Affaires de coeur

All my life, my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name. –Andre Breton


Remember what it feels like to be in love? Maybe a waffle cone brimming with Mitchell’s ice cream is all it takes to make your pulse quicken. Maybe the object of your affection was a new puppy whose cold, wet nose and wiggle-all-over happiness set you giggling with joy. Or maybe—that special someone who started out as “just a friend” has become more, someone with whom you’d love to spend the rest of your life.

Different degrees of the same emotion: there are no words adequate to describe how you feel.

How about on your faith walk? Have you ever felt that way, simply having no words to describe what you’re feeling? Have you had a time when the Holy Spirit so filled your heart and soul with peace that you never wanted it to end? And when someone asked you to explain—you just couldn’t find the words. . . .

But that’s okay. Keep trying. Keep trying to understand.

Some people believe the only way to experience God’s presence is through one’s emotions, but guess what? God gave us brains, minds to think and question and learn. And God expects us to us those minds: to explore, to express, to explain.

 Don’t be afraid to ask, to seek—to know. God is big enough to stand up to your toughest questions. Really.

Monday Pause today and remember your “first love” (whatever it was). Allow yourself to revisit the feelings without judging or rolling your eyes. 2 Corinthians 4:13-15

Tuesday Think about your primary approach to life’s questions. Are you a “thinker” or a “feeler”? Just for today, try to approach decision-making from a different angle. Habakkuk 3:1-2

Wednesday Think today about someone who influenced you as a child. What made them special in your eyes? Give thanks—and consider calling or sending a note. Proverbs 1:5, 7

Thursday As we wander through life, we, too, influence others (hopefully in a good way). Where do you see your influence being spread? As you pray, seek guidance and wisdom to lead. 1 John 5:2-4

Friday Consider being more deliberate in reaching out to the next generation. Ask God to show you a way to share your gifts, through volunteering, perhaps. Matthew 5:23-24

Saturday Today, as you pray for yourself, think about the gifts God has given you, the things that make you unique. Give thanks. Romans 12:9-13

Sunday Look around you as we gather this morning. Speak with someone you do not know well. Verbally thank someone whose life has affected your faith walk. Matthew 25:31-36


Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. –Oscar Wilde

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