ARTICHOKE HEARTS

A R T I C H O K E H E A R T S











I don't know about you, but for me, the 2 simple words, artichoke hearts, sends my mind and my heart to a million different places. 



Those two simple words, are two very complex and beautiful words... At least in my mind. 



While brainstorming with the gals about what the title should be for our new and exciting compiled blog, ARTICHOKE HEARTS came to mind. At first it was just a random thought. I brushed it back into the silly thought bank in my brain. I was fearful the gals would laugh as I did when I ran it through my mind. But as I tossed around a few other names (mostly ridiculous names) I kept thinking about artichoke hearts. As I continued to process, and build up the gumption to toss it Into the title pile, I fell in love with it.  


Mind you, this whole process happened within 5 minuets.



Anyway, I fell in love, artichoke heart. "Yea I can get behind that" , I thought. It certainly catches some sort of weird attention. Like," I don't get it" or "Hmmm..That sounds tasty" I mean, that's what you want with a blog name right? An unexpected strange, attention grabbing, tasty name. Nailed it. 



As I summoned the courage inside to present it to my two super creative and awesome friends, another thought popped into my tiny semi-creative mind.  



A cold, cut off, bitter, hardened, evil, heart... 
Sound familiar Jess
(Yes, I was mind talking with myself). Do I, rather, do WE not have this same kind of heart? 
I sat and pondered that for a few and ... Well, WOW. I started to see this beautiful picture unfold. A picture that puts Christ in the center. A picture of His beautiful, yet undeserving creation.  




So quickly these simple two words, two words that could be taken as face value, turned into a story of love, redemption, grace, sovereignty... 





Those simple words encompassed so many beautiful feelings.  





So I did it, I presented this silly but complex name to the gals. 
Within the 30 seconds of waiting for a response I'm pretty sure I tapped all 10 fingers as fast as I could on the table next to me, chewed on all 10 fingernails in nervousness, took 10 tiny sips of coffee in nervousness,
Walked away and peered back at the computer...10 times. In nervousness.



And then... Clapped 10 tiny times in happiness. My gals loved it as well. 



It's been a few days since this exciting 5 minuets of my life. I've pondered our choice of name many times. And every time, my heart swoons. 
Maybe a little bit more each time.  



Whenever I ponder the Gospel, this same thing happens, my heart swoons a little more each time. Every time my cold, bitter, cut off,
Evil, sinful heart feels the Gospel, it becomes a little less cold, a little less bitter, a little less cut off, a little less evil, a little less sinful...And I know, this all is because I have a Father who loves my beautifully complex artichoke heart. 




Through Gods grace, His unfailing love, His awe inspiring beauty, this artichoke heart can love, can forgive, can live. 




What may seem a like a silly attention grabbing name. Know that it's much more to us here at ARTICHOKE HEARTS. It's a name that encompasses a Heavenly Father, a sinful soul, and a story of redemption. Just as the outside of an artichoke is, beautiful at first glance, there is a core within it that needs restoration... 




And let's not forget, artichokes are pretty tasty.  




Jess