What's Up Archives - Nikole Hahn

Changing Environments

A series on the Book of Esther

Taking a deep breath, I catch the scent of the mountain roses beginning to bloom along the trail and the Juniper trees, which are dropping their berries in a layer of baby blue on the ground. After a long winter, the air is warming, the plants are blooming, and the high desert is beginning to get some color. A little moisture from a random thunderstorm does wonders, like a little encouragement to a person’s soul.

Last week, we discussed Esther in the series’ first article. This week, I want to focus on what it means to emulate Esther’s faith. It starts with Proverbs 4:23:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Everything you do flows from your heart, and if your heart is heavily influenced by what you consume online, what you read, and who you are friends with, is the flow a pleasant stream in the desert, refreshing others and yourself? If it isn’t, it’s time to audit what or who you follow online and what you read and take stock of the character of your friends—the ones you are close to and lean on.

As Esther is swept into a harem of women, she is isolated from everything she loves, including the influences that molded her into the woman of God she is becoming. What strikes me about Esther is how she doesn’t allow the new environment to push her away from her faith. Esther wasn’t in an environment that worshiped her God or respected women. In fact, even as she became Queen, she did not let her new power corrupt her spirit.

As a hiker, I have come across trees or bushes growing out of a rock, and I am struck by their perseverance. A tree or plant will find ways to adapt to its environment by growing at an odd angle to catch the sunlight, or its roots finding a way to a water source to keep it replenished. When you are in a new environment, it’s vital to refresh your faith through godly friends, accountability, and joy. Joy is not dependent on the circumstances in your life but is a spring within that comes from the Lord.

So, take a moment to assess your environment:

Online: Does who or what you follow refresh your heart? Or is it making the flow from your heart putrid?
Do you allow trusted individuals to hold you accountable to a better standard?
Who is the influenced and the influencer in your life? If you are the one being influenced, is the person a worthy influencer, drawing you closer to the Lord?

Be Kinder Than You Feel

James 1:19-20 reads:

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

My focus zeroed in on “…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” When we respond in anger online, does that comment, private message, or post “…produce the righteousness that God desires?”

Being online gives people the feeling of invincibility. Between you and the person leaving a comment or posting a post is this false sense of anonymity. It’s often the case people will says things they wouldn’t say in person on social media, email, or text. It’s a good idea to slow down, pause, and ask yourself if your words will “…produce the righteousness God desires” in that person.

Social Media can give you the feeling of having your own personal paparazzi. It’s an incredible sense of power to have your own platform, to post whatever you want, from hating your job to the person you met at the grocery store; to the feeling of thinking you are the most important person in the universe. Serving in social media means I am far more aware of the power of my words, being in a ministry role.

The other parts of the two verses are equally important:

“…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”

Being glad when you’ve offended someone or taking pleasure in someone else’s hurt or misfortune is not the way and is dangerous ground to be on. Using your words as sucker punches tears down relationships, even pushes people away from the church. It says more about you than it does about the person you are angry with. So, be slow to speak and slow to allow yourself to become angry. Listen and ask questions instead, or “walk away” from the discussion.

What is most important to you? That you win an argument or that you win a person?

A colleague shared a quote from his daughter the other day, “Be kinder than you feel.” In speaking to my husband, I mentioned to him how grateful I am for this role and how I simply can’t share everything on my mind. In seeking to change how people use social media, I realized we should all have to exercise that kind of caution and feel that kind of burden. Billions of people don’t know Jesus, and those billions are online.

Walking in God’s Promised Tomorrow

The Lord says, “Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land. – Isaiah 43:18-19 NCV

Isaiah 43 speaks of comfort, of suffering that won’t last forever, of promises that God is all powerful and able to provide. The exile the Israelites were in would not last forever, and the passage encourages the Israelites to look forward to the new thing, a release from exile.

The phone call came early in the Summer of 2020. It was a phone call I spent five years waiting for, and I would go full time with WorldVenture that August. In that moment, it almost felt like a physical door closed and locked behind me, shutting out the past permanently, and a warm comforting affirmation of a future of serving with the Lord right where He wanted me. A loud and clear message, “No turning back now.”

We can and should lament the past, shed the tears, express the pain, and then move on, forgive, and embrace the future with the lessons learned from the past. God is doing a new thing, and in this passage, it is clear: You can’t move forward if you are mired in the wreckage of the past. The shadows will keep you from seeing all the good the Lord is doing in your life. Grief can visit, but it shouldn’t stick around. There’s too much living to do!

In contrast, Joshua 4:19-24 talks about remembering the past, but remembering what God has done. Twelve stones memorializing how God dried up the Jordon River so the people of Israel could safely cross were placed in the camp. “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” (vs. 24)

God wants us to remember what He did for us, but not dwell on the darkness of the past or the present hardships. The Bible talks about festivals and feasts, and stones because we need physical reminders to jog our memories, and if we truly see what the Lord has done and remember, it can bring relief. This changes our focus.

*Amy suffered from depression, grew up in an abusive family, and had major health issues. One day, she asked me, “Why didn’t God rescue me from them when I was young?” In our ensuing conversation, she discovered that God had provided a way out – her music. Amy loved to play the piano. Music made her feel close to the Lord. She worshipped and forgot her present circumstances.

Isaiah 43 is a comfort in a world where people want you to stay broken and ineffective. Instead, take intentional steps to move forward. Note how Isaiah 43:19 uses the words, “Look at the new thing I am going to do.” He said, “Going to do.” That’s a promise! And God always keeps His promises.

* Name changed

Photo: Yosemite in the Fall (Copyright Nikole Hahn)

Inspiring a Culture Change: The Impact of Doing Your Best Work

Imagine living in a place where doing something for others was only done if that person received something in return, like compensation, a favor owed, etc. That’s a real attitude in some cultures. But I’ve also discovered this in America, too. It’s usually in the workplace.

“They don’t pay me enough.”

“They owe me.”

“Somebody else can do it.”

In my reading of the Bible, I haven’t found something that said we shouldn’t do our best work if we aren’t paid enough.

I’ve seen many online posts about employment over the years. Rarely do posts about others going above and beyond expectations get as many likes or shares. More often than not, posts from people who hate their jobs gain more comments and likes. As a former Human Resources Assistant, I’m sure my name was dragged through social media somewhere, and I’m sure the story was interesting and inaccurate to the real situation. It needs to start with us if we want to see a culture change.

On Sunday, Pastor Wayne talked about influencers—the kind on social media who are motivated by likes and dollars. Our motivation should be to glorify the Lord, inspire people to be different, and set the example we wish to see in others. Our motivation should be love. After all, the Bible also applies to our online life, not just our in-person life.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:23-24

Doing our best also reminds me of Isaiah 39:8,

“‘The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,’ Hezekiah replied. For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my lifetime.’”

Hezekiah was only worried about the present time.

“A business can’t have unproductive people yet magically still have an immensely profitable business. Great businesses are built one productive person at a time.” – The One Thing by Gary Keller

As an employee, always keep your eye on the future. The decisions you make now can inspire a better culture over time, show non-Christians that Christians can be loving and do the right thing despite temptations to do the opposite and ensure the quality of your work. Whether you hate your job or love your job, your work matters.

A Shift in Attitude

Read Isaiah 38

“Then, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” – Isaiah 38:2-3

God told Hezekiah he would die and to set his house in order. Upon hearing this, Hezekiah wept bitterly. He turned his face to the wall to pray privately. The commentary discusses the difference in how Christians pray today under the New Covenant.

We have the assurance of Salvation, whereas the Old Testament required sacrifices, and the afterlife was not clearly understood. Death was naturally feared. Hezekiah is said to pray, saying how good he’s been and pleading for mercy, and this is said to be a normal way in the Old Testament to approach the Lord. Today, we pray differently.

“We pray in the name of Jesus (John 16:23-24), not in the name of who we are or what we have done.” (David Guzik, Blue Letter Bible)

God answered Hezekiah’s prayer and gave him 15 more years to do better as a man of faith and to set his house in order. This reminded me of the many times we are given mercy rather than consequences, but do we see it?

As a believer, I try to appreciate those moments of mercy, not because I deserve it or because I’m such a great person (I’m not), but because He loves me and is wise. He loves you, too. He loved you all the way to the cross. Maybe God’s acts of mercy in your life are because of something He sees in your future or someone else’s future. Mercy may be more beneficial in some way than the consequences.

Trust the Lord for the outcome amid terrible circumstances or wrestling with the aftermath of bad decisions. God gave Hezekiah 15 more years to do the right thing and get his house in order. Not many of us are given that kind of second chance. Death can come instantly. It’s too late to make better decisions or to accept Christ once death comes. Even on a Roman cross, a man can repent, and Jesus will accept Him into heaven at the last minute.

But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” – Luke 23:40-42 (MSG)

Pray in humility.
Pray with a healthy fear of God, that He is holy.
Trust the Lord. Pray for Him to help you with this.

Related Verses:

Verses regarding the man on the cross, click here.

A New Habit

I was reminded in reading “The One Thing” that habits take a long time to form. In talking to our writer’s small group, Roots, I am determined to do a new habit – a creative project for me.

My new habit will be writing one devotional a month. I’m also pursuing article publication. During my vacation, I will be thumbing through my Writers Market and brainstorming ideas. For me, it doesn’t matter if I publish here or with someone else.

For me, it’s all about God and you.

I want to encourage you. I know the blog has been lacking posts lately. My social media is more active than my website. This is the consequence of serving in social media for WorldVenture, and something most social media marketers lament on – how we just don’t have time for our own stuff because we’re so busy creating for someone else.

This habit will help build a spiritual discipline, too. In a recent trip to Colorado, I had a good conversation with some Global Workers and a pastor about Bible reading habits.

To give you a glimpse of my new reading habits…

I read a chapter in the ESV.
Then, I read a chapter in the NCV.
I follow that by reading a commentary on that chapter.
A devotional is written, summing up what I understand, and what I’ve learned.

Tune in tomorrow for tomorrow’s first devotional for August.

Dressing The Inner Woman

Women put a lot of effort into their outer appearance. When I try on a new outfit in the dressing room, the mirror tricks me into believing I really do look great in it, but the mirror at home will tell a different story. The right outfit gives us confidence, but it will never dispel the voices in our heads that say we’re not good enough. That’s where we need to work on our inner woman and study Scripture.

Using the right words in our heads is as important as what we write online, in our journals, or for devotional pieces like this one. We will read them again and again, the words imprinting upon our hearts, and Facebook will remind us of posts from a year or more ago.

Proverbs 18:21 ESV says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” The previous verse talks about making a living off words. This verse speaks to the power of words. Words can help another person find the confidence to serve or totally crush someone from their full potential. Likewise, the words we hear in our heads about ourselves are not valid. When I feel anxiety or put myself down, I must confront those words. Jesus loves us so much as women, and women were the first witnesses of the empty tomb.

We are creatures that crave deep connections. It’s no wonder that most women are active on social media. Our words matter to ourselves and others, whether in person, online, or in private conversation. That’s why it’s so important to pay closer attention to how we dress the inner woman. Go ahead, fix your hair, perfect your make-up, and wear an outfit that exudes confidence to people around you, but don’t forget your heart.

Start the day reading Scripture and write something positive on your social media. Let this imprint your heart so it’s more than just surface confidence that radiates from you, but the light of our Lord instead.

How To Effectively Communicate

Content Marketing Institute published 15 Digital Content Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Brand. I work with missionaries and churches in online communication. I picked a few items from Content Marketing’s list to connect ministry and secular marketing. While we do marketing, we must always consider it ministry to establish a genuine relationship with people.

First, you are the brand. Whether it’s a church or missionary, or a Christian non-profit. It is who you are. For ministry purposes, that’s how we define our own brands. It is how we differentiate ourselves from others.

“To instantly leave a memorable impression on your target audience, so they slowly but surely become familiar with your company and ultimately buy from you.” (coschedule.com on Brands)

Promotional Content

“The 80/20 rule has been cited as the effective social media content ratio. Focus 80% of your posts on informing and entertaining your followers, while just 20% should be about your business. Similarly, the five-three-two rule says for every 10 posts published, five should be curated from others’ content, three should be original to your brand, and two should be personal and fun to humanize your brand.”

Simply put…

Informing and entertaining can be about your ministry, Scripture, fun photos, cultural immersion, etc. Give value back to your audience. How can you minister to them? How can you minister to your community online? Be generous with your time. Teach and inspire!
20% a call to action to give or about events.
Share or screenshot and share and tag other content related to your brand, your area of ministry, or something valuable to your audience. Paraphrase and sum up another person’s post, tag, or share a link. Subscribe to news events in the area of your service to paraphrase mostly positive updates to your newsfeed.
Three original posts about your brand. This is content you create from scratch.
Two fun things that are personal. To build friendships in person, you find something in common. Do the same online.

Ultimately, the rule is not solid, Content Marketing says. Don’t feel you need to stick fast to this rule, but it’s a good guide, especially if you need to be more creative. Study your data online to know what your audience wants to see from you. Never listen to an expert if your data says to do something different. Do what works for your audience! Do what works to grow a new audience, too.

Emailing

Following along the lines of knowing your audience, typically once a month for churches and once a week to once a month for individuals, is a good guide for email communication with your audience. Larger organizations will have different schedules.

Even if you still need to go to the field, you must keep your name in front of people. Draw on your creativity to decide what to send out to foster solid friendships, or enroll in similar newsletters to see what they write and how they frame their stories. Below is what is true of communications between missionaries and their partners:

76% expect consistent interaction with a brand. Even though this is a secular market, I have found this to be true with missionary and partner relations.

Stay Away From Controversial Subjects

If you don’t wish to get boycotted, get an angry email, or want to keep relationships with people, be aware of trigger points with your audience. Content Marketing says to bring up highly polarizing and emotional topics only if it has something to do with your brand. And when you do, make sure you have researched the subject and keep a steadfast, calm, and loving tone online.

Once something becomes a debate, you’ve lost. Even if you win the battle, you’ve lost the war. You’ll get farther respecting the person as an image-bearer of God than with your self-defensiveness and anger. What is the most important thing your audience can take away from you? Is it because you care about them or your cause?

The Battle To Be Heard

My email accounts have hundreds to thousands of emails in them. The subject line is the most essential part of your email. It’s what will stand out from all your Best Buy, Hobby Lobby, and Hotel emails. It’s also an art form. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few times to get the subject line right and to see your open rates increase.

The commercial open rate is about 30%. It reaches a different audience than your social media, website, and direct mail. In Church Communication, we always say to use everything to get your information in front of people. Be the email they want to open!