One Heart at a Time Quotes

“Now when I look back, I realize it was God’s way of showing me how He works all things for good, and that it would all eventually be okay. God will do that, you know. He will deliver the tools or the people to give you strength to press on. That’s how much He believes you can survive it, build strength from it, and emerge with a heart to change the world for one person, or many. But change the world, nonetheless.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“This life is hard. There is a lot going on in the world today that makes it even harder. And I believe that’s why now, more than ever, we need to be sounding boards for each other. Maybe that looks like joining or organizing a parents’ group, a support group, a church group, a book club, a walking club, a volunteer organization… Maybe that looks like inviting a friend who may be down and out for coffee and a vent session. My heart is for making connections with people, because as you’ve read in my stories, you never know how far one of those connections might take you.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“It’s all planned, my friends. Your stories, your comebacks, and your connections with people. What it comes down to now is simply opening your heart to all of the possibilities God has in store for you. I believe in you. I believe I would like to give you a great big hug and say, “You got this.” I believe your journey, your stories, your battle scars, and your enduring love are uniquely appointed to help change this world for good, one heart at a time. It starts with yours…”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“How do you love someone you hate? Someone who has harmed you to the core of your being? Someone who is just not likable? Well, to begin with, I had to learn what God means when He says to love our enemies. To forgive those who persecute us. It is impossible to love someone who has wounded you until you can forgive them. And it is impossible to forgive someone who has wronged you until you understand the nature of forgiveness in God’s eyes.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Whatever you are going through today, whatever is happening right now to challenge your well-being and your sanity, you will get past it. You have the strength to endure any challenge you face. If you believe God placed you on this Earth, then you should also believe you have a purpose in this life as you stand here today. You may recognize the saying “If God brought you to it, he’ll bring you through it.” Believe that.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“What if you took it upon yourself to spend time with a young person, instilling in them something to care about? Horseback riding, swimming, drawing, skateboarding, foreign language, singing, cycling, hiking, reading, carpentry, welding, knitting, cooking, chess, card games? What is your hobby and how did you come to it? Have you passed it down to the next generation? Have you been open-minded about letting your child try a new hobby or skill, even if it’s not something that suits you? Believe in a young person, and you will change the world for that person. Teach a young person that talking is better than texting and that reality is better than virtual reality—and indeed you will be doing that child and this world a great service.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“If you’re feeling crushed by the weight of your past, by abuse, by guilt, by shame, by something you’ve wasted good years on, you need to ask God to redeem your pain and use it for good. Don’t spend another moment feeling sorry for yourself, because you are stronger than you think. I know it. God knows it. It’s time for you to take that heavy brick off your shoulders and use it to lay a firm foundation for your future.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Sadly, I see this in my sister, too. DeAnna is strong, beautiful, and far smarter than I will ever be, but she doesn’t view herself in that light; she always feels that she’s just not quite enough. And now I have a young adult daughter who is the same way. It must be genetic, this trait that my grandmother passed to my mother and my mother to my sister. It somehow missed me, but it passed through to my daughter. All four, stunningly beautiful women, are differently gifted but ingenious, and none see themselves in that way.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“What are you holding on to that’s making your soul sick with anger, depression, sadness, anxiety? You’ll recognize it as the thing that’s always there in the back of your mind, barring you from living a free and happy existence. If only that person were better, or if that issue was resolved, or if that memory didn’t keep sneaking in… the enormous weight would be lifted. Maybe it’s time to “let go and let God.” Offer up prayers about that thing that weighs so heavily on you, and ask God to take it from here.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“For others, it’s letting go of anger and resentment, and offering forgiveness.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Even harder for me is letting go of people I love but who are hurtful and destructive.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“It doesn’t matter if the thing was actually theirs or not—it only needs to resemble something that Mom would have had on a shelf in our family home or Grandma would have displayed in her kitchen, and we snatch it up from a garage sale or thrift store and carry it home to add to our growing piles of mothball-scented memories.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Sometimes memories or dysfunctional people who have a hold on our heart are like the sandbag that pulled the balloon precariously downward and nearly caused it to crash. And yet, even knowing our lives may depend upon it, letting go can be the hardest thing in the world to do. I have said in the past I never let go of anything that didn’t have claw marks all over it…”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“What else I know is this: when you start talking to God, be ready when He starts talking back.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“You should note, however, there is a counterpart to the praying life, and it’s called the obedient response. Sometimes I go for months without any specific directive, urge, or feeling from God. And sometimes the urge is so strong, I can’t deny what I should do.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Prayer is one of the most precious and yet powerful gifts bestowed to all of us on this planet. Anyone can do it, anytime, anywhere, anyhow. It’s our direct line to heaven, a cordless communication with God Almighty, and He always answers the call! Perhaps not in the way we expect or think, but He hears us—every time, all the time. So why not take advantage of it more often? God has directed us to pray without ceasing, and I think that means He wants us to get chatty and include Him in our daily activities.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“God wants us to forget the dogma, the religious hoops people have been jumping through for decades, and come with the open heart of a child. If you don’t have the ability to conjure up enough faith to open your heart to God, then simply pray that He will reveal Himself in a very real way, with signs that won’t make sense to anyone else but you.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“Even if you have not reached a place where you can say “Heavenly Father” with true conviction that some power greater than yourself is listening, try praying anyway. If you have no faith, ask God to give it to you. If you don’t believe, ask Him to reveal Himself to you. You can’t get in trouble with God the way I used to think.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“have a tendency to think that just because my motives are good, I have a green light to plunge ahead on a given course or project, and in doing so I have done more harm than good on more than one occasion. I need to pray for God to take the lead and let me know when and how far to go, and to give me the patience and wisdom to wait.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time

“We rarely ever see the full spectrum of God’s plan, and how our simple deeds can spiral into much bigger blessings. Which is exactly why we should consider each good deed an act of God’s love and a part of His great plan.”
― Delilah ., One Heart at a Time