Author: Heather Lea Campbell

Where I’m at today…Broken.

testimony

I have had a hard few weeks. Hard, hard, hard few weeks.  I had four huge exams.  I had two exegeticals due (and with that comes the learning of new scriptures and realizing that I’m doing a lot of things wrong…learning sucks sometimes ;]).  We had a HUGE event at church that I have been planning for months, but still had a lot of work to do. We had missions week at SBU, and I made a big decision that I’ll talk about later when I get the confirmation about somewhere I may serve next January…God has proven triumphant through his presence and peace throughout all of this.

I have been pondering whether or not to share this next part…

Last week I found out that my dad’s house was being foreclosed on back in St. Louis.  This has been a long-time coming.  I don’t think people really understand how poor my family is.  I try not to “seem” poor, as silly as that sounds (you don’t understand unless you’ve been there).  My dad hasn’t had gas in his house for 4 years (and no utilities off and on).  Imagine getting ready for your senior prom and not being able to take a hot shower beforehand, imagine trying to sleep in subzero weather in a brick house that hasn’t had heat in it for a long time, imagine trying to wash dishes with microwaved water…this was how it was for me.  My dad just doesn’t take care of himself.  I prayed for God to get a grip on his hard heart, and I think it is beginning to happen.  It was a difficult prayer to pray that my dad would lose his life so that he could find it, but part one was answered.  God was triumphant in justice.  So I cancelled my classes on Wednesday and Thursday and drove four hours to help them pack and say goodbye to my childhood home.  This brought a lot of memories.  As much as this needed to happen, it still stinks.  I was reminded a lot about why I left home…and I was reminded how much I have “taken for granted” all the things I have now–hot showers, three meals a day, a warm bed, and clothes without holes.  God  is triumphant in his grace for those who draw near to him (and even those who don’t, because I definitely don’t sometimes).

While home, a tornado ripped through my area and destroyed a lot more of my memories–area churches that I had been involved with destroyed.  Little Caesars (my dad’s favorite food place) destroyed. KFC, the bank, 200 homes…all destroyed.  Worst storm in 40 years for St. Louis.  I drove around and saw the devastation.  My heart broke once more.  Yet God was triumphant and sovereign.

Today is Easter Sunday.  I’m reminded of why Christ died on the cross.  He died because my sins separated me from having a perfect relationship with my Creator–my Father who has never failed me, never abandoned me, never failed to provide for me.  My Father who has blessed me beyond what I have needed at times, who has humbled me to be able to see his people the way he does.  God is triumphant, and Jesus Christ dying on the cross is the ultimate picture of that.  With his sacrifice, every filthy sin that I have ever committed or ever will commit is gone.  My creator has consumed my heart and given me a new perspective on things.  I am broken on all that is going on in my little “Heather” world.  But it is a brokenness that brings peace.  God is triumphant in my brokenness, because now that I am broken off from the world and shattered into little pieces, he can mold me into something greater.

I hope these words don’t come off as empty to you…because they are far from it. I’m hurt, I’m in pain, but I can see that the shadow proves the sunshine.

I Will Wait For You

fun video, identity, love

When you speak, I will be reminded of Solomon’s wisdom.
Your ability to lead will remind me of Moses.
Your faith will remind me of Abraham.
Your confidence in God’s word will remind me of Daniel.
Your inspriation will remind me of Paul.
Your heart for God will remind me of David.
Your attention to detail will remind me of Noah.
Your integrity will remind me of Joseph.
And your ability to abandon your own will will remind me of the disciples.
But your abilitiy to love selflessly and unconditionally will remind me of Christ.
But I won’t need to identify you by any special “Matthews” or any special “Marks” ’cause His word will be tatted all over your heart.
And you will know me, and you will find me
with the boldness of Esther
meets the warm closeness of Ruth
with the hospitality of Lydia
as aligned with the submission of Mary which is engulfed in the tears of a praying Hannah.
I will be the one drenched in Proverbs 31
Waiting for you.
But to my Father,
my Father who has known me before I was birthed into this earth
Only if you should see fit.

Watch the whole thing. This is my favorite excerpt. The ending stinks, to be honest. But stinks in a way that every woman needs to remember. You are waiting on that man, but first you are waiting on the Lord. Even if I never marry, I’m already engulfed in the biggest love story I will ever experience. God has been showing me lately how crazy his grace is, how he sought me and bought me with his redeeming grace. It stinks to think of the possibility of never having an “earthly love”, but I remind myself that no man could love me like the Lord does anyway ;)

Free Student Ministry Curriculum: Poverty

lessons, youth ministry

One of my “platforms” in ministry (because we all have them) is poverty and other social injustices.  This is in part from experiencing poverty first-hand and seeing God’s provision.  But it’s also in the fact that I cannot hear about the 30,000 children dying each day from malnutrition and not be moved, not want to do something about it.  I can’t hear about the millions around the world dying from AIDS because they aren’t educated, dying from malaria and other diseases that are perfectly preventable.  I just can’t.

When planning for the 30 Hour Famine, I realized that there seems to be a lack of curriculum dealing with poverty.  So I went hunting!  Here is a list of some curriculum that I found, thought wasn’t too shabby, and suggest for youth groups to use!

Perspectives on Global Poverty–$10 or download online for a donation (or for free). 8 Lessons
The Least of These: God, Poverty, and You–$50. By the YM360 team! There is a free sample on the site so you can preview a full lesson before you buy! 4 Lessons
30 Hour Famine: How to Study the Bible–Free. Written by Tim Schmoyer.  You need to scroll down a little for this! 4 lessons
Ending Poverty in Community–Free. 6 Lessons
Hungry for the Kingdom–Free. Written by Kara Powell and Fuller Youth Institute especially for 30 Hour Famine. 4 Lessons
Bead for Life–Free. Not faith-based, but interesting facts and approaches.
The Five Talents–Free. or 4-6th grade, but can be adapted for other grades. 4 lessons.
Compassion by Command: Perspectives for Urban Ministries–$50. Targeted towards urban ministries. 4 Lessons.
Taking Root: Hunger Causes, Hunger Hopes–Curriculum for the whole congregation! Varies in prices (about 2.50 per book)
Hunger and Malnutrition–Free. Not faith based, but great curriculum nonetheless. Differing age groups. 3 Lessons.
Poverty Curriculum–Free. Not faith-based. Has curriculum on differing aspects of poverty.
Walk With the Poor–Free. Light curriculum. 4 Lessons

If you have any others, or have used any of these, please comment and let me know!  When I am finished writing my 30 Hour famine curriculum, it will get posted here:  _______ :)

Miriam: a woman of Position, Pride and Prejudice

bible, god, lessons, women

On Sunday mornings, I have the privilege to take my already-small youth group and break it down to where I teach an even smaller group for Sunday School.  I contemplated if I wanted to change the way I do Sunday School since the group is so small, but I like that I only have to teach the high school girls on Sunday morning.  And it’s enabling us to do the Women of the Bible right now!

So I planned on doing Women of the Bible, and I planned on doing Miriam yesterday…then Sunday Morning I found out the middle school boys’ teacher was gone, so they came in with me.  Oops!  But this lesson STILL spoke to them!  Awesome :)

Miriam was Moses’ sister.  I honestly knew very little about her, even though I’m taking a Pentateuch class, even though I’ve read through Exodus, even though I’ve heard the Moses story 3974421 times AND have taught on it before.  But no matter how many times I read a passage, I find that God still finds ways to teach me (just as when I taught Jonah!)

Miriam was a leader.  In fact, in Micah it says that Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were the ones who lead the Israelites.  God acknowledged her as important and essential.  She led the women in praise after they crossed the Red Sea.  She led the women to adorn the tabernacle.  Not only was she a leader, but the Bible names her a prophetess, meaning that God spoke to her.  This is a very special title for someone.  There is no doubt about it–God was using Miriam in special ways.

But we find in chapter 15 that Miriam and Aaron got a little jealous.  And I can just imagine this whole thing take place–I’m SURE that Miriam had to start this gossip, as I know how women are (and she was the one punished!).  They start talking about Moses’ wife, an Egyptian woman of who God had no problem with.  So why were they against this woman if God had not said Moses could not marry her?  Most likely had something to do with their own prejudices against darker skin.  Then one of them suggests, “Has not God spoken to us too?”

Uh oh.  Pride alert! WEEEEOOOOOOOWEEEEEOOOOOWEEEEEOOOOOO! (that’s a siren sound!)

I love this part:  God comes down in a pillar of smoke. Ha! Calls the three of them together into a meeting room.  Then God blocks the doorway with the smoke!  I can just IMAGINE being Miriam!  It’s like I just hit my sibling, and I turn around and Daddy’s at the door with the paddle!

And a spanking Miriam got!  She turned white with leprosy, an ironic punishment for two reasons: (1) Her prejudice against Moses’ wife had to do with her skin color, or the fact that she looked different from everyone else.  Now Miriam would look different from ALL of them!  (2) Miriam wanted power, she wanted to be recognized.  But having Leprosy means that she would be exiled.  She wouldn’t be able to be around people in order to lead them.

Aaron quickly humbled, as he turned to Moses and said, “My lord, do something!” Calling Moses “lord” showed his respect for him.  Then Moses talked to God, and asked him to do something.  And God stood his ground in his punishment, but compassionately let it only last 7 days.

You see, God knew what he was doing.  God knew that Miriam was usable, that’s why he chose her in the first place!  God could have just wiped her off the planet, struck her down, turned her to dust.  But he gave her a punishment that was fitting.  She needed to be humbled, and I think after this she was.  I can’t imagine the “Walk of Shame” that took place as she walked back to camp.  What’s amazing is, it was time for them to move on in their travels, but they waited for her.  They obviously respected her a lot.

This story shows us that even God’s greatest leaders can struggle with pride.  It also shows us that if a person has pride, God will knock it out of them!  The punishment will be devastating, but needed.

When I was little, I got some whoopins.  I grew up with boys, and they were constantly getting me in trouble.  But spankings didn’t change my attitude, so my mom came up with a new punishment:  essay writing.  Oh, how I hated this!  It lasted hours, it caused me to think about what I did, in many cases it was pretty ironic because I usually said dumb things and had to pay for them…and it was rewarding.  I changed my behavior.  It humbled me to think about the stupid things I did, and I learned.  Great job, mom!

Our Daddy is doing the same thing when he punishes us.  Encouraging, but scary.  Sometimes the spanking is quicker and “painless”. ;)

How hard are your friendships?

christianity, friendship

The other day I saw an article about Westboro Church protesting at Elizabeth Taylor’s funeral.  Why?  Because she is an AIDS activist and friend to gays.

This post is not about Westboro.  Not about Elizabeth Taylor.  Not about homosexuality.  Not about AIDS activism.  I have plenty to say about each.  What this post is about is friendship.

When I saw this, I tweeted (5 tweets long!): “Westboro is protesting Elizabeth Taylor’s funeral b/c she was an AIDS activist & friend to gays. Really?! they’d be at mine too then.We are to produce fruit. What does that look like? Loving people, relationships w/ the scorned. Not hating people who are sinful. Remember: we ALL started out as depraved. Incapable of knowing good. You, by showing them goodness, could be helping 2 show grace too. In fact, if all your friendships are “easy”, it’s time to find new friends. Refer to the beatitudes for a few suggestions ;) Okay, off my theological #soapbox. My best friendships r the 1s I have to work at. That’s where the fruit’s at. Youthpastors should agree :)”

That’s kind of the sum of this post, but I’m going to elaborate:

Christians are called to love–not just other Christians, but our enemies, the poor, sinners, your neighbors, everybody.  It’s not in our job description to hate or condemn.  It’s just not.  Elizabeth Taylor was in trouble with those who claim to be followers of the same Jesus Christ who said all this for two reasons: being a friend of sinners and being an activist for the diseased.  I remember that my Jesus in the Bible were both those things.

It’s so easy to be safe in our Christian bubble–go to a Christian school in a Christian community with Christian friends and work with Christians in a Christian church.  But that is tooooooooooooo easy.  Fruit may come out of that, but not the best kind of fruit.  Apples might get produced, but what about something more exotic?  Something rarer?  Sweeter?  Papaya? :) (sometimes I think I’m hilarious)

If you want fruit to come out of your relationships, maybe you should seek out relationships that are harder–friendships with non-Christians?  Friendships with the ignored?  Friendships with those who are hurting and depressed?  Or how about loving your enemies and treating them as if they aren’t your enemies?  It’s difficult.

And I’m not perfect at this…in fact, quite the opposite.  I’m the type of person where if a relationship isn’t easy, I abandon it.  But what kind of fruit does that produce?  What could have happened with some of  my relationships if I had worked at it instead of deciding it wasn’t worth anything?

I’m down with Rebecca Black!

music, youth ministry

Every time I have logged onto Twitter in the last week, I have seen one name: Rebecca Black.  The other night, a friend of mine showed me Rebecca’s music video, “Friday”, that went viral.  The lyrics are less than genius, the singing is completely auto-tuned, and the video itself is…well… hilariously bad.

The reason she has gotten so popular is because the song has been dubbed “the worst song of all time.”  And although that might be true in some ways, I’ve decided I love it and love her.
First of all, the responses have been absolutely terrible.  People are telling her to “go cut herself and die”, they are tweeting her that they are going to “come to her house with an ak47”, and more.  People are being downright rude and mean to her.  It’s terrible.  What happened to the recent campaigns of trying to prevent bullying?  We laugh at their comments, contribute, but what is it doing?  Making a thirteen year old cry.
And that’s a huge thing–she is THIRTEEN.  Her song isn’t about getting high, having sex, or adult love (which she had the option of doing a song like that, but she refused for something more “age-appropriate”).  Her song is completely appropriate for being thirteen.  Is it a funny song?  Yes.  Does she know the lyrics are dumb?  Duh.  But she’s thirteen, people.  I love me some Justin Bieber, but what does a 17-year old know about his “one love?”  She’s singing age-appropriate songs.
I laughed and laughed when I heard this song…and I still laugh.  But then God reminded me–what if she was in my youth group?  This girl is hurting.

And getting famous because of it.

So gon’ head Rebecca Black! Do yo thang! And don’t let people stop you!

And from now on, every Friday, I’m gonna be sing your song! Because then tomorrow’s Saturday, and I always forget what comes afterwards, but then you reassure me it’s Sunday ;)

It’s Friday! (Lent Update)

music

So I busted Lent. I listened to “secular music.”

I watched Glee, which I allowed only on the stipulation that I watched it online and not on television (I went to a bible study instead).

Then I played copious hours of rockband.  So not only did I listen to it, I played it.  Although, judging by my score, it shouldn’t count either.

Then I listened to Rebecca Black’s new song, “It’s Friday.”  Which once again, isn’t good enough to be considered secular music.  It’s like Kidz Bop without an original artist.  It’s terrible.

But after justifying that all, I can’t get that dumb Friday song out of my head.  Maybe because it’s so terrible.  Maybe because it really is Friday.  Maybe because every time I quote it or sing it, I get lots of attention. Maybe because I feel like obnoxious music this, the day my spring break begins.

Then I thought: What if I had God’s word stuck in my head like this song?  Jesus juked myself.

But seriously, wasn’t that why I gave up secular music for Lent?  Getting rid of music that was poisonous and entering prayer and scripture?

But I wasn’t doing that last part necessarily.  So not only did I “fail” Lent, but I really wasn’t doing it all that good in the first place.

So, I’m starting over.  And I’m doing it right this time.  It wasn’t that I was listening to Ludacris.  But I failed at the point of giving up “secular” music (bad or not)–to get my mind focused on the song that God is trying to teach me as he sings over me :)

Insert Controversial Title About Hell Here

christianity, god, hell

Rob Bell said in his video promoting his new, very controversial book Love Wins, “What we believe about heaven and hell is incredibly important because it exposes what we believe about who God is and what God is like.”

So to sum it up, our view of hell shapes how we view God.  But I think that’s doing it the wrong way.  Our view of God should shape how we view hell.

One of the most popular views of hell is a fiery pit where Satan reigns and billions of people spend eternity for sins, big or small.  Thus, God gets viewed as an unfair judge, and quite a bit less powerful, if Satan gets to reign in hell (which is false. For a concise layout of hell, read Mark Driscoll’s post here).  God isn’t so loving, but judging.  So of course, if Bell starts his theology with hell, he’s going to come to the conclusions that he has come to regarding God and who he is, and what his love is like.  Hell becomes a place for people who don’t necessarily deserve it under the “traditional” view, and in denying that one begins to adopt a view that people are inherently good and can come to heaven many ways.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.

But what if we start with God?  I believe God is loving, caring, gracious, merciful, and jealous for my affection.  I believe God is fed up with us not paying attention to him, yet is still pouring out grace and mercy.  Thus I believe hell is a place for people who are constantly rejecting him, and they are getting what they truly desire–separation from God.  Hell is not where God started when creating us, but what resulted from our separation from him.  We ALL deserve hell, whether we think we are “good” or not, yet God has been gracious enough to let us escape it if we desire him.

Bell is completely on the mark when he says, “Millions and millions of people were taught that the primary message, the center of the Gospel of Jesus is that God is going to send you to hell unless you believe in Jesus. And so what gets subtly sort of caught and taught is that Jesus rescues you from God.  But what kind of God is that?”  Once again, we are beginning our theology with hell.  And that’s what gets taught in the church!  I wonder how many “Christians” became so after hearing a fire and brimstone message?  Only becoming a Christian to escape hell?  What does that do to their view of God, if they are so afraid of him?  How can they ever learn to love a God who just sends people to hell all the time?

What happens when our theology begins with God–where it should begin, as theology literally involves God to begin with?  How much more loving does he look?  You see, the point of Christianity isn’t to escape hell.  The point of Christianity is a restored relationship with our creator.  Hell is the result of us denying that relationship.  Christ didn’t come to save us from hell or from a wrathful God, but to restore our relationship with Yahweh.

Bell makes some compelling statements, statements that many people make and resort to after hearing the fiery messages of God’s wrath.  And don’t get me wrong, we should fear hell.  It’s not something anyone should desire.  Yet the thing we should desire most is to be right with God–God. So. Loved. You. That. He. Sent. His. Son. To. Die. For. YOU. You, who are undeserving of such a thing. You, who daily deny him. You, who if you believe that God really does love you, and desire to have a relationship with your creator, can live for eternity with him.  An eternity that starts right now.  And guess what happens?  Love wins.

Putting myself in the shoes of my students…

youth ministry

Someone posted this picture on facebook today. Can you tell which one is me?  haha.
(If you really can’t guess, I am the white girl. The only one.  More specifically, the one in the left-hand corner of that center pic.)

This picture is from the 6th grade, back in 2001! Wow!  That feels like soooo long ago, yet it was only a decade ago.  I hear that’s a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things.

I can’t stop looking at this picture.  To me, this pic speaks volumes to me, as I begin remembering each individual in that class, remember how difficult that year was for me, and remember how stinking awkward I was.  I was a 6th grade girl, unique from the rest of my class in many ways.  It sincerely brings tears to my eyes thinking about that difficult time in my life.

I keep asking myself, “Is how I felt then how many of my youth feel now?”  It puts things into great perspective for me.  Do they feel different from the rest of people in school?  Are they dealing with two-faced backstabbers?  Are they dealing with gender roles?  Identity issues?  Sexuality?  You bet.  Race/ethnicity issues?  More so than not.  As hard as it was for me a decade ago, it’s harder now for this group of middle schoolers.  The times are a-changing.

I posted this really to inspire.  I don’t have any advice really.  All I can say is this:  When your teenager (whether it is in your youth group, or your child, or your sibling) comes to you with problems, are you putting yourself in their shoes?  Look back and remember how difficult things were for you.  Then remind yourself of how more difficult everything is now.  And then have compassion.

Here are some more pics of me from middle school:

this was one of my best school pics, ever (6th grade)


My second trip to summer camp. I was 14.

this was when my friends and I thought it was cool to wear long dangly elegant earrings with t-shirts. or, one long earring and one stud.

this lady has been my best friend for the last ten years :)

I’m the white girl in the back. I used to hide in the back of photos.  this was my youth group 8th grade year (going into high school)! I wore these dorky fake glasses, because that was my style.

This is from my freshman year of high school, but it’s so dorky and I don’t even know what I was thinking with that dress. haha.

Lent 2011

music

I’m celebrating Lent this year, as I do every year.

“But Heather, you are not Catholic?”

I get that question all the time.

This is why I celebrate:
The 40 days of Lent represent the 40 days in the wilderness that Jesus spent praying.  In order for Jesus, the Holy Son of God, to spend such an amount of time with God, don’t you believe there had to be some sacrifices?  Ya bet.  When I look at my walk with God, I recognize a need for sacrifice.  I want to be able to walk with God the way Jesus did.  I recognize I can’t just “drop” everything for 40 days, but what can I do?  What can I do to get closer?  One of the traditions of Lent is giving something up.  Most give up soda, fast food, etc.

What am I giving up?
Last year I gave up Walmart, which was seemingly impossible to a college student like myself in a small town where Walmart is “The Mall.”  The reason I gave it up was because I spent a lot of unnecessary time there.  When procrastinating, I would go there.  We all know I have ADD-tendencies, so I can be in Walmart for hours.  It was an excuse.

But I got to go bigger this year.  I got to get where it hurts deepest (or at least deeper)

Secular Music?
Yes.
Why?
I spend so much time listening to it, to where it hurts me.  I justify the music I listen to by saying it “doesn’t affect me”, or that it keeps me “culturally relevant.”  And although those might be true some days and might be some of the reasons, the biggest reason is, I love it too much.  I love it too much to let go.  So this is going to be the hardest Lent of my life…thus far at least.

Here are my rules (because I need them):

  1. No listening to secular music–in the car, in my room, at work, at all.
  2. I’m changing my secular ringtones to Jesus-loving ringtones. Goodbye, Katy Perry and Bruno Mars.
  3. Instead of Glee, I will go to a Bible study.  I needed to go anyway. And I won’t allow someone to call me into work to justify sitting there and watching Glee.
  4. Switchfoot counts, according to the Grammys.  They beat out the reformed lyrics of Lecrae and David Crowder’s melodies that can only come from God Himself, so Switchfoot MUST be the holiest music I can find, right? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

So what’s going to happen after these 40 days?  Am I just going to pop in Ludacris and Lady Gaga and drop it like its hot?  Don’t think so.  Normally after Lent, I realize that what I had wasn’t really a necessity in my life, and I end up giving it up either for good, or at the very least it doesn’t control me as much.  In the past I’ve given up fast food and french fries, and I no longer desire either of them (except Taco Bell).  What I’m giving up is something that I plan on giving up for good, or at least something that I plan on purging from my life to make room for some more Jesus.

Please check out this great resource for Lent. I’m going to be using it with my youth group!
Also, this is a great post on Lent as well.  It explains almost everything you need to know!

Please comment with what you are giving up!