Cross My Heart Ministry

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in
and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20

Jesus is always there, knocking on the door of our hearts. He waits patiently for us to hear his voice and ask Him in. He is ready to release love, mercy, forgiveness, guidance, and whatever else we desperately need.

Jesus is a gentleman. He will not barge in uninvited. He will not push down the door. He will not force his way into our hearts.

But when we finally choose to hear His voice and open the door to our lives, He kindly comes in.

We often hear, quote, and apply Revelation 3:20 to unbelievers who need to invite Jesus in for salvation. But it’s a powerful verse — and perhaps truer to context — when applied to those who know Christ and need to repent.

These are words of Jesus —  His voice. If you have a “red-letter” version of the Bible, this passage in Revelation 3 is highlighted. Placed at the end of a series of letters to the seven churches, Revelation 3:20 specifically addresses the church at Laodicea, the worst of the seven.

As we continue our Praying for Prodigals series, this verse is a good one to pray over those we love who have wandered away or allowed their faith to grow cold.

Verse 16 describes the Laodiceans as lukewarm. Does that describe your prodigal?

Revelation 3:17 confirms they are not only lukewarm, they are lacking in self-awareness. Perhaps a lack of self-awareness leads to complacency in matters of faith.

The Laodiceans then — and many of our prodigals now — believed themselves to be rich in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Prodigals can display a smugness, an attitude of certainty. They believe they have not only figured out the important questions of life, but have also mastered the answers.

The real issue, of course, is pride. When pride takes root, it leads to, among other things, self-deception and self-sufficiency.

While they see themselves as having everything they need, Jesus says:

“…you are wretched pitiful, poor, blind, and naked….” Revelation 3:17b

Our prodigals may be listening to many other voices. They are prioritizing other issues, objectives, causes, and concerns. They have so filled their hearts and minds with what they see as important, that they have crowded out who is most needed: Jesus.

Let’s pray today that they will realize their need for Him — that today their eyes would be opened to see themselves as “wretched pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” Let’s pray that this would be the day they hear His voice above the cacophony of all the others vying for their attention.

Like the prodigal son who finally “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17), let’s pray our prodigals wake up, look around at the mess they’re in, and go home. Like Jesus knocking at the door, the faithful father in the parable was there waiting to welcome the prodigal home.

Lord Jesus,
let today be the day our prodigals hear your voice
and open wide the door to You!

We were thrilled to have Jenifer Siemens, one of the members of our local women’s Bible study group, present this week’s teaching lecture! We invite you to listen and be blessed by this week’s devotional video as Jenifer unpacks a challenging passage from Galatians 3.

Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times
and cried out to the Lord,
“Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
I Kings 17:21

Elijah’s life is a fascinating story of ups and downs as he served and obeyed God. Sandwiched between giving Ahab what-for (I Kings 17:1) and calling down fire on Mt. Carmel (I Kings 18:16-46), he was sent to live with an impoverished, non-believing widow. When that widow’s son died, Elijah picked up the boy’s lifeless body and began to pray.  

But this was no ordinary, mundane memorize-it-and-recite-it prayer. This prayer does not begin, “Now I lay me down to sleep…” Elijah cried out to God. This is a prayer not just spoken from the mouth, but from a hurting heart — an agonizing, gut-wrenching, “God, do what only YOU can do” kind of prayer.  

And that’s precisely the kind of prayer journey I invite you to take with me this month, as we pray for the prodigals in our lives.  

We all have them. They may be a child, a husband, a sister. They may be a favorite uncle or aunt, a grandparent, a cousin, or a parent. Everybody knows somebody who once claimed to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but for some reason has wandered — or, in some cases, run — away from Him. 

Your heart aches when you think of heaven without her (or him). You’ve cried a bucket of tears and prayed countless times. But still they persist in living a life apart from God. You’ve sent Christian greeting cards, slipped note cards with Bible verses into care packages, and even cajoled this loved one into occasionally warming the pew next to you on Sunday morning. The result: present in body, but mind checked out.  

When doctors place an unresponsive individual on life support, tearful relatives declare, “All we can do now is pray.” Are you ready to declare the same for your spiritually comatose loved one? Are you ready to cry out in prayer? 

For many of us, thoughts turn to love in February. We’re surrounded by Valentine’s Day cards and flowers and heart-shaped cookies in the case of our local coffee shop. But it can be a painful time for parents of prodigals. This month we want to lean into that sacred place of fervent prayer. We want to equip and empower you with the Word of God, as you cry out for the prodigal you love.  

The Scripture tells us Elijah prayed three times. That observation may prompt us to ask, “Why three times?” I love what Richard Blackaby says about this in his book, Living Out of the Overflow:  “Clearly, Elijah prayed over the boy three times because that is how many times it took! Had Elijah been required to pray over the boy 49 times, we have no doubt he would have done so. Elijah was not prepared to cease interceding until life returned.” (pg. 52.) 

My challenge to you — and to myself — is this: let’s cry out to God every day, beginning today and continuing on as long as it takes. Whether our prodigals know the Savior but are not living for Him, or never truly committed their lives to Him, let’s pray they come to Jesus!

In this week’s devotional study video, we move from Personal (Chapters 1-2) to Doctrinal (Chapters 3-4). Paul is passionate as he opens with five rhetorical questions for the Galatians. After beginning their new life in the Spirit, they have cycled back to law-keeping. He uses personal appeal, logic, and Scripture to make his case and get their attention.

We invite you to watch this latest video and hope you will be blessed (and challenged) as you hear Laura’s teaching on this passage. How is God calling you to rely on the Spirit?

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” I Samuel 12:23

The passage above is just a brief excerpt from Samuel’s farewell address to the people. It is one verse, with two sentences.

At first glance, those two sentences offer two true — but somewhat unrelated — ideas.

Does Samuel change topics mid-verse? Not at all.

When I reflect on this passage, some initial takeaways from I Samuel 12:23 include:

~ failure to pray is a sin,
~ a good leader must first be a praying leader,
~ praying must precede teaching,
~ the content of a leader’s teaching must highlight what is good and right.

Given these observations, we can then work in reverse to see the seamless truth Samuel conveyed to the people then — and, by extension, to us now.

If the end goal is to teach what is good and right, the only way to discern what qualifies is through wisdom from God Almighty. We cannot find good and right on our own; only God can reveal it to us! And, like all truth, you must know it before you can teach it. God often — and in fact, almost always — requires a leader to first eat what he or she serves.

Leaders, make no mistake, include not just those who stand at a podium, but those who raise children, chair committees, lead a team, or are sought out for advice. Every one of us can lead someone and can influence the thoughts, actions, attitudes, and behaviors of others. Are we stewarding that influence well? Are we consciously wielding our influence with purposeful intention?

If we are to teach what is good and right, we must know it … to know it, we must receive it from God … to receive it from God, we must ask God. Asking God means praying to God. And if I am attempting to fulfill my call to invest in, love on, and/or teach others without prayer, I am sinning!

Are you connecting the dots? Do you see the relationship between praying and teaching? Are you convicted? Are you challenged? Will you commit now to PRAY for those you are called to TEACH – whether formally or informally, whether with a microphone or with an example?

Samuel’s words to the nation of Israel were weighty then, and they are weighty now. May we hear … and may we heed.

It took courage for Paul to confront a man who was older than him, had walked with Jesus longer, and was even one of the original twelve disciples. But when Peter embraces behavior that abandons the gospel, Paul leans in to have a hard conversation.

We invite you to watch and listen to this week’s Friday teaching video and declare these “Woman of God” truths with us:
~ The Woman of God is set free by the gospel and lives free by the gospel.
~ The Woman of God keeps her eyes on Jesus.

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.