Heart Matters Blog

"Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." —Pope John Paul II In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden containing a new tomb in which nobody had yet been laid. Because it was the preparation day and because the garden tomb was conveniently near, they laid Jesus in this tomb. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb, very early in the morning, while it was still dark, and noticed that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been lain. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "Because they have t...

 Don't be anxious about anything... —Philippians 4:6 I don't know if you've ever experienced this or not, but I have found that sometimes after I have said yes to serving the Lord in one capacity or another, I begin to second-guess myself. I think of all the other qualified folks out there who could do a much better job than me, and I grow a little weak in the knees. But then, just about the time I have convinced myself that I really ought to bow out of my obligation, God encourages my quivering heart by reminding me of the type of people He used in the past. Take Amos, for instance. When God needed a preacher to talk some sense into His people Israel, He didn't go to the nearest synagogue or seminary to find His candidate; he chose an ordinary man who tended fig trees for a living. W...

He leads me beside quiet waters… he restores my soul. —Psalm 23:2 I am sitting by still waters today, but there is a party on the lake. People having fun; diving in and dive-bombing into the water. Someone is tubing on the lake as well, and jets skis too. It is not exactly quiet, but it does restore my soul. Just when I was going to write that it is calmed down now, there is another whoop from the party boat. It is so peaceful here by the water, despite the party. I took my shoes off and dangled my feet in the lake. I love the sound of water lapping up on the shore. It is so soothing. It reminds me of the Allegheny river when I was young. My Grandpa Simey would take us out on the rowboat. We would pack a lunch and I remember the waves lapping on the shore of the river as we parked our boat...

My Sister Sherri. She was tomboy. I was a girlie girl. We about as opposite as good be. I had romantic heart. I love with my strength. I reached out to her while she was pregnant. She didn't understand my nurturing love her. She saw Josh and Amy have family. Tina got married and settle Edinburgh, UK. Gabi Boysen get married and have a family. Sal' settled Utah. She was Independent. Her love of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit guided her life. She is walking whole with Jesus. She's chatting with Grandma and Grandpa Simey. She's chatting with Grandma and Grandpa O. Joking around with Mark Johnson. Set your heart things, where is Christ is seated at the right of God. Set you minds, on above not earthly things. For your hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears then you will...

Russia and Ukraine. Covid. Human trafficking. Skyrocketing crime and cost of living. Health challenges. Strained relationships. Elites and their power-grabbing global reset dreams. Loss of loved ones. In our tumultuous world, so many of us are searching for peace. Inner peace. And for peace around us. We want to find peace and wrap it around us like a soft, calming fleece or weighted blanket, but often it feels more like we find a threadbare quilt. Oftentimes I think true peace eludes me when I let my focus too long linger on the wrong things. When I shift from remembering my God is still good, even though evil abounds around me. When I forget God's light inside me and my brothers and sisters is stronger than the enemy's screams and distractions. When I forget the enemy roar...