The Seven Longings Of The Human Heart

God has placed deep longings in the heart of every human being, longings for beauty, greatness, fascination, intimacy, to be enjoyed, to be wholehearted, to make a lasting impact. Many of us have been taught to deny these longings. We've been told they are not of God. But the problem is not the longings--they are given of God and cannot be denied. Problems arise when we attempt to fulfill godly legitimate longings in ungodly, wrong ways.Only God can fulfill the longings He has given us. When we realize that our longings are godly and that God wants to fulfill them, we find freedom and joy. We experience intimacy with God in ways we never thought possible.

“An extraordinary novel . . . a triumph of insight and storytelling.” —Associated Press “A true masterpiece.” —Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from the celebrated number one New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything. Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. Ana's pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome's occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history. Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.

DIVImagine what David felt like to be singled out and given an almost unfathomable spiritual identity…to seen by God as “a man after His own heart.” David's secret is that he was energized by intimacy with God as a student of God's emotions. He encountered the power of God's emotions. It transformed his emotions for God. You can also become a student of God’s emotions and experience being energized by the Holy Spirit to a life of deep obedience and mature love. Invest time in understanding the emotions found in God’s heart for you, and your own heart will experience a glorious awakening./div

DIVAwakened to deeper love for God by a revelation of His passionate love for us./div

A book cannot do what a small group of dedicated friends can do. In your life, a book can close your “knowledge gap,” but only a small group can close your “behavior gap”. A book can change your thinking, but it takes a small group filled with accountability relationships to change your living. God never intended that we should live in isolation. God says it this way, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.— Hebrews 10:24,25 The book details and lays out the way that love-gaps around the seven desires of your heart that can be closed. But getting it done is a bigger goal than what you can individually self-manage. And when it comes to “matters of the Heart,” the risk of being able to successfully apply truth to our everyday life is very high. Especially, since the Bible warns us that our hearts are deceitful.” And of course, satan will do all he can to destroy any progress we make. God, knowing this, purposely put us into the “body of Christ,” called the church, meaning “the called-out ones.” Our Christian growth will accelerate only when we admit that we need other people to hold us accountable, to encourage us forward and model the way. This humble acknowledgement is where we can begin acquiring “Speed of Sanctification.” The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). It is only in a small group’s discussions and prayers where you can accurately define and come to know your own personal heart and you begin to understand how your heart is functioning in these three distinct ways: 1. Emotions - Your heart is the source of what you desire and feel. (Psalm 37:4-5) 2. Thoughts - Your heart influences every thought you think. (Matthew 9:4) 3. Behavior - Your heart guides every action you take. (Matthew 15:19) This twelve-week series of heart-workshops on the Untangling Seven Desires of your Heart will encompass some of the most revealing and penetrating discussions you will ever have. It will be a journey of adventure as you implement new ways of living a love-filled and abundant life. God be with you on your journey to emotional freedom!

DIVThis daily inspirational devotional is created from excerpts of four of Bickle’s best-loved books:/div

The author of the Catholic best-seller, Theology of the Body Explained, examines the vital powers of the body, sexuality and spirituality that compel life pursuits, drawing on lessons from classical and contemporary disciplines including the Christian mystical tradition to challenge beliefs about Christianity's sexual oppressiveness while linking erotic impulses to a spiritual need for God.

Find the better you've been longing for in the pages of God's Word. Lysa TerKeurst and the Proverbs 31 ministry team have come together to write a Bible study that will show you how God's promises fulfill our deepest longings. We know the Bible is a big book and can oftentimes feel overwhelming. Lysa and Proverbs 31 team have created an eight-week study that will help you understand the story of the Bible, from start to finish, along with its amazing promises. In 40 Days Through the Bible: The Answers to Your Deepest Longings, you will: Take a journey through the storyline of the Bible in 40 days so you can see major themes, how they are all connected and what that means for us as we read the Bible today. Discover the eight major things humanity longs for and how Jesus fulfills all of them for us. Stop the endless cycle of seeking and searching for satisfaction and find the answers to your deepest longings. "For the next 40 days, we'll be feasting on the very thing Jesus used to defeat the enemy at the end of His 40 days of fasting: the Word of God." —Lysa TerKeurst