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Why travel?

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

Seeing the world is inspiring. Seeing the world is prodigious. Other cultures and communities are enlightening in every way. Being emersed in other cultures where you can see, smell, taste, touch, and hear it, changes you. Experience impacts you, forever. Many say that the person is developed through university and taught a well-rounded mind, but I challenge that with the idea that a person is truly developed when they have seen the globe in its fullness and each person as unique and blessed. Each culture and place have its own rhythm, its own dance. We learn to look at ourselves and our stories when we are challenged with the thoughts and ideas from those around us. We determine who we are and what we believe through challenge, and through experience. Often, we only view the world with our one singular lens, our position within the world.

I clearly remember a time in my twenties that I went to Asia and encountered a Christianity much different than my own.  I witnessed Christians truly hiding their faith in the midst of danger and fear.  I witnessed Christians speaking boldly the truth to the lost in ways I never dreamed of.  Coming home from that trip, my heart and my mind were challenged with what I always believed to be true.

Not long after that trip, I was able to see Jerusalem.  The place where the three major religions of the world collide – Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  I have been blessed to see this place many times and count down the days for when I might be able to return here.  During this trip, once again, I could see the Creator of the Universe come to life.  Isn’t it interesting that the three main religions of the world have the One True God as the foundation.  Coincidence?  I think not.  In this most beautiful place, we see so much with every turn – the traditional Jewish men in the streets to the Christian churches and the Muslims bowing for prayer.  The cultures are so loud – literally and physically.  You can feel the intersection and how it all blends.

I often say that places are not real until you have seen them and experienced them – all the books, pictures, paintings in the world cannot compare to the views through your own eyes and memories lasting in your own mind. Travel is important for many reasons. It breaks down the barriers that stereotypes and borders can create. It opens our eyes to how other people live and what it looks like outside of the places we’ve grown up.

Our family loves seeing new places and experiencing new things. I dare say I was given this desire genetically from my own grandfather, Floyd aka my Papaw Arnold, and then of course through my own father who made plans for trips every year. Both inspirational men captured every moment with the lens they had – and made it an adventure. Now the first day of travel was always the most stressful, my dad would always be mad and feisty – I dare say he gave that to me too. They always made it a priority to have fun as a family and to make memories. Even the time my dad had to go to Toronto for a work trip and decided to make it a family vacation too – we drove from Knoxville, Tennessee to Toronto, Canada with me and my brother crammed in the backseat of a Toyota Camry. This was a long journey, but I still remember the baseball game, the small cans of coke and of course, my mother not letting me get on the boat to see Niagara Falls for fear that I would fall overboard and drown.

Thankfully, I married a man who might love travel just as much or more than me, and we are definitely raising some children that love the thrill of the adventure! I hope that by seeing the world early, they are not afraid of it. I hope that by embracing people different than them and learning cultures around the world, they are built with a strong foundation tempered with wisdom and love. At every turn, I am praying that my children are grounded and rooted deep in their beliefs and convictions. We put action to this in many ways – too many to label in this short blog, but the one I am focusing on here is through our intentionality in travel with the intent to see God in every place we traverse, with the goal of sharing hope and love to the people we cross paths with.  I will say, we fail quite a lot too – so do not put anyone on any pedestals here. We are flawed humans trying to raise up other flawed, little humans – with the power of the Presence of God and His Word as our guide.

As a family, we make travel a priority. Being that Clif and myself both travel for work, it has made it a bit easier. We have been able to do and see places that many only ever dream of. I traveled on my first overseas trip at the age of 15. This journey was to Dundee, Scotland, to do mission work with the inner-city children – a place I went back to more than eight times. This place will always hold a special piece in my heart and my journey. Since then, we have seen Israel, Indonesia, Jamaica, Romania, Nicaragua, Hungary, Singapore, Shanghai, Japan, England, France not to mention 42 or so of the 50 states and I am sure there are more places that I am forgetting as I type these words. Everything in life will slip by if you are not intentional. We don’t have many hobbies – but travel is definitely one of them. I write these words to encourage you to live – truly live. Make the time to live – whatever that looks like for you, your calling and your purpose in life. One of ours, is travel.

Now, I have been very blessed with a career that has on many occasions put me on the road.  In my initial professional role, I managed sales and client relations for 25 states over six years, which allowed me to discover the unique qualities of our glorious United States. Then for a season I came off the road – even though I increased my own personal travel adventures. Now, for the last eight years, I have traveled 2-3 times per month, nearly every month. Through these different positions, I have learned a few tricks and hope to share those over time. However, I may have become a travel snob in knowing what I like, my routine and which airports I choose to never step foot in again.

As I attempt to share some of my wisdom and fun tricks – please know I will always include anything I have learned and any inspiration in making your traveling experience a family affair. Now, I’m convinced my kids just love the TVs in the airport seats, Delta Sky Clubs and swimming pools at every Hilton hotel, especially Home2Suites, according to Joel. Now, I will not hide my own personal bias – I love Delta. I love Hilton. I love Hertz. They are my brands that I am loyal to. However, I do have experience with others, but if you know me, you know these are my favorites. They love loyalty. And I love that they love loyalty. I love presents, points, and travelling for free.

I am asked a lot about my travels and adventures and how we take our kids to so many places. And to that I say, “why not?” In my most recent years I have learned that time is short. We must make our memories today and stop living for the tomorrow that may never come. Instead, live for the today – make today happen. In some years, we are very formal about our plans. In recent years, we have been more sporadic. Now, you may ask – how can you afford all this travel? And to that, I say, “loyalty points!” Sign up for the credit cards (paying them off each month) that reward you with free travel! And then stick with your brand and they will pay your way! Delta is incredible with their loyalty points, especially with their American Express credit cards. I will work to share more trips and tips, but this short blog was to inspire you to consider where you might like to go and make plans today to GO! We Haley’s LOVE TO GO!

Check out some of our most fun moments on the road of adventure!

Mine and Georgia’s first adventure trip – NYC at Christmas 2016.

PS. please don’t view this post as bragging or boasting. That is not the intention of my heart at all. I have learned the art of saying what you want to say before you cannot say it any longer. Seizing the day and sharing your heart is very important to me. Please view this with that in mind. I know I am blessed, but I also know you can make certain things a priority and watch it happen! Oh, and I would be a bad wife if I didn’t say – feel free to check out many of the photographs my sweet husband has taken along the way on his ETSY page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CliftonHaleyPhoto?ref=shop_sugg_market

Moments with Mom on a Monday

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

Often times, we wait until it is too late to share our heart and soul to another. We wait until the funeral or the days, years after to really contemplate and speak about how one’s life has truly impacted them. Coming off of the month of mothers, you know May, I have the strong desire to share with the world what my mother means to me.

My entire life she has been present. For good and for bad…. I remember being that kid growing up whose mom was always home and was the most incredible stay-at-home mom, but that meant she was also at home. Ha Ha! Meaning, I wanted more independence from her like some of my friends did. Little did I know how important it was for me to have my mom with me at home. She was the one who took me and my 6th grade friends to see Titanic in the theater 8 times. Not to mention going to Dollywood nearly every other day and of course the late-night Krystal’s run for hot and fresh Krystal burgers (she with extra onions and cold co-cola, aka coca cola), and my middle school friends will never forget when she asked us if we were in the 1965 earthquake, knowing good and well we were all born in 1985 (being that I came from her).

My mom has always been the one to bring a good laugh to the crowd and I still think she would’ve made the BEST Youtube Influencer with cameras following her around every day. However, she may have been given a few citations from police. Growing up, she was the one who made the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches just perfect and never stopped letting me sleep with her, laying on her arm. She cuddled me and also pushed me. She told me to always use my brain and make something strong of myself. She took me to church during the days when my household did not do that.

I’ll never forget the evening that my dear friend, Ashley Smith (yes, using maiden name here) and I were inseparable all summer. Every other night we spent the night with each other! I cannot even imagine that today! Just because I am old. But her dad lingered on our front porch after bringing me home and encouraged my mom to bring me to church. I was in 4th grade. We went. Our home, our lives, our salvations were forever changed. That one invite from precious Randy Smith changed the course of our family legacy and future. Being a part of Fairview Baptist Church became a core value to who I am today. This place and these people supported my mom and soon my dad, and then my entire family – sister, brother and their families- in becoming more like Jesus. The faces changed, but the mission has never changed. All because my mom took me. My mom made the decision to take me to church.

She has lived a life of struggle and sorrow. She has buried two children – one newborn and one at the age of 51. She has buried both parents and her husband of nearly 60 years. She has seen difficult days in America and at the young age of 76, she now sees and experiences things she never dreamed. She graduated from the old Rule High School and met my pops at the Copper Kettle restaurant who had the cook, Pete of the famous downtown diner Pete’s! She was constantly surrounded by family with all of the good and bad that it brings! A brother who she says was constantly in trouble! Sorry, Uncle Charles! 🙂 She served our country as the wife of a US Air Force soldier and lived in beautiful Victorville, CA. Not to mention delivered my older sister there – thousands of miles away from family and friends. But she continued.

She continued to smile and brighten up the room. With her beehive hair and gorgeous legs, she shined. She created a home full of laughter, love and joy. She reminded of hard truths and poured into me to be the absolute best that God made me to be.

These days are different for us as we are navigating life without my dad, without my sister and constantly being faced with what the days ahead will look like. As she beautifully and comically said to me the other day, “If I get another diagnosis of something can you just not tell me?” And I belly laughed for what felt like hours. These are our pleasantly confused days, and I am loving every single one.

Mom, you are never a bother and never a burden. Mom, you have given me the very best foundation by challenging me to constantly be more than I thought I could. You created in me the desire to learn, grow, improve all while laughing. You have given me the very best foundation to live by and taught me the importance of making every moment count. You gave me faith. You took me to the altar of God. You continue to light up every room and shine brightly. We love our sweets, and we love our salt! Drinking coffee with you will never get old and I am thankful for you! Even if you did read all of my journals while I was growing up. You are truly one of a kind and one of the very best of humanity. Never stop laughing. And definitely keep smiling.

I LOVE YOU. HAPPY MOTHER’S MONTH. And how about we nominate this summer as Mother’s Summer?! You are way too special to celebrate for just one day, one month – let’s take the summer!

Readers, may this be the day you are rekindled with your mom. OR you choose to be the mom you were designed to be.

It is more than a soccer ball. 

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

This is a guest blog post by Karlie Schmid, one of my beautiful nieces (sister cousin aunt).

It is more than a soccer ball. 

It’s fresh morning air and seeing smoke puffs coming off Pacaya in the morning. 

It’s the never-ending supply of coffee. 

It’s the fresh tortillas with every meal. 

It’s the glass bottle cokes and laughs at the tienda. 

It’s hiking up a mountain with your food pack following your community guide. 

It’s sitting on a rickety stool talking to a new friend in their kitchen and praying for their family. 

It’s long walks to the lava fields. 

It’s sharing a queso pie from McDonalds with your best friend. 

It’s the giggles when everyone else is sleeping. 

It’s teaching 40 kids to do the cotton eye Joe. 

It’s getting beat up playing “football” with them while they stomp us. 

It’s the hunger for the Father that can’t be quenched with worldly desires. 

It’s swapping phrases in Spanish and English while playing cards until lights out. 

It’s walking through Antigua and seeing Carlos and getting a free bracelet “for a pretty lady”. 

It’s the feeling of home in a place where your biological family doesn’t reside. 

It’s seeing the way Christ shines through their eyes when they encounter us. 

It’s being the hands and feet of Christ. 

It’s time spent actually slowing down long enough to experience God. 

It’s realizing that this is a glimpse of Heaven. 

I don’t see people that need “saving” from material things. It’s more than that. It’s more than the materials we “gringos” bring down on the container. It’s more than a soccer ball. Or bounce houses. Or birthday candles. Or CPR mannequins. Or a deck of uno. It’s not about “saving” them from the situation, it’s about opening a conversation about the One who can give them eternal life.

For example, in 2022, a mother came to the camp one evening in distress about her daughter. The caretaker of the camp came and got the nurses on our team. Me and two other nurses went to her house to check on her daughter. We found out once we arrived that her daughter had an ectopic pregnancy and just got home from a 6 hour round trip bus ride from the hospital. She was in significant pain and was very worried. The nurses with me checked her out and we gave her supplies to help the pain; then we prayed over her family. Once we arrived back at the camp, we prayed again. Since she was so far from a hospital, we were worried about her stitches and possible infection, but with the little resources we had we did what we could. In 2023, when I arrived at Pacaya and was settling in, I saw her. Or rather she sees me and one of the nurses that was with her that night a year prior. She walks up to us beaming and holding a beautiful baby. She remembered us as the women who prayed over her health and safety; she remembered the love of God in that moment. 

Why do I go? 

I go because I’m called.

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives the instruction of “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”. I knew from the first time I stepped off a plane in Guatemala City, in 2012, that these people and place would mean more than my 14-year-old heart could understand. And I was right. I didn’t get the opportunity to come back to Guatemala until 2021, following the most difficult time of my life.  I stepped off the plane, yet again, and met the same smiling faces I left in 2013. I was met with surprise, elation, and lots of questions. “Is that Karlie?” “Where are your braces?” “You graduated high school and college? “How is your family?” to “I’m sorry about your mom” “we never forgot you or your family”. 

Now at age 23, I felt my heart start that steady rhythm that I was finally back home – but it wasn’t the place. It was God speaking to my broken heart. Speaking to me that He never forgot me. Reminding me that the girl that stepped off the plane eight years prior, with stars in her eyes about being on first mission trip, was still in there. 

That is what “go and make disciples” is about. It’s about the love of Christ that breaks every barrier. Spanning across continents, across time zones, across years. You may not want to cross the ocean or even the street, but sometimes the simplest things can open a conversation about Christ. 

To support Karlie and the Guatemala mission, please send via Venmo to @Karlie-Schmid.

This is my church.

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

Fairview Knox is my church. Too many negative blog posts fill the internet about Christians destroying other Christians. Churches destroying other churches. Those bought by Christ, destroying others bought by Christ. The Church was designed to be a group of people reflecting Christ to a lost world and coming together for love, encourage, fellowship, connection and for help in time of need. And we as Christians have forgotten that as we strike one another with our words and create environments that become obstacles for the very ones we were called to love and save.

Those that need love and hope are turned off by the love and hope deliverers because the deliverers have forgotten that we are the bearers of the hope and love. Instead, the deliverers have turned to looking for ways to deliver themselves – all the good things of life.

I love my church.

I love THE Church.

Christ loves THE Church.

What is the difference, you ask? My church is Fairview Knox. It is the group of believers that God has called me to be a part of. Even in times when it has felt difficult or impossible, this is the family that my family has been placed in. THE Church is the global body of believers all over the globe united to praise the Name of Jesus wherever they are. We are all a part of THE Church if we are a Christian. However, we as believers forget that our church name is not the most important name – only the Name of Jesus matters.

Today, in this moment, let’s begin to uplift all those around us. Let us choose to celebrate the successes of churches and Christians all around us whether or not they attend the same Sunday morning faith family. I am blessed to have been a member of my home church for the last 28 years. Is it perfect – absolutely not. No church is – even though we are called to be the hope and love deliverers, we are still faced with the same sinful temptations and selfish tendencies that we find all over. Which then creates the battle within our souls, which pours into the Church House if left unchecked and unrealized. There is not a perfect human, aside from Jesus Christ. There is not a perfect family, either.

As families, we will hurt one another – but we return in forgiveness and grace. As families, we may say things we don’t mean – but we return in forgiveness and grace. As families, we may not want to spend time with some folk – but we arrive in forgiveness and grace. Forgiveness and grace must define our every breath and heartbeat. There is no one righteous, no not one, says Paul. So, let’s stop considering ourselves as such and definitely stop considering those around us that way too. People will fail us. But when we choose to view each person with the eyes of forgiveness and grace – we can forgive things that we never dreamed we could.

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:26-34

I say – have we been seeking the Kingdom of God first or building our own?

Be the one voice that people know will be encouraging to those around you. Choose today to be full of grace, mercy, forgiveness, hope and love.

If you don’t have a church home today – I highly recommend you find one. If you live in Knoxville, Tennessee, we would love to have you at mine – https://www.fairviewknox.com/.

Let them stay little.

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

My sweet Georgia is now ten years old. And I am not okay with it.

She is a little girl trapped in a body that is changing, a soul that desires independence, and a mind that critically thinks about everything that crosses her path. She loves baby dolls, puppy dogs, Thunderman & Bluey cartoons, and to be held. She longs for me to tuck her into her bed every night and sit and hear every word in her head. Yet, she also asks me every day to shave her legs, wear makeup and go shopping at Claire’s. She wants a phone so much she has painted a rock and carries it around like it is a phone. She rocks at board games and baking. She is constantly desiring to be older than she is and pushing me there. Ten years ago, she couldn’t eat solid food. Ten years ago, she couldn’t walk. Ten years ago, we had just finished one cleft surgery and were preparing for another cleft surgery. Ten years. A LOT CHANGES in ten years.

I can already look ahead and catch a glimpse of the moment ten years from now when I am watching her at university or engaged to be married or who knows what “adult-type life” she will be living. When I was twenty, I was engaged and about to graduate college while working a full-time job. How does this happen so fast? Where do the sweet minutes go? What is my role in all of it? What is the mission and purpose?

Lord, have I done enough? Have I done it right? Am I prepared for the next ten years? Why do the tears come so strong?

This weekend I allowed myself to time warp back into history via my phone – I know, not as cool as the good ole days when you watched home videos on your TV via a VHS or even projector with all of the clicks. I started scrolling – not social media – but my own videos on my phone from ten years ago. I watched EVERY SINGLE VIDEO from when my sweet baby girl was a newborn, one and two years old. I watched our second Christmas as a family of three – two lighter, bubbly parents overjoyed to open silly presents with our precious baby girl. While we both made comments on our personal weight gain, we were lighter not just physically but also in our spirits. Our rocky terrain of life has added weight to our body in more than one way.

I remember my years as an early adult – college and young married. My mind, heart and soul were overwhelmingly focused on Jesus and His Word. I remember the internal joy that subdued every ounce of who I was and oozed out of my face and mouth with zeal and unwavering strength and determination. I clearly remember looking at older adults in the faith and seeing sadness. Many that I looked at struck me with a deeper level of sadness and pain than I could put words to. I recall thinking to myself about how I found it strange that they had walked with God longer than I had and looked worse for it. When I was young, my internal core was nothing but joyful. Now that I have lived – fought a fight (many fights if I am being honest) – I find that I am understanding what it means in the statement to ‘choose joy.’ When I was young – I didn’t have to choose. Now that I have seen, lived, experienced pain and tribulations, I now know what it means to seek the Maker for your source of strength.

I sat at the end of that day of watching and gleaning the joy from the videos of my younger self and the sweet innocence of a young couple with a young baby girl, feeling convicted.

I had lost my joy.

In a covert operation by the enemy, I had lost my joy. When the trials came – decade long – I sealed myself up like a vault and went into hiding, while fighting. In this month of love, I am devoted to joy. In this month of love, I am devoted to fighting to protect my sweet girl from as much of the world as I can. I know what it feels like to be ignorant and blissful. I know what it means to live in the Spirit and walk in the fullness of His presence. I know today, more than ever, that my mission for my little girl is to protect her innocence, protect her joy, protect her childhood for as long as possible.

What does this mean? For my family, it may mean something different than for your family. For us it means the following:

  • I immediately asked for forgiveness from my husband and children for allowing my internal joy to be stolen from me. (we do that a lot in our house – apologies on the regular)
  • Asking God for the strength to stay close – intimacy with Him in a vulnerable way creates the ability to walk in natural joy.
  • Re-engaging in deeper studies of God’s Word to take my depth in Him to new places.
  • Preventing my daughter to be influenced by too many voices – no phone, no social media, no TV in the bedroom, no tablet in the bedroom, no tv shows/movies that we haven’t watched first. SOAP BOX WARNING: We are going to be the weirdos, but we have made a vow to one another and to our children that they will not have a phone until they are 16 years old. Why you ask? Because they are loaded weapons in the hands of children. I mean technically, loaded weapons in the hands of adults! We struggle with scrolling instead of living as adults. We get trapped with opinions of others more than opinion of God. We waste precious time on the phone instead of engaging the living beings in a room with us. We throw away moments with family around dinner tables by choosing to engage in endless scrolling and watching. As adults, we struggle. How can I ever expect my daughter who would choose candy bars over healthy nutrition to ever be able to regulate that?
  • Re-creating the consistent habits that I know to be good for me – exercise, diet control, balance in work/life environment, greater protection of my eyes and ears and genuine laughter.

My desire is strong for my children to know who I am, really. When I walk in the joy that I know, that is my truest self. They haven’t really met her yet. In fact, many new friends haven’t. These last ten years have been dark – deep loss of friendships, normal life, routines and things of comfort. I am excited for the next ten years with my sweet girl to be the best ones yet. She deserves that. And so do I.

Mercies are new every day. And today’s mercies are incredibly special.

keep it simple

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

All day every day we run the race of life. We push for more. We fight for more. We fill the schedules with every school event, work event, sports event, church event, you name it there is an event screaming for your attention. As women, we do our best to make sure all the details are covered – food, clothes, extras - presents, parties, special moments and don’t forget every small detail needed for school so the kids aren’t left out or made to feel silly. We are like little mice running a wheel all day long. Then when there isn’t any running, the necessity of making sure all the clothes are washed, dishes are clean, sheets are laundered, floors are swept and of course those pesty bathrooms. And I haven’t even begun to mention all the additional demands if you also work outside of the home. Oh, and let’s not forget exercise and diet control. That is a HUGE FACTOR as well. AND kids needing dental work, doctors’ appointments and the never-ending calls for more. More of everything. Constantly pulling at the mind of a mother. And then the kids get sick, work becomes more stressful than normal, family members suffer from major life altering moments, and your home becomes under siege. And never forget the strong desire of your heart to teach your children the intimacy of a living and breathing walk with God, as well as, protecting your own intimacy with the Father.

The demands on a woman are great. The demands on a man are great – while I watch and see those pressures from afar, I will never do justice in speaking to them with clarity and entirety. For that reason, do not hear me dismiss the demands on a man. They are strong and they are great. Men of today are dismissed and made to look inferior, weak and unintelligent. That is the furthest from the truth. Our men should be respected, honored and revered. Even at times when we feel they do not deserve it.

Women today add too many extra pressures to their hearts, minds and souls. I am the chief among them. We are constantly taking care of so many and still trying to take care of ourselves with a good amount of zeal and purpose. Sometimes all of it is just too much. Have you ever wished you could just stop the madness and the chaos? Have you ever considered stopping it all? Have you considered redefining your days, weeks and missions with a different viewpoint or foundation? 

This summer, our family did just that. Not perfectly, but at least began to put one foot in front of the other to make our world look different again. This summer, we felt led to return to a place that shook our American Christian foundation as young adults. We knew the Lord desired us to visit with Cheryl Spence at Jesus Centered Ministries in Leon, Nicaragua, and lend her a helping hand with the orphans and the cleft babies she is helping with. We started our preparations. One week later, the Lord provided all of the money we needed to for our family of four to go. We casually mentioned this to our “best couple friends” and they shared their church was planning a trip to the same place at the same time. We knew the Lord had orchestrated this time for such a time as this. And if anyone has read any of my other blogs, you understand that the number 26 holds significant meaning in my spiritual walk. The departure date was December 26. The story about the 26 (https://wordpress.com/post/heather-haley.com/516). And here we were, going to Leon after fifteen years to love on a people we hadn’t seen and honestly allowed ourselves to forget about.

As I have been in Leon this week, I have been driven to the book of Joshua for my daily study. During Joshua’s farewell address he speaks so passionately from his heart on so many points -

  • After a long time had passed, the Lord gave rest to Israel from the enemies around them.
  • He reminds them that even though they fought, it was always the Lord who had fought for them.
  • He speaks truth to them that the Lord will keep His promises and drive the enemy out before them so that they will take possession of their promised land.
  • He encourages them to “be VERY strong; be careful to obey all that is written without turning aside to the right or to the left.”
  • He cautions the people not to associate with the nations that will lead them astray and guide them away from their purpose and mission.
  • He speaks to them about how they have been stronger and mightier warriors solely because the Lord gave them the win. He is the One fighting for them and He promised that He would. 
  • BE CAREFUL TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD.
  • If you choose not to love the Lord, then understand fully that the punishment that comes with that – He will stop fighting for you. The nations around them will become “snares and traps” for them. 
  • YOU KNOW WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL THAT NOT ONE OF ALL THE GOOD PROMISES THE LORD YOUR GOD GAVE YOU HAS FAILED. EVERY PROMISE HAS BEEN FULFILLED; NOT ONE HAS FAILED. 
  • He speaks of serving the Lord – with all faithfulness. All faithfulness does not mean you sign up for every job needed at the church office. All faithfulness means you sit and be still and hear Him guide you and your home into all fullness and mission. You hear Him speak your mission and your calling to you.

And now to the most powerful point, in my opinion, in this text and farewell message from Joshua –

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU.

In my entire Christian life, I don’t believe I have every paid much attention to the first nine words of this verse. We quote and embroider the rest of this verse, but how often do we incorporate that first section. 

BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU.

Does serving the Lord seem undesirable to you? This is a true, genuine heart question. Is this something you have honestly no desire for? As a Christian, I feel there are many reasons that you can lose your desire for the things of God. Also, if you are not a Christian then you cannot desire the things of God – it is not possible. I know in my own journey, the last three years have challenged me in what I believe about my God. I was always a person who fulfilled her days with the busyness of church and ministry. I won’t say my heart wasn’t in the right place and that I was being intentionally disobedient. I know in my own convictions that I was following as I was being led in my service to Jesus. And I walked intimately with Him. And then the loss of my sister in 2020, struck a new chord in my journey with my Saviour. In that moment, my service to the Lord stopped and my service to my family began. In my opinion, I wasn’t serving the Lord anymore, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Maybe, I have never served the Lord more fully. Or more intimately. But in these reconstruction years, my desires have been challenged. There have been days that my relationship with God has been distant – through my own making and lack of focus and attention. And through that foundational fracture, my service was not desirable. When we are not in the Word of God, the Truth struggles to take root and our service is stagnant. And then we look at all of the areas of our lives that might not be the focus area He wants us to see.

When Joshua speaks this to the Israelites, they are being bombarded with the gods of their past and the new gods in their present setting as they both compete with the One True God. This statement and challenge is not different today. We still face the demons and desires of the gods we served in our past and present day. Did we deal with addiction before Christ? Did we suffer from depression or bitterness before Christ? Or what about the constant need to be busy? And in our present settings, what are the gods pulling for our attention? Is it the push to always go above and beyond at the workplace? Or the desire to constant be on your cell phone when your kids are sitting beside you longing for your eyes? The idea that the gods we face are different is a false idea. Anything that takes your focus and attention away from the One True God is a false god. It is a competing god. What is grabbing for your attention that takes you away from walking in the fullness of God.

And let’s not forget the final point I found in Joshua 24 – “Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.” But what happened after that? Once the people who had experienced the Joshua era of the goodness of God had died, did they continue to serve? When Joshua challenges them to choose this day who we serve, he is asking that because he is wanting them to make their worship and relationship their own and not just following the faith of the leaders above us and around us. Is your faith and your worship true and real to you? Or are you just mimicking the worship of those around you and those who lead you?

This trip for our home was to reset and recalibrate our focus and our purpose. This trip was to redefine the mission of our home as our own, not as one defined by the leaders around us. This mission was to follow the fullness that God has for us, the Haley family. Our purpose is already spoken in the Heavens by our Creator, we just have to listen.

If you are looking for a place to reset and serve – Cheryl Spence in Leon, Nicaragua, with Jesus Centered Ministries is a great place to start. Reach out and I will be glad to introduce you.

Today, determine if you desire to serve. Choose Who you are serving. And learn as a lady to relax and walk in the fullness of His plan and not your schedule.     

“I’m a Christian now…”

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says my little boy, Joel. On October 10, 2023, just after hiking to Blood Lake near Park City, Utah, my son chose to join his family in giving his life to Jesus Christ. If you know Joel, you know he is as genuine and literal as they come. And incredibly vocal. About everything. He has wanted to become a Christian for a few years now – always asking questions and wanting to do what we all had done. But these last few months, he has really been intent on making his desires known, but when we would get to the point for him to pray, he would ask to wait. Not this time.

We have been blessed since the moment we met Joel Nathaniel on July 26, 2016, at St. Mary’s Hospital NICU. Since that sweet day when we unexpectedly brought home a one-week-old baby with 26 hours’ notice from the Lord. That first day when you needed us for love beyond compare and to hold you tight as you faced your unknown challenges. To check out the full story of Mr. Joel, see this link: https://wordpress.com/post/heather-haley.com/726.

This story of salvation is one that has been a short while coming. Joel has always asked the deep and thought-provoking questions of life and faith. He always wants to understand every angle of a situation. He is incredibly passionate about everything he does, but very sensitive and gentle about all things related to the Lord. Our family has experienced many losses of loved ones in his short little life and I think that also has given him a deeper understanding and desire to marvel at the things about Heaven and God. His journey and short little life seems so unfair at times as he has experienced so many things taken from him – in a very short time period.

His drive, passion and purpose are magnified in many ways. His intelligence is unique (at least to me 🙂 ). He has a big mission on his life to accomplish anything the Lord directs him towards. My prayer is that we can direct his passion towards his God-given path so that he can run full speed with the mission the Lord has for him. On December 17th, 2023, at Fairview Baptist Church he followed in believer’s baptism. Much like what you saw in the New Testament after believer’s gave their lives to following Christ. 

Both of my children have accepted Jesus as their Saviour on hikes in the mountains. Georgia in the Smoky Mountains and Joel in the Rocky Mountains. I know the Lord has a story in that for me – I just don’t know it yet! Soon, I am sure. 

In the sweet words of Joel’s salvation prayer, I leave you with this – “If I see You, I will be happy. Jesus, You are the Saviour of everyone. No one can go to Heaven except through You. So many people have gone there, and I would like to go there too. I lay down my life as your servant in Christ. Amen.”

“I’m a Christian now…”

/ heatherhaley07 / Leave a comment

says my little boy, Joel. On October 10, 2023, just after hiking to Blood Lake near Park City, Utah, my son chose to join his family in giving his life to Jesus Christ. If you know Joel, you know he is as genuine and literal as they come. And incredibly vocal. About everything. He has wanted to become a Christian for a few years now – always asking questions and wanting to do what we all had done. But these last few months, he has really been intent on making his desires known, but when we would get to the point for him to pray, he would ask to wait. Not this time.

We have been blessed since the moment we met Joel Nathaniel on July 26, 2016, at St. Mary’s Hospital NICU. Since that sweet day when we unexpectedly brought home a one-week-old baby with 26 hours’ notice from the Lord. That first day when you needed us for love beyond compare and to hold you tight as you faced your unknown challenges. To check out the full story of Mr. Joel, see this link: https://wordpress.com/post/heather-haley.com/726.

This story of salvation is one that has been a short while coming. Joel has always asked the deep and thought-provoking questions of life and faith. He always wants to understand every angle of a situation. He is incredibly passionate about everything he does, but very sensitive and gentle about all things related to the Lord. Our family has experienced many losses of loved ones in his short little life and I think that also has given him a deeper understanding and desire to marvel at the things about Heaven and God. His journey and short little life seems so unfair at times as he has experienced so many things taken from him – in a very short time period.

His drive, passion and purpose are magnified in many ways. His intelligence is unique (at least to me 🙂 ). He has a big mission on his life to accomplish anything the Lord directs him towards. My prayer is that we can direct his passion towards his God-given path so that he can run full speed with the mission the Lord has for him. On December 17th, 2023, at Fairview Baptist Church he followed in believer’s baptism. Much like what you saw in the New Testament after believer’s gave their lives to following Christ. 

Both of my children have accepted Jesus as their Saviour on hikes in the mountains. Georgia in the Smoky Mountains and Joel in the Rocky Mountains. I know the Lord has a story in that for me – I just don’t know it yet! Soon, I am sure. 

In the sweet words of Joel’s salvation prayer, I leave you with this – “If I see You, I will be happy. Jesus, You are the Saviour of everyone. No one can go to Heaven except through You. So many people have gone there, and I would like to go there too. I lay down my life as your servant in Christ. Amen.”

The woman who could….

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Every journey of life comes wrapped in its own covering designed to create in us the version of ourselves able to achieve the great mission we have been sent on. Every moment of our journey leads us closer to the Lord and our purpose. Every trial and every joy create. Our journey of life is one that is constantly creating, as our Lord is the Master Creator, we follow in his dynamic plan. He surrounds us with all that we need to walk into the ongoing unknown territory of our future.

My oldest niece, Kayla, was one that I have given the most grief to in my life. When she joined our family, I was merely seven years old and had been the youngest child the entire time. I was the baby of the family and enjoyed every perk that gave. With older parents, and an older sister who treated me like her own baby, I was more than spoiled. And then Kayla was born. Needless to say, I was mean to her, and my friends were mean to her. In many ways we were treated like sisters.

As time went on, and I became a Christian, she became one of my closest friends. As the years have gone by, the Lord has crafted a unique storyline over her life. She has been drenched with trials, obstacles, seasons of drought and seasons of flooding. She has seen death up close and stepped into roles never intended for her. She has walked through challenges that she never dreamed she would face and has been tasked with keeping her family intact on more than one occasion. Despite all this, on the other side of every mountain, she comes out glowing. She shines brighter with the glow of the Holy Spirit on her life. She has held tighter to the Cross of Jesus. I have been reading a book about navy seals and some of their leadership training, and one of their key phrases is “the only easy day was yesterday.” This could not be truer for this sweet soul.

Kayla will always be defined as the woman who could. She loves big. She gives all. She never looks for things in return. When all was stacked up against her, she overcame. When the enemy came to take her joy, she was victorious. No, the path is not the way she planned, but it was the way intended for her and her babies. Kayla defines a woman who, while longing for an easier path, stands on top of the mountain that she just climbed, hands on hips, thankful for the journey that reinforced her God and redefined her heart.

Plan today for peace tomorrow.

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peace /pes/ noun

  1. freedom from disturbance; tranquility.
  2. a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended.

Peace is mentioned in four hundred verses in scripture.  Within those four hundred verses, twenty-four of those are direct quotes of Jesus Christ.  When we look at the studies of numerology of scripture, we find that twenty-four is a multiple of twelve, associated with heavenly government and worship – just as Israel was a replica of Heaven. Do we think that it might be possible that peace is a form of worship? And let’s not forget that eight and three are a great combination for twenty-four, possibly meaning that peace is the foundation of divine perfection and new beginnings.

September begins my favorite section of the calendar year. First of all, it is the beginning of my birthday month. Yes, I said month. And you should feel bad for those who live with me. College football begins and baseball kicks into gear. Pumpkin spice is here, and all things fall – colors of leaves changing, coolness in the air, pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin scent. We embrace Petro’s and sweaters. I create reasons to wear sweatshirts and scarves. The launch of the notation that the end of year is near. And as we all know, the end of year brings the clean slate of yet another new beginning.

Fall is also the launch of me beginning the countdown to my most favorite days – Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, I felt I conquered the goal of making slowness and peace as a priority from November 1 – December 31. Conquering a goal is important to me – every goal. And this year I am aiming towards an even better achievement of resting in the goodness of God. So often we find ourselves in a tizzy of checklists and motion. We obsess about dirty houses, weeds and laundry. We forget to embrace the cuddles and the mess. And then one day, they are over. Kids are grown, moments for memories are over. As I sit and think about myself turning thirty-eight this year, I am likely near the middle of my life. Have I lived these years to the fullest? Do I have regrets or just moments to improve and course correct?

Today, I am making plans for the peace that I desire in November and December. I am planning on peace. We plan on so many things – events, moments, etc. But do we make plans for peace? And if so, how? I have found that one of my most favorite passages of scripture is found in Luke 8 when a storm forms on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus and the disciples are on the boat. The disciples panic. Jesus sleeps. The disciples question their faith. Jesus sleeps. The disciples wonder if they are following the right One. Jesus sleeps. The disciples are surprised. Jesus is a peace.

Planning on peace doesn’t mean difficulties won’t come your way. Planning for peace means that when the storm is all around you, instead of panic and fear – you crawl up beside Jesus in the boat and go to sleep too. I have found that this journey constantly consists of trouble, pain, suffering, difficulty and obstacles. And being a Christian can often mean that these are more than normal. But He speaks to peace in the storm. He speaks to calm in the chaos. Peace only comes from holding as tight as you can to Jesus. Holding onto Jesus means an intimate relationship that never stops in communication. His Truth is truer than our emotions. His Word is more accurate than our feelings and thoughts. His Name is more powerful than our anger or sadness.

In a world being tossed back and forth with the waves – go to sleep with Jesus.

In John 20:26, some of the last quoted words of Christ, He repeats three times “Peace be with you.”  He made it some of His last words and He repeated it three times – how should we view the priority of being peaceful?

Fall at Biltmore Estate. Photo Credit: Clifton Haley Photography