Hearts in Service Blog

John 19:26-27 (HCSB) ~ When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”   Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” My heart aches when my children are hurting. I am so emotionally connected to them that it's hard to see them struggle or hurt by the unkindness of others. So I cannot even imagine the emotional horror and pain Mary was going through as she sees her son hanging on that cross. She watches him labor for each breath. She knows that he is going to die. She is heartbroken. I'm sure she would have taken his place if she could. These words of Jesus show his humanity and love for his mother. Some scholars believe at this point Joseph is deceased, so as a widow in that society, she was vulnerable. It was up to the oldest son to fill the shoes of his father as the next in line. So here we see Jesus doing just that.  He asks his friend and disciple to care for his moth...

Luke 23:43 (HCSB) ~ And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.” Hour after agonizing hour, Jesus hung on the cross. As the splintered wood cut into the raw and open wounds on His back, Jesus is asked a question by the criminal hanging next to him, "Will you please remember me when you come into your kingdom?"  And even in his pain, Jesus assures the man of his eternal destiny. As I reflected on this, I realized that there would have been no time for this man to ask for forgiveness from those he wronged. No time for him to make restitution. No time for him to act differently. No time for baptism nor any of the outward symbols of a changed life. There was just a desperate plea to be remembered. And just as quickly Jesus, recognizing his heart condition and his desire for repentance, speaks these simple words, "You will be with me today." It's just that simple.  How many times do we think people have to prove ...

Luke 23:34 ~ “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” The tears streamed down my cheeks, as I thought of the multitude of ways I had been hurt by another.  I relived each intentional word and action that had cut me to my core. "Father, how can I forgive them, when they so deliberately hurt me?" The image of Jesus, hanging on a tree in agony, popped into my head.  How could he forgive those who put him there?  How could he forgive those who cursed at him, spat at him, mocked him, beat him, and nailed his hands and feet to the rough wood?  I think the answer comes in the second part of his sentence, "They don't know what they are doing."   Jesus understood that without his sacrifice, there would be no ability for people to even comprehend what forgiveness meant, let alone being able to do so..  His sacrifice gives me the ability to forgive others when they hurt me.  Without Christ's death and resurrection, ...

The Unexpected King  by Terri Groh Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed be the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Here comes the expectant King, riding towards Jerusalem, not with sword As what thought. Not on horse, tall and proud. But on a young beast of burden, before the expectant crowd.   They shouted and through the streets the men, women and children ran, Waved their branches of palm and threw up their welcoming hands. Little did they realize that in just a few short sleeps. This king would be led to a slaughter, much like sheep.   The crowd that waved those praising hands in the sky Would soon lift fists up high and shout, “Crucify!” “Crucify!” Fickle people that would so easily be turned astray, by religious leaders old and gray,  with hearts as hard and brittle as clay.   Jesus rode through that crowd and the children laughed and cried out. “Master, Teacher, Lord!” the people did shout! Joy and praise, love and laughter, ador...

Yesterday, I did the time of prayer for our church.  We are entering into the Easter season and I've been reflecting on the Name of Jesus and what that means to me.  I would like to invite you to take some time and join me for a time of prayer and worship as we reflect on His beautiful name. 

The weather was beautiful this weekend and yesterday afternoon, after church, we headed out to go for a walk. No matter what is going on in my life, getting outside in nature always lifts my spirits. Some of it is because exercise increases endorphins, but it's also a sanctuary for me.  As a pastor's wife, as well as a ministry leader, Sundays are not generally a day of rest. And to be honest, I don't always leave church feeling restored. And that's because I'm teaching or counseling or absorbing another's burden. Sometimes Sundays can be days of feeling beat down because of expectations of others and their idea of what they think the pastor and his wife should or shouldn't be doing. At times, it can be a day of pure exhaustion. So when I have the opportunity to get outside and enjoy some solitude I will take it.  God's hand is in all I see.  The humorous.  The majestic. In every little detail. In new life. In song. In colors blooming. In the warmth of t...

Early morning sun peeping in my window, robin's red breast, bulbs popping up through the ground, the sound of bird song in the air. These are all signs that spring is on the way. Even though it's still chilly and the snow flies some days, these small signs lift my spirits after a long, dark winter. I love spring because it's a renewal of living things, a sign that no matter how gray things can be, there is always life and hope right beneath the surface. No matter how discouraging things can be in my life, there is the knowledge that things will get better and brighter. I'm taking close notice this year of the opening of the bulbs and buds around me because it's a reminder to me that no matter what I face, I know without a doubt that God is at work in my life. Because my roots are deep and grounded in Christ, I can have hope. The unfurling of leaves from their buds, is symbolic of the hope inside of me when I stay grounded in the knowledge of God is working through m...