Heather Holleman, PhD, is a speaker, college instructor, and writer who loves helping women connect with Jesus and delight in studying the Bible for themselves. She is the author of Seated with Christ, Guarded by Christ and Included in Christ. Her new book, Chosen for Christ, will be released fall 2018 from Moody Publishers. Heather teaches advanced writing at Penn State and has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and mentorship during her career. She also serves alongside her husband, Ashley, in graduate student ministry with Cru's Faculty Commons. They live in Pennsylvania with their two teen daughters and three cats. Heather writes daily at HeatherHolleman.com. She loves walking with her neighbors, baking with her daughters, and writing whenever she can.
IF YOU HAVE EVER FELT LIKE YOUR DREAM MIGHT BE DEAD, THIS WAS THE EPISODE FOR YOU.
In this interview, Heather reminds us that we can be deceived into thinking there’s life in the dream, instead of finding life in the Dream Maker. She shares the incredible power and joy we can find in living for the praise of God’s glory, as it says in Ephesians 1:12, and reveals her daily practice of confessing the sin of self-exaltation. Finally, she talks about how the Lord may bring us through a season of preparation before we really see our dream come to fruition and what we can do in the meantime.
CONNECT WITH HEATHER:
Website || Twitter || Instagram
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MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
By Design Podcast with Lyndsey Felsman & Danette Gora
Cru at Penn State
Charles Spurgeon
Evernote
BOOKS:
Ephesians 1
Seated with Christ: Living Freely in a Culture of Comparison by Heather Holleman
Enter to Win a Copy of Seated with Christ!
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
* Follow @merrittjo & @heatherholleman.
* Like the giveaway post in both accounts.
* Tag at least two friends in the comments on one of the giveaway posts.
You must complete all 3 requirements to win. This giveaway is for US residents 18+ only.
Giveaway ends Friday, April 6, 2018 at midnight Eastern Time. Winner will receive a DM, be announced in the comments and must respond within 48 hours to receive the prize.
Best of luck to you!
SCRIPTURE:
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
~ Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
~ Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus...
~ Ephesians 2:6 (NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
~ 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
…so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
~ Ephesians 1:12 (ESV)
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
~ John 15:2 (NIV)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
~ Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
~ Psalm 32:8 (ESV)
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
~ Psalm 138:8 (ESV)
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
~ Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)
MAIN TAKEAWAYS:
Heather’s favorite verbs in scripture [3:13]
You don’t always see the fruit He’s appointed for our lives [6:02]
Her dream to help God’s word come alive for people [7:08]
The power of God’s word to create something out of nothing [7:50]
God opens doors in our life that are often a surprise to us [8:32]
Examine where you sense a special experience of God’s power and presence [9:10]
How you might have to try a lot of different things to uncover your dream [10:08]
On being present with your teenagers [11:10]
On making sure your dream is building oneness in your marriage [11:56]
Questions to ask your spouse about your dream and your oneness [12:15]
Keeping your focus on your primary calling [13:55]
How Satan wants to divide, destroy and devour you…and how to be vigilant against him [15:44]
The snare of living for your dream instead of for the Dream Maker [16:11]
Christ is your life, not your dream [17:30]
Heather’s challenges in being a writer, speaker and more public figure [18:18]
Changing the way she thinks about social media [18:56]
What does it mean that “He must increase and I must decrease?” [19:38]
Confessing the sin of self-exultation [21:05]
Heather’s “play list” of favorite Bible verses [24:50]
Dealing with dread and fear [25:16]
When you’re fighting for a seat at the table [26:17]
How we were chosen before the creation of the world [27:00]
Living as God’s special possession [27:13]
Her thoughts about being part of a royal priesthood [28:05]
Living through a season of preparation when you wonder if your dream might be dead [29:22]
Five ways you want to become an expert in your life [30:20]
When if feels like your dream is buried [31:37]
Asking, “What skills will I need if this dream comes true?” [32:23]
Learning how to write in a way that is memorable in this Tweetable world we live in [32:39]
Learning to abide and bear fruit [36:22]
Why you should read and study Ephesians 1 [38:20]
Why she wrote Seated with Christ and what God taught her on that journey [40:00]
Talking with your community about your dream [40:57]
You’re chosen for a person not a plan [42:15]
Find life in Jesus and the community He’s given you [42:47]
Seeing divine activity wherever she goes [46:02]
Waking up with joy and how God has changed her through the pursuit of this dream [46:20]
On being an evangelist when it wasn’t what she expected as a calling [47:23]
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