Continuing in the book…Waking the Dead.
By John Eldredge
He says to the reader .”You cannot cut off your heart and expect to hear from God.”
Continuing … “God wants to give you life; your part is to keep the channel open.”
(which for me means to have a receptive heart to what God is trying to teach me or tell me and a receptive spirit within myself to obey)

John asks us some very real questions:
It is a challenge for all of us to ask ourselves…
What does your heart need?
Is is music?
Is it gardening?
Is it reading?
Is it resting? (I added that)
Is it writing? (I added that also)
Is it sewing? (my addition also)
Do you need to be creative?
John asks:
What makes you feel refreshed and alive?
I know when my husband gets ‘frazzled’ with everyday routines and stresses he gets in his Chevy blazer and he goes fishing.
John says we need ‘Silence and solitude’ so we can listen to God’s voice.
We listen when we get away and get quiet. Even Jesus did that.

John goes on to say, “Forgetting what you long for is like forgetting your dream.”
I know for me… I used to do art… I drew and painted on canvas and worked with clay. In fact going back ‘many’ years my art teacher in high school was sad I was getting married out of school for he felt I should go to college and pursue my art.
It wasn’t what I felt at the time I needed but now I could perhaps enter back into that hobby as semi retirement settles in.
It was ‘a reflection of who I was… and still am.’
John finishes his book saying, “Caring for your heart is an act of obedience. It is an act of love, an act of faith and an act of war.”
For the enemy works very hard at trying to steal your heart away.
Can I challenge us all to think and pray about what our hearts desires are?
Write them down and see… ‘if you trust the Lord to make it happen.’

Philippians 1:6 ~ Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Psalm 37:4 ~ Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
The JOY is in the waiting and watching…
As HE finishes the good work within us… if we are open.