Fragile Hearts

The kids are crazy and not listening to directions.

It's noisy and my patience is running a bit thin.

There's a substitute teacher.

I try and breathe deep...and as I do, a little boy is swatting a small plastic Ziploc bag at another.

Before I take the time to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry", I jump straight to the "fast to speak and fast to become frustrated" part. oh...wait...

And as the words come rushing out of my mouth, they probably sound like a hammer hitting a nail to the little boy looking up at me saying, "But he did it, too!" I take no time to hear him out. I just want him to know that it's not ok to swat at another person with a bag.

And before I know it, this sweet little boy shuts down, puts his head in his lap and cries. I try and talk to him...no answer. I ask if he will forgive me. "NO."

I sit there and rub his back, asking God to heal his broken, fragile little heart. I ask God to forgive me for being quick to speak and letting frustration get the best of me. I sit there and realize: we all have fragile hearts.

Kids, teenagers, adults...everyone. We all have fragile hearts. Some might try and deny it. Some might put up the front that, no, my heart is strong. Some might say, "Sticks and stone will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But really, as much as we say it or try and convince ourselves of it...deep down, our heart is fragile.

SO fragile.

Because in every one of us there is a longing...a deep, deep longing...to know that we are loved. Appreciated. Worthy. And the words that are spoken to us or the actions that are done toward us, go deep and we base our identity and loveliness and worth on those things. Words and actions sometimes determine the course of our day. One thing said can either bring us down or make us soar.

Because our hearts are fragile. SO fragile. And we take everything captive and personal. And we just want to know that we are valued.

Proverbs says, "The tongue has the power of life and death." The words we speak have the power to build up or tear down. The way we respond to situations can determine the course of someone's day.

Be careful with your words. Be careful with your actions and responses.

Be careful.

We all have fragile hearts.

This One's For The Ladies!

Father, who breathed into this precious friend...

I pray for this girl being formed into eternity...

May the wind always be in her hair

May the sky always be wide with hope above her

And may all the hills be an exhilaration.

The trials but a trail,

All the stones but stairs to God.

God, clothe this girl in a gown of grace.
Grace, the only dress that makes beautiful
The style of Your Spirit.

Nourish her on the comfort food of the Word.
Word, that makes her crave more of Christ,
Have hunger pangs for Him.

Enclose her in communion with You.
You, Love who makes her love, who folds her heart into a roof
That absorbs storms for souls,
That make her tongue speak only the words that make souls stronger.

May her vocation in this world simply be translation:

Translating every enemy into esteemed guest.
Translating every countenance into the face of Christ.
Translating every burden into blessing.

When it's hard to be patient...make her willing to suffer.
When it's ridiculous to be thankful..make her see all is grace.
When it's radical to forgive...make her live the foundation of our faith.
And when it's time to work...make her a holy wonder.

May she be bread and feed many with her life and her laughter.
May she be thread and mend brokenness and knit hearts.
May she be dead to all ladders and never go higher, only lower, to the lonely, the least and the longing.
Her, led of the Spirit, to lead many to the Cross-
That leads to the tomb, wildly empty.

Amen...

(Ann Voskamp)