There are many people who have told me that as they leave __________, a part of their heart stays behind. Well, I disagree. I would say that as I leave one place to go to another, I find more pieces of my heart and it grows all the more. This is the story of my heart.
My heart is a puzzle but I don’t know what the finished product is yet. Through the years of school I would meet people and find they held a piece of my heart. Some pieces they had were quite large and I thought to myself, “How have I lived this long without this piece?” So as my relationship with the person grew, I would take the piece of my heart from their hand and place it where it belonged: inside of me.
Some people after giving me some of my heart would then leave my life. My heart would hurt, but luckily the piece that they gave to me stayed. And so, despite the fact I missed these people deeply, they still added so much beauty to my life.
Fortunately, there are pieces of my heart that have always been there: my mom, my dad, my grandparents, and my brothers. I know that they gave me pieces that truly make up the core of who I am.
One thing I never knew until I moved to Sebring is that my heart is all over the place! I arrived and met people I never knew before and so many of them handed me REALLY large pieces of my heart right from the beginning! Fourteen people who I now consider my brothers and sisters all added to my heart. Wow! Man, is my heart growing.
After I graduated the Great Commission Bible Institute, I found a job at a beautiful daycare. It took some time, but suddenly I noticed my heart had grown again! When I looked closely I began to see many pieces that these sweet babies had placed perfectly to fit into the puzzle. They had given me more of my heart and a tender part at that.
As I’ve reached this age I now am energized by the exciting concept of finding pieces of my heart! I actually went to a training camp and met around 50 people who I knew held pieces of my heart. I wasn’t quite sure what size piece each of them were holding, but I look forward to placing all those pieces where they belong as I continue to get to know them.
I am about to leave all the places where I have found my heart. This is hard… But the best thing about it is that because so many pieces have been added, I get to take all these people and places with me as I travel.
I am still looking for more of my heart! In fact, I’ll tell you a secret, I think I know where some of them are going to be found. They lie all over the world, but specifically: in 11 countries. I am ready to go find those pieces!
I saved the most important piece of my heart for last. He came into my life when I turned four. I looked at my heart and knew it was discombobulated. I then looked to the heavens and said, “Jesus! I NEED you in my heart!” His response was simple, “I’m here now.” I can’t live without this part of my heart. It is at the very center and holds everything I am together. Thankfully, Jesus has promised me He’s never going to leave.
I wanted to thank you for giving me that piece of my heart. Yes, YOU. You’ve given me a part of myself that no one else could give to me. You will always be a part of my heart. Nothing can change that now. I needed you to become who I am. I needed that piece or else I couldn’t have made it to where I am today. You mean so much to me. Thank you forever.
