Sometimes our hearts get to hurting and we don’t know where to turn. When our emotions are bleeding it’s easy to forget we have a Healer. It’s easy to run from the pain. My friend Suzie Eller is here today to remind us that we don’t have to run away. Jesus is inviting us to run to Him. Here’s an excerpt from her new book, The Mended Heart. And… there just might be a way for you to win a copy at the end of this post.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble.” Luke 4:18 (NLV)
“Why can’t you get it together?” “If you would just try harder.” Have you heard any of these statements? Maybe you’ve even said them to yourself. Perhaps those who stood on a hot hillside in Nazareth were asking themselves the same questions. Many tried hard to follow all the religious laws, but knew they fell short. Would Jesus give them more rules to follow? Imagine their surprise as Jesus spelled out His personal mission statement: I’ve come to open the eyes of the blind. I’ve come to set the prisoner free. I’ve come with good news for the poor in spirit. I’ve come to heal the brokenhearted. The crowd must have been shocked by His words, for they expected a warrior, not a heart surgeon. Jesus Himself was setting the record straight. He came so that we might be made whole … through Him. For those who had been trying harder, striving more, it was a transforming message. They were accustomed to following rules or meeting expectations of man, rather than resting in the power of their almighty God. When I became a believer, I didn’t understand Jesus’ mission statement. I was dealing with untended brokenness and trying everything to fix myself. When I grasped the power of Luke 4:18, this truth changed me: The power of the cross is not found in what I do, but in what has already been done for me. Jesus didn’t mean for us to do this alone. It’s not our strength or power that will transform us. Yes, we make changes. Yes, we open our broken heart to His tender touch. Yes, we allow Him to move us in uncomfortable directions to discover new paths — and leave old ones behind. But we are in a partnership with God … and He’s bigger. I also discovered I didn’t have to earn God’s love. Maybe, like me, you thought God would love you one day, when you had it all together. Jesus’ mission statement proclaims that He loves us today. With our baggage and hurting hearts. When we grasp that kind of love, it changes us. It compels us to return that love, and to trust Jesus from our hearts. This trust helps us listen for His voice. We sense when He is teaching or redirecting us. We weigh temptation in light of our love for our heavenly Father. This relationship helps us discover our “true selves, [our] child-of-God selves” (John 1:12, The Message). Last, Luke 4:18 reminded me that I didn’t have to run away just because I felt broken. A hurting heart can send us running down paths we may regret, searching for something or someone to ease our pain. Jesus’ mission statement invites us to stop running and rest in Him, expectant that our true selves will emerge with His healing touch. The truth of Luke 4:18 is ours today to hold close, for Jesus came to heal our hurting hearts. Dear Jesus, for the longest time I’ve been concentrating on my efforts, but today I expectantly rest in You. Thank You that the power of the cross is not in what I do, but in what has already been done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Isn’t it such a relief to know you don’t need to fix yourself, or earn God’s love or run any more. In fact, the more we don’t do these things, the more we live in Him; the more we build a foundation of rest and trust; the more joy we rediscover in our faith and in our lives. What will you not do today? Click “Share Your Thoughts” below do just that to enter to win one of 5 copies of Suzie’s new book, The Mended Heart. If you are reading this via email, click here to return to my blog and be part of the giveaway. {Your comment has to be left below this post to enter. Thanks!}
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Knowing that I can leave it all to God is such a relief! I don’t have to carry the burden; I don’t have to carry the burden alone…and I am NEVER alone! And Christ has ‘covered’ for me…for my sins, for my lack, for me…and He has also covered me with His alone!
Thank you for the wisdom in your writing and may our loving God shower all the women who wrote in with His peace. He is the only one that holds us up when we feel we cannot go on and He’sbeen there even when I thought it was too much to bear.
I definitely needed this message and so in need of this book right now. I have been battling so many things the last few years and am a new Christian and falter so much to let go. God bless
You surprised me with this: “The power of the cross is not found in what I do, but in what has already been done for me.” Thats so great and wonderful. Thanks. I am a Dutch mom and found you via Facebook.
I would love to win a copy of this book. I just got through a nasty custody battle for my 13 year old daughter who has lived with me full time since she was 6. By the grace of God i was referred to the scripture Isaiah 41:13 “all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced, all of those that oppose you will be as nothing and perish” at the begging and i held onto that verse this entire time. the Lord showed me just how amazing he is by at my surprise the court case was dropped during mediation by her father who brought the case up. My faith grew stronger during the 9 months that this was drug on, and my faith remains, but my heart still hurts after seeing, reading and knowing about the horrible manipulation and emotional stress my 13 year old was put through along with the emotional stress i went through.
Today I will not worry about the everyday trivialities that usually upset me. I will trust that Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy. I have faith that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can feel more peace. I know that I have tried to do what is right and to serve others. The Lord has already suffered for all of my sins, my depression, my anxiety, my sorrow and my every heartache so that I would not have to suffer if I choose to follow His example of peace and love. Then I will be able to live with Him throughout time and all eternity.
I would love to win a copy of your book. I am still healing from betrayal of an affair. Seems like it brought all of my childhood fears back: rejection, abandonment, anger, and low self esteem. The pain has been far greater than I would have imagined. I want Jesus to heal every place that was so broken. I can see a little girl crying because she thinks something is wrong with her, but then Jesus tells her “you are not a misfit or a mistake. I love you with an everlasting love.”
Thank you for these words – just what i needed to hear today.
Working on letting go of things that I need to! God is in control I know, but my heart aches so much at times that I want to scream. So many things I could share, but I know that God will handle and deal. It’s just hard to let it go. I am working on it….It hurts less each day. I know that He will mend me and help me through it, but the human side struggles with letting things go. So thankful he loves me like he does! God is good.
I will not try to be so controlling, but I will lay everything before God and rest in Him. I think of my 17 year old daughter as I write this. I read a really good article about being controlling. Perhaps I have been under the guise of so desiring to raise up and train my child to be prepared for the time she is out on her own. She is not me and does not have to be me. Thank God for bringing more clarity to the strained relationship with our daughter. Healing will come. Praise Him!
I bet you have one beautiful daughter who will cheer on this growth in her mama. <3
Thought I was the fixer and I am soooo glad that I have learned to let go and let GOD! often have to talk to myself to stop and let GOD take over. “You got this GOD.”
Why is it when you know you have give all your heartbroken issues to God, you still think and pray for the person who has broken your heart. Just last night I woke up from a dream after having a discussion with this person, I prayed after I woke up and asked God to go to her and help her mend her heart as she has turned away from Jesus. This post is what I needed this morning. Thank you.
When compassion fills a place where anger used to live, it makes sense that you would pray for her. What a beautiful testimony of wholeness in the making. <3
Thank you for this powerful message this morning, Renee.
God bless!
My brokenness comes from trying to regain unwavering trust and hope in the Lord’s omnipotence. My 21 year old daughter had a ruptured brain aneurysm almost 7 years ago, and it breaks my heart still for all that I see, in my humanness, all that she’s missed in her 20’s~some of the what~ could ~have~ been “best years of her life”. Others try to put “words” to it to make it better–but mostly, she has only family. Others who used to be friends, move on, as they should. But, she is broken in spirit and in health, and it has broken me. The journey has been long to get her to this point…yet it’s hard to realize she probably won’t have the experiences others her age have had. I’ve been angry with God, then I ask forgiveness because He takes broken things and makes beauty out of them. I’ve done all I can to help “in the journey” of restorative health, and now my health is dwindling as well as my spirit at times. So, in resigning my job in order to help my daughter and others more “simply” without the distractions and rigorous pace of teaching, I am investing time sitting at Jesus’ feet in my living room, praying, reading His word, and reading books such as your’s in order to continue to find simplicity and hope and joy in the small stuff of life~things others would find insignificant. This book would bless me. I read books over and over and over and God’s words come more alive to me each time I read them. Thanks for sharing your heart with other ladies who love to serve at Jesus’ feet~often times just listening and waiting on Him.
Father, this mom loves her baby, and she loves you. I pray that you refill her to such a point that she flows out on all around her. Give her strength. Give her peace. I cannot imagine how it feels as a mom to watch her daughter struggle, and to know what “could be”. Lord, may we weep with her, and comfort her, and offer words of encouragement to fill a mama’s heart. Lord, we also ask in faith that You cover this daughter with your power, and your healing, and may you bring joy to this daughter’s heart as she senses you close daily. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Amen, amen, amen! Thank you, Suzie…as your words, tears, prayers will continue to strengthen my heart as I seek God’s direction and peace. I also appreciate your prayers for Hannah…so that God will shine His JOY through her courageous, daily journey…and that He would fill her with His power…”exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think”. God bless you….I am most grateful and deeply touched.
Heidi <
Good morning Susie,
Thanks for this much needed post. I’m sure most everyone needs their heart mended by God. We, women, are by nature, fixers. Not only do we try to fix ourselves but we try to fix others as well.
What I won’t do today is rush through my devotions/bible study to get it checked off my to-do list. I will carve out the much needed time to rest and meditate on God’s word and be still to LISTEN for His voice for direction and revelation. I want to learn to meditate on His Word day and night. I want to live life ON PURPOSE – HIS PURPOSE!
I pray that God will continue to pour out His favor upon you as you live a life pleasing to Him.
I really would like to receive a free copy of your book…..
A year and a half ago I got news that totally shattered my heart and world. A complete stranger came into my office to tell me that she was praying for me and my children. I had no idea why she was praying for me and my children. As I sat in my office after she had left my mind kept playing her voice over and over in my mind….my stomach began to just feel sick. I had to find out why this lady was praying for us. So, I got a number for her and called her. When I asked the question “Why are you praying for me and my children?” She got quiet, so I asked again. She then said “Because your husband is having an affair.” My first reaction was no she must be mistaken, not my husband…but she described my husbands truck and him to me. I was just so heart broken and in disbelief. I began to cry and had to leave work. I went to my husbands work and waiting for him to get off work. Of coarse he had no idea why I was there but the tears and sound of my voice must have told him that his game was out….I asked him if he was having an affair with his co-worker….he didn’t deny it, the look on his face told me the answer. In that split second my world just shattered. The pain my heart felt was like no pain I had ever felt before. How could he do this to me…to our 5 children??? I didn’t know how I would go on. It was during that time that I read my Bible more than I ever had before, I prayed more than ever and I went up front in our church to have the people pray for me. I’m not sure where I’d be if it hadn’t been for my Bible, my relationship with God and my church family. The pain isn’t as bad as it was 1 1/2 years ago, but still a part of my heart and world just feel gone. I have felt like I have failed my children and my family….like I am the one to blame. But, God has showed me that I was not the one who did wrong….that I am not a failure. I still have hard days….especially when the kids are trying my patience, when I am running kids to practices, but I know that God is with me and my future is in His hands and He will never leave me. He created me in His image and He has something beautiful in store for me and my family. I would really enjoy reading your book….getting a free copy of it would for sure put a smile on this face. Thanks so much for reading my comment.
Father, thank you for Joyce and for her love and trust in you. Lord her heart has been shattered and trusting is hard, but you are faithful. You never fail us. You never leave us. May Joyce feel you all over again as she lets words of scripture pour over her broken heart. Thank you that you came to heal the broken hearted, that your mission statement as you walked to the cross was to bear our pain, and the effects of sin upon mankind’s heart. Thank you for her courage, her faith, her willingness to grow and thrive whether anyone else signs up or not. Thank you for your daughter, Joyce, and for her honesty here today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“The power of the cross is not found in what I do, but in what has already been done for me”…..such simple words to say but much harder to remember and believe…..
I can’t see a “share your thoughts” link, but I really could use this book and it’s great words of support, encouragement and mending. I’m in the middle of a divorce from my second marriage and I am the mother of 2 teenage boys. I work full time, am a full time student pending graduation next month, staying with friends and trying to get back on my feet when time just doesn’t allow it right now. Feeling incredibly broken and defeated, deflated. I know that God is here with me and this is all part of His plan for me, I continue to look to Him and listen for His voice to lead and comfort me.
I will release myself from feeling like I need to fix everything or be in control and LET JESUS!
Sounds like an amazing book! I would love a chance to win this.