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Heather White

Heather White is a discipler, equipper, co-worship leader, and writer. She enjoys sharing God's love and encouragement through the power of technology. She is an experienced researcher who is passionate about Believers discovering their identities in Christ and how understanding identity shapes sharing the Gospel and perspectives about God's love. Heather's current ministry-related projects include a site called Love Roars, a blog dedicated to encouraging and equipping Believers through personal stories and in-depth Biblical topics.

Articles

God Is Sovereign And He Is With Us, Look Higher!

by Heather White
written by Heather White

Fellow Christian, do not be afraid. Do not despair over the chaos in the world today. Look higher, God is sovereign and on the throne. In fact, in days like these, when it seems like the deepest valley or darkest night, His love, glory, and power shine brightest. Never before in this era have we seen such a great opportunity to reach a broken world with the love of Jesus.

Look Higher

Sometimes, the situations around us can seem out-of-control, especially if we turn on the news: injustice, suffering, greed, loss, and selfishness seem to rule the day. But Believer, I call you to look higher. Look to the One in the heavens who doesn’t allow a single lightning bolt to hit the earth without His word of agreement. Things are not as hopeless as they seem.

Compassion Moves the Heart of God

I’m reminded of the story of Abraham who pled with God on behalf of Sodom in Genesis 18:16-33. It’s a fascinating story as Abraham, identified as “God’s friend”, asks the Lord to spare the city if righteous men exist within its walls. As part of the first request, he asks God to spare Sodom if only 50 godly people live within it. The Bible doesn’t say if God answers; but Abraham, aware of the sins of the city, changes his request and begs to spare an even smaller number of righteous men. After many conversations back and forth, Abraham finally asks the Lord to spare the city if just 10 righteous people live there; and God agrees to honor his request.

Your Prayers Matter

I brought up the story of Abraham and God’s conversation. Not to focus on the sins of Sodom, but to unfold two points. First, God listens to the prayers and the compassionate cries of His people over the souls of this world. Second, God responds to the intercessors. Why should we be afraid of shadowed days if we know the Father agrees with our fervent pleads for our cities and for the lost and hurting individual? Let us continue to not grow weary of doing good; but instead, advocate for justice, peace, lighting up the dark corners, abundance, and love.

God is on the move. Can you not see what He is doing? He isn’t done yet.

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Faith

Be Encouraged, God Is Working During COVID-19

by Heather White
written by Heather White

In the quiet days of quarantine, I find myself in a mixture of faith and fear. One night, I laid in bed like many other nights, scrolling through Facebook, unable to sleep. My mind and soul felt weary as I read quick highlights about the growing number of COVID-19 cases around the world and the chaos unfolding. The anguish all over the world made my heart cry.

“I know you didn’t cause this virus, Lord; but I know you allow it. Why?” I asked quietly.

God is Doing a New Thing

As quickly as I asked the question, He answered in my spirit, “Can’t you see what I’m doing? I’m not done yet.” The phrase reminded me of Isaiah 43:19 which states: Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

When I glanced back down at my phone, my spiritual eyes opened as I thumbed through stories of hope: an atheist doctor who decided to follow Jesus after meeting a patient who read the Bible to the dying until his last breath; the miraculous story of the man who claimed he felt the Lord breathe into his lungs as he lay in the hospital, fully recovering the next day as if he never had the virus; Italian communities breaking into song together; nurses praying over each other and their patients; and communities uniting to pray for healthcare workers in a hospital parking lot.

Using this Situation for Good

Suddenly, I understood what the Lord meant when He said: “I’m not done yet.” What Satan meant for evil, God is using for good. He is revealing Himself as the Hope Giver, the Great Physician, the Promise Keeper, and the Light in dark places to a world looking for love and wholeness. People who never would have known the Father’s love before this moment are crying out to Him and meeting Him for the first time. The prodigals are returning home. Manifestations of His glory and healing are reported all over the world if you know where to look.

That night, I slept deeply, remembering that God is still on the throne, and He knows the day the virus will fade away.

Don’t Be Afraid

If you’re feeling afraid, ask God to show you what He is doing over these weeks. He will supply all your needs; and in His Presence, He will fill you with peace.

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The Father’s Masterpiece

by Heather White
written by Heather White

A few years ago, I struggled with self-worth. How God could love me in the middle of my imperfections, failures, and flaws? I couldn’t see beyond that moment in time, and I gave myself an identity of “not good enough” based on those experiences. I’m thankful God brought friendships into my life to speak the truth about how the Father sees His children, each as a masterpiece. Now, I want to share those same thoughts with you.

Hearing the Truth

The truth spoken to me on one particular, pivotal day was simple: we see the junk in the situations of life as we’re working out our salvation, our unfinished state; but God sees the complete timeline and us as fully restored. Yes, He knows about the messy stuff, and He cares deeply about the pain and brokenness. However, He doesn’t call our identities by those situations; but instead, He sees who we are becoming.

Painting a Masterpiece

As I thought about how to share this topic with you, I imagined watching an adept artist paint a picture. The first phase of the painting is a blank canvas, carrying the promise of something imagined to come but not yet realized. Next, the artist adds simple swirls, shapes, and lines, appearing disorganized, without purpose, or simplistic. As the painting progresses, the intentional construction of the design begins to appear, but it’s only when the artist adds the final touches that you can see the awe-inspiring beauty of how every detailed stroke of the brush makes up a masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10).

You are the Masterpiece

You are God’s masterful painting. You may only see the chaos, but be encouraged! In the middle of whatever situation you’re facing, rely on Him to guide you. He has a plan for your life, and He doesn’t see failure when He looks upon you. He sees only love and has a purpose for you that He will work out for your good (Romans 8:28-29). When you look back at the road you’ve been walking, you’ll see His hand. You’ll see the baby steps you’re making in progressing towards who you really are, and you’ll see a masterpiece coming together.

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Articles

Community Life: Find Your Tribe, Your Village, Your Faith Family

by Heather White
written by Heather White

We aren’t meant to do this life alone. Although relationships can sometimes be messy, God’s intention for us is unity and community with the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and with other Believers. Doing life through community is faith-building, hope-restoring, and life-changing if you allow it to be.

Discovering a Kingdom Community

A few years back, I discovered a Kingdom community, a group of believers who lived in connection with each other according to Acts 2:46-47. A young woman, who is now one of my closest friends, approached my husband and me after a church service and invited us to join a college and careers ministry group. We scoffed at the idea at first. After all, why would a bunch of early twenty-somethings want to hang out with two people in their mid-thirties? Only God knows why we agreed to go (it was unlike us to go to a weekly group meeting of any type, honestly). However, the first group meeting changed everything, and we knew these people were part of our lives for life.

At the first meeting, we realized two things. First, this faith community wasn’t full of acquaintances who just “did church” together and were strangers every other day of the week. They were friends with deep levels of prayerful engagement in each other’s lives like I had never experienced. Second, the group may have met on a local university campus; but the group was not truly a college-based ministry. The group had a wonderful mixture of college students in their early twenties, young professionals through their early thirties, and others who were like mothers and fathers to the group.

A Close-Knit Community

Over the years, the meeting location and regular meeting time changed. We gained a few new people and lost a few others, but the group’s core mission and bond remained. This group loves well together, prays together, teaches together, and hopes together. We witnessed a couple in the group get engaged and marry. Most of us experienced career changes. We cried through sorrows and illness. We saw God do the miraculous.

My Prayer for You

My Kingdom community is full of people who are more than acquaintances and closer than friends. They’re the covenant-based family you get to choose, and I’m forever grateful. If you’re searching for this type of community or never knew you needed one, may God put people in your path to walk alongside you and strengthen your walk with the Lord as Paul describes in Hebrews 10:24-25.

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A Life Of Legacy: God Uses All Types Of People

by Heather White
written by Heather White

Hello, Influencer

God made you a world changer. It’s true! You can make a big difference in the lives of others because God created you to have an impact. You can leave a legacy! But how does one find influence in a world of billions of people and plenty of distractions? It can be easy to think of yourself as insignificant and powerless; but those feelings, dear reader, are lies.

Lasting Legacy with God

To the people who state “one person can’t change the world”, I say, “You don’t know my God.” For one person without God, effecting lasting imprint on this earth might be a difficult task; but for the person with God, nothing is impossible. Need some proof? Here are some foundation-shaking men and women to fuel your inspiration.

God uniquely created Billy Graham to reach people through multiple ministries: preaching, authoring books, and beginning well-known radio and television programs. In fact, BillyGraham.Org states he “preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history.” God used him to touch over 200 million people in hundreds of countries. Talk about the impact!

Legacy Continued

God created the Apostle Paul, who was once a devout pharisee (see Acts 23:6), to spread the Gospel to Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire and the First Century world. He shared the hope of Jesus and the gift of adoption into God’s family to share in the salvation of God’s people, Israel. He also likely wrote several books of the New Testament which have been shared throughout many centuries with millions of people and many more today.

As a more contemporary example, I think about Christian authors like Priscilla Shirer, known for her non-fiction writing style. She inspires people across the globe to dig deep into the Word of God and seek the truth. She not only has excellent skills with a pen; but she is also a talented evangelist, motivational speaker, and actress.

Born to Impact

Just as God created the amazing and skilled people above, He also created you with special talents to give you the supernatural power to encourage and bring the hope of Christ to friends, family, social circles, and the strangers you encounter. You may be an evangelist who reaches millions like Billy Graham or simply someone who opens your home to one person in need. Both life callings are important and leave lasting ripples. Never discount the significance of the one person with whom you engage. The love and life of Jesus spread like wildfire. One person may only share the Gospel with one other person, but the hope carried to others through the inspiration of your one act of kindness can reach many others over time.

Additionally, in the age of communication advancements like social media, blogging, podcasts, eBooks, videos and more, we have the ability to encourage and speak life over people across the world. Thanks to the miracle of technology, impacting people for the cause of Christ can reach more people than any generation before it!

Now is the time to live out the Great Commission in your own creative way. Be you; and may your life, through the power of Christ, be a legacy that inspires everyone around you for generations to come.

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Articles

Making New Wine: A Season Of Waiting

by Heather White
written by Heather White

I admit it – I want instant gratification to all of my prayers, but God sometimes says “wait” along with “yes”. What do we learn from this test of faith and strength? God is speaking to me a lot lately about finding Him in anticipation of seeing prayers fulfilled and learning to trust in His timing, especially when I don’t understand. After all, new wine takes time.

My Story of Waiting

I’m currently waiting for God to completely heal my body following an accident that occurred over the Summer. A few months back, I breathed in sawdust from a piece of an old bald cypress tree while working on an anniversary craft project for my husband. The journey back to health has been long and scary at times, and it’s a constant reminder to look to Jesus as my healer and the source of my strength.

When I started feeling ill, I petitioned God to move quickly with restoration, but He did not sway His decision. In this situation, His “yes” to healing required slow degrees of improvement. At first, I complained. I mean, who doesn’t want the quick-and-easy-fix? However, He knows what outcome is best for my benefit and His glory. God sometimes allows us to walk through our hardships to experience deeper trust, faith, and intimacy with Him.

Lessons learned

I learned many things through this trial:

  • Psalm 62:5 – God is the sovereign shepherd who protects me. No matter the circumstance, I can find peace and rest in Him.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Be thankful in every season of life because each day is a gift. Praise Him in all things.
  • Luke 12:7 – When fear tries to steal my joy, remember the source of hope. Why should I be afraid if He knows my story from beginning to end and can count each hair upon my head?
  • Isaiah 60:22 – His timing is not my timing. Trust Him.

New Wine

We grow through life’s tests and trials. Consider your testing process like making wine from grapes. During the process of making new wine, the winemaker crushes and presses the fruit (i.e. the spiritual test or trial). The actions of breaking and separating the grapes create juice. Spiritually speaking, the “juice” equals an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a deeper relationship with the Lord.

If you are going through a time of “crushing”, do not allow the trials to cause you to miss what God is doing. Instead, rejoice! He is with you and remembers your cries. He is making new wine.

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Articles

Testimony Changes Everything

by Heather White
written by Heather White

Revelation 19:10 says, “For the testimony (witness) of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Doctrine and power come together and impact those who don’t know Jesus when we share testimonies. It also increases faith for other believers.

Financial Testimony

Several years back, my husband and I found ourselves newly married, freshly out of college, financially broke, and experiencing the loss of a job at no fault of our own. We wondered where our next meal would come from and how we would pay our expenses. I laid awake many nights during that year, watching the clock for the stroke of midnight for my paycheck to deposit in my bank account. No deposit would mean no bills paid by the deadline. Those were frightening times.

My husband and I didn’t know where to turn in an earthly sense, but we knew God recognized our needs. We prayed for His protection and provision. We asked Him to cover our bills because we didn’t know how to do it on our own. Not only did we have regularly monthly expenses, but we had debt from our honeymoon. If God didn’t come through, we knew we’d find ourselves financially devastated.

Our situation looked dark, but that’s often the way things seem before God steps into our situations. Casseroles appeared at the front door in the arms of church acquaintances who had heard our family’s name when they prayed. It was amazing to hear them say, “I was praying about who to cook a meal for and your family came to mind, although I don’t know why. But if God put you in my head, you must need a casserole!”

Over the months that followed, checks appeared in the mailbox down to the dollar that covered food and basic living costs. We never went hungry. Most of the people who helped provide food and financial resources had no idea how dire our situation actually was. We didn’t tell anyone how much we struggled. I think we were just ashamed and afraid, but the God of mercy provided everything we needed even through our pride and pain.

Will You Share Your Story?

I like to tell this story to anyone who is going through financial difficulties because it’s hard to explain how we got through that nightmarish season of life unscathed. Only God, the Provider (Philippians 4:19), could use people who didn’t know our family or our needs to help us. His hand is undeniable, and it still makes me fall to my knees in thanks when I think about His goodness during those formative days.

I firmly believe sharing testimonies have a deeper, longer-lasting impact than pushing religion. They demonstrate that an encounter with the God of the Bible has the power to transform a life or a situation in real ways. I hope my story of hope will compel you to tell a testimony of God’s grace and goodness in your life.

To quote the popular leader Blake Schellenberg, “He who has the most hope, has the most influence.” Share your testimony, the witness of Jesus, and change a life.

Image Source: Love Roars

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Faith

Where Is God? Finding Jesus During A Natural Disaster

by Heather White
written by Heather White

The question “Where is God?” can be daunting to answer in the midst of a natural disaster like a hurricane, earthquake, or fire. Society looks at these seemingly senseless, devastating events and often only sees hopelessness and fear. However, disastrous events tend to also awaken questions about faith, God, good and evil, the purpose of life, and the reality of death. In response, we as Christians have an opportunity to give hope and encouragement to those who are looking for the real God who loves and cares about His creation and the individual person.

Knowing the Character of God

What does the Bible say about how God sees a disaster, death, disease, or pain? Understanding His heart toward us is critical to effectively reassure others that God is real and interested in our day-to-day lives, including the bad stuff. Here are a few verses that point to God’s compassion towards the suffering of His people:

2 Kings 20:5 – “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears…”

Psalm 34:17-18 – “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 56:8 – “You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not recorded in Your book?”

Psalm 103:8 – “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.”

Matthew 5:45 – “…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Matthew 10:29 – “Are not two little sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet not one of them falls to the group apart from your Father’s Will. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

God does not cause a natural disaster. He is a purposeful God, unlike the natural disasters that kill or harm people from all ages and backgrounds, whether they are His followers or not. The Old Testament confirms when God used natural forces, He protected the righteous (see the stories of Lot or Noah). In the New Testament, Jesus wept over the death of Mary’s brother and had compassion for the widow who lost her son, demonstrating His heart for the grief-stricken over death and sorrow.

What Should Our Response Be?

Share the hope of Jesus by actively engaging, interceding, and caring for people who may not be able to care for themselves. Physical, emotional, and spiritual support are examples of God’s compassionate nature and goodness to those in need. We care because He cares.

Be an ambassador. Pray for an open heart, full of compassion toward survivors of disasters.
Cry out to God the Father and intercede in your prayers on behalf of the brokenhearted and their communities – pray for comfort, peace, refuge, and hope. Pray they would draw closer to Jesus in this middle of their pain.
Volunteer your time, money, and resources, when possible, to relief efforts or reputable charity organizations that support providing aid.

Pray for the rescue workers and first responders, especially their safety. Pray for their families.
If someone asks you where God can be found during times of disaster, answer thoughtfully. Be genuine. Empathize with their pain and struggle. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your response. Remind the person what the Bible says about God’s character and how He feels about tragedy.

Be encouraged

Where is God in times of trouble? If you are His follower, God lives in you. You are His hands and feet to share His love and comfort in a real and tangible way to provide for the needs of survivors. Go, be love. “We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19

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