A Wholehearted Life

What’s in a name?

A whole lot actually!

The definition of wholehearted according to Merriam-Webster is “completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic” and “marked by a complete and earnest commitment, free from all reserve or hesitation”.

Wholehearted is more than just a pretty word or a nice blog name. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a mindset. It’s what God calls us to be.

How are we to be wholehearted? Keep reading to find out.

Boom

The name came to me, as most of my ideas do, while I lay in bed one night trying unsuccessfully to fall asleep. I was wracking my brain to think of a name that encompassed all I desired this blog to be.

I want to encourage and equip girls, specifically teens, in their walk with God.

Okay, but what is the key to that, the overarching theme of what I want to “get across”?

Serving God with your whole heart. Being completely set apart for God to use. Trusting God with all your heart. Keeping your whole life pure. Loving God with your whole heart.

Wholehearted.

Boom, the light went on. That’s how I want to serve God, wholeheartedly.

Trusting

Something God has really been helping me with lately is trusting Him with all my heart. I’m a very organized gal, and I like to have all my ducks in a row. The thing is, life doesn’t always work out that way.

One of my favorite quotes from Pastor Greg Mitchell says, “God most often reveals the destination and not the details.” I have to remind myself of this often when I would rather know all the details and the destination.

Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding.” I have taken this verse to heart and made it my own. I have learned to trust in God and the plan He has for me. I know that no matter what happens in my life, God is in control. I am confident that God’s plan for me is best, and while I don’t know all that the future holds, I know who holds the future.

Serving

Throughout the Bible we are called to live for and serve God with all we are (1 Samuel 12:24, Job 36:11, Deuteronomy 13:4). God wants us to serve Him willingly. He gave us free will so we would choose Him and not the things of this world (Joshua 24:14-15).

He calls us to be set apart from this world, to “be not conformed” (Romans 12:2). As Christians we shouldn’t look like the world, we are supposed to be different, to be a light in the darkness.

My mom is the godliest woman I know, she has lived her life as one who is different from the world. She endured persecution in school, and even in church and still, she has not once wavered. My desire is to, like her, serve God with all my heart. I don’t need to be concerned about what people will think, because, in the long run, their opinion doesn’t matter. I know what God thinks of me and that is enough!

To serve God with all your heart is no easy task, the world is constantly pulling on us from all sides. There are many things that are trying to distract us and make us give ear to them. We have to choose to serve Him and align our lives with His word and His will.

Loving

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37). These are the words of Jesus when he was approached by a lawyer who asked Him what the greatest commandment was. Out of the 613 commandments of the Bible Jesus dubbs this one the most important.

What does it mean to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? In a nutshell, this means loving Him with all that we are, our entire being.

To love God with all your heart means to love Him exclusively, you cannot “share” your heart with God. He wants it all.

To love Him with all your soul requires complete devotion through thick and thin. Your soul speaks of your inner life, your feelings, your desires, and your passions. Your dreams must align with God's will, they need to align with His character.

To love God with all your mind we must choose to love Him. Our thoughts should dwell on Him and in turn our actions should be pleasing to Him.

To love God with all your strength means all our efforts are focused on serving God. We should constantly be striving to do all things for the glory of God.

The journey

I understand that this is no easy task. I certainly do not perfectly serve God with all that I am every day and in everything that I do. However, that is one of my deepest desires. I want my life, and everything I do to point to Him. I want people to look at me and see Him living in me. I want my work to bring glory to His name. And I want to help you to do the same. So welcome to my blog, where I am inviting you to join me on the journey to be Wholehearted.