Training My Heart

In Abilene the sun is not out today, the music in our house was a bit too slow and serious and my heart seemed a bit low. So I have fought today to turn it in another direction. Daniel requested breakfast out and so I went. It is not my favorite but I moved on, training my heart. As we returned there were things to do around the house and we stayed busy until around noon. I ask if we could go on a walk, thought that would be good for the heart. As we started walking I ask for a heart that was grateful and one that thought of others. God gave us a wonderful time. We walked farther than Daniel expected he would want to go. I haven't measured it yet but I am anxious to tell him just how far he was able to go.

As the walk we talked about the prophet Jonah. This is the first minor prophet in the book we are reading. As we walked we talked about how God called us to Abilene and how He had prepared us for this move. I will have to confess I do not think I have allowed myself to enjoy all that God has for me here. One of the things God has called me to do and I have just not planned it and carried through with is VISITING! I love to be visited and I love to visit, so why have I resisted?? It's like God is asking me to go places I don't want to go. We continued to talk about a prophet bringing the Word of the Lord to the people and how we all are at a place to hear from the Spirit and able then to bring the Word of the Lord to one another. That is exciting news. We would love to hear from others as they hear from the Spirit.

When we got back home, we sat down and read through Jonah and reflected on what we read. The fact that Jonah tells the sailors that he is a Hebrew and that he fears the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land brings the sailors to a point of actually speaking to God. God is glorified just by us telling others it is He who makes a difference in our lives.


Grace is given to Jonah and to the great city of Nineveh. God will go out of His way to give us grace. He continues to be patient with me. When you look at the message Jonah gave it was very simple, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown". Wow! We don't have to have an exciting message or be eloquent, God does the pricking of hearts and brings people to understanding of Himself. The great city believed and a fast was called. Why do we worry about our message? My heart deceives me. These people had no background with God, yet they called on him and God did not overthrow them.

Two quotes about grace from the book:
"Grace is resisted only to the point that people cling to idols."
"The recipients of grace are to "pick up a bucket and dump it on someone else."

My heart is at a different place now -- training my heart, exercise everyday!!