Cross My Heart Ministry

Children are a heritage from the LORD,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
Psalm 127:3-5a

They come to us as infants: tiny bundles of blessing. They seem so little to have completely captured our hearts. In that precious moment of new birth, we know they are God’s blessing. No one has to convince us. Our hearts. Our minds. The marrow of our bones.  All in.

But as time passes, sometimes we forget. Most days may be filled with laughter, joy, and assurance that we are both liked and loved. But there will be those days. Sleepless nights. Vomit. Crashed fenders. Half-done chores. Back talk. A speeding ticket. Whether they are 2 or 32, our children are a source of blessing, wonder, frustration, delight, and challenge. I wouldn’t trade anything for the privilege, but there were moments when the stress and worry of parenting seem almost unbearable.

Through my children, and now my three granddaughters, God has taught me many lessons.  He has used them to bless me. I have learned that I am not nearly as wise, kind, or patient as I thought I was. I have learned that I am much less selfish than I ever thought I could be. I have learned that no sacrifice is too great, and that I can rise to any occasion when my loved ones’ health, hopes, or happiness is on the line.

Because I’m a mom and a grandmother, I’ve learned what I always knew in my head, but needed to know down in my gut: it’s not about me. My life, my parenting and grandparenting – all done for Him and through Him.  It’s all for HIS glory.

Without the privilege of motherhood, I’m not sure I ever could have understood God’s unconditional love for me. It only began to make sense when I first embraced my own children and felt that fierce, devoted, unconditional love flowing through me for each of them. And the feeling of holding my own child’s child in my arms … it’s simply inexplicable.

Children are a blessing. Do you know that? Do you believe that? Does your daily life reflect that?

Our days with them are limited. Take it from a mother of adult children: time will pass much more quickly than you thought possible. Whether your children are still young or have already left home, I challenge you to be strategic and intentional in making every day matter. Every moment you spend with them should be celebrated, utilized, and spent wisely. I lament any day I squandered on surviving rather than being fully present.

Our children and grandchildren are a blessing because it’s through them that God teaches us much about Himself. They are a blessing because He uses us to love, teach, and encourage them to go forward – to people and places in the future that we ourselves will never meet and never go.

If you are a parent today, you are blessed. Treasure them and thank Him.

Have you had a chance to watch this week’s YouTube video? If not, we hope you’ll enjoy Laura’s teaching on II Kings 13 – 16:

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…
Psalm 33:12

Regardless of the yardstick you use to define what blessed means, our nation (and the life we enjoy here) still measures up.

Our democratic republic was an experimental idea that invoked smirks from some, disdain from others, and hope to many more. And almost 250 years later, it’s still working.

We are blessed.

Recent world events are a reminder of just how great those blessings are. Each day, as we see heartbreaking stories of military aggression, bombings, callous disregard for human life, and displaced families fleeing their homes, we cannot help but be horrified by the violence taking place in Eastern Europe … and increasingly grateful of our lives here in the United States.

This country exists and functions by the principles laid out in our Constitution. Do you realize that you and I are mentioned in this historic document? Right there in the Preamble where the Founders recorded their intention to:

“… secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”

Posterity means you and me! The men who wrote those words put life, liberty, honor, and financial security on the line to make them a reality. Each generation since has stepped up to do the same.

Our blessings of liberty are secure so long as collectively we are willing to defend them – to the death, if need be. The truth of this hits home when we see citizens of other nations, forced to rise up in defense of their own country and their way of life.

Blessed is our nation. Blessed are we as citizens of this nation.

Psalm 33:12 says: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…

Reaping the fruits provided by the sacrifices of others brings a lot of “happy” to our lives. But if blessing is defined as “happiness upon happiness,” then ultimate blessing to us as citizens individually, and to us as a nation corporately, can only be fully realized when we bow to God Almighty.

Perhaps the divide we see in our nation today proves this point. Getting a certain candidate elected, pushing for the agenda we support, lobbying and debating, persuading and posturing to garner political points … it’s all so tiresome and temporary. These short-term gains can never, ever bring eternal blessing.

Today’s headlines should not only prompt sincere prayer for Ukrainians who find their lives upended by war, but remind us to appreciate the many rights and privileges we so often take for granted as Americans. We should also reflect on who we are, how we got here, and maybe where we need to be, both individually and corporately. We’re happy to be citizens of our country, but are we blessed in the true, deep, biblical sense of being blessed?

How can we expect our nation corporately to make God our Lord if we as individuals fail to bow to Him? If you claim Jesus as your Savior, how do you prove that faith by bowing to Him as LORD?

Blessed are the citizens of the nation whose God is the Lord.

Let’s ask ourselves: how do we assure we aren’t settling for happy, when blessing awaits?

This week’s Bible study found us in II Kings, chapters 11 and 12. Listen today as Laura shares thoughts on two key women in the passage: Athaliah and Jehosheba. One was used by the enemy, the other used mightily by God. We hope their stories challenge you to steward your influence well!

It’s not too late to join us for this month’s Write The WORD. Our March theme is BLESSED. Visit our Downloads page for free copies of this newest bookmark, the optional S.O.A.P study pages, and more.

This week, I would ask you to make a special effort to pray for the protection of innocent civilians impacted by the attacks on Ukraine, and for peace in Eastern Europe.

“Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.”
Psalm 48:9

 It is good to be still—to think, ponder, wonder, and meditate on God’s unfailing love.

Soak it in. Let it marinate in your heart. Marvel.

Allow it to amaze, overwhelm, and astonish.

The more I focus on who God is, the more I am aware of who I am not:  My sinfulness contrasts with His holiness. My inability is eclipsed by His all sufficiency. My never-enough is lost in His more-than-enough.

Only a humble heart can fully praise Him. Only a humble heart is desperate for Him.

A heart that recognizes its own sin, and is broken by that realization, is profoundly grateful for the sacrificial love that declares it clean and pure. A transformed heart can worship with abandon, marveling at God’s unfailing love that makes it all possible.

Meditating on His love individually prepares us for coming together corporately. The Lord is glorified when the body of Christ—a group of broken hearts glued together with the blood of Jesus—comes together in worship. And when a sanctuary full of humble hearts meditates together on His unfailing love, the result is real, unvarnished, God-honoring, holy worship that makes much of Him.

Are you meditating on His unfailing love today? Are you joining your heart with fellow believers in worship?

Our Heavenly Father wants our praise, but He won’t demand it.

Our great God desires and deserves our worship, but He won’t compel it.

As you and I meditate today on His unfailing love, may it prompt praise from our lips and joy in our hearts.

Our March Write The WORD topic is BLESSED.
Visit our Downloads page for your copy of the March bookmark and S.O.A.P. study pages, as well as the monthly Do It! List.

This week’s Bible study was canceled due to an ice storm in Northwest Arkansas, but Laura recorded her teaching lecture for our YouTube channel. Watch Lesson 5 as we see the long-awaited fulfillment of God’s promise (from I Kings) to bring judgment on the house of Ahab.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
Psalm 63:3

Life is good. You’ve probably said that a few times – perhaps in response to a passing “How are you?” from a friend. The response has become almost a cliché, on par with:

• Can’t complain!
• Awesome!
• Fine!
• Great!

One organization has successfully transformed “life is good” into a thriving business. (Maybe you own a Life Is Good tee shirt.) Their mission is to spread the power of optimism and their tag line reads:

LIFE IS NOT PERFECT. LIFE IS NOT EASY. LIFE IS GOOD.

As a follower of Christ, I can’t argue with that statement. In fact, I agree with it. My life is good. I am grateful for the life I have and am well aware that I am blessed well beyond what I deserve. Even though life is never perfect and is often not easy, life is still good.

Life … is … good.

But God’s love is better. Because of God’s love we need not settle for good. We get better. We get eternal life. We get freedom in Christ. We get hope for eternity. And all that is made possible because of God’s love. Love that is better than a life that is good.

The nerdy part of me wants to make it work in an equation:

Life = Good

God’s Love > Life

If we pause to count our many blessings – to make a list of all the things that make this life good – that list might include:

• A devoted, godly husband
• Children that bring delight
• Grandchildren that bright delight multiplied!
• A safe home
• Plenty to eat
• Friends I can count on and confide in
• A pastor who preaches the Word
• Coffee
• My Bible
• The ability to read
• Air conditioning
• A gas fireplace
• A library card
• A Kitchen-Aid mixer
• Photo albums
• Chocolate
• Laughter

The list is endless. Some seem trivial and others more substantial, but all are blessings of a good life.

As good as this life may be, God’s love is better. God’s love trumps every other blessing. God’s love brings peace and joy that transcends this life and reaches to eternity. Because of God’s love, my destiny for eternity is secure. I have confident hope.

Life here is good. I love the blessings this life brings. Anticipating that life for eternity is even better brings wonder … amazement … peace … joy.

As I ponder and embrace the truth that God’s love is better than life, the only possible response is praise. I can’t help but glorify Him. As natural as breathing is the song on my lips to the God who loves me. The one whose love is better than life must be praised. He must be glorified. The deep sense of belonging – of abiding in Him – brings a delightful desire to glorify Him.

Surely, there is no better way to observe the Sabbath than to allow our lips to glorify our great God! Let’s declare with the Psalmist: My lips will glorify you!

Although our Spring Bible study is taking a break this week, Laura has a few thoughts to share about II Kings 8 in this short bonus teaching video:

What does God love? According to Psalm 33:5, the answer is righteousness and justice:

The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
Psalm 33:5

God doesn’t play favorites. He is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t treat the rich better than the poor (or the poor better than the rich). He is not impressed by designer labels or false humility. He is colorblind.

And I’m convinced He delights when we do the same.

If we are being transformed into the image of Christ, then what He loves, we should love.

To love righteousness and justice means to celebrate fairness, to be happy when morality is exercised.

As I think on righteousness and justice, they also sound a bit harsh … even legalistic. They suggest an unattainable standard. They convict me, as they highlight my own lacking – in my sinfulness, I love righteousness and justice when criminals are punished, but when I consider my own sin, I’m eager to read the rest of the verse! – to be reminded of God’s unfailing love.

Righteousness and justice bring a standard of perfection we could never meet. They clash with God’s unfailing love and mercy. But in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness and justice are both satisfied, as He extends love and mercy.

As I think about His character, I picture parallel train tracks – His justice and righteousness running alongside His unfailing love and mercy. Both must be embraced to understand God’s eternal nature and character.

Have you ever focused on train tracks as they travel to the horizon? At that point they seem to meet and become one. That point on the spiritual horizon is the cross of Christ.

Righteousness and justice satisfied by unfailing love and mercy. Certainly, an oxymoron from a human viewpoint. But our great God is not limited by finite views or understandings. His unfailing love is almost illogical, from our human perspective.

Do you love justice and righteousness? Are you grateful for God’s unfailing love? Are you celebrating today the cross of Christ, where both come together to make eternal life possible in days to come, while spurring us on to live victoriously in the here and now?

If so, ask yourself how your choices demonstrate you love what God loves.

How are you and I claiming, experiencing, and releasing His unfailing love?

This week’s teaching video from II Kings is now available on our YouTube channel. In II Kings, chapters 6 and 7, Elisha’s servant awakened early and found the city completely surrounded by the enemy. He cried out, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” We hope you’ll take time today to watch as Laura discusses Elisha’s prayerful response to his servant and God’s answer to them:

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A prior version of this post by Laura was published on
AReasonForHomeschool.com