Fertile Heart

Fertile-	capable of producing offspring, having nutrients for sustaining abundant growth, highly productive, rich, abundant, capable of fertile ground lets things grow.
	When I first became a Christian my main prayer was for God to give me a fertile heart. Over the years my family's dysfunction, my own bad choices, other hurts and painful experiences all had taken its toll on my heart. It had become hardened. I built a fortress. Brick by brick I put up thick walls of protection that were not easily penetrable. I was determined to keep all the pain and bad things out that could hurt me, at whatever the cost. I became very proud of how guarded my heart had come.         The problem with a heart that is so hidden and hell bent on keeping things out is there is no way to let anything in, even the good stuff. God had pierced a whole through my fortress but I knew that my heart was still full of many weeds, thorns, and prickly bushes that could strangle out the new offshoots of God's truth, love, compassion, mercy, or grace that were trying to spring up. There wasn't a great foundation or fertile soil when this process began.       "Kimberley, if you love me let me inside to fill your heart with my love, my light, my son. It won't be easy. Some of those bricks which have been there a long time are entrenched, cemented in. They will not be removed without total faith in me. Many of those weeds have really long roots that have choked out healthy feelings. Some of those thorns will prick you and bleed again when you try to get rid of them. Many will keep growing back unless you keep your heart fertile with my word. But trust me, it will be worth it!"         Really God??? Because that sounds like a lot of work. What have I learned about this process in the past 16 years? I have learned that what goes into your mind and heart comes out of your mouth. I have learned that God will put some seemingly unlovable people in your path to see just how strongly you are rooted in him. I have learned that a healthy fertile heart feels deeply especially other people's pain. But most of all, I have learned that God is faithful. He continues to show up if I am willing to keep up the gardening in my heart! "But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:23