Cross My Heart Ministry

“…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!

Our Write the WORD bookmark for September is designed to coincide with the beginning of school. We hope you will download this free resource, write out each day’s verse, and then pray it over a child (or children) in your life. Please watch and listen to this week’s Friday devotional video, as Laura explains our Write the WORD study help and also demonstrates how the September bookmark is a wonderful tool to inspire prayer for the young ones in your life.

Visit our Downloads page today for your own copy of the Write the WORD bookmark, S.O.A.P. study pages, and other free resources to help you balance your heart for God with the demands of a busy life.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26

The Proverbs Lady has simultaneously convicted and inspired women of God for centuries. We want to be her. We are sometimes shamed by her. Is she really that perfect? Does she offer a high, but unattainable standard?

Of course, she does … at least, when we try to do it on our own.

Like all of Scripture, Proverbs 31 is powerful to refine and transform us. But as we read it – especially this side of the Cross – we read with gratitude that it is the Holy Spirit working in us and through us that both convicts and empowers us to live lives differently and for the glory of God. We don’t have to earn God’s love, because we already are loved!

(Pause here for a deep, thankful breath.)

Verses 10-31 of Proverbs 31 highlight character traits of a woman who seems almost too good to be true, but she also offers an example of what we can aspire to be when the Holy Spirit indwells us. These character traits include:

• Strong work ethic
• Purposeful
• Compassionate
• Helpful
• Creative
• Strong
• Dignified
• Industrious
• Blessed
• Committed

And from our highlighted verse today, we add: WISE. Only a wise person can speak with wisdom. And the indicator of being wise is that we release instruction that is faithful.

What is instruction? And to whom is it given?

It might include training our children or giving advice to a friend. We may be a “Titus 2” woman who mentors younger women. Sometimes our counseling/training/mentoring may be conscious and formal. Other times we instruct others by our example. Those in our world are watching us. Perhaps taking their cues from us. Think about it: when you were younger, was there a woman in your life that you looked up to? Someone who inspired you? Was she a living example of “Jesus with skin on” in your life?

We become followers of Jesus when we place our faith in Him. We receive salvation by grace through faith. Because our works can never be good enough to atone for our sin, we rely solely on the completed work of Christ on Calvary’s Cross. His grace is free to us, but cost Jesus the most painful, horrific death ever conceived. That reality should prompt us to be grateful and to approach our Christian walk seriously, soberly, and faithfully.

I have no real, eternal wisdom on my own. But because His Spirit dwells in me and because I soak up His Word, I can become wise. And the indicator that I’m growing in wisdom on the inside is the words on my tongue that flow to the outside.

In light of the conviction and truth of verse 26 above, I’m asking myself these questions today:

• Do I speak with wisdom?
• Who has asked me for advice or counsel in the last month?
• Were my answers (whether in person, email, or text) consistent with biblical truth?
• Is the instruction I share based on human logic or Spirit-fueled faith?

I hope you will ask yourself these same questions and then pray with me:

Lord, thank you for saving me by grace through faith. Forgive me for the years I’ve wasted relying on my own strength rather than Your Spirit who dwells in me. I pray today that I would yield my heart, mind, and my TONGUE to the Holy Spirit. As He leads, I pray I would be transformed into a wise woman, a woman of God – a woman who speaks with faithful instruction. Oh, Lord, remind me to send up an arrow prayer for Your help before I open my mouth to respond. Let the words I speak be prompted by Your truth. Amen.

In this week’s devotional video, Laura and her friend, Marilae Latham, discuss Isaiah 50:4 and Marilae shares the personal journey of learning to bring her words – as well as the thoughts and emotions that prompt those words – under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We invite you to watch the video and be challenged by Marilae’s personal story of a godly older woman who gave her encouragement about speaking wisely.

Visit our Downloads page for this month’s Write the WORD bookmark and S.O.A.P. Bible study pages … and with the a new month approaching, watch for our September bookmark and ‘Do It!’ List coming soon!

Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.
Proverbs 10:19

Every kid that has ever gotten into trouble (eventually) learns to STOP TALKING when caught by his/her parents. Rationalizing, justifying, and certainly back talk just make it all worse!

Our legal system requires an accused party to be reminded, “You have the right to remain silent…” Obviously, because “multiplying words” may provide enough evidence to convict oneself.

Those may be two extremes (most of us are no longer teenagers missing curfew or criminals caught shoplifting or driving while intoxicated), but the principle is still good for living life. Whether navigating a disagreement with our spouse, speaking up as a citizen at a city board meeting, or participating in a church life group – when we talk too much, share too much, or keep pressing in to make our point, what could have been a valid and rational argument may get lost in the “multiplying words.”

Pride could be the real motivation … really, it’s often true that pride is the sin lurking behind every other sin! My determination to keep talking – to keep pressing to make my point ten different ways – may stem from the prideful belief that I’m right and I just need to convince this poor unenlightened person before me to get with my program. Ugh!

James 1:9 reminds us that, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” but our human default is often: speak quickly and don’t listen!

The poetic style of Proverbs is parallelism – meaning, two lines are offered, and a conjunction separates them. Sometimes the second line adds a similar meaning (synonymous parallelism) or continues the thought of the first line (synthetic parallelism). However, Proverbs 10:19 is a classic example of antithetical parallelism – the second line contrasts with the first. In this case, the opposite of “multiplying words” is to hold the tongue! The contrast is heightened by contrasting sin with being prudent.

It’s ironic. Our desire to talk is a desire to share our wisdom, but the talking is what exposes a lack of wisdom!

Clearly, Solomon’s wisdom for us: talk less!

Clothespin, anyone?

In this week’s devotional video, Laura and her friend, Barb Maples, discuss their thoughts on the Proverbs 31 lady and her trait of speaking with wisdom. We invite you to listen and be blessed as Barb shares a personal story of a friend who was this kind of woman for her many years ago.

Visit our Downloads page today for your copy of this month’s Write the WORD bookmark, featuring Bible verses with the word, TONGUE. You will also find other free resources to help you balance your busy life with your heart for serving God and loving others.

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
Psalm 35:28

Reading verse 28 in isolation could lead us to assume David was in a season of joy and contentment. To truly appreciate this ending to Psalm chapter 35, we must begin in verse one and read all the way through. The first 27 verses paint the full picture of David’s current circumstances. The bulk of the chapter is an appeal to God, asking Him to intervene:

• “…contend with those who contend with me…” (verse 1)
• “May those who seek my life be disgraced…” (verse 4)
• “…may ruin overtake them by surprise…” (verse 8)
• “Rescue my life from their ravages …” (verse 17)

We could fill the page with David’s cries to God. Clearly, this man of God has learned to do his fighting on his knees and he holds nothing back! He as a warrior, but he also knew which battles belong to God.

He ends his prayerful appeal on a confident note—a testimony of his steadfast faith that God will provide:

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.

David’s declaration teaches us that praising God is a choice. He has laid his circumstances before God, and those circumstances are indeed dire. While nothing has yet changed on the outside, David’s heart has changed on the inside as he systematically brings his burden before the Lord. Anxiety evaporates and gives way to praise. Fear yields to faith.

Do you see it? David chooses to praise God even before he sees how and when God will answer!

There is power in praise!

David’s heart was the battleground. And giving it all to God brought the victory. He ends in praise, and he declares the praise will continue all day long.

Can you and I take up that challenge? Can praise be our ammunition against the enemy? When fear creeps in, can we choose to declare God’s righteousness and praise Him when life is hard and the struggle is real?

It’s so easy to praise God in hindsight—to look back and remember and praise Him for what He has already done. The victory that’s been delivered. The provision that was received. But it takes a heart of deep faith to praise Him in advance and then choose to keep on praising Him all day long.

May we be women of God who praise God all day long … come what may!

In this week’s video, Laura and her friend, Phyllis Lauber, discuss Proverbs 12:18. As a former school counselor, Phyllis is well aware of the power of words to hurt and bully others, or to build them up and bring healing. We invite you to watch now as Laura and Phyllis discuss the power of our words:

Visit our Downloads page for your copy of this month’s Write the WORD: Tongue bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. study pages, and more!

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.”
II Samuel 23:2

Chapter 23 of II Samuel is titled, “The Last Words of David” in my Bible. As King David writes his memoirs and reflects on his life, this man-after-God’s-heart declares the presence and power of the Spirit of God in his life.

Perhaps David’s words are not only declared but shared with wonder and amazement.

God plucked up a kid from a shepherd’s field and chose this runt of Jesse’s litter to be the king of His people. Clearly, God will use anybody. In fact, He seems to take particular delight in using nobodies from nowhere to fulfill His purposes.

The key to being used by God is to acknowledge it’s all done through, by, with, in, and for Him. We become useless to God when we begin to usurp even one smidgen of the glory for ourselves.

If God’s Spirit is in us, we must give Him full access to our hearts, minds, and tongues. This access simultaneously equips us for what He calls and protects us from seeking glory for ourselves. If His Spirit speaks through us, it is HIS word on our tongue.

If I desire to be used by God – to be a woman after God’s heart – then I yield it all to Him. Is His Word on my tongue? Is His Spirit speaking through me?

Women of God are women who may be called upon to praise, teach, encourage, mentor, discipline, coach, and advise. They are women who praise, thank, re-direct, and counsel. The words coming from the tongue of a woman of God should be prompted by the Spirit of God. That only happens as we deliberately, consciously, intentionally, and continuously yield our tongues, as well as our hearts and minds to His Spirit. For me, that means more of Him and less of Laura.

My tongue is often the best litmus test for how much and to what extent I have yielded. What about you? Is His Word on your tongue? Is His Spirit speaking through you? Would you like Him to? Would you ask Him to?

What joy will be ours to, like David, come to the end of our lives and look back in wonder and amazement to declare, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.” And then to add, “Hallelujah! To Him be all the glory!”

This week’s Friday devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend Franni O’Neal, as they unpack Proverbs 10:19. We invite you to listen as they discuss “tongue-holding” strategies.

Visit our Downloads page for your copy of this month’s Write the WORD: Tongue bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. study pages, and more free resources.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;
rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13

What is your spiritual status?

If you have confessed your sin, repented of it, called on Jesus for salvation, and accepted the gift of eternal life He made possible by His death, then your identity has been changed for all eternity.

You are free — spiritually free. Redeemed. Secure for eternity. Your status need not be renewed, you don’t have to re-apply, and it never expires. Eternal means eternal. Forever. Done. Complete.

All that mess … all those poor choices … all that shame and regret? Every bit of it is nailed to the cross of Christ. Your debt has been marked, “PAID IN FULL” by the One who knows all and loves you anyway. Loved you enough to die for you.

Through Jesus, we have freedom. Freedom from the eternal consequences of sin — but also freedom from the insidious addiction to self.

As Americans, we toss around the word freedom very easily. We’ve all declared, “It’s a free country!” when rationalizing behaviors and choices that are often contrary to God’s truth.

Our Constitution ensures each citizen “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” But our identity in Christ brings us eternal life, liberty in our personal choices, and the freedom to pursue something much greater than happiness: holiness.

Our salvation happens in a moment, a dot on the timeline of life when we surrender to Him. But going forward from that point until the final dot on the line, when we step out of time and into eternity — the time between those two dots represents the life we live in Him. What does that line segment represent?

Is it a life of self-indulgence or self-sacrifice?

Is it devoted to happiness or to holiness?

Is it a life filled with the dutiful “have to,” or the joyful “want to”?

Is our time spent pursuing earthly pleasures, or promoting God’s kingdom?

Is the focus on self, or on service?

Re-read the verse above again. What does Paul make clear is the opposite of indulging the flesh? A life of service. Giving ourselves to others. Sacrificial living — not to make much of me, but to make much of the One who set me free.

Before we begin ticking off the “I’ve-done-this” list (worked in the nursery, taught VBS, made a casserole for a sick friend, visited the nursing home, wrote a check for the offering plate), please note that Paul also addresses the attitude behind the action. Does humility characterize the motivation for my actions? Are my acts of service done in a manner or for the purpose of drawing attention to me? Are you and I releasing freely what we have been freely given? Do we serve humbly?

We are called to serve in humility.

We are called to serve in love.

When the love of Christ consumes us, we can release acts of service in love. An awareness of how deeply we are cherished (undeserving, sinful, and selfish though we are) prompts us to serve others in humility and love.

When we genuinely embrace the truth that Jesus loved us so deeply and profoundly that He would die in our place, our cup is so full it runs over — it must run over — to also drench those around us with His love.

How is God calling you, allowing you, blessing you, to pour out His love to those in your world?

To serve others and to release love in humility … this is the place of real joy and ultimate freedom. Of true life and liberty. As each day takes us closer to that next dot on the timeline of life, let’s lean in to serving others with love and humility, with whatever time we have left.

The Bible has a great deal to say about how we use our words … whether it’s for good and for evil. Our August bookmark highlights 31 verses featuring the word, “TONGUE.” We invite you to listen as Laura introduces the coming month’s topic, and pray this new study will convict, encourage, challenge, and spur you on to use your words to honor God!

Visit our Downloads page today for your copy of our August Write the WORD bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. Bible study pages, and more free resources to help you balance your HEART for Christ with the demands of a busy HOME.