Cross My Heart Ministry

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,
 God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
 The virgin’s name was Mary.
Luke 1:26-27

In chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s gospel, Joseph is mentioned by name five times compared to Mary, who is mentioned 15.  That probably says more about her significance than his insignificance, but I’ve always felt Joseph was more of an add-in to the Christmas story … a supporting actor rather than leading man.

But for today—before we look at Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, or even Jesus—I’d like to pull Joseph into the spotlight.

Please flip back to Matthew’s gospel and read verses 18-25 of chapter 1.

Here we learn that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph and was found pregnant. Being “pledged” was serious business to the Jewish people.  It was legally binding, requiring a divorce to be nullified.

A first century Jewish man (or a man of any century or nationality) would be angry, humiliated, disappointed, and/or grieved to be planning a wedding only to learn his betrothed was pregnant by another man. Keeping the law would perhaps bring bitter satisfaction, as well as an outlet for the anger. Not to mention that keeping the law was, for Jewish men, not only encouraged, but expected.

But instead of rule-keeping, we get a picture of grace-giving. Joseph unfolds as a man of real character. It has been said that character is defined by what we do when no one is looking. Joseph proves himself a giant among men where character is concerned. Perhaps this is why God chose him to be the earthly father for Jesus. Let’s consider (and be spurred on by) Joseph’s actions and decisions.

In verse 19 he is described as a “righteous man,” which suggests he kept Jewish law. But that same verse also reveals he “did not want to expose [Mary] to public disgrace.” In this situation, the choice to be both righteous and compassionate brings a dilemma. Should he keep the letter of the law, or extend grace to a woman who appears to have betrayed him?

Joseph was big enough to set aside his own hurt and wounded pride and find compassion for Mary. He could have had her publicly exposed, humiliated, and even stoned. Instead, he planned to “divorce her quietly.”

Sometimes, when we do the right thing, we want others to know about it. Pride tempts us with the promise of praise for our virtuous action, but real character sets aside the need for personal affirmation. Real character chooses to walk in love and compassion whether anyone else knows or not.

It’s only after Joseph’s selfless decision that the angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream and reveals the child has been conceived by the Holy Spirit (see verse 20).

Joseph’s example challenges me to be selfless, to set aside my right to be right—that tendency to desire commendation when I act honorably, or retribution when I’m wronged—and to make good choices even without getting the credit. I hope his life inspires you to do the same. Perhaps the Christmas season more than any other provides opportunities to live like Joseph.

How might the Holy Spirit be prodding you and me to let go of our right to be right, and instead release love and grace to those in our world?

In this week’s teaching video, we’ve reached Chapter 8 in our I Corinthians study. This chapter covers the issue of meat that was previously sacrificed to idols, as Paul continues answering questions sent to him from the church at Corinth.

Before answering the question, he lays out some basic (and timeless) Christian principles. By the time we complete Chapter 8, we realize it’s not really a food issue at all — it’s a love issue! As you listen to Laura tie together the lessons in Chapter 8, pay special attention to the nugget of truth found in verse 4, reminding us that we are both KNOWN and LOVED by God!

As this year draws to a close and we look forward to 2023, we’re excited about the opportunities God will provide for Laura to minister to women and encourage them to love God and love His Word.

For the rest of December, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request,
but do not require, a gift of $20 or more to offset our expenses.)
You can mail donations to:
Cross My Heart Ministry, 1310 Scout Trail, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

To make a donation directly from your bank account using Zelle, please use email address cross.my.heart@cox.net.

In addition to year-end donations, you can help support our ministry year-round … simply by shopping with the Amazon Smile program. Amazon will donate to Cross My Heart Ministry every time you make a purchase when you choose us as your designated charity, and shop at Smile.Amazon.com or the Amazon Shopping app — at no additional cost to you! Click here to sign up today: smile.amazon.com/ch/46-4702149

“The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.”
Psalm 85:12

Our Lord is good. He gives us good things. Do you and I acknowledge those good things?

James 1:17 reminds us:

Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows.

What gifts have come down from above into your life? Have you thanked Him for those good gifts?

Christmas is a time for gift-giving and gift-receiving. We compile lists of our wants, to make it simple for those who are shopping to buy just the perfect gift. As we make those lists, it’s convicting to ask, “Are the things I desire, think about, and long for good things? Do they spur me on in my affection for Jesus?”

We are never more vulnerable to the traps of consumerism, materialism, and narcissism than at Christmas. The endless sales, ads, coupons, and bargains propel us on to keep wanting, shopping, and buying. But are those all good things?

Before we jump to make our list of wants, perhaps it would be helpful to push the pause button and take a moment to make an already-have list.

Johnson Oatman, Jr. wrote Count Your Blessings in 1897 — over 100 years ago! — but the lyrics offer timeless truth to us in the 21^st century:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

On this weekend after Thanksgiving, perhaps a good challenge for yourself is to make an Already-Have List before making a Christmas list. How about one item for each year of life?  If you have children or grandchildren at home, a seven-year-old could identify seven blessings — while 57-year-olds can be challenged to list 57 good things! If that’s too much, start off with a list of just ten things. Filling out the list could be a personal exercise, or something you do together as a family.

It’s always the season to count your blessings and acknowledge the good things God has provided.

Have you ever considered the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” The apostle Paul addresses that question in I Thessalonians 5:16-18 and in this week’s devotional video, Laura expounds on his answer!

As this year draws to a close and we look forward to 2023, we are excited for the new opportunities God will provide, for Laura to minister to women and encourage them to love God and love His Word.

For the rest of 2022, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for our readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request, but do not require, a gift of $20 or more to offset our expenses.)
You can mail donations to:
Cross My Heart Ministry, 1310 Scout Trail, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

To make a donation from your bank account through Zelle, please use email address cross.my.heart@cox.net.

Did you know that Amazon will donate to Cross My Heart Ministry every time you make a purchase? Simply choose us as your designated charity, shop at Smile.Amazon.com or the Amazon Shopping app, and Amazon will donate a percentage of your eligible purchases — at no additional cost to you! Click here to sign up today: smile.amazon.com/ch/46-4702149

Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

It’s no coincidence that Thanksgiving comes at harvest time. What better way to celebrate good weather, sufficient food supplies for the upcoming winter, and a successful harvest, than with a bountiful meal?

The farm-to-table connection can easily be lost as modern day families celebrate Thanksgiving. We may be thankful for a less tangible harvest, but it is still worthy of our gratitude and celebration.

What is the “good” you are investing in, friend? Most likely, your family and your marriage come to mind immediately. Maybe relationships with people God has brought across your path. Perhaps even a ministry that initially brought excitement and eagerness but now feels more like going through the motions, as you slog through to honor commitments.

Whether raising children, growing corn, or loving a (sometimes) unlovable person, there is usually some element of determination to “keep on keeping on” that will be rewarded. Eventually.

Our modern age—one of fast food, instant gratification, constant feedback from social media, and googling anything we want to know right now—makes us impatient to see an immediate return on our investment. But just as popping a seed in the ground today does not mean corn for dinner tomorrow, so the people we are called to love on, pray for, and invest in may not demonstrate overnight change and growth.

Life is often messy. People can be ungrateful. Bad things happen to those who deserve better.

But hope keeps us afloat. Love spurs us on. We may not be at war, but on those days when your life feels like a battle, Winston Churchill’s wartime exhortation applies: “Never, never, never give up!”

Stay the course. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Continue doing the good you were called to do. And when harvest comes—at the proper time—celebrate with great Thanksgiving! Hallelujah!

In our Bible study passage this week, Paul moves on from addressing problems in the Corinthian church to providing insight into questions they asked him. The first questions dealt with marriage, singleness, and sexuality. These were hot topics then – and still relevant to all of us today, no matter our relationship status or history. Whether you are married, single, widowed, divorced, or something else, we pray this week’s teaching is illuminating and empowering.

From all of us at Cross My Heart Ministry,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

We are excited as we look forward to 2023 and new opportunities for Laura to minister to women and encourage them to love God and love His Word. For the rest of 2022, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for our readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request – but do not require – a gift of $20 or more to offset our expenses.) You can mail donations to: Cross My Heart Ministry, 1310 Scout Trail, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

“Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits
of the crops you sow in your field…”
Exodus 23:16

Harvest was payday in an agrarian society. Weeks and months of backbreaking toil finally paid off when it came time to harvest the grain.

We modern-day worshipers may say “my paycheck,” but who provided the job, the skill to do the job, and the education required to qualify for the job?

It all comes from our Heavenly Father. Everything we have, everything we are, is because of God’s provision. Giving back to Him through our offerings  acknowledges that fact.

Many of us have no problem giving our tithe, but it does seem a bit risky to give it first.

Giving our firstfruits is a step of confident faith. Whether offering up the first of the crop, or writing the tithe check before paying the mortgage (or buying the groceries, or knowing how much it will cost to repair the washing machine), it means we are trusting there will be enough money—or grain.

It’s important to realize that God Almighty doesn’t need our money (or our grain). But He blesses us with the opportunity to depend on Him, and to demonstrate our faith in Him.

Cultivating the discipline of giving first will deepen your walk with the Father, and bolster your reliance upon Him.

R.G. Letourneau (a sixth-grade dropout who went on to become a tremendously successful inventor and businessman) said this about tithing: “It’s not how much of my money I give to God, but how much of God’s money I keep for myself.” What an inspiration!

Perhaps we can also apply the firstfruits principle to our time and talent, not only to our treasure. Devoting our first waking minutes to God—rather than delaying quiet time until later in the day—means trusting that everything else on the day’s To-Do list will be accomplished. It also means all the other tasks in the course of the day are transformed by time spent with Jesus.

I believe that giving to God first is about authority. It’s a statement that He is the Lord and I am the servant. As I yield my resources to Him, I am declaring my daily reliance upon Him.

Giving—and especially giving first—is cause for celebration. Are you ready to “Celebrate …with the firstfruits..?”

In this week’s Friday devotional video, Emily Brannon (Cross Church Pinnacle Hills) walks us through Chapter 6 of I Corinthians – specifically, guidelines for dealing with conflict that arises as we interact with one another. We hope you will be blessed as Emily shares some practical ways we can avoid conflict, as well as address it biblically:

If you have not yet subscribed to our YouTube channel, we encourage you to do so! It costs nothing, but is a simple way to show your support of Cross My Heart Ministry.

2023 will be here before we know it … and we are excited for what it will bring! For the rest of 2022, we’re offering a FREE set of next year’s Write the WORD bookmarks, printed in full color and mailed to you, for our readers who make a tax-deductible donation to support the ongoing ministry of Cross My Heart. (Given the cost to print and mail the bookmarks, we kindly request – but do not require – a gift of $20 or more to offset our expenses.) You can mail donations to: Cross My Heart Ministry, 1310 Scout Trail, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

I love the seasons. I love the rhythm they bring to life, the transformation they bring to creation, and the variety they prompt to my wardrobe. When I think of the seasons, I want to sing along with The Byrds’ “Turn, Turn, Turn.”

God was, of course, the genius who not only thought up the idea of seasons, but spoke them into existence. He promises in Genesis 8:22,

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

The seasonal changes bring a steady constancy to life that can be reassuring, when the seasons of stress—whether they be relational, financial, organizational, vocational, or something else—are often unpredictable.

The changing seasons prompt praise from my heart to my Creator. When I am focused and mindful, I rejoice in God’s provision and in the glory of His imagination. But sometimes days and weeks go by and I forget to acknowledge His handiwork.

We may be distracted by the fleeting nature of time: what it does to our own age and bodies, or how quickly our kids are growing up.  Or we may be distracted by the daily minutiae of our packed schedules. We forget to pause and ponder the miracles around us, even miracles as simple as the apple we mindlessly polish off as our 3 pm snack. That apple, a midday pick-me-up, began as a blossom in the spring and grew to an apple by fall. And long before the blossom, was the seed poked into the ground, followed by the years of growth: from sapling to maturity. It’s astounding. I need to thank Him. I need to remember to thank Him.

Children—our own, our children’s children, our nieces and nephews, or those living next door—allow us to recapture the wonder.  We just need a few ingredients:  a Styrofoam cup, a little potting soil, and a seed. We add some water, wait a bit, and marvel with little humans that a teeny hard black seed sends up a soft green shoot. How do the roots know to go down and the plant to come up? How long until we get apples (or pumpkins, or beans)? Can we plant more seeds?

Their questions make us smile. They also help us remember. The seed and the harvest all point to the One who always keeps His promises. He is ever faithful. We take a tiny human hand in ours and, as we behold the miracle of the growing plant, we give praise to the miracle-maker who made it grow.

This week’s devotional video is a bit different! We’re featuring Laura’s guest lecture for the ladies at Cross Church Pinnacle Hills, where she spoke on Acts 15—The Jerusalem Council—as part of their study of the life of Peter. We hope you are blessed as Laura shares thoughts on Peter’s defense of the Gospel in this passage from God’s Word:

Have you subscribed to our email list and our YouTube channel? If not, we hope you’ll take a moment to sign up today. It costs nothing and is a great way to show your support for the ministry of Cross My Heart!

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
I Peter 4:10

On Sunday afternoons when I was a kid, my parents would drop off me and my two younger siblings (my youngest sister wasn’t born until later) at the Alpine Theater for a Sunday afternoon matinee. We were around 6, 7, and 9. As the oldest, I was given the money to buy tickets for my brother and sister. There was also enough for each of us to have one treat. (A candy bar or popcorn … but not both).

This is one of my earliest memories of being a steward. The money was not mine – it was given to me, entrusted to me for the benefit of others. My parents expected me to watch over my siblings, buy their ticket, and get them a treat.

Our spiritual gifts are much more significant than movie money! They are given to us not for our personal benefit (to be applauded or appreciated or promoted), but to serve others.

The gifts we receive are many and varied. (You can find lists in Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12). We all receive at least one spiritual gift and there are various ways (including tests to take) to determine your gift(s). But the thing to remember about a spiritual gift: they are not for you. They are given to you to bless others. They are given to you for the benefit of others.

Our service and stewardship is an honor – we are administering God’s grace. We have been given a sacred trust. God has given something to us, allowing us the blessing of releasing it to others.

We are conduits of His grace.

We are stewards of His grace.

What is your gift and how are you using it to bless others?

Editor’s Note: Laura originally developed our October bookmark to accompany the “Pearls of Grace” women’s retreat. If you are interested in having Laura present this teaching to your church, please reach out to us via email.

In this week’s devotional video, Mollie Duddleston (Directory of Ministry Operations and Womens Ministry at Cross Church Pinnacle Hills) walks our womens Bible study participants through I Corinthians 5, as Paul addresses a difficult issue in the church at Corinth. As he teaches them — and us, by extension — we are challenged to walk in humility, holiness, and honor. We hope you’ll find this week’s video valuable, and will embrace the truth God has for your life and circumstances here in I Corinthians 5.