Orphan Hearts

Recently, I was talking to someone in ministry and he referenced marginalized women as being among those who often have “orphan hearts”. The thought made me wince with a note of recognition and pain……a heart that feels abandoned and without the nurture needed to feel safe and secure. We were talking about how God draws near to rescue and adopt those with
“orphan hearts.” The following brief post was on Spiritus Monastery’s site and reminded of our conversation:

“You are not alone. You are not orphans. You have not been forgotten.

That stubborn voice inside of you that comforts you, that champions you, that is angry on your behalf, that calls you beloved, that tells you not to give up but to name all that ugly shame a lie—that is your Advocate, your Paraclete…

You have not been orphaned—not by the Spirit, and not by those in whom the Spirit has made a home.

May all of us who feel vulnerable, for one reason or another, be reminded this week that we have an Advocate and Comforter, and that sometimes the hardest, most liberating thing to do is to listen, to obey, and to actually believe (the Spirit) is in our corner.”
-Rachel Held Evans AMEN!