God on Facebook?

I've been reflecting on the world of facebook lately and I recently asked God what He thinks about it. It's strange to think of God having an opinion about the the internet, technology, social networking, etc. but when Jesus walked the earth, he always taught in culturally relevant ways, so why wouldn't He do the same today?
Here is what I believe He spoke to me about it: I Read Your Status Updates!  How cool is that!?! This has all kinds of implications and here are some of the ones I see:

1. Out of the overflow of the Heart, the profile is updated.  Have you ever noticed that some of our updates are often discouraging, negative and hopeless?  If you look back over your last 30 updates, what would it say about your character, your attitude, your relationship with God?  Lately I've been trying hard to only update my status with words that are positive, hopeful and most of all, TRUTHFUL!  I'm am certainly not someone who is naturally positive and I'm all for being genuine.  However, I'm also learning the power of speaking God's truth over my life and my circumstances, even when things are tough.  Updating my profile has become another way to practice speaking truth over my life.

2. God loves you a lot!  He cares about the little details of your life more than anyone else!  Isn't that why we're on facebook and why we update our status?  We want people to know us and to care about us!  We put it out there so people will understand, listen and maybe respond to our thoughts, feelings, musings, etc.  If we didn't care, we wouldn't do it. God reads your updates! He cares about the little details of your life and he wants to comment.  Are we updating him as much as we're updating the world?  And are we listening for His comments?  

Heather's vBlog #2

Every Last Bit

When I lived at home I loved teasing my mom about her music choices.  It's not that they were bad, but definitely not always my taste.  One of the artists she liked was by CeCe Winans, a gospel singer who wrote a song called "Alabaster Box".  I used to play that song and sing as dramatically as I could, into the handle of a broom as I cleaned the kitchen, or over the drone of the vacuum during Saturday morning chores.  Well a few days ago, the song came back to me (the power of music hey?) after 10 years and God spoke to me through it.

On Friday I had a really tough day at work and got home feeling pretty miserable.  And as I was trying to relax and unwind, these lyrics from CeCe Winans song came back to me:  

"And I've come to pour my praise on Him like oil from Mary's Alabaster Box
Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears and I dry them with my hair."

As I started to sing these words, God showed me a picture of a bottle with one inch of oil remaining in the bottom of it...sorta like this:

And he said to me, "Heather this is you.  I want you to pour out ALL your praise to me...don't hold anything back!"   
Immediately I felt defensive and thought, "That looks like a lot already! Is it so bad to just hold back a little, to keep myself safe and comfortable?!?"  
But He persisted and suddenly I was convicted of the fact that I have been holding back from God.  I've been giving Him almost all of my time, energy, attention and praise, but I've been holding back just enough to keep me from feeling empty.  And the area I've been holding back in is my worship.

And then He said, "When you keep that last little bit on reserve, you actually limit me from being able to fill you up in a new way...I can't put new wine in an old wine skin."   
It was then I realized this: If I insist on keeping a little bit held back, I actually keep myself from being filled to overflowing with new love, new energy, new creativity and new inspiration from God.

The best part of all of this was that God wasn't asking me to DO more for Him.  He's asking me to love Him more, praise Him more and spend more time with Him.  In some ways this is even harder than doing more, but it feels like a breakthrough for me.  I've been feeling so dry for so long and I think I'm realizing why...I've been keeping a little back to try and protect myself, and in the end I've limited the new things that God wants to show and give me.  

Today I want to come before Him and pour it all out, like the woman with the Alabaster Jar.  She spared no expense, but poured out all of that which was most valuable to her on the feet of Jesus, and I believe she was filled anew because of it.

"When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them...Jesus said 'Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.'" Luke 7: 37&44

Not for Sale

I just got home from YC Manitoba where I was hanging out with my dear friend Amanda Falk.  I  had the opportunity to listen to an amazing speaker named Preston Centuolo who spoke powerfully about the story of Joseph.  He talked about the four things that Joseph held onto and would not put "up for sale".
They were:
1. His Dreams 
2. His Sexuality 
3. His Perspective
4. His Forgiveness

Although I personally have struggled in all four of these areas, the one that hit home was #1 - His Dreams.  Joseph had a dream from God, and even when his own brothers, those closest to him, beat him down and threw him in a pit, he did not give up on the dream God had given him.
In 2002 I traveled to New Zealand to attend Capernwray Bible School.  When school finished I went to Australia for a few weeks.  One particular day I ended up in Byron Bay and a church called Surfside Christian Fellowship.  It was there that God first planted His dream for me in my heart...it was this: "Don't stop until you're speaking in front of thousands of people.  God has called you to be a speaker/preacher".  It was the first time I ever heard these words, but when I did, the just fit.  They made me feel whole.  I knew they were from God.
Since that time I have begun to see this dream come true.  I've had the opportunity to serve on the Beautiful Unique Girl tour and to speak at summer camps, retreats, conferences and church events.  I have traveled across Canada and Australia and spoken to many youth and young adults.  But there are days like today when I feel I'm still so far away and Satan, the King of Lies, tries to steal my dream.    There are days like today when I go to an event like YC Manitoba and begin to doubt that I will ever have the chance to speak at something like that.
Today I was there with my friend who has been involved in YC events for several years, but I was just there as "Amanda's friend".  Don't get me wrong, that's all I wanted to be there for, but some part of me longs for more.  I want to be there as "Heather Boersma - Youth Speaker".  I want to see my name in that program and know I have the opportunity to share God's truth with those who come.  I believe that's what I was made to do and yet there's is nothing I can do to make it happen.  I can prepare, and pray, and be patient, but in the end it will have to be God.  It's not about me...it's about Him. 
Amidst all of this emotion, I heard the truth spoken tonight.  And I'm laughing in the face of doubt and declaring truth over my life - My Dream is Not for Sale!