by erika haveman

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of WestJet.  I try to exclusively fly with them whenever possible, and I brag about them to anybody who will listen (even when they don’t want to listen, I still make them).  They are pretty well known for their marketing around Christmas time, and they’ve done it again this year as they created an ad that made it possible for several people to be with the ones they love during the festive season.  Their slogan this year (or maybe it’s been every year, but I noticed it this year) is “Uniting Through Traditions” – which gets me right in the feels as I’m such a huge fan of traditions.  In fact the same day their new marketing campaign hit my email inbox I was realizing that I likely won’t be home this year to get a tree and decorate it with my family.  There’s a good chance I’m missing carolling on hay wagons with my church.  I already missed my work Christmas party – which, to be fair, isn’t quite a personal tradition as I’ve missed it all 3 years I’ve been with the organization.  But still!  It’s someone’s tradition that I’ve been invited into and that’s just my favourite thing!  Currently I’m in Okinawa, Japan where the sun is shining and the waves of the perfectly blue ocean are crashing onto the sand, and while I’m with one very dear and precious friend it certainly doesn’t feel like Christmas is 22 days away.

Continue reading “of it not feeling like Christmas”

by erika haveman

The past few weeks I’ve really tried to focus on joy and bringing Jesus back to the centre.  It is only when Jesus is the focal point of our lives that we will have true joy and we’ll be compelled to live in trust, peace and comfort knowing Jesus has it all.  But what do we do when life really is falling apart?

I was having a conversation with young woman recently who, when I asked how her job is going, was suddenly pouring out to me the hardships her year had brought and how those hardships had effected her work.  As she spoke I couldn’t help but reflect on the series I’ve been writing and wondering how she would respond at my, possibly annoying, call to JOY.  For her to find joy is understandably a challenge in this season.  So I began to wonder how I could encourage my readers when they are going through really troubling or challenging seasons.  Winter happens.  There are seasons when God does feel silent and real shit goes down that is hard to push through.  What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus who are meant to keep Jesus at the centre?

Continue reading “When Life Falls Apart”

by erika haveman

Working with a missions movement on a large campus I get to wet my feet with a lot of different departments.  My main role is to offer sound Biblical teaching and training to missionaries, leaders and pastors locally and overseas.  However because the YWAM campus is completely run by volunteers it means that sometimes I get to do what some might consider a practical or logistical job.  I’ve spent many hours helping to cook meals for the hundreds of students on campus and had countless conversations while serving latté’s out of our snack bar.  Just recently I was asked to serve in the admissions department which basically acts as a call centre contacting potential students.  My first day in that office I noticed that another fellow missionary would constantly be asking on the phone how she could pray for the person on the other end of the line – and then she would stop right there and pray for them.  I’ve always felt uncomfortable talking on the phone, and even more so receiving prayer over the phone.  I never imagined that I could actually pray for someone I couldn’t see.  But this girl really inspired me, and I told her so.  Inspiration is only true inspiration if we take action, so with this conviction I spent my second day in the admissions office determined to press through my awkwardness and pray for someone on the phone.

But this isn’t about me and how I made a change because I was inspired.  Rather this got me thinking about how often I notice others.  I’m usually so busy in my own world, thinking about what I’m doing and what I want to do that I don’t bother looking around me to see – and really see – others.

Continue reading “of noticing others”

by erika haveman

Bob Goff in Love Does says that he quits something every Thursday.  While that’s admirable and I wish Bob Goff was my very cool uncle, I’m not sure it’s a necessarily good philosophy.  If I am quitting something every Thursday then it probably means that I am continuing to pick up a whole lot of things, too, which I think misses the point.

It’s easy, and I think natural, to live life on the go.  When I observe how most people live I notice we tend to function at 110% (if not more), then we crash and burn, promise we’ll slow down, but then get back up and jump in full force again.  This is not sustainable.  If you’re going to live your best life, you need to slow down.  The kicker is what “slow” looks like is going to vary based on who God has created you to be.

I am going to generalize for a minute and suggest that you fall into one of 2 categories (if not both simultaneously): fear of missing out or people pleasing.  Most people I know who need to slow down are either afraid that they’ll miss out on something really fun or they fear they will let down the people around them.

Continue reading “of just slowing down”

by erika haveman

This post is not something that I usually write about.  But I thought I should for accountability’s sake.  2018 is the year of not spending money on things I don’t need.  I need food, so that’s okay to buy.  But I am going to commit to spending NO EXCESS money in 2018!  I am determined.

It all started with a few birthday cards.  I forgot mine when I moved away to teach for several weeks, and would need a few until I was to be reunited with my ample stock sitting safely on my crafts desk in my apartment.  I decided I would check the thrift store.  While I was there I thought I’d look for a purse.  I didn’t need a purse, but I could use one.  I’d left all my purses at my parent’s when I travelled back west after Christmas.  Surely buying things I don’t need at a thrift store doesn’t count as spending money?  As I perused the purses I thought, “Surely it wouldn’t hurt to look at the sweaters…I have been looking for a nice, chunky, comfy long one anyways – oh look!  A GAP dress for $6!”

When I’d tried on a sweater and the dress I scanned the books.  “The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom for $1.50!  It would be insulting not to get that…and We Bought a Zoo!  I’ve been meaning to watch that movie, and I usually like books better anyways, so $2.50 to be entertained is surely justifiable.”

Continue reading “of spending less money”

by erika haveman

There’s a first time for everything, they say.  It was on this trip I took last summer that I experienced a first.

I do a lot of travelling for my job as a missionary.  Checking into flights, dealing with ticket agents, going though security screenings, answering customs questions are all very normal and cause very little anxiety nowadays.  There’s always a reason for protocol and there’s always a civilized way of dealing with things.  Unfortunately I had a not so civil experience in mid 2017 that led to a break down in a bathroom stall where I could not stop crying.

The tears had already started as I made my way through US Customs.  I suddenly had little care for my entering the USA, only the second time on my newest visa which could be an occasion for my nerves to be on high alert and for anxiety to make my heart pound.  However, I was so upset that I had no concern whether or not I’d get a border guard who was going to give me a hard time.  Thankfully the gracious US customs agent must have seen the tears welling in my eyes as it became increasingly difficult for me to answer her simple questions and she let me through with no issues.

Continue reading “of crying in airport bathrooms”

by erika haveman

I read something on social media the other day and it said, “Surround yourself with people that make you happy.”

Although I can appreciate the sentiment and heart of the statement, I actually found myself slightly grieved.  When did we become a culture that lives to make ourselves happy?  Maybe this is always the way it’s been.  I don’t think we should live to make ourselves sad, but is being happy really the best we can do?  As believers, I think we can do far better.

Years ago when I was attending a girls club at my church called GEMS there was a song we’d sing about encouraging one another and building each other up.    It was based off of 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and as I consider what is better than simply surrounding myself with people who make me happy this verse comes to mind.

Continue reading “of surrounding yourself with people that don’t make you happy”

by erika haveman

Most of you know I’m a youth ministry person through and through.  I have absolutely loved getting to walk with several youth (if you’ve been one of my youth and you’re reading this, you can know that I’m beyond grateful for all you’ve allowed me to see in you!)  Recently, though, I’ve found myself drawn to a very different crowd: senior citizens.

For the past few years I’ve made friends with quite a few people well past retirement age.  I think it started when I worked at a cafe and my regulars in the mornings were all people I could consider my grandparents.  They always had quirky stories to share and knew how to make me laugh.  They would always distract me from my work and never quite know when to stop talking.  I embraced this about them and I felt like they made me a more patient, kind, and loving person.

Summer 2017 I again found myself drawn to several older people that I met who were working on the YWAM base for the summer.  They were beyond being empty nesters and more the kind of birds that fly south for the winter.  Any time I would eat a meal in the cafeteria on the YWAM base I would insist on sitting with my wise old owl type friends.  I couldn’t quite figure out what it was I loved about them so much until I read a post on Instagram around mid October of 2017.

Continue reading “of loving to talk to seniors”