The Heart Beats

I have some exciting news...

I've written my first Bible study. It's 26 pages. And it's free.

In the Heart Beats, I share my heart. For this is study on contentment, something I have been learning to live in for the past several years. I know what it is to battle with discontentment. To search for fulfillment. To live in a stage of waiting. To wonder what my purpose is. 

So I wrote the Heart Beats. I wrote it so I could draw closer to Him who gives full life, who is full life. I wrote so I could share what I have learned with you and let you know you're not alone. I wrote to encourage you to draw closer to Him who gives full life, who is full life.
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This study is not just for those who struggle with deep discontentment and purposelessness, but for anyone who wants to experience abiding contentment and fulfillment. It is for anyone who wants Jesus to be their very heart beat. This Bible study is free for everyone who subscribes to receive emails from me.

And you'll want to subscribe.

​Because starting Friday, I'll be sending weekly encouragement via email. These emails will not only link to the latest blog posts, but they will also have content not found on the blog: short devotions, expanding on blog topics, free studies, and more! 

An excerpt from the Heart Beats:

The heart beats, pumping life-blood through veins. Rhythmic contracting and relaxing.
​The heart beats with dreams and longings. Rhythmic feeling of happiness and sorrow, anger and rest, excitement and nervousness. All a deep striving to embrace life. To live fully. 
Where is life-fullness found?
We long for more. We have dreams for our education, our career, our families, our relationships, our health. The heart beats and we set goals to attain, so those dreams may come true before the heart beats no more, still and silent. Is this place, the place of achieved goals and realized dreams, where life-fullness is found? 
The heart beats and time flies and there are roses to smell. Moments in time to slow and cherish, begging us to stop and take a whiff, before another heart beat goes by, and so also the moment goes by. Is this place, the place of pungent, in-the-moment-aroma, where life-fullness is found?
The heart continues to beat, and we continue to ask, Where is contentment, Where is fulfillment in this constant back-and-forth of pursuing dreams and striving to be satisfied in the present?
We may say, I am content. But can we say, I am content in all?
Can we look in the mirror at our reflected face and body and say, I am content?
Can we dream of the family we hope to have, yet is still so far away, and say, I am content?
Can we stand in the middle of our broken dreams and say, I am content?
Can we hear the words of rejection and persecution and say, I am content?
Can we lay a loved one in the ground and say, I am content?
Can we lose all, have nothing, and say, I am content?
Jesus came that we might have full life, abundant life. Can we say our life is fully abundant? Abundantly full?
Jesus came… the Christ, the Messiah, anointed to bring the reconciliation of fallen man with Glorious God. The heart beats.
Jesus came… Emmanuel, God with us, the Word of Life in the flesh, dwelling among death so as to bring life. The heart beats.
Jesus came… not abandoning His own as orphans, but descending and indwelling as consuming fire, outpouring and enveloping as comforting wind, bringing victory and power, transforming the foreigner to citizen, the fallen to conqueror, the slave to son. The heart beats.
Is there a place where life-fullness can be found? No, not a place. Not a location or point-in-time or life situation or certain weight or new pair of shoes.
Jesus came… a Presence. Life-fullness is found in a Presence. In His presence. Fullness of life is found in the Author of Life. 
The heart beats...

Can you relate? Does your heart stir?

This has been my journey. God has taught me so much, and He is still teaching me.
Will you journey with me?

​You can see that the entire blog has been redesigned. I wanted something that better reflected the purpose of The Overflowing, and that could expand beyond just a blog. Because I have more than blog posts planned for the future to encourage and help you get into God's Word.

​The new emails and the Heart Beats is just the start.

The post The Heart Beats first appeared on The Overflowing
Cover design by Jessica Faith. Background art by June Letters of juneletters.com