Silas chains are not broken, they are not given freedom, their wounds are not washed until after they worship God through the storm--when there seems to be absolutely no rescue on the way. God works backwards compared to the world that says, “take care of your self first, and then help others. God says, “YOU take care of others even if you feel broken, YOU worship me even through the trials and storms, and I will take care of you, I will make you whole, I will heal you.”

Take your eyes off your own pain to serve others. Take your focus off your own brokenness and worship me. When you do you will be shocked to find your own heart healed, your own chains broken, your own prison cell door open. You might even cause the chains of others to be broken too, you might even be used to stop someone from ending their life, and you might even be used to bring others to trust in God. How awesome that God wants to use me even in my brokenness to reach out to others who are hurting. How awesome that God gives me the strength to worship Him during the darkest of nights when I cannot find the strength.


So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. ~1 Peter 1:6-9


My heart is breaking; for myself, for my friends and family who are hurting, for the people in Missouri, and for the world. I wonder how much I can possible take. How many trials and hardships can take place in one week? How much longer will it keep raining? When will the sun break through? My soul aches and I have no idea what to do with all the brokenness in the world and in my own life. Sometimes it feels like I cry out to God and am met with only silence. When all hope seems to disappear I can’t help but wonder where God is, why He hasn’t done anything to stop the madness going on all around me. Yet, I know that somehow I will get through it all…because I have a loving, faithful and good God. A God that is known for carrying me when I don’t have the strength to walk. A God that will see me through. A God who promises to never leave me or forsake me.

A question I get asked a lot being in ministry work is “why do bad things happen to good people?” Maybe the better question to ask is Where is God when good things happen to bad people like me, broken, dirty and sinful? This is the beautifully response Anne Voskamp (author of One Thousands Gifts, another book I HIGHLY recommend) wrote to answer that question.

“Where is God when bad things happen to the only kinds of people there are, not good people, all of us, all people like all people, fallen and badly bruised and bad, none of us ever pure good? Where is God? God is on the Cross, and God is in the tomb, and God is upon the Stone rolled away. God is on the throne and God shows us His scars and God holds the bottle to catch all our tears because He can’t bear to let our grief spill careless and lost. Where is God when bad things and good things happen to all the bad people made good by Him? This is where He is and always is: The problem of evil is answered by the presence of Emmanuel: God is with us. We may sorrow but we still sow. and though we are broken, we still bend and begin; we do our work though we weep. We tell our hurts we must do the task at hand if we hope to harvest; though we may not feel like it, the fields need seeds. God is with us. And it’s His tender with-ness that binds up the wounds”.

…As mediate on all this as I continue to find meaning and understanding to all that has happened in my life this week. I am brought back to reality by the gentle tap on the shoulder by a sweet older lady who comments on the beautiful rainbow in the sky, which I have been staring at for the past few minutes. I smile and tell her I love rainbows because they remind me to remember God’s promises. That sun will come after the storm. Just beyond the clouds hope is found.


My eyes shift to the cherry blossom trees lining the parking lot. Cherry blossoms trees are the best part of spring time. The gorgeous pink flowers bring color to the constant grey Spring showers. I can see the droplets that remain on the blossoms from the rain storm. Despite their small size, they are holding dozens of tiny droplets which are sparkling and glistening in the emerging sunlight. We as Christians, are a lot like cherry blossoms after a rainstorm, with Christ we can bring beauty and color to life’s storms and trails. And despite our frail and fragile lives, God gives us the strength to endure dozens of trails. And as we endure and continue to trust and worship God through life’s storms we tend to sparkle with a radiance that only comes from the light of God shining upon us and within us.

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. ~Ecclesiastes 3:11

God makes beautiful things out of the dust. God makes beautiful things out of us. Even through the storms of life. God is always working, from beginning to end; the sun will shine once again. So, I lift my hands and raise my voice to worship God who is ALWAYS worthy of my adoration.

Singing in the rain,

Heidi

(I don't own any of the pictures that I used for this blog. All of the pictures I found online just searching on google pics for different "rain pictures")

Living Worship

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog on Sunday night, before the tragedy and heartbreak of Monday. I am trying to find the words to explain what I am feeling but right now but silent reflection and prayer has been the best healing for me. My school has had two student suicides in a week and this is the fourth teen suicide in my hometown in just four months. The suicide that happened last week broke my heart but the suicide that happened yesterday broke me. The girl was a childhood friend who I have played sports with since I was 7 and went to middle school with. I have been praying John 1:4-5 (“In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it”) over me and my school and it has been helping. If you could pray this too that would be incredible. Thank you. Love and Blessings, Heidi

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I am the rush of warm air from the lips of the worshiping soul. I fill the space between consonants and roll underneath the vowels of the sacred transaction between man and God. My presence separates thoughts from sounds.

I am the breath of worship.

I am more than words.

Of all the work I am given to do, none is as sweet as to carry words of love into the very ears of God. I escape the worshiper and fly straight into the heavens. Happy is the breath that finds purpose in bringing worship to God

~Enter the Worship Circle by Ben Pasley

I have been meditating on worship lately, especially on the idea of living my worship. I just re-read for the third time one of my favorite books: Enter the Worship Circle (highly recommend this book! (You can buy it online for $4.99 on www.entertheworshipcircle.com/store what a steal!!!) At the same time I am reading a new book that one of my worship leader friends (its funny how the minute you become an “official” worship leader it’s like you join some sacred club) anyways, the book is called The Heart of the Artist by Rory Noland. I am about half way through it and it is very thought provoking and is encouraging me to be the best worship leader I can be, both in my music through cultivating my gifts and pursing God.


The past five months or so, it seems like all I have been doing is leading worship in different contexts and with many different believers and at the same time studying worship. So…I thought I would start a mini blog series on Worship and share what God has been teaching me through the Bible, other books, and my own personal experiences.

Worship is a lifestyle. Kim Walker, who is a worship leader, songwriter, and one of the singers in Jesus Culture, said this about worship…

“Worship is not music, worship is not songs, those are expressions of worship. Worship is our connection to God”

Music is a glorious gift. A piece of heaven. I love reading Revelations and thinking about the day when we will worship and praise God in His throne room for ALL eternity. I cannot wait. However, here on earth, we will never be known as a worshiper if it’s just in songs. Worshipers are seen through there life, deeds, attitudes, and service to others.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God ~Hebrews 13:16

We sing songs, go deep into the presence of God, and receive encouragement and inspiration to keep running the great race, to accomplish our mission. The mission is to take Jesus to the streets, to live out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). But worship is not that we plug into Jesus then unplug for our daily lives and become completely empty and “recharge” again the following week. No, no, NO! We must constantly be connected to our Savior. Constantly be in a state of worshiping and offering all we have and letting God fill us up with His incredible love, power, and strength and providing us with all the resources of Heaven to accomplish our mission on earth.

What would worship be like if everyone came already connected to God? How deep into God’s love and presence could the Body of Christ go if we saw worship as a sacrifice offering of praise? What if we came to worship with a deep desire to want more and more of Jesus Christ? What if we, as believers, fought all week to keep our connection to God? What if we saw Saturday or Sunday’s worship as a time to strengthen the connection that we already have; not to reconnect?


God pours out so much to His beloved children. Worship is this incredible moment where we, as weak, sinful humans, can come before God and pour out all that we are in praise to Him. Only the precious blood of Jesus Christ washes us to make us able to come before God in such a way. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! Holy, Holy is He!! (Yes, I LOVE Revelation Song—it’s my favorite worship song if you haven’t picked that up yet)

I have been praying over a few scriptures to find a good personal worship ministry verse. Something that would reflect my passion and keep my heart focused on why I lead worship. To remind myself that my passions for leading worship is not to build up my own kingdom but to advance the Kingdom of God. I want to keep growing spiritually and artistically. I want to be who I say I am. I want to live what I sing about everything weekend. One thing I have learned in my 3 years of being apart of worship ministry is that your character will be tested, challenged, and stretched, like never before.

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and his strength;

seek his face always.

~Psalm 105:1-4

I ended up choosing Psalm 105 as my worship ministry verse. I have memorized it and repeat it to myself before and after I lead worship, when I am picking worship songs, when I have to deal with difficult people, or when my character is being tested. I hope that convinces you to pick your own ministry verse. Whether your ministry is worship, pastoral, children, youth, women, outdoor, homeless, etc…I think it is a good idea to start praying about what your ministry verse is.

Heidi's May Update

Hello Friends, Family, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and Stalkers (haha just kidding…),

Last weekend I had the incredible opportunity to give the sermons at my hometown church, Messiah Lutheran. Here is the video for those who asked to see it. Also, thank you for all of you who prayed for me! I felt your prayers and I felt so empowered by God to get up and proclaim boldly the Gospel.



The Good Shepherd by Heidi Johnson from Heidi Johnson on Vimeo.






Many of you asked for the video from the first time I ever preached. I was 15 years old.

Finally, sorry this took me so long to post. I know I told you I would post it like two months ago but here is my performance (with my one of my dearest friends, Savannah on piano, she is INCREDIBLE) on Good Friday singing Via Dolorosa!

Okay and a quick update on my life. I picked up all my graduation announcements this week and my senior picture wallets so I will try to start those on Monday and get them mailed out a week from today. I am going to write a letter (kind of like our family does for Christmas) to update you all in detail on my life, since you guys have all been emailing me asking for details but it is hard to write back to everyone individually. I want to say how much I love all your comments and emails of support and prayers for this crazy life journey God has me on. It means SO much! You are all such an important part of my life.

I am about to leave in a few hours for Seattle. I am heading up to Seattle Pacific University for an all day New Students Advising. I am bursting with excitement. I cannot wait to meet my future friends and classmates!! And register for Fall Quarter…Wow I cannot believe my SPU adventure is about to begin in a few months! I love any reason to make the trip to visit my new home away from home for this coming Fall.


I have two almost finished blogs in the works. The first one that I should be posting Sunday night is about Living Worship and the second one is more of an update on what God has been teaching me lately.

Here is a picture from last Wednesday's Rotary Scholarship Lunch. I received a $4,000 scholarship! I am here with two of my best friends Savannah (to the left of me) and Anna (to the right). We have been friends for a LONG time. So blessed to get to share that day with them (they both got scholarships too!!)

Love & Blessings,


Heidi