“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove

the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

The word transplant filled the room as my daughter lay in her hospital crib hooked up to life

saving medicines. My daughter’s half heart was failing her and there wasn’t anything I could do

but trust in God to save her. She already had two previous heart surgeries to help repair it, but

her heart continued to fail. She needed a new heart. A heart that was whole and was able to

give her body a second chance at life.

Our journey with my daughter’s heart transplant has often reminded us of the words in Ezekiel

36:26: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove

the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

God promises the Israelites a new heart. We too can have a new heart, if we turn to God in

repentance, and He will fill us with His Spirit.

It was only by God’s grace and mercy that we saw our need for Him, and He did for us what we

could not do for ourselves. Our hearts were hard, stubborn, and against Him. We needed a new

heart. A heart that only He could give us. A heart that could feel and that would be sensitive to

the Lord’s leading.

My daughter’s new heart started beating 10 years ago. God gave my daughter a new heart

physically, and He gives believers a new heart spiritually. A heart full of new desires, where we

can honor Him, serve Him, and tell others about Him so they can receive a new heart if they

turn to Him. This week try and tell others about the new heart you have been given!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins

so we could have the promise of a new heart when we repent and turn to You. Please give us

the courage this week to go out and tell others about You so they too can experience a heart

transformation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

By Lauren Hill

Lauren has been married to her high school sweetheart, Adam, for 12 years and they have two

daughters, Story, and Violet. They attend the Georgetown campus where Lauren serves in

children’s church.