Tag: Nikole Hahn

Fig Leaf and Apple Ideas

In Billy and Dom Eat The World (Season One, Episode 6), they visited an ice cream shop known for unusual ice cream flavors such as fig leaf and apple, blackberry licorice, Vegemite and honey, and others. It’s a vegan ice cream shop that focuses on experimentation. Some flavors I would be totally on board to try include salted caramel and peanut butter. As I watched them taste those unusual flavors, it struck me — social media works the same way. You never know what will resonate until you experiment.

We can and should experiment with different ways to get our content in front of people, but people often default to familiar platforms and habits, like they do when choosing an ice cream flavor. It’s good to ensure you have a way to measure the success of your efforts through analytics and engagement.

  •  Is the content easy to find? Too many steps to find it, and you lose people.
  •  Are you posting consistently? Frequency builds familiarity.
  •  Are people engaging — liking, sharing, or commenting? Engagement tells you what’s working.

If it isn’t working, let it go. Try something else.

So have fun experimenting with different forms of communication and maybe try the “fig leaf and apple” ideas. But remember, success in digital communication isn’t about novelty alone; it’s about knowing your audience and serving them what they’ll truly savor.

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Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

Another article in my Esther series

Rainy days are de-motivators like bad days at work or a text message that ruined your day. While rainy days give you every reason not to take that walk for your health, other de-motivators can kill your mood and creativity. And when it’s work or ministry, no one else is going to do your job. You must find your drive and inspiration.

There’s a scene in “One Night With The King” where Esther stands in the garden facing Hegai and vents her dissatisfaction with the “beauty treatments.” The Book of Esther doesn’t have this in it, but the movie reminds us of the importance of a job well done. Esther is one of 400 women and she wants to be chosen. The real life Esther fell back on her faith for strength. She accepted the challenges of her new surroundings and worked forward.

Forward momentum is where you stop looking back on the way things were and make decisions, even small ones, on the way things are, and that’s movement in the right direction. How can you make the role or job better?

Esther was chosen for her beauty because the King only valued beauty, but it was her intellect that stole his heart. Character finds a way where obstinance gets lost in its own bad attitude. Character is defined as, “one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual.” A volunteer, employee, or ministry leader with good character is essential to an organization’s success. When you lack inspiration because of current conditions, it’s important to remember whom you labor for, and find the energy to do the job well.

Finding inspiration can look like several things:

  • Audit your social media so inspiring content is also in your newsfeed. Negative content, even helpful memes that reflect what you are going through, do not help you in moving forward or finding new inspiration.
  • Make a list. Start with the simplest piece first and work your way down.
  • Change your environment. If you work remotely, bring your laptop to a coffee shop. Do your work there.
  • Lift up another employee or volunteer with your words.
  • Do the right thing.
  • Read your Bible.
  • As a ministry leader or employee, pray Matthew 6:13 to not be led into temptation.

It’s important to note how Haman had the opportunity to be an influence for the greater good of the Persian kingdom but chose his own ambitions versus the example of Esther. She demonstrated humility, desiring instead to do what was right before God.

“Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king: It sounds wonderful – a year of constant spa treatments. Yet the destiny of these women should also be considered: one evening with the king. If he chose them from the 400 others to be his queen, then she would be his companion (until she displeased him). As for the 399 who lost, they were banished to the harem where they stayed the wife or the concubine of the king, but rarely, if ever, saw him afterwards. And they were never free to marry another man, essentially living as a perpetual widow.” – David Guzik

Condemning Yourself

“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 3:20

The context of the chapter is about loving the Lord, following Him, and to do what pleases Him. It is about persevering in following Him despite what we feel. In finding some Scripture for a livestream interview, I stumbled upon 1 John 3:20, and made a note to look deeper into it. The verse seems to tackle the inner voice which berates us for anything we may do, the self-doubt we may feel.

“Condemnation can well up inside us that has nothing to do with our standing before God. It may be the work of the enemy of our souls (who, according to Revelation 12:10 accuses the brethren), or the work of an over-active conscience. At those times, we trust in what God’s Word says about our standing, not how we feel about it.” – David Guzik

While it is about our standing before the Lord, I can’t help but think about the many conversations I have had with women. Many women express insecurity about themselves and doubt the value they can give to the world as daughters of the King. Creators also struggle with insecurity. In yesterday’s meeting, I shared that it takes courage to create because you are creating something that naturally people will like and not like. I use ‘and’ in that sentence because you get both, especially when anything is created for the online world.

Rest assured, my friend, you have a lot to offer. Dwell in the love of Jesus. The thick skin will come in time. Confront the heart with Scripture and those feelings will eventually go away. Persevere in the work He has you doing no matter how you feel.

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.

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:

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.

Why Rush The Journey?

Weeks like this week make me say, “Lord, will you please hurry this support process?!”

I work in two mentally stimulating jobs that challenge my comfort zone–a Day Job and my position with WorldVenture. Time management is an important tool in my belt.

This week, I came home drained from so much mental stimulation. Don’t tell God you are bored, because He will give you something to do. Ministry is exploding and I am swept away in it while facing the reality of a lack of time. The need for churches (individually and corporately) to learn the proper use of Social Media, to not be afraid of it, or to put aside their prejudices against it is huge. The demand on my time is hard and strangely joyful.

Yet, I am comforted by what the Lord is doing in my life, too. I don’t know what next year will bring, only that I have chosen to live this way with the expectation that God will deliver me. We will get to 100% support and it will be a story of His glory.

So, why cheat the process? Why ask God to hurry what He has deemed an important part of my journey? Every time I fall down, God picks me up again. Every time, I hear rejection, God remakes my heart so that I am stronger and better. God is even remaking our marriage. Every day, we are growing together in the same direction, applying what we are learning in the Bible and in life to our lives.

We are at 29% support. Would you consider a monthly support of $25, $35, or whatever God puts on your heart?

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Coffee With Nikki: “Sharing” on Social Media

Coffee With Nikki was inspired by a church seeking to grow their church and include their congregation in the social media ministry. In this episode, I talk about how to share the media your church is sharing on their Facebook.  This video was created for older audiences or the technologically challenged. The idea is to show you how missions and evangelism can be done with a simple click of a button and a few words. This video will become a monthly instead of weekly occurance in light of now working a full time job on top of raising support as an international worker with WorldVenture.

The idea is to inspire the church to think of social media as one of their many tools to influence and encourage people to consider learning about Jesus and looking at church in a different way. Church isn’t dying. Anyone can see by observing online interactions that we have a communication problem.

 

 

Starting a New Chapter #Missions #Church

Unlike other jobs, I give notice to Solid Rock Christian Fellowship after almost 11 years with a heart heavy with so many emotions. I know that where I am going is where God wants me to be in the interim before I launch as a Social Media person with WorldVenture. Other doors closed this week, too. Not that I can go into any detail, but an old life is fading and a new life is beginning.

Change is something a person can count on. It’s a constant. I’ve experienced so much change the last couple of years. It leaves me breathless. Even as I watch winter fade into spring, I am excited for the future. When I sing songs in church, I hear them differently now. It begs the question: Are you really living on faith? I mean, really?

  • Do you give until it hurts?
  • Do you step through open doors in your life not knowing why, but doing it anyway because God opened that door? You risk awkward silences and disaster stepping through; OR you risk blessing yourself and others in the process.
  • Do you go without to make something God wants happen? Or are you only willing to serve within your comfort zone?

Lastly, are you really impassioned about sharing your faith? I mean, really? I ask this because when I mention the online world and how people can funnel that passion through this tool to share the Gospel, I get one common response: “I don’t like change.”  This usually follows after, “I hate Facebook.”

“I hate change,” is a barrier I come up against time and time again. It’s not just a barrier to what I do, but it is a barrier that keeps people from learning how to use the online world as a tool to build relationships and share their faith. Social media is simply a conversation. It’s like meeting someone in the hallway and asking, “How are you?” And instead of walking away after a short answer, staying to listen.

The church isn’t dying. The church has a communication problem. This problem is keeping the church in a building and causing people who are online to sound like angry Americans because the church isn’t learning how to train their people how to use the online world in appropriate ways or teaching how to contextualize responses to another person’s culture.

I would love to hear how your church is training your congregation to serve online. If you aren’t training them, why not? 

 

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