From the Heart of Jesus

My name is Joanne Lowe.  I live in Pensacola, FL.  However, I was born in Peoria, Illinois sixty five years ago.  My family moved from Illinois to Texas when I was a teenager. I love living here in Florida.  I have made so many wonderful friends.  It is only since I have moved here to Florida from Texas that I have finally come to realize that Jesus really does love me and that He loves me even when I fail Him and hurt Him. 

I fell head over heels in love with Jesus and I gave Him my heart and all of my life.  He is the best friend I have ever had and He has never left me, not even for one minute.  I am ashamed to admit this but there have been a couple of times that I left Him.  He didn’t withdraw His friendship from me.  He patiently waited with His arms open wide for me to come back to Him so that He could hold me close to His loving heart and kiss my tears away. 

I don’t remember too much about my childhood.  My parents have both passed away and sometimes I miss them so much that tears come to my eyes and to my heart.  How I wish that I could put my arms around my parents and ask them to forgive me for being disrespectful to them when I was a teenager.  More important than that, I wish with all of my heart that they could see the difference that Jesus has made in my heart and in my life.

I am retired now but I have worked as a nurse’s aide, a waitress and a secretary.  I was the secretary to the executive director of a non-profit organization in Texas.  I owned a typing service in Texas for a short time.  I also owned part of a janitorial service in Texas many years ago.

I attended Pekin High School in Pekin, IL.  However, due to circumstances beyond my control, I did not graduate from high school.  I did take the GED test several years later at Kilgore Community College in Kilgore, TX and I received a general equivalency diploma.

I attended Bee County College in Beeville, TX, and I also attended Delmar College.  I completed a six month secretarial course at a business school in Corpus Christi, TX.  I did not have the privilege of graduating from college due to medical and financial reasons.

When I was a student at Bee County College in Texas, I was on the executive board of the Baptist Student Union.  Some of my responsibilities included taking my group of students to nursing homes and to the jail every week to share the good news of our risen Saviour.

On August 14, 1980, I asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins and come into my heart to be my personal Saviour.  These past twenty eight years have been the happiest and the most joyous years of my life.  God called me to be a missionary and I surrendered to the mission field.  God has entrusted me with the privilege and responsibility of encouraging pastors and writing daily devotions.

I love Jesus with all of my heart.  He is my dearest and best friend.  He fills my heart with joy, peace, excitement and happiness.  Even in the midst of heartaches and sorrow, I have the assurance that the Saviour of the world loves me and that He loves me unconditionally.  What a Saviour!  What a friend, this Jesus of Nazareth!