A New Heart

Hasn't fall just been absolutely amazing this year? I feel like we're being spoiled with the colours. I don't know if we have had the kind of colours that we have had this year in years. It's almost unbelievable to walk out to the barn and see the array of yellows, oranges, and greens.

We're just starting our second month of fall groups. By the time October finishes, we will have seen over 2000 people come through Evergreen in just two months. Isn't that crazy? I love Guest Groups. The variety and personalities of the group. One day we might have a group of Beaver Scouts and the next could be a quilting group. Today we have a huge Home Schoolers group and tomorrow will be Edge School of Athletics. It's always an adventure here.

This last weekend was a special one though. It was our Heart Transplant Group. Families from across Western Canada who have a son or daughter who has been through one or more heart transplant. This group has been coming for a few years now and it's always a privilege to serve these families. On this particular weekend, they had decided to do a balloon release as a thank you to heart donors. It was a beautiful sign of gratitude and I definitely felt some emotion rise as the balloons took to the sky.

As I watched the balloons take off - I thought of how, as Christians, we have also received an amazing give. A new life, a new heart. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! Isn't that exciting?!? We get to trade our old for new! A couple weeks ago I was driving when I saw a sign for a recycling centre that was labelled "Redemption Centre" - I had to laugh at the metaphoric similarity of this very topic. How God takes our broken and used hearts, redeems and makes us new. We have experienced redemption.

I don't thank Him enough for that redemption. So as I watched those balloons float up and away I thought of when God told Isreal,"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." (Ezekial 36:26) and how He did that for me too. In a way - similar to how so many of those kids this last weekend have received new hearts that gave them new life - we, as Christians, have received something so much greater: new life in Christ.

I thanked God in that moment for my new heart, my new life. If you have a moment today - take it to reflect on the new heart and new life that He has given you. And if you're not there yet - maybe consider going to the "Redemption Centre of Life" and seeing God about a new heart - I guarantee it will change your life. 

Much love,
Jogee