The other day I was shopping with sweet four year old Ellie, pushing the cart in Target, her sitting in that up-front seat.
“Let’s get into some mischief,” I was saying, because that’s what Ellie and I do when we shop. We accomplish exactly nothing but we do get into all manner of delightful mischief. Before I could finish my thought, I heard her gasp. Her tiny hands balled into fists went right to her chest.
“What? What’s wrong Sweetie” I asked stopping right in the middle of the aisle.
“Gigi” she said with her brows wrinkled and her voice hushed, “what happened to your hand?”
I looked down and saw that my band aid had fallen off the rather deep cut on my knuckle. “Oh no! My bandage came off! Sweetie, it’s okay really, I just cut myself yesterday and it looks worse than it is. It doesn’t hurt. It’s okay.” I reached in to give her a hug and when I pulled away Her eyes were full of tears.
“Gigi…” she started, struggling for words. “When someone I love is hurt, it makes me hurt…right here” she clutched her chest.
“Your heart Ellie. When someone you love is hurting, your heart hurts. I feel the same way”
Now both of us had tears, right there in Target, Ellie and I hugged and wiped our eyes and God whispered : “Remember this. We need to talk about it later.”
I tucked it away and for a couple of weeks didn’t think about it.
Last Sunday in church we sang a song called Hosanna, from the moment I left the service I couldn’t get one line of that song out of my head. For two days that one line played over and over and over constantly.
“…break my heart for what breaks yours”
I’m a little slow to hear sometimes, but this morning in my quiet time I found that song online, got on my knees and asked : What are you saying to me Father? As the song ended, that tucked-away memory of Ellie & I at Target spilled out and I heard her sweet voice:“When someone I love hurts it makes me hurt…”
Love is costly…sometimes it hurts.
I thought I heard His whisper.
Reasoning, I whispered back a reply, But I do that Father, my heart hurts …even breaks when someone I love hurts.
But how great is the Father’s love…
I thought of Father God and how much He loves and of how costly it would be if my heart broke over what breaks His.
It’s a costly prayer…break my heart for what breaks yours. But I’m asking.
That prayer is humbling with so many possibilities if I think about it for too long it overwhelms. But it’s one prayer, Sweet Friends, that I’m pretty certain He’ll answer in His way and in His time.
Have you ever prayed a prayer like that?
~I pray that somehow today, you’d get a glimpse of how much you are loved by the Father~
(Here’s the song just in case you’d like to listen)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGJdTpMUcU
What a beautiful post. Your Ellie sounds so sweet!
thank you Julia, Ellie (like so many little ones) is so very in touch with her feelings and emotions. It’s refreshing isn’t it? xoxo
That was so touching to read, what a sweetheart Ellie is; and you too.
Exquisite. Absolutely exquisite. That child is so precious…seems the Lord has already nestled down inside her sweet sensitive heart.
J, she is so sensitive…don’t know where she get it 🙂 xo
Ugh. It’s 6:30 in the morning and I open my inbox to find your post. With coffee in hand, I click on to read and I smile, because a woman I don’t know in a place far away is going to say something beautiful. And you tell a story about a little girl I don’t know, who’s sad her Gigi is hurt, and now I’m bawling. Sometimes a message is perfect in its simplicity.
Blessed be,
Jodi
Jodi, oh you have no idea how encouraging this is to me. I can just picture you there at the computer early this morning…love it. (feel like I’m there with you) xo
Whew! This blessed my heart this morning. Thank you Lord for speaking to my heart through Robin this morning.
Felicia, Thank you Sweetie xo
How precious an experience and the heart and words of children. May we keep a childlike heart that hurts, and rejoices with others. Thanks for sharing this lesson,experience and song with us. May our hearts break and rejoice with all others in the love God has for us. Hosanna!
Tom, Amen…a childlike heart is my prayer too.
Thanks for this post. Bless Ellie’s heart. This made me warm this am. I do think sometimes God gives other the words of our hearts- I don’t write often but love to read and thanks for being the light God has called you to be.
ps- My wall of plates -looks cute-of course I’m sure I will change it up.;)
Exquisite is spot on- oh how this touched my heart- I think had I been there I would have cried with both of you. Such a tender and endearing girl- hugs to both of you!
Vicky, your tender heart would have cried…wouldn’t we have been a site in Target !!!!! xoxoxo
Love this God lesson from your sweet grand girl.
Elizabeth, aren’t those babies just full of God-Lessons!!!?
What a lovely moment between your granddaughter and you….It is truly a blessing to be reassured by the little ones; this just spoke to me so much. I have been going through a very painful period since my mother has been admitted to long term care facility. My heart breaks for her, and your little granddaughter expressed what I feel so simply; thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have been my angel today; God sends me angels to encourage me and let me feel His love at all times, even when in my pain I don’t seem to realize it. May God bless you and your family. Thank you, thank you….
Patricia, Oh honey, I wish I could reach out and give you a hug. thank you for sharing about your sweet mom…praying for her in this part of her journey. sending love
The touch of God is still in this post – days later as I read it – it still ministers. That is what is so special about this post. I personally feel that those who do not know God can experience His love and grace as they read through all your post. Its like a healing balm and I love it. God love that special little angel. He speaks to us throu them sometimes, I do believe – they arent yet old enough to be jaded or bitter, they speak truth, straight from the heart.
Thank you Robin. Again, I am comforted by your blog.
Theresa, I’m so happy that God used what my little Ellie said to minister to you, and I love the way you put it, that children speak truth because they are not jaded or bitter. so true.
love to you my friend xo