There's A Hole In My Heart

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Posted by Annette Burrell, November 1, 2023

Have you ever hit a pothole that made your car sound like it had just exploded? It seems like potholes are everywhere. There is one such hole about a mile away from my house that keeps getting bigger, and I avoid it like the plague. If I hit that thing again, I’m sure I’ll need to take my car in for an alignment.

If you think about it, most holes cause more harm than good. They cause damage, like the pothole I just mentioned. I have some pesky chipmunks in my yard, and they are digging little holes and underground tunnels in my front yard. An armadillo took care of tearing up my backyard with big holes. Now, the front yard is under attack.

I feel like my yard & my whole life is under attack. Those little pests are digging into my heart and soul to distract me from God’s plan. The problem is, at times, I forget to put on my armor so that I am prepared to face the enemy’s attacks.

Ephesians 6:11 (NIV) says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

When you get dressed to go out for the day, do you forget to put on your shoes? No. Why, then, do we forget to suit up in the armor of God? That’s our protection. Our battle is not against the literal pests. It’s “against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (vs.12) Verses 13-18 explain why we need each piece of armor.

About 14 years ago, my husband and I were at the hospital welcoming our fourth grandson into the world. The nurse came in and asked, “Is he still sleeping?” Our daughter told her he had been asleep a little while and thought she might have even heard him snoring.

The nurse quickly whisked him away and told us she’d return shortly. Not too long after that, the doctor came in and told us our grandson had a hole in his heart. He was explaining everything and telling Mom and Dad that, typically, this hole would close on its own. He also said he would be referring them to a pediatric cardiologist who would keep a close eye on it. If the hole didn’t close by the time he turned 12 or so, surgery would be necessary; otherwise, he could develop lung issues.

Fourteen years later and the hole is still there. Last week, our daughter told us that he was going to require open heart surgery. You can imagine hearing that was hard. A 14-year-old never wants to hear anything like that. To say that he is scared would be an understatement.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

God, in his infinite wisdom, asks us to come to Him. He’ll take our burdens upon himself and help us to rest.

Matthew 11:28 (NIV) says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

I was diagnosed with a heart condition known as LBBB (Left Bundle Branch Blockage) about the time our grandson was about 7 years old. Fear for my health crept in on me for the first time. I received a text from our daughter with a message from our grandson telling me everything was going to be ok. He said he had a hole in his heart, and he was sure I would find a good heart doctor who would take care of me too. That is the heart of a 7-year-old.

We all have holes in our hearts. Some are in the form of poor health. Some come from hurtful words that are spoken to us. The grief of a loved one may cause other holes. God wants us to know He is in the alignment business. When we are faced with issues that hurt our hearts, He will take care of and repair us. He promises us that in His word.

Psalm 147:3 (NIV) says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

You may be experiencing a “hole in your heart” right now. There’s a hole in my heart. I want to encourage you to take it to the Lord. Give your fear and worry to Him. Lay it at His feet and ask him to hear what’s on your heart.

Annette Burrell is an author, speaker, and singer/songwriter. Through Annette’s years of being a public servant, and her devotion to studying the Bible, God has equipped her to lead women into His presence, and share with them how they can grow in Christ. Her passion is learning, sharing about the Heavenly realms, and God’s plan of protection for us as believers.

Beneath The Soil

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Posted by Karen Kinnaird, October 25, 2023

Are you minding your mouth? Do you gossip? Talk too much? Catch yourself complaining? Too often, I sense conviction the moment something comes out of my mouth! The Bible sets a very high standard for our speech and teaches that how we use our tongues, whether for good or evil, affects our entire life.

In the book Conversation Peace, author Mary Kassian shares the story of her sick African violet. The leaves were dark, curled and jelly-like. The flowers had died. Assuming insects were to blame, she sprayed the plant with bug killer. A few days later, the violet looked worse. It was her mother who quickly diagnosed the problem - root rot. Root rot is caused by fungi that infest the soil and attack the roots of plants. As the disease progresses, the leaves begin to rot. Kassian had an inverted perspective on what was causing the problem. Thinking the problem was the leaves, it was the roots.

We too can have an inverted perspective on our words. We may think the words coming out of our mouths are to blame when it’s the heart buried underneath that contains the root of contamination. The flow of contamination goes from the heart to the mouth. Communication problems are truly spiritual problems requiring spiritual solutions. Fortunately, we don’t have to muster up the effort to attain godly speech in our own strength. The good news is our speech can be transformed by relying on God’s power to transform our hearts from the inside out.

...for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34

In the book Faithful, Kelly Minter writes, “God does so much of His best work beneath the soil.” The soil of our hearts must be filled with the truth of God and His Word. What’s underneath the surface will eventually come up - in one way or another. James 1 says “Humbly accept the Word planted in us and if we have the Word in us and obey it, we’ll be blessed. It’s the Word that produces right living and right speech.”

One of my favorite teachings of Conversation Peace is the P-4-8 test. Kassian teaches that Philippians 4:8 can be used as a filter to test the goodness of the seeds of thoughts, beliefs, and words. Are the seeds pure, right, admirable, and true? After shaking them through the P-4-8 filter, should they be thrown out or planted?

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Allowing God to transform the quiet hidden place of our hearts is a life-long process.

But, what a gift! We’ll find ourselves being quick to listen, pacing ourselves when we speak, and only speaking what builds each other up. Let's be mature believers and allow God’s Word to do its transforming work deep in our hearts.

“If we sow excellent seeds into our hearts, we will reap a harvest of excellence from our lips. The more generously we sow, the more generously we reap.” (Mary Kassian)

Karen Kinnaird brings the vast experience of having served as a ministry wife for nearly 38 years. Her husband has served as a church planter, senior pastor, state denominational leader, agency specialist at NAMB, and Associational Missionary Strategist. Karen currently serves as the Executive Assistant for Forgiving Forward, a ministry dedicated to helping people experience the freedom of the Gospel through the power of forgiveness. Karen and Jimmy, also known as Gigi and Poppy, have 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

Praise Him

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Posted by Priscilla Carr, October 17

In our Touching Hearts gatherings, we’re exploring the lives of various women in the Bible using the book Faithful as a guide for the study. Last week, Martha Wilson and I co-taught on Leah and explored how rejection and disappointment can alter our outlook, cause us to seek refuge in a person or thing that isn’t God’s best for us, or cause us to withdraw from meaningful, life-giving relationships. Can you relate? Let’s review Leah’s life and longings.

Leah was the older sister of Rachel and the daughter of Laban. Jacob, son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, left Isaac and his mother Rebekah and traveled to find a wife from Abraham’s relatives...and to escape from his brother Esau, who wanted to kill him. Jacob (and their mother, Rebekah) had deceived Esau and his father Isaac into giving him the privileges of the firstborn (he was not the firstborn) even though the Lord had already promised Rebekah that “the older will serve the younger” (Gen. 25:22-23 CSB) and so Esau was more than a little upset about the deception and wanted to murder Jacob. When Jacob saw Rachel after an arduous journey to get to his relatives, he was told that she was of his grandfather’s family. He must have felt extreme relief and hope.

As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter, Rachel, with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered the sheep. Then, Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father (Gen. 29:10-12).

Rachel told her father Laban.

Many of us know the story. Jacob fell in love with Rachel and agreed with Laban that he’d work for him for 7 years in order to marry Rachel. After 7 years, Laban deceived Jacob and gave him Leah to wed instead of Rachel. Jacob then agreed to work for Laban for an additional 7 years, and he became husband to both Leah and Rachel. But Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah” (Gen. 29:30).

When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He… (Gen. 29:31).

Leah was unloved by Jacob. It wasn’t her imagination, and she wasn’t deceived into thinking she was unloved; it was real, and it was played out in their daily lives. Can you imagine what it feels like to know that the only reason you’re married is because your father tricked your husband into marrying you? Can you imagine the rejection Leah must have felt? And to know that your younger sister has captured the heart of your mutual husband? Wouldn’t you hope that giving him what the culture deemed important, sons, would win his devotion? That was Leah’s goal also…at first. But, Leah came to realize that although her husband didn’t love her, God did. Her focus changed from seeing her husband as the solution to her longing to be loved to praising the God who saw her and who had made her fruitful (Gen. 29:35).

We all have rejection and disappointment stories.

Maybe you have childhood memories of rejection (i.e. bullying, molestation, always being the last one picked, not being asked to the prom…) that have caused you, like me, to distrust and believe that you’re unworthy or less than. Or maybe adult memories or current situations (i.e. divorce and abandonment by a spouse, rejection by a son, daughter, father, or mother, disappointment that God allowed loved ones to die early or in horrific ways…) have you questioning God’s love for you. Aren’t you encouraged by Leah’s story? Isn’t it grand to know that God sees you and He desires fruitfulness and only the best for you? He is faithful and able to take our heartbreaks, our disappointing & difficult circumstances, and use them for His glory and for our good (Romans 8:28). If we allow it, He can take the rejection that we’ve faced, the false beliefs & conclusions that we’ve adopted, and fill us with the truth of our identity in Christ so that we can reflect His light and life to those so desperately looking for hope!

Jesus was betrayed and rejected even by those closest to Him (John 18). So, He can relate to us in our rejection. He knows what it feels like. Even though all of us deserve to be rejected by Him because of our sin, He did the opposite and gave Himself and became Emmanuel (God with us). He did this so that we could have a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

He sees us, He knows us, He wants us, and He loves us.

He is what each of us really desires. He is the fulfillment of the longing that we so often try to get fulfilled in others or material things. In the Faithful book (p. 85), Ruth Chou Simons describes it this way:“Leah recognized in that moment what believers like you and me would only come to know centuries later: God Himself, through Jesus, His Son, is the Good we’re really after.”

And although rejection and disappointment are inevitable pages or maybe even chapters in our stories, we can refocus and say as Leah did, "this time I will praise the Lord” (Gen. 29:35).

Praise Him, praise Him.

Praise Him, praise Him.

Jesus blessed Savior

He’s worthy to be praised.

From the rising of the sun

Until the going down of the same,

He is worthy, Jesus is worthy,

He’s worthy to be praised.

Praise Him, praise Him.

Praise Him, praise Him.

Jesus, blessed Savior

He’s worthy to be praised.

(from “Praise Him” by Carol Cymbala)

Faithful, 2021, published by David C. Cook, 4050 Lee Cook Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Priscilla Carr was born in NYC, but has lived in metro Atlanta since 1979. She is a Navy veteran trained in electronics which God used for a 30-year career at the FAA. She uses her training to provide audio support to Touching Hearts Ministries, and is the Editor and Producer of “A Burst of Hope” podcast. She began her adult new life in Jesus in 1990 right before leaving the Navy, and today she exudes her love for Jesus. She is the proud mama to two rambunctious fur kids, Gracie (Lab) and Faith (Pit-mix). Priscilla was encouraged by elementary teachers to write. She took creative writing courses in High School and college, but in the mid-eighties, she stopped writing. The desire to write has been recently reawakened, and she is thriving in her new writing adventure.