Introducing Heidi

The best way to introduce myself to you, I think, is to tell you how Jesus introduced Himself to me.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed to go out and gather the manna they would need for each day.  As I imagine them collecting the small flakes of this bread-like substance and filling their jars or containers with it, pictures of Easter seem to slip into my mind.

The celebration of Easter at our church is celebrated in part by a huge (I mean huge) Easter egg "hunt."  More of a "gathering," thousands (I mean thousands) of eggs are tossed along our property grass and while the children certainly don't have to go looking for them, they do have to go out and gather them. 

Excitedly, the children attempt to dash through the grass to collect as many eggs as possible ("I'm gonna get a million!" my son cried last year), but their efforts are constantly thwarted by the brightly colored eggs that lay just in front of them.  The constant race-stop-race-stop is hilarious to watch as the children scurry to fill up their baskets.

If they choose to run off ahead, they pass up dozens of eggs, and even in the process often seem unsure if their gathering "tactic" is a wise one.  There is always a perfectly lovely gift lying just at their feet, beckoning them to bend to pick it up. 

My personal testimony is really more of a life account.  Even before I accepted Christ, He never forsake me, even when I grumbled.  He protected me when my life was dark and terrifying, He healed me when I was broken, He made my bitter waters sweet, and through the hopelessness of misdirection, He made sure my sandals never wore out.  He gave of Himself every single day of my life, and He gave exactly as much as I needed.  Just like the manna. 

 ~~~

                                                               

I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada.  My dad was involved with a notorious and exclusive motorcycle organization.  He was involved in illegal activities, and illegal drugs.  So was my mom.  My parents named me "Harley Dee" and a short time later, after a very messy separation (to include the beheading of our family dog), I was placed in emergency state custody.

An Early Foster Home

I was reunited with my dad when I was 5, who had since then left the state.  I lived with him for about a year, before the police removed me from his home, after I had been physically abused, threatened at gunpoint, emotionally battered, sexually molested, and raped.  Primarily because his "rights" were never terminated and so I wasn't "adoptable," I spent the remainder of my childhood and adolescence in foster homes, institutions, and orphanages.

I found my mom on the internet when I was in college, and partly because I wanted to prove to somebody that I was unscathed from my childhood, but mostly because I really wanted a mom, I flew out to meet her.  She was still in Las Vegas, and she still hadn't changed.

I immediately discovered that I was pregnant!  Having no idea how to be a mom, I bought the best manual there is; I bought a Bible.  Slowly, and privately, I began to have a very special conversation with God through Scripture:



In the book of Acts, chapter 17, Paul visits Athens.  Athens is spiritually scattered at the time, worshipping stuff all over the place.  At this point in my life, I was spiritually scattered.  Having been relocated and transitioned so often, living with so many different people, I was exposed to many different kinds of religions and beliefs.  I didn't believe in multiple gods--I did believe in one.  But, I didn't believe in the trinity, and I didn't know how I felt about such things as evolution or reincarnation.  So many times I'd prayed for God just to carry me through--but I had no idea who He was or what He wanted with me.  By the end of this seventeenth chapter, Paul introduces the Unknown God, my God, to the people...and the people were changed.  I was changed.

Just then, God cut to the chase and told me in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that I am a new creation in Christ, and that my old life had gone away.  Well, that's when I threw myself a bit of a tantrum.  "What do you mean, God, my old life is gone?  What about everything I went through?  What about everything I survived?  What vindication is there for that little girl who had to do things just to stay alive?"

He had me take a step back and brought me to 2 Corinthians 4:17, and gingerly He said, "Sweet child, but that was just a moment, and if you give all of that to Me, I will be glorified through it."

(Well, I had no idea how that was going to happen, but I was intrigued!)

He gave me my answer in John 16:33.  We will have pain.  We will have suffering.  Christ isn't always going to shield us from it, but through Him we can get through it, because He has already overcome it.

I was in!  Jesus is my vindication.  "Now what?" I asked my Father God.

James 4:8 told me, "Take a step, and God will take a step."  I needed to move into my relationship with God.  I needed to take a step, and see that He was also moving even closer toward me.

"In which direction do I go?" my earth bound mind wondered.  Take a step, but where?  What do I DO?

In Genesis 12:1, Abram's father had just died.  Now, I don't know what kind of a dad he was, but I know that he told his family he would take them from point A to point B, and he only got them as far as point A-and-a-half; so at least in that way, he just didn't quite measure up.  Well, I read that as though my "dad" had died.  My physical, earthly role models and protectors, the ones that I needed the very most and who left the deepest impact because they failed so miserably, had "died." Their power over me could be put down.  I could put to rest the burdens of the past, and the memories of the people and events that didn't quite measure up...including the negative ways I was trained to view myself.  God was going to lead me now. 

I just want to say, right here, that accepting Christ doesn't mean immediately drastic, wonderful change.  As you step into obedience, the wonderful change is often revealed in the process.

I received all of these spectacular promises from God during a time that was not very spiritually nourishing.  I wasn't married, and my boyfriend was pressuring me to abort my baby.  A short time later, my son and I moved into a battered women's shelter.  With nothing but this new child and this new faith to cling to, I overcame that obstacle and used it as a bridge to carry me to one of the first lovely places in my life.

An exciting step toward this new creation I became in Christ was shedding the old title I had been burdened with and legally changing my name to Adalheid, which is the German form of Heidi, or princess.  I am a princess of the King of kings.  I am His daughter, and I know that when He made me, He smiled and said, "Now, this is good." and I have peace, knowing His plans for me are always for good.

Today, I am happily married to a wonderful man who first fell in love with my son.  We are a growing, Christ centered family, looking always toward Him as He lovingly and faithfully provides for us- sometimes in spectacular abundance, but always, at least, with our daily manna.  The Lord our God is faithful and always keeps His promises!

I have such a longing to reach out and give a bit back on behalf of the lovingkindness my Father has bestowed upon me, and so,   

I pray this testimony will be a bit of needed manna for you today.

~~~

If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do that right now.  Here are the three steps, and afterward, tell somebody!  Tell everybody!  Tell me!  I would LOVE to pray with you about making this amazing decision.

A. Admit you are a sinner.
"There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:10,23. (See Romans 5:8; 6:23.)

Ask God's forgiveness.
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Romans 10:13

B. Believe in Jesus
Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (See John 14:6.)

Become a child of God by receiving Christ."To all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 (See Revelation 3:20.)

C. Confess that Jesus is your Lord.
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (See verse 10.)