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!}
My husband betrayed me and walked out on 10 years of marriage. Then the debt collectors started calling. The irs seized my refund for his debts he didn’t pay. It has been more than 4 years of trying to recover but I am still battling feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. I’ve lost nearly everything I owned and have very little income. I could really use a change of heart, because my circumstances aren’t getting better.
I am so glad that you posted this today though I have alot of faith in the Lord sometimes the human in me still needs and worries and feels the emotional side. I have been dealing with brokenness in my heart and I really needed this today. Please enter me in the giveaway. Thank you!
This excerpt broke my heart! Jesus came here for me and for you so that we didn’t have to struggle every day, and yet we struggle on rather than just taking what He offers us…what has already been done for us! I would love to have a copy of this book.
I have been trying to mend my heart from a miscarriage , keep blaming myself if I could have done better with my sugars he/she would be born . Now I have another chance at bringing a new addition to our family n I am so scared , nervous … I think I need encouragement that everything will be ok this time -:) leaving it in gods hands amen
I have suffered from a chronic undiagnosed illness for over a year. I feel like this has caused people who were once my biggest supporters to become distant from me. I am heartbroken and putting all of my extra energy into trying to strengthen those relationships to what they once were but I feel like they aren’t trying or don’t care 🙁 My heart definitely needs some help from the great healer as hes the only one who can do this. I would greatly appreciate winning.
Love what I have read so far.
Thanks for sharing. God is all that can mend our hurts and our brokenness. He gives strength for each day. My son passed away 16 years ago and He still gives me strength for each day. I love to help other moms whose hearts are broken like mine with encouraging words. Blessings on your day 🙂
Looks/sounds like a good book to have! I’ll buy it if I don’t win!
It’s too easy to try and do things on our own and forget Gid is with us, waiting for us to choose to let Him help. Thank you for reminding me how precious it is to have Him on my side and know He is ready to walk with me through whatever this world throws my way!
I have yet to read anything from a P31 writer that didn’t bless me and change me. I’m sure Suzie’s book will be no different. Would love to win a copy.
Pray
This book sounds awesome. I know it would be a good one for me to read and one that would help me a lot.
I have been struggling with a physical and emotional situation for a very long time. I try to come up with ways to fix them and nothing is getting better. I’ve been making a strong effort to stay in God’s word and pray every day and just seek His direction.. I try to focus on what He wants from me and let the rest of it go. But there is this heaviness in my heart that eventually wears me down emotionally and I find myself an emotional mess, unable to sleep and feeling paralyzed and unable to do anything or make any decisions. I am afraid to reach out to anyone because I am embarrassed by my situation. As I am writing this I am actually getting sick to my stomach thinking about all of it. I keep telling myself “Jesus loves me” and wait for these feelings to subside and they will but they always come back and I always end up in the middle of the night crying and searching and waiting for Jesus to pull me out of this pit again.
Hi, Pat. This scripture came to mind as I read your comment:
Matthew 11: 28-30 – (Amplified) – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [ I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My Yoke is wholesome (useful, good – not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing but comfortable, gracious and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.”
A friend gave me this scripture not too long ago, and suggested I read it daily and memorize it until the truth of this promise gets deep in my heart. Might I suggest you do the same? Jesus’ love for you is great and deep. I struggle with letting things go, too. God is faithful !
this could NOT come at a better time.. im so depressed and selfish and havent slept in 2 months. I keep trying to give it over but my mind wont shut off. I keep trying to do this alone and keep trying to give it over. I need this book to learn what im doing wrong.
This morning has been a tough start, my heart is breaking for my daughter who is caught in the depths of depression and an unhappy marriage. I read your words about Susie Ellers book, ‘The Mended Heart’.. Somehow this has given me hope, that my daughter’s faith might be rekindled and her heart mended. One thing i know for certain , is that I cannot put things right for her, but Jesus can, when she reaches out to Him in her briokeness. I continue to pray and trust this day will come..
Thankyou for the encouragement today.
I will not be defeated by the enemy but go to the One who made me with each problem or challenge I have. Jesus is so faithful!
Thanks for the opportunity to win this awesome book!
I know this all too well. I didn’t pick my path. I was born into it and had to deal with it. After while I thought I was born with issues and from the age of 7 and work on fixing me. After awhile I was digging myself deeper and deeper in a whole o couldn’t get out of. Only thought that popped up was killing myself at the age of 14. Took teacher to take me to his church and his Pastor to come and gave me a word that God tried telling me deliver me from the hell I put myself in trying to fix it. The thought didn’t stop but I was able to run to God for comfort to help me with my issues that lead up to it. I’m not all that I want to be but I better with God then without.
Sorry so long!
Would love to win a copy. Thank you for being faithful!
Sounds like a wonderful book
Would love to read this book. I have The Confident Heart and devotional. My family and I are going through some really rough times and I really need to remember to lay my problems in my faith rather than simply try to fix them on my own. While yes they may fix it is only temporary and then the circle begins again.
This book is such a blessing, would love to share it with the girls in our youth ministry. Thank and bless you for your great encouragement and suggestions :))
Oh how I need this book TODAY!
Today I will not feel like I have no purpose in life. I pray for guidance and wisdom to find my specific purpose, so I can be genuinely happy once again!
I realize I’m not perfect, but forgiven.
I will not hold onto unforgiveness… A load to heavy for anyone to carry… Why should I when it’s already been taken care of for me.
Today, I will not ask God to zap me into a mighty woman of God who never doubts but just accept myself and believe His word that He is working on me. Life is all about God and His purposes. As we go through trials we have to believe that He is good and does only good. We who believe in Jesus and have repented of our sins can rest in the truth that He has a plan not to hurt us but to heal us.We have to die to ourselves and truly trust that He allows circumstances to draw us closer and dependent on only Him.
Comforting to know that I don’t have to fix myself and that Jesus can. We can take the broken mess of ourselves, crawl into his lap, and be loved, adored and cherished. He knows how to heal our hearts… And when He does we will be able to tell others of the hope and healing he brings.
The person I was born to be is not one that I was raised to nurture. I was raised among trauma, turmoil, and dysfunction. I was trained to work hard, and never feel good enough. Self worth, I am learning is not a function of my accomplishments; it is learning that I am wonderfully made, from before I was ever formed in the womb. And perfectly forgiven, from the cross. Mending is mindfulness of our inner/innate worth/beauty and trying to live in the present. Thank you for writing about the mending that we all have only to become aware of and accept. 🙂
Timely book. My sweet daughter is in a psychiatric hospital suffering from major depression. She is a cutter and has tried to take her life on 3 different occasions that we know of. Praise only be to God for saving her. I need to get a copy of this book to her. Recently she has confided that she does not believe that God can forgive her; that she is forgivable. She doesn’t believe that God would forgive her or love her. While she hasn’t completely turned her back on the Lord, it is obvious that her self-image is so damaged that she believes herself unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. It breaks my heart. 🙁
This came to me in perfect timing. God always knows how to give us what we need when we need it. Our church has been studying I Corinthians 13, the “love chapter”. This went hand in hand with that chapter. God’s love is the only perfect love and we as humans can never give perfect love. We will hurt from others because their love will never be perfect. We need to love as God loves us, but we can never give perfect love, only God can do so. Without the perfect love, we are going to have pain and need our hearts to be mended. No one can mend our hearts the way that God can. We tend to forget that He is there for us, to comfort us, heal us, forgive us, etc. We need to turn to God, our maker, He made us and can heal us like no other can. This book sounds really awesome! I really liked Renee’s “A Confident Heart” and I am sure this book would be a ministry to me and many others.
I’m learning to trust God to take care of me and solve my problems and not give in to worry about them. I’d like to read this book because I think it would be a great positive influence for me. Also I’d like to share it with the members of our book club at church.
Thank you so much.
Carol
What will I NOT do today? I will not live in the shadow of doubts and fear that I am not good enough for God or anyone else for that matter. God created me special, just like all of us. I am a woman with a special place in God’s Divine Plans. As a mother of 3 beautiful daughters and my youngest having Autism and epilepsy, God knew I was “good enough” to be a mother to a special needs child. He gave me such precious blessings, I should never doubt my worth. I am grateful that I am reminded every day that Jesus loves me and thinks I am something. So much that He gave it all on the cross so I can be with Him in Heaven. God Bless your devotion and service to our Lord in helping woman understand that We are precious to God.
Today I will not try to do everything and make myself appear as the “perfect” wife and mother. I will trust that God will take of everything and provide me the time to do what is necessary without sacrificing my family time. What an amazing message today. Definitely spoke to my heart! Thank you!
This book would be such a blessing at this time in my life . The last few weeks I have been working on Not trying to fix other people and to stop running from all my pain from my childhood . I would really love to read this book!!
Thank you for all you do 🙂
I’d love to win a copy of this book! I need to learn how to ‘build a foundation of rest and trust’. Thanks for the chance to win!
I need my life changed and I don’t know how. I hope this would help.
Boy did the words in your blog hit home. I think this book could continue to help me through the healing process as I try to overcome the effects of my recent divorce. Trying to navigate being single, raising three girls and dealing with the continued impacts of my ex husband’s selfish choices.
Today I made a big step and turned off some other voices in my head to allow my positive ones and God’s to be the only ones that I would listen to any more. I’m done with pushing God away. I want to be closer and let him heal my heart and me.
I’ve been trying to fake it until I make it so to speak. My mother told me to just shut up and get over it, but it’s hard to get over you father trying to kill you because of something that happened between him and your mother that you had nothing to do with. Just haven been able to move forward with my life. I’m just going through the motions not really living, it has to be better ???
This book looks like it would make an awesome study to do with other women. So many of us have faced hurts that threaten our faith and emotional well-being. And, yet, those are the very things that God can use to draw us deeper with Him. Only He can heal our broken areas. Learning to trust a loving faithful God can be hard when living in a world that knocks us down repeatedly. It is so worth it learning to do so, though. He is faithful even when we are not. Would love to read this book and share it with others!
My church and esp my pastor broke my heart, accussing me of things I would never even thunk of doing. Its hard when its church people who hurt you. But Jesus was called names, told He had a demon and was asked to leave so I guess I’m in good company.
Maybe this book can help me.I am a Christian and have been since high school. I’ve had my share of ups and downs but something is missing. I look at others and listen to them and they have an excitement about the Lord that I’m missing in my relationship with Him. Where is my joy and hunger for the Lord, His word, my prayer relationship with Him? What’s wrong with me? Thank you for a chance to win a copy of Susie”s new book. Please pray for me.
I do not know how people make it through hard times without God in their lives. He has mended my heart more times than I can count to the point where I seriously trust no one except Him. He is my best friend and I do not know what I would do without Him.
Renee and Suzie, like many others, I try everyday to serve the Lord in all I do…wanting to walk in obedience, following Jesus! Wanting to please God…sometimes not thinking about the fact that it is not about what I do but about what He has done for me! God loves me! He loves me so much that He gave His only Son so that I would have new life in Him. Jesus is my Comforter and Healer! I would love to read this book… thx for the chance!
I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing this book would be. God has brought me through so much. Bit so much healing is needed still. But, I would have to give it to my best friend, who I cannot begin to imagine walking in her shoes of tragic loss the last year and a half. I love her and I want God to mend her and her family. They love you, Heavenly Father. But, they need deep mending. Thank you for the opportunity to enter to win a copy of your book.
We’re in a PARTNERSHIP with God, and He’s bigger! I am not alone. Going through a hard time with elderly parents and my husband’s sore back, likely a herniated disc that will require surgery. To “top it off”, I was called for jury duty. (I’m applying for an exemption on compassionate grounds.) Whatever happens, God is with me.
Your book, Renee, A Confident Heart, opened up my heart a crack for me to receive my Heavenly Father a little more and for that I’m very grateful. Recent events have caused a rift between me, my sister & our dad. So God is taking me through a fresh round of weeding, so to speak. There’s still some deep healing that needs to happen but I trust that He is faithful & will complete the work He started in me. This book sounds awesome & I would love a copy. That you & God Bless you!!
I am learning to depend on God every day! Lots of situations in my life right now that want to draw me down, but I am choosing to not let them pull me down. This sounds like a book I might need to read to truly get that “mended heart”.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of this book! I strive daily for perfection when I know there isn’t any….and the world around me crumbles…yet, Jesus, remains. He’s my grace in a fallen world. In a world, where I want to mend…be mended….wanting to see more of HIM in me, in my walk daily….
I will not keep my mouth shut no more! I will share my testimony and share God’s wonderful amazing blessings He has done in my life. In hopes of leading the lost to the found with the free gift that God gives us.