Friday, December 29, 2017

It's time for the Journal Challenge!

Find this journal here: www.pinkypromiseboutiques.com

Do you feel like you need to be refreshed and renewed for the new year? Do you feel like you need more discipline when it comes to your time with the Lord? Do you feel like you need to prepare your mind before your day?
THEN, JOIN us starting January 1st with spending time with God everyday! It's called our "Journal Challenge."

You can read the details HERE.

ALSO, we are going to add a few things this year:
1. Read 1 Christian based book for the month of January
2. Keep your phone in another room so you aren't tempted to reach for it first thing!
3. Download the Bible App or an a Christian based app and when you do reach for your phone in the morning, open the app vs. instagram/social media.

How do you sign up? Simply go to www.pinkypromisemovement.com and then click "Join a Group" - when you sign up, you automatically subscribe to receive updates and emails!

This will be a precious time of pouring your heart out to Jesus, staying focused, getting rid of distractions and prioritizing what the Lord is telling you to do!

P.S. Oh yeah, we started a BRAND NEW VLOGGING CHANNEL! Be sure to subscribe + check out the newest surprise in our sweet family! Subscribe HERE.

God loves you like crazy,
Love always,
Heather Lindsey


Thursday, November 23, 2017

Holiday Blues?



So, it’s time for the Holidays (Thanksgiving + Christmas), plus it’s time for a ton of engagements. If you’re currently in a season right now where you’re not completely satisfied with your portion, I want to encourage you today.

Don’t let the questions and interviews from your family distract you from the season that you’re in.

If you’re single – they want to know why you don’t have a man as they try to give you advice on how to get and find one.

Then, if you’re newly married –everyone is going to have the best marriage advice that works for your marriage. And, they will be questioning you on when you’re going to have kids. They know that you were only married for 2.3 months but they want a child.
Then, if you’ve had a couple kids, they want to know when you’re going to stop or what form of birth control are you using. They will also tell you how you need to raise your children. (Although they may have some good tips, take those and reject the bad stuff)

Do you see the trend? Don’t let your family’s discontentment rub off on you. They may come from a good place, but if you know that God hasn’t opened those doors for a reason, then you have to be so sure of your identity in Christ, that you won’t let what anyone else says ruffle your feathers.

Identity defined: “The fact of being who or what a person or thing is”

Let's look at these scriptures:

Ephesians 1:5 "He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will."

Romans 6:6 "For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in HI sown image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them."

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s royal special possession, that you may declare the praises to Him who called you out of darkness."

Whew.

So, if you know that you IDENTITY is this: 
1. You belong to Jesus Christ.
2. He adopted you as His own.
3. Your old man is gone, so you no longer think, act and pursue what the world pursues.
4. You’re created in His image, so there’s nothing “wrong with the way you look.”
5. Before you were even born, God assigned you with a purpose and a PATH for your life, this path won’t look like anybody else’s path.

It’s very easy for me to lovingly correct family members (or anyone else) if they say things that are out of line. I know my lane. I know my identity. I know what I am called to do. I know who I am. When you are confident in your identity in Christ and WHO He called you to be, you can stand firm in where God has placed you in this season because you TRUST HIM and HIS timing.

So, if you’re getting any of the:

“You’re not getting any older.”

“Your clock is ticking.”

“You better hurry up.”

“You need more of this or that.”

Remind them that:

“The plans that God has for you are so good and at the right TIME, you will be sure to let them know of the great things that He has done.”

Show the love of Christ through your EXAMPLE of patience. This generation is very impatient and NEVER satisfied. But you, my sister, are satisfied and content with your portion.

Anybody can get a ring. You don’t just wanna bring any o’le man to the house. You want a godly man sent by the Lord. Generations will be affected by your obedience.

And, rejoice with your godly friends that get engaged this season. I went through a season where everyone was getting engaged and God was telling me to break things off with my then boyfriend. I’m like JESUS. You mean to tell me that I have to START all over? And while they’re planning weddings, I am over here – still single?
It was during that season that I really turned to scripture to see who I was in Christ. I asked myself a few questions:
1. Am I still valuable as a single? YES
2. Does God still have a purpose for me right now? YES
3. Do I want to be married?  YES

But, more than wanting to be married – was recognizing that I am valuable right now and I have purpose right now. I never ignored my desire to get married. I never ignored my desire to have children or even a good marriage. I prayed for those things. I prayed for a godly man as a single. I prayed for godly children – even after our miscarriage.

Although my desires were THERE, my attention shifted to knowing my IDENITY.  When I became confident in WHO God called me to be, I became content in Heather alone – free from titles and whatever else. I didn’t NEED (this or that) in order to be satisfied. I was satisfied with our without those things.

If you’re finding yourself in the midst of conflict this Thanksgiving with family or friends – my best advice would be to pursue PEACE. You cannot change those family members. What is the point of getting involved in meaningless conversations that bring drama?

Philippians 2:14 says “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
2 Timothy 2:23-24 says, “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”

There are certain conversations and discussions that I will not engage in. For example, if you know that a certain family supports the LGBT community and rallies against it every year and you do not – then why argue with them AGAIN this year about it? Instead, pray that their eyes will be opened to the truth. Pray that they will see God’s design for marriage. And, when you ask about it- lovingly tell them: “we are going to agree to disagree on this one. Let’s just enjoy dinner. How’s your job going?”

As believers, we must have some fruit of the spirit – or self-control in our lives. I believe that living for Jesus will plant seeds in your families heart that will encourage them to live for Jesus!

So, this holiday season – let’s pursue peace, be content in our portion, refuse to engage in silly arguments and walk by faith.

--

Few Things:

1. The 2017 Pinky Promise Conference was EVERYTHING!!! Like literally. Here's the night I taught on "Running From God." Registration is open NOW! www.pinkypromiseconference.com 

2. Ah, I'm SO excited that the Pinky Promise Movement page has a new look! Check it out HERE. 

3. ALSO, the Pinky Promise Boutique has a new look too PLUS a ton of cute MODEST, FAB, CLOTHES, jewelry, promise rings, clothes, journals, etc! Check it out HERE.

4. Be sure to check my calendar to see if I'm in your city soon! (under Calendar)

5. Are you in Atlanta? Come and visit our church! We are in Sandy Springs! The Gathering Oasis Church - we meet at the Galloway Private School in the Amphitheatre. 215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 every Sunday at 10AM EST.

5. My New Book, Silent Seasons was on the Amazon Best Seller's List as the #1 in New Releases and in Religious for 5 weeks! ahh!! Find it HERE.  or on Amazon/Kindle/Ibooks/Audio Book.

6. My dear friends, Havilah Cunnington and Lisa Bevere have an amazing 12 part series titled #MomOfMen - teaching you how to raise godly children. Sign up now and recieve a FREE e-book. You can sign up HERE.


God loves you like crazy,
Love always,

Heather Lindsey
Rocking one of my favorite dresses from the Pinky Pomise Boutique!

Monday, November 6, 2017

"I Don't Feel Loved In My Marriage"



As I was scrolling through social media, I came across a blog with these words, " I don't feel loved in my marriage so I am leaving it."

My heart literally broke in two because I wondered how many people were reading this blog and forming an opinion of their marriage because at some point or another, you have felt that way in your marriage. I also wondered how many single people were reading the blog and forming an unrealistic idea of marriage. I'm currently writing a book on marriage so I figured I would share a snippet of a chapter because that blog literally lined up with what I was talking about in that chapter.

How many times has my husband felt unloved by me in the about 10 years we've been together?
Too many to count. 

How many times have I felt unloved by my husband?
Too many to count. 

Is my marriage headed towards divorce?
Absolutely not.

How many times has God felt unloved by you?
Too many times to count

How many times have you ran from Jesus?
Too many times to count. 

As a believer,  love the example of Jesus. He gives me perspective on every relationship, including my marriage. What happens when Jesus doesn't feel loved by you? What if He just left you? What if He just quit on you? Does Jesus make you happy 100%? It's impossible to make you happy all of the time because we are made up of this flesh, carnal nature. One minute we are living for Jesus and the next minute, we think about and want things that we know that we can't have.

 Listen to me - to everyone who is single or married and never forget this:

Just because you don't at times feel loved in your marriage, it is not an excuse to leave it. The danger in leaving your marriage for someone who "loves" you better is that you may get more of what you think you need in order to be happy while compromising in another area. He may touch you more, clean up around the house and work a job but he may also be touching another woman. Your husband was a great leader, he just didn't use words of affirmation. The next man will post about you all day and night and affirm you but that's about it. He's a terrible leader and spiritually, you have to lead the marriage because he gives you the control. Maybe your last husband had no job and your new boo is a lawyer. But instead of coming home to you he works and travels non-stop. Any free time he does have, he goes to the bar with his buddies. Pick your poison. Every marriage gets to work OUT their marriage to make it work. There's GOING to be conflict along the way. The question before I do is, "Find out his issue and see if you can live with it for the rest of your life." Because.. it may never change. But, I am talking to those of you who are currently married.

If our measuring stick for leaving your marriage is "I don't feel loved" then it's simply NOT good enough. Yes, you may be going through a tough time. Yes, your husband may not understand you, Yes you may be frustrated but do you remember your vows? "For Better or For Worse" will get tested. No HUMAN on this entire earth is going to be able to make you happy 100% of the time. The fight you're fighting is a spiritual one, not a physical one. Your enemy is NOT your spouse, its the devil. Some of you are in marriages right now and it's a pretty healthy marriage, you just have some areas where you're not happy. You've grown WEARY. You constantly wait for him to "change" but he never does. So, then do you just leave? So, you have this good man but this man doesn't meet up to the image of who you think he should be in your head?

Who told you that he has to be some other image?

Social media? Comparing your marriage to another marriage? Your family? A friend who recently divorced and bashes all marriages? Your messy single friends or that one single friend that would love to be married to your man?

Maybe it's not your spouse? Maybe it's you? Maybe you're completely unlovable. Maybe you're constantly psychoanalyzing him, trying to be his mama, maybe you treat him like trash and disrespect him. Maybe you nag and criticize him into a corner.

No, I cannot cheer you on for leaving.

Please hear my heart that I do understand cases where there's divorce and it's unwanted. Maybe your husband left you and ran off with some 18 year old. Maybe he cheated so many times or maybe he has physically abused you to the point where you are FORCED to leave. Now, I am not talking to those cases. That is called abandonment and it's NEVER ok for him to treat you that way. I am specifically talking to men that actually come home to their wives, he works an honest job, goes to church and he is TRYING to be good to you. You may not see all of the effort that you want to see, but you see SOME of it.

Isn't it crazy how we focus on what our spouse is doing but we don't make them 100% happy? Kinda hypocritical right? (And, I'm talking to myself too)

How do I know that you may not be the most loveable person at times?

Because I was her.

I was the most complaining, "higher than thou" wife. My husband felt like nothing that he did was good enough for me. That nagging, complaining, discontent spirit from my single days showed its ugly face in my marriage.

So, what do I do when I don't feel loved in my marriage?

I love.
Let me challenge you with this:

1 Corinthians 13:1-10 tells us:
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.
 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."

Did you read verse 4? It says that Love is PATIENT.

What does patience mean?
The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset:

Whoa.
So, I'm supposed to love without getting upset? But HE troubled me. He made me suffer. He ignored me! He won't get a job! He won't touch me and he knows my love language is TOUCH. He really hurt me in the past. He cheated on me. YES, I forgive him and we moved on but I have a hard time being patient with him.

Love doesn't demand it's own way. 

"You don't LISTEN. I am more spiritual. I am better with money. I am a better leader. I have more schooling. Let's do it THIS way."

It's it amazing that we are serving in the church, helping people and doing all of these things but we don't love the person that we share a bed with? That is your first ministry. Your HOME ministry. You hate your own husband. How can we say that we really love Jesus but we hate the one we are ONE with?

I like 1 John 4:20, it says "If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?"

But Heather, my husband ain't saved. He hasn't cheated or anything but he won't turn to Jesus. I want to leave!

1 Peter 3:1 tells us, "In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by your quiet and gentle spirit."

I can tell you this. With every test of "love" I have passed, GOD HAS REWARDED ME. In those times where I wanted to leave my marriage or run - I STAYED and ENDURED and TRUSTED God to change ME and my spouse. (Guess that's what happens when two alpha personalities marry!) AND I watched God grow our love, our ministry, and our life anoint us for our obedience. I have watched the Lord use my husband to reveal my heart and weaknesses. I have watched myself change and get better because of those tough times.

It takes NOTHING to quit on your marriage. Your marriage will force you to grow, mature, develop and CHANGE. If your marriage has grown apart, it's because you let it. Don't give satan an open door. Don't let him in to destroy your marriage. Do your part, God will reward you!

If you're fighting with your spouse now - text him right now and go get your marriage back. Don't give the devil an open door into your life or marriage. Not now, not tomorrow or the next day.

I challenge you right now to write out 10 things that you love about your spouse. Starting, now. Focus on those things vs. what he isn't doing.

I see God healing marriages right now. I see restoration in broken marriages right now. I see hope again.

In Jesus name.

God loves you like crazy,

Love always,
Heather Lindsey

1. The 2017 Pinky Promise Conference was EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like literally. Here's the night I taught on "Running From God." Registration is open now! www.pinkypromiseconference.com 

2. Ah, I'm SO excited that the Pinky Promise Movement page has a new look! Check it out HERE. 

3. ALSO, the Pinky Promise Boutique has a new look too PLUS a ton of cute MODEST, FAB, CLOTHES, jewelry, promise rings, clothes, journals, etc! Check it out HERE.

4. Be sure to check my calendar to see if I'm in your city soon! (under Calendar)

5. Are you in Atlanta? Come and visit our church! We are in Sandy Springs! The Gathering Oasis Church - we meet at the Galloway Private School in the Amphitheatre. 215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 every Sunday at 10AM EST.

5. My New Book, Silent Seasons was on the Amazon Best Seller's List as the #1 in New Releases and in Religious for 5 weeks! ahh!! Find it HERE.  or on Amazon/Kindle/Ibooks/Audio Book.

6. My dear friends, Havilah Cunnington and Lisa Bevere have an amazing 12 part series titled #MomOfMen - teaching you how to raise godly children. Sign up now and recieve a FREE e-book. You can sign up HERE.

Our wedding day :) 8/14/10










Friday, September 29, 2017

Tough Season? What Are You Saying?


Yes, your situation may look like a hot mess.

Yes, you may be straight going through it.

Yes, your heart may be broken.

It's true - you may not understand what is going on in your life.

You may have just lost your job.

Your husband may have left you while you were completely faithful to him.

It may seem like you have no purpose.

It may seem like everyone has forgotten about you.

It may seem like you're at a dead end job today.

It may seem like the only thing that appeared to be comfortable was your past.

It may seem like everyone is leaving you.

It may seem like your life is a failure.

Regardless of what you are "feeling" today, I came to ask you, "What are you saying in the midst of it all?" Yes, you may get crazy thoughts about yourself based on what you can see, but the reality is that you have a choice. You can either sit and believe the devil's lies, or you can call him the LIAR that he is and decide to trust God through this situation.

Your good words and thoughts can literally trigger happy endorphins to be released in your body that make you physically feel better. Who knew that we can actually control those crazy thoughts that come through our heart? We don't have to accept the lies of the enemy, most of us just choose to believe him. If the mailman tried to drop off a package of live rattlesnakes, I'm quite sure that you wouldn't sign for the package - but sadly, many of us are signing for a package of negative words every single day.

On this earth, we will have tribulation, we will go through hard times, we will get frustrated. You may even be justified in your complaining because you have small kids,  you hate your job, or you've been single and saved for a longggg time and you are straight tired. Regardless of your season in life, I want you to remember this scripture:

Proverbs 18:21
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Whoa.

My words can bring LIFE or death to a situation?? And there are consequences to what I SAY? I believe that we would be MUCH more careful of what we said if we knew that it could HINDER where God is taking us. Some of us have become so used to complaining and grumbling that we literally WOKE up this morning, complained and fussed while we went into our prayer time. Then after fussing at God for about 30 minutes, we got dressed and went to work, fussing. The traffic, the train ride, the this, the that. THEN, we got to work and we are complaining.. until we opened up this blog. :)

Either we are going to have a great attitude today and decide to trust God or we are going to look exactly like this world and complain. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. 

Let's look at another scripture:

Matthew 12:36
"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak."

Whoa.

EVERY WORD. Every word you THINK. Every WORD you SPEAK. EVERY word you TYPE. (Yes, even what you say on social media and the arguments that you have will be judged)
Heather, that scripture does not say the words I thought. But, if you read Matthew 5:27-28 it says, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

So, even in THINKING about lust is a sin. So, THINKING about complaining, rolling your eyes at that co-worker, your friends group me message or your husband is complaining in your heart.

James 3:5 says "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

How do we get help in this area?

1. First, we must be emptied out. What is in your heart? If you find that you have a ton of jealousy, pride, hate, etc - run to the feet of the Father. Repent of your sins! Ask God to cleanse you and make you whole.

2. Now, fill back up again. With God's word, sermons on unforgiveness, sermons on guarding your heart. Grab a journal, a Bible you can understand, spend time with God, stop hanging out with messy, gossiping people and maybe even do a fast from social media if it's causing you to hate everyone, including your life.

3. Surrounding yourself with believers is key. Find a local, word-based church. Join a Pinky Promise Group or start one.  

4. Fast from complaining. Yup, that's right. Train your flesh to say the opposite of what you want to say (only if it's bad!)

5. FIGHT back with the word of God. Write out scriptures on this area and when the attacks come, fight back! Here's a few!

Proverbs 12:18
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Matthew 12:36
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

Proverbs 16:24 
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 15:1 
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Matthew 15:18
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Hebrews 4:12 
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Sisters, WE CAN do this! We CAN speak LIFE. We WILL have a good attitude. There WILL be a joy and light about us as we live for Jesus! We WILL align our words with what God says about us!

Few things!

1. The 2017 Pinky Promise Conference was EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like literally. Here's the night I taught on "Running From God." I will be opening up registration for 2018 this upcoming FRIDAY via www.pinkypromisemovement.com

2. Ah, I'm SO excited that the Pinky Promise Movement page has a new look! Check it out HERE. 

3. ALSO, the Pinky Promise Boutique has a new look too PLUS a ton of cute jewelry, promise rings, clothes, journals, etc! Check it out HERE.

4. Be sure to check my calendar to see if I'm in your city soon! (under Calendar)

5. Are you in Atlanta? Come and visit our church! We are in Sandy Springs! The Gathering Oasis Church - we meet at the Galloway Private School in the Amphitheatre. 215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 every Sunday at 10AM EST.

5. Lastly, My New Book, Silent Seasons was on the Amazon Best Seller's List as the #1 in New Releases and in Religious for 5 weeks! ahh!! Find it HERE.  or on Amazon/Kindle/Ibooks/Audio Book.
God loves you like crazy,
Love always,

Heather Lindsey



































Monday, August 28, 2017

"A Woman After God's Own Heart."



Hey everyone!
Gosh, I have been soo busy! Between my new book Silent Seasons releasing, My Youtube Channel, The 2017 Pinky Promise Conference, The Singles Retreat that we just hosted, the Marriage Retreat that we just hosted and everything else within the last 30 days, this mama needs some REST!

Thanks for your patience as I update my blog! I am also in the middle of writing not one, but TWO books that are set to be released in June 2018. Ya'll gotta pray for me!

----

I am so convicted to be a woman after God's own heart. I know that at times, it may come across really strong, brass, overly confident or even judgmental but I want you to hear my heart. I really love God and I really love you. Because of my deep rooted convictions about the gospel of Jesus, I simply want to see my sisters WALK in WHO God called them to be on this earth. For YEARS, satan kept me bound in dependency on a man, addiction to peoples approval of me, sex outside of marriage and thoughts of suicide. If I can shed a little light on what I went through to remind you that the enemy simply desires to wipe you OUT.

My heart's cry is that you will be a woman after God's own heart and change your home atmosphere, job, school, community and then nations. This doesn't mean that you're perfect. It simply means that instead of pursuing SIN, you're pursuing GOD. I am so tired of the DEVIL convincing, dividing and suggesting to women that we should hate each other, be jealous of one another or whatever else. The enemies desire is to make you feel like you're not on the same team in the body of Christ. Don't let him sneak into your heart.
----

I just want to remind you today to stay close to the heart of the Father. In this world, there will be so many distractions and people that will challenge your heart for God. There's going to be tempting situations that God has already freed you from but when times get hard, it may seem like it's more comfortable.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

Sis, Satan is after your heart. If he can convince you that God doesn't love you through SIN, then he will convince you to live for him and NOT for God. This is why God is saying, "the temptations that you're facing right now is no different then what others experience."

What are you facing right now? 
People bondage? Loneliness? Fear? Worry? Homosexuality? Masturbation? Fornication? Adultery? Self Control? Insert your area right now. _________

1 John 1:9 says, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."

So, confess that sin right now & stop reading if you have to. 

Did you know that when you're a woman after God's own heart, it doesn't mean that you're perfect, it simply means that you have stopped depending on these temporary sins of the flesh to fulfill you. You realize how EMPTY, WORTHLESS and PURPOSELESS it is to chase this world and everything in it.  It means that WHEN you get attacked, you attack the temptation with the WORD of God and you RUN. You no longer have time for the flesh. You no longer have time for the sins of the flesh. You guard your heart against ungodly friends, secular music and TV.

But HEATHER, you don't understand. I am at work reading this and people HATE me. Or, I am a part of a church but I know that people don't like me. I know I am supposed to live for Jesus but it seems like I keep getting tested. I can repent and move on but I cannot control the way other people treat me!

Honey.

Let me tell you, these tests and trials are giving you ENDURANCE to continue to do what God has called you to do. ALL of these PRIVATE victories are preparing you publicly.

Philippians 1:28
 "Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you will win, because it is God who gives you the victory."

Do you have some enemies? It can be co-workers, family members or even people from church that simply don't like you for whatever reason. Instead of fussing and fighting with them, pray that God blesses them and keep your eyes focused on what HE is telling you to do!

I love that part, "ALWAYS BE COURAGEOUS." It's so clear to me that the enemy wants to steal your confidence in God's word. If you don't know who you are or WHOSE you are, then the enemy will come in and try to get others to challenge your walk, your talk, your hunger for God and whatever else. They will say, "it doesn't take all of that." "You're changing. You are just so deep about this Jesus stuff."

Deep?

 Shoot, we aren't deep enough. When I used to be a professional sinner, I sinned really good. Then, when Jesus saved me, I stopped pursuing sin. I was always either a hot or cold person. So now, I am even MORE passionate about Jesus than I was when I used to go hard for the enemy. Only YOU know how what Jesus saved you from! Only YOU know how far He has brought you! Only YOU know those late nights where you cannot sleep and you're pouring your heart out to God!

Did you know that if satan can convince you to be quiet and stop being bold for Jesus, then he can silence your voice!? He's TRYING to silence you from being obedient to God! Scream louder. Obey more. Choose to do whatever God is telling you to do. I am reminded of Galatians 4:16 and it says, "Have I know become your enemy by telling you the truth?" People will look at you crazy when you actually take a stand for God. This is a part of a WAVERING, double minded generation!

Sis, SIN ruins your confidence, separates you from the Father and robs you from purpose on this earth. If you're LIVING in sin and pursuing it, you will never see what's on the other side of your obedience.
  • Now a days, you cannot stand up and say that marriage is between a MAN and a WOMAN and it will never change without saying it's "hate speech."
  • Now a days, if you tell people to guard their heart from the wrong TV shows, music, and certain relationships, you're called judged, mean and self righteous. 
  • Now a days, if you tell people to save sex for marriage, they unfollow you on social media because "everyone can't have your love story heather!! Not realistic." 
  • Now a days, you can't tell the difference between the people at church on sunday and the people at the club later that night. 

It's like we come up with all of these excuses to why we should be able to stay in our sin. WHO told you that? Where is your discernment? Where is your heart? When did your heart become so cold to our Jesus? Who have you been listening to?

When did we become so lukewarm in our hearts? Did we really let the world desensitize us to what God hates?

2 Timothy 3:3-5
"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"

Matthew 7:13-14
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.  But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

I'm not saying this to be mean, hurtful or anything, but out of love. I love you so much that I want to see you walking in the Lord's ways. I want to see get up out of that bed and stop sleeping around. I want to see you walking in your purpose. I want to see you BOLD for Jesus! I want to see your confidence back! I want to see you walk in in HIS WAYS! 

1 Kings 18:21 says, 
"Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How much longer will you waver hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him! But if Baal is God, then follow him."

Baal was the name of the supreme god worshipped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. Baal was the "god" of fertility who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Baal also required a first born sacrifice. Here, Elijah is directly confronting paganism and he proved that GOD, not Baal sends rain after a 3 1/2 year drought. Elijah then did a showdown between our God and Baal to send fire down from heaven and of course, our God rained fire down from heaven. I encourage you to read all of 1 kings for further context!

Now, you may not be bowing down to worship no Baal but you may have some idolatry in your own life. Your Baal may be people bondage. Your Baal may be sex, pornography, approval addiction, drugs, drinking, clubbing, ungodly music, homosexuality, ungodly friends or whatever temptation you run to when times get hard. We have to stop wavering between two opinions. I can ASSURE you that this WORLD will fail you. I can assure you that everything you see on this earth is TEMPORARY. I can assure you that you will STAND before God one day and will He say, "well done? Or I didn't know you-- get away from me you worker of iniquity. (Luke 13:37)

How do we truly become a woman after God's own heart?

1. We must renew our minds with the Word of God! If you want to learn the voice of the Holy Spirit it starts with first spending time with the Lord. 
2. We must be women that are repentant of our sin when we do mess up and refuse to return to that sin.
3. We must be obedient to whatever the Lord is telling us to do. So, after you spend all of that time with God, what's next? Saying YES. 
4. Guard your heart. Yes. It's vital that you protect what music, TV, friends or whoever else is planting bad seeds in your heart. 
5. Find an amazing church home where the word of God is taught and find accountability friends! (Pinky Promise is a great place to start!)
6. Remember that without FAITH it is impossible to please God! (Hebrews 11:6
7. Remember that a gentle answer turns away wrath. You don't have to turn up with everyone that "comes at you." Walk in love. Walk by Faith. And keep it moving.
8. Use tests and trials to make you stronger. Exercise those muscles. Don't run from hard times.
9. Keep the word going in your heart all day. From worship music to sermons, the audio books during your down time.
10. Now, put everything that you've learned into action. Rest in the Lord and watch Him work out things for your good!

So, I declare right now in the name of Jesus that you will be bold and courageous for this generation! You will be a woman after God's own heart. You will not run back to the sin that you once loved. You will not be lukewarm in the name of Jesus! You will have a desire to serve the Lord with your heart. You WILL be convicted of sin! You WILL not put yourself in tempting situations! You WILL always take a way out!

Few things!

1. The 2017 Pinky Promise Conference was EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like literally. Here's the night I taught on "Running From God."

2. Ah, I'm SO excited that the Pinky Promise Movement page has a new look! Check it out HERE. 

3. ALSO, the Pinky Promise Boutique has a new look too! Check it out HERE.

4. Be sure to check my calendar to see if I'm in your city soon! (under Calendar)

5. Lastly, My New Book, Silent Seasons was on the Amazon Best Seller's List as the #1 in New Releases and in Religious for 5 weeks! ahh!! Find it HERE.  or on Amazon/Kindle/Ibooks/Audio Book.

God loves you like crazy,
Love always,

Heather Lindsey
Me & my Spirital Mama, Lisa Bevere at the 2017 Pinky Promise Conference!



Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Why You Shouldn't Be Jealous Of Anyone



In the world of social media, it's so easy to become jealous of other people. The Internet can absolutely make you feel like you're behind. It seems like everyone is super happy, everyone has the perfect lighting, the perfect husband, the perfect life, the perfect clothes, the most well-behaved children, the perfect home cooked meals every night, the perfect ministry or whatever else. It may seem like everyone has the perfect Pinterest life and meanwhile, you are over there, struggling with your portion. I challenge and urge you today, to look at your own heart and see if there are any seeds of jealousy and bitterness towards anyone.


I have learned that being jealous starts with a small seed being planted and then it grows into a harvest that accuses and becomes jealous of others.


For example, when I was in college, a beautiful dark-skinned woman came up to me and said, "I don't like you because you are light skinned, with light eyes and long hair." And, she walked away.


I stood there stunned. Wait, huh? I am SO nice!! Why wouldn't you like me? I realized in that moment that maybe experienced some hurt with someone who looked somewhat like me in the past. So, she slowly became jealous of me because of the way that I looked. I'm thinking, "Honey, I didn't sign up for this - I was literally born this color. She would roll her eyes at anything that I said and it wasn't even because of me, but because of the way I looked. I knew that her not liking me was not a reflection of me, but a reflection of her. I didn't do anything to her. And, in her own life, that seed of jealousy was planted in her heart from the past grew a harvest. Over time, I got an opportunity to speak with her and we started to get to the root of the problem. It turns out her boyfriend left her for someone that looked like me and she felt that the way I looked was more favorable than the way she looked. I stood there stunned.


Girl.


"You are BEAUTIFUL! From the top of your head to the soles of your feet! You have NO reason to be jealous of ME or of anyone else!"


You know when you're jealous of someone because every single thing that they do becomes irritating to you. You try to pick them apart and find something not to like about that person. You go from tolerating them, to accusing them and becoming suspicious of that person. You rationalize your thoughts because "you know that something just ain't right." Then, you are convinced that your opinion of that person is what God really thinks about that person.


Do you know that God has NOTHING to do with your negative thoughts and accusations towards that person? The DEVIL himself is coming to kill, steal and to destroy your life. If he can cause more confusion and division between you and a sister in Christ - he has succeeded. Are you taking the BAIT from satan? Some of us willingly walk up to him and take the bait and end up hating everyone all because jealousy and envy stuck its ugly head into our relationships.


Now, I am here for being discerning when it comes to people as we are led by the Holy Spirit. There's a huge difference between being Holy Spirit led and being led by our feelings or opinions towards that person.


What does jealousy do?



  • Jealousy robs you from relationships and it keeps you from being content with what God has called you to do. Jealousy says, "I don't look like that and I cannot do it like her so I measure myself against her and I deem myself as not enough." 
  • Jealousy ruins your confidence because you place your hope in what you can see and not who God called you to be. 
  • Jealousy is a sin. And if God hates it, we should too.
  • Jealousy makes you feel discontent with your portion which means that you will never be satisfied with who you are. 
  • Jealousy is dangerous because the more you compare your life to others, the more you will focus on what you are not and you will stay in that place for the rest of your life. Some people continue to go around the "I hate everyone" mountain and will look at 50 years old, still tearing people apart with their thoughts and words. 

When I think about the story of the woman I met in college, my heart breaks. How many of us see ourselves in her? So, instead of celebrating others, you seek ways to tear others down. Instead of bringing peace, you create drama and confusion online and in your own life to make you feel better about your hate.


The devil himself became jealous and envious of God and wanted to be him. He no longer was satisfied in being the beautiful angel that God created him to be. Pride slipped into his heart and it's shown here in Isaiah 14:12–14



12 “How dare you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart,
I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;3
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’

Do you see all of those I's. I WILL be like this. I will do that. I, I, I. Selfishness and bitterness is all wrapped up in "I." Life because all about YOU and how YOU feel. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit is saying in 1 Corinthians 13:4 .. Love is patient. It's kind. It's not boastful, proud or rude. It's not JEALOUS.


So, if we know that jealousy is not from God - it's clearly from the devil and his selfish ways.



Here's a few tips for anyone who may be struggling in this area. 
1. Pray for whoever you're jealous of. Yes. Pray. This will soften your heart towards them and help you to see them the way that God see's them.
2. Cast down bad jealousy thoughts that attack you throughout the day. Remind yourself that you are a new creation through Christ Jesus and that your old man is GONE. 
3. Unfollow people that cause you to stumble until you're strong enough to be around them and follow them. 
4. Spend time sitting at the feet of the Father. The more time you spend with God, the less you will blame others for your portion. 
5. Refuse to gossip, spread gossip or hang out with people that are intentional about drama and confusion. 


If you're struggling with jealousy, I want to pray with you.

"Father, in the name of Jesus - we bind that spirit of jealousy right now in Jesus name. We declare that any seed of bitterness, envious, covetousness, anger, hate or wrath is being uprooted right now and cast away. We thank you God that we walk in love, peace, joy and comfort of the Holy Spirit. We are excited about our portion and we will guard our hearts from that spirit moving forward, in Jesus name, Amen.

Just a few things:

1. Find my (6) books (including my NEW book, "Silent Seasons- Trusting God when you don't understand"), 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.  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"  215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 - The Galloway School in the Amiptheater

4. Register for the 2017 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year so you don't want to miss out! We are almost SOLD 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

God loves you like crazy,
Love always,

Heather Lindsey
Ahh! My NEW BOOK! 







Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Career vs. Purpose vs. Ministry


Career vs. Purpose vs. Ministry 


As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I wanted my Pinky Promise sisters to share what the Lord placed on their heart. And, my sister (and cousin by marriage), April Wesley shared something so powerful.
Check it out.
--

I was prompted to complete this blog when one of my well-respected friends (an entrepreneur, non-profit organizer, world traveler, speaker, and preacher) recently sent a message for well wishes on my birthday and ended with "Purpose looks good on you." She is well-versed in the dynamic nature of purpose, but her statement made me think of an open issue or misconception in the Body of Christ. It is a topic and thought process that I've had to work through in my own life to understand God's plan and pathway (purpose) for my life. "Do people always equate purpose to something 'ministry' related, such as writing books or starting an organized ministry; or, do people recognize that purpose is multifaceted and can result in many purpose paths (outside of what is commonly perceived as 'ministry')?" Also, "can my job or career be my purpose? Is it a part of my purpose? Am I really living in my purpose if I haven't left my job and started my own ministry or business?" Affectionately, I started writing. I began to develop what you're currently reading in hopes to address these misconceptions. This post is for those that struggle with where their career life fits in with their purpose and how it relates to ministry.

Let's start with the title...career first, purpose in the middle, and ministry last. It's strategically placed in that order, not to put career over purpose or ministry, or say that ministry is underneath it all, but to say that purpose is the glue that motivates these endeavors. God's purpose for your life can indeed be experienced in a career, but it is likely not the only way that He will reveal His intended gifts through you. It's a purpose pathway in your life. Because your career or job is a part of your daily life, it is apart of your ministry. Your life is your ministry, period, including every activity, task, action, and interaction within it. Don't be confused. We have unfortunately secluded and regarded ministry to be what happens on a stage or impactful to a larger audience when we should know there is only an audience of One (God) that we serve and produce for.

In this Christian moment in time, it appears to be an overwhelming consensus that if you're working a 9-5 job or career, you're not truly following God's will for your life. I believe we've gained this perception because we've looked at someone else's path and concluded that if "purpose" was birthed when they left their 9-5 jobs, that should be our story too. Not so. If God appointed you to that 9-5 job or career and you KNOW you're supposed to be there, stay there! I believe we've equated purpose as the "blossoming of opportunity" that happens after we've obeyed God and possibly left our jobs without really consulting God. No, purpose is obedience to WHATEVER God has ordered you to and not measured by who's looking, clapping for us, or agreeing with us. Now, I'm not saying that it's okay to stay in a job or place where God has not ordained you to be and you're remaining there to satisfy your own fleshly desires. I'm telling you to be where God has equipped you to be and wants you to learn. You're clearly there to further your spiritual, personal, and professional development. Even for those who have been told to leave their jobs to explore and act on a new purpose path, I'm absolutely positive that if you were to sit down with them, they would tell you that their ministry is the life they lived before there was a spotlight or newly found purpose opportunity. It didn't start or stop with their decision to be obedient for probably the umpteenth time. Their purpose started at their very first "Yes!" to God!

Everybody is on a stage, whether we realize it or not. God is looking to see how we perform in the purpose pathways He's assigned to us. Purpose does not equal fame or fortune. It equals obedience. Thus, if God placed peace in your heart to pursue a career as a physical therapist, an attorney, realtor, blogger, or musical artist, that's what you must do and do it unto the Lord!

Again, purpose is multifaceted. It is not one particular event, business, passion, or desire in your heart. It is EVERY piece of talent, passion, and God led appointment that He has divinely placed inside of you. When you are led by God, nothing goes wasted. NOTHING. Stop allowing people to put purpose in a box and say that it's only "ministry" if it is packaged and presented a certain way. NO. Your ENTIRE life is ministry! You're constantly being watched by someone and either representing God or not representing God.

Before I even knew about "purpose" and how it is currently presented/appears (along with its associated pressures), I knew about God's peace. I knew when I was 16 and entering into college what my major would be because God gave me peace about the choice. It was for His purpose. When I was 20 and applying to graduate school, God gave me peace about which schools I was to apply to as well as gave me peace to not be anxious about being accepted because the original peace at 16 had already prepared the purpose of acceptance. At 23, I followed the peace to move to a city that God wanted me to not only develop in my career but most importantly, my character. At 27, I followed God's peace in moving to my current city in which every plan and piece of development prior purposed me for His current plan here. From there, I've written two books and started Queenship Restored but that's still not my ultimate and final purpose. I KNOW he has many more purpose paths to take me on and develop!  But guess what? You won't have to force other purpose pathways that don't align with what you know to do now. For example, for the longest, my focus was solely fulfilling my career goals and responsibilities, thinking that was my only reason on this earth. As I started growing in God, He showed me that my passion for design and travel were there for a purpose and would not go to waste. Fast forward about 5 years later, I've been invited to lead design for Pinky Promise and my pastors have welcomed me to travel all over the world as their Director of International Affairs. How's that for never going to school or having a "plan" for either one! Your gifts WILL make room for you! Talk about God fruitfully creating and fulfilling your purpose paths. Nothing goes to waste!

If you work a 9-5 or career and have peace about currently being there but know that God has more for you, you ARE currently operating in purpose and God will eventually reveal that new pathway of purpose (whether it's to start your own consulting firm, non-profit in your current area of work, or go and get that PhD). Again, purpose is NOT just one thing, talent, passion, or desire....it's the combination of these (that is God-ordained) that makes you, you and fulfilling to your time here on this earth. It's literally your "purpose" of being here on earth, to do all of it. We shouldn't stop striving to fulfill everything (whether a career and/or small business and/or media, and/or whatever else God has given us) until we literally DIE. Then we're done fulfilling our purpose!

Just because you're only "practicing" a certain talent or passion in one thing at this moment does not mean that it will be your last and only. So don't be quick to forfeit a part of your purpose to match your faith journey to someone else's. If God has ordained you to go to school and be an attorney, computer programmer, engineer, physician, or HR personnel, do that purpose as unto the Lord! Some people are truly called to work these positions for the rest of their traditional working years or lives. I cannot tell you how many medical professionals' stories I've encountered where they literally worked daily in their careers until their dying day. They believed they were called to their careers and literally served as unto the Lord. It makes sense. We need all of the many career paths for this world to operate, from the CEOs to physicians to environmental services personnel to the professional tree cutters!

As a neurologic physical therapist myself, I KNOW I've been called to my profession. It was the first organized purpose pathway I was called to and has taught me great discipline, specificity, and compassion that carries on into all of my other purposes God has created me to do. I may not do it for the rest of my life, but its training and practice daily prepares me for each new thing God stretches me to do and places on my plate! See, my career is purposeful! Moreover, it serves a purpose as provision for any new thing (writing books, starting a company) that God may assign to my life. If He purposes you to do something, He already provides purposeful provision as well! This is why we must not get weary! ALL THINGS work for the good of those that are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)! Stop comparing your life to someone else's!

In conclusion, I provided the many purpose pathways of my friend at the start of the blog to show how multifaceted purpose can be. It is not one path and is supposed to be a unique all-encompassing, individualized plan for you. Allow God to begin to reveal how your God-given passions and desires are a part of your purpose and faith journey. He knows how to mold the specifics into unimaginable ways and actions. Continue to allow Him to appoint you, direct you, and keep you content in His Will. All things will continue to unfold in its proper time (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Love you!


-April D. Wesley
(IG: @aprildwesley)
#QRWisdom


Before I chime out of my sister/friend/cousin's AMAZING blog, I wanted to introduce and update you on a few things present and upcoming on my end!

1) I have 2 books out currently. My first release, "Queenship Restored: The Reconciliation of the Alpha Woman" is properly titled to address the need for women to have a transformed mindset restored to a Godly queen (what God has called for women to be) vs. pursuing and continuing the often demanded societal alpha women mindset. My latest book is entitled, "Severing Soul Ties," a book that addresses the many ungodly soul ties we can be bound to, including people, ideals, positions, roles, tasks, material possessions, and even our own insecurities. This book is for the person who wants to identify the Truth about soul ties, is tired of living bound to them, and desires to be eternally severed from every type of soul tie. Each book can be found on my website, queenshiprestored.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble! Shipping is available WORLDWIDE!




2) I will be going on tour with my company, Queenship Restored, to 6 major US cities for the 2017 "Severing Soul Ties" Book Tour & Lecture Series! The tour will be traveling to Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Brooklyn, Miami, and Los Angeles! Registration and details are free and can be searched on the eventbrite.com search bar under "'Severing Soul Ties' Book Tour & Lecture Series-enter respective city." The tour will be traveling to Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Brooklyn, Miami, and Los Angeles (refer to the flier below for further details)! Each tour location will have individual experiences, but the consistent schedule of events will include book excerpt readings, lectures on Spirit-led soul tie topics, discussions, Q&A, book signings, and product purchase availability! If you are in any of these cities or surrounding areas, please register! There will be limited seating and availability for attendance so register NOW! I can't wait to see everyone, sever soul ties, and continue freedom from soul tie bondage in the coming months!

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

How Your Social Media Can Influence People Away From Jesus



This morning in my prayer time, I was studying Galatians. I came across a story and it made me ponder this question, "How are we living? And, what are we posting on social media?" Who are we silently influencing away from Christ with our example?'
Check this out:

Galatians 2:11-21
But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 
When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 

Ok, let's first look at that scripture. Peter just switched it up on the Gentiles! His goal was that he was SUPPOSED to show Gentiles AND Jews that we are all one through Jesus Christ now. But, because he was afraid of what his friends thought, he compromised and wouldn't eat with them anymore. How many times are we compromising when certain friends come around? Maybe, you're cussin' a little bit more. Maybe, you're talking about the guys you're dating when you know good and well you are trying to be single and focused on God. Maybe you show a little extra cleavage when you are going out to dinner with certain friends because they always stay "turnt up." Maybe you gossip and bash othe people that you really love, just to fit in. You do these things because you don't want to seem "holier" than thou -- and plus, you aren't hanging out with your Pinky Promise small group. Those are a different type of friends. You gotta turn on the "Christian" language around those friends because YOU know that those friends will convict you to do the right thing. So, because Peter was AFRAID of what people THOUGHT of him, he adjusted his position. He didn't want to deal with the criticism for doing the right thing. He was literally undoing his role in ministry in that moment. Which, takes us to the next scripture.

13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

Whoa.

AS a RESULT, other Jewish believers FOLLOWED after Peters BAD example. Did you know that what you post on social media and how you live is influencing people? You are literally showing people that "its ok" to show your boobs and your butt off. It's ok to go on vacation with my boo and stay in the same hotel room. (which is another blog that I will do later). It's ok for me to turn up. It's ok for me to talk about gettin' this money non-stop. It's ok for me to sin openly. Not only is your sin hurting YOU but it is hurting all 5,242 followers that are watching you. You may be thinking, Heather - what does that have to do with me? We are all responsible for doing our own part, I cannot force them to follow what I'm doing." But, love, some people may be BABIES in Christ. And, they may be looking at you as an example and they are confused by your scriptures one day and why you are posting photos in your t-shirt and your panties the next day. You are planting seeds.You are influencing people. We are ALL influencing someone.

Lets keep reading:
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.

Ahh! What FREEDOM! We are made RIGHT by our faith in Jesus Christ. So, here, Paul is rebuking Peter by telling him that he can sit with the Gentiles because we are all made right by Jesus Christ and our faith in Him, not keeping the Jewish law. I LOVE that Paul lovingly called him out. Are you willing to pull your friends aside in LOVE and share the truth with them?

Now, you may be thinking - Heather, I have faith in Jesus! I do! But, why are you coming for my photos and my little boyfriend? Why are you coming for me? I can gossip here and there! It's ok to bash people! I can create fake profiles on social media and tell people "how I really feel." Heather, I can do what I want to do.

Love, Galatians 5:24 - "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. You are not the lusts of your flesh. You are not the lusts of your past. You are not a money chaser. You are not led by your feelings. You are not who you used to be! You are a new creation in Christ Jesus! Praise GOD!!

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

You are not your past. You are not how you used to dress and the places that you used to go. Most times, we hold onto bad ways of thinking and we tag scriptures to our disobedience. Did you know that even demons believe in Jesus? It's not enough to just KNOW, but it's time to really LIVE this thing out. How you're living RIGHT now, whether privately or publically, MATTERS. Peter influenced so many people in that ONE act. So, I challenge you today to look at who you follow on social media and who you are in relationship with in real life. Some of us will be quick to go on a unfollowing spree from bad examples but we will keep a man in our bed that ain't supposed to be there. Or, we will sit in our marriage, complaining about everything that our spouse isn't doing while exalt ourselves higher and higher. Unfollow those people on social media that are negatively influencing you. Turn off those hot mess TV shows that ONLY plant seeds of drama. Turn off that secular music. And, tune into Jesus. Grab your word and sit at His feet. A tree is idenified by it's fruit and if you find that you don't have any fruit of the spirit, it's time to change that and start developing some fruit on your tree.

Social media has proven to us that we absolutely have time for Jesus, we just don't have the desire. If you can scroll on social media for 2-3 hours a day  - you can carve out an hour to sit at the feet of our Daddy. He longs to lead and guide you. He longs to help you to renew your mind concerning marriage, children, courtship, work, life and your purpose!

Stay focused. God is with you.

Just a few things:

1. Find my (5) books (including my NEW book, "The Purpose Room"), 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.  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"  215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 - The Galloway School in the Amiptheater

4. Register for the 2017 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year so you don't want to miss out! We are almost SOLD 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 London and Capetown. Register here: www.lindseyevents.com 

7. I have a TV Show on the Word Network! Make sure that you tune in every Saturday at 6:30pm EST! Also, download the (The Word Network App) You can stream it live there. You can find all of the playbacks of the show on my Youtube channel HERE.
God loves you like crazy,
Love always,








Monday, April 17, 2017

How to Travel the World For (Almost Free) - Part II


So, I had to post this one, because I've found a few more ways to travel for free!

Who doesn't want to travel the world for almost free?? Let's be honest, I travel ALOT. Because I travel so much for ministry, I wanted to make sure that our family trips were affordable, comfortable and STILL be a good steward over our finances.
Black sand beaches in Maui!

So, my first blog, How to Travel the World for Free, was a complete success! But, since then, I have found more tips to share with you. So, I will be sharing some oldies, but a lot of new stuff!

If you don't know, I'm a huge planner. I am constantly thinking of ways for my family to GET AWAY and enjoy each other. We literally work 360 days a YEAR (yes, even on vacation.) We rarely take time off of work. Don't worry, I have my days of rest but even in the midst of that, I'm chasing down 2 kids, answering emails, getting the house together, on conference calls, writing books, blogs, etc. :). Nonetheless, while I am at one trip, I will start planning the next trip. I think what is key to any trip that you take is to PLAN ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Most times, we think that traveling is unreachable because we don't have money or whatever else. Well, I pray that these few ideas help you and encourage you to save, plan ahead and ask the Lord for wisdom!

So, let's get RIGHT into it!

Traveling

Our Logan swimming in Turks & Caicos!
1. Airfordable - Airfordable is a super cool website where you buy your flight with Airfordable for a deposit upfront and pay off the rest in an easy, flexible payment plan before your departure date. So, if you cannot afford the flight right away, then you can book it through Airfordable. And, just by clicking on this link, Airfordable to sign up, you will get $25 to use towards your next flight! This is super cool because you can save up and make payment plans to literally travel the world! So, if you're planning on coming to the Pinky Promsie Conference, it's in 8 months!! You can make payments and come on! :) No excuses!

2. www.SecretFlying.Com  Yeah. So, this website is pretty much going to be your new best friend. I found flights the other day to Italy from Atlanta for $300. THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I was tempted to book the flight, but then I realized that I have two kids and an overbooked travel schedule. lol. So, if you're single in this generation, what a TIME to be single! What a TIME to travel the world in an affordable way! My friends booked through secret flying to visit Capetown, London and Italy. Total cost one way? $405. Exactly! I just check it daily for good deals.
Kisses while still trying to hold on in Dubai! lol!

3. Free Housing? Yes. You heard it. Well, not completely free. But, you can always book through AirB&B (P.S. if you click that link & book, you will recieve a $35 credit!) when you're traveling with friends for a cheaper option. There's another option called Mind My House.  There IS a $20 sign up fee (I think it's annual) But, you would take care of someone’s house, pets and gardens while they’re away. Websites like this one help play matchmaker for homeowners and home “watchers” around the world. Even though there's a $20 fee, I think it's pretty cool that you can house-sit for FREE on an amazing property in some other country for pennies per day!


Coffee time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4. Free Housing + An Organic Farm? Now, if you're really adventurous, you can join WWOOF. It's an organization connects travelers with organic farmers who want to trade room and board for an extra hand. So, essentially, you would choose what country that you want to visit and learn how to farm and grow your own veggies while experiencing an entirely new country!

5. Do you want free entry? So, say that you have kids and you want to get into Disney for free? Email them! Tell them that you would love to post about your trip on your social media. The reality is that you're going to post ANYWAY. You may as well get a couple free tickets to do so! It doesn't hurt to ask and I've known people that got into the park for FREE in exchange for a few posts!

6. I signed up with www.hotels.com. So, when you do stay at hotels, book those hotels on your points card AND rack up free nights! I just purchased a $400+ per night 5 star hotel for $5.00! I simply booked through that website and my nights added up! Perfect staycaction!


Ok, Heather, some of these things are not free. I need a way to bring in extra income!

Thankful for these sweet memories in Miami with my family!


Savings towards your Travel Fund!

1. I shared this before, and I have to share it again! IBOTTA!  This is another site that I use that allows you to make money off of things like your groceries! So, I clicked on the link, signed up, downloaded the app and then I would go to the grocery store. After shopping, I would go home and then "unlock" rebates based on what I purchased. So, you can go on there and unlock things like "pasta" for $2.00. You scan the item + verify your receipt by taking a snap shot of it & then bam - the money is in your account that can be transferred to PayPal! Isn't that cool? So, I take that money as well and transfer it to our vacation fund. So, this is another way to make some extra money to save, give, or do whatever that the Lord leads you to do!
Remember, these are basic, everyday purchases that you're already going to make! 

2. Again, I LOVE EBATES!!  It allows for you to get cash back on items that you already purchase. So, I refuse to go directly to any website to book anything. Instead, I go through Ebates, search my store and then I get my cash back, coupon codes! The Christmas season is coming up and do you know what that means? It means that you can get even more back on your purchases! At times, I will order on stores like Target or Toys R Us and then do the "Pick up" option to get the cash back! It may seem like an extra step, but those little extra steps give you FREE cash back!
Our sweet Logan in the Bahamas! 

3. Have you heard of the "Let Go" App? Simply download the app and go throughout your home and SELL the stuff that you don't need! Your items will show up and those in your particular area can purchase right from your phones. This is a great option to get rid of things quickly. Also, you can also sell your items to local consignment stores like Once Upon a Child, etc. 

4. Learn a craft & sell on Etsy! What do you do for fun? Painting? Writing Scriptures on Canvases? Making jewelry? Sell on Etsy and stores like it! Take ALL of the profit and as the Lord leads you - put it in that travel savings fund! I like Mint because you can see your bills and savings all at once! 

5. Host a community garage sale! If you're able, write on a post-it-note and stick it on the mailboxes of those in your community Tell them to contact you if they are free on a certain date for a community garage sale. Find a Saturday and then organize it! Put it in the paper/craigs list! This way, you can sell everything at once and bring more customers in knowing that it's a community garage sale! Not only that, it's a great way to get to know those in your community and to further spread the gospel of Jesus!

5. Umm. POSHMARK is where it's at! I just started my own poshmark account! Download the app + use my invite code for $5.00 to get started! HFUJI. What I love is that I can sell items from my closet that I no longer wear. They do take more than Ebay but I'm thinking it sells faster because it's linking all of your social media accounts. 

Ok, I have to share how I traveled for $22.00 to a state and stayed for a couple nights. 


Turks + Us.

As I have shared before, I have a couple credit cards through American Express. So, I charge those things from Ebates, our life insurance, car insurance, etc on our credit card monthly. Then I pay it off monthly so that I can get points for my trip. If you sign up for a card and spend a certain amount within three months - that is an automatic 50,000 miles or two round trip plane tickets (US). So, I definitely took advantage of that option and booked my flight and my hubby's flight. The beauty in having these cards (if you can discipline your flesh) is that they constantly have benefits and deals, cash back, etc. Find a card that will give you some time of benefit! I know Chase has some great ones as well. You may feel like, "Heather, I am not a business owner! I don't spend enough. Well, did you know that your points don't expire and your miles won't expire (with Delta anyway.) So, be patient. Little by little, add to your travel fund. Add your miles. Convert some of your American express points to airlines. And, get to traveling for free!

Next, make sure  you sign up for ALL hotel and airline loyalty programs. Find your favorite one and try to stick with it. I have found that when you are in a loyalty program, you get cheaper hotel rooms, more incentives and free food! In our case, we are apart of a certain hotel loyalty program. But, we haven't used it in a year or so. So, I honestly didn't think that we had any points. I happened to check our account and found that we had about 30,000 points! WOW! When did this happen? Well, the hotel nights were 12,000 each so we were able to stay in a $400 a night hotel for absolutely nothing. We have had this loyalty program for YEARS and we didn't think that it incurred so much over the years! What a sweet surprise for our $22 trip.

I have to be honest, my heart exploded as I wrote this blog because I got to look back at all of the sweet memories with my family. There's NOTHING like the memories that traveling create in your family! And, it changes your perspective, allows you to think outside of the box and gives you a chance to spread the gospel of Jesus in an entirely new country. 

What a sweet honor. 

So, I pray that your travel wheels start spinning! Do you have any tips for traveling? If so, share them in the comments below! 

Just a few things:

1. Find my (5) books (including my NEW book, "The Purpose Room"), 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.  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















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