The last year (or so) has been quite an interesting year for me. The events of September 11, 2001 had a profound impact on me, in terms of being quite a jolt to capture my attention. I know that there are many, many people around the world that may have experienced the same thing. Churches were filled to overcapacity for a few months everywhere as people's awareness of man's fragility led people to "try God again." Alas, most of the people awakened were just so temporarily, and too soon, things around this country have gotten back to "normal" as the panic mode passed. The Holy Spirit used a different tack with me. Perhaps recognizing that an immediate knee-jerk reaction on my part might have had me end up with the same type of response, I was led to "find" the radio station Chuck Smith's ministries sponsor (in the area where I live). I started listening to it every day during my commutes (over an hour each way). During these times, the airtime is continuously filled by airings of Bible Studies from names I recognized from years ago: Greg Laurie, Raul Rees, Chuck Smith, and a few new people. The one I caught first was Greg Laurie. Scanning through the radio, I heard a man talking about the 9/11 so I stopped and listened. I wasn't able to change the channel from then on. I also believe that the faithful prayers of my loved ones every day were instrumental.

There were no changes in me right away. Just every day I would catch the studies. Greg went through Revelation; then Chuck went through Revelation and then back to Genesis, then on to Exodus, Jon Courrson through 1 and 2 Kings then 1 and 2 Samuel. These were in the morning. Evening commutes mostly a fellow named David Hocking with the most intense, detailed, and in-depth study of Revelation (Several months). I wasn't doing anything special, just compelled to listen.

Early in the summer (or late spring), one particular Greg Laurie message, a topical study of the last words of Jesus on the cross really convicted me. When I pulled into the parking lot I prayed right then for forgiveness for forsaking my relationship with Jesus and asking to be made whole again. I didn't experience anything magical, but did feel I had made a first step. The studying continued.

[In August] something clicked in me. I don't really know what the cause was. But it coincided with Chuck's studies in Genesis, right about the time of Abraham, when Abraham reached that place where it became all or nothing with his relationship with God: his willingness to sacrifice his Isaac, and faith that no matter what, God would fulfill his promises. I told the Lord I was done screwing around: he has all of me, I don't want anything held back, and what I do hold back, pry my fingers off of it. All of a sudden, I noticed a change. How could I have neglected church and its fellowship for so long? How could I believe something and yet live a life that is not compatible with those beliefs? How could I be uncaring about the will of God? How could I not desire that the Lord use me in ways I've never even dreamed of? There are changes every day. This is what it must be to have a relationship walking with God. I don't even recognize myself.

May the Lord bless all those whose lives have been a faithful example to me and for their ceaseless prayers on behalf of my soul.

"and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 NASB

The Virtuous Woman in her Home

For this winter season, we turn to God's words regarding the Proverbs 31 Virtuous Woman and her home life. How will God look at us in regards to our daily habits and the way in which we structure our days?

"She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens."
Proverbs 31:15 NASB
Lord, only You can give us, as women of God, the strength and endurance to meet the needs of our families. Give us the ability to take care of those things in our homes in a way that would be pleasing to you.

"She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness."
Proverbs 31:27 NASB
Lord God, we look to you to fill us continuously with the fruit of your Spirit. We come to you for sensitivity to cares of those who dwell in our homes. May our "busy-ness" be as unto you, and may all we do be as a service unto you and for your glory.

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet."
Proverbs 31:21 NASB
Lord, may we never be reckless in thought or deed. Keep us levelheaded and discerning in all our transactions, whether we be at the market, or while managing the cares and affairs of our home or business.

"She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night."
Proverbs 31:18 NASB
Father, God, keep the light of Jesus Christ lit with us. Give us sensitivity, Lord, when dealing with others and when dealing with things that affect our own lives.

Encouraging Thoughts to Lift Our Spirits

The Lord is there by our side. Always. Every time.

"Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9 "...lo, I am with you all the days, - perpetually, uniformly and on every occasion - to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen-so let it be." Matthew 28:20 AMP

No matter what we are facing, or what difficulty we may be wading through, or perhaps, the recent news of dismay recently received, we all have a place to turn. My friend, you and I aren't alone in our struggles. Jesus wants us to come to Him, to cry out to Him. The following scripture tells us that He will cause us to rest!

"come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and over burdened, and I will cause you to rest - I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls."
Matthew 11:28 AMP

Matthew shows why we should be coming to Him, being still before Him, and then finding the strength to proceed with our day as we wait upon Him.

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 "My soul waits only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us." Psalm 62 esp. vs. 6-8

The Lord uses our every struggle, difficulty, and pain to draw us close to Him, bringing us comfort.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Corinthians 1:3 & 4 NASB

Living with a chronic disease, sometimes I feel utterly alone in my struggles, even deserted. Caring friends try and reach out to somehow lighten my burden. Trying their best to understand what it must be like to face the challenges in my day. I not only struggle with the physical limitations that intrude upon my life, but I always seem to dwell on what a person must think who hasn't known me for very long. Will they think that I am just plain lazy and tend to make all kinds of excuses? Will they tire in hearing me say that I must cancel all my plans and rest because my body has shown signs of infection once again? O, the battle that entails! You would think that having the opportunity to be in quietness and rest would not stir such a struggle inside of me! Even the days I feel that I can muster up enough strength to tackle a chore, I must proceed with caution! For if I push myself too hard, I end up forcing my body to rest again and so the cycle continues! Amidst the cycle, my solace is knowing that I can leave all of my frustration, fear, doubt and anxiety with the Lord. In doing so, I am not so concerned with how others might perceive me, my actions or in most cases, the lack of them. I have settled in my heart and have come to realize that, He above everyone else knows the true intent of my heart.

He can satiate our weary soul and enlighten the darkness.

"For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." Psalm 18:28 "For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." Jeremiah 31:25

We must completely trust Him, no matter what the circumstances.

"He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." Psalm 112:7 NIV "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you." I Peter 5:7

Calling upon Him and pouring out everything within us, casting our cares upon Him.

"But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge."
Psalm 94:22

He is the Rock you and I can lean on. He is my defense and refuge when I find myself in that familiar struggle; weary in body and needing refreshment. As I wait upon Him, I begin to ponder, once again, on these words:

"come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and over burdened, and I will cause you to rest - I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls."
Matthew 11:28 AMP

In that resting moment, I find His sustaining power that enables me to continue to come to Him and draw upon His incredible Strength to face that moment that is just passing before me. He is there for you as well, my friend. If you haven't yet, won't you come to Him? He is waiting with open arms to ease, relieve and refresh your soul.

Scripture references: KJV (unless otherwise noted)

From the Kitchen of...
The following is a recipe provided by our friend, Linda Lynch: use as a perfect salad side dish or even a delightful luncheon choice when your friends pop in for lunch on a rainy winter day.

Hearts for Christ Ministries thanks Linda for this recipe and looks forward to trying it out! I will bet this recipe would work with some of that left over Christmas turkey. If anyone decides to try it, please let Hearts for Christ know how it turns out.

Do you have a RECIPE that you would enjoy sharing? Send it to us here in the Hearts for Christ Ministries Comments Section or e-mail direct: info@heartsforchrist.org. We will be thrilled to pass it along to our readers.

Winter Traditions

Many homes share memories and traditions that are special. Do you have a tradition that you would enjoy passing along to Hearts for Christ Ministries? We would love to hear yours. Write to us at info@heartsforchrist.org.

Sharing Hearts One with Another... The following letters are excerpts from the correspondence Hearts for Christ Ministries has been receiving. Dear Hearts For Christ: I have a friend who is very interested in the Bible. How can I help her in the the places she doesn't understand in the book of Matthew? CA Dear CA: Your question regarding the book of Matthew is broad, which makes it difficult to answer in specifics, but it is wonderful that your friend is interested in God's Word. In James 1:5 it says If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. The Lord will give your friend the understanding she needs as she seeks him. If she has asked the Lord Jesus into her heart, the understanding of His Word will come, because it will be God's Spirit giving her the understanding she needs. Matthew gives us a wonderful kingly portrait of our Lord Jesus. This particular book, written by Matthew Levi (an apostle), was written primarily to the Jewish people to teach them that Christ was and is the Messiah. After learning the genealogy of our Lord we see the wise men's visit to see the Lord as a child, we learn about John the Baptist, and how he was beheaded, we read extensively about Christ's Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5-7. We also see the Lord involved in miracles, and later on in the book how Judas Iscariot (one of the disciples) betrayed the Christ for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus teaches us about parables in this book, and he explains to his disciples what they mean. We see a hint of the rapture of the church when we read the parable of the 10 virgins. In addition, we learn about Christ's second coming, which is directed especially to the Jews, since it will take the great tribulation to bring them to the place where they will finally accept him as their Messiah. Tell your friend to read slowly, ask specific questions about a verse when she comes to one she does not understand, and always pray before she begins. (She could write her questions down.) The Lord is so wonderful to hear our prayers, he will be so blessed as she seeks Him for guidance, and he will open her mind to a completely new experience. How exciting! Take some time to study the book of Matthew together and be blessed as you delve into his word as a team. Hearts for Christ Ministries Dear Hearts For Christ: Praise the Lord. My names are Georgina Mugerwa Nampeera. I am a Ugandan born again christian. My ministry is generally in intercession ministry, am a member of Rubaga Miracle Center. I would be blessed to be part of your ministry. Georgina Mugerwa Nampeera Dear Georgina, We, at Hearts for Christ, were truly blessed to receive your posting and we are even more blessed at your desire to become part of our team. A ministry completion form is on its way to you now. May God richly bless you for your desire to serve him through intercessory prayer! "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV Hearts for Christ Ministry Georgina is now a member of the Hearts for Christ Ministry Team: ******** Pray about joining our Prayer and Ministry Team. We would love to have you! Complete our Co-labor Form to find out how you too can be a part of Hearts for Christ Ministries.

Are You Ready to Share with Us? What is the Lord doing in your life today? Do you have a question, an experience, or a victory in trial you would enjoy sharing in a future newsletter? Send your comments and inquiries to "Dear Hearts for Christ." Article Submissions and Testimonies should be sent to info@heartsforchrist.org. No names will be included without permission, and the editor reserves the right to edit submissions.