I am loving every minute of life. It has been an adventure going through life, growing up with a family who knows who God is but do not have a personal relationship with Him. Let's just say we become the oddballs of the family. By we, I mean my grandmother, mother, sister, and I. We are the first Bible believing, hardcore, rooted in God's word people in our family. I have been since I was 4 years old.
I've heard lots of things well the church works for you. Well just wait til' you get out into the real world. You've never drank, smoke, or had sex? Haha! The joys of living a pure lifestyle.
Being a Light In Your Career...
I would never change anything about it though. I have been dedicated to God for 18 years now and life is just beginning. I started helping and working with the homeless population. I never would have thought, me, Heather Cheryl Craig, would love these homeless men. They have changed my life this year. They have taught me to love in a new way, not judging someone's past but putting that behind and believing they are blessed by God just as much as I am. Meeting someone where they are at and trusting God with everything.
Walking in you stand out, God's little princess. Wearing my sparkly tom shoes and my cute sundresses. Shining my light. Or at points wearing capri's and having guys holla at me because of my calve muscles ;)
At first in the beginning of this year it was nerve wracking, I had anxiety. Lots of it. But now speaking in March, I am not scared. I walk in everyday loving God more and more, starting off everyday with either a scripture, reading, or praising God in hardcore worship. That is what it takes. Because without God I am not able to do anything I am doing at the current time. In October I had a few health problems where I woke up at 1:30 a.m. not being able to breathe, twice, both times 2 weeks apart. Some might call that a medical problem, or a spiritual attack. I will tell you that because of my busyness I forgot at points to pray, talk, and rely on God.
Well that changed because being strong in God is the only thing that is going to make me a threat to the devil. A speaker once said when you wake up do you want the devil to say "Oh don't worry about Heather, she's not going to do a thing" or do you want the devil and his demons to fear you, "Heather is awake, ah, what are we going to do to her today." I don't know about ya'll. But I am competitive so I am going to choose to live everyday, every moment to shine God's light so that devil can freak out every moment I am walking around :) But back to the homeless shelter.
Now I do not have that anxiety. God has taken it away because I do not rely on my own strength, but His.
Now I walk in, working with guys who might give me looks, have a past, but right when I talk to them, they respect me. Looking at them as a human being, an individual that is valued by God is what gives me that respect. God putting the words and heart into me every time.
There is caution still taken, but if God is with me, who then shall I fear? I don't need pepper spray or a weapon.
Shining Among Friends, Family, and Romans....
Besides that, having deep friends in different spiritual levels can be challenging, from work relationships, best friends, church friends, any friends. You are or may be the only light in their life.
Light is not witnessing to them with an agenda, but it is loving them and caring about them. Just like my homeless men. I look at them through God's eyes and have this hope and care about justice for them because God developed this passion in me, one I never knew I had til' I started college and after a few moments with encounters, and my internship, this is possibly what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Light in the world might mean hanging with the rough and tough guys. It might mean giving up hanging with your homies some days. It might even mean stretching your friends and having them come experience this passion God placed in your life.
So I challenge you to look at all the people who are in your life as a joy, take them as a gift from God, whether it's your family, friends, enemies, or who you work with.
Practical steps to letting your light shine:
First and most important, prayer, fasting, tithing, praising, journaling, reading, whatever it takes for you to strengthen a relationship that you have with our Creator :)
Loving others by taking interest in their life.
Loving the broken, poor, and abandoned.
Stepping out of your comfort zone and get to know someone new.
Praying for others in your own home.
Praying with others any chance you get.
Developing your theology/ideology and talking about it.
Acts of Service.
Volunteering.
Being involved in your church.
Inviting others to church.
Smiling all the time (that's what I do).
:)
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