Hey friends, just wanted to let you know we are starting a brand new series this month called “Queen of Hearts”, exploring our own hearts. The good, the hard, all of it – so I hope you’ll join me on this adventure.

When I think of the ultimate Queen of Hearts, I think of the character from Alice in Wonderland and her favorite phrase, “Off with her head!”. At every turn, this Queen would bark an order out of anger and rage while her card-shaped attendants fluttered and scurried about, running into themselves. Those same subjects just wanted to appease their Queen and prevent her from exploding into a fit, so they carried out her commands – painting the roses red, because they planted white ones on accident. She was agressive, impulsive, and had only one idea that came to mind when things didn’t go her way…get angry.

I’ve felt like the Queen of Hearts before.

Too many times I have felt like I had to respond to a situation or a person with anger, when deep inside I wasn’t angry; I was hurt, or frustrated or straight up disappointed in myself. But instead of figuring out how to name the correct emotion, or pausing to take a breath, a reaction came out instead of a response. The emotion I felt was the wrong one expressed.

Have you ever felt like that?

Friend, it’s our job to grow to a place where emotions and frustrations can be named and solutions can be thought of. It’s on us to seek His help and look for the hope He alone can give. We all want to experience internal rest, knowing we can trust God with every hurt that has gone unnamed, and every emotion that has gone untamed. We are offered a continual learning process from God; one that points us toward the finished work of the Cross.

I will be the first to admit, I haven’t “figured it all out”. However, I want all of us to take Him up on that offer – to find what the root cause is for our heart condition (though it may be many little things compounded over time) AND to live knowing that He made a way for us to live with hope; hope for ourselves and hope for our hearts to be restored.

So here is my challenge for us this month: To look into our hearts, uncover some past hurts, talk about strategies to break some bad habits, and begin to live from a place of hope. Why? Because the condition of our heart matters to Him, so it should matter to us.

Want to join me? 🙂

If you are raising your hand, then be sure to check back each week as we dive into this new series together! And comment below to let us know where you’re joining us from!

Go The Extra Mile: I love this song by Riley Clemmons because it says, “You want all I have with no holding back, when I’m hurt, at my worst, You see the beauty…”. Click the link and let’s blast it loud together as we embrace the fact that God wants every piece of our hearts – because He sees beauty and is writing an amazing story with our lives.