Articles & Posts
What is your recovery plan?
If you’ve ever had to care for your body through some sort of recovery, you know how beautiful and vulnerable these vessels are. I’ve been through physical therapy a number of times over the years as various injuries have required, and every time I am struck by the created order God wove into the world––how we must pay loving attention to our care and recovery and not just ignore the signs when care is needed. When I accept the recovery process, and follow it through, I’m always grateful. When I ignore it, or drop it prematurely, I always regret it and have to start over. The same is true of your heart and soul. There are periods when they need intentional care, too. We are now emerging, in some places sooner than others, from a year of global trauma. Your soul needs some tending to. And to be clear, it has been trauma. To be robbed of your normal routine for months upon months; to be kept in a state of uncertainty; to face serial disappointments large and small; to be bombarded by bad news; to face death; and never clear on when the finish line would appear. May I point out that this is exactly what is done to prisoners under interrogation, when their captors want to break them down?! The past twelve months have been rough on our humanity. Now is the time to begin planning for your recovery. Because you are now, or soon will be entering, the phase of rehab and recovery. Oh yes––there will be joy in simply going out to dinner, watching your kids play sports, seeing your family face-to-face, going to church, ball games, concerts. It will be lovely. May all those things come to you by summer! But simply getting a hot dog at a baseball game, or going to a movie is not sufficient to address the trauma you have been through. So what I’m recommending is that you begin to map out for yourself a “rehab and recovery plan” for your soul. For example, most of us have done a pretty good job of “rallying” over the past year, and congratulations for it. Well done, everyone! Good job! But rallying for months and months required tapping deeply into our reserves, and they are tapped out. Don’t think so? Feel like that’s just for others? How would you feel if I told you another pandemic is coming next month, and we are starting all over? I bet the very thought of it takes you to the brink. There’s not a lot left in the reserve tank. Now, in order to replenish your reserves, you need a period of time where more is coming “in” than is going “out.” That’s the simple math. You can’t replenish your reserves if you are still spending 100% or more in your weekly output. This is why, for most people, vacations are so wonderful. We downshift; we go get some joy; we let go of most demands in order to drink in beauty, fun, rest. We find ourselves doing better, feeling better, because we are receiving more than we are burning. I hope you’ll give some careful thought as to how you’ll be spending your vacation time this year. It’s an important part of your recovery plan. But it’s only a part, dear friends. One or two weeks off is not going to address the harm your soul has been through over the course of an entire, unprecedented year of global tension, lockdown, and loss. So you need a recovery plan. And I think it will be a wonderful exercise for you to get some time with Jesus over the course of the next few weeks to allow him to talk to you about your plan. For example: one of the genuine disappointments Stasi and I suffered last year was losing an overseas trip we had been looking forward to for five months. Naturally, as it began to look like travel might be an option for the second half of 2021, we thought we should reboot that trip. But as I prayed and thought and listened to Jesus, I came to the realization that international travel, however much we love it, is not what our souls need this summer. We need simple rest; working in the garden; sunsets on the deck; picnics and swimming––things that are close at hand and don’t require major effort to get to the joyful parts. More coming in than is going out. My sons call it the “Cost to Joy Ratio.” Every outing, adventure, party, vacation, and undertaking has a cost to it. The question you want to ask is this: Does the joy that the event brings you outweigh the cost it requires to make it happen? Is more coming in than is going out? (If you need a vacation to recover from your vacation, you’ve got the cost/joy ratio all wrong!) This is important to consider anytime, but essential to think through in a year like this when we are all recovering from global trauma and need to take our recovery plan seriously. So here’s what you do: Give yourself several opportunities in the next few weeks to sit down with a pad of paper and just noodle on the idea of a recovery plan. You know yourself––what would you recommend if you were counseling you over a three month recovery plan for your soul? How would you arrange for periods where more is coming in than is going out? As you do this, invite Jesus in; let him speak. Ask him what he recommends. What he says often surprises me (like “don’t travel yet”), but always makes sense in the end. As your plan takes shape, write it down and post it somewhere you’ll see it often. If you are living with your spouse and/or family, let them in on the plan. Talk about it openly, so you can help one another in good decision making. More coming in than is going out; more joy from the effort than the cost of making it happen. Offered in love, John Download the Wild at Heart April 2021 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
A Wonder
My son became a father six years ago. The night that he and his wife, my beloved daughter in law, broke the news to us that they were expecting a child will go down in history as one of the most exquisite of my life. The tsunami of grief that swept over them when they later lost their precious son by a mysterious miscarriage overwhelmed me as it rushed to shore. I watched them walk in it and through it. I witnessed them grieve from the very depths of their being - a primal grief, a connection to all of life and to all of death through all of time. Step by painful step, the high water imperceptibly receded. Slowly, I watched as they healed – as much as one can heal on this side; embracing the reality of their loss, allowing it to profoundly change them, weaving their son forever into the fabric of their shared story, the very fiber of their souls, loving him until that cherished moment when they will embrace for the first time and daring to choose life over and over and over and over again. Then their little girl came along. Wonder of wonders. She leaves me speechless - that light of glory. Then their first son on this side. Joy beyond telling. Fireworks in my heart. And three weeks ago, born in my son’s childhood bedroom, came their next son. I was there as an honored witness as that trailing flame of heaven made his entrance. But for now, I want to try to answer the question my daughter asked me. “What is it like seeing your son become a father?” I should have an answer at the ready - my second son has two children as well – and a daughter in heaven too. Oh, the exquisite joy of loving. Oh, the immeasurable agony of loss. But what is it like to see my children have children? It is a difficult question to answer. It is something out of time, out of language, out of the realm of a quick response. It is a wonder. It is holy. It is how it is meant to be. It is, strangely enough, not strange at all. It is something out of earth and water, mud and fire, breath and time. It combines the surety of the sunrise with the beauty of the sunset, the inevitability of mourning with the defiance of dancing. It is the culmination of joy laced with eternity. It is the exhale after a long-held breath. It is the beauty of sunlight on water after a tempest. It is the first warm air of a spring morning following a long winter. It is the daring embodiment of hope. It. Is. Glorious. Yesterday was my son’s birthday. In the midst of a messy, challenging, chaotic and beautiful day, he gave his four-year-old daughter a pedicure. She asked him to take a picture of her lovely toes afterwards and send it to me. He did a marvelous job. He had first bathed her feet and then with brushstrokes of love, he spoke volumes to her little heart that she is a treasure beyond worth. Worth time. Worth effort. Worth affection. Worth seeing. Worth attending. Worth bowing down low to and washing her feet. It reminds me of Someone else. And in that precious and somewhat normal act is found all the wonder of the world. To see my son love, unabashedly love, sacrificially love, love in a way that exceeds thought or the millisecond of choice, fills me with awe and worship. My Faithful God has done this. My Jesus bears love, and he bore it in me, and it is borne in my son and it bears life through his. It is Tov. It is Good. It is a good that bears life unto life unto life. It is the glory of the King. It is the wonder of world. What is it like to see my children have children? You have my answer.
Stasi Eldredge
Homecoming '21 and new Experiences
IF YOU ARE READING THIS BEFORE MARCH 6 you still have time to join us for Fresh Hearts, Strong Hearts—Homecoming ‘21, a live online event. 2020 left us all a bit weary and beat up. Maybe more than a bit weary. We thought it was time for some renewal and refreshment in our hearts! Stasi and I invite you to join us for a 90 minute online live event which I think will feel sort of like a "soul spa." Jesus has been showing us some amazing new ways to tap into the resources of heaven, for the recovery and strengthening of our hearts and souls. We want to share them with you, so that wherever you are—in quarantine or not—you can defy the draining world and live with a fresh wind in your sails! Our first Homecoming, back in 2019, was so good; we think this one will be even better! Homecoming '21 is a live online event, March 6, 1:00pm Mountain Time. To register come to our homepage www.wildatheart.org (you do need to register to get the link). $15 gets you a “household ticket” that anyone in your home can use to join in. (And yes—at some point this will probably get posted online in the aftermath. But not for a while, so please join us live if you can!) Recovering Heart Speaking of how draining this whole stressed-out world has been, I’m also very excited to announce a brand new offering from Wild at Heart for women, and another for men… Back in January, we were reflecting on the podcast about the unique challenges of the last twelve months for the hearts of women, and the hearts of men. We know it’s been rough, but I don't think we’ve been able to put words to exactly how it’s been rough in unique ways for women, and for men. To give a few examples… Women thrive in relationships, but the pandemic made the whole terrain of relationships very hard to navigate. First off, women felt cut off; they simply couldn't get together for coffee or at church or in their small groups, all those daily/weekly rhythm-of-life ways. (Online was a band-aid, but online is just not the same as being face-to-face). To make matters more complicated, it was hard to know what was “right” and “wrong,” who wanted to social distance, who felt strongly about masks...all that. The rich, life-giving relational world of women was made very hard, and women suffered. They are still suffering. For men, we need to know we can make a difference when things get hard. Men want to feel powerful, effective; we want to come through. But in the pandemic, we were simply told to go home and do...nothing. It was frustrating, emasculating; you saw a lot of anger in men. We could feel there was a battle to be fought, we just didn’t know what the battle was exactly or how to fight. The hearts of men took a real beating over the last year. And these are just two examples among many. This is why I am really, really grateful we can announce to you two new programs we are offering called The Wild at Heart Experience and The Captivating Experience. Last year we created two new film series, one each for men and women—gorgeous, deep, six-part series guiding women and men through the recovery of their hearts. Using those series as the centerpiece, we’ve created a six-week “experience” that you can partake of for free, online. Come and sign up, and you will receive one episode each week of the new film series, together with a reading, scriptures, questions for reflection, and a special podcast that goes with each week’s journey. You can partake of the “Experiences” simply by coming to www.wildatheart.org/wildatheart or www.wildatheart.org/captivating; or just visit our homepage www.wildatheart.org. There are many ways to find renewal in your feminine or masculine heart; you can join the “Experience,” or, you can lead a group through the series, or join a group. We feel this vital offering is right on time, to help us get our hearts back as men and women in a season where we really need refreshing and new strength. So there you are friends—two offerings from our hearts to yours this month. Homecoming ‘21 on March 6, and the new Wild at Heart Experience and Captivating Experience available on our website anytime starting March 8! Let’s get some revitalization for the months ahead! John Download the Wild at Heart February/March newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Growing Up
Growing up is a process. It doesn’t end when one’s childhood closes, those tender formative years. I’m sixty-one years old as I write, and I continue to grow into a woman; the woman God meant when he meant me. This morning I saw a cardinal. Its bright ruby red form landed on a tree before me and I gasped aloud at its beauty. I was instantly taken back to my childhood remembering a moment when I was standing by a window next to my mother as together we watched a cardinal land on a tree. It was a white winter world, and the beauty of its deep hue was a stark and lovely contrast to the snow-covered landscape. My memory engaged and lifted me back to other sweet moments of my childhood. The blue and white winter jacket that I loved. The fragrance of the Kansas air. The rolling thunder of the wild and dark cloud filled sky. The feel of the spring wind. Walking to school up the broken cement sidewalk from my house to the top of the hill where my elementary school was. Sequoia Elementary. Tomahawk Road. Tornado warnings. Those fabulous bright teal pants with the big bold yellow flowers. The smell the autumn leaves released when I stomped through them. The wonder I sometimes felt. The loneliness I felt as well. The tears came. So did the thankfulness. And so did the invitation of Jesus to welcome that young girl back into my heart. I need her wonder. I need her freedom. I need her delight in the simple beauty of nature. I need her to come home to my heart where Jesus dwells. Other memories flooded my mind. Sweet memories of my father. Tender memories. My father died when I was 23 years old from cancer. Our relationship by then was loving, encouraging, healed from the anger of my younger years. He blessed and accepted who I was; even my faith as I departed from the Catholic church that was so dear to him. My father loved me. In my later years, I had questioned that. In my 30’s God invited me to take a closer look at my life as a child and a teenager. As I said “yes”, he pulled back the curtain to reveal truths I had covered up. Loneliness. Pain. Uncertainty. Fear. Loss. My parents were far from perfect and I needed to face that truth and the damage done to my soul. I did. I became very angry. And then, I forgave them. In the years since, God has been revealing my story to me in various hues and colors, replacing the black and white naming of “good” and “bad”. With each passing year, I begin to see more clearly. You see, love does cover a multitude of sins and the truth is, I was deeply loved. I was deeply loved by hurting parents to the best of their capacity to love. Was it enough? Often, no. Was it enough in the end? Yes. The lack, the pain, the sorrow drove me to dark places but ultimately, by the mercy of God, it drove me to Jesus. And now, I am reclaiming the joys of my childhood as God reframes the story of my life to embrace the goodness while I grieve the losses. Not everyone has a story like mine – mine that holds so much goodness in my childhood. But I believe everyone has a story of God’s pursuit of their hearts and holds hidden treasure and beauty that he’d like to reveal. I am growing older but I am also growing up – embracing all of me, even the young parts. So yes, I am growing older, but I am growing younger too.
Stasi Eldredge
Be On Your Guard
I’ll cut straight to it; I have a word from God for you: Be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down...pray that you will have strength to escape all these things. (Luke 21:34) Jesus was warning us about the many intense pressures faced by those called to live through the climax of this age. A word of caution and encouragement we could all use right now. Good heavens, we’ve just passed through 2020, a year of global trauma. Without a pause to catch our breath and heal, 2021 gets off to a troubled start. New Covid variants, forcing new lockdowns in many places. The American political scene. Lord knows what else (newsletters are slow, but change comes fast; much may have transpired since I wrote this January 13th). The pressures of this hour are extraordinary. Meaning, way beyond our ordinary. None of us have ever lived through a global pandemic, and all the heartache of 2020. As if that weren’t enough, then came the intense political clashes in the US (but not only in the US). Simply navigating what to say, what not to say, and where to get reliable information adds pressure, confusion and alarm upon our already beleaguered souls. Our enemy, seizing the opportunity, jumped on our vulnerable hearts with Fear, Hopelessness, and a host of other things. It’s taken a toll; it is still taking a toll. Therapists will tell you that putting words to things helps to undo the emotional power and harm of events. That’s partly what I’m trying to do here. But what I really want to get to is the rescue Jesus gave us in Luke 21. I’m very concerned for people, including the people of God. So I turned in January to the scriptures for counsel, and that’s when I found myself pouring over and studying Jesus’ words of instruction for an hour like this one. He did say that as things begin to race towards a climax, it would be very hard on the soul: “But be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap; for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. But stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36) O friends, there is such compassion and understanding here; there is also wisdom and instruction for our “escape!” We all feel the “weighed down.” (When was the last time you had days of feeling lighthearted (lighthearted is one word - not two)?) The Greek word for “weighed down” is Bareo, which means “to burden, weigh down, depress.” Yep. I’ve been right there. Burdened by the “worries of life,” which we have more than enough coming at us. There is a truckload of depression out there, along with fear and hopelessness. We are hard-pressed on every side, and our hearts are being weighed down. The good news is, if Jesus warned us about it, then he believed there was a way out. “Weighed down” does not have to be our fate; it is not inevitable. Really. Jesus tells us to ask for strength. The Greek is Katischuo and it means, “to be strong to another's detriment, to prevail against; to be superior in strength; to overcome; to prevail.” It implies a fight, an enemy we can and will prevail over. The only other time the word is used in the New Testament is in Matthew, where Jesus promises that the forces of hell will not “prevail against,” or “overcome” his church: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18) This is no coincidence, that Katischuo is used only in these two verses. The powers of hell are trying to crush the human heart, especially the hearts of Jesus’ followers. The strength God urges us to ask for is a combative strength, a strength to win the fight, to overcome. Which is exactly what we need right now. We need strength of heart, strength of mind, strength of spirit. A strength that prevails against all these forces we see around us. And, Jesus says there is a means of escape. Wouldn't you love an escape from all the madness? Okay then––here is the plan: 1. Be on your very best guard, knowing that all this madness is designed to weigh your heart down. It doesn’t have to win. Do not fixate on the “worries of life,” yours or the world’s. Do not turn to alcohol or anything else that “dissipates” your heart. 2. Stay alert, praying often (I suggest daily) for “the strength that prevails,” so that you may escape the intensity of the hour. We can’t do it in ourselves; we need a source of inner strength. God offers it, so ask, ask ask! We can do this together, friends. With Jesus. And one another. Love, John Download the Wild at Heart January 2021 newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Waiting in the Desert
“I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.” (Hosea 2:14) God leads all his people into the desert at one time or another. Why? Is it to bring harm or to bring rich goodness? Cherished ones of the Father, we can trust Him. It is to bring goodness. Though it may take a while for us to see it. Moses spent 40 years in the desert before God raised him up to lead Israel out of Egypt. As soon as God delivered Israel from bondage, He took them into the desert for another 40 before entering the Promised Land. David did a lot of desert time hiding out from Saul before God made him king. And the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert after His baptism for 40 days. It wasn’t just men out there in the wasteland… After Eve, the first woman mentioned by name in the Bible is Sarai, whose name means Princess, noblewoman. In modern Hebrew, it means woman minister. She too was a woman who lived in the desert, wandering for the better part of her life, never settling down or having a home. In fact, the only permanent address she owned was her burial place. Sarah wandered the desert. Hannah wandered the barren terrain of her womb and her heart. Naomi lived in desolation and loss. Elizabeth was beyond hope, and Mary was to bear the hope of the nations in a life filled with the impossible that led her to spend many years in the desert. And they all encountered the living God. The desert for them led to a place of great fruitfulness. Sarah had Isaac. Hannah had Samuel. Naomi had Obed through Ruth. Elizabeth had John. Mary had the Son of God—all in the midst of crying out for the promise of God’s coming. They had to wait long for it. And they were crafted and honed and shaped in the waiting. But after a time—for some, a lifetime—they saw the completion of their desire to be fruitful. We sometimes feel that we are in the waiting room of our lives. Maybe you are there now. There are times when we do not see the promise of any kind of fruitfulness or goodness being fulfilled. Not yet. We are not married. We don’t have children. Our health isn’t what it was. We are lonely. The business failed. The partnership ended. Our future is uncertain. The life we had been dreaming of may have fallen down around our ears. The promises we believed were ours are becoming dim in our hearts. Add COVID to the mix, and we must acknowledge that we’ve all been living in a waiting period of uncertainty with, very probably, some level of anxiety. Now what? Now we are like Abraham and Sarah wandering in the desert. We are like Jacob wondering where his head will fall. We are the women and the men who preceded us in the Scriptures who sometimes got lost and to the end of themselves in the waiting period. We are joined with the great company of saints who have gone before us clinging to the God of Love while their eyes had yet to see His coming. We now are the ones who have not seen but still believe. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who haven’t seen me, yet believe.” (John 20:29) We too are being honed and shaped. Chiseled and carved. We are being tested and tried and too often feel that we are found wanting. And in all of it, we are clinging to God—calling out to Him in our dry places, from our places of lack where we thirst. Friends, even when we no longer have the strength to cling to God, HE IS CLINGING TO US. Because God is faithful. He has not abandoned us. He promises that he never will. “I will never leave you or forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) He is with us. He promises that he is always with us. “Behold I will be with you always until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) He is moving. He promises that he is ALWAYS moving for our good. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The truth is, God uses desert experiences for our great good. We will encounter Him there. He will find us even if we feel at times, quite lost. We thirst. He promises to quench it—with His very Person, with Living Water. Because in all of it, ultimately, we are waiting for Jesus, the Son of God who came and is coming again. In this season of Advent, when we are waiting for so very much, let us turn our gaze and the longings of our heart to the one safe place for them to land. Our hope is in Christ. Our hope is in the faithfulness of His unchanging character. Our hope is in all the promises He has ever proclaimed that culminate in His victorious return. Faithful God, revive our hope as we wait. Reveal Your love to us more deeply particularly in our dry places. Even so, Lord Jesus, come.
Stasi Eldredge
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,JohnDownload the Wild at Heart October 2020 Newsletter here.
John Eldredge
Stepping Away
I’ve come away for a respite. Just a day. Just a little distance. I’m finding it hard to unplug. Had I stayed home, though, I would have found it near impossible. There is the stack of bills that need tending. There are the dirty clothes that need washing. There’s the pile of them on the couch that need folding and putting away. Do you see how much dust is on the table? You haven’t returned that phone call yet. Made that appointment. Talked to that friend. Called your mom. She would love a call. Yes. Good idea. I wonder what the kids are up to today. Boy, do the dogs need a walk. And that’s just the beginning. So, I’ve come away. It gives me space for my mind to still and my soul to rise. I know my soul longs to be heard yet honestly it is taking a while for it to show up; some time for me to hear it, to tune in. In the waiting, I bless it. It’s been a rough season for us all. You don’t need the list. I’m pretty sure that all our souls need a little tending, need to be saturated in mercy, saturated in the tender love of God. So, I take a deep breath and look around me at the beauty that surrounds. The wind is gently blowing the branches and the few leaves that stubbornly refuse to let go. I feel the breeze as it caresses my face and imagine it is my Father gently surrounding me with His love, His assurance, His promise that all will be well; His promise that it already is. I’ve stepped away in order to step into, to step up. I’ve come away to shift my gaze from both the ordinary and complex demands of my life and onto the deepest, truest reality that God is. The great I Am is welcoming and powerful and kind and stunningly beautiful and involved and moving and more loving and holy than my mind and heart can comprehend. But I believe it. I believe in His goodness. I know He is here. I know He cares for my life, for my soul and I know He cares for yours. So, I sink in. Today doesn’t have to be amazing. He is amazing. And I will rest in that. Maybe tears will come. Maybe. But God has already come for me, for us all and my soul can nestle into that.
Stasi Eldredge
You're Not Alone
“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.” (Song of Solomon 8:6) Love is not as strong as death. Jesus Christ has proven that love is STRONGER than death. His life overcame the grave. He is the victorious risen Lord. Life has triumphed. Love has won. And the enemy is furious about it. Vengeful. Hate filled. The enemy of your soul is a jealous entity. And since he cannot harm the King of Heaven, he targets those most precious to Him. You. The enemy targets you. A friend of mine is struggling with suicidal thoughts. They are cruel, taunting and seem to have a life all their own; a life of proclaiming death. He is battling them fiercely, and wisely, not battling them by himself. He has sought counsel, prayer and the linked arms of allies to fight the diabolical one who longs to destroy him. Looking at this man and the power and glory of his life, you would never dream that this is a battle he would be fighting. You would wonder, “Why in the world?”. Yet, he is not alone in fighting this kind of assault. Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for men in the world. And certainly women are targeted as well. The devil is cruel, unrelenting, savage and rules a kingdom of death. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Devour as in shred, maul, destroy. In the wild, a lion will stalk its prey up to two weeks before attacking. It is studying its habits – looking for weaknesses, searching out vulnerabilities so it will know when best to strike. Do you ever feel that you are being hunted? Kicked when you are down? Me too. God urges us to stand firm. He promises that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. Meaning that if we will hold our ground – holding up the truth against his lies – that we are loved, that we are chosen, that we are children of God, that we are set apart with a holy calling, that we are not alone, that we are needed and valuable and strong – he will flee. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 Friends, submit to God. Worship Him. Exalt Him. Align yourself with Jesus. Proclaim Him your Savior and your Lord. Invoke His presence. Dive into Union with Him. Agree with the Truth of who He says you are. Pray. Seek out the more. Hold on. And know that… He is holding on to you. He crafted you intentionally. With a purpose in mind. First as His beloved – to know Him, experience Him, enjoy Him. Then…in a unique blend between the two of you, to bring His kingdom to bear on a hurting world in your sphere of influence with your specific gifting. You are here – now – because you are needed. You are powerful. You are the incarnation of the Living God. You bring the Kingdom of God wherever you go. You are loved and pursued and wanted and seen and delighted in by the One who knows you best and loves you most and wants to win all of you to Himself. To heal you. To restore you. To bless you. To live life with you. And you are hated. By one who would like to steal, kill and destroy your life because he knows who you are and what you can accomplish in Christ. If you’re feeling hunted, you’re not wrong. If you’re feeling vulnerable to negative thoughts when you are hurting or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. There is not something wrong with you. You are being targeted because there is something RIGHT with you. STAND FIRM. HOLD FAST. HANG ON. BREATHE. Invite Jesus into this very space and this very moment and receive His life and His love more deeply into your soul and then TRUST HIM. And ASK FOR HELP. When we are at our lowest, it is extremely hard to reach out and speak the truth that we are sinking; to say out loud that we need help. Sometimes just voicing our pain will relieve a part of it. We are not meant to walk through life without allies. We will not last long on this journey if we continue in a solitary fashion for too long. Yes, we need “alone” times. But we need the company of others to draw strength from when we need it and to offer it to others when we can. If you are struggling, speak out. Call a friend. Call a trusted pastor, counselor, a hotline, someone. YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. Jesus thinks so. So do I.
Stasi Eldredge
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.
John Eldredge
Superior
People like the better things. I admit, some things are better than others. There are donuts and then there are donuts. There are shoes and then there are shoes. Some items are made out of higher quality ingredients. They tend to be better. You may even call them superior. But what about people? I recently had a conversation with a really good man who is a solid believer. In the conversation, however, he felt the need to mention that Adam was created by God prior to Eve about six times. Yes, he was right. This is true. Adam was created first and then God said, “It isn’t good for man to be alone.” Something was needed. Someone was needed. Woman was needed. Eve. The Helper Completer. The one who made all of creation named GOOD. The one who Adam would need in order to save his life. The one man would need in order to have their lives saved. Remember, the mandate to have a fierce mastery over the earth was given in Genesis to both Adam and Eve together. It’s going to take both of them. In order for the Kingdom of God to advance as it is meant to advance, it’s going to take all of the church working together. Not half of it. The feminine half is needed. Yes and Amen. What I sensed after my conversation with this man, who I really enjoyed by the way, was that underneath his particular stressing that man was created first was the belief that men are therefore superior to women. Superior to women. And hasn’t that been strewn into religions and cultures from time immemorial? IT ISN’T TRUE. (Boy, does the rampant nature of that thought make me mad. Yes, it’s okay to be mad at unrighteousness.) Women have been told that they are inferior to men throughout history, and this message remains woven throughout our culture in both blatant and subtle ways. It’s not a message from our Jesus—who elevated women powerfully and continues to do so—it is a message from the pit of Hell designed to keep women from offering their powerful and passionate hearts and lives as they are created to do. Women readers, mercy to you right now. Is there a place you would like to be offering that you have yet had the courage to do? Is there something you are passionate about that you have yet begun to step into? Do you know that you are designed to play an irreplaceable role in the world you inhabit in order to bring Jesus? The Kingdom of God needs you. Offering your unique gifting is superior to hiding it out of fear or intimidation. Coming alive to the reality that you are the Beloved of Christ—a channel of his very being—is superior to not knowing his love and presence in your life as he so desires. Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city.... Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion. (Isaiah 52) Realizing that there are subtle ways both men and women diminish the roles that women play, are meant to play, and instead choosing to encourage them is superior to thoughtlessly agreeing with the enemy and somehow thinking women are inferior to men. I am blessed to live in the company of good men and women who recognize the essential role that women play in every dimension of life. The hidden places and the seen places. The behind the scene places and the up-front places. The places that go mostly unnoticed and the places that are applauded. It all matters, friends. And God sees it all and champions your heart. Let’s champion one another’s as well. That is the superior way.
Stasi Eldredge
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.
John Eldredge
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.
John Eldredge
Lessons From a Fat Life
If you are a judgmental person, then please stop reading immediately. This is not for you. If you are reading so that you can feel better about your “Self” – your own less large failures – by comparing them to mine, then you can let this pass as well. But if you are in need of mercy, compassion – maybe even some understanding – then greetings to you. Read on. The thing is, we all have struggles. We all live with areas where we are failing, and we all know what it is like to have places where we are not yet walking in the fullness of the victory Jesus has won for us. Our struggles may look different from one another on the outside, but if we were able to peer within the angst of a person’s soul awake in the middle of the night, tossing and turning with grief and self-blame, we would recognize the similarities. I have my share of struggles. I have more than my share of victories. I am well acquainted with failure and I am bathed in measureless grace. Yet, the grip food has had on me remains the defining battle of my adult life. I get free. I think I’m done. It comes back. It has caused me tidal waves of embarrassment and swept me away in shame. It has led me to dig deep in order to stand against the screaming accusation that as I am failing here – in such a key area – I am disqualified as a lover of God, a teacher of his goodness, a woman meant to draw others to his heart. It is simply NOT TRUE. Not for me. Not for you. No one chooses to carry excessive weight. No one signs up to have an obsession with and an addiction to food. No one stands in line to bear humiliation and to feel disqualified from the life they had hoped to live. Shame, self-loathing, and self-hatred are wicked stepsisters releasing the fumes of hell. They are aligned with the enemy’s sulphuric breath. They are familiar partners with every addiction. They make up the links of unyielding chains. They are LIARS unseated by the Blood of Jesus. Here’s something to consider…maybe your addiction, maybe mine, is not actually our fault. Maybe the reason for it does not lie in some massive lack of self-control and failure as a human being. Perhaps it is not related to the people in your life. Maybe your husband has nothing to do with it. Maybe your lack of one is completely unrelated. Maybe your children are innocent bystanders. Maybe you are. Mercy. If you are struggling now, what if the unseen enemy has targeted you from the very beginning because he knows what your destiny is and he has unleashed every weapon in his arsenal to keep you from living in it and from it. What if he so fears you that he has tried to bind you in agony to keep you home – keep you silent – keep you from offering what you possess and see and love. What if you are more glorious than you even dreamed? What if it’s true that though man looks at the outward appearance, God does look at the heart and when he looks at you - you take his breath away? What if what has been forged in you through this fiery, painful ordeal is more priceless than gold? Because even now as you read, you are glancing Jesus’ way yet again for hope, for change, for freedom, for strength, for love, for faith, for mercy, for one more day - and in so doing, you are conquering his heart. Go ahead and ask him. He speaks “YES” over you. The answer is “Yes”. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. And it begins on the inside. It begins with a rejection of self-hatred and an embracing of self-love, which is simply agreeing with how Heaven feels about you. Until we agree with what Heaven knows about us to be true, our lives will not go or flow or flourish as they are meant to. We know from the Word of God that his mercies are new every morning. They never run out. He is not tired of us coming to him again. And again. And oh yeah, again. He looks at us with compassion. He understands our struggles and why we have them and the truth that THEY DO NOT DEFINE US. Only Jesus does that, beloved. Only Jesus. You are your Father’s child. You are the beloved of God. You are the chosen and holy one who has been bought with the precious blood of Jesus and you belong to him. Your future is assured. Your destiny is stunning. One day you and I will run in a depth of freedom not known since the Garden and we will look like, and be, who we truly are. Even now, he says we are beautiful. He is not disappointed. He is not ashamed. He beckons us again to come close. To forgive him for not freeing us with a snap of his fingers but in some mysterious reckoning of eternity allowing this struggle to continue. Maybe this is one of the ways that we are sharing in the sufferings of Christ Jesus. Maybe. For a little while. And the way that our addictions have harmed the ones we love? Oh God, we plead your mercy. We ask for their forgiveness. And may what they have suffered be added to the account making up the balance for all our Jesus endured. Because freedom is our birthright. Again I tell you, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Free from Self-Hatred. Free from Shame. Free from Condemnation. Free from Accusation. Free from Judgment. Free from Sin. I don’t want to be fat forever. Not on this side. I don’t believe I will be because I am discovering the assignments and strongholds the enemy has made and claimed and I am breaking then, rejecting them, and cutting them off in the mighty Name of our King. Satan has lost. He has lost me. And fat or normal weighted, I am the beloved of Christ and so are you. Press on. Press in. You are invited and welcomed into the arms of your Father.
Stasi Eldredge
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.
John Eldredge
Embracing the Gray
Like many women my age, the COVID 19 pandemic has exposed not only false comforters in my life and heart, but the roots of my hair. Unearthing the roots of unhealthy patterns in my life for the purposes of healing and freedom is a most welcome move of God. The revealing of my expansive gray previously hidden underneath the skill of a marvelous beauty salon technician is another matter. I’m 60 years old. Am I ready to be gray? I always imagined myself as an older woman with long gray hair ignoring my mother’s exhortations to cut it once I turned 45. But that is years away, isn’t it? Last week, I had the privilege of laying on the bed with my daughter (in-law) who had given birth the day before to her and my son’s first son. We had all quarantined in such a way so that my husband and I could be there, be helpful, offer care for them and our other precious granddaughter. Anyway, there we were lying on the bed and she lifted up her nightgown exposing her motherly belly and began to speak aloud blessings to her body. “I bless you my organs as you shift back into place.” “I bless you my stretch marks.” “I bless you my post-partum body.” She went on. It was powerful. It was stunning. It was needed. And it IS rare. Her body had carried, then labored and delivered an 8 pound human being! How miraculous! What a wonder! It now is entering the recovery stage. It won’t be the same body she knew prior to becoming pregnant with her son regardless of what tabloid articles suggest. I bless her and I bless God that she both knows that and embraces it. Embracing the move of God in her body as it changes and functions and matures is a beautiful thing. Embracing the move of God in any part of our lives is a beautiful thing. He moves within us and around us. He moves for us and through us. The more we say “Yes’ to his moves and cooperate with him – the more beautiful we are. There are areas in my life that I feel his invitation to say “Yes” to that aren’t easy yet my heart’s deepest desire it to follow him wherever he leads. He is faithful and he is worthy of my trust. He has my ultimate “Yes” over my life. I don’t feel though, that he is overly concerned with the color of my hair. He wants me to like it - to feel good about it regardless of what color I choose it to be. But here and now, I am learning from my daughter and I am blessing my changing and aging body and the shifting shade of my hair. The old has gone, the new has come! I am 60 years old. I have long gray hair. I bless it.
Stasi Eldredge