The world tells us what love is, which is clearly working out very well for no one. Good people tell us what love is, which might work okay for a time. The church tells us how to love, which works well when we listen. The Bible tells us how to love, which only works when we surrender self.
After 41 years of life and 20 years of marriage, this is what I’ve just discovered: I don’t really know what it means to truly love others. Much of the way I’ve loved people has been self-seeking. I want them to like me. I want to keep the peace. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
I. I. I. There is no I in love. Not if I want to love the Jesus way.
The past several months, I’ve been searching scripture and listening as God teaches me that loving others has nothing to do with what I think and everything to do with who God is. These love lessons can be applied in friendship and in parenting, but most importantly, they should be applied in marriage.
I invite you to join me in this journey. This class will not be provided to you by a teacher who has mastered the art of loving her husband perfectly (right, Matt?). Nope, it’s just me. Hi! {waving} I’m just your crazy butter-loving friend – learning to listen, learning to seek Jesus, learning to surrender my heart so I can love the Jesus way.
Women can be…shall we say ~ emotional? (God help us. No really.) This class is brought to you by a girl who appears strong to many but is a mess quite frequently. Emotional much, Laura? Mercy.
How do you sign up to be a part of this class? I’ll make it easy. Simply show up right here every Thursday for the next 6 weeks. Come as you are. You don’t even have to brush your hair. Shoot, I don’t even have to brush my hair. {high fives all around}
God loves our messy, seeking selves. He loves our desire to love and to be loved. He rejoices over our surrendered heart.
Join me!! Who’s in?
A bit of housekeeping:
- If you want to be sure to avoid missing a class, sign up here to receive our free daily newsletter.
- If you prefer reading straight from the blog, and you miss stopping by on a Thursday, you are fresh out of luck. Just kidding. Simply find the following button over on our side bar, click, and catch up on all you missed.
We’ll be journaling our way through this class, taking time to reflect, and examining scripture. There will be printables. There will be a test (not really). Click on the link below to download the cover page for your journal.
Download A Surrendered Heart Journal Cover Here.
You’ll get new printables each class to add to your journal. I recommend spending 33¢ on a folder like this:
Then glue your cover on the front like this:
Then each week you’ll get printables to add to your folder like this:
I’m keeping this journal right by my Bible to work through as I can – and as I need to refocus my heart to love my husband the Jesus way.
Alrighty? Have any questions? Invite your friends, invite your neighbors, invite people you’ve never met. This class is free, no strings attached. I’m excited to explore A Surrendered Heart with you!
Leave a comment here letting us know you’ll be joining our class! We’ll officially begin with Class #1 on April 23. In the meantime, prepare your journal and be praying for God to help you surrender your heart to love the Jesus way.
Can’t wait to join you in this study! I have been feeling conviction in this area so your study in timed perfectly (isn’t God’s timing alway perfect?). Such pretty artwork on the cover page.
Would love to be part of this class.
I’m in.
Yes! I am excited to participate!
I’ll join. Thank you so much for all you do!
I’m in!! Can’t wait!!
I so needed this, how do you know these things, Laura? It’s kinda frightening how you seem to post these types of things right in the midst of when I need to hear them. Did my husband call you? Ha, Ha.
I so needed this, how do you know these things, Laura? It’s kinda frightening how you seem to post these types of things right in the midst of when I need to hear them. Did my husband call you? Ha, Ha.
This is perfect! God has laid it on my heart many times that I have trouble with loving others as I should. Thanks.
Thank you for this!
I will join!
I’m in too!
I plan to join in!
I’m in! We finished a weekly Bible study at church before Easter, and I have missed it. This will be a perfect next thing.
can’t wait; sounds absolutely perfect! thanks for sharing this great devotional course!
Laura, I have read your blog for quite a while and our family is enjoying many of your recipes as we strive to eat more real food. But most of all I love your honest, Christian heart for Jesus. We are in a music ministry ( my husband and me, and our three girls…ages 8, 10 and 12) and I homeschool and we live on a farm. I am constantly “serving” others….three meals a day, cleaning, schooling, practicing, feeding animals, gardening, etc. …. But I also know that daily I must commit my life, my hours, my minutes, my days and my actions to Christ. I cannot fall into the world’s trap of “being appreciated” (Hey, Look at ME and all I do!) and comparing all I do to what I perceive others as doing (nobody works as hard as ME!). These thoughts reveal a heart that is not focused on serving The Lord by serving others, but one that is looking for the appreciation and recognition of others. Thank you for your online ministry and I look forward to this study! God Bless you!
I’m in.
I’m in! Sounds great! :) Thank you.
I want this..no, I NEED this!!
I’ve been married for almost 36 years and I am so happy to participate in this study! God is good and we always have the need to refocus! Thanks.
I am excited about joining this class! Thank you, Laura!
I’m looking forward to being part of this.
I’m looking forward to this. Thank u for your faithfulness to The Lord. And being willing to teach other.
Nice! :)
I would love to join in this study. Thanks for the invite. Learning to love in a biblical way is something I have longed to do.
I’m in!!! Soon i’ll be celebrating 7 years of marriage, so this will be good. Thank you Laura!
I also, need to work on loving my husband of going-on-twenty-six years better! I would be honored to be included. Thanks!
I’m in! What a great idea for a class. BTW, the picture on your printable materials is beautiful!
I’ll be here with you every Thursday – as I am most every day. I so appreciate your encouragement and inspiration as a Christian wife and mom, and I’m really looking forward to this study with you. Thanks so much for all your hard work!
I was just playing last night for help in not nagging and help reminding me why I still love My husband. I definitely think He is telling me what I need to do since this post was in my email this morning. I’m looking forward to learning how to love as I was meant to! Thank you for hosting these, Laura!
I’m in, this came a just the right time for me!
Going to join in. Thanks!
I need this.
Totally in! Love love love!!!
Sounds great, I’m in! Thanks!
I’m in! Even after all these years, there are times i wonder if i know what love really is. Looking forward to it!
God’s perfect timing… I prayed on Sunday that He would help me to better love my husband… And here YOU are Laura… Thank you Lord…
Joining!
Hi all! I’m new to this website and I will defiantly join in .I need help on this matter especially in my marriage. We have gone through so much and I can’t seem to get it right . I’m willing to try anything just to be a better wife and mother to my children.
Oh yes, I’m in…much needed at the moment! Thanks! :)
I’m in :) this is going to be great
Looking forward to this opportunity………..thanks & blessings on you!! ;o)
Can wait to join you. Thank you in advance!
Count me in!
Perfect timing. I’m so in!!!
Sounds good! I would like to join.
I was just looking for a six week study to do before the busy summer starts. I’m very excited to see you are hosting one. I will join the group.
I am for sure in, looking forward to it
This sounds great! Thanks for doing this and for the journaling pages. I have just started journaling, so this comes at a great time!
I’m in! Thank you!!
Yes, I do think I should do this.
I’m in!
I would love to do this
I totally need this, looking forward to this series!
So need some encouragement in this area. Looking forward to learning!
The devil wants our marriages. And in Jesus’s name, he’s not getting mine! Thank you for doing this!!
Thank you!! Praying for the leading and blessing of the Holy Spirit all the way!
Looking forward to it!
I am in. The devil has been fighting hard. This is just what i need right now. Thanks
Count me in!
This is a great idea. I’m in :)
I’m in! Thank you for doing this.
I have been married for 47 years but I’m always interested in learning more about what God says to us about how to love. Thank you for doing this.
I’m in
Very much looking forward to this. My oldest daughter is graduating in just a few weeks, too. I need God’s word so much right now as we celebrate and I begin to let her go.
I would love to do this. Couldn’t have come at a better time.
I am looking forward to these lessons. I have had trouble with this all my life.
I’m in. And where did you get that amazing tree art on the cover?? That is just gorgeous
So in, I am looking forward to this….
I would love to join in on this. Thank you for being so willing to lead us on this journey!
Sounds great!
I’m in! Looking forward to it. It sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Doctor Jesus that is.
Joining as well!!! Thank you!
Hi, I will be joining you for this class; think after 22 years of marriage I still need to learn!!
I am looking forward to this series. :}
I’m in, thank you!
Thanks for offering this! I’m in.
This type of love has been on my mind recently, because of a photo and link of a gentleman in Waco, TX who, along with his wife, go around the city praying for the people and churches. My friend actually saw the gentleman two weeks ago, on an overpass, a staff in each hand and wondered what the crazy guy was doing. Nothing stays a mystery for long with Facebook. To be able to love others more than myself, even family sometimes, can be a challenge many days. Looking forward to the class.
I live in Waco and see him often…he definitely loves our city well!!
Setting a reminder for every Thursday! Thank you!
I’m in!
Thanks! I’m in! Uh oh – – that means I really need to get some new ink for my printer now.
Count me in! At first I thought you were inviting all of us to your home each Thurs. :)
I am looking forward to this class
Yes! This is coming at a perfect time, thank you!
I’m in :-)
I’m really looking forward to this and am sharing it so others can join too.
Thank you, Laura!
Awesome!!
I’ll be joining you! Can’t wait!
Looking forward to it!
I love this! I am totally in!
I am so looking forward to this :)
Looking forward to the class.
Count me in!
Count me in too!!!!
I’m in! Looking forward to it. This is probably a dumb question, but do we need to check in at a certain time on Thursday’s? :)
No certain time. (I should have made that more clear to everyone.) I’ll post my thoughts, offer the printables, and open it up for discussion Wednesday night and it will be my top post all day Thursday so that everyone can access it when it is convenient for them that day. :)
I’m in! I am going to share this with my sister, she and I had been doing Bible studies together with our Pastor’s wife for a few years now, until she moved away. Maybe she can join us from 3 hours away from me!
i’m in! Expecting Baby #3 (our first girl!) July 5th, and celebrating 15 years of marriage to my sweet hubby (we met at 15 and 17, married at 19 and 21! We were SO young!) Looking forward to prayerfully and thoughtfully investing in our marriage while I’m still in this quiet waiting season.
i’m definitely in! :D
I’ll be here!
I am excited to be part of this. Thank you!
Looking forward to it.
I plan to do the class and look forward to it!
Can’t wait to start!! Thanks so much!!!
looking forward to the class tomorrow!
Count me in!!! I’m so excited!