What Breaks Your Heart?

Years ago, God laid these two questions on my heart.  The first was “Linda, what breaks your heart?”, and the second was “how are you going to use that to glorify me?” My husband, Merrill, and I would pray and pray over these questions for years. We both felt God calling us to work with individuals, couples, and families who needed HELP and who have lost HOPE, but we weren’t exactly sure how.

Leaps of Faith
Those two questions prompted Merrill and I to take leaps of faith WAY out of our comfort zone including a new ministry position and church home years ago. Answering that question led to Merrill and I adding to our family and adopting three more children who were students in my husband’s school building. Three years ago, Merrill and I took another giant leap of faith leaving our full-time jobs in the school and church world to start a new faith-based coaching organization called Rock Solid Families. All of those moves were a result of answering those two questions: “What breaks your heart?” and “How are you going to use that to glorify me?”

Mama Scar
For our special guest on this week’s Rock Solid Radio podcast, Scarlet Hudson, answering those two questions for herself meant quitting her full time job in the corporate world to fight the ugly world of sex trafficking and bringing the HOPE of Christ to the marginalized women on the streets of Cincinnati. Scarlet Hudson may be the CEO and founder of the faith based non-profit Women of Alabaster, but to the women she ministers to, she’s “Mama Scar”. She spends her days feeding, housing, and loving on women who struggle to even love themselves. Don’t miss this week’s episode of Rock Solid Radio as Scarlet shares how God broke her heart for what breaks his. Put yourself in Scarlet’s shoes. Would you be ready to answer the call like Scarlet did?

How about You?
How would you personally answer those two questions today? Not everyone is called to adopt three children or serve in the prostitution ministry, but the Lord IS calling ALL of us to do something. So take some time to really ponder and pray over these two questions. “What breaks your heart?” and “How are you going to use that to glorify Him?” But be careful what you pray for. Chances are the Lord wants you out of your comfort zone too!

Click HERE to WATCH the full episode of Rock Solid Radio- Sex Trafficking with Special Guest Scarlet Hudson-Episode 141

Click HERE to LISTEN to the full episode of Rock Solid Radio- Sex Trafficking with Special Guest Scarlet Hudson-Episode 141

Running Free-Chase's Story

Two year old, Chase Brayton, got his name honestly. Anyone who knew Chase would say-he never stopped. He loved swimming in his backyard pool and running around the house naked as a jay bird. Chase loved having mommy, daddy, grandma, big sissy, Kenzie...anyone chase after him trying to put his clothes back on. He kept everyone hopping and laughing, which is why the house seems so eerily quiet these days.

It's been over a month now since Luke and Lauren tragically lost their 2 yr old son to a drowning accident in their backyard pool. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Brayton family in the loss of little Chase. There's no way anyone could prepare you for that gut wrenching experience especially as a parent. As Luke, Lauren, and big sissy, Kenzie began to grieve the death of Chase, they knew one thing for sure...they couldn't carry this burden alone.

Which is why two days after the accident, Luke and Lauren reached out to Rock Solid Families. They knew they couldn't weather this devastating storm on their own, and God has been with them every step of the way. Even during our very first meeting together, God was letting this young couple know-you are not alone. As we sat inside our St. Leon office talking about their incredible loss and God's eternal promises, a summer rain rolled in. As we finished up our session together and Luke and Lauren drove away that night, the rain had stopped and a beautiful double rainbow had appeared. It was as if God was reminding them right there in the midst of their pain, I am with you! In the past month, they have been overwhelmed by the love and support of family, friends, and total strangers. They have started attending church regularly together for the first time and finding love and encouragement from the Lord and His people.

What happened to Chase Brayton on July 2, 2020 is tragic and heartbreaking, but what God has done since has been nothing short of healing and redemptive for the Brayton family. That's the way God works when we put our trust in Him. Will there still be more tough days and months ahead? Absolutely, but Luke and Lauren are beginning to trust in God’s promises. He promises to bring beauty from ashes. He promises to bind up the brokenhearted. Listen to the way Isaiah writes it in Isaiah 61: 1-4:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and
release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Luke and Lauren continue to mourn the loss of their precious little one, but they do not grieve like those who have no hope. They trust in God's promise that they will see Chase again...probably running free waiting for someone to chase him.