Natalie Heurkins
Hello Charis Family,
My name is Natalie Heurkins, I grew
up in Southern California and have lived in the Sun
Valley area of Idaho for almost five years now. If
someone would have told me six or seven years ago
that I would be living in Idaho and studying to
become a doula I would have replied with laughter.
God has surprised and blessed me in many ways over
the past six years and I would like to take this
opportunity to tell you about it.
I received my Bachelors Degree in Hospitality from
California State Long Beach in 2012, and although I
had not planned on leaving California, I saw an
opportunity for an internship in Yellowstone
National Park and took it. Prior to going to
Yellowstone I had just started to walk with Jesus, I
was raised going to church but was very rebellious
in high school and college. One of my prayers at
that time was that God would bring other Christians
and a good church into my life. When I arrived in
Yellowstone I loved being surrounded by the
beautiful outdoors but I did not meet any Christians
and although I tried to pray and read my bible daily
I struggled to keep Jesus as my number one. As the
summer wrapped up I asked God for clear direction on
where I should go next, to send me where He wanted
me, and asked for grace in that He would send me to
a ski resort town (I love to snowboard.)
Soon after asking for God’s will I went to a
seasonal work job fair in hopes that God would send
me to Colorado or Utah. However, at the job fair I
didn’t feel any connections with resorts in either
of those places. I happened to have a coworker
talking with the Sun Valley recruiters whom I
purposely passed by that day, I had no intention of
going to Idaho. The recruiters saw me waiting and
approached me anyways. I told them I did not want to
go to Idaho and they proceeded to ask me what I was
looking for. They then told me that what I described
was Sun Valley and if I was interested I should look
into it.
God did a lot of moving in me the next couple weeks
and I tried to fight it. Yet everything just seemed
to lead me back to Sun Valley, and I finally gave in
and told God, “Okay, I’ll go, but just for one
winter.” This coming October I will have lived in
Idaho for five years, it is home. God knew exactly
what I needed and when I needed it. I have an
amazing church family and my walk with God has and
continues to grow.
One of my best friends is Becky Rosser who is
studying through Charis to become a Midwife and is
currently interning in Texas. It is very clear that
God has called Becky into midwifery, God has big
things ahead for her! I have been blessed to have
the opportunity to go out to Texas and visit her.
Getting the taste of what a midwife lifestyle is
like and the demands that it entails was somewhat
shocking but after hearing the midwife’s stories I
realized how rewarding and beautiful their work is.
On the last night of my visit a few of the midwifes
had me watch a documentary called, Birth Story:
Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives. I was
amazed at what a birth experience could be,
especially when so many women fear it and have very
little good to say about labor. Becky, Bethany and
Jeanne (the interning midwifes at the time and now
my friends) all encouraged me to look into becoming
a doula. I have to admit, it took me a long time but
here I am joining them in the Charis education now.
I hope to attend my first birth in the next couple
weeks. My prayer is that God would give me assurance
in continuing my studies. Most of all I want God’s
will for my life and to continue to grow in my walk
with Him. God is teaching me balance and discipline
in this season of life and I look forward to what
lies ahead.
Left to right- Becky Rosser, Me,
Bethany Stricker, Jeanne Lane, Sarah White (Dallas
TX)
My Mom and I at Lake Louise in
Alberta Canada
On a hike with the little boy I
nanny for, Spring 2012
