5 things I learned from a Loving Client

In thinking about how Heather impacted my life I realized there were so many things she taught me over the last few years.  God used her in mighty ways to encourage the hearts and lives of others and I was just one of the many who was touched by her love.  Heather taught so many people so many things… and even in the length of my last post I still don’t even feel like I began to scratch the surface into all the ways she blessed my life… I probably could write for weeks about all the things that she taught me and all the sweet stories that come to mind when I think of her, but there are 5 qualities that I think heather embodied, and things that she taught me.  Things I only hope that one day I can become more like the woman that she was and to also believe that I am a precious woman in Christ.  That was the way she encouraged me to see myself.

Heather taught me….

1. To Love…. a friend loves at all times… Proverbs 17:17
Heather was one of those friends who was always there no matter what.  You knew that no matter what time it was she was just a phone call, a text, or a short drive away.  She would listen to the same story over and over if that is what it took for you to be able to work through something.  She could sit for hours talking about problems in life and help talk through solutions.  Heather never wavered.  Her focus was on the Lord and she was quick to remind in times of trouble that He was the answer.  She found ways to let you know she was there.  She loved me when i was unlovable, and even during times of stress and depression when I was pushing everyone else away Heather was there.  She made you let her in to your life, but she did it in such a sweet and caring way.  She was that friend that if you went a few weeks without talking to each other you could pick right up where you left off, and she would want to know right off the bat, what was new in your life.  She loved people, and she genuinely cared about them before she cared about herself.  She was the type of friend to give sweet tough love though, when it was needed, but she constantly pushed me back to the Lord and to his promises.  Heather taught me, it is the most important thing in the world to take the Love Christ has given us, and to invest in other people, and their lives.  She taught me the importance to be there for people even when you have your own stress in life.  She taught me that life is short and you need to tell people how blessed you are to have them in your life and what their friendship means to you.  She taught me to be be sensitive to the people the Lord is laying on your heart. That one especially she showed me when she knew I had been going through some very hard times, there were some major things happening in my life that many people didn’t know about and i was retreating.  I didn’t want to be around people, I selfishly just wanted to sulk, and what did my sweet friend do, she showed up on my door step with candy and was persistent in loving me even when i didn’t want to be loved.  Heathers love was always unconditional… She loved people for who they were, where they were, and never expected anything more.


2. to pray for and encourage others – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thes. 5:11
Heather knew the importance of encouraging others and praying for them. There would be times when I was dealing with stress or something difficult that I would get a random text with the sweetest prayer written in it.  Heather knew the importance of praying specifically and sharing with others how she was praying for them.  Heather didn’t just tell people that she was praying for them she really prayed.  Her heart broke for people around her and the things they were facing.  She knew that allowing the Lord to handle these things was the most important thing.  She knew when i was discouraged and pulling away from the Lord, just a small reminder of scripture or an encouraging quote would lift my spirits.  She would invite me to come to revival and other things at church with her.  One night, Heather, Mary, and I went to revival together and God got a hold of my heart about some bitterness I was  harboring towards people and a situation that was weighing heavily on my heart that I wasn’t turning over to the Lord. Tears were streaming down my face and i bent over in my seat and buried my head in my hands and was praying, first i felt her finger tips gently scratching my back so I knew she was there and I knew she was praying, the next thing i knew she was bent over right beside me, wrapped her arm around me and I knew she was praying for me even though she had no idea exactly what I was praying for.


3. to be humble. all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1st Peter 5:5
Lets just all be honest here, anyone that knew Heather even just a teensy tiny bit, knows that she would totally have my head if she knew I had spent most of the evening writing these two blog posts, crying, making a fuss over her, and making other people cry because of her. That’s just how she was, she was one of the most humble people I have ever met in my entire life.  She didn’t think that things she did were ever special.  Like I said yesterday that she didn’t even see that she had an eye for photography even though others saw it.  She carried herself with such grace, she was humble and considered others better than herself.  She had her share of problems like everyone, when she shared things with me, I saw the honesty of her heart and the humility of her spirit.  She shared because she wanted prayer and someone to help carry her burden. She knew that scripture says to cast your cares on the Lord because he cares for you and also to help carry each others burdens.  Heathers quiet spirit, meekness, and gentleness, all flowed out of her humility.  She realized she was who she was and everything she had was because of the redemption the Lord had offered her when he saved her.


4. to be joyful For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? – 1 Thes. 2:19
Heather knew to be joyful was to be obedient to the Lord.  It was obvious in her smile, in the way she carried herself. in the way she helped others through things they were facing.  She constantly reminded me that my joy wasn’t found in the circumstances I was facing.  That my joy should be found in the Lord and in my salvation.  That joy is different than happiness.  You knew Heather had real joy , joy that could only be found in someone who placed their hope in the Lord, because even when she faced trying times she still found joy, she still found things to be thankful for and grateful for.  She found ways to share her infectious joy with others. Whether it was jamming out in the car, having a meaningful conversation, or just the selfie smiles she shared on Facebook, Heather was always sharing her joy with others.  She also would make sure that people knew that you can only have REAL joy when you are fully assured of your salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.


5. to trust God even when things don’t make sense- Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov. 3:5-6
Over and Over over the past few years Heather reminded me that the Lords ways are higher than mine…. there are more stories than I could ever tell of things she and I discussed about how i just didn’t understand and she would say JUST wait….trust Him … he has a plan.   There were so many things, even things that involved her leaving us, that God set in place more than a year in advance.  The place I was working, and the relationships with people she introduced me to who impacted my life beyond anything i could ever imagine.  Even things in my life not working out the way I always planned.  Things that made absolutely no sense, but she was right, some of these plans God has laid out before me as things worked out for our good and his glory, and I look back and see his hand the whole time.  She would encourage me in the things I didn’t understand to pray about them, to be honest, there were a lot of times it was a lot easier to just be sad, or frustrated, but she was right I needed to turn it over to the Lord and trust Him that  he has a plan.

As hard as loosing one of my dearest friends, in such a tragic way has been, its been really hard over the last few months to see the Lords plan in these things, but I know after hearing the stories people have told about Heather that her life was lived with purpose.  Her life here touched more lives than anyone could ever begin to count. She shared the love of God with others both in what she said but also in the way she lived her life.  The Lord truly used her life for his glory, and ultimately, as hard as it has been to loose her, I knew he even used her death for his glory.

I have realized over the past few months that we only have one life here on this earth and we need to live for the Lord and do everything we can to live with purpose.  These things that Heather taught me were mostly, just quietly lived out in her life because she loved Jesus, and it was just who she was.  Heather is completely at peace and is in the most joyful state she could ever enjoy.  She is living eternally at rest.  I know that if there are things she would want people to know, if she could tell them, is that if nothing else surrender your life to the Lord and live for him and then to love people because life is short. Tell people how you feel about them, because you may not have another chance, and live your life in a way that encourages others and points them toward faith and hope in the Lord.

Sweet girl – I miss you everyday.  There is not a day that goes by i don’t wish i could tell you something … but I am so grateful for all you taught me.  For the friends and “family” that you left in my life. And all the joy smiles and laughter that you brought into my heart.