Cross My Heart Ministry

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart,
with all your soul, and
with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

 All means ALL!

When we pray that the children in our lives would love God wholeheartedly, it means ALL IN. Not half-way, not half-heartedly, and not Sundays only.

When a mama asks her teenager to take out the trash, she doesn’t expect to see the trash sitting by the front door. It must make it all the way to the curb.

When a wife wants a faithful husband, she doesn’t mean 364 days a year – she expects 365 (and some years 366)!

And when God commands us to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we need to apply the same high standard. ALL IN!

As we pray for the children in our sphere of influence to love God wholeheartedly, we can also ask God to reveal where we ourselves might be holding out.

Here are some questions we can ask as we pray for the children in our lives (and for ourselves):

• Do I have a divided heart? Is there anything I treasure more than God?
• Do I find myself praying without ceasing – having on ongoing conversation with God throughout my day?
• Does God enter my thought life on Tuesday morning or Friday afternoon?
• Do I ask God about what I buy, read, and watch?
• Has Sunday morning worship become an optional activity? Am I finding reasons (I don’t feel like braving the rain, there’s a mountain of dirty laundry, I’m in the middle of a great book and can’t wait to finish it) not to gather with other believers?
• Do I give God the first and best of each day?
• Do I speak up when others speak poorly of my God?
• Do my posts, tweets, and social media comments indict me as a woman of God?
• Do thoughts about God in my mind and heart make their way into my conversations with others?

I hope one or more of these questions convict you as they do me. Perhaps they could even prompt a loving-God-wholeheartedly conversation with your child, grandchild, nephew or niece, a student in your class or church, or a young person in your neighborhood.

Lord God, I pray this child would put You on the throne of his/her life each day and every day. I pray this would be deliberate, conscious, daily choice.  I pray he/she would love You most and best and with a wholehearted devotion.

In this week’s teaching lecture from our II Corinthians Bible study, Laura drilled down on II Corinthians 1:3-11, with a focus on suffering. As believers, we will encounter difficult circumstances. And when we do, we may struggle with hard question: Does God see my pain? Does He care? Why doesn’t He stop my suffering — or simply prevent it in the first place?

As you watch this week’s devotional, we pray you are encouraged as you consider how our great God can use the suffering we experience for our benefit.

If you live in Northwest Arkansas or Northeast Oklahoma, we invite you to join our in-person Bible study on Wednesday mornings in Siloam Springs, AR. Reach out through our Contact form for more information about how you can gather with us this fall!

“…give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Thessalonians 5:18 [NIV]

When our oldest was only one year old, after prompting by our pastor, I began to pray for a thankful heart in my child. I continued this prayer as we added each additional child. Four kids – and three grandchildren – later, I’m still praying for thankful Macfarlan hearts.

“Why thankfulness?” you may ask.

The first (or most obvious) response might be the blessing released to others. That is true. And that is important. Others are blessed when we express gratitude.

But I’m also convinced that thankfulness is a blessing to the one releasing it. Thankfulness protects against entitlement, materialism, and selfishness … all dangerous to the character of children. The 21^st-century culture of our western world makes them vulnerable to “me-ism” – I’m convinced entitlement, materialism, and selfishness are the default, but our prayers can combat these society norms. We are up against entrenched attitudes, human nature, and even commercials and advertisements. The world will corrupt and entice all of us to make it all about us.

It’s natural (and easy) to make it all about self in this world. But never underestimate the power of a praying mom – or grandmother, or aunt, Sunday School teacher, youth leader, coach, godparent, or anyone else who has influence in a young life! We can best fight the culture on our knees. And we can train up the young people we love to live selfless in a “selfie” world.

As we consider praying for thankful children, consider these prayer prompts:

• Lord, give my child a thankful heart. (I Thessalonians 5:18)
• Jesus, let my child see that every good gift comes down from above. (James 1:17)
• God, I pray my child would intentionally release thankfulness to others.
• Holy Spirit, I pray our family would be thankful in “all circumstances” – by faith, believing that You can and will work all things out for our good and for Your glory. (Romans 8:28)

As we pray, we can also put feet to our prayers by taking these practical steps to teach thankfulness to our children, grandchildren, and the other young people in our lives:

1. Do not overindulge in “stuff” but show love in creative ways. Whenever possible, give experiences and time, instead of things.
2. Choose at least one night per week to pray “Thank you” prayers. Rather than asking God for something, take turns thanking Him for what He has already done for the blessings of the day. Teach them to pray thank-you prayers for big and small things:
   “God, thank you for the tulips popping through in the flower bed and reminding us that spring is coming.”
   “Jesus, thank you for the baby growing in Aunt Denise’s tummy.”
   “Holy Spirit, thank you for our fun afternoon in the park.”
3. Train a child to respond with thankfulness:
   1. Write thank you notes together with preschoolers—allowing them to add their names to the note with your help.
   2. For elementary-aged kids, encourage them to be conscientious about writing thank you notes to their teacher, coach, and/or sponsor for their soccer team.
   3. Train teenagers to write thank you notes before cashing the check from grandma and grandpa.
4. Model thankfulness. Most character traits are more “caught than taught,” as I’ve heard Dr. James Dobson say on many occasions.
   1. Sit down together to write thank you notes after Christmas.
   2. Let them hear you intentionally thank your pastor for his teaching on Sunday morning.
   3. Thank them for big and small things when you see and hear them get it right:
      “Thank you for helping your brother.”
      “Thank you for carrying in the groceries for your grandmother.”
      “Thank you for making your bed without being asked.”
5. When dining out, ask to speak to the manager and enjoy seeing his/her face transform from dread to delight when you say, “Our family had such a great meal this evening. Thank you for the good food and excellent service.” (On the way home, explain that people always complain when someone gets it wrong, but it’s important to express our thanks when they get it right!)

The importance of thankfulness was a thread woven through the teaching of Dr. Jonathan Burnham, my wise and godly pastor in the early nineties. Over and again, his preaching emphasized the theme of thankfulness. Even after moving out of state, that emphasis continued to resonate in my heart and be a priority in my prayers.

All these years later, I give glory to God as I see thankfulness demonstrated in the lives of my children. The thank you notes I have received from them are treasures to keep. They are tangible reminders that, while I did many things wrong, perhaps consistent training in gratitude was one thing I did right.

Whether you are praying thankfulness into your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, students, or the kids who live across the street or sit in the pew behind you – I hope you will pray. And I hope that we can all see our society truly transformed by an “attitude of gratitude.”

Our September ‘Write the WORD’ bookmark and S.O.A.P. study pages
can be found on our Downloads page. Won’t you join us in reading, writing,
and studying God’s WORD this month?

This week, Laura kicked off our fall Bible study of II Corinthians by exploring the history, geography, and people of Corinth. Then, she guided us in a look at the apostle Paul, who planted the church in Corinth.

This fall, Laura’s teaching videos will be published each Friday for those who wish to study virtually, but if you live in Northwest Arkansas or Northeast Oklahoma, we would love for you to study with us in person on Wednesday mornings in Siloam Springs!

If you have questions or are interesting in a study guide, please use our Contact form to reach out for more information!

“…and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus.”
II Timothy 3:15

Paul is writing to Timothy, his spiritual son. (He refers to him in I Timothy 1:2 as “my true son in the faith.”) Thanks to the faith of his mother and grandmother, Timothy knew about God and knew the Scriptures from an early age.

But, of course, God has no grandchildren. At some point, Timothy believed for himself (II Timothy 1:5). He accepted the gift of salvation that comes by grace through faith.

Like Lois and Eunice, Timothy’s mother and grandmother, we can ensure the young people around us know the Word. We can take them to church to hear the Word. We can play Christian music and buy them Christian books. But, of course, none of that will save them. They must come to sincere faith in Christ on their own.

We can do everything within our power to make sure the children in our lives know the truth—and then each must choose to bend their knee to Jesus.

Perhaps you are a woman who did not come to faith yourself until your adult years. Maybe you have adult children that have rejected your faith. Do not let the enemy rob you of peace and joy for today. Do not take on illegitimate guilt. The past is done … confess anything you need to confess, receive His forgiveness (I John 1:9) and then move on! Forgive yourself, sister friend!

Choose today to pray. Pray intentionally and unceasingly for the “children” in your sphere of influence, whether they are infants, young kids, adolescents, or adults. If there is life, there is hope. Pray and keep on praying!

Lord God Almighty, thank You for the gift of salvation! Jesus, thank You for the magnitude of Your great love demonstrated at the Cross and the unmatched strength of Your mighty power demonstrated by Your resurrection. O God, thank You for loving me enough to die for me. Let this young person in my life see that you love her and died for her, too. Convict her of sin. Draw her to yourself. Overwhelm her today with Your great love. Let today be her day of salvation!

Laura recorded this week’s devotional video in beautiful Asheville, NC, while attending a five-day Bible intensive. Inspired by the beautiful mountains, she was reminded of several passages where important things happened on mountains – including Matthew 28:16  (a passage we know as the Great Commission) in which the disciples obediently went to the mountain to meet Jesus. We invite you to watch this week’s video and be challenged to go to the mountain to meet Jesus each day!

Please be sure to visit our Downloads page for your own copy of this month’s Write the WORD bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. pages, our monthly ‘Do It!’ List, and more!

I am not saying this because I am in need, for
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:10-13 

What a profound reassurance to acknowledge that contentment can be learned.  As we look on the lives of others who seem so filled with peace—those who clearly abide in Christ—we may incorrectly assume that some have it and some do not. We have mistakenly assumed it is inherited, like curly hair or the ability to draw.  

Have you believed the lie that some are blessed with peaceful contentment and the rest of us are doomed to fight for happiness?   

These words from Paul—a man who suffered greatly for his faith—clue us in. If the great Apostle Paul had to learn contentment, then surely we, too, are not exempt from that classroom.  

Contentment trumps happiness. It does not depend on our circumstances. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the “happy” God brings into our lives. The blessings and gifts He gives are good, and we praise Him for them! But are we a society of happiness addicts? Is our faith so shallow that we withhold our praise to God until He gives us our “happy” for today?

Are we essentially asking Him, “What have you done for me lately?”  

Growing in grace—and growing up in Christ—means we are less addicted to this life’s happiness. We are more able to declare, “Just give me Jesus.”   

Whether today brings an overdue bill or an unexpected refund check, a bonus or a pink slip, a malignancy or a clean scan … we can be content. But it’s something we learn in the classroom of life. And that’s why we can be grateful for hard things—because they teach us contentment in Christ.  

• Can we appreciate companionship if we have never known solitude? 
• Can we be grateful for health if we have never known sickness?
• Can we enjoy financial security if we have never lived with bills we cannot pay? 

Our times of having not enable us to praise Him with grace and gratitude on the days of having. Contentment in both states is learned—and the circumstances and situations of life are our teachers.  

A teachable spirit permits the lessons to be learned easier and perhaps more quickly. Pride makes us resistant, hinders our learning, and delays contentment.  

Contentment brings peace. As the frenzy, the striving, the frustration, and the chasing-after are all laid aside, peace in Him remains.  

But make no mistake: contentment is not settling for less. It is not resigning ourselves to live less. It is leaning in for more and better; abiding in Jesus far exceeds any happiness the world can deliver. Paul describes it this way:

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
I Timothy 6:6 

Do you know the secret of being content in any and every situation? 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

Each September, in honor of school starting, we highlight the importance of praying for the young people in our lives by featuring a bookmark with prayer prompts (and Scriptures to back up those prompts) to spur you on to pray for your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or kids in the neighborhood. We invite you to listen to this week’s devotional video, in which Laura discusses this powerful tool for prayer, and encourage you to ask the Lord who you should remember in prayer this September.

Visit our Downloads page for this month’s Write the WORD bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. study pages, and other free resources to help you love God and His Word.

It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.
Psalm 119:71 

Many of you are already familiar with the S.O.A.P. method of Bible study. The letters stand for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. First developed by Dr. Wayne Cordeiro, a pastor in Hawaii, it has since spread from his congregation to bless many others.

Several years ago, we introduced a S.O.A.P. page as a companion resource for our monthly Write the WORD bookmark. As we read and write scripture, we pray the Holy Spirit will also assist us in seeing and applying the truth found there. The S.O.A.P. outline provides a simple yet memorable format for analyzing a verse or passage in your daily quiet time. 

For this week’s Sunday Soaking, I’ve chosen to unpack Psalm 119:71 using the S.O.A.P. model. For those of you who may be new to this Bible study method, I hope it will inspire you to try adding a little “soap” to your daily routine.

Visit our Downloads page
for free copies of our monthly verse list
and printable S.O.A.P. Bible study outline!

This week’s guest teaching is brought to us by Izzy Hoffarth from the Young Adult ministry at Cross Church Pinnacle Hills. In this latest devotional video, Izzy unpacks insight on CONTENTMENT from Philippians 4:12, part of a letter written from a prison cell by the apostle Paul. We invite you to listen as Izzy reminds us that contentment is not just a trait we have or don’t have, but is something we LEARN by trusting God through life experiences.

If you have not yet subscribed the the Cross My Heart YouTube channel,
we invite you to do so today and be among the first to know
when a new video is available for viewing.

Assemble the people—men, women and children,
and the foreigners residing in your towns—
so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God
and follow carefully all the words of this law.
Their children, who do not know this law,
must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God
as long as you live in the land
you are crossing the Jordan to possess.
Deuteronomy 31:12-13 

In ancient times, there were no books, no Bibles, no apps or smart phones to access the Word of God. The people assembled. They listened and learned as the priest read aloud from the holy scriptures.

I love the visual created in this passage: men, women, children, and their children (as well as the foreigners residing in the towns) all gathered together to listen and learn.  

God is the genius who thought up the idea of families. He placed us in those groups—whether by birth, marriage, or adoption—to love and encourage each other, to learn from each other, and to worship God together.  

What a great privilege. What a high and holy calling to be a parent or grandparent. When a little one is added to our family, we start anew. We “reboot” … with yet another opportunity to teach a child about the Lord, to read His Word aloud, to share the wonder of our very great and very good God.

What joy!  

The amazing thing is that as we teach and tell these young ones, the truth goes a little deeper into our own hearts. We embrace what we share in deeper and more profound ways than last year, last month, or even yesterday. God’s Word is like fresh manna! As we listen to and learn from it, the Bible prompts us to follow God more carefully. More intentionally. More joyfully. It spurs us on to know Him and worship Him! 

Can there be any greater joy to a woman of God than to worship the Lord with all our beloved ones gathered together? 

Today, I invite you to celebrate those in your family tree who gave you life, taught you truth, and spurred you on. Many of us were blessed with loving parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who also modeled the Christian walk well. Our full lives and fast-paced schedules can cause us to overlook calling or checking in with those who have loved, taught, and faithfully prayed for us during our lives. Don’t miss the blessing. Make the phone call. Get in the car and go visit. Ask questions. Listen and learn. Honor, celebrate, and worship the Lord together!  

How has God used your family to teach you?
What have you learned from them about God?

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the prophet Isaiah wrote a beautiful prayer of yearning so that we, too, may learn to yearn. In this week’s devotional video, Angela Kincade of Cross Church shares from Isaiah 26:9 how we are to earnestly seek God, to learn righteousness, and to learn to yearn for the Lord. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen to the message Angela has shared with us:

We invite you to consider the word LEARN this month as the focus our Write the WORD series. Visit our Downloads page for your free verse bookmark and optional S.O.A.P. study pages, as well as other helpful resources to help you balance the demands of your busy life with a heart for loving and serving God.

When he takes the throne of his kingdom,
he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law,
taken from that of the Levitical priests.

It is to be with him,
and he is to read it all the days of his life
so that
he may learn to revere the LORD his God and
follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees …
Deuteronomy 17:18-19

Long before Israel had a king, God provided the requirements for one. It should surprise no one that God’s law figured prominently into those requirements. Not only was Israel’s king to have his own copy of the law, it was to be written out in his own hand. Yes, even though a plethora of scribes and servants were surely at his disposal, the king was to write it out for himself. He was to keep it with him, and he was to “read it all the days of his life.”

The passage above was the inspiration for our monthly Write the WORD series.

If writing out God’s Word was important for the King of Israel, I think it is important for us, as well — we serve the King of Kings.

Why would the king be expected to not only read the word, but to write it out with his own hand? Two possibilities come to mind:

1. We tend to remember what we write. What better way, then, to hide God’s Word in our hearts than to write it out?
2. It slows us down. It takes longer to write, of course, than to read. As we write out the words of Scripture, the Holy Spirit may draw our hearts and minds to home in a specific phrase — even single word — in the passage. Words that may be overlooked as we read are savored in the writing.

This passage also includes one of my favorite phrases in Scripture: so that.

Oh, how I love it when God gives us a reason — a “so that!” He is God Almighty, and He certainly does not owe us an explanation, but it is a great blessing when we get one. Here in Deuteronomy, He reveals the reasons why it was (and still is) important to write, keep, and read the Bible every day:

*So that we learn to revere the Lord

*So that we walk in obedience

To “revere” means to honor or respect. As we revere God, we glorify Him – make much of Him. It’s the reason for our existence! God’s Word teaches us more about Him, and the more we learn of Him, the better equipped we are to revere Him. The word “learn” suggests it is an ever-increasing, iterative process. As faithful students of His Word, we revere Him more today than five years ago – and if we continue to study the scriptures, in five years from now we will revere Him even more than today.

A woman who follows God is on a journey to know Him more so that she can revere Him more.

The second reason for daily time in the Bible centers on obedience. As we study God’s Word, our hearts are stirred to follow in obedience.

This not legalism; it is joyful obedience. The motivation is love, not fear. Joy, not pride.

As we read and write the Word each day, I pray we are doing so with a heart and mind intent on learning to revere the Lord and walk in obedience to Him.

This week our guest speaker, Emily Brannon of Cross Church, takes a look at Deuteronomy 5:1. After the Israelites were delivered from bondage in Egypt, God kindly and lovingly presented His laws and decrees to guide them in living in freedom.

Won’t you join us as we read, write, and study God’s Word this month?
Visit our Downloads page, where you’ll find the free bookmarks
for this month’s Write The WORD: LEARN.
We also offer printable S.O.A.P. study guide pages
to help you organize your thoughts & observations
as you study God’s Word, as well as other helpful resources.