Heart Matters Blog

A letter to my precious friend Alyn... in heaven. 

Do the heavens open for you to see all that's happening here in Haiti at Grace Village, Alyn? Surely they must, for when I stand on that hill, I am certain it is the place that heaven touches the earth. 

Where heaven touches earth...

Thank you sweet Savior for allowing me to catch a glimpse of your face during this holy month of your Incarnation... as I looked into and smooched the faces of the precious children of Haiti!

Throughout the years, it has been my habit to keep a Faith Journal.  I call it a Faith Journal because what I have written on those pages... when my faith is firm and the eyes my heart are open to see the various blessings that God has touched my life with... have been the greatest source of encouragement to me when my faith is especially thin and my eyes so clouded with tears that I have a hard time seeing God's presence anywhere.

As I flip through that journal, I am reminded that yes! God has walked with me through every twist and turn along life's way.  He has whispered my name on the wind and touched my innermost being with beauty. He has embraced me through the hugs of friends and spoken deep into my heart through His love letter, the Bible.  And even when He has led me through shadows and sorrows, I can look back and see that He never left me alone...

One of the best gifts you can give yourself to encourage your soul..is to carve out time to get alone with your Savior and begin your own Faith Journal.  There is nothing like counting your blessings to lift our eyes off of our momentary circumstances and onto the beautiful face of Jesus!

For those of you puttering along with me through the book of Ruth... we are now moving on to Chapter Two. :)  As in times past, before you get started, be sure you are nestled into a quiet little niche, free from distractions.  Take a moment or two to close your eyes and allow the silence to settle your spirit.

When your heart is ready, open your Bible to Ruth, grab your journal and pen, and ask the Savior to give you "ears to hear" His voice today.

Take some time to read through chapter two in it's entirety. Our story opens with Ruth and Naomi settling into their new lives in Jerusalem.  As you eavesdrop on their conversations and their comings and goings, take note of a verse or verses that stand out to you.  Jot them in journal...

¹⁵ This people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  ¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear... 

Matthew 13:15-16

When was the last time you noticed God's fingerprints in your life?  When was the last time you sensed the Savior's voice whispering to you on the wind?