John Eldredge's Blog, page 4

Christmas 2020–a Confession and Prayer

What a very difficult year we have suffered. 

The sudden onset of the pandemic hit us like a wave that slams from behind while you are looking the other direction, throwing you down and knocking the wind out of you. And with this global shock, all that rushed into the world behind it—the deep-seated, far-beyond-reason fear, gripping the world like a child who has lost its parents in a crowd. Upon that, thanks to that, the draconian, sweeping quarantines, something out of the Nazi occupation of Europe, sending the entire world to be locked up in their homes. Followed by constant uncertainty and foreboding, fueled by daily news of the body count in Rome, Paris, London and the far corners of the earth, predicting the death of millions. The invasion we could not understand but felt at every turn then erupted in riots, followed by devastating wildfires. Upon all this, in the midst of all this, we struggled to find leadership in a presidential race so divisive it smelled of the dark rancor of the Civil War, and may in fact have been the spiritual heir of it. 

Meanwhile, in our daily lives, we suffered suddenly and unpredictably the loss of so many of our plans, our hopes for the year, including the loss of so many simple joys that make life good and worth living. 

Into this shaken, reeling world the kingdom of darkness, hyena-like, seized every opportunity, rushing in with Fear, Hatred, Death, and now Desolation. 

This has been our year, and it feels woefully inadequate to say this has been hard on the soul. 

But it is critical we say so, as clearly as we can, because until we name what this has actually been like, and what it has done to us, we cannot mend its effects.

I don't think we have named what it has been like to go out into our neighborhoods, grocery stores and communities to find every human face hidden behind a mask. It is eerie beyond telling. Prior to this, masks were only worn by kidnappers and terrorists, and this is what the psyche associates with a masked face. We do not assume warm smiles and playful benevolence behind those coverings; the deep psyche experiences every masked face as a veiled threat, and a world of masked faces as something like an invasion, a conquered people, mass oppression. Add to this the muting effect of the mask; every human voice has been gagged. The soul reels, for to lose the face and voice is to lose the humanity of a person, the Imago Dei. As scripture says, “Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice” (Songs 2:14). That we all, “with unveiled faces, reflect the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18). 

Masking and gagging humanity is utterly demonic, something out of science fiction, or some evil regime. To see it done on a global level is simply traumatizing to the soul.

This has been our daily, and when we name the psychological and spiritual realities, we can say now that we who have lived through 2020 have lived in a world at war. Going on nine months now, with no clear end in sight. No clear vision of what victory might mean, when or how it will come. By naming this, we expose it, and we begin to undo the harm.

We celebrate Christmas 2020 like our grandparents did during WWII, or our great grandparents during WWI. Better still, like soldiers at the front, or the French resistance gathered in a cellar. 

And we do celebrate, joyfully, defiantly, proclaiming the faithfulness and greatness of our God. We sing the carols like battle cries, renaming for ourselves all that Christmas means. 

There are so many gifts and mysteries to explore at Christmas time, but I feel the great gift to us this year in the Christ child is found in the depths of his humanity–for it is our humanity he came to rescue and restore, and it is our humanity that has taken the worst beating of this war.

To quote Athanasius,

What was God to do in face of this dehumanizing of mankind, this universal hiding of the knowledge of himself by the wiles of evil spirits? What else could he possibly do, being God, but renew his image in mankind, so that through it men might once more come to know him? And how could this be done save by the coming of the very Image himself, our Savior Jesus Christ? The Word of God came in his own Person, because it was he alone, the Image of the Father, who could recreate man made after the Image. 

The book of Hebrews assures us,

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14)

Let us gaze for a moment into the lamp-lit shed, where Joseph and Mary huddle over a feeding trough, the son of God–the Son of Man–wrapped in whatever shawl and blanket were available. Let us join the shepherds as they peer in, leaning over stalls to marvel at the humanity that was nearly incomprehensible to the angels, who also gazed in wonder. This humanity is the gift, his gift to us, for in his humanity we find the healing of our own. Our recreation.

Thinking back on that first Christmas night, Chesterton said, 

There is a peculiar character about the hold of this story on human nature;  it is not at all like a legend or the life of a great man. It does not exactly work outwards, adventurously, to the Wonders to be found at the ends of the Earth. It is rather something that surprises us from behind, from the hidden and personal part of our being; like that which can sometimes take us off guard in the pathos of small objects or the blind pieties of the poor. It is rather as if a man found an inner room in the very heart of his own house, which he had never suspected;  and seen a light from within. It is as if he found something at the back of his own heart that drew him into good. The kings fade into a far country and the mountains resound no more with the feet of the shepherds, and only night and the cavern lie in fold upon fold over something more human than humanity.

That something, this inestimable gift, is his Humanity, taking into himself and raising with himself our own humanity. This is the Christmas message; this is our victory, even in such a year as this.

So let us receive it, embrace it; let us pray,

Dearest Jesus, we bring our badly bruised and beaten humanity to you tonight, as our frankincense and myrrh, our gold even, our meager gift in return. That you, our Creator, might renew your image in us by once again, taking and possessing all that is rightly yours, that which you redeemed at great cost, and restore within us our humanity made in your likeness. Unbroken, unblemished, unveiled, with free voices lifting up your praise. Lift from us the heavy burdens of this war–physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. Let your risen, radiant, incorruptible humanity, filled with the glory of your Father, come into our racked humanity, breathing glory into every corner of our weary being. We receive the gift of the Christ child; we receive your humanity as our greatest treasure, the ransom and restoration of our humanity, working from the inside out as you take your rightful place at the center of our being. Come to us again Lord, come into the dark and barely lit places in our own being. Light of the world, dawn again in us. Defy the world, and mock your enemy, by bringing us forth from Christmas as a renewed creation, our humanity no longer veiled nor muted, but radiating the glory of God. In the name of the Son of Man, Jesus of Bethlehem we pray.

 

Partnering to Advance Jesus' Story

Dear Friends,

I’d like to remind everyone that Jesus is still the main story in the world.

If you’re taking in any news at all, you can feel like the world is unraveling into madness. Certainly here in America, on the eve of one of the most bitter presidential elections in our lifetime. Yet not just here, as every country is facing tough times. Belarus. Armenia. Brazil. Syria. Ukraine. Everywhere, everyone. 

BUT...when we turn our attention to Jesus and what HE is doing in the world, it's a completely different story. Such beautiful, beautiful things are happening! Jesus is on the move!

Just last week I was talking to a man at the grocery store who recognized me out of the blue. He wanted to tell me that four years ago he’d been in an inpatient drug rehab program. Someone there gave him Wild at Heart. In his words, “It saved my life.” He's a beautiful man now, whole, doing well. A Jesus story. 

A pastor’s wife and partner in ministry wrote us the loveliest letter last month. “Thank you for the battles you’ve fought so that your beautiful offerings could be shared with so many. I grew up Catholic and gave my life to Christ at 15 through the ministry of Young Life. But you, my friends, have trained my hands for war, all the while restoring the wonder and beauty of our King and the Kingdom to come. In such a crazy season of quarantine, the Pause App has helped me to hear the Lord again.”

And this from a veteran: “You have given my family a level of freedom we didn't know existed. I was on the verge of horrible thoughts and ideas and you helped turn all that around.”

An ally in Scotland just told me about a BASIC he held in spite of the lockdown. He’s more passionate for Jesus than just about anybody else I've met. A drug user and dealer, he overdosed and was in a coma. Jesus literally came to him in the coma; he truly met Christ, and was completely healed. Now he’s a passionate ambassador of our message. He wrote to tell me that he’s been doing BASIC (our Wild at Heart boot camp by video session) in campgrounds in Scotland, because that kind of gathering is still legal. He wrote, “Believe me, your ministry has radically altered these guys' lives. One of them was involved in a big drug gang in the west of Scotland; the boot camp has introduced him to what he’s always been looking for. He’s going to influence a lot of others.”

And this week we learned of the first Captivating CORE retreat (our Captivating event by video session) taking place in Cairo!

Do you see what I mean? When we look at what Jesus is doing in the world, it’s just wonderful. Fabulous. The true story, by the way, not the one the media is telling. We could share hundreds more with you just from the past few months!! What an honor it is to help others.

And now we humbly ask for your help.

The pandemic has been rough for nonprofits. Too many churches and ministries have had to cut back, lay people off. Our dear friends at Young Life canceled all their camps this summer. I feel so bad for them; their work is so important. 

Thankfully, we haven’t had to lay off any of our team. But fall is that time of year when more than 50 percent of our donations come in, and all the uncertainty has made this a tough time for us as well. We had to cancel our fall events, which are an important source of income (not to mention the beauty of the ministry that takes place!). Some of our regular supporters have had to cut back their giving.

So I’m writing here in October to ask if you can help. 

Back in the spring, when the world was reeling and global economies were shutting down, we asked our board to meet and pray about how we should handle our finances. I fully expected them to hear from the Lord, “Cut back. Be careful. Hunker down.” But just the opposite happened—Jesus clearly told us to move ahead with confidence, that he would provide. And he has provided, and we know he will. What has been so absolutely beautiful are all the “Jesus stories” pouring in. Of all years, this has been the one that folks have needed our help most!

God will take care of all of us—your house and ours. 2020 did not catch him by surprise.

We actually have some exciting new initiatives going on. We filmed entirely new editions of our Wild at Heart and Captivating small group video series. They are gorgeous and so powerful! We know they will help us reach a whole new audience. We are hosting a number of events online; Morgan is doing a Becoming a King study and Stasi is hosting a Becoming Myself study this fall! We are forming strategic partnerships with other ministries to reach a million new hearts in 2021.

We are moving forward in confidence, walking closely with Jesus, getting our orders from him. We are rejecting the fear that has gripped the world.

And so my appeal for your support is not coming from anxiety or uncertainty. Not at all. We are excited about the opportunities we have to reach so many with the healing presence of Jesus. And I know it’s what you love, too.I know you love partnering with us in the true story!

So before all the distraction of the next few months rushes in, I’m writing to let you know we do need your help. And to thank you now, by faith, for your fabulous generosity and the outpouring of your love for us! Your continued support will ensure we continue to get emails like this:

The last six months have been the hardest of my life. I have experienced anxiety, which was totally new for me, and some “sifting“ that was necessary but so difficult. One morning, as I was about to go for a run, I picked up my phone and literally opened up your app by accident. I didn’t even know I had it installed on my phone. After I finished listening to your podcast, I asked the Lord (and let me say I have very rarely experienced God speaking to me directly) if there were any agreements that I had made, and he immediately revealed some pretty heartbreaking things and took me on a journey of intense growth and healing. I pray the Daily Prayer often, and I’m experiencing intimacy with Jesus in a whole new way!

The Jesus story is the true story of this hour. And we love partnering with you to advance it.

Thanks for your help, friends! You can send support in the return envelope, or it’s easy to give online on our website at WildAtHeart.org. Let’s go rescue a million new hearts!

Love,

John

Download the Wild at Heart October 2020 Newsletter here. 

 

Resilience

I've been thinking a lot about resilience. 

Who thrives during hard times, who doesn’t, and why.

Because I want my friends—including you!—to thrive, in spite of these days. I want to thrive myself. And this crazy year has me realizing that thriving requires resilience.

Spoiler—I’m not going to lay anything heavy on you. We are all weary. I’m asking God for a heavenly provision of resilience!

I was thinking back to what it must have been like to live in occupied Europe during WWII, or besieged England. Never knowing when a bomb might drop, or a tank roll through your front yard. The local baker would go out after the London bombings (sometimes during them) and help pull neighbors from the rubble of fallen buildings, then put on his white apron and open shop next morning. Our grandparents and great-grandparents lived through those rough years with a kind of resilience I think we would each love to have in this hour. 

Maybe resilience is part of what God is doing in us right now. 

When we were all learning to drive, the idea of a ten-hour road trip seemed overwhelming; but now, many people enjoy them, do them for vacation. I love road trips! When we were learning to read, the size of those adult books on our parents’ shelves seemed so daunting; now, people relish long novels, or tomes like The Lord of the Rings. Stasi and I reread the trilogy every few years. We have all developed resilience in those areas.

The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen is hailed as one of the greatest polar explorers ever. He was first ever to reach the South Pole in 1911. As a boy, he dreamed of being a polar explorer, so he would sleep with his bedroom windows open during Norgegian winters to develop resilience. How many parents would let their child do that these days?! 

The era we just lived through—what I would call the “Comfort Culture”—may have not prepared us very well for hard times. Before there was any pandemic, universities were reporting that their mental health services were being overwhelmed by freshmen within the first few weeks of a new year (primarily with issues of anxiety and depression). The director of a program designed to prepare freshmen for the college years told me recently, “18 is the new 12. Our students are emotionally underdeveloped. They are much less resilient than any we've ever encountered, and I’m not entirely sure why.”

There are many reasons, of course. Human beings are beautifully complicated. But honestly—when you grow up in a world where everything is done with a few clicks on your phone, it doesn't exactly develop strong “soul muscles.” Anyone living in the developed world has experienced a level of ease no previous generation knew. Let me be quick to say, I have fully enjoyed all the conveniences of our modern moment. But I'm also aware that they have made me soft. The World War II generation emerged from the Great Depression with a sense of reality, grit and resilience. 

Maybe we will emerge from this tough time with new resilience. I sure hope so!

Meanwhile, we need some strength. And the wonderful news is, our kind and compassionate Father loves to give his people new strength! The scriptures are filled with prayers, blessings and promises that God himself—Creator of the universe—will strengthen us from the inside out:

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)

I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being... (Ephesians 3:14-16)

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

May your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26)

Isn’t it encouraging simply to read those passages? 

Maybe we begin here—by praying these verses for ourselves. By asking God to strengthen our resilience in this tough time. Cut out these verses, tape them to your fridge or bathroom mirror and pray them!

May your hearts live! May you be strengthened with a glorious inner strength!

 

Download the Wild at Heart September 2020 Newsletter here. 

Strengthen Your Union With God

When I wrote in July, I asked you a question: What story are you living in? Is it the story God is telling, or a story given to you by man? Then Stasi shared with me this quote, attributed to A.W. Tozer: “Listen to no man who has not listened to God.” That’s a really good way of putting it. 

We need help interpreting our times. We need guidance. As much as God is willing to tell us, we need a sense of what’s coming next, so we can plan and live wisely. In an hour like this––so fraught with emotion, strong opinion, with vulnerabilities on every side––we must be careful that the interpretation we are holding onto is one that comes from God. It’s just too easy to go with our emotions, the storylines shouted by the media, or simply a take on things that compliments our own preferences. 

What is God saying? 

Are these ordinary times, in the sense that they are merely the latest speed bumps in a broken world we will shortly overcome? Or are these extraordinary times––times that call for real discernment and prayer?

Back in April, when the pandemic was reaching its first peak, I was asking God for mercy on the world. “I will have mercy,” he said. “There will be a lull. But then late summer the pandemic will resurge.”

“And what is coming next, Lord,” I asked. He replied, “Social unrest.” “Social unrest?” I asked. That seemed strange to me because at the time the world was pretty much locked down. No one was on the streets (this was before any protests or riots). “Yes,” he said, “massive social unrest.” Shortly after that our cities blew up. But I had a sense more unrest is on its way.

The pandemic does seem to be resurging. On top of that, so much hatred and animosity in America (and many other nations, too). It doesn’t take a prophet to tell you that this fall’s presidential campaign will provoke even deeper chasms in our country. Everything in me wants to cling to a storyline promising quick resolution and life going back to normal. But I don’t think that’s what we get.

So I’m writing to you to continue to offer counsel for navigating what may be even tougher days ahead. I’m not wishing it upon us; I continue to pray for mercy. But the uncertainty of what schools will look like puts a lot of families in really hard situations this fall, on top of the worsening pandemic, economic distress, and growing social rancor.

Back in the spring, Jesus said there would be a lull. I believe the summer has been that lull. Not for everyone of course. But most places eased the restrictions; folks were able to get out and see family and friends. Many people enjoyed something of the simple joys summer brings, like picnics at the park, time at the beach, or mountains. I asked Jesus, “What now, Lord?” And he said, “Use this time to strengthen your union with me.” Such loving, wise counsel. 

We are a hard-pressed people; these months have taken a toll. (Surely you’ve noticed the exhaustion, mental fragmentation, low reserves, irritability, comfort-eating, comfort-drinking?) We don’t want to go into a tough fall with low emotional and spiritual reserves. Let’s make a daily practice of the things that strengthen our actual living union with Jesus Christ––so we can draw upon his strength, comfort, and counsel in the days ahead. Things like worship, prayer, sacrament; practicing stillness, and above all, loving Jesus. 

There is nothing that strengthens our union with Jesus like the practice of loving him.

We also need to invoke love into our lives and communities. There are dark spirits of hatred, provocation, and suppression trying to get in. Love is our rescue; love will be our rescue this fall. It isn’t a coincidence that when the old apostle John writes about the coming of the antichrist, death and hatred into the world, he urges his readers to love––to let the love of God fill them, and to be vigilant to live only from love. (Have a read of 1 John if it’s been a while.) 

Just this week Alex asked me, “Have you read the end of Love and War recently? I think Jesus was speaking through you guys towards this moment we are now in.” He handed me this passage:

I [John] Have been reading a book by a young soldier who fought all four years of WWII. He saw the main action in Africa, Italy, Normandy, and Germany. A sensitive and thoughtful young man, he knew what terrible effects war has upon those who have to fight it: “The last weeks have been hard, filled with many bitter, hateful things and only a few short happy interludes. I have come to the extremity of knowing beyond all doubt that...We must love one another or die.”

I thought of Jesus' warning about the end of the age, how as times grow dark and people feel more keenly pressed, love will grow rare. "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom...Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold" (Matthew 24:7, 12). These are trying times, for all of us. I venture we will see even more trying times. But the soldier was right...We must love one another, or die. Because love is what we are created for; it is the reason for our existence. Love is our destiny. Love God and love one another—these are the two great commands upon the human race. The secret to life is this—we are here in order to learn how to love.

Stasi and I wrote that twelve years ago. It sure seems a whole lot more urgent now.

So two things I leave with you this month: Make a daily practice of strengthening your union with Christ. Make it a priority. Prayer. Worship. Scripture. Sacrament. Everything and anything that strengthens your soul’s actual union with God. Especially loving Jesus.

And, be vigilant in love. Make no room for the hatred and acrimony sweeping the earth (including hatred of God). Let’s invoke the love of God into our communities and world. It might be the thing that makes the greatest difference in this hour.

In love,

John

Download the Wild At Heart August 2020 Newsletter here. 

 

What Is The Story You Are Telling Yourself?

Well, events in the world continue to swirl with uncertainty. Tensions rise. The pandemic resurges. A fresh round of lockdowns is upon many of us. People and governments are reaching for control. This could be a tough fall. 

Really rough times on our humanity; draining on the heart and soul. Even the best of us are feeling pretty tapped-out right now.

So––what’s the story you are telling yourself? 

Remember, story is the way we orient ourselves in the world. Story is the way we figure things out, bring order and meaning to the events around us. The story we hold to at any given time shapes our perceptions, our hopes, and expectations; it gives us a place to stand. In this mad hour on the earth, what story are you telling yourself––or letting others tell you?

Is it a political narrative? A social narrative? 

One story getting a lot of traction at the moment is the story of vague doom: O man, things are really coming apart. Another popular story is political optimism: Once we get the right people and policies in place, everything will be okay. There is, of course, the story of unrelenting uncertainty: Nobody knows what to do, or what’s really going to happen. And, there’s always the old survival narrative: Just hunker down, wait it out, medicate. 

There are a lot of stories out there right now, all competing for your allegiance. Your submission.

Every day, I find myself needing to come back to the story Jesus is actually telling. There is a true version of the story, by the way; only one story, written by the hand of God.

Friends of Jesus know that we won’t see clearly until our hearts and minds are safe in the story God is telling—situated in the truth, interpreting things from God’s point of view, our feet on solid ground, our hopes and expectations all in the right place. For example, let me remind you of some of the core truths of the Biblical Narrative…

God is very, very good. (Does that grip our hearts right now?)

God is always deeply involved. (Does that seem true?)

We live in a Love Story, set in a world at war. (It’s always been so, ever since the Fall.)

We know things are rough before a wonderful turn of events. (No to uncertainty!)

Can you see how even one of these truths would rescue you in this mad hour?

Let’s continue to delve deeper, get ourselves out of the news and chaos. I’m wondering how the story of God in Psalm 23 might inform the story we are believing…

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

(Jesus remains deeply involved in my life and world––guiding, leading, providing.)

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

    he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

(God restores my weary heart...if I follow him. Where are my pastures and still waters, Lord?)

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

(Don’t get baited into the wrong battles; let God guide you in the path he has for you.)

Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

(Yes, we are in a dark time. But God is still protecting me and comforting me. I am not alone.)

You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

(Not only that, God has a feast of goodness for me even in war; he fills my life with blessing!)

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.

(My reality is not determined by the pandemic, or violence, or the presidential election. God will always be faithful to me. My future is absolutely wonderful.)

Maybe you should tape this to the fridge, and say it out loud every day. Do not let the world tell you what the story is. Only Jesus gets that place in your life!

Offered in love,

John 

Download the Wild at Heart July 2020 newsletter here. 

Name Change and June 2020 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Allies,

I am so aware as I write this, that by the time it reaches you mid-June the world may have changed again. 

Right as we were beginning to emerge from the total lock-down days of the quarantines, just beginning to let our souls enjoy some normal life returning, the heartbreaking deaths and social upheaval broke out. It was like a one-two punch. Our world continues to be shaken, and we want to help you find Jesus to guide you through each and every step. 

I hope you are tracking with our podcast because it's a more current method for us to provide guidance and prayer in these rough waters. Stasi and I recorded a special installment on June 3rd on the social upheaval; I hope you've had an opportunity to listen to that. There is some good prayer to enter into and some insights on all that is unfolding.

Today, I'd love to bring some bright news to you. It begins with a very Jesus kind of story...

Our little team here has a great big passion for bringing more hearts and souls into the healing life Jesus offers, into the adventure of intimacy with him, and into the strong protections given to us in the kingdom of God for a moment like ours. So prior to the pandemic, our team began to lay out plans for the expansion of our work in the world––bringing this exquisite Gospel to a million new lives. Then Covid 19 hit, and with it the quarantines, followed by the massive economic collapse around the world. It was at this moment, back in the spring––when many ministries and churches were having to lay people off, and canceling events––that we went to our board with plans for growth this year and next.

We honestly thought they would counsel us to cut back, play it safe, “wait and see.”

They did not.

Instead, they did exactly what we had been hearing Jesus say all along––they told us to grow, reach out, offer everything we have. “Now is not the time to pull back,” they said. “The world needs exactly what you have. They need this Gospel of the heart; they need the healing, guidance, and strength this message offers. Full steam ahead!”

Really?, I thought. Ookaay. I felt like Peter in the storm, Jesus reaching out his hand, urging me out onto the water.

Okay, Lord. Yes. Absolutely! Yes. Full steam ahead. 

Part of our plan for reaching more beautiful, broken souls around the globe involves something I wanted to announce this month––we're changing our name!

We've been doing a good bit of research, and listening to the wise counsel of some very helpful consultants, and what we’ve discovered is that 90% of our book readers have no idea Ransomed Heart even exists. That was heartbreaking news for us. “You guys are very hard to find,” our advisors said. “People aren’t looking for Ransomed Heart. Most folks don't even know what your name means, and, it's hard to spell.” We were laughing when they said this, because of the many stories that have been coming through our doors.

We receive packages and mail to “Random Parts,” “Rancid Hearts,” even “Ranz Med Hearts” (those folks think we’re a medical company). When our staff tries to give people their email, they have to spell it multiple times. “It's Polly at ransomed heart; r-a-n-s-o-m-e-d…”

Meanwhile, we do have a brand with massive recognition around the world, and that brand is Wild at Heart. I wish we had a dollar for every time this scenario happened: Someone asks our staff, “Where do you work?” and they reply “Ransomed Heart!” “What's that?” “Well, have you heard of a book called Wild at Heart?” “Oh yeah! I know that book! My uncle…” and off the stories go. So many great stories. So, we've simply decided to help people find us, and increase our reach, by renaming the ministry Wild at Heart. Wildatheart.org. Everything else stays the same. We’re the same group of people, doing the same great work. Reaching out to both men and women, all around the world. The only thing that's changing is that we are making ourselves easier to find, so we can reach more people!

In fact, we’ve been praying hard about these chaotic times, and Jesus has promised us that we have many, many more hearts and lives we have been entrusted with, new members of the tribe we have not yet reached. That simply thrills us!

Starting this month the Ransomed Heart podcast will become the Wild at Heart podcast, a change in name only. Same great folks bringing you the same great messages. This newsletter will become the Wild at Heart newsletter; our Daily Reading the Wild at Heart Daily Reading, etc.

I’m hoping you can help us. I know these are rocky economic times for many, and I want to thank each of you who have been able to send support during such a tough period. We are so grateful for your gifts!

And I wanted to ask, humbly, boldly, if you could help us with our expansion around the globe to reach all of the people who so desperately need the healing love of Jesus, the beauty of this intimacy with him, the tools to navigate the war on the earth at this time. The hour is late. There is so much to be done. If you’re able to help us with a gift, those dollars will go towards rescuing a lot of folks while we disciple and equip our friends to thrive in this really tough hour.

If you're in a position to help, you can send support in the enclosed envelope, or, if it's easier, you can donate online at wildatheart.org. 

Oh friends, I know how hard these times are right now. Hard on the heart and soul; hard to see our world breaking up. We simply must keep our eyes on Jesus! I pray you are plugging into our resources for your strength and encouragement, for the resilience of your soul! Because we love you, and we are here for you! 

With so much gratitude,

John

Download the Wild at Heart June 2020 Newsletter here. 

 

 

Morgan's Book, Becoming A King

Though we are still in the midst of the pandemic, I think the healthiest thing we can do is not always talk about the pandemic! What I’d much rather do this month—what I am so excited to share with you—is an excerpt from our teammate Morgan Snyder’s first book, Becoming a King, which comes out May 26! Here’s why I think this is really fitting…

We are all hoping to come out of this hard, shared, global trial stronger, more mature, and more rooted in Jesus. Becoming a King is a book all about that, about the process God takes us through in order to shape us into the kind of people he can entrust with his kingdom. Morgan begins with a tough time in his life, which I think we can all relate to:

“More than a decade ago, I found myself in a personal wilderness—lost, alone, disoriented, and very afraid. In a bitter place.

I had a beautiful wife, two healthy and happy kids, meaningful work, and the beginning of a little nest egg for the future. What more could a man ask for? But when I was finally honest with myself, the steady waves of discouragement and anxiety were undeniable. Looking at my life as an iceberg, the 10 percent above the waterline looked impressive. But the 90 percent below told another story: I was not well; I was submerged in pain and confusion.

My inner life was not what I’d envisioned. Perhaps better said, I had not become who I’d envisioned. I’d made what I thought were good, honorable decisions to get where I was. But where I was wasn’t good, at least not on the inside. And so, as every good story goes, I left the comfortable and set my soul on a quest. It began with a single letter. 

I found the oldest man I knew and respected, and I put pen to paper the questions in my heart. In time I formed a list of all the older men who, in one way or another, had a place in my story. I sent letters to them, asking for their counsel. I asked those in faraway states or countries for a letter in return or a phone call. Responses from those closer by came in conversations over a pint or with a cigar by a campfire. As the experiences grew, so did the list. I kept adding to the ranks more and more guides, men in front of me on the masculine journey. Over two years’ time, the number grew to nearly seventy-five sages, with whom came a treasure chest of clues to an ancient path. 

As I sat in their counsel with a stack of notes, I started to notice the themes of their responses, and with those in hand, I began to add to their advice the counsel of the great heroes of our faith down through the ages. The Father’s affection and assurance began to break through to my lost and weary soul.                

Son, you’re not behind. You are on time. And you’re going to be okay.

The lives of these elders represented a variety of vocations, socioeconomic thresholds, faith practices, and journeys. Yet through the diverse experiences of these men, a common path emerged: each man had been entrusted with power and had to navigate a process of restoration to become the kind of man who could handle it. There were consistent themes, spoken in many different terms but all with the same heartbeat. Men reclaiming their identity, their strength, their integrity, and their purpose through becoming a student, becoming a son, and consenting to the slow and steady process of inner transformation.”

I (John here) want to pause the excerpt for a moment to highlight a few things. First, the path of the transformation we all long for is something we simply have to accept takes place over time, in a “slow and steady process.” It’s important we name that, because our world of smartphones,  Amazon, and Netflix taught us we can have anything, everything, really quickly. It’s just not true; especially in the life of the soul. But there is a process we can discover, there is an “ancient path” of life with God. This is what Becoming a King is all about...

“As the years transpired, a map took shape around signposts rendered from the joy and suffering I witnessed in the lives of these men. After a decade, through the urging of trusted friends and growing out of my work rescuing and restoring the hearts of men, I began to realize this map was not for me alone. It was meant to be shared. This message is my effort to share that map.”

We’ve put together a fabulous package of resources available for all those who place an order for Becoming a King this month, including a special podcast with Morgan’s wife Cherie and the wives of men who have consented to the path and process of Becoming a King for more than a decade! Preorders also come with immediate access to the first three sessions of the Becoming a King Video Series and the first three chapters of the Becoming a King Study Guide. 

You can order now at www.becomingaking.com. 

Over these really rough months we’re living through, I’ve been saying to everyone I can, “Let’s make the enemy regret this! Let’s come out of it deeper in God, stronger in spirit!” That’s our prayer for you this month! May you find yourself rooted even more deeply in God, stronger in spirit, embracing the ancient path of walking with God through hard times towards wonderful breakthroughs.

In love,

John

Download the Ransomed Heart May 2020 Newsletter here.

 

Let's Seize This Moment!

Well, the world has certainly been shaken.

And if we’re honest, we’ve all been shaken a bit, too.

Ever since the pandemic broke out (probably the most significant event of our era), the world has been reaching for solid ground—medically, economically, politically, socially. And it has evaded us. We don’t know what recovery will look like, or when it will come. We don’t know about the potential for another “wave” of the virus, or the timing of vaccines. We don’t know what the economy will really do. Uncertainty has been the consistent factor in all of this. It’s almost as if God has kept things veiled, for his own purposes.

I wonder what he is up to.

Many years ago I was thrown by a horse, and broke both wrists. Both arms in casts. For almost three months, my “normal” was completely taken from me. Opening a door, tying my shoes, feeding myself, driving—it all vanished, in a moment. I couldn't wash my hair, cut my steak, couldn't even open the refrigerator door. It was an upheaval; I was dependent on Stasi in ways I had never been, and the “constraints” I found myself living with were very, very revealing. 

God used it to expose my radical independence. Oh, I would have told you that I was “dependent on God for everything,” like a good Christian should. But in fact, I was a very self-reliant, insulated, self-determined man, living from independence and calling it maturity. My accident proved to be far less about my wrists, and nearly all about the condition of my soul.

Any therapist will tell you, there is nothing like crisis to get people to look at their life and face reality in ways they did not when everything was good. They see how fragile their house of cards really is. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Ps 119:67). Before I broke my wrists I was profoundly independent, more than a little proud of it, insensitive to those with less independence, and doing years of damage to my marriage. My independence shouted to Stasi “I don’t need you.” What a horrible message to send my dear wife.  

God didn’t throw me off that horse, but I can sure tell you he used it. And I needed him to.

Whatever else Jesus is up to right now, this pandemic and all of the political, economic and social upheaval is a “shaking” the world very much needed. And it presents to us an incredible Gospel opportunity...for a window of time.

Friends, we in the developed world have enjoyed for years now an unprecedented level of comfort, convenience, and control. Pleasure on demand. With only the effort of a few clicks we could order anything we wanted in the world, and have it delivered to our door. We became connoisseurs of coffee, chocolate, cupcakes. Life on our terms. That little computer in our hands has given us an experience of convenience and control unimaginable to our grandparents. Seriously, when you have an economy that could support specialty stores selling only cupcakes, you have a very comfy culture. 

That kind of world does not cause people to turn to God; not when they are the masters of their happiness. And so that culture needed to be rocked, thrown from its high horse.

People are suddenly aware how fragile life is, how fragile culture, stability and things like jobs, healthcare and retirement accounts are. For this unique moment, millions are searching for solid ground. I'm told that Bible sales have skyrocketed. Online churches are seeing phenomenal attendance. The place on our website seeing the most action has been the prayer to receive Jesus Christ! Isn’t that wonderful?! This is a very exciting moment, so far as Jesus is concerned!

And it won’t last. You know human nature. You know that as soon as people are back to their cupcakes, Netflix, and yoga class, they will no longer be wondering about their house of cards.

Let’s not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, folks. The most important thing we can do, THE opportunity before the church right now is this Gospel moment. It’s not the “reset” of a slower pace of life; it’s not a change in political leadership. That’s not the main thing in God’s mind. It is the eternal destiny of human souls.

I’m embarrassed to admit what the events of the past five weeks have revealed in me. I find myself thinking more about getting back to my normal life than I am praying for the salvation of my neighbors. Honestly, I’m embarrassed how much my thoughts turn to, “Will we lose summer vacation?” Then they turn to, “How is the single woman up the street doing?”

Friends of Jesus, let’s seize this moment!

Join me in two things:

Pray for an outpouring of the revelation of Jesus in the world. Pray for it every day!

Pick three people in your world, and begin to pray for them daily, that they come to know Jesus. Maybe an aunt, a neighbor, someone from work. Make this the main thing you are doing with your shelter-at-home period. 

Because we know this window will not last. The world will probably recover, and people will forget about their need for God.

I have so much more to say, but it won’t fit here. Do tune into my April 20th podcast on the pandemic, and what I think Jesus is saying to us!

This is our hour, friends! We were made for this very moment!

Love,

John

Download the Ransomed Heart April 2020 Newsletter here. 

 

A Tree Planted By Streams Of Water

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately on a question that seems critical to friends of Jesus in this hour: How does a person live—and thrive—at the end of the age?

Every dear follower of Jesus I know, including mature saints, is experiencing a “perfect storm” of busyness, crisis, demand, and dark warfare. They are—I believe we all are—very hard-pressed in this hour. It’s draining; it’s rough on the soul. How do we respond? How do we live in such a unique moment as ours, the folks who very well may see the curtain come down on this age?

It’s worth some prayerful reflection, don’t you think?

At the same time, I’ve been lingering in, and somewhat captivated by, Psalm 1:

Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked!

    They are like chaff

    that the wind blows away. (Psalm 1:1-4)

 

Two types of people are being contrasted here, two types of human experience. The first is rooted and substantive, flourishing and life-giving. I read about those “trees,” whose lives are evergreen, and I long to be that person whose leaf never withers, whose life is fruitful even in scorching times, and whatever they set themselves to do prospers. Isn’t this the life we all want?

Then there is the “chaff” person—so lacking in substance, so shallow and ephemeral, their reality is compared to dandelion puffs that a breath of wind can sweep away. The next crisis, the next piece of bad news simply takes them out. And I kid you not: As I was writing that sentence, my phone rang; a dear ally was calling to reschedule a meeting because he is a financial advisor by profession, and the swirling chaos around the new coronavirus, the stock markets, and world trade has all his clients in total frenzy.

This is what I mean. We live in a chaotic moment, and it’s hard on the soul. It’s trying to dry us all into chaff and then blow us away.

Psalm 1 got my attention because while I long to be the tree rooted by a river of living water, I find myself pretty “spun-up” at the end of most days. More and more dried out as the “World” sucks me dry. So I looked for the key that separates these two types of human experiences, and I saw that it has to do with our attention. The tree-rooted-by-the-river person is able to meditate—give sustained attention to—their God. Not swipe; not multitask. Lingering focus. The writer Steven Crawford asked, “As our mental lives become more fragmented, what is at stake often seems to be nothing less than the question of whether one can maintain a coherent self...a self that is able to act according to settled purposes and ongoing projects, rather than flitting about.”

God’s playful sovereignty dropped in to embellish this letter further in a conversation I had this morning. A Ransomed Heart ally was telling me that he has logged 800 minutes on the One Minute Pause App (!). I know, no shame here; I haven’t even logged that myself. What I loved was the story he had to tell. He felt Jesus asking him this year to give Him his attention, simply linger in His presence. He also knew that his busy life and natural drivenness wouldn't make it possible, so he looked here and there for some help and found the One Minute Pause app we created. Now he is that person Psalm 1 describes as rooted by the river, the tree always flourishing. 

How do we live—and flourish—at the end of the age? We fight for our souls! We push back against the constant assault on our attention! We make deliberate choices to linger in the presence of God. We send our roots down into the river of God!

If you haven't downloaded the One Minute Pause app, or if you haven't used it in a while, please do so! It will help you out of the chaos, help you linger in your union with Jesus. It is so healing.

Also, I wanted to give a shout-out for the audiobook version of Get Your Life Back. I recorded it myself, so you and I can have a genuine “conversation” around flourishing. I also recorded a good bit of new content only contained in the audiobook. Even my colleagues here at RH are saying they are enjoying it more than reading the book itself. It’s another lifeline, another chance to rescue your soul in this trying hour.

I pray you will become a tree deeply rooted in the riverbank of the very River of Life itself!

Much love,

John

P.S. One more playful sovereign moment: I was about to send this letter when I got a note from a reader who said, “I heard about your new book but thought it wasn’t for me. Even after Homecoming I thought, ‘I got it.’ Boy, was I wrong! The book has been transformational. I’m freer, lighter, happier. I know what I’m experiencing is how I was designed. Thank you!”

Download the Ransomed Heart March 2020 newsletter here. 

 

Peace in the midst of the storm.

We sent this email last Friday to those on our email list. Many of our allies found it immensely helpful, so we are posting it here for further reach. 

Dear Friends,

We are keenly aware that many of you are wondering what the future holds now in this world currently gripped by fears surrounding the coronavirus and the global economic implications. So much to be in prayer about. Stasi and I are going into the studio with Morgan and Cherie today to record a special podcast for our allies in this chaotic moment; it will air next Monday, March 16.

Meanwhile, I simply want to remind you of a few basic truths you know in your heart, and have staked your life on:

God remains immensely good. The same Jesus who won your trust, and has proven faithful all these years, is still with you now. Your life is in his hands. He has your future, too.

God is still in control. Not a sparrow can fall but under the Father's watchful care. He remains the Sovereign Lord, ruler of the heavens and earth. None of this caught him by surprise.

Ground yourself in Jesus. The world is reeling; it wants to pull you down with it. Fear and anxiety are more contagious than any virus. This is our chance to shine. Peter tells us to be ready to offer the reason for the hope we have to anyone who asks us (1 Peter 3:15). He's assuming that in times of crisis, the friends of Jesus will be so rooted in him, so grounded in his goodness, that they will have a visibly different reaction to those in the world around them. This is our time to offer hope!

Let's pray for peace. Peace over the world; peace over our communities; peace into the chaos. Only in peace will people react well, make good decisions, find their faith. Peace.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

As for grounding ourselves in God, we are marveling at the timing Jesus had in having us create and release the One Minute Pause App, which many people are reporting is a rescue in this mad hour. It is a beautiful, simple, daily way to bring your attention - and your emotions - back to Jesus. People are wondering how to help children and families with anxiety and fear. There is no help greater than grounding ourselves in the presence of God! In fact, just today, I got this note from an ally of ours...

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! The One Minute Pause app has been a rescue. I work in health care with a vulnerable population who is at high risk of the COVID-19. The One Minute Pause app has allowed me to reset, re-center and give it all to God. What a relief. Spread love, not germs."

I love that. Let's spread love—and peace—not germs! Use the Pause App to continually re-center yourself in Jesus and his provision. His goodness. It's available free in the app store. And share the One Minute Pause App with everyone you know! Spread the love and peace of Jesus!

Love you all.

Jesus is still Lord.

John

PS. Join me each Tuesday in March at 6:00pm Mountain Time for a Facebook live update on living well, rooted in God, during these days.