Technically our heart is a muscle pumping blood all day everyday we breathe.  In order for me to breathe I believe my heart is more than that….it serves as my love muscle guiding me through life.

One recent morning was a hard heart one, could not shake off the sad.  Finally got my clothes on, skipping parts of my normal routine and shuffled into the cloudy, rainy, dreary, drippy day.  My heart hurt

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“the very foundation of grace is in a believers heart”

Weeds of anxious thoughts were beginning to take root in my fragile heart, panic was making a nest.  I made it to Chick-Fil-a determined to read my devotions and bible, ducking in prior to the deluge, a young woman with only a computer tucked under her arm, held the door for me.  Held. Waited. Action words we are not great at these days. Lingered.  She had her heart set right, she held on, waited for me, spoke to me, fit me in her busy morning.

She held me with conversation, kind eyes, and listened. She held my heart for me- a stranger- as I shared in few minutes about my sisters passing, and oh its my birthday, and oh my mom is in pain….all that and she held on, lingered and stayed in that uncomfortable moment with me in public.  Jesus was living not only in her heart, but outward towards mine.  Polite, sweet, sincere, so unusual.

In my booth tears covered my face, as I tried to hide in plain sight. Before she left she said, “Happy Birthday, I hope you have a good day, and I will keep you in my prayers.”  Precious in His sight.

Today was the most raw and vulnerable I’ve been in public-maybe ever.  It takes courage to be a real uncut version of you outside in real life.  Thank you Lord for sending me an angel, I receive it.  She held me and I am thankful.

That dear young woman paused my heart, reminded me to resist complaining and called out to me to seek and find joy in the middle of struggles.  “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight Oh Lord, my rock, my redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14

As she held me, God held her, for you know He was pleased.  Jesus served by lingering, holding, and serving His Father’s people.  He held us.  He noticed our pain. Fear was squeezing the hope out of my heart, God saw and He rescued me as she held me with her gentle words, kind eyes, she took the time to notice my pain.

This morning I witnessed what it means to serve- to honor my sister- it means to hold one another captive in word, deed, prayer and love, to stop for a moment, look around you and see the pain of others, reach out and HOLD them.  Jesus shines bright and pure and true through us as we hold each other in everyday life.

Today, for Him, pass on a smile, a compliment, linger and listen, hold a door open, let a car go in front of you, pray for strangers-little acts that shine big lights.  In His name we are held and then we hold and offer hope to others.

“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”  Psalm 46:5

She held me at the break of my day and I am heart-full.