A more vocal man-hater I had never met," said missionary Sophie Jenista. She was describing Erika, a woman she sat next to on a flight from Australia to Singapore. The woman hated men because of an abusive husband.

As they talked, Sophie told her seatmate that God could replace her hard heart with a soft one.

"I don't have a hard heart," Erika replied. "I have an empty heart."

After Sophie shared John 3:16 with her, using her name in the verse: "For God so loved Erika . . . ," she told Erika that God wanted to fill her empty heart with His love.

Just before the plane touched down in Singapore, Erika prayed and asked Jesus to be her Savior. "I feel better already," she told Sophie as they prepared to get off the plane. "What a miracle that we met!"

Do you ever feel that your heart is empty? Do you find yourself bitter about life, feeling helpless to make things work out? Do you try to fill the emptiness in your life with possessions, activities, entertainment, or relationships? Read John 3:16 and put your name in it. Then accept Jesus' offer of forgiveness and eternal life. He'll fill your heart with a joy that is nothing short of miraculous.  — Dave Branon