Chapter 1

The Lost Life of the Heart

"The voice often comes in the middle of the night or the early hours of the morning, when our hearts are most unedited and vulnerable. At first, we mistake the source of this voice and assume it is just our imagination. We fluff up our pillow, roll over, and go back to sleep. Days, weeks, even months go by and the voice speaks to us again: Aren't you thirsty? Listen to your heart. There is something missing." (1)

Have you ever woke in the middle of the night....when you know you should be exhausted....and could not get back to sleep? This happened to me about three weeks ago....around the time I started this book. It was really interesting to me because, for probably the first time in my life, I didn't just think it was insomnia. I listened. I have been busy for weeks....for months. And I was sleeping sound....then all of a sudden I was awake. Jesus had made a date with my heart at 3am.

It is true...a life without heart is not worth living. However, we often have our heart broke, we lose heart, and when we grow tired our heart is just not in it any more.

For what shall we do when we wake one day to find we have lost touch with our heart and with it the very refuge where God's presence resides? (5)

The Christian life is a love affair of the heart. It cannot be lived primarily as a set of principles or ethics. It cannot be managed with steps and programs. It cannot be lived exclusively as a moral code leaading to righteousness. (8)

The truth of the gospel is intended to free us to love God and others with our whole heart. (8)


**Have you lost touch with your heart?