Tough Year?

Have you had a tough year? I don't know about you - but 2016 has had some AMAZING highs, and some stressful low's. I have been STRETCHED spiritually like NEVER before.

I remember one day, I was at the gym, working out and I was just thinking about the spiritual attacks. As I was working out on the stair stepper, I heard the Holy Spirit interrupt my thoughts and tell me, "Heather, I am preparing you for something so much greater."

It was the sweetest, purest words to me in that moment. Although I preach about the preparation, development, trusting in the Lord, resting in His timing, rejoicing during the tests - but then that moment comes where you're faced with what you preach and post about. At times, it seems like it's so easy to encourage everyone else but when it comes to yourself? Well, you're a little bit harder on you.

As I stepped on that Stairmaster, I told the Lord that I will rejoice in this test. I told Him that I am thankful to share in a TINY bit of His persecution. I was thankful to share in a TINY bit of His suffering for righteous sake.

And, in every time and in every moment, I have watched the Lord strengthen me through those tests.

So, if 2016 has been a year of stretching for you too - I want to encourage you that if you've been SOWING love, peace, joy, OBEDIENCE, trusting God when you don't' understand and walking by FAITH - GOD HONORS it. It is NOT in vain. I love harvest season because I know when I'm passing a spiritual test, I will see a spiritual harvest. Ya'll KNOW I am not one to say that "THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR NEW YEAR" - because I don't know what season you're in but I DO know that if WE stay like those TREES that are planted by the rivers of water (Psalms 1:3) that we will BRING forth FRUIT in our season, our LEAF will not wither and whatever we do will prosper.

DUE SEASON WILL ALWAYS COME!

So, don't dig your tree up and move it somewhere else if things are hard. Stay planted. Just stay there. Stay in that test and PASS it. Don't run back to your past. Don't rush back to what was once comfortable.  I can ASSURE you that you will see something on the other side of it ALL. When you live a life of disobedience, it HINDERS the Lord from working in you. So, repent sis, turn back around and endure! God will give you the strength to pass whatever is in front of you.

I started this blog to you all this morning and then I got confirmation that I have my own show on the WORD network (AHH!) called "The Heather Lindsey Show." If you've been following the ministry, you know that I've always wanted to host again but I put it down because the Lord told me to do so for a season. And, almost 10 years later, I'm picking it back up again.

I'm completely convinced that there's a PATH for each and every one of you (Jeremiah 1:5). Your story may not look like my story because it's YOUR story, but, along that path of saying YES to Jesus - you will find the life that He has prepared for you. This doesn't mean that tests stop. Actually, they will probably increase. But, it simply means that you get to lean on and depend on the Lord for every breath. I can assure you, with tears in my eyes - God is faithful. If He does nothing else, I want you to know that He longs for a relationship with you. He longs to walk with you. He longs to be close to you. He longs to speak to you. He longs to LEAD your life. Put down that strife and division in your heart and open up your heart to Him. He's constantly waiting.

I always say that a new year isn't a new you unless you renew your mind and say Yes to our Jesus. So, cheers to committing to spend the next year at the feet of our Jesus. He never fails us.

I love you all so much. I'm not sure if you know how much I truly love you but I pray for you all on a regular basis. I want to see you win. I want to see you walk in your purpose. I want to see you free from bitterness, I want to see you bold. I want to see you committed to Jesus. So, cheers to never quitting.

Just a few things:

1. Find my (6) books (including my NEW book, "Fighting Together") purity rings, shirts & all that good stuff via www.pinkypromiseboutiques.com!

2. We have developed an APP! Think: daily post notifications + weekly devotionals, recipes and so much more! It's out NOW for iphones + Androids. Under: Heather & Cornelius Lindsey: Today With the Lindsey's
 
3. Register for the 2017 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year so you don't want to miss out! www.pinkypromiseconference.com

4. As always, you can join a Pinky Promise group locally! There's about 50,000 ladies that have joined! Find a group near you by joining & checking out the intro page! Join here: www.PinkyPromiseMovement.com

5. We are headed on a Revival Tour to Kenya, Nigeria, London and Capetown. Register here: www.lindseyevents.com 


God loves you like crazy,

Love,

Heather Lindsey

"Use Me God!"

Have you ever cried out to the Lord and said, "Holy Spirit, USE ME! Send me to NATIONS, LORD! I desire for you to use every part of me for your glory!"

I have definitely been there. I remember crying out to the Lord one day with all of my heart, GOD! With tears in my eyes, I begged him, LORD, SEND ME TO NATIONS! I want NATIONS to know your NAME! I want PEOPLE to come into the saving knowledge of WHO YOU ARE!!!! Oh Lord, send ME so that nations may come into the knowledge of who you are. Lord, SEND labourers into the field, for the harvest is great!" As I cried out to him, I was sitting under the powerful presence of the Lord. I was literally soaking in His presence. I was laid out on my face. Completely surrendered in that moment. Worship music was playing gently in the background. My prayer room was barely lit and there was nothing like the peace that came from the Holy Spirit in that moment.

I came up from my prayer time feeling so refreshed. So encouraged. So excited about those nations knowing Jesus. That's all that mattered.

Then, a few days later, I came across a woman that I knew had been talking badly about me. She didn't know that I knew, but I knew. I forgave her (so I thought in my heart) and it was one of those things where I didn't really know her, but I wasn't crazy about her. (based on the fact that I knew she was being messy lol) She can stay right over there with her gossiping self and I will pray for her. (as I rationalized and thought in my mind) Those thoughts only dropped into my mind when I saw her here & there. I personally didn't even know her name. Nonetheless, as I came across her that day, I silently rolled my eyes in my HEART. Not on my face, but in my heart as she introduced herself to me. I wouldn't publically roll my eyes, because you know, that's not the right "Christian thing to do."

As SOON as I started to speak to her, these two scriptures appeared in my mind:

Romans 12:9 - Don't pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 
Jeremiah 17:10 - The Lord searches the heart and He examines secret motives. 

Then, I heard the Holy Spirit say: "Heather, you are praying for nations and I am sending you to the nation of the United States. This woman is a part of that nation. Be faithful in all things."

Immediately, I was convicted.

I wasn't in that barely lit room, basking in the presence of the Lord on my face. I didn't hear Bethel in the background playing music. I was in a very public place. No bells. No whistles. And, it sure wasn't convenient to love the girl that I know bashed me.

Did I really think that I could choose what nations that I want to tell about Jesus?? In knowing that this fight is SPIRITUAL and not physical, I shouldn't have even been mad at HER but the spirit that was operating in her. We need to get mad at the devil, not humans. He is the one behind all of this hate!

You see, it's HERE where your FAITH is being tested. It's THERE on your job, at the gym, in the car, or in the classroom where you're being TESTED! It is THERE where the things that you've cried out to God at church, at the altar, in your prayer room or wherever else get the OPPORTUNITY to develop.

What are we waiting for in becoming more like Jesus?? Are we waiting for a stage or a big ministry to tell us that we matter or that we are worth something? No! REAL, true ministry is happening when NOBODY else is looking! Real, true ministry is happening PRIVATELY. When nobody else is watching you to tell you how great you are. It's in the booth, in the back in the corner where you are CRYING out - YES to God when you can sneak and do something that you have no business doing! It's SECRETLY saying YES to Jesus when you want to roll your eyes, ignore someone, hurt someone who has hurt you or just quit all together.

And, the more you say Yes to Jesus and you pass those tests, the more we become like Him. I don't know about you but I want to be His hands and feet. I want to know Him like never before. I want my entire life to be surrendered to  Him and not for show but for real. I want to sense His heart beating next to mine. I want to love like He loves. I want the Holy Spirit to absolutely possess my very SPIRIT and to lead me to Jesus daily.

This means what?

That I may get tested a lot. There's alot in us that doesn't look like Him and these tests burn the bad stuff out.

1 Peter 1:7 
So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:3-5
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Being tested isn't a bad thing. It shows you your heart. For me, it showed me that I wanted nations to be saved but I couldn't' even love my own sister in my own community right next to me. Those nations that need to be saved come with a full set of issues. Of hurts. Of pains. Of "special personalities" and what I call "Jesus' special people." lol :)

Know that when you desire to be used by the Lord, it won't always be easy, convenient or even seem significant. But, IT matters. If we've done it to the "least" of them, we've done it to Jesus (Matthew 25:40)

So, when we pray, Lord, SEND ME! Use Me! Let's really mean it and do whatever He is telling us to do. And, before He tells you to start this huge ministry or go do missions, He is telling us to be faithful right now, in our community and exactly where we are. Let's be faithful in ALL things.

Just a few things:

1. Find my (5) books (including my NEW book, "The Purpose Room"), purity rings, shirts & all that good stuff via pinkypromiseboutiques.com!

2. We have developed an APP! Think: daily post notifications + weekly devotionals, recipes and so much more! It's out NOW for iphones + Androids. Under: Heather & Cornelius Lindsey: Today With the Lindsey's

3.  If you live in Atlanta, I want to invite you to our church. Join us on Sundays at 10:30am. Our churches name is: "The Gathering Oasis"  3600 Snapfinger Rd Lithonia, GA 30038

4. Register for the 2017 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year so you don't want to miss out! www.pinkypromiseconference.com

5. As always, you can join a Pinky Promise group locally! There's about 50,000 ladies that have joined! Find a group near you by joining & checking out the intro page! Join here: www.PinkyPromiseMovement.com

6. We are headed on a Revival Tour to Kenya, Nigeria, London and Capetown. Register here: www.lindseyevents.com 

God loves you like crazy,

Love always,

Heather Lindsey

My Husband Left His 9-5 Job for good & It was the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Us

Some of you may be reading this and thinking, "I wish my husband WOULD leave His job! He needs to be the provider over our family. He cannot just up and leave his job."

Well, I agree with you.

Kinda. 

Here's my story.


It was October 2010 and we had been married for about three months. My husband had a nice paying job and I had a great job working from home doing HR at a Hedge Accounting Firm that was located in New York. Life was good. We had the house, our own parking spot at church, the 2 car garage, the white picket fence, stocked 401k's and all of that good stuff.

Until the Lord to my husband to leave his job. My husband got really quiet for about 2 weeks. I sensed that something was wrong with him but being a newlywed - I think I was more upset than anything. WHY WON'T HE TALK TO ME! I don't understand. IS he mad at me?? What did I do? Thankfully, I learned over time that he was thinking and internalizing. The Lord was dealing with him about leaving his job and starting to prepare him for full time ministry. We KNEW that the day was going to come where we were going to start a ministry but we didn't think it would happen so soon. So, I encouraged him. I told him that we walk by faith and if the grace is gone AND the Holy Spirit is LEADING you to do it. I submit to you babe. I truly believe that the Lord is our Provider, NOT you. Plus, I didn't want to be that nagging wife that shut down every idea and vision.

So, my husband goes to work and resigns. Wow. That's it. He has really quit his job and we don't have a whole lot of savings but I'm not going to tell anyone.  I bet they are going to tell me that we are stupid, crazy and out of line for making a decision as such. I wasn't afraid or scared. I was actually excited. I believe that the Lord gave us this beautiful gift of faith that says, "hey, I came into the world with nothing' and if I die with nothing, I don't care either. As long as I spend eternity with Jesus - I'm good." So, let's do it! AND, I also BELIEVED in my husbands vision. I KNEW without a shadow of doubt that the Lord was going to use us to preach to millions of people. Even though, I didn't see it.

So, my husband says that we are going to move to Mississippi.

Mississippi? "Babe, I just moved here from New York City. I mean, do they at least have a whole foods? No whole foods? Welp, let's pack up and go! I support you and I believe in you." I love pretty hard- so at that point, I'm like, If you wanna move to Alaska, I'm going to get some snow boots and go with you because I pretty much love your face! :)

I was reminded of Genesis 12:1:
"The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you."

We didn't know that land or anything about it but we truly believed that God would show us. 

I remember driving down the highway and pulling up to our apartment that we booked ONLINE. We didn't even see it before hand and it was so small that we had to give away things that wouldn't fit inside. I still to this day miss my glass dining room set. (no judgement :)) So, we are all moved in and I look at my husband and think, well, I guess we are going to get started with this ministry thing that the Lord gave us. So, we quietly prayed and I continued to work from home at my job. I thank GOD for the favor that job gave me because the Lord USED that job to provide for our family. It wasn't "oh, I'm working and my husband isn't so I'm going to disrespect him." No, God told both ME and my husband that he was not supposed to get a 9-5. I knew it without a shadow of doubt. In moments where my hubby did get tired, depressed or down - the Holy spirit reminded us that we were where we were supposed to be. Did other people understand it? No. So, when I got questions like, "So, your husband left his job to go pray" from people that knew us - we boldly answered, YES."
See, if you understand the purpose and the power of prayer and studying your bible then you wouldn't think that it was a waste of time. "Well, studying your bible doesn't pay the bills." Well, obedience does. And, again, the Lord used my job during that season to cover everything so that we could do what the Lord called us to do. I would watch my husband study for 8-12 hours a day and then he would come back and teach me everything he would learn. I didn't know that the Lord was preparing him to be a Pastor. I would continue to study my word and stay in the bible as well. It's like the Holy Spirit had to teach us who He was all over again in this wilderness period.

We still had no friends nearby. Our old church family pretty much threw us away because they disagreed with us leaving. No family nearby. Just a 1 bedroom apartment, Jesus, each other, eating rice pretty much every night for dinner and a lot of deferred student loans. No wonder why we considered divorce our first year. We were fighting because we felt so alone! We were trying to become that "one flesh" and we were struggling financially, emotionally with so many other things. It was very much a wilderness period for us.

But I wouldn't trade it for the world.

We NEEDED it. Why?

Because the wilderness season doesn't last always. My husband taking the LEAD to leave his job to do what GOD told Him to do was the BEST thing that ever happened to our marriage and LIFE. Why? Because in Mississippi, is where The Gathering Oasis was started (our growing church that is now in Atlanta). In Mississippi, I started Pinky Promise. The organization that encourages women to honor God with their life and body. In Mississippi, we learned to trust God like never before for our DAILY bread. In Mississippi, we learned what true friendship really means. In Mississippi, we learned that we will NOT ever get divorced. We will work through each test and trial and fight FOR our marriage. In Mississippi, we learned that GOD alone is our Provider.

Sadly, too many of us are playing it safe and we've gotten into this routine. We are afraid to step out on faith and trust in the Lord. All the while, He's saying, go here - go there. Maybe, He's said that to you but you complained that there wasn't enough savings in the account. Or maybe, you've said  - Lord, the only money I have is my 401k. We need that. Hey, in that season we had to cash out of our 401k. Hey, we were walking by faith and we were led to do so. Are you quenching what the Lord is trying to do in your husband? Most likely, your husband won't read this blog - but you will. So, between you and the Lord, has there been times where you've shut down ideas or visions that your husband has because you're worried about material things? I believe that God will use your marriage to solve a problem on this earth and I wonder if God has to raise up your children to do what you will not do?

I look back and I don't know how we payed our bills or how we even lived but it didn't matter. I truly trusted that the Lord was going to do what He said He would do. He provided. I'm telling you - when God tells you to do something, He provides what you need to accomplish it.

So what now? We are in Mississippi and we start to get speaking engagements. So, we would travel to Atlanta every weekend to fly out to a different place. It was getting to the point where we would be in Atlanta for a month here & there. I really sensed that the Lord was telling us to move back after being in MS for a year. But, I didn't want to get ahead of my husband or influence him. I felt like as my leader, He could hear the voice of the Lord as well and He can lead us BOTH back here. Two months later after me thinking that - my husband comes to me and says, "Babe, the Lord is leading us back to Atlanta." WHEW! Thank GOD. I missed Atlanta! And guess what? That day, we also found out that we were pregnant with Logan. Then, the next day - my job told me that they need me to move back to NYC OR I will lose my work-from home job. Talk about another huge test. THEN, on my last day of work - the transmission goes out in my truck. So, at this point, we had been saving for 6 months so I could leave my job and I had so much work that needed to be done on my truck that it wiped out most of my savings.

"LORD! I'm trying to be a good steward! WHY would you let this happen?" I have to use most of our savings to pay for this truck that is out of warranty!

"Oh Heather, you trusted in your savings account much more than you did in me."

Wait. Crap. He's right.

Matthew 6:24 tells us:
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Now - fast forward to three years later and almost 13 books written between me and my husband. A thriving church in Atlanta, GA. A non-profit called Pinky Promise with over 45,000 women. I own a boutique. We have apps. We travel the world and speak. And, we own several businesses on top of the above. We ASKED the Lord to give us wisdom to do what He's called us to do so we wouldn't have to go back to 9-5. We knew that our purpose was to preach the gospel of Jesus and to share Jesus Christ with this world. AND we knew that no job or business could distract us from that mission. And, even to this day - we don't charge a set free to preach. We tell the churches that book us to give as the Holy Spirit LEADS them to give in an honorarium. We wouldn't dare put a number on the gift that the Lord gave us to teach. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. And, thus why have multiple businesses so that we don't have to depend on the churches we speak at to pay our bills. God takes care of us. We have truly LEARNED to trust God for our daily bread and that doesn't change with multiple businesses.

Now, I'm not saying all of this to toot our horn by any means. I don't want to stand up like we are so righteous and that we had everything together because that's far from the truth. We were just a country couple that love Jesus and we desired to live for Him. I truly understand James when it says, "faith without works is dead."

We had the faith to step out but if we never packed up our home and moved - our faith would be dead. My husband would still be working his "safe" 9-5 and we would never be doing what we are doing now.

We simply PAINTED our picture together. There was nothing "ready" made about our marriage. We had no connections, no hook ups, no investor, no great whatever. We literally had Jesus. WHICH IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. He made the heavens & the earth! Why do we trust in the created more than we do the Creator?? So, I ask you if you're single - do you write off men that are GOOD men but they don't have money in the bank? You may look at someone else's husband, like "why can't I find a good man?" Honey, you wouldn't have even considered him with your way of thinking! They worked OUT their marriage together and made it sweet & good. He was the janitor at that job and he tried to talk to you but you ignored him. Now, he's the CEO with a wife and kids and you're complaining about not having a good man! A good man is DEVELOPED. A good marriage takes WORK to develop and become an AMAZING marriage. MANY people want the final picture but don't realize the work that goes into it.

A few questions I had in my heart that may be asked while reading this blog:

1. Does this mean that every man needs to run and quit his job because he doesn't like it?

No. There is NO formula to this thing. It's called faith. It's called being led by the Holy Spirit. We KNEW that my husband was going to leave to go into ministry full time while we were courting so I wasn't surprised when it happened after we got married. He communicated to me where we were going and what we were doing.

2. What happened to the ministry in Mississippi?

Funny story - we actually started a church in a college classroom and then at a hotel and then in a auditorium. We were trying to start these things and we weren't ready. The church was supposed to START in Atlanta, GA. Not Mississippi. So, we eventually closed the church down and just did small bible studies there as the Lord continued to prune us.

3. My husband always has so many ideas. I'm afraid that we are going to go broke with his changing ideas. 

Sounds to me like you have a visionary type husband. In these cases, learn to enjoy the ride. I know it makes you nervous and it's hard at times but laugh, enjoy the journey and be his HELP-MEET and ask the Lord to help you with not nagging him. Its easy to nag the visionary because he may not have a lot of proof in his past of being a great leader. Instead, constantly build him up and pray for him. The Lord has prepared you and MADE you to be a great helper to Him. See where you can help & jump in.

4. My parents aren't having that. I have to marry a rich man with a great job and I want to respect their wishes. 

I understand. But, I'm reminded of:  Matthew 10:37 "If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine." Meaning, whose voice is first in your heart? If God is leading you to marry someone and the reasons your parents don't want you with him is because he's not rich - then, that ain't biblical and it's not a good reason. If this is the case, me and my husband would have never gotten married. We barely had enough to pay for our wedding. So, God's leading is first - parents is second.

5. What if we've been broke for a long time and we are just plain tired? 

Philippians 4:12 tells me that "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little." I honestly feel like I went through the "money test" for about 9 years. I'm not even saying that we are "balling" now because we aren't but we definitely aren't where we used to be. I had to learn to be faithful with little before the Lord gave me more. I learned to GIVE when He led me. I know that giving is like .. whoa - the church is comin' for my money. I'm not just talking about giving to the church, but I also was giving to people in need that I knew needed it as HE led me. I was no longer attached to money. You can be greedy and broke and I wanted to make sure that the Lord was my God & not money. I was not to depend on paper but to depend on the Holy Spirit for ALL things.

So, cheers to being SUPPORTIVE of the leader you prayed for. He may not have what you think he needs now but if you married Him, you GET to believe in him. You GET to pray for him. You GET to fight together. You GET to paint your picture together. Does this mean that you're going to be rich or whatever else? Nah, it means that you're OBEDIENT to the Father and He says in 1 John when we LOVE Him, we obey HIM. This life is about being focused on ETERNITY. Not, this silly earth.

God loves you like crazy,
Heather Lindsey

Our wedding day! August 14, 2010

When your Faith is Low..

Sometimes we can get tested out of NOWHERE and those tests can sometimes bring a fear to our heart. But it's in those moments that you have to APPLY your quiet time with the Lord, what you've learned at conferences, church and the books you read on faith. It's not enough to simply be fat off of the word of God - at some point, we have to take what we've learned and APPLY it to our life. We walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT. Which means, although the circumstances look BAD as you live for Jesus - it doesn't BOTHER  you. It doesn't bother you because you don't LIVE by circumstances, you LIVE by FAITH. So, you're eyes are on the UNSEEN. You know that God has your back & that He is for you! He will restore every hurt, every confusion, every situation, every circumstances! Thank God for the Cross!! He has tore the veil so that we may be ONE with Him so that when we experience hard things, we can have the RIGHT perspective!
Now, Things are going to work out as they ALWAYS do. We must get to the place in our walk where whether things "work out" or don't "work out" - it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because you know that whatever God has for you cannot be taken away from you. So, if it doesn't work out  - it wasn't supposed to work out in the first place.

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Romans 10:17 

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

I adore these scriptures because they reiterate what I said above. We walk by faith, we don't lose heart and faith comes by spending time with God & getting the word in your heart.

So, if you don't have the RIGHT perspective, most likely - you've given your attention to something or someone else. If you feel like you're not walking by faith.. you're losing heart THEN you're most likely not spending time with God, or surrounding yourself with His word. It's NOT enough to go to church one time a week and hear an hour sermon and expect to be sustained. YOU must do your part! What are you listening to all day? Have you put your technology down for one minute to spend time with God? Technology is a huge blessing and also a curse. It's a curse if it's replacing the time you've spent with God and created discontentment in your heart as you compare yourself to others online. Staring at peoples Facebook status or periscopes won't sustain your faith walk! All of hell is fighting against you and you don't have your armor on!! It's important to recognize when your "tank" is empty! I always say this - if you need gas, you go to the gas station. If you are hungry, you go to the kitchen. If your spirit man is STARVED, you pick up your phone, call a friend or vent on Facebook about how you hate everything.

You constantly reach out to everyone for prayer but you refuse to pull away and pray to the Father. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm a fan of prayer and a fan of two or three getting together in prayer. I ENCOURAGE you to pray with your sisters in Christ but I encourage you to not DEPEND on your sisters to sustain your prayer life. At some point, you gotta grow in your walk and stop running to everybody for advice, prayer and whatever else and go sit at the feet of Jesus. YOU need a relationship with Him and it's going to cost you your entire life.
..Matthew 10:39 "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."
Yes, it's hard. Yes, you won't understand. Yes, you will have moments where you feel like nothing is working out. BUT, who are you clinging too? It's time to start clinging to God & not man! Not your bank account, not your business, not your degrees, not your whatever else!

So, I pray that this short blog reminds you to trust in the Lord and not in what you see. We must finally start maturing in this walk and stop seeking the "quick way out." Let's get to applying and stop coveting everybody else's walk in the Lord. YOU are as close to God as you want to be.

God loves you like crazy,
Heather Lindsey

Me & my princess, Taylor!

Social Media: Highlight Reels vs. Reality- The Danger of Comparing

Let me just give you the real deal on social media. Like ALL "media" in general, you are SHOWN what the owner would like for you to see. Nobody's life is perfect, even if it appears to be. You have great days, bad days, sad days, lonely days, frustrating days, hormonal days and every other kinda day. You SHOW people what you want them to see based on the brand that you're portraying to everyone else.  You're shown happy, exciting, awesome things. I mean, this is your highlight reel and you want people to have the best perception of you, right? You wouldn't dare post a picture of you crying or arguing with your husband. To bring it even closer to home, you wouldn't post a picture of yourself that wasn't up to your standards. You will take 10 + pictures until you get the right one, then edit it with a million filters-- all to upload the perfect photo. Then, people begin to form an image of you in their head. If you stay at the club with drinking and dancing pictures-- you're probably thrown in a category of a not-so-serious about life woman that likes to party. One that most likely isn't interested in a relationship with Jesus. (And let's all be honest, you ain't soul winnin' at no club sista. God tells us to pursue Him, not environments that encourage sin.)

If you love to cook, people will start to follow you because you always have yummy looking food! If you really love Jesus you may post a ton of encouraging things on your page. And don't get mad at someone who is disrespectful on your social media page towards you and your profile picture is you in a swimsuit. Save those goodies for your one-day-husband. Anyone can google your name and find that picture and now, the entire world can you see you in your bra & panties. They can save those pictures and use them against you, including a future employer. So, scroll through your pictures: What is your brand saying? What are your words saying? Are you cursing everyone out one minute and quoting scriptures the next?

Back to the subject: 
Know this.

In the midst of people posting, they're dealing with every-day real life issues. It's almost like we forget that people are IMPERFECT. WE all have things that God is working out in our life so how dare you get jealous and envious of a person's highlight reel?? They're showing you what they want you to see! And even in knowing that everybody has an issue, you shouldn't rejoice in that. Rejoice in YOUR portion and be thankful for what God has given you. Unfollow anyone that causes you to stumble in this area. If you're following certain "celebrities" or whoever else that are causing you to become jealous or envious of their life, common sense tells us to unfollow them & keep it moving.

Proverbs 4:23

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

What you don't realize is this: browsing along their pictures and page and comparing their life to your life is planting a seed of discontentment. You may not see the fruit from the seed but I assure you, it's coming and it will aid in "determining the course of your life." You'll go throughout your day, run here-- run there and maybe a week or two-- or even a month later, you will start wondering, "God, when is it my time? or God, when will you provide this or that for me, or God-- I'm NOT happy" or whatever else! Don't you see what is happening!?? You're being SET-UP by satan and you keep taking the bait!  You run onto your ex's page to see his new "so called-happy-life" with his new girlfriend and you allow jealousy to overwhelm you! Then you start to question why the relationship ended-- knowing GOOD and well it was a relationship door  that God Himself closed for you. You start to wonder, "why did that person reject you? Why didn't he want the be with you." While you're wondering, the Holy Spirit is screaming-- "ARE YOU SERIOUS?? That person had NOTHING to do with your future and matter of fact, I never told you to get into that relationship. There was no profit from the beginning and now you are wondering why they rejected you? They were NEVER equipped to be with you from the beginning!" Not only that, you start to wish you could reach out to them but the only thing that really restrains you is the fact that you have a ring on your left ring hand finger. You're married, but still haven't gotten over that ex.

We must diligently guard our hearts from anyone or anything that could possible cause us to stumble. The reality is this: We all go through tests and trails. We all have good & bad days. We all need a Savior. We all can choose to be positive in the mist of negativity. We all can be transparent in saying life isn't perfect but knowing Christ gives us perceptive.

You may say, "ok Heather-- I hear you, but my struggle isn't being jealous of unbelievers, but Christians. How do I deal with that?"

Well, here you go:

1 Corinthians 12:12- 26 

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,[e] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. (in other words- this is Heather talking'-- what God is telling me to do, doesn't seem as exciting as someone else so I won't do it.) And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 

How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,  while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Please re-read that last sentence. If one part suffers, all parts suffer. If ONE part suffers, ALL parts suffer. So if you're over there as the leg and mad and won't move because you're the foot-- then the LEG cannot do it's part! We are a part of the BODY of Christ and each of our functions has a PURPOSE. Now, the body of Christ is walkin' around here crippled because people are refusing to do their part! You may not be the arm, but who cares, you're something and God wants to USE you!! STOP trying to be a finger when God called you to be a arm. 

Let's be clear, the WILL of God on this earth will be completed whether you do it or not. God will raise up somebody else to do it but you don't want to stand before God and say, "umm.. I didn't do what you called me to do because I was jealous that I couldn't preach." Really??? God gives you grace to be YOU. Not another. 

So, I challenge you-- stop focusing on everybody's highlight real and start finding the beauty in your OWN life. The good, bad & ugly-- laying it ALL at the feet of the Father. 

Just a few things:

1. I am opening up a Pinky Promise Boutique!!! Think modest, fashionable, affordable clothes for women! Opening day of the boutique: October 15th via www.pinkypromiseboutiques.com

2. We have developed an APP! Think: daily post notifications + weekly devotionals, recipes and so much more! Find our app by Oct. 7th for iphones + Androids. Under Heather & Cornelius Lindsey: Today With the Lindseys

3.  If you live in Atlanta, I want to invite you to our church. Join us on Sundays at 11:00am at Landmark Art Cinemas. Our churches name is: "The Gathering Oasis"  931 Monroe Drive NE Atlanta, GA.

4. My book is selling like crazy! I'm so thankful for all of you that have supported! Check it out here: My New Book! Pink Lips & Empty Hearts:  www.PinkLipsAndEmptyHearts.com AND my new book, "A Perfect Recipe" here!

5. Register for the 2014 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year, so you don't want to miss out! www.pinkypromiseconference.com

6. As always, you can join a Pinky Promise group locally! There's about 15,000 ladies that have joined! Find a group near you by joining & checking out the intro page! Join here:www.PinkyPromiseMovement.com

7. To purchase bracelets, cross rings, my book, tote bags, fabulous shirts, purity rings & all that other good stuff-- go here: www.heatherlove.bigcartel.com . JUST for visiting this blog, I'll give you 10% off! Use the code: JESUS

God loves you like crazy,

Heather Lindsey