Guard Our Hearts??

"Just guard your heart..." I've heard this saying since I had my first crush in elementary school. I tell this to my girls when they find themselves liking a certain guy. My friends call me with issues with men they are "talking" to, and I encourage them or discourage them in what they're saying... "Just guard your heart." It's always the closing line, the solution. But is it??

I sat with my teen girls this week and my heart got more and more heavy as I heard all the stories and talk of the guys that they so freely throw their hearts to. In their vulnerability and trust, I hear what is going on in their worlds. Men, or should I say little boys, who have no regard for their tender emotions, not to mention the objectivistic view they have of these young women, are slowly destroying their hearts. I'm not even preaching against the horrible trends of sexting or physical affection. Those lies are a whole different issue for another day. But where, in our interaction with the opposite sex, do we guard our hearts or let our guard down? Where is the line that goes from friendship to putting our heart on the line, all walls down?

I have been processing all of this in regards to personal past relationships coming to a close and considering what a future relationship would look like and in knowing how to give these girls proper and solid instruction. As I've prayed for wisdom in how to explain TRUE LOVE to these teen beauties, God revealed yet another treasure in His Word to me this morning....

Proverbs 4:23 is the verse that this phrase comes from, it reads, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." In context, the Proverb is speaking of holding true to words that will bring health. However, in just reading this nugget, I want to know more! How in the world do we do this?!

Yet today God drew me to key connection in as I read Philippians 4:6-7. Here Paul is exhorting the church in Philippi as he is sitting in prison. He tells them, "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS about anything, but in everything, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, offer your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS." To me, this is a, "WHOOP THERE IT IS!!!," passage!! How have I missed this connection before? The solution to achievement of Proverbs 4:23 is right here. Not being anxious + seeking the Lord in prayer = God's indescribable peace that GUARDS ARE HEARTS AND MINDS!

What a reminder of a simple core of our faith- prayer and trust in the Lord. We can't figure it out. I can't tell my girls a formula to protect their hearts. I can't draw a line in the sand and know when its closely approaching. Yet, seeking the Lord and letting His peace that we can't understand guide us?! THATS THE SOLUTION! I don't know what the Lord has for me with my future relationships and how I should handle this heart of mine. It is so refreshing and reassuring that I don't have to know. Giving it to the Lord and living in tune to His Spirit will give us the peace that will guide our hearts and minds. God, may your peace guard my heart and mind today.

humbled by this Love.

I love it when the Lord wakes me up in the morning thinking of Him. Usually Im startled by my alarm at 7:30 am, roll out of my bed to make my morning coffee and spend some time in the Word (fighting my heavy eye-lids). Yet the days when He wakes me up refreshed and with His praises on my heart and mind, those are the days I feel most alive. I've been digging in the gospels this month, along with seeking wisdom in the book of Proverbs. However, with my weight of ministry on my heart, today I dove into Ephesians, hoping to get a fresh viewpoint of His love for me and for His people.

First, let me tell you that God has been shaking my world up with the thought of His love. David Crowder's song "How He Loves" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ

has been in my head and on my lips....

Vs. 1

He is jealous for me,

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Chorus:

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Vs. 2

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

So as I got into Ephesians 1, I was blown away thinking about how he PREDESTINED us to be His children. Check out vs 4-6, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. IN LOVE he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."

May I never forget that I was chosen, before the world was even formed, to be His child. He chose me to spite the sin He knew that I would fall in. He chose me, knowing I would spit in his face repeatedly as I waded in the pool of mediocrity and the distractions of the world. He chose me, knowing I would get distracted, knowing I would choose things above Him, knowing that I would constantly fall on my face. YET HE KNEW, and He still sent the One He loves... for me. For me, a woman who is a sinner, but was forgiven. For me, a woman who continues to sin, but continues to be forgiven by his undeserved grace and love. I am humbled by this Love. The ultimate Love.

Softball Season!!

I am very excited to tell you all that I will be coaching our middle school girls in a softball team for the Near West Little League this spring and summer!!

As we prepare for the season, we are in need of a few things...

**Softball gloves. None of our girls have their own gloves (yes we are rookies). I know so many of us have a few laying around our garages and basements. If you could donate to help our girls start practicing, that would be amazing!!

**The cost for each girl to be in the league is $25. We will ask the girls to pay a small amount of that sum, but are also looking for donors to help with this cost, as well as the costs of things like team snacks, gas to the West Side for games, etc.

If you could help in any of these ways please contact me at brost@sunshinegospel.org. Your generosity puts feet to our ministry!! Thank you!!

Woodlawn Community Church

A big issue we've been trying to conquer is getting our kids and families connected to a local church. The church our staff currently attends is great, Christ Bible Church of Chicago. Yet, it is located outside of our neighborhood, about 15 minutes away. We've been facing issues with our kids wanting to go to Sunday morning fellowship, yet it hinges on rides by staff. Though we fill our cars to the best of our ability, we obviously desire and know God has a heart for local fellowship.

So we have started Woodlawn Community Church, a family worship service that we have once a month. So far we have had four. We fellowship, sing together, get in the Word, and even share lunch. It has been amazing and fun to see the people that have shown up. We've had a great time thus far. God is doing big things, pray for the development of this service and fellowship.