AUGUST 9th  

Shortly after we were married Bill was deployed to an undisclosed location at sea on a special operation. This was a stressful time for me, we had only been married a few months and I suppose the fact that I couldn’t know where he was or what he was doing added to it. Anyway, I had a 75-minute drive from where we were stationed in Jacksonville, Florida to my lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville. I would turn on the radio and listen to a country station which happened to be the only one that came in very well on that drive through the countryside. (This was 2002 so no satellite radio or things like that.) There was a song that came on frequently at the time called “Baby I’m Amazed by You” by the group Lonestar. I don’t remember any of the words except “I’m Amazed by You” and that it is a sappy love song that had a catchy melody. All of that back story to say that this morning I said that phrase out loud to the Lord and when I did I thought of that song. I was struck by how amazing it is that He changes hearts. I was thinking of a few people that have recently experienced a “heart transplant” (spiritually that is) and how amazing that is to watch. We all know people in our lives that seem like they will never change. We all have people in our lives that we wish would change. We all have people in our lives that we wish WE could change. But only God can change hearts. But God CAN change hearts. That is what is amazing. As awesome and beautiful as the creation around us is, it doesn’t compare to watching someone have their heart changed. It is like seeing them become a new person literally, and that is when these verses come to life.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I love the look on my kids faces when they suddenly grasp a concept that I am trying to teach them for school, but nothing compares to the look on a person’s face when the truth about Jesus suddenly clicks in their hearts and they know He is real! Thank you Lord for letting us witness your heart surgery in us and in others! If you haven’t seen this happen in your life or others, then ask Him to let you witness it. 

Thank you Jesus for letting us be a part of your heart surgery in us and in others! Help me to be aware of the opportunities to plant seeds in others and help me to see them with your eyes. Help me to have faith for those I know that still need to find you and show me how to pray for them. Lord I am amazed by you, -how you change hearts and how you pull this whole plan together without missing a detail. Thank you for your love, Jesus.