Hopeful Hearts Ministry

I’ve been up for 22 hours so I will keep this day brief. God’s love crushed me and sent me into an ugly cry sitting in the back of the plane headed to Seattle, WA.  I was reading a novel called Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers that landed in my lap by two friends at two different times. For months I stared at this book and heard a whisper within , ‘ not yet’ it said, so I put it aside.  Then another girlfriend brought the very same book over to my home about nine months later, “Shannon, you need to read this book.  It’s fiction but it makes me think of you.”

Now I had two copies of the same book in my possession…clear sign I needed to read this book yet I still heard, ‘not yet’.  I knew there was something within the book that apparently would resonate within me, most likely cause me to feel pain and maybe heal a bit but it wasn’t time.  Finally, about a week ago I glanced at the copy that had been sitting on my dresser for almost a year and thought, “Now?”  but I still wasn’t convinced.  I don’t have time to read a fiction novel.  Self-help, non-fiction, theological…maybe, but not a fluffy romance story which is what the cover appeared to reveal.  However, I went into my study where the second copy lay on the desk above the printer and it caught my attention again.  “It’s time.”

This is a story of a young woman who had been dealt a very hard life and built walls up to protect herself from ever knowing true love of man or God.  It is the story of how God is relentless His love for her and how she is just as petulant in turning away.  Yet his resolve never ends.  He is steadfast in His love and even though she has spent most of her life being literally ‘used and abused’ and feels there is nothing left in her to love He seeks her mercilessly.

It is as if the author is giving me a Holy Spirit view into a scenario of how hard our hearts can be even if we ‘claim’ to accept His love… how often we turn away from His true redemption.  I’m only half way finished but I can’t wait to see how the story plays out.

When I landed in Seattle, WA I was blessed to meet up my a long-time friend and speaking comrade, Mary Bielski, who is tag-teaming with me on this REMADE IN CHRIST retreat in Ellensberg, WA.  We could not believe the beauty of the place.