Cross My Heart Ministry

Okay. So, what Jethro actually said was, “What you are doing is not good.” Exodus 18:17

One of the many tasks that fell to Moses as leader of the Israelites was serving as judge. Exodus 12:37 tells us there were 600,000 men — a count that did not include women and children — in the wilderness with Moses. A million people (even God’s chosen people … or perhaps especially God’s chosen people) would have disputes and disagreements that must be settled to keep law and order.

While Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, was visiting, he observed Moses sitting to judge the people from early morning to evening. Jethro questioned the existing system and concluded it was not healthy for Moses or the people, declaring, “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” Exodus 18:18

As an outside party coming in, Jethro offered a fresh perspective. He identified the problem, then went on to offer a solution. What he recommended was essentially an appellate court system, with judges presiding over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Only the most difficult cases would eventually reach Moses.

Jethro also advised, “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.” Exodus 18:20

As a side note, it is also interesting to see the character traits that were recommend for these judges:

~ capable
~ God-fearing
~ trustworthy
~ hate dishonest gain

All these years later and that continues to be good criteria for our leaders.

Learning to let go and allow others to carry responsibility can be challenging, whether you are a mom delegating laundry, a committee chairman handing over program planning to a member, or a CEO entrusting your team with a marketing plan. Every area of life offers opportunities for us to train, teach, and mentor … and then release others to go forth.

Even Jesus did it!

Are there areas of life, ministry, or work where you are struggling — feeling overwhelmed and “under the pile”— today? Could God be calling you to take some advice from Jethro and do some training and subsequent delegating?

If home management is one of those areas, perhaps our free monthly ‘Do It’ List could help! Both pre-filled and blank versions are available on our ‘Downloads’ page. If you have children (or grandchildren) living in your household, I hope you will consider using these tools to delegate essential tasks to them, and that you will receive the same blessing Jethro declared to Moses:

“If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” Exodus 18:23

Sounds like a win/win. And that’s good.

In this week’s devotional video, our journey through Galatians takes us to Jerusalem. Paul brings Barnabas and Titus to meet with leaders to clarify the Gospel message and ensure they are all unified. His example challenges us to lean in to the “awkward” when necessary, in order that we may be peacemakers and preserve unity — both within the family of God and for the Gospel message. We invite you to watch now:

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

For so many reasons, the word “crushed” describes many of us these days.

When we look around at the happenings in our world (whether related to politics, culture, finance, the church, or forces of nature), even the calmest among us may become anxious. Wars, political division, natural disasters, inflation and financial unrest, terrible scandals involving political and even beloved religious figures … we are simultaneously shocked and horrified at what has become acceptable, both morally and legally.

And that is just all the “out there” stuff.

Individually, so many of us are battling financial challenges, medical issues, unprecedented levels of isolation and loneliness (particularly among younger generations), and relational struggles that might be too personal to share. We are depressed, exhausted, outraged, and bewildered. We feel powerless to stop the advance of evil.

Whatever emotions a human can experience, we experienced in 2025 … and just a handful of days into 2026, we see more of the same ahead.

We can identify when the author of Proverbs writes, “…a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Thankfully, he also gives us the antidote: a cheerful heart.

A cheerful heart is good medicine…

A cheerful heart is not one that simply chooses to grin and bear it — or one that checks out of reality. And certainly, it is more than simply the practice of positive thinking.

My NIV translation uses “cheerful” and the King James Version says “merry” … but when I pulled out the NASB, I read “JOY” — and my first thought was: Bingo. That’s it!

A joyful heart is indeed good medicine. But how to get it? Where does it come from? For the prescription, we flip over to the New Testament book of Galatians and scan down to Chapter 5, verse 22:

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…

When listing the nine characteristics of the fruit produced by the Spirit, second on the list is JOY. We cannot manufacture joy on our own. Joy is a product of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Circumstances might make us happy, but only Jesus can give us joy. And the mature believer comes to realize that it is possible to be simultaneously unhappy and joyful.

We look around and may indeed feel discouraged, but we look up and find joy. It does not mean our circumstances have changed … but it does mean that God can change us in the midst of those circumstances.

Now that’s good medicine!

David, the shepherd boy who became king, not only was a warrior, he was a worshiper — and he teaches us how to worship and how to live.

In Psalm 34:14, he challenges us to turn FROM evil and to do GOOD. It’s a message both for accepting the gospel and for living the gospel. We invite you to watch this week’s devotional video, as Laura shares thoughts on a verse from this month’s Write the Word bookmark.

You can visit our Downloads page today for your copy of the January bookmark, as well as S.O.A.P. Bible study pages, our monthly Do It! List, and other free resources.

“You intended to harm me,
but God intended it for good to accomplish
what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:20

As he interacted with his brothers, Joseph was able to set aside any personal feelings of pain, anger, and rejection. (See Genesis 37 for the tragic story of jealousy and betrayal that resulted in Joseph being sold into slavery.) Only by looking to God and seeing an eternal perspective was Joseph able to squelch the all-too-human desire for revenge or retribution against the brothers who betrayed him.

God used harm — those years of one man’s suffering — to provide deliverance for an entire nation. Joseph, the one who suffered, set aside his own pain to acknowledge and celebrate God’s provision.

Joseph embraced an eternal perspective.

An eternal perspective can only be developed over time … and it requires a heart and mind open to the possibility that God can work to bring good from difficult, challenging, and even heartbreaking circumstances.

Are there bitter events in your past that God has worked for good — or could work for the good? Do those past experiences empower you going forward to adopt a better-not-bitter attitude going into the next struggle?

As our faith muscle is exercised and grows, our past experiences bolster our faith going forward. We can then face our present and future challenges with the expectation that God can use today’s harm for tomorrow’s good.

Joseph’s life is proof that the bad things that happen can be used by God to bring good. In this week’s short devotional teaching, Laura reflects on Joseph’s circumstances and his focus on God in good times and bad. We invite you to listen and then visit our Downloads page for your copy of the January Write the WORD bookmark featuring Old Testament verses with the word, GOOD:

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Genesis 1:31

Our oldest son has always been a thinker and a man of few words. When he was younger, it would frustrate me to ask him:

“How was soccer practice? Answer: “Good.”

“How was youth group?” Answer: “Good.”

“How was your chemistry final?” Answer: “Good.”

It was humbling to re-read the creation account, and note that “good” was also what God proclaimed over His creation at the conclusion of each day. He even added the pronoun very on the last day!

As we approach the end of the month (and year), we’re introducing the word “good” as our next Write the WORD bookmark.

The Bible has much to say about “good.” Searching the word “good” in a Bible app or website will yield over 600 results, with over 60 occurrences in the Psalms alone! After struggling to pare down that list to only one month’s worth of verses for our Write the WORD bookmark, I just could not do it and ended up dividing Old Testament and New Testament verses into two separate months!

Take a moment to ruminate over Genesis 1:31, and you may find joy in knowing that God’s work brought Him a sense of satisfaction. And work does the same for us! Let’s remember that work existed before the fall — it was only after that it came with sweat, thorns, and thistles. As we reach the end of this year’s holiday season, much work has been completed: we made the lists, bought and wrapped the gifts, baked the treats, assembled the casseroles, hosted the gatherings, and more. I pray that our January focus on “good” helps you to look back with satisfaction on your efforts in 2025 and anticipate the year to come. We invite you to download the January Write the WORD bookmark and join us in focusing on Old Testament verses about “good” as we move into the new year with faith, hope, and purpose.

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time, by orders of magnitude. Statistics tell us that 87% of Americans own a Bible, but more than half have actually read very little (or none) of the Bible they own.

If you are curious about God and His Word, but have no idea how or where to start, we offer our Write the WORD bookmarks as a place to begin. In this week’s devotional video, Laura invites you to Write the WORD with us in 2026! We invite you to watch and then get your own copy of the free January bookmark, with a focus on Old Testament verses featuring the word “good,” on our Downloads page.

Please reach out to us via email if you would like to receive the full set of Write the WORD bookmarks for 2026.

“You have made 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

Though he lived long before Jesus came to earth, David looked forward as through the veil and saw God’s plan and provision. His words – penned hundreds of years before the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus – articulate the confident faith we can know more fully this side of the Cross.

The path of life we seek, the path every human heart cries out to find, can only be found in Jesus Christ. That path of life, as David beautifully makes clear, leads to joy and eternal pleasure.

David spoke with assurance looking forward, as through a spiritual fog. Though he could not see God’s plan completely, he makes a declaration of truth with knowing, confident faith.

The fog has cleared more for us. We have Scripture. We have historical truth. We know Jesus came. We can look back and connect the dots to see more than David saw. But we also look forward with confident, joyful hope.

Our eternal destiny is secure because of Jesus. Amid the fun and family, the eating and celebrating, the gifting and receiving, don’t allow the Christmas happy to usurp the Christmas JOY. The presents bring a little happy, but only His presence brings abundant JOY. (I can almost see my kids rolling their eyes … maybe the pun is cheesy, but it is oh-so-true!)

In these last few days leading up to celebrating the joyous news that God became man, I encourage you to make some time to ponder and to praise the indescribable truth:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…
John 1:14

Give up trying to reach God. God came to us! Let your heart marvel at this truth. Celebrate! Worship! Rest and revel in it! Come into His presence with thanksgiving and praise, and allow Him to fill you with Joy!

Worship and celebrate Jesus: He alone is our life and joy!

Rejoice & leap for JOY… even when rejected, insulted, & hated?!? These words from our Lord Jesus are curious, hard, and downright impossible apart from the Holy Spirit!

We pray that our latest devotional teaching from Laura spurs you on to embrace joy … come what may! We invite you to watch and listen, and then visit our Downloads page for your copy of this month’s bookmark with a JOY verse for each day of the month.

“And on that day they offered great sacrifices,
rejoicing because God had given them great joy.
The women and children also rejoiced.
The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.”
Nehemiah 12:43

Nehemiah wrote, “…God had given them great joy.” Joy then (and joy now) can only come from God.

Joy, like every good gift, comes down from God above. And when we recognize it as coming from Him, our response when we receive joy is to give it back. The gift of joy (then and now) prompts joyful worship.

The passage also teaches us that joy from God prompts not only worship, but sacrifice. By its very definition, sacrifice is just that: a sacrifice. It should cost us something. And the more valuable our offering, the greater the sacrifice and, perhaps, the more profound the worship.

When we think of giving something to God, our minds automatically think of money. But for those of us living a life of blessing in the western world, time may be a greater sacrifice than writing a check. Our sacrifice may be our time, our talent, our treasure, or a combination of all these. The bottom line is that the more we overflow with joy, the greater our longing to give back worship and sacrifice.

In fact, sometimes the worship itself is the sacrifice. When we choose to worship God from a place of difficulty, challenge, or hardship, our praise is a choice and a commitment. It may even be offered up with tears. The Psalmist calls this a “sacrifice of praise.”

When our son Luke was young, he and his best buddy Karl had a little game they played called, “The Useless Item of the Week.” When they would visit each other, they would bring a gift of something deemed useless: an old billiard ball, a lone card to an unknown game, a piece of electrical wire, and a foreign coin (to name a few). Luke kept his “gifts” in an old Boy Scout popcorn can (appropriate for our Eagle Scout!) and enjoyed a good laugh with the addition of each new item received from Karl.

Are our offerings to God those things we find useless or unwanted? Do we worship God only when its convenient or when we feel like it?

Would you consider – especially during seasons of uncertainty and challenge – that joy still flows? That God is still on His throne and still providing? That we have hope because, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” (John 1:14).

May the reality that God became man and came to us bring you great joy, no matter what your circumstances. And may that truth prompt a response of worship and sacrifice.

May your Christmas be joyous, worshipful, and sacrificial!

We invite you to watch and listen to this week’s devotional video, as Laura unpacks Psalm 51:12, one of our December verses on JOY:

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”
Psalm 51:12

King David prayed the words above following his great sin with Bathsheba. I always assumed David lost his joy because he sinned, but I now believe it is equally true that he sinned because he lost his joy.

Maintaining our relationship with Christ keeps us experiencing joy (a fruit of the spirit). But it is also vital for keeping us safe and protected from sin. When sin reigns, there is no joy.

Salvation brings the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which, in turn, produces fruit: love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

We sustain that joy by abiding in Christ: placing ourselves in His presence, reading His Word, regularly spending time in prayer. You most likely could add other spiritual disciplines to the list.

The life of an abiding believer is characterized by a daily time set aside to be with Jesus. You may call it your devotion (time devoted to Jesus) or your quiet time (time to silence the distractions of the day and focus on Him). Whatever we call it, making this time holy — deliberately setting it aside each day — is key to sustaining our walk with Christ.

Every relationship requires an investment of time to grow. Our relationship with Christ is no different. Joy comes with salvation, but it is sustained by devotion.

And yet, we are human. We become distracted. We read the words while our minds think ahead to the tasks of the day. Our commitment wavers. We skip a day. Then another. We are out of fellowship and vulnerable to sin.

It happened to King David. It can certainly happen to us!

When we wander far and yield to temptation, David’s prayer can become ours: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation…”  Easy words to pray. Powerful words when prayed sincerely, because repentance brings the restoration of joy.

But we mustn’t forget that the prayer came in two parts. David also prayed, “…and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”  You and I can also ask God to transform our hearts and minds — to give us the “want-to” (what David called, “a willing spirit”).

Sustaining our joy is all about maintaining the relationship. And perhaps sustaining is most challenging (and never more crucial) than when life is exceedingly full or particularly hard. Like during the holidays. Like living through trials and tribulations. Like when life is lonely or sad or desperate.

Whatever your status in relationships, finances, or health … whatever the balance in your checking account (or the total of your unpaid bills) … whether your calendar is filled and overflowing or all white space … the real question is: what’s your joy status? Are you abiding in Christ? Every day? Moment by moment? Are you in a sustain-joy mode or a restore-joy mode?

Whether life is full or not full enough, are you abiding in Him? If there is no Jesus, there can be no joy. But if you know Jesus, you know joy!

I pray that your December is filled with joy because you are abiding in Him. May you have the “want-to” — the willing spirit — to sustain your relationship with Jesus. Likewise, I hope this month’s Write the WORD bookmark might help, and I invite you to download this free resource and begin writing and studying God’s WORD with us every day.

Our guest speaker at this week’s Bible study, Lindsey Taylor, shared a timely message for the Christmas season. Using a “Screwtape Letters” style with her own Christmas twist, Lindsey convicted and challenged all of us to not allow distractions to rob us of JOY.

We invite you to listen and be blessed by what Lindsey shared with us!

Visit our Downloads page for your own copy of this month’s Write the WORD bookmark, focusing on JOY. You will also find additional free resources to help you balance your busy life with your heart for God, as we move into this Christmas season.

For seven days celebrate the Feast to the LORD your God
at the place the LORD will choose.
For the LORD your God will bless you
in all your harvest and
in all the work of your hands, and
your joy will be complete.
Deuteronomy 16:15

The fruit of our labor – whether we harvest literally or figuratively – is a result of God’s blessing and provision. The farmer’s toil is rewarded with a literal harvest, while the tradesman celebrates a completed project, and the author, a published book. A mother may rejoice that potty training has been successfully navigated, a student delights in the completion of finals week, and homeowners celebrate when the flower beds are weeded and mulched.

Work brings satisfaction, and the completion of work brings joy. The resources to do the job coupled with our personal capacity to lift, walk, labor, think and produce – all are the blessings of the One who gave us life and endowed us with resources.

All we are and all we have are a gift from Him.

As we are wrapping up the Thanksgiving season, we can recall certain words that point to this annual season: harvest, gratitude, thankfulness. And, as we prepare to replace the pumpkins and cornucopias with Christmas trees and holly wreaths, and as orange and yellow give way to red and green, we are poised to usher in a new set of seasonal words: peace, joy, merry, noel.

But as we re-read the verse above – one we might label as a “Thanksgiving” verse because of the harvest theme – we note it concludes with JOY.

We need not relegate JOY to celebrating Christmas only (any more than we need to assign thankfulness only to Thanksgiving). Life is a rhythm … an ebb and flow of seasons, work, and satisfaction that prompt thankfulness, joy,and grateful praise to the God who provided all of it!

Let’s make JOY the end result of every season!

Our Write the WORD bookmark for the month of December was conceived to help us focus on JOY, a word that appears in each daily verse. As you read, write, ponder, and pray God’s WORD this month, it is my fervent hope that you will then be prompted to speak it, tell it, and live it. May your joy be complete!

Be sure to visit our ‘Downloads’ page for your own copy of this month’s Write The WORD: JOY bookmark and S.O.A.P. Bible study pages.

In this week’s devotional video, Laura issues a challenge to add thanking and praising “bookends” to the beginning and end of each day. Inspired by both I Chronicles 23:30 (duties for the Levites) and the life of Brother Andrew (The Practice of the Presence of God), we pray this challenge will be accepted – and change up our “why” for all we do during the holiday season and into the new year.

You can order your copy of The Practice of the Presence of God here (and Cross My Heart Ministry might even receive a few pennies from Amazon when you do). And don’t forget to visit our Downloads page for the December Write the WORD bookmark, S.O.A.P. study pages, and more.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly,
so that
in all things at all times, having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work.”
II Corinthians 9:8

What a great verse! God is able to bless you and bless me—and to do it abundantly.

It’s a wonderful time to meditate on this verse, as we move into this week of celebration and thanksgiving for the abundance that our Heavenly Father has given us.

Blessing is defined differently in God’s economy than in the world. Our culture measures blessing in dollars, square footage, or social media views and likes.

But when God blesses us, it’s about what we get to be part of, not what we get.

Blessing from God is “catch and release.” He blesses us so that we can bless others. And when you get that—when that becomes the desire of your heart—everything changes. You gain a new perspective on who you are, the purpose for your life, and why you were created.

• Not just blessing, but abundant blessing.
• Not just some times, but all times.
• Not just a little, but all that you need.
• And not a few of our works, but every good work.

Because of God’s provision, we are blessed with everything we need: the presence of His Spirit, the gift if of His Word, and the daily gift of time and people to love on.

Because of God’s presence and provision, we can abound at ALL times and in EVERY good work. Does that truth stir your heart, friend? Does it light your fire? Does it spur you on, as it does me?

The word abound means to be over and above, to exceed the ordinary, to overflow, and to have a surplus.

What a promise! What a God! How good He is to us! He is the God of unlimited resources—the creator and sustainer of our universe and the lover of our souls.

Reading this verse on my birthday just last week, I chose to receive it as a great gift from our very good God. It’s a gift for you, too! But like any other gift, we must open and use it before we can truly own and appreciate it.

As we head into Thanksgiving week, are you ready for some abounding—some “catching and releasing” of God’s abundant blessings? I know I am! Thank you, Lord!

Paul gets very personal in the lesson from this week’s teaching video. We hear his testimony and it can be summarized:

• I was…
• But God…
• And now…

We invite you to listen as Laura unpacks this powerful story of Amazing Grace and hope Paul’s story spurs you on to tell YOUR story—and that others will hear that story and glorify God!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at
Cross My Heart Ministry!