Cross My Heart Ministry

In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

It is good to make a plan. We’ve all heard the old adage, Failing to plan is planning to fail — and often in life, it proves true.

This girl loves To-Do lists and schedules. I get so excited when it’s time to buy a new planner! Some of us check off the tasks as completed, while others cross off, and some do both! And the super-task-oriented amongst us take delight in adding something already completed to the list, just for the sheer pleasure of checking (or crossing) it off!

The Psalmist prays, “Teach us to number our days…” (Psalm 90:12) and Paul challenges, “…make the most of every opportunity.” (Colossians 4:5). It is good to be faithful stewards of the time we have. Time is valuable and too priceless to squander — and more precious with each passing year.

But even as we exercise diligence in our planning, we receive a caution here in Proverbs: hold those plans loosely. We make our plans, but ultimately God is sovereign over our lives.

God will always have His way. He works through events and circumstances to move us, shape us, and refine us according to His plan. He determines our steps.

I am unable to ascertain where our free will ends and where God’s sovereign will begins … and, frankly, am a little concerned by those who could definitively answer that question (unless there is clear sin involved)!

But here’s the thing: as I make plans in my heart and plot a course to fulfill those plans, I pray that my plans and my will are so yielded to God’s will and so tuned to His best for me that “Laura’s will” completely melts into God’s will.

I pray my love for God means that my will is not straining at the bit to run from His will or exercising super-human strength to reign myself in to yield to His will.

My prayer is that in child-like faith, I love Him and trust Him and that I want what He wants — what He determines for me.

I pray that each new direction becomes an opportunity to lean hard into how He might use this new or unexpected course for His glory … and even my good.

It is simultaneously sobering and encouraging to note that my Savior prayed in the Garden, on the night before His crucifixion, “Not my will but thine be done.” In His humanity, Jesus asked, Is there another way? And I may ask the same: Lord, is there another way? Would you fix this, change this circumstance?

If my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would choose to humble Himself and bend His human will to the divine will of the Father, then who am I — a mere, sinful woman — to think I should or can hold out for my way over His?

Lord, conform my will to Your will. Give me strength to do the work of planning, but to hold my plans loosely and be ready to pivot to a different path as you direct. You know me best and yet still love me most. You are worthy of my complete trust. I have trusted You with my destiny for eternity … how can I not trust you with my now? Be glorified in my life. Amen.

In this week’s teaching video, Laura wraps up the ladies’ Bible study of the amazing book of Nehemiah. The group has studied the work of rebuilding the walls and rebuilding the lives of the people. In this most recent teaching, we turn our attention to the man God used to do it and what we can learn from his example. Please listen to Laura’s teaching lecture, then prayerfully consider how God is calling you to live as a thermostat in your corner of the world.

Delight yourself in the LORD and
he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

The name-it-and-claim-it crowd would immediately gravitate to the second part of the verse: “…he will give you the desires of your heart.”

“Yes, please! Give me the ‘desires of my heart,’ Lord!” followed quickly by, “I’ll even tithe 20% when I win the lottery!”

Hyperbole aside, do we unconsciously adopt a transactional approach to following God? Do we somehow think that if we obey Him and try to live a good life, He owes us? Is our first response when trouble comes, “Why me?” rather than, “Why not me?”

The key to receiving our hearts’ desires is found in the first part of this verse: “Delight yourself in the LORD…”

As we commit ourselves to delighting in God — to keeping HIM on the throne, to following HIS will and living life HIS way, to making it our chief aim to bring HIM glory — blessing upon blessing will roll right back upon us. We find ourselves joyful, even when circumstances are unhappy. We realize we are peaceful, even amid chaos. More and more, we see love lead out in our actions, attitudes, words, and behaviors.

This is the blessing of abiding in Christ.

As we make that daily choice to delight in Him, we will one day realize that, to our surprise and amazement, He has given us the desires of our heart. But He did something a little sneaky: He did by changing our hearts! What a joy to see our hearts transformed and brought into alignment with God’s will and His desires for us.

We are often quick to see the connection of emotions with our heart, but as women of God committed to transformation and maturity, it is our will that must be engaged. The emotions can catch up later!

One mark of maturity is doing what you are supposed to do, what you are called and commanded to do, what is the right thing to do — even when you don’t feel like doing it. As have-to becomes want-to, then gives way to delight-to, you will have the desires of your heart!

In this week’s teaching video, Laura shares insight on Nehemiah 13, verses  1 – 14. We pick up as Nehemiah returns from Persia and finds a sad state of affairs in Jerusalem — and in the Temple. And so, Nehemiah sets to work cleaning house! We invite you to watch now as Laura challenges each of us to get our spiritual house in order by standing on the truth of God’s Word.

Find your copy of this month’s Write the WORD bookmark and optional S.O.A.P. study pages, as well as other free resources, on our Downloads page.

It’s the month of chocolate hearts, pillows shaped like hearts, and Valentine cards splattered with hearts. No wonder that I’ve chosen HEART for the February Write the WORD theme – it is all around us!

When I entered “heart” in my Bible search program, 725 results were reported! 725! From those 725, I pared down to the 28 featured on this month’s Write the WORD bookmark. Some are familiar and others, not so much. I like to think of it as the biblical equivalent of, “make new friends but keep the old.” I pray the familiar verses take on new shades of deeper understanding this month, and the new ones bring you fresh truths to ponder.

Here’s a sampling of what to expect:

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Lord, show me where I’m holding out.

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  (Psalm 20:4)

O LORD, I pray my desires are in alignment with your plans for me.

…Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  (John 14:27)

Jesus, thank you for filling my heart with peace. Because you are with me, I do not fear.

God especially drew my heart to this verse in the Psalms, penned by David:

My heart is steadfast, O God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music.  (Psalm 57:7)

When we read these verses, then write them, and then pray over them and consider them in context, there is SO MUCH here! Please don’t miss out! You can visit our Downloads page today for your own HEART bookmark and optional S.O.A.P. study pages.

You’re invited to join us as we write God’s WORD in February! Each verse this month includes the word, “HEART.” We hope you’ll take a few moments to watch and listen to this week’s devotional video, as Laura explains how our Write the WORD bookmark works and also unpacks a couple of verses on getting our heart’s desire!

…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory...
Isaiah 43:7 

We began this month’s study on GLORY with this verse, as we examined the truth that each of us was created for one purpose: to glorify God.  

During January, we have written, prayed over, and no doubt memorized verses that include the word glory, as our hearts have been stirred to understand and embrace the purpose for our existence.  

As we wrap up our month-long focus on glory, let’s examine one final verse. This one is familiar. You have most likely memorized it and even taught it to your children. It’s one of the “Roman’s Road” verses often used in sharing the gospel: 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23

Our initial commentary on the passage might include comments like:  

• “Nobody is perfect.” 
  
• “Everybody messes up.” 
  
• “We all need Jesus.”
  

Every one of those statements is absolutely true. But in our quest to reassure one another that we are “all in this together,” do we overlook the definition of sin found here? 

If asked to define sin, we might respond with answers such as: 

• Bad things we do. 
• Violations of the 10 commandments. 
• Things that disappoint God. 
• Missing the mark. 

Again, all true. But when we re-read Romans 3:23 — and I suggest taking a moment to do that now, please — we find that sin seems to take on a graver, sobering, more eternal significance. No longer is it just “bad-stuff-I-do-and-we-all-do-it.” Now it becomes a comparison of where I am – who I am – in relation to why I am here.  

Juxtaposing Isaiah 43:7 with Romans 3:23 leads me to this conclusion:  I was created to glorify God. And when I sin, I miss the whole purpose for my very existence.  

A car may be beautiful inside and out – shiny paint, leather seats, state-of-the-art sound system – but if it fails to run, it falls short of its purpose: transportation.  

The analogy can be extended to the kitchen, the home, and even to professions: An oven that won’t bake. A fireplace that won’t light. A nurse who runs at the sight of blood. A mechanic who doesn’t know how to change the oil. 

The oven may be top of the line, with every available option. The nurse may look the part in scrubs and a stethoscope. But if the oven won’t heat and the nurse is running away, neither one is serving its intended purpose.  

And, likewise, human beings — who were created in God’s image to glorify Him and so often fail to do so — are sinners. But rather than reject or replace us (as we might do with a faulty appliance or ineffective employee), God keeps loving us. He never gives up on us.  

Perhaps a large part of our failure to fulfill our purpose is because we rarely embrace it, or dwell on it, or even acknowledge it. My preoccupation with SELF distracts me from a focus on HIM – bringing Him glory, elevating Him, making much of Him.  

As my thoughts and desires shift outward from myself and upward to Him, it prompts love, gratitude, and sheer amazement: He not only knows me and loves me, but wants to use me. He has a plan for my life and it is for Him. Even knowing all my stuff — the messes, the shame, the selfishness, pride, and junk I have tried to fix, change, and hide from everybody else — He continues to love me, and keep me around, and give me opportunities to be part of what He is doing.

In much the same way as I allow my young granddaughters to “help” me prepare dinner, He could do it more efficiently without me, but He seems to enjoy letting Laura “help.”

It’s amazing … humbling … extraordinary.  

I am nothing, but He sees something He can use.  

I deserve shame, but He chooses to honor me. 

I should be hated, but He loves me.  

I should be rejected, but He chooses to embrace me. 

It is unbelievable, but by faith I choose to believe it. I want to believe it. I must believe it.  

It is ludicrous, unfathomable, and delightful: the God of this universe, the Creator of everything, knows all about me yet still loves me. He is powerful, yet compassionate, merciful, and full of grace. He is worthy of so much more than I can offer, but all I have is me.  

So here I am, God. Use me. Thank you for the privilege of another new year of life … the beginning of another year on this planet to glorify you. Even when I fall short, and continue to fall short, you keep me around, show me grace, and continue to love me.  

The longer we walk with God and know Him, the more we realize that what separates us is not a stream, but an ocean. We are simultaneously more sinful than we ever wanted to believe, and more loved than we ever dared hope (a Puritan thought that I’m certainly quoting poorly).

Though our “GLORY” month will come to an end this week, let’s link proverbial arms and spur one another on, continuing to embrace our individual and collective purpose into next month and this new year: Let’s glorify God! 

In this week’s teaching video, Laura considers Nehemiah Chapter 12, which describes the celebration of the completion of the walls as Nehemiah and Ezra lead the people of Jerusalem in giving glory to God for all He has provided. Their worship prompts us to consider the nature of worship. We invite you to listen as Laura offers (and attempts to answer) ten questions about worship.

Visit our Downloads page this week for your copy of the upcoming February Write the WORD bookmark and S.O.A.P. study pages, ‘Do It’! List, and other free resources to help you balance your heart for God with the demands of a busy life and home.

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
I Chronicles 16:24

“Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.”
I Chronicles 16:28

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
Psalm 96:3

“The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.”
Psalm 113:4

 In addition to our focus word for the month of January – GLORY – one other word is found in every verse above: NATIONS. 

God’s heart for all people is woven into the fabric of scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. His call to Abraham and the establishment of his chosen people was so that they would be the light bearers to the world. The blessing was to carry the message forward – not to keep it exclusively for themselves.  

“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you,” God prophesied to Abraham. There is no greater joy than to fulfill God’s call to bless others as we have been blessed. It is both a privilege and an obligation! If a tree in my backyard was found to produce fruit that cured cancer, would I selfishly keep that secret to myself? Yet, the ultimate truth — the means to receive eternal life — is often withheld from those who are spiritually dying without hope.  

The purpose for our existence, the very reason we were created, is to glorify God. There is no greater satisfaction than fulfilling this purpose. Regardless of what we achieve, accomplish, or accumulate in life, something will always be absent if we don’t act on our mission. There is part of our being — Blaise Pascal refers to it as a “God-shaped vacuum”  — that cannot be filled by anything but Him.

As we intentionally lean in to embrace and fulfill this call, we are threaded into the “story of His glory” (quote from Steven Hawthorne, writing for One World Missions).

A study of Christian history reveals seasons of revival … times when new worshippers were added to God’s kingdom,  joyfully stepping up to glorify Him. The timeline of our individual lives would show the same: sweet times of connection to God and the body of Christ, when our lives were defined by “ascribing to Him the glory” He is worthy to receive. Those were times of peace and satisfaction like no other, when something inside bubbled up in defiance of challenges we faced on the outside.  

Historically, God has been glorified in many times and places: 

• Beautiful, stately, ornate European cathedrals 
• Thatched-roof huts in remote, Third World countries
  
• Fields in Israel where shepherds were tending their flocks at night 
• Russian gulags where Christians were incarcerated and persecuted  
• Nazi concentration camps 
• Chinese secret house churches 
• Outdoor tents revivals in America 
• Log cabins in the Midwest 
• Tiny ships pummeled and tossed by wind and waves as they crossed the Atlantic 

Pilgrims have been found in almost every generation and every corner of the world, making their way to a new land or a safe house as they sought out freedom to glorify God.  

In his book, The Insanity of God, author Nik Ripken shares true stories of believers he interviewed all over the world, who chose to glorify God at great risk to their personal safety and very existence. He tells of people who suffered, were tortured, and even lost their lives because of their steadfast commitment to worship God. One believer in Russia challenged Ripken: 

“Don’t ever give up in freedom
what we would never have given up
in persecution!”

Though I read this book a decade or more ago, these words still come to the surface in my heart and mind, challenging me to ask myself: Have I surrendered my call more days than not? Am I too easily distracted by a life of relative ease in my 21st-century, first-world existence?  

Do I use my freedom to be devoted, committed, relentless, and passionate in glorifying God? Is that the chief aim of my life? And if so, what does that look like, practically speaking?

Shouldn’t our lives be more than fulfilling the American dream and tending to our own interests?

The dots on the timeline of our individual lives, as well as those of the nations, will one day merge to one big glorious line of praise to God when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. A time is coming when “every tribe, tongue, and nation” (Revelation 7:9) will: 

•  “Declare his glory…” I Chronicles 16:24
• “…ascribe to the LORD glory…” I Chronicles 16:28 
• “Declare…his marvelous deeds..” Psalm 96:3
  

As followers of Christ, we will be one day be part of the great chorus, joining in worship together as we behold our Lord “exalted over all the nations.” (Psalm 113:4)  

The day is coming, so why not let it begin now? Today is a good day for your heart and my heart to exalt His name and declare His glory!  

How are YOU called to glorify God on this day, in your life, in your corner of the world? Today, in these first weeks of a new year, is a great day to glorify our great God! Now is the time! 

In this week’s devotional video, we learn that doing God’s work requires commitment, sacrifice, and faithfulness. We invite you to watch as our guest teacher, Jennifer Francis, unpacks key lessons from this week’s passage in Nehemiah:

It’s not too late to join us for the remainder of January as we read, write, and study verses about GLORY. Visit our Downloads page today for your free copy of our Write the WORD bookmark and optional S.O.A.P. Bible study outlines.

“I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.”
Psalm 63:2

David opens Psalm 63 by declaring who God is and who He is to him personally:  

“O God, you are my God…” 

Not only is He the great God of the universe, but He is personal to me. He is my God.  

Using the imagery of thirst, David declares his desire for God: nothing and no one else can satisfy his longing, the world offers only dryness and weariness. There is no water in the land, David says in Psalm 63:1. 

The sanctuary – the presence of God – is the oasis in the world’s desert.

It was true then, and it’s still true today. 

David comes to the sanctuary and is rewarded: He sees God. He beholds God’s power and His glory. We find this same glorious reward when we seek Him out today: 

You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

… those who seek me find me.
Proverbs 8:17b

Come near to God and he will come near to you.
James 4:8a

Remain in me, as I also remain in you…
John 15:4a

You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16:11

Life in this world brings dryness and weariness. Whether today’s challenge is chemotherapy or a clogged drain, a parent with dementia or a teenager with an attitude, or perhaps a lost job or just a lost set of keys, life brings hardship. But in Him, we can survive hard things … do hard things … and glorify God in hard things.  

Life is exhausting, but in Him we can “run and not grow weary.” (Isaiah 40:31) 

Life will bring trouble, but in Him we can have peace. (John 16:33) 

Life brings confusion and oppression, but understanding comes in His presence. (Psalm 73:16-17) 

When our cup is empty, we can – we must – come to God to fill it. He is the Living Water. Trudging through the challenges of life leaves us parched, dehydrated, and thirsty. I carry my cup to the mall, to my own dinner table, to the committee meeting, to the bookstore, to the ocean or the mountains. Wherever we find ourselves, we can come to Him with our cup held out … and time after time, He fills it to overflowing.  

We may mistakenly look to people and places to fill our cups. Some may try eating, drinking, or spending their way to a full cup. But our real thirst can only be quenched by Him.  

Come to the sanctuary. Come to Him. Come see His power and His glory. Allow it to overwhelm, consume, and thrill you. The great God of the universe, the creator of the world and everything in it, the author and perfecter of our salvation, the God of all power and glory … knows you and loves you. This love is better than anything – any thrill, high, or reward the world can offer.  

His love is better. It is higher, deeper, wider. It is eternal. May we declare with David: “Your love is better than life.” When we behold Him, when we see His power and glory, when we are drenched in His love that is better than anything in this life, our lips will – indeed, they must – overflow with praise: 

“Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.”
Psalm 62:3

Let’s covenant together in this new year to come to Him, our sanctuary, every day. Like David so many years ago, let’s embrace the timeless truth that only He can quench our thirst. Let us enter His sanctuary by reading His Word, abiding in His presence, and holding our cup up to Him for filling. Let’s be wowed by His power and His glory. Let’s allow Him to shower us with His love and overwhelm us with His presence. And let us be women of God, who respond by glorifying Him in every task, every action, every word.  

Because He is worthy.  

Because His love is better – greater, more powerful, more glorious than anything this world can offer.  

O God, you are my God…your love is better than life. 

In this week’s devotional video, Laura unpacks a verse that, while familiar to many of us, may actually mean more than we thought. We invite you to read Romans 3:23, and then listen to Laura’s teaching and allow yourself to be challenged!