When Scripture Is the Anchor for Your Dream

~ This week marks 10 years of the Devoted Dreamers podcast, and I am celebrating by sharing one of my favorite conversations from the archives. 

Author, speaker, and college instructor, Heather Holleman, PhD, loves helping women fall in love with the Bible and with Jesus. She believes God's Word is so powerful that it creates life where there is none, and she has built her entire calling around helping women take God at His Word. 

If you are a midlife Christian woman trying to figure out where God is calling you, Heather is the kind of woman you want to sit with.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Heather and I talk about:

• What it feels like to sense God's anointing on your work and why following that feeling matters more than having a plan
• How Heather discovered her true calling by paying attention to where God was already moving, not by forcing a direction
• How Scripture became her daily anchor and the specific verses that carry her through fear, pride, and uncertainty

This episode originally aired in 2018, and eight years later, this conversation still stops me in my tracks.

One of the things I keep coming back to is this: sometimes we get so focused on whether the dream will happen that we stop focusing on the person of Christ. She returns to that truth again and again, and every time she does, she brings a specific verse with her. It’s so rich and full of gospel truth. 

So, if you find yourself in a season of wondering whether God is even doing anything with what he placed on your heart, this episode is for you.

I also want to say, if you are already pursuing a God-shaped dream and you want to build community around that, I would love for you to join us in Dream Believers, my online community for women who are taking faithful steps toward what God has put on their hearts. You can find us at merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers.

Part 2 with Heather drops next week. Do not miss it.

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

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MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
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Transcript

Merritt Onsa [00:00:00]:

Hey, friend. Every now and then I get to shake things up a little bit because this is my podcast and life is interesting and full. And if you're listening to this when it came out In June of 2026, it is summer and from everyone that I've spoken to lately, things are just a little bonkers right now. 

But I still have a smile on my face. My kids got invited to be mother's helpers, a child across the street. And so I have an extra few moments today to celebrate with you. 

What are we celebrating, you ask? Well, this is the first week of June 2026, and 10 years ago I launched this podcast. Now it was this podcast under a different name.

Merritt Onsa [00:00:52]:

The podcast was originally called Momentum. And I had a very wise encounter at a conference about five, five months into podcasting. And this woman, who knew a lot more about marketing than I did at the time, said, no one can find your podcast with that title. It's too, it’s not SEO friendly. So I changed to Devoted Dreamers in February of 2017. But I don't want to get away from June of 2026 without celebrating 10 years of God's faithfulness in providing this space, this space for you to listen to other women talking about their God shaped dreams. To hear from me, someone who, like you, has pursued a dream and has learned a lot along the way. That's what Devoted Dreamers is all about.

Merritt Onsa [00:01:48]:

And when my husband, yesterday morning on June 1 said to me, oh, oh my gosh, Facebook just popped up with a 10-year-old memory, I was like, oh, right. June 1, 2016, the devoted dreamers podcast was born. 

And I am making a big deal about this today because I think it's a big deal to celebrate what God has done and so many of us. I am so guilty of this. I forget. I forget. And God knew that his people would forget. There's so many places in scripture all over the Old Testament where God tells his people to remember, to remember what he's done, to leave an Ebenezer so that when they come back to this place, they'll say, oh, this is what God did here. 

And so no matter where you are with your God shaped dream, this episode is inviting you to remember what God has already done in your life. Who God is, His consistency, his provision, his love for you, his care for you.

Merritt Onsa [00:02:59]:

And however you're coming to this episode, I want to invite you in to consider that God is doing something whether you are aware of it or not. And this morning, as I was thinking about what do I want to share on the 10th anniversary of the Devoted Dreamers podcast, a guest's name came to mind. I want to share with you today one of my very favorite guests of the last 10 years. And to say favorite, I almost hesitate to say that because I have loved every guest that's come on this show. 

But there are a few special ones that I still think about years and years and years later. And as it popped into my head this week, I want to share Heather Holleman with you. She came on the podcast in 2018. I have a child that was born in 2018.

Merritt Onsa [00:03:56]:

I think I was very pregnant when I recorded this episode with her. And I'm going to share her episode with you in two parts. So part one is today. Part two is coming at you next week. Because back in 2018 it was completely not unusual to spend an hour listening to a podcast. But here in 2026, an hour-long podcast is kind of a lot. 

So if you are one that would like an hour-long podcast, then just wait until next week when the other one comes out and you can just listen to them back-to-back. 

So in celebration of 10 years of the Devoted Dreamers podcast, of drawing women in to talk about our God shaped dreams and really encouraging women to step out into them, I'm bringing Heather Holleman's episode from 2018 back to the forefront.

Merritt Onsa [00:04:42]:

She talks about feeling anointed, what that is like, that sense of knowing that God is moving in your life and the invitation to pay attention to where he's already moving in your life. Not that your dream is something that you have to force or make happen because God is already moving in your life. 

She also talks about being surprised at what God might use. There's a couple times where she's just like, I had no idea that this is what I was going to end up doing, but this is what God did. 

And then she talks about considering how others in your life are impacted in your pursuit of a dream. And I just love the way that she goes about communicating with her spouse on how the dream is impacting their life, their marriage, their family, and the value of actually doing that. 

So take this moment today, whether now or after you listen to this episode, to pause and look back in your own life at what God has done. Because I know this episode's gonna draw you to Him. Just that is inevitable. Listening to Heather Holleman, who is just a natural evangelist, you are going to feel so encouraged in Christ after you listen to this episode. 

So pause and look back at what God has done in your own life. Take this moment to do that. Or if you don't have time to do that today, I would invite you to consider how could you find time to pause sometime this summer to think about your dream and to celebrate what God has already done with it? No matter the stage that it's at, even if it's still a teeny tiny baby dream, the fact that he's given it to you is worth celebrating. 

So if you don't have time to do it today, block off some time on your calendar sometime this summer just to praise him, to worship him, and to celebrate what he's done in and through your life and in the dream that he's given you. 

And with that, I give you my Conversation with Heather Holleman. Still so good eight years later.

I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to have this conversation with Heather Holleman. She is a PhD, a speaker, college instructor, and a writer, and she loves helping women connect with Jesus and delight in studying the Bible for themselves. 

And I will say I found her through another podcast called By Design with Danette Gora and Lyndsye Felsman. And I just knew when I heard their conversation, I really wanted first to meet this precious woman of God and then to bring her on the show. So it's been several months, Heather, since we've kind of begun the conversation and tried to get this scheduled. But thank you so much for coming on the show.

Heather Holleman [00:07:30]:

Oh, I'm so excited. I'm thankful that you made the time for me. So thanks.

Merritt Onsa [00:07:35]:

Yeah.

So I want to mention, you are the author of Seated with Christ, Guarded by Christ and Included in Christ. And you just Was it this week or last week? Finished, Chosen for Christ, which will be published later this year?

Heather Holleman [00:07:52]:

Yes, I just turned in that manuscript. I know. I'm waiting to hear back from the development editor about my edits. So it is so exciting. I just turned in it'll complete that trilogy of my favorite verbs in scripture, which would be Seated, Guarded, and now Chosen because Included is a Bible study that stands on its own. So. But I love that verb chose. So I'm so excited.

Heather Holleman [00:08:13]:

Oh my goodness. Well, I got about halfway through in the Included in Christ Bible Study before I started planning my retreat last fall. And this is what I wanted to share with you.

Merritt Onsa [00:08:26]:

You.

Well, first of all, you're a word nerd like me. Like, I just love that you have focused on these singular words in scripture and help us help the reader draw out what that means for our lives. And last fall and last summer, I was preparing for my first retreat for devoted dreamers. And your book was my companion. Your Bible study was my companion through all the ups and downs of Lord, am I supposed to be doing this? No one's signing up. Like, oh, my gosh, am I, like, you know, going to deplete my entire family savings to host this retreat and have it be nothing like. And this, I think it was Ephesians 1:12.

Heather Holleman [00:09:18]:

Yeah.

Merritt Onsa [00:09:18]:

Where you kind of pull out that we are to live for the praise of his glory. And I realized that that's why I do what I do is that I want to help women live for the praise of his glory. And it was literally like your words and your Bible study that carried me through that really hard season of like, okay, I really have to rest in the Lord that He's given me this thing, and it's terrifying and he's going to do it, and he totally did.

Heather Holleman [00:09:48]:

So I'm so glad. You're welcome. No, I'm so glad. So much about that is just focusing on those really powerful truths. Just that little phrase that you picked out. I'm so glad God really carried you with that passage. Ephesians is just awesome. I feel like if we just read Ephesians every day, so many problems would be solved in our life.

Merritt Onsa [00:10:10]:

Totally.

Oh, my goodness. For sure. Well, I just wanted to personally thank you because you, you helped give me some courage through God's word. And we had a beautiful event in November and, oh, I'm so glad. There were 30 some there. And it was. It was really the Lord that did it, so.

Heather Holleman [00:10:31]:

Oh, I'm so.

Heather Holleman [00:10:32]:

Thanks for that.

Oh, you're welcome. I'm so happy to hear it. I love hearing stories like that. I know.

Merritt Onsa [00:10:37]:

And I kept quoting you in my emails to everybody, and I was like, oh, I don't know that she would ever see. This is this bizarre. Am I kind of a stalker?

Heather Holleman [00:10:46]:

But no, no, I love it. What's cool about that is lately I've been thinking, you know where Jesus says that he. He chose us and appointed us to bear fruit. Sometimes you don't actually see the fruit that he's ordained for your life. Like, you go about the tasks he's called you to, and you actually may not have any idea about your impact. Because a lot of times Christians think they're not fruitful because they can't measure impact. And lately I'm like, I have no idea. I didn't even know that retreat happened.

Heather Holleman [00:11:14]:

I didn't even know who you were last month. You know, because I'm on the east coast, you're on the west coast. Even though I'd heard of your podcast, it's just cool because I. It was like a hidden secret work. So I'm really thankful that God did that. And sometimes he lets you see, sometimes he doesn't. So that's really special.

Merritt Onsa [00:11:32]:

Yeah. That's awesome.

Well, I really want to get into letting you share kind of more about the dream that God's placed in your heart, what you feel like he has put you on this earth to do with your gifts and talents. So why don't you take us there next?

Heather Holleman [00:11:50]:

Well, lately, I mean, these things change over the decades. I mean, of course, lately I just have realized that my favorite thing is helping women love the Bible. Like, really helping God's Word come alive for women. But I wouldn't have said that even last year. I mean, even last year, I was trying to publish my novels. I was, you know, really focusing on, you know, my role in the home and teaching and ministry. But the thread, kind of the golden thread throughout all of those spheres in my life was that just my dependence on God's Word, my belief that God's Word is so powerful that it can really transform you. It creates life where there is no life in you.

Heather Holleman [00:12:38]:

It is. So if you think about it, God spoke words in order to create the world. And if his words have that kind of power to create out of nothing, what could those words do as you read them in your own heart? 

So that's really the journey I'm on, is just helping women believe God's word, take God at His word, like, live as if the Bible were true and just see how transformation happens in a life. Just helping women see that God will transform their lives. They're being conformed to the image of Christ, and God uses His Word to shape their lives. So that's where I am right now. And I didn't know that.

Heather Holleman [00:13:18]:

Which is so funny, because God opens doors in your life, and you're like, wait, is this what I'm supposed to do? Like, I never wanted to write a Bible study. You know, my publisher was like, you love God's Word. Would you write this Bible study? So sometimes, you know, we don't know what we want, but God knows. And then sometimes our emotions catch up to it after we're in it. I don't know if you've experienced that, 

Merritt Onsa [00:13:43]:

Oh yeah, totally.

So is that how you kind of figured it out and put a definition around it? Was someone asking you to write this Bible study.

Heather Holleman [00:13:53]:

Well, it was that. And it was also where I saw God using me the most. Like that feeling when you feel you're anointed for something, like maybe a special experience of God's power and presence in your life. I really feel that when I'm teaching women God's Word. But I. And then in the category of that, I feel most alive when I'm actually teaching about evangelism. Like, people introduce me as an evangelist, so I love evangelism. But so much of evangelism is bringing God's Word to people because it's God's Word that changes them and introduces them to Jesus.

Heather Holleman [00:14:29]:

So, yeah, it was understanding. Wait, God is really moving here. Whereas even though I'm gifted in writing novels, there's never been that sense of, right now, at least that sense of a special power and presence of God or something that kind of shimmers about it, where I'm like, this is different. This is something that God is doing. 

So following what that. Following that sense of fruitfulness and that sense of special empowerment has really helped me think, okay, maybe, maybe you want this for my life. And so. But you kind of have to try a lot of things and see where God is, you know? Because I wanted different things for my life. I mean, I never thought I'd be a public speaker, but as I look back on all the things God has done. 

I mean, I literally. You're gonna laugh. I just emailed my seventh-grade speech and debate teacher. I found her on Facebook, and I just said at the time, I had no idea that the way you trained me in public speaking, that God would use it 30 years later to, you know, like, I didn't know God knows, but I didn't know that he was preparing me for a future that he could see that I could not see.

Heather Holleman [00:15:51]:

So you're doing a lot more public speaking now?

Heather Holleman [00:15:53]:

I'm doing a lot more public speaking, but I do have two girls at home, and my husband has taken a national role with CRU, a missions organization. So I do limit my speaking to maybe. Right now, we're doing about 12 a year where I'm flying out of state and giving weekends up because I know people think that the toddler years are very labor intensive, but when your kids get to be teenagers, I'm finding you just really need to be present in the home and think of it as scaffolding. Like, your whole job is to support them as they move into adulthood. And it's a lot of, you know, being emotionally present, being available to help them, you know, buy the clothes they need for work, prepare for a job interview. You know, I just got to be around. So I'm kind of figuring out how much I can be away from home and then making sure that my tasks and dreams are also building oneness with my husband. Because a lot of women have a lot of dreams for their life, but they end up destroying their marriage because it does.

Heather Holleman [00:16:55]:

The dream isn't building oneness with their husband. And so I've been learning how to do that, like talking to my husband, you know, how does. How did these things help build our marriage? And is there anything I'm doing that is hurting our oneness? And so you kind of got to factor all that in. At least I do. And I don't know how many listeners, you know are married or single or have kids, but there's always other people to consider in the pursuit of your dreams.

Merritt Onsa [00:17:21]:

That's so important. And I'm so glad you brought that up, because we don't talk about that a lot, but I would love to hear, like. So do you just have that conversation with him on a regular basis, or is there more?

Heather Holleman [00:17:35]:

Yes, like. Well, we do. Well, you can kind of tell when you don't feel as close to your. To your spouse, you know, where, you know that there's something that maybe not has come between you, but you get this sense that you're going off in this own. Your own direction. And when I first got my book contracts and I started to have a different trajectory for my life, I just said to my husband, his name is Ash, a good Southern name. Ashley.

Heather Holleman [00:18:06]:

Just being able to say, you know, okay, what. How does my writing and speaking. How do you feel about this in terms of what this means for our marriage? What? Because you don't want to just be, like, a moneymaker for the family, like, it would bless us financially. But the more important question is, you know, what is it? What does it do for our oneness? And the great thing is, Ash loves my writing. He is so precious. He reads everything I write. He makes comments.

Heather Holleman [00:18:33]:

He often communicates with Moody about his personal opinion about cover design. He's so precious. And then the speaking engagements, I just sit down with him, and we choose, you know, which weekends I can be away. And we also choose, like, things that work well with our calling on staff, with CRU, because even that. That's our primary calling. So do these events that I'm doing help promote the ministry that we know God's called us to do, or does it take away and even with my teaching role at Penn State, we just knew that that was really in line with our dream to bless a college campus and to help people grow on the college campus. 

So we're big into kind of writing the personal mission statement for a marriage. Like, what do we devote ourselves to? What do we value? And then if we ever start to do things where our dream is just out of alignment with those values we've set, then we just say no.

Heather Holleman [00:19:28]:

And once you start following your dream and getting any kind of public attention, a lot of people are going to ask you to do things. I don't know if you've had this experience, you're going to get a lot of offers and people wanting you to do this, people wanting you to do this. And so you just have to always know, okay, what is my primary calling? Has God changed that calling? What does my husband think? What do my children think? What does my community think? You know, those kind of questions have helped keep me steady on the path.

Merritt Onsa [00:19:55]:

That's so helpful, because the reality is, of course, that we can't say yes to everything. Otherwise we're, like, too divided.

Heather Holleman [00:20:03]:

Yes.

Heather Holleman [00:20:03]:

So, oh, my goodness, that's really helpful. And this is. It's a Friday night. The day we're recording this, it's like, I want to sit down with my husband and have this conversation with him because it's so easy to, as you say, just kind of drift and not like it's not anything between you. But you can easily be following your own paths. And, yes, kind of forget. Exactly.

Heather Holleman [00:20:29]:

And, you know, I know that, you know, I really believe in this, in the scriptural premise of spiritual warfare and that, you know, Satan does literally, you know, he. Scripture says he prowls around like a lion waiting to devour you. He wants to divide. He wants to destroy your life. 

And if you wake up and think about your life where God has this plan for you, but Satan also has a plan for you, it helps me be really vigilant because whenever I start to feel the tug of wanting to, like, exalt myself or to have this dream, you know. Oh, this dream of this thing I want to do. And then you get deceived into thinking that is where life is. And if only your dream comes true, then the life you've been longing for won’t happen. And so then you get bitter at your husband and children because you think they're standing in the way of this dream that you think is going to bring you life.

Heather Holleman [00:21:22]:

Just remember that the real dream is abiding with Jesus and honoring your family and these things that he's put in place already, your marriage, your children. You're not losing your life when you put those principles in place. Life will become more fruitful and more abundant when you kind of put your dream underneath the kind of principles of, you know, surrender to Christ, taking on the nature of a servant in my marriage and with my family, and you'll find more peace and joy than you could have ever imagined. Because Satan wants to deceive you. He really does. He is out to destroy. And I do think the confusion over dreams and ambitions is one of the ways he gets his hook in you.

Merritt Onsa [00:22:05]:

Yeah. Because there's something in us that burns a fire for those things. Like, oh, I so deeply desire this, but you're right. Like, he can use that as much as God can.

Heather Holleman [00:22:16]:

Yeah, exactly.

Merritt Onsa [00:22:17]:

If we let Him.

Heather Holleman [00:22:17]:

Yeah. Whenever you start to believe that you need your dream to come true in order for you to feel, you know, alive or the joy, I mean, just remember that Christ is your life, that you're chosen for him, not for this dream, you know, but as you abide in him, he will bear fruit for your life. He will lead you on the plan that he has ordained for your life. But it's really easy to just shift your focus a little bit and think everything's about the plan and not the person of Christ.

Merritt Onsa [00:22:49]:

Yeah, absolutely. That was so helpful. Thank you. 

Will you talk a little bit about what has been challenging for you along the way of pursuing this dream?

Heather Holleman [00:23:03]:

Yes, I would say my dream. And the dream we're talking about is, you know, being a writer, a speaker, someone who, then, you become more public. And I'm not a famous Christian writer or speaker. I mean, most of you listening are probably like, I have no idea who this woman is because I'm not good on social media. But this is what happens. Like, you really start believing that you're important and you start believing that people need you and you just God,

Heather Holleman [00:23:32]:

It's like this journey of living a crucified life because pride will get you at every turn. And so I've had to change the way I think about social media. I've had to change how I think about leadership and, you know, really thinking, you know, Jesus, what does it mean that you. In the New Testament, in the Gospels, you say that you value what is done in secret. I mean, your. Your big critic, Jesus. If you look at recorded in all four Gospels, the idea of the “woe to the scribes,” which are the closest to the writers, I could think of Jesus says, you love the best seats, you love being greeted in the marketplace, you love all of these things. And Jesus really criticized these people that wanted the best seat at the table, that wanted everyone to acknowledge their name. 

So I'm like, well, what does it mean, like, when John says he must increase and I must decrease? That's been my biggest challenge because how do I handle the culture of fame and Christian, you know, celebrity? That is the hardest thing because I want to honor my publisher and be, and be a good marketer of material. So what I do is I say, okay, is this post, is this thing I'm posting helping women connect with Jesus, or is this exalting me? Are they talking more about me or are they talking more about Jesus? 

So I put all these little tests in place before I post on social media and then just get learning how to do that in a way that honors God and doesn't feed narcissism or feed self-focus. Because, you know, I don't. I want to live a crucified life. I want to live a life where people talk more about Jesus than me. But what do you do when you write a book that sells a lot and people want to book you for events and suddenly you see your name, you know, people talk about you on the radio or whatever? I mean, I'm not anywhere near other Christian women writers.

Heather Holleman [00:25:35]:

But I'm just at that point where sometimes I just get uncomfortable with, you know, with kind of attention on social media, especially if I've done a big speaking event. So that's been the biggest challenge. 

But the good news is God is such a good teacher, Merritt. He is such a good teacher. So everything he allows to happen to you, he's teaching you out of his goodness. So what I'm learning is how to confess every morning to be able to say, like, if I'm in a season of being super public, I'll just say, “Jesus, I know that you want me to live a crucified life. I confess this sin of self-exaltation. I confess that I like attention, I like people talking about me. It is a deeply rooted sin. Could you please, by the power of your Holy Spirit, remove that. Give me a Spirit-filled day where I'm focused on you and able to really not exalt myself.” 

So I confess every day. And then I just keep myself focused on, you know, my community, my family, really loving the people that I'm currently present with and not thinking about people that I'm not present with, You know.

Merritt Onsa [00:26:47]:

That probably means like, you're not pulling out your phone every five minutes.

Heather Holleman [00:26:54]:

Yeah, no, that's true. I mean, a lot of people. It's funny, a lot of people, when I do interviews, they. And even this, I mean, people will ask all the time. You know what? I just did a radio interview where a host was like, how do you write so many books? And I literally was like, well put. If you put your phone down, you would be amazed how much time you have, you know, if you don't. I mean, and I do love Instagram and Facebook. I love catching up with people and seeing pic.

Heather Holleman [00:27:18]:

I love seeing pictures. You know, a prom and graduation. I love, you know, catching up with people. But it can kind of take you deep in where you're not cleaning your house or doing your. Making a good meal for your family because you've been on Instagram all day or something.

Merritt Onsa [00:27:34]:

Totally sucked in. You go to look for one recipe in 20 minutes later, you're like, deep in a hole.

I'm sure there are some verses of scripture that are just kind of helping you through that right now or empowering you to continue to focus on Him. Would you share some of those with us?

Heather Holleman [00:27:51]:

Well, yeah. I mean, I. First of all, you have to know I love God's Word so much that I think about it. Like, you would put together a playlist of music for yourself. I think about having a playlist of my favorite scriptures to kind of reshape my mind each day. 

And I'll just share. They're the same ones. I mean, I love Deuteronomy 31:6.

It just says, be strong and of good courage for the Lord. Your God goes with you, and he will not fail or forsake you. Because when you start moving in the direction of your dreams or doing the things you think God has you to do, there will be a spirit of dread sent against you. I can guarantee you'll deal with dread and fear. I don't know if you've experienced that, Merritt, I am sure. And then I just. I do. 

Galatians 2:20 is my life verse. So it's: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. But Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” Because that way I'm like, you know what? People can praise me or criticize me. It doesn't really matter because I'm. I'm dead to myself. I've been crucified with Christ. I no longer live.

Heather Holleman [00:28:59]:

I do love Ephesians 2:6 is the most transformative Bible verse I ever read in my life. And it's what started my book called Seated with Christ. It just says, “And God raised you up with Christ and seated you with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” And whenever I feel like I'm fighting for a seat at the table, I just know God, I'm at the best table. I'm at the greatest table with the greatest king. I do not need to live in jealousy or comparison about anyone.

Heather Holleman [00:29:25]:

And then lately, I've been really looking at 1st Peter 2:9, that God chose me and I'm part of a royal priesthood. I'm dearly loved. He. I'm his treasured possession. And it says in that verse that he brought, that we’re to declare the praises of him who brought us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

Heather Holleman [00:29:54]:

So I don't know, I could go on and on Merritt. I have like 5 million verses. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I could talk about 1 Peter. Well, really, my book, Chip Chosen is really on 1st Peter 2:9 and the verse in Ephesians that we've been chosen before the creation of the world for the praise of his glory. What you mentioned to me earlier, but I mean, even if you looked at 1 Peter 2:9

Heather Holleman [00:30:17]:

and spent a week studying, it says you're a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession. If we just lived as if that was true. I mean, were true. I mean, even the idea of being a royal priesthood that wherever you go, you bring the blessing of God, you pronounce blessing and you bring people to the sacrifice, which is what a priest does. 

So you bring people to Jesus, you pronounce blessing in his name. I don't know if you wake up and move about your day thinking that you're a part of a royal priesthood. It's so powerful.

Merritt Onsa [00:30:53]:

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. All of those words and I feel like just even asking that question, you just poured truth all over me, and I need that in my day.

Heather Holleman [00:31:05]:

Well, it does. Like, I thought about being part of a royal priesthood and reading some old Charles Spurgeon sermons on how people thought of themselves as a priesthood. And it's kind of this overlooked teaching. I haven't had anyone teach me about my identity as being part of a chosen priesthood because it's so Old Testament to think of the priesthood. 

But so much of the New Testament says we're ministers over a new covenant. We're priests ministering before the Lord. So, I mean, that's a whole. I could. I feel like I could write a whole ‘nother book on the word priesthood.

Merritt Onsa [00:31:39]:

Oh my goodness. I bet you will.

Heather Holleman [00:31:40]:

I know, I know.

Merritt Onsa [00:31:57]:

That's a wrap for this beautiful conversation with Heather Holleman. At least part one of it. ‘

I want to read over you one more time that section from First Peter. This is chapter two, verse nine in the New International Version. 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

And isn't that what we're doing here? Walking as God's chosen people toward the dreams he has given us? 

I'm thrilled that you were able to be here with me today to celebrate 10 years of the Devoted Dreamers podcast. 

Next week, I'm bringing you part two from this conversation with Heather Holleman where we're going to talk about what if you're in a season of preparation, where your dream is buried or maybe hidden because of other things that are taking precedent in your life right now? What do you do in that time? 

Heather's going to share her five folders strategy for compiling what you're learning in that season, or really any season. This is how she's become such a prolific writer. I can't wait for you hear her talk about this. It's such a great strategy. 

And then finally, the importance in how we live and how we dream to abide with Christ, to dwell with him, to draw near to him. Because he's our dream, right? He's what we live for. And it's easy to forget that in the world that we live in. 

So big thanks to Heather Holleman for bringing us back to the scripture today and for encouraging us toward our God shaped dreams. 

And wherever you are with your God shaped dream in this moment, may you have the courage to take one step toward its realization today. I'll see you back here next week.