Fighting Back...

Is not without sacrifices...

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Rooted

And I pray that you [and I], being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17b-19

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Longing

Earlier this afternoon, I came across a blog entry that I saved last month, I thought, for a friend. Now just a few weeks later, God has used it to speak to me. Though I have felt a bit lost these last few weeks, I know there exists in me a desire for more. A longing to see God's glory again, to feel His presence in my life and in my relationships. I have found much encouragement in the following statements:

"Even if your inner motions are presently sluggish, lethargic, and barren, are they nevertheless not there?--namely, displeasure about your condition, and a desire to be lively in all spiritual exercises... Is not your deadness your greatest burden? Wherever there is feeling there is life. Since you are therefore sensitive to your spiritual deadness, is not this then an indication that you have life?"

Today, I am thankful that God promises to renew us, to fill us with His spirit. I am encouraged knowing He is still at work in my life, even when I don't feel it or understand how. I am also increasingly burdened for the friend I originally saved this blog for. Realizing now how grateful I am to be uncomfortable in my current level of deadness, I feel called to intercede at greater levels for this individual. For far too long, I have seen him struggling to find any desire to draw near to God. So this afternoon, I renew my commitment to pray for an outpouring of God's spirit in both of our lives, a restored connection with God, and a revived understanding of Christ's power.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
You hide Your face, they are dismayed; You take away their spirit, they expire And return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground. Psalm 104:29-30
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31
(You can read the inspiring post here.)

I will praise you in this storm...

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People of His Pasture

Wordless Wednesday (sort of)Psalm 95

O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods,
In whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.
The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me, they tried Me, though they had seen My work.
For forty years I loathed that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways.
Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest.

Lord let me be reminded today to keep my heart soft
to you and what you are doing in my life. Though
I may be in the wilderness, you are directing my paths.
May I be ready to let go of my worry and anxiety
and desires in order to enter into your rest.

Campfire Conversations

"Friendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and happiness of one another." -- Eustace Budgell (1711)

One of the highlights of this past weekend was sitting outside around the fire with friends, just chatting about random things. Our conversation did turn to dating (no surprise, as all of those who stayed late were single girls). It had been some time since I'd had one of those types of discussions. For the most part, I am enjoying where God has me right now. I love my friends- they keep me grounded and we rarely have a dull moment. I am serving in my local church-where I am both encouraged and challenged. I adore my family- they love me unconditionally and don't pressure me to live up to culture's standards. So it's healthier for me to not dwell on when/if I will marry or what he may or may not be like. But there is something relaxing, dare I say inherently magical about gathering around a fire. Naturally, we began to speak of our hopes and desires for the future. Things we were not willing to compromise on, and secret ways we hoped our husbands would add to our lives. Coming at the end of weekend full of friends and family, I began to realize some previously unknown expectations I have for my future husband. I'm not sure yet if God used this weekend to bring this to my attention in order to affirm them or modify them. But now they are out in the open and can be dealt with and prayed about. I am also starting to understand how amazing these women are that God has put in my life. It is freeing to know how much they love me and that we are all looking out for each others best interests in this area.

Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends. -- Czech. Proverb

"Two are better than one; because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend cam help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

We Remember & Express Thanks

Even when others don't...Wordless Wednesday

Clumsy

I don't think I have ever been more aware of Paul's struggle expressed in Romans 7. I know what is good, I know what I should not do (or think). But what I do not want to do or think, I do. But thanks be to God who loves me and forgives me through Christ despite my loose halo. I am so grateful that He still continues to hold me and work in me to make me holy as I fall on Jesus. I realize more every day that as much as I may try, as much as I may practice, I simply do not have the capability to change myself. But how humbling...how exciting...how empowering to know He can do more than we can imagine to take our clumsy lives and use them for His glory!

Chris Rice - Clumsy
You think I’d have it down by now
Been practicing for thirty years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doing here
Reaching out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me what’s a boy supposed to do?

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re saying You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re making me holy
You’re still making me holy, yeah

I’m gonna get it right this time
I’ll be strong and I’ll make You proud
I’ve prayed that prayer a thousand times
But the rooster crows and my tears roll down (again)
Then You remind me You made me from the dust
And I can never, no never, be good enough
And that You’re not gonna let that come between us

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re saying You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re making me holy
You’re still making me holy, yeah

From where I stand
Your holiness is up so high I can never reach it
My only hope is to fall on Jesus

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re saying You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re making me holy
You’re still making me holy, yeah

Transformed- Romans 12:2

The more I come to know God, the more I hate who I have been and the sin that so easily entangles me. May my growing intimacy with Him increase my desire to be further transformed and my ability to know His will.

Relient K - Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

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Masks

1 Samuel 12:1-14 describes Nathan confronting David, the King of Israel, about orchestrating the death of Uriah the Hittite in order to take his wife, Bathsheba. God used to Nathan and his relationship with David as a vessel to bring David to repentance. My reading today looked at this story and asked if we have someone in our lives who can confront us with the truth about our sin. It also suggested a couple reasons we may not have that relationship in our lives- no one suspects our sins (we are talented hypocrites) or no one knows enough (or cares enough) about us or our lives.

Personally, I am saddened to think either I have perfected hypocrisy to the point that no one in my life can see my sins or that I am not willing to let people in enough to either see it or care to confront it. Even when I can not point out my own sins, as we often do not realize our failings ourselves, I know that I fall short all the time. In my words and actions, I can see places where I have mountains of growing left. So honestly it scares me to think that I'm not sure I have a "Nathan" (or Nathana?) who would both see my sin & be willing to bring it to my attention as well.

So my prayer for the week is thus:
Lord search me again. Open my eyes to areas that I may have unconfessed sin, whether directly or through wise counsel. Help me to be able to remove any masks I am holding onto. Make my friendships and my home group open venues for you to work in my life. Lead me to know where to invest my life so that I too may be a vessel for your use.

For Fred!

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My life this week...

Wordless Wednesday

Love = Me??

An exercise in my bible study this past week was on 1 Corinthians 13, focusing on the well-known verses 4-8:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The bible tells that God is love (1 John 4:8), therefore, we could substitute God or Jesus for the word love in these verses. This is a pretty neat word picture. Do it and be encouraged! Then, as we are to become like Christ and to have his attitude, we were to insert our name for the word love. And then to consider which of those phrases made us shudder. Try it.

I am patient, I am kind. I do not envy, I do not boast, I am not proud. I am not rude, I am not self-seeking, I am not easily angered, I keep no record of wrongs. I do not delight in evil, but rejoice with the truth. I always protect, always trust, always hope, always perseveres.

I honestly felt so humbled realizing this is what God would have me to be, and how far I am from it. But this illustration gives me a tangible goal to work toward. And pointed out some specific areas where I am sorely falling short and not bringing honor to God. I will be praying this scripture molds me to his glory!

Here is our King

I am completely overwhelmed by God's grace and love this week. Despite it all (by that I mean car wreaks, flat tires, keys locked in the car, tough leadership meetings), God's protection and love have been so tangible. We had our church's missions night this weekend. After a brief worship time, they had several people lift prayers to God, none of which were in English. The amazing thing was we had the people within our own church to do this. I am always awed by how God is working in our church community. I'm not even sure what a couple languages were, but I recognized Spanish, Tagalog, and Romanian. When the Romanian man prayed, I was blown away by the powerful memories and feelings it provoked. It has been just at a year since my trip there and my heart broke again for the people of Romania who do not yet know the freedom that is in Christ. Yesterday, God brought Psalm 33 to me in a study I'm doing. It reminds me that His plans "stand firm forever." So though I don't know what's next on the horizon or even how to handle today's problems, I will rejoice, wait on the Lord, and trust in His unfailing love. It seems God is always finding new ways to bring me back to him. How appropriate that our youth band did this song in closing that night...

From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground
From wherever searching comes
The look itself a trace of what we’re looking for
So be quiet now and wait

The ocean is growing
The tide is coming in
Here it is

Here is our King
Here is our Love
Here is our God Who’s come to bring us back to Him
He is the One
He is Jesus, Jesus
And what was said to the rose to make it unfold
Was said to me here in my chest
So be quiet now and rest

The ocean is growing
The tide is coming
Here it is

Here is our King
Here is our Love
Here is our God Who’s come to bring us back to Him
He is the One
He is Jesus

And Here is our King
Here is our Love
Here is our God Who’s come to bring us back to Him
He is the One
He is Jesus, Jesus
Majesty Finally

Lifting Gratitude and Praises

Wordless Wednesday

Forgiveness

I recently heard a couple of radio DJ's discussing a Virginia Tech memorial, one with a marked stone for the each person killed. One of the students added a 33rd stone for the shooter. The sentiment behind it was not to honor his actions, but to remember the life that was lost even if by his own choices. Regardless of his horrifying actions, he will never have the chance to pay for his actions or learn from his mistakes. I cannot imagine how I would feel about this if my family or friends had been among those killed, but from a distance I can see the sentiment. We are called to forgive. Eventually, somehow, with the grace of God, we are compelled to forgive as we have been forgiven. One of the DJ's could not, would not, even attempt to understand. In fact, he added amongst laughter (though with some hesitation only for the trouble he would get in) that his reaction to that 33rd stone was that the shooter "missed one." My heart literally ached at that comment. I may not have chosen to place a stone, I'll hopefully never personally be in a situation to make that decision. But I hope that I will never be so crass as to indicate that anyone deserves what happened to those at Virginia Tech. May I never be ashamed of God's calling to forgive. And may I take this story to heart, increasing my willingness to offer forgiveness whether it is deserved or not. Because I know I have done nothing to deserve my forgiveness.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

Going here Saturday!!

Childhood Flasbacks

Without a doubt, I inherited my family's bad memory. I kid you not when I say that I have very few specific memories of my childhood (ok, of last month even). One of my friends can remember everything, even her first outfit for kindergarten. Needless to say, this saddens me. So when I decide to do this Memory Meme on a blog (linked at the end), I was afraid of how little I would recall. However, this was so much fun! My heart was warmed by the memories these toys did bring up. Thank you for the small reminder of where I've come from.

Rainbow Brite and her fun sidekicks- there was a time when I thought boys were yucky and all I needed was a good horse to survive. :-)

And of course some furry friends to hold close! (Popples and Pound Puppies fit nicely) Needless to say, the white Popple I had got dirty, often.




A friend and I would color in the Garfield comic books like this one. I promise I rarely defaced books. In fact, I do remember being very upset with my little sister for scribbling inside one book, maybe my Wuzzles book.

Much of my childhood was spent dreaming up stories with Little People and Barbie dolls. I think a good many of these toys were actually my aunts' old toys, but they were a wonderful joy to me. Just looking through some of the pictures on Ebay brightened my day!

I know this Barbie motor home was not bought for me originally and it showed much love in the form of wear and tear by the time I out grew it. It may have been this toy that sparked the beginnings of my love for travel.

What travels are complete without a boat house? This Fisher Price
Little People boat house experienced so many tales from me
and my family. Still makes me long for the lake!


Again with the travel theme, I loved (!) this hotel. In fact, I waded through pages of Ebay pictures to find a pic to post. This Holiday Inn even had a turning doorway like fancy hotels and hospitals!



Speaking of hospitals, this one had a working elevator
(ok, so it was powered by a hand crank- still neat for a child nonetheless.)



So I have always known I am a princess (after all my Father is the King of Kings). But this castle and the PINK dragon firmly planted the idea of Prince Charming and Cinderella in my mind. (Though I do remember loving the pink dragon as much as any prince!)


Ok, so we are down to some of my all-time favorite memories. He-man and She-ra. One of my childhood friends was the son of a close family. I remember loving to go over to play with our action figures. His He-man and my She-ra toys made for a great play date every time.


So maybe when all is said and done, this is more my version of "Cinderella's castle." I do have such fond (though vague) memories of She-ra's castle. So any He-man's out there may apply here.

My Isaiah 40:28-31

How could I forget? How could I not realize? The Everlasting God, my Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding of me, of my situations, of my weaknesses is inscrutable- far too great for me to know. He gives strength when I am weary. He gives me power when I am lacking, when I just cannot go on. Even youths (me and the people I am so tempted to depend on) grow weary and tired, and vigorous people stumble badly.
But (oh, thank you Lord for this small word!) when I wait on the Lord, my strength is renewed. I will mount up with wings like eagles, I will run and not get tired, I will walk and not grow weary. I will survive the times of trials and the desert days.

Meet me here.

Wordless Wednesday

Being Known

"What matters supremely, therefore, is not...the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it- the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the palms of his hands. I am never out of his mind. All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eye is off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care falters.

This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort- the sort of comfort that energizes, be it said, not enervates- in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me.

There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that he sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see (and I am glad!), and that he sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose." from Knowing God

Psalm 139:1-6

O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my every thought when far away.

You chart the path ahead of me

and tell me where to stop and rest.

Every moment you know where I am.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

You both precede and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to know!

Ready?

Wordless Wednesday

Taxes Tuesday

A little humor to ease the pain...




You'd never guess I was psych major from South Carolina, huh?

That I might know you...

Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.

If life be long, I will be glad,
That I may long obey;
If short, yet why should I be sad
To welcome endless day?

I don't know that I've ever heard this hymn by Richard Baxter- it was in Knowing God by Packer, which I've recently begun reading. But that is my prayer today, that like Paul I would desire to know God (Phil. 3:7-10). So much so that nothing else matters. That though I may take up my cross to follow Him, it would never become the decider of my attitude or countenance. I want to know God so fully that I reflect the "joy unspeakable" instead (1 Pet 1:8).

Packer states "those who know their God are sensitive to situations in which God's truth and honor are being directly or tacitly jeopardized." He also plainly challenges our prayers to and praises of God. Daniel demonstrates the prayer of a man who truly knows God. Packer asks if God's "holy majesty, his moral perfection, and his gracious faithfulness keep us humble and dependent, awed and obedient, as it did Daniel?" So today, I am praying that my life and my prayers would show more and more of my desire to know God, greater peace and joy beyond any circumstances and heartaches, increasing energy to pray for God's cause, and further boldness for God's glory to be praised.

Wordless Wednesday

Tumbleweed is to Montana as
Kudzu is to South Carolina.

"What does love mean?"

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 Year-olds. The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow! how insightful)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet- I could learn from her myself)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her Toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8 (I think this is my favorite)

Easter

Easter is almost here. My church's Maundy Thursday service last night included a drama of the 1st Lord's Supper. In the midst of introducing the disciples, "Jesus" comes in and the actors got to really ask Him about how to follow Him in today's society. It was actually a pretty creative way of making the story relevant to today.

I was reminded of two things. One, often I hear people talk about the good old times. We seem to think things were better at some other time in our life or in human history. My mom occasionally talks about how much more freedom she had as a child- going off all day to play in the woods or at various friends homes. Riding bikes all over the neighborhood. When I was little, in the same neighborhood, I got to ride my bike in the driveway. That was it. And I was never allowed to leave the yard (much less roam all day). But I've never really looked at my childhood as wanting for anything. My own heart has however struggled with looking back on my 'flirting with disaster' high school/college years. So I understand this tendency, and try to assure my mother that she did a wonderful job despite a different atmosphere than her own childhood.

The second thing last night's drama it is our constant struggle to be devoted followers of Christ. Often, it seems that the society we live in (including at times even Christ's church) presses farther and farther from God's best for us. What was once forbidden is now not so bad, what was questionable is now on every street corner. Sin has the ability to blind us to its ever-increasing nature. So perhaps there were good old days after all? No, God still calls us and equips us to be his disciples. It seems it's not a matter of strength, but of obedience. Lord, I pray that will not be like the fickle crowds that on Monday cheered your triumphant entry into town only to call for your crucification later that same week. Help me to tap into the power of the resurrection this Easter and follow you as you have called.

Abba, Father

Part of my study this week focused on Jesus being the first to refer to God as “Abba” literally calling him Father or Daddy. This is always a great encouragement to me as the daughter in a nearly estranged relationship with my own father. Regardless of the misconceptions and hurts I may carry as a result of this relationship, I am comforted by the knowledge that God desires to be my perfect father. How humbling to know the God of the universe thinks of me as His precious daughter.

Interestingly, I learned today something about Barabbas, the criminal that the crowds chose to release instead of Jesus. The name Barabbas means “son of the father.” How ironic that he was released and the true Son of God (of our Heavenly Father) was sent to His death. How easily we are lead astray and fooled by false men!

This week, coming upon the greatest event in all of human history, I am both humbled and captivated by God's love for us. Truly- how great is our God! Despite my growing awareness of the depth of my unworthiness, He gently reminds me that I am more cherished and more accepted that I could ever comprehend.

Quotes to Consider...

"Let me tell you what will end those $100 million churches: when some "visitor" to a megachurch, with a big bulky sweater, pushes a button. There is only ONE place left in culture where thousands of people can gather without any security. I can't get megachurch pastors or architects to take this seriously." (Leonard Sweet)

Interesting. I had heard this same prediction by a CUI professor in a Perspectives class a year or two ago. Scary thought, yet it makes sense that this would be a logical course of action. How grateful this makes me for my cell group church! I can only pray this would allow us to survive outside the boundaries of our church building.

"This 'turn the other cheek' business is all well and good but it's not what Jesus fought and died for. What we need to do is take the battle to the Muslim heathens and do unto them before they do unto us." (Jerry Falwell)

I am a little afraid of this thought process. Not entirely sure what he is implying, but it seems to be the opposite of Christ's teachings (In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you- Matt. 7:12). Is not this "turn the other cheek" business exactly part of what He died for as explained in the sermon on the mount (Matt. 5:39)? How does Falwell's attitude differ from Muslims who want to impose their law by force on the western world?

"Don't tell your problems to people: eighty percent don't care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them." (Lou Holtz)

Being a Carolina Girl, I had to laugh at this quote. Further incentive not to gossip and complain, perhaps?

Jimmy Hoffa Found!

Being the visual person that I am, I found this interesting. Try it.

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Imprecatory Psalms?

We are often told that the writings of David demonstrate a transparent relationship with God. We are challenged to pray honestly- that God desires to have that sort of conversation with us. I had therefore almost disregarded some of the Psalms as that type of encouragement and example for us. Psalms like 55, 69, 79, 109. These, I have learned, are Imprecatory Psalms. They involve David calling down the wrath of God against his enemies, that I can sympathize with occasionally. Recently in fact- but that’s another story. Anyway, with more thought I have wondered how these verses are “God-breathed” and how they mesh with our call to love (and forgive) our enemies.

Then I came across this:
“They [these hard sayings] are not statements of personal vendetta, but they are utterances of zeal for the kingdom of God and his glory. To be sure, the attacks which provoked these prayers were not from personal enemies; rather, they were rightfully seen as attacks against God and especially his representatives in the promised line of the Messiah” (Hard Sayings of the Old Testament, Downers Grove, IL, InterVarsity Press, 1988, p. 172).

So I have been reminded that our God is a God of justice, that He abhors evil. Therefore, it stands to reason that David, who is a man after God’s own heart, is not speaking merely out of cruelty towards his enemies for a personal offense. Instead, David seems to be in tune with God’s sense of justice and intolerance of sin. How great is our God! May I be so in tune with Him that my soul resounds with these reactions to the evil that is so prevalent in this world.

A lovely picture of the Christian marriage

I found this quote on a website today and am encouraged by the image it paints. For this God would have me to wait patiently. Despite my past failures and disappointments- or perhaps because of them, I am trusting Him to arrange something better & more pleasing to Him than I could ever imagine.

"How shall we ever be able adequately to describe the happiness of that marriage which the Church arranges, the Sacrifice strengthens, upon which the blessing sets a seal, at which angels are present as witnesses, and to which the Father gives His consent? For not even on earth do children marry properly and legally without their fathers' permission.

How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. They are as brother and sister, both servants of the same Master. Nothing divides them, either in flesh or in spirit. They are, in very truth, two in one flesh; and where there is but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God's church and partake of God's Banquet; side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other's company; they never bring sorrow to each other's hearts." (Tertullian, Ad uxorem)