Cross My Heart Ministry

“He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.”
Isaiah 40:11

If you grew up with a strong, hard-working dad, it might be hard to picture God as gentle, or to imagine Him holding you in His arms or carrying you. Your thoughts of the Great Shepherd may include slaying lions and bears to protect sheep. Perhaps it’s easier to see God as a mighty warrior than a gentle shepherd.  

Regardless of the kind of father (or mother) we grew up with, every parent will fall short in modeling the goodness, the greatness, the strength, and the gentleness of God.  

God is the perfect balance. He is strong and powerful. And He is also kind and gentle.  

In our world of action heroes and athletic events, the strong and powerful are the ones often pictured as victorious.  

Our culture often mistakes gentle for weak.  

But gentle is not weak. This facet of God’s nature displays His love and compassion.  

He was strong enough to defeat death and loving enough to want to.  

When I discovered the verse above as a young mom, it seemed it was flashing neon lights – highlighted just for me. I remember wanting desperately to be a good mother, to raise my children well, to invest in them, sacrifice for them, provide, nurture, protect, and love them. But I also realized I was inadequate for the task. (And as time went on, that became even more apparent!)  

When I considered my inadequacy, this verse brought great reassurance to my heart. Though I was insufficient, God was – and is – all-sufficient. He would lead me, so I could lead them. My job was to follow Him. And His leading was gentle. Kind. Loving.  

As I read that verse all those years ago, I remember tears in my eyes and a grateful ache in my heart as I realized my Jesus understood. Because He created me, He knew the heavy responsibility of keeping a tiny human alive, the challenge to love and sacrifice while sleep deprived, to stretch one income to cover all the needs. The challenges grew with the children; each new season from elementary to adolescence to teenage years brought new hard things.   

He knew. He saw. I was not alone.  He was with me then. And, of course, continues to be with me now that my young have young of their own! 

Thank you, Jesus, for gathering me close and keeping me near your heart. Thank you for being faithful when I was faithless, for filling in missing holes in my mothering, and loving my children even more than I do. Thank you for being gentle with me when I was harsh with myself. How I praise you for keeping me close then and keeping me close now. Thank you for gently leading me.  

For this week’s devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Diana Meehan, as they discuss God’s unwavering love, joy and care for His people. He is a loving Father who delights in His creation and sings over them with joy. This verse offers comfort and reassurance, emphasizing that God’s love is a source of peace and security, soothing our worries and fears as He rests in His love for us. 

We invite you to visit our Downloads page for your copy of our July bookmark highlighting the Attributes of God.

“Do not worship any other god,
for the LORD whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
Exodus 34:14

Our great and holy God will tolerate no rivals. That’s why scripture describes Him as jealous. He alone is worthy of our worship. As humans with limited perspective, we may perceive jealousy as an inherently negative emotion. However, when we consider our perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing God, the word “jealousy” is warranted.

Throughout the Old Testament, God was always faithful to His people. (And He continues to be today!) But when they chose to wander away to unfaithfully “play the harlot” with false gods, He chose to allow challenges that would draw them back from their idolatry.  

Our God permits no rivals.

God loved them (and loves us!) way too much to permit idolatry. It is a poison that robs us of our purpose and destroys our relationship with the one true God.  

The very first commandment – #1 on God’s Top Ten list, if you will – reads: 

“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3

Jesus confirmed when asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” His response in Matthew 22:37 reads: 

“Love the LORD your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

The Greek word He used for love in this verse is agape. While we’ve always heard this distinguished from phileo (brotherly) love and eros (romantic) love and referred to as “divine” love, I came across a more helpful (and insightful) definition in the footnotes of my NIV Study Bible: 

Commitment of devotion that is directed by the will
and can be commanded as a duty.

This means our love for God transcends our fickle emotions. When feelings take the lead, we may choose to love today and withhold it tomorrow. Love – and more specifically, withholding love  – can be capricious, conditional, and at times even manipulative or punitive.

A grown-up woman of God love (in contrast to a “little girl” love) engages the will. It takes the command seriously. It is prompted by a well-grounded, developed faith. A mature woman of God pushes emotions to the caboose, allowing the will to be the engine driving the train.  

God’s command to worship Him is not just for Him, but also for us. He knows the danger that idolatry brings to our lives. It is destructive, consuming, and insidious. Once it takes root, it becomes a cancer gnawing away at our souls. Loving God is the best antidote for idolatry. 

God is our creator, lover of our souls, and our Savior … He is worthy of our worship, and He does not permit rivals for it. Our worship keeps us safe and protected from the idolatry that can destroy us. 

Do we resent a spouse who expects – and even demands – faithful, loving devotion? Of course not. Adultery would destroy the marriage. Loving our spouses well protects the relationship. Keeping ourselves from diverting our affections is not just a protection for our spouse, but for ourselves as well. Adultery brings pain to both parties, as well as to children, extended family, and the community. When marriages break down, even society begins to unravel. Adultery is to a marriage what idolatry is to our relationship with God. 

I am a jealous wife. If you are married, I hope you are, too – but in a healthy, appropriate, loving way. As God permits no rivals for His affections, I permit no rivals for the affections of my husband. And neither does he. Trust demands this. There are secret things we share that are for no one else to know. I am my beloved’s and he is mine.  

Marriage is really a metaphor for a loving relationship with God. To be clear, my spouse is NOT God … and he would make a poor god, as would I. It occurs to me that the root of many struggles in marriage may be the expectation for a spouse to fill a role that only God can fill. (It can also take the form of a spouse demanding unhealthy adulation – a form of worship, if you will.) But perhaps that’s a topic for another day!

As we agree that God permits no rivals, let’s consider some challenging questions to internalize this truth: 

• Do I believe God is a jealous God? 
• Does God’s jealousy carry a negative or positive connotation? 
• Do I acknowledge He has the right to be jealous? 
• Do I understand the difference between His divine jealousy and my junior high boyfriend’s jealousy? 
• How does knowing this about God’s character impact my behavior? 
• What in my life does (or has the potential to) divert affection, devotion, or worship that should be reserved exclusively for God? 
• How does keeping my affections exclusively for God protect me? 
• What assignment does God have for me as a result of this teaching? 

I pray that you continue writing the WORD this month, and that God uses these verses to teach us more about Himself. Knowing Him better equips us to worship Him more deeply.  

For this week’s devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Sandra Kidd. We invite you to watch as these ladies share their hearts and experiences while discussing the truth that God will give us strength to help us when we have unexpected losses and hardships come up in our lives. He is our fortress and protector.

Visit our Downloads page to find your own copy of this month’s Write the WORD bookmark highlighting Attributes of God, as well as other free resources to help you balance your heart for God with the demands of a busy life and home.

Our Write the WORD for this month will focus on the some of the Attributes of God. (Next month, we’ll continue in a similar vein by reading and writing verses that reveal Names of God … we look forward to that and hope you’ll join us again in August!)  

These themes were chosen well in advance of our current climate of political unrest, threats of war and terrorism, and economic uncertainty. We had no idea — but, of course, God did. We hope it blesses you, as it does us, to see God using His Word to draw us to deeper intimacy with Himself.  

When the world is in upheaval, we can be faithful. 

When the world gives in to chaos, we can walk in peace.  

When the world has questions, we can have answers.  

Hard times are heart-revealers. They reveal who we are and, more importantly, whose we are. As followers of Christ, we can walk in the opposite spirit of the world. Each day on this Earth is a new opportunity to fulfill both The Great Commandment — Love one another  — and The Great Commission — Share the gospel.  

The better we know God and understand His character, the better equipped we are to love Him supremely and love others intentionally.  

I’d like to issue a challenge this month: write out as many attributes of God as you can think of now, and then repeat the process at the end of July. We can all celebrate knowing Him better! 

Come join us on this continued journey in the Word. Lean in with us to make some time to be in His Word. Read it. Write it. Pray it. Live it.  

Friends, as the world we know shifts and changes, I encourage all of us with the words of today’s verse from our Write the WORD bookmark: Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Joshua 21:45)

Keep praying, keep your focus on God, and keep in the Word! 

In this week’s Friday devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Joy Winters, as they discuss that the one true God is faithful to His children; all who love Him and keep His commandments.

We invite you to listen now, and to visit our Downloads page for your copy of our bookmark highlighting the Attributes of God here.

I have considered my ways and
have turned my steps to your statutes.
Psalm 119:59

My husband is a mechanical engineer. He tunes in to weird car noises, pays attention to warning lights on the dashboard, and senses when wheels are even slightly out of alignment.

Here’s a typical conversation:

Kevin (frowning): This car is pulling to the right.  We need to have it re-aligned.

Laura (also frowning – but wondering how much realignment will cost): Does it matter? Can’t you just compensate with the steering wheel to drive in your lane?

Kevin (aghast): Yes! It matters! If the vehicle is out of alignment, the tires won’t wear evenly, you’ll compromise your gas mileage, and the car just won’t achieve maximum performance.

Laura: Well, if you grow weary of engineering, you can find a new career as an auto-aligner. Is there such a thing?

And then my next thought was the spiritual application from Dr. Hubby’s car realignment sermon: we don’t wear well or perform optimally when we are out of spiritual alignment, either.

“How do we get out of alignment,” you ask? It happens when we:

• Neglect the Word of God.
• Read the Word, but ignore the Word.
• Allow the world to push us off-course.

Are you a woman of the Word? Would you like to be?

My life has been profoundly changed since I began making my time in the Word a daily priority. In a world of shifting values, competing demands, and relentless expectations to do and be more, God’s Word brings solace, direction, and truth. It brings peace and joy.

But it’s not just enough to read it. You have to listen and obey. It’s the obedience that brings blessing. Listening and obeying is how the Spirit of God takes the Word of God and makes it living and active in real life.

One of the chief ways a car gets knocked out of alignment is hitting a pothole or suffering a collision. The same is true for life. As we hit the potholes of life, or as life collides or crashes into our world, it’s natural to get out of alignment. It’s normal to go along to get along – to compensate by just shifting the steering a little, to stay in the lane without veering off the road. That choice may allow you to get by, but in the long haul, living out of alignment robs you of maximum performance: the peace and joy that abiding in the Word and living for Jesus brings.

Daily time in the Word will keep us in check with those little shifts and bring us quickly back in line with God’s will. But neglecting the Word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit too long means the veering off course is more pronounced, and the realignment might be more painful.

Are you receiving a daily realignment by abiding in the Word?

Our bookmark for the upcoming month includes 30 verses that highlight a different attribute of God. We hope writing the Word during July will be worshipful for you and that it equips you to know God more deeply and glorify Him more intentionally! In this week’s Friday devotional video, Laura introduces the bookmark and shares thought on God’s KINDNESS, inspired by Romans 2:4. WE invite you to watch now:

You can find your copy of the July bookmark, optional S.O.A.P. study pages, our monthly ‘Do It! List, and more on our Download pages.

Why are we caught off guard by a toilet that overflows, a misplaced—and unpaid—bill, an alarm that doesn’t go off (or a fire alarm that does)? The pile of laundry. The looming work project. The 5PM-no-clue-what’s-for-dinner stress. Or perhaps our affliction rises to a higher level: the positive biopsy, the certified letter from the IRS, or the child who seems to have walked away from God.

Life brings hard things, and they often catch us off guard. Jesus gave us a heads-up: …In this world you will have trouble… (John 16:33) Yet we are often derailed by irritation, hardship, and suffering.

Living through them brings a heightened understanding that not only does suffering come, but it may have a redemptive purpose.

Psalm 119 includes (at least) three powerful verses that bring a biblical, eternal perspective on suffering.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that
I might learn your decrees.
Psalm 119:71

There are some lessons that can only be learned through suffering. We can read or hear about someone else’s experience, but until we walk through that valley ourselves, we just don’t get it.

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997. Through that season, I realized I truly do believe what I say I believe. I learned that what I thought in my head was also true in my heart: God is real, and my confident hope for eternity is secure because of my identity in Christ.

Never again do I want to hear the word malignant from a doctor, but I would not trade for anything the many truths I learned through that season.

Suffering has rewards and blessings; through it, His truth transforms from mere thoughts in our head to deep-rooted knowing in the very foundation of our soul.

If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
Psalm 119:92

The more candles on the birthday cake, the greater the perspective on life. Age brings the awareness that life includes hard things, but our great God is in the business of redeeming hard things – for our good and, more importantly, for HIS glory.

Age also allows us to look back over the timeline of life and see a series of mountains and valleys. In the seemingly upside-down logic of Scripture (the first shall be last, you have to lose your life to gain it), the physical valleys are often spiritual mountaintops.

If you’ve lived more than a couple of decades, you begin to realize that we are either living in a challenge, just coming out of a challenge, or maybe heading into a new challenge.

That view is not so much pessimistic, as realistic.

The constant through it all is our great God, who promised: Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

Choosing to abide in His Word on the ordinary, no-struggle days cements a settled assurance, a delight in Him that prepares us to walk through the extraordinary, struggle-filled days when they come.

God’s Word becomes our protection during the affliction.

Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.
Psalm 119:143

The delight of God’s Word trumps any distress this world can bring. We’re spiritual Teflon! Nothing the enemy hurls our way can stick. We harmonize with the Apostle Paul, For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (II Corinthians 4:17)

To delight in God in the midst of trouble is the blessing that comes from abiding in the Word.

If today finds you struggle-free, abide in His Word so you will be ready when the struggle comes.

If today finds you in the midst of a struggle, abide in His Word so you can persevere through the affliction.

If today finds you coming out of a struggle, abide in His Word so you can delight in Him and praise Him for His faithfulness.

In this week’s Friday devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Jenifer Siemens. We invite you to watch as they discuss what it looks like to yearn for spending time with God. The result during times of our lives when we don’t spend time at His feet, versus times when we do, might surprise you.

I hope you have been writing and praying God’s Word from Psalm 119 during May and June. Below is my final set of ten verses, with prayers inspired by this rich chapter. Please join with me in praying God’s Word back to Him for those we love and cherish.

Psalm 119:60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.
Lord, help my children and grandchildren to understand that delayed obedience is disobedience. Give me wisdom to teach them this truth by word and example, so they will hasten to obey You and Your Word.

Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
Father God, how I praise You that even difficult situations brings opportunities to learn more of You. I pray that challenging circumstances would always drive my loved ones to Your Word.

Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Holy Spirit, draw the thoughts of my precious ones to the Word of God. Let those thoughts in turn prompt words, attitudes, and actions that honor You.

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Jesus, I pray nothing would be sweeter to my kids and grandkids than Your Word. Give them an appetite that nothing else will satisfy.

Psalm 119:104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
God, I pray current and future generations of our family would be filled with love for Your Word, so that evil offers no temptation to their lives.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Jesus, I pray Your Word will illuminate the path for my family. Let them always walk in the light of Your truth.

Psalm 119:114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
God Almighty, I pray You and Your Word would be the source of protection and security in the lives of my children and grandchildren. May their hope for eternity—and for each day—be in You first and foremost.

Psalm 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
I pray sin would have no hold on my loves ones, that each would be ruled by You, King Jesus.

Psalm 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Holy Spirit, I pray that even insomnia would be redeemed for the glory of God—that sleepless nights would draw the thoughts of my loved ones to Your Word.

Psalm 119:171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.
God, we were created for Your glory. I pray that praise for You would continually flow from the lips of my children, grandchildren, and future generations. May they live to bring You glory!

I pray that these last three weeks of Sunday Soaking posts have encouraged you in the habit of praying God’s Word back to Him. Are there other verses in Psalm 119 that you’ve found particularly helpful as you pray for your precious ones? Have you found other promises in scripture that you find yourself returning to as you pray? I would love to hear about your experience with using our Father’s own words as your basis for prayer.

In this week’s devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Liz Oosterman, as they discuss our response to God when we are afflicted. As we question the suffering, do we follow Psalm 119:109’s instructions “Yet I do not forget Your law” … or does our affliction distract us from focusing on God’s law?

Visit our Downloads page for your copy of this month’s bookmark, or choose the version with both the May and June bookmarks together on a single page.

Last week’s Sunday Soaking included ten verses from Psalm 119 to use as prayer prompts for those we love. But it was impossible to choose only ten verses to pray back to God from the many wonderful ones in our May and June focus chapter.

Here are more prayer prompts from scripture, to guide you in praying for those you love:

Psalm 119:4 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
O God, let Your Word be the first priority for my children and grandchildren when they need advice and counsel.

Psalm 119:30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.
Jesus, I pray the hearts of my dear ones would always be set on Your Word.

Psalm 119:31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame.
Lord, I pray my kids and grandkids would literally and figuratively hold tight to Your Word. Let it be their treasure, their life preserver, and their great delight.

Psalm 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
God, I praise You for the freedom found in following You. I pray my precious ones would reject both slippery slopes – legalism and liberalism – and find the joy that comes from running in the path of your good commands.

Psalm 119:35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Jesus, I pray Your Word would bring delight, rather than drudgery or even disdain, to the hearts of my children, grandchildren, and future generations of our family.

Psalm 119:36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
God Almighty, be the compass turning my family’s hearts continuously to You and Your Word.

Psalm 119:37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Holy Spirit, give the young people in our family a wisdom that defies their years when identifying worthless things. Turn their eyes from the temporal to the eternal.

Psalm 119:47 for I delight in your commands because I love them.
Jesus, instill in my loves ones a deep, abiding, all-consuming love for Your Word.

Psalm 119:54 Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.
Holy Spirit, I pray Your Word would bring a melody and a rhythm to the lives of my children and grandchildren that brings purpose, balance, harmony, and joy.

Psalm 119:59 I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.
O God, I pray Your Word would prompt continual sanctification in my precious ones. All the days of their lives, may they continually re-align their priorities and choices to walk in step with You and Your Word.

After praying God’s words back to Him, have you found that particular verses have encouraged you, resonated in a special way, or challenged your thinking about God and His Word? I would love to hear which verses have been especially meaningful to you!

In this week’s devotional video, Laura is joined by her friend, Linda Graham, as they study how God’s precepts bring understanding. They continue to guide us as our paths take on a course that we didn’t see coming! We are blessed when we follow His precepts … knowing it is all because of His love toward us. We want to follow Him! We invite you to watch Laura and Linda’s conversation here:

You can find your own copy of our June bookmark highlighting Psalm 119 (or a combo bookmark with May and June bookmarks, writing your way through the entire chapter) from our Downloads page.