Devotionals for the Heart: A Miracle

The Birth of a Miracle
A devotional by Heather Martin

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled.” 

Then the angel left her.” – Luke 1:38 (NIV)

Her name was Mary. 

She was young, a virgin, who was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.

As was customary in her culture, engagement was about a year long, and a time of celibacy, and just as binding as marriage.

I can imagine that Mary and Joseph were busy like most couples are when they are planning to be married soon. Maybe they had already asked friends and family to be groomsmen and bridesmaids. Perhaps they were getting a guest list together, and reserving a venue for the reception. And Mary, like most brides, had probably already picked out a gorgeous dress or some special clothes to wear. Maybe she had already gotten fitted for her gown or had at least starting thinking about what she would look like on that special day.

All of this planning was likely happening, until God's angel Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth. The Bible says in Luke 1:28 (NIV) that Gabriel appeared to her and said “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Well of course Mary was afraid and wondered what this greeting meant, but the angel told her not to be afraid because the news that he was about to give her was good news! Let’s read about what he said in Luke 1:30-33 (NIV):

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Wow! That was a loaded greeting! Naturally, Mary questioned how this could be since she wasn’t married and was a virgin.

The angel told her some news that would’ve caused the average person to be terrified and in awe same time! He explained that the Holy Spirit would perform a miracle in Mary and she would be become pregnant with the Son of God! He even told her that her cousin Elizabeth, who was older and had been unable to have children, would also have a child (John the Baptist)!

Now I can think of a million ways that I might have responded to all this crazy news! I would have been in disbelief, like wait a minute Mr. Gabriel, this can’t happen right now. I’ve got other plans, I’m about to be married! No thank you, I need to fit into my dress. My fiancé will never believe me! Why me? Why now? The timing is just so wrong!

But the Bible records Mary’s reply in Luke 1:38 (NIV): “I am the Lord’s servant, ... May your word to me be fulfilled.”

What a totally amazing response! Mary completely trusted God. She did not question His sovereignty. Without hesitation, she called herself a servant. A servant is someone who places the needs of others before their own. In fact, her humble response is probably the reason why God had chosen her to do the job in the first place. Her complete trust and willingness to be used by God is nothing short of a miracle itself.

How much do we really trust God?

Mary’s ability to trust God so completely and unselfishly was not born overnight. You cannot trust someone who you don’t know or spend time with, becoming acquainted with their character and ways.

I pray that we will know God and unselfishly trust the plans that He has for our lives, no matter how crazy they may seem.

Let’s Pray: Help us, God, to be willing and ready to be used by You. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University. 

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5.

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Healing

Fix The Leak: Let God Heal All Your Inner Damages
A devotional by Heather Martin

It was a perfect evening in our home, well as perfect as it could get.

We ate dinner on time, gave the kids baths, had worship, and even had time for a bedtime story. My husband and I could finally have some time to ourselves, so we turned the lights off in our younger kid’s bedroom and tiptoed out into the hallway to breathe a sigh of relief that they had finally gone to sleep, but what was that noise? It sounded like running water!

What could that possibly be? I ran downstairs to see if someone had left a faucet running downstairs in the kitchen only to peek into the breakfast room and find water literally pouring from the ceiling! In full panic mode, I yelled to my husband that we had a flood going on and we got to the bottom of it quickly. It was coming from our guest room toilet on the floor above that was overflowing. Turns out, someone had stopped up the toilet (with toys), flushed it and left it. I ran downstairs to the basement to see if all was well there and found that the room directly below the breakfast room had also flooded! What are the chances? Now we had floors of water damage!

In a panic we quickly figured out how to turn off the water to the house and called a plumber. By the time the plumbers arrived, we were able to stop the water and get most of it mopped up. We called our insurance company and found out that although the outward floors and walls were dry, in order to completely fix the damage, we had to address the water damage behind the walls. To restore things and repair the damage, we had to tear down walls to completely remove all water damage and insure the integrity of our foundation. For the next 6 weeks, because of the water damage, we had open ceilings, exposed wood frames, and dryers blowing on three floors of our house.

Finally, after the floorboards and wall frames were completely dry we had new dry wall, new carpet, and tile installed. The finished product was actually better and more to our taste than these areas of our house before the leak. Ha!

We all have some sort of damage from our childhood, past relationships, self-doubt, and past sins. Instead of addressing the inner damage and root cause, we often fix up the outside with nice clothes, and things, and sometimes force ourselves to smile and act as if there is nothing wrong, all the while we are so hurt and damaged on the inside. 

Here are a few verses that we can say to ask God to heal us from the inside out, say these aloud each day and ask God to help you deal with the damage on the inside:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” – Psalms 51:10-12 (KJV)

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
– Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)

“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” – Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)

Only God can take us through the process of fixing our inner damages.

Let Him in today.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5.

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Thrifting

Spiritual Thrifting
A devotional by Heather Martin

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

I’m not exactly sure if they loved thrift shopping because we were poor, or they just loved the thrill of finding good things at discounted prices. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Growing up, my mother and grandmother religiously made weekly visits to two thrift stores in our neighborhood with my sisters and I in tow.

Whether it was an old book, a pair of skates, a doll, jeans, a church dress (my all time favorite one that had ruffles and a bell on the bottom), or a shirt, I always found something I just couldn’t go home without! It felt like a weekly adventure that I learned to look forward to and love! This was the beginning of my love affair with thrifting. 

I have found some of my most treasured things at the thrift store. Recently, I was so excited to find a vintage Gucci purse at the thrift store for a whopping $3! I get joy when someone walks into my house and admires this beautiful picture that I found at a thrift store. It is exhilarating! I could go on and on, but you get the point, I love thrifting!

In case you’re beginning to wonder what this has to do with God, here it comes…I highly recommend thrifting, but not when it comes to your relationship with God.

It can be so easy to go to church and listen to a sermon without going home to study the Bible for yourself. That’s spiritual thrifting. Or to listen to someone else’s testimony without being introspective. That’s spiritual thrifting. Becoming a member of a church not because you are convicted of the message, but because it is a family tradition. That’s spiritual thrifting.

Am I saying that spiritual thrifting is entirely wrong? No. I am just suggesting that the basis of our relationship with Jesus should be personal, not passed down or “thrifted.”

Don’t get me wrong, we do need and use the testimonies and experiences of others to help make us stronger, and better Christians. However, God wants each of us to have a personal relationship with Him (2 Corinthians 5:18). He also wants us to work! 

According to 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT), He wants us to “work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”

The God who “knows how many hairs are on our head” (Matthew 10:30) and “knew us when we were being formed in our mother’s wombs,” (Jeremiah 1:5) desires for us to know Him just as intimately and personally.

There is a gospel song that says “I had a praying grandmother,” and this is great. But will you pray? Will you study God’s Word (The Holy Bible) for yourself?

Would you want a doctor to operate on you if He could only tell you of the experiences his fellow doctors had doing the surgery? No, you’d want the doctor who actually had tons of experience doing the surgery himself to do your operation because he has an experience that equips and qualifies him for the job.

As a Christian, it is our duty not to solely rely on the testimonies and prayers of others, but to have our own personal encounters with God. It will make us more powerful and qualified to live this life, and be a witness to others.

Don’t allow your relationship with Him to be completely second-handed or thrifted. Get to know God on a first hand basis and oh, the treasure you will find!

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5.

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Listen

God Still Speaks
A devotional by Heather Martin

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

— John 10:27 (NASB)

Listen.

God still speaks.

But the question is, “Are you listening for His Voice?”

Reading the Bible sometimes used to make me envious of the direct contact others had with God.

He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He spoke to Moses and helped him write the Ten Commandments.

God was always showing up and during His time on earth, so many people had the opportunity to talk to Him, touch Him and directly, and rather tangibly feel Him. However, as I’ve grown older and my relationship with Him has grown deeper, I’ve realized that God is always speaking to me too, even if I cannot see Him face-to-face.

Sometimes it’s easy to recognize His voice and other times I question if I’m listening to myself.

There have been so many incidents that I can recall Him speaking and interacting with me! One such incident happened about three years ago.

My husband and I were casually looking for a bigger house for our growing family. I say “casually” because we were praying about it but not in any hurry, unless it was just the right house and situation.

We saw a house that we both were interested in and decided to go have a look. Within moments of stepping into the house I’d already written it off!

All of the flaws stood out: I didn’t care for the traditional style of the house. It was too outdated. The wallpaper was all over the place. It had a gaudy fireplace, green walls, carpet in the kids rooms, etc. By the time we’d walked through the whole house, we were sure it was not going to work for us. This was on a Friday afternoon. By Saturday morning, my husband and I brushed our teeth in silence and then looked at each other with these crazy grins.

He said, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I said, “That house?!” He said, “Yes!”

Since we both couldn’t get that house out of our minds, we decided that we had to go see it again!

They were having an open house the next day on Sunday, so we contacted our realtor that night to tell her that we wanted to go see this house.

Based on the area and some other biases, she tried talking us out of it. She sent us at least 50 other homes to look at instead! We insisted and told her how we felt led to that house and would like her to come with us. She agreed and met us there.

This time when we walked through the front door I still noticed the flaws, but when we got to the kitchen, I saw it with new eyes. I had this feeling that something important and special would take place there. I can’t explain it, but it was as if God was speaking directly to me and I found myself asking Him questions aloud, right there during the open house.

I said aloud, “But I don’t really like the finish on the cabinets, and do you think we could change the countertops?”

Our realtor was quick to answer and quiet me because she feared that our serious inquiries would cause the other people to take interest in the house too.

Looking back on this time, I realize that God was speaking to my husband and I as He set us up for the next phase of our lives…especially concerning our children.

All four of our children have severe food allergies. I cook and bake special recipes everyday to keep them healthy and safe. Therefore, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and since we moved into this house, God has impressed me to use this kitchen as a stage.

I not only prepare meals for my family there, but I started a YouTube Channel called, “Chef Mommy.”

Each week I share with hundreds of people via my YouTube Channel, recipes and tips to cook healthy meals that are allergen friendly.

It turns out that the kitchen was perfect for taping because the stove is on the island, which allows me many angles to video the cooking.

Although I did end up changing the countertops and painting the cabinets, it has been such a blessing not only to my family and I, but to so many people.

When I get discouraged about communicating with God and wondering if He hears me, or still speaks, I remind myself of this time and so many other times when He’s spoken to me so loud and clear!

What about you? How has God spoken to you?

I’m so glad that God still speaks!

We just need to listen and recognize when it’s Him.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5.

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Ministry

Food and Fellowship: Powerful Tools of Ministry
A devotional by Heather Martin

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” –Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)

We were newlyweds and had just moved to a city where we had no family.

My husband and I were both raised in the church, and so the one thing we knew that would be a great balance for us would be to find a good church.

I can still remember going to this church for the first time together as husband and wife. From the moment we walked through the door we were met with so many hugs, smiles, and genuine welcomes. I had never met more friendly people in my life! They were so kind and warm. After the service was over, several people had invited us home for dinner. We were blown away by the kindness of strangers.

After we returned home and talked about it, we thought surely they were only this nice to us because we were new, but it never stopped. We lived there for seven years, and this kindness never stopped. We spent time at someone’s house for potluck or some kind of dinner every week! Rarely did we go home alone. We formed friendships and alliances with people that only drew us closer to God and helped to strengthen our new marriage.

It’s been several years since we moved away from Cincinnati, but the memories of how that church family loved on us has left an indelible impression on our lives. It must be what Christ meant when He said to love one another, and not to forsake fellowship with your brothers and sisters.

Over the years, because of my husband’s job, we have moved to quite a few cities and we have yet to find a church family like that one. It has been hard not to compare each church to our Cincinnati one. We often found ourselves complaining and disappointed with the lack of love and fellowship at the churches we’ve attended since then. Until recently, God sent someone to help remind us that if things are not the way you’d like them to be, then sometimes you have to create the change you want to see.

I got a call from an old college friend of mine telling me that her son would be in town for the summer doing a dental program at a local university here. She asked if we could please look out for him and if possible, pick him up for church each week. Without hesitation we agreed! It would be our honor to get to know him, pick him for church and provide him with a good meal after church while he was here.

This meant I would need to cook dinner each week, something that I had not been doing regularly. It also made sense to invite other people over for dinner too, since there would be plenty of food to share. For one month straight, I cooked dinner after church and hosted several people at our home. It was nothing fancy, but each time I prayed and asked God to help the people to enjoy themselves, and especially the food, and they did!

I am thankful that my friend asked us to look out for her son. This sparked something inside of me! When Jesus was on earth He was constantly changing people’s lives, healing, and ministering to people, and so many times food was involved. He went to a wedding feast and turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). He served the disciples their first communion using bread and wine (Luke 22:19-20). And who can forget how He used one little boy’s lunch of fish and bread to feed 5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21)?

Food and fellowship can be powerful tools of ministry!

I may not have dinner at my house every single week, but I will make an effort to invite people over at least once a month.

When I host and feed people in my home, it makes me remember the love and warmth I felt back in Cincinnati when those church folks were so kind to us. It also made me realize that if we want to experience love, we’ve got to be the ones to give love.

Maybe you’ve moved to a new place, or you’ve been feeling alone because no one has invited you home or befriended you. Whether it is at church, or anywhere, I want to encourage you to use the power of food and fellowship to change your situation.

Plan a meal! It doesn’t have to be an extravagant affair. Your house doesn’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to be an award-winning chef. Pray while you prepare your meal, and invite the most important guest first, Jesus Christ. 

Then take the leap to invite someone over for dinner!

You will make a difference in your life and somebody else’s by showing God’s love through food and fellowship.

God bless you, your home and your heart!

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5.

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Obedience

A Lesson in Obedience: The Reason Why I Sing
A devotional by Heather Martin

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”–1 John 5:3 (NIV)

I grew up in a family of singers. 

My mom, brother, sisters, uncles ... everybody could sing!

I was in the second grade when I realized I could sing too. I went to a Christian school and every morning we had worship and sang songs. It was during one of those times that I could hear my own voice clearly and I liked the sound of it. My mother had a beautiful voice and a real love for music and encouraged us to sing and use our gifts daily. We had worship at home every evening and singing was a huge part of it. Neighbors would gather close to our screen door to hear the music coming out of our living room each day.

I sang at school, at home, and at church. I sang alone and in many groups and choirs. I loved singing, but we had grown up poor, and I had seen how hard it was to make a good living being an artist. So I had determined that when I went to college I would never study anything that had to do with music.

When I was a junior high school, two of my sisters were in school at Oakwood University and sang in a gospel girl group with two of their friends. Unbeknownst to them, a representative from a major record label was sitting in on their rehearsals and was very impressed with their music. She offered them a record deal and they became the first gospel girl group on the label. I was so excited and happy for them!

I enjoyed watching them work with, and record with artists I had listened to my whole life. I can still remember screaming when I heard them on the radio for the first time and loosing my mind seeing them perform on television. I am sure I was their biggest fan! Still I had no desire to be a singer, I was going to be a teacher first, and then maybe a speech pathologist or dentist. Being a singer was far from my mind.

Fast forward to a few months after my college graduation. One of the singers in my sister’s group decided to quit and they asked me to take her place and join. Without hesitation, I immediately declined and reminded them of all the reasons why I had no interest in being a singer. I was especially concerned about taking the place of such a phenomenal singer. That would be impossible! People would constantly compare me to her, and maybe I would not be good enough. I wanted to make a paycheck that I could rely on. My list of “why not’s” was so long! I was not taking this invitation seriously because my mind was already made up.

I discussed my decision with a friend who is a member of a Grammy awarding winning male acapella group. He had joined this group by replacing a member who had decided to quit as well. He encouraged me to take the invitation seriously by going to God in prayer. He told me to stop talking about it and not to let anyone know I was praying about it. So one weekend, I decided to do just that.

That same weekend, after church, I was in my room praying when my mother knocked on the door and handed me a book to read. I took the book, flipped through the pages and landed on a section that seemed as if it were written specifically for me and my situation. I was stunned!

I had told God that I didn’t want to sing, and gave Him all of my reasons and I was praying in hopes that He would confirm that I was right. But instead He told me not to be afraid, that He actually loves using people who have insecurities because they will be more likely to trust Him. He also said don’t worry about money, seek my kingdom first and all these things will be added unto you.

Wow! In that moment I felt like Jonah, a prophet in the Bible who God had called to deliver a specific message to a group of people. He was disobedient and ran in the opposite direction of where God told him to go. Consequently, he boarded a ship, got thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale and was in the belly of this big fish for three days and three nights before he finally obeyed. Anyway, just like Jonah, I couldn’t ignore the calling he’d placed on my life to sing and so clearly showed me that day in my room.

I accepted the invitation to be a member of the group Virtue, and now 20 years later, I still don’t regret saying yes to God’s calling on my life.

It has not been an easy, glamorous ride all the time, but every time I get up to sing, I have the assurance that it is where I am supposed to be because He told me so. Being obedient takes courage, faith, and a relationship with God that is renewed and strengthened daily.

What are you running from today? Has God called you to do something and you’ve been too scared to do it? Do you have a list of all the reasons you will fail?

I want to encourage you to seek His will and jump in. And for goodness sake, don’t make Him send a whale to swallow you before you obey!

Be obedient, and if you must, do it scared.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelor's Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. 

In 2016, Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle. 

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Plants and the Master of Deception

The Hose, The Frog, And The Fern
A devotional by Heather Martin

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes."

–Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)

I love plants!

My husband and I have planted some new things around our yard this summer like some beautiful hydrangeas, waxed leaf ligustrum trees, strawberries, herbs and tomatoes. 

Recently, we decided to hang gigantic Boston ferns from our covered porches.

The most needy of our new plants have proven to be the ferns! They require lots of water, almost every day or else you can quickly notice the leaves will begin to brown and shed. Every day, we do the work to climb in between the bushes that line the side of our house to turn on the hose and bring it up to the porch to water the ferns.

I am always on guard when I step between the bushes, being careful not to unexpectedly tread upon a snake or another creature! As I squeezed through the bushes this time was no different. I reached my hand in to turn on the water, and as I did, I came face to face with a frightened small green frog that was happily hiding behind the gutter that hangs right in front of the water spout.

Frightened, I jumped back as quickly as I could, leaving the hosepipe to do a spraying-water–everywhere-dance! I kept reasoning with myself that I was brave enough to go back in there and turn it off. As I peeked back in behind that gutter where the little frog was, he looked as scared as me and as if he were thinking, “Please don’t see me, please don’t see me.” Anyway, I petitioned my husband to come to the rescue and turn off the hose for me.

Sometimes, things aren’t really what they seem at first glance. Especially in nature! Every day, we probably come into contact with animals and insects that are made to camouflage and so we never see just how close we are to them. Thank goodness it was only a frog, but this little frog got me to thinking about how sneaky Satan is.

Satan is always trying to disguise himself, to camouflage himself into our lives in hopes that we don’t recognize him. He would love for us to believe that he doesn’t even exist!

Just like that little green frog, Satan blends into our lives through our every day activities such as social media, music, TV shows, recreation, food, etc. and he says, “Please don’t see me, please don’t see me.” He is the master of deception and seeks to take over our lives in even subtle ways. It is his aim to permeate every area single area of our lives, through every single sense. And everyone is free game for him.

But there is hope for us because with God’s help, we cannot be deceived!

Here is a short list of ways in which you can identify where Satan might be camouflaging himself in your life:

#1: Shine a light.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” –Psalm 119:105 (NIV). Spend some time reading God's Word (The Holy Bible) every day.

#2: Guard yourself.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” –1 Peter 5:8 (NIV). Pay attention and be aware of people, situations or things that make you feel far from God.

#3: Pray.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” –Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV). Just like I had to call for my husband to rescue me, we can call on God anytime because He is waiting to help us.

So as you go through your day, know that Satan is looking to blend into your surroundings to cause fear, self-doubt, and to cause you to fall. But be encouraged and ask for God’s protection, it will surround you on every side.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: A story about a mother's prayer and a miracle!

A Mother’s Prayer
A devotional by Heather Martin

“And this is the confidence we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” –1 John 5:14 (NIV)

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.”

 –Psalm 34:7 (NIV)

Seems like I have heard this story my entire life, on several occasions, but somehow, I never get tired of hearing her tell it, so I’ll share it with you.

It was 1960. She was 18 years old and newly married. She didn’t belong to any church and wasn’t super religious, but she knew how to pray.

She gave birth to her first child, a son, and she fell in love with this chubby little boy instantly. With a fat face, red cheeks, and sandy hair, he was perfect!

At around six months old, she noticed he wasn’t feeling very well. He had a fever. After doing all she could to help him get better, she decided it was best to take him to the hospital.

When she arrived at the hospital, they ran tests and decided to rush him to an isolation unit because he was contagious with something called spinal meningitis. Spinal meningitis is an infection of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Once infection starts it can spread rapidly throughout the body. If untreated, it can cause brain damage in a matter of hours and can be fatal within 24 hours.

Although she didn’t understand it all fully and had never heard of this disease, she felt in her heart that he would get better. However, as the weeks in the hospital passed, she began to lose hope. Would he ever get well? She was exhausted, barely sleeping, and never wanting to leave her baby at the hospital alone.

One day a nurse convinced her that everything would be okay and to just go home to take a shower. So she did, and no sooner than she stepped out of the tub, the phone was ringing. It was the doctor on the other line telling her that if she wanted to say goodbye to her baby, she’d better hurry back to the hospital.

Her in-laws drove her to the hospital, and when they arrived the doctors began to ask if there was a family plot and where her baby would be buried. He was hardly breathing, couldn’t move, couldn’t cry, so sick and he seemed as if he was about to take his last breath.

They removed all the IVs and his little body looked so limp and lifeless. They rolled his bed out into the hallway and she followed, leaving the doctors and her in-laws in the room to talk about the funeral.

While in the hallway, the only prayer she remember saying was “Lord don’t let my baby die.” Before she finished this prayer, she says it was like something out of the movies, a cloud of white smoke appeared and the hospital hallway doors swung open. A man she’d never seen came through doors and touched her baby then disappeared.

Her baby began to cry and scream and look up at her! He was full of life in seconds! The doctors came running out of the room to see what had happened. She was in a daze because she herself was stunned at what just happened. God had sent an angel to touch her baby and heal him.

The doctors were in disbelief, so they ran tests and told her that she could probably expect him to be mentally delayed and not live a productive life. Well, 59 years later, and my Mother still reminds my only brother George to live the right life because when she prayed, God saved him by the touch of an angel.

Maybe you’ve been praying for something to happen and given up hope today. Maybe you’ve never prayed or not sure if you believe in prayer. Maybe you pray, but you don’t really believe that anything will happen.

Whatever the circumstance, I hope this story inspires you to pray and watch God give you a testimony to tell for years to come.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Highlights

Highlight The Important Stuff!
A devotional by Heather Martin

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” –1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

When I was a student in college, I had a professor who we affectionately called “Shane the Man.” He was everything you’d imagine an old school player to be made of: He was full of phrases that included the word “jive.” He was tall, dark, handsome, well dressed for the 1970s, smelled good, and smooth talking. He taught the first Bible class I took and every day right after prayer, he’d begin with this phrase, “people forget, but paper remembers, so take notes, and highlight the important stuff.”

A few weeks ago, a popular rapper named Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in Los Angeles, CA. I had never heard of him until the day he died. His death has shaken the entire world, but especially his community at large. He had a rough past that included him being apart of the notorious Crip gang of Los Angeles. In his music, he speaks about the harsh truths of the reality of growing up in a bad environment (drugs, crime, promiscuity, etc.).

However, it is so interesting that Nipsey had an awakening that caused him to turn his life around and invest his fame and fortune into a goal of making the world a better place.

He set out to change the lives of young people just like him by not only encouraging them to make good decisions, but creating physical spaces that would allow them to be in a positive environment.

If you listen to some of the lyrics to his music, you could easily judge him by his mistakes. But the way that the world is remembering him speaks to his true character: the good things he did, the highlights, the important stuff.

As I got to thinking about Nipsey and his life, I thought of the lives of Saul and David in The Holy Bible. When the people of Israel demanded a king, Saul was anointed by Samuel and God to be the first king of Israel. But Saul was disobedient to God and God rejected him as king. Then Samuel secretly anointed David to take Saul’s place. Saul was furious and was determined to kill David. 

The Bible book of Samuel tells the stories of how both David and Saul were incredibly flawed men. At different times in their lives they were murderers, idolaters, adulterers, liars, and did all kinds of wrong. However, even though all the bad they did was included in their stories, a stronger emphasis is placed on the highlights: the important stuff, the times they allowed God to lead them and the good that they did. 

Everyone has a past, or something that’s not so pleasant about them, and sometimes it can be easy for us to judge ourselves and other people by the bad stuff. The bad stuff can make you look at a person funny and expect the worst from them or yourself.

Today, I encourage you to look for the good in people and in yourself then highlight it because it’s the important stuff!

This is exactly how God looks at us: He looks beyond our faults and highlights the good in us.

Won’t you try to see the good and highlight the important stuff too?

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University.

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Surprise!

A Surprise that was Meant to Be
A devotional by Heather Martin

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” 

–Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Before having our third baby, my husband and I decided this would be the last child. There were many reasons why we came to this conclusion, one being that I had already delivered our first two children via C-section and in a few weeks we were scheduled to deliver baby number three via another C-section. Needless to say, this was no fun way to deliver, but I guess there is no fun way to deliver!

They say you have this feeling when you should stop having children, and I just wasn’t sure if I felt like we were really done. We went over and over all of the reasons why it wasn’t a good idea to have another child but for some reason I had this tiny feeling that we weren’t done. But after many conversations with my husband, we decided that going to the urologist to have a vasectomy was the best idea for our family.

My husband has a wonderful friend who is an urologist and performs hundreds of vasectomies a year. We were living in Nashville, and his office was about an hour and a half away so we would drive to have it done there. I was 9 months pregnant and was not very excited about the idea of getting in a car to ride more than ten minutes, but my husband reassured me that this was the right time to do it.

Taking the trip wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined. We had a chance to talk more about it and by the time we got to the doctor’s office we both felt ready to do this and just like that, we closed an era of our lives together, I would only give birth to three children. We would be a family of five, or so we thought.

Our third baby arrived and he was BIG, 9 lbs. 3 oz.! He was beautiful, mild mannered, happy, and sweet! When he was 8 months old, we packed up and moved to Birmingham, Alabama. My husband had finally finished all of his medical training and had accepted his very first job as a certified pediatric surgeon. Our kids were growing, we were happy and settling in, and then…I started feeling kind of weird.

I never once considered that I could possibly be pregnant again! The signs were so clear but I ignored them because I had put all of my trust in that vasectomy. But I should have known something was up when I couldn’t stand to smell the scent of my sister’s mild perfume. For some reason I absolutely hated the smell of it and I couldn’t stomach it!

I felt extra tired all the time, but that seemed normal because I had a baby, and two other little ones. Then, I should really have known something was different for me because I was breastfeeding my 8-month-old baby and my hair started falling out. That was strange! After a few weeks of feeling “weird” I reluctantly decided to get a pregnancy test, just to be sure. But I was completely positive that this couldn’t possibly be the cause of all these weird symptoms I was experiencing, I just wanted to mark it off the list. So I took the test and to our complete SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE, it immediately read positive!

We could not believe it! How could this be? It was certainly a miracle! A miracle that only happens less than 1 percent of the time. We had made our plans, but God had other plans for our lives. He knew that our family would not be complete without Charlie. And now we can’t imagine our lives without this little boy who is funny, sweet, cuddly, smart, and loves to preach. We joke that this kid better be the next Barack Obama, or Moses!

But one thing we know for sure is that he is a very special surprise gift to us from God. He was meant to be. We make our plans but truly, God’s plans are the best!

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University. 

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Lost Keys, Prayers and God's Protection

The Lost Keys
A devotional by Heather Martin

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

God hears our prayers and answers for our good.

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand why God answers the way He does and in the timing that He chooses, but we just need to trust that when our prayers aren’t answered when we expect, God is protecting us and it will be for our good.

I had to believe this on a morning when my sweet husband misplaced his keys! Now he often misplaces his keys, wallet, and I.D. for work. I joke with him that if he had a place to put all these things, like a man purse, this problem might be solved! Surely if I didn’t have a purse or place to house all of my things I might lose them more often too.

Anyhow, we usually whisper a prayer and locate those keys before he has to go to work, but not today! We looked right up until the last minute and those keys would not turn up. We prayed the whole time and I don’t know why they didn’t just turn up like usual. Frustrating, yes! But we both hopped in my school bus, I mean my truck, (it just feels like a bus since I drive four kids around every day) and headed to drop him off at work. I came home and searched high and low for those keys, I mean I looked every possible place you can imagine, and my Mom even helped me to tear the house up, still no keys. In my head, I would find those keys and have my Mom follow me to his job to drop off his car so he could be free to come home at his leisure. No such luck!

The last time he lost his keys, God impressed us to look in the garbage just before it was going to be picked up, and there were his keys! Surely if God could show us where those keys were then, He would certainly help us find them before the day was over. However, we still couldn’t find them all day! It was time to pick him up from work and I was disappointed to tell him that God had not answered our prayers to find the last set of keys we owned to his car. We would have to spend a couple hundred dollars to replace that set of keys!

When we finally reached home again, I was cooking dinner and I whispered a prayer in my head to help Colin find those keys, let him wake up in the morning and be on his chest, I prayed. No sooner than I finished this thought, Colin walks into the kitchen holding his keys! Wow! That was a quick answer! Had God just gotten tired of us asking and begging Him all day and just said, “Alright, alright. Let me let help him find those keys now. He’s suffered enough!”

My husband’s keys were hiding in a box that I don’t think any of us would have thought to look in (courtesy of one of our loving kiddos)! It was only God’s grace that allowed my husband to look in a small box that a toy came in to find his keys. A box that should’ve been thrown in the trash!

I believe that God was protecting Colin from something that day. He was looking at the bigger picture, looking into the future, like only He can and changing it for his good. I believe he was stopping something that could have been tragic. It was no coincidence that those keys would not turn up until we were all at home safe and sound.

When we get to heaven, I can’t wait to ask God why He wouldn’t let Colin find his keys to drive his car to work on June 3, 2017. I trust God. I believe that He hears every prayer because He does. We may not understand the ways or timing He chooses to move in, but we can have peace knowing that we have a Heavenly Parent (God) who is looking out for our best. We can rest assured that our Heavenly Father knows best.

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! 

She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University. 

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy-nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have four children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm

Devotionals for the Heart: Stuck

Stuck
A devotional by Heather Martin

The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." ~Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

As a singer, I have spent many New Year’s Eves at various churches sleepily awaiting our turn to sing for the midnight service. As a side note, I am not a night person and I have a hard time staying awake beyond a certain hour, and midnight is very much past that hour for me! 

Anyway, this particular service stands out vividly in my memory. It was a really cold night in Baltimore, Maryland, at an old church. We had gone to this church several times over the years to sing because the Pastor and family were dear friends of ours. We always enjoyed ministering to the youth there. Although it was a midnight service, many of our relatives came out to support my sisters and I as we rang in the New Year in song. The service began with a short sermon that was very inspiring. We were encouraged to think of all the ways God had blessed us during the year and to pray for a year that would be even greater! 

After the sermon, we were asked to come up and sing a few songs and it was timed perfectly to begin the New Year with a bang! When we sang the last song, balloons dropped and confetti flew all around the church. Everyone praised, and thanked God for a new start. It was a wonderful, uplifting way to bring in the New Year. 

After the concert was over, the kind ushers and ladies who’d been assisting us led us to an old elevator. And as I see it, our judgments had to be impaired by our sleepiness for all of us to think it was safe to pile onto an ancient, tiny elevator to reach the basement. As we entered the elevator everyone made jokes about how old it looked and how we hoped we wouldn’t get stuck, yet we all hurried in and pressed the button. Mid-way into our descend, the elevator abruptly stopped! 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I exclaimed.

I tried not to panic, when meanwhile, an older sister who’d come to support us was freaking out. She was holding my niece, a baby at the time, and saying that she could not breathe. I looked again and she was trying to lift the roof of the elevator and ripping off her sweater. It is funny now, but in those few minutes that we were not moving and could feel the old cords of the elevator bounce, it was quite scary. It only took five minutes for the deacons to rescue us safely from the elevator, but it felt like forever! When we were finally out of that elevator we were so thankful that we weren’t trapped for longer and that no one was hurt.

What a way to bring in the New Year! Our night had mimicked the cycles of life. We started on a high, celebrating and then ended up stuck in an elevator, worried and in the face of danger, then back to safety. Life is always going to be full of ups and downs, highs and lows. Some days you may feel like life is so great, like a New Year’s Eve celebration, like you are flying on top of the world: like getting a raise, a new car, having a baby, getting married, or celebrating a birthday. Other days you may feel like you’re trapped in an elevator: worried, depressed, running out of options, sad because you’ve lost a loved one, facing health issues or dealing with a seemingly impossible situation.

Today I want you to be encouraged that no matter where you are in life, there is one thing that will never change, God is with you all the time. Although life can be unpredictable, He wants so desperately for you to feel His arms of love wrapped around you every step of the way. And we can rest assure that although we can’t see the future, and cannot always plan for these “stuck in the elevator experiences,” He saw it long before it happened and has already made a rescue plan for you. He wants to guide you to safety. 

Won’t you let Him rescue you today?

~*~
Author Bio:

Heather Martin was born the last of six siblings in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by an amazing single mother (Rebecca Trotter) and was taught at an early age to love God and how to sing! She graduated from Oakwood University with a Bachelors Degree in Language Arts Education and later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Kaplan University. 

Shortly after graduating she followed God’s call to minister. She joined the Stellar, Dove, and Grammy nominated gospel group Virtue, which was founded by her two older sisters Ebony Holland and Karima Kibble several years prior. Virtue has used their talents to spread the love of God across the world! They have recorded 7 studio albums and have been the recipients of numerous awards.

God has not only blessed Heather professionally, but personally. She met her husband, Dr. Colin Martin, and they have been married for 14 years. They have 4 children: Colin Jr. 11, Harper 10, Clark, 7, and Charleston 5. In 2016 Heather started an online blog and vegan and allergen-friendly cooking channel called “Chef Mommy.” Heather (Chef Mommy) has cooked with numerous celebrities and top chefs to spread the news of healthy cooking and lifestyle.

In addition to this busy schedule, Heather enjoys, running, reading, writing and spending time with her family.

~*~
Connect with Heather:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherTMartin
Instagram for Heather: https://www.instagram.com/thechefmommy/
Instagram for Virtue (Heather’s singing group): https://www.instagram.com/virtuegirls
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chefmommyhm