Searching Out a Favorite Verse
This
is a hard one for me. Asking me to choose
a favorite verse is like asking me to choose a favorite child. So many verses have encouraged me, taught me,
been a lifeline I clung to, or simply made me scratch my head and ask, “Huh?” Many represent seasons of my life, and when I
recall the verses I am reminded of the lessons I learned in those seasons.
One
theme of my current season seems to be Discovery. The verse that best describes this is Proverbs
25:2 (AMP), “It is the glory of God to
conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a thing.”
I
vividly remember the research I did for my film "Who Does He Think He Is?" I had a little thought here, found some insight
there, discovered some information over that way, pondered a little “What If,” put
the pieces together and was completely stunned.
Gobsmacked. I thought, “This is
INCREDIBLE! WHY doesn’t EVERYONE KNOW
this?” Discovering things that have been
concealed and being privileged to bring them out into the light is thrilling and humbling.
I
love that this verse also implies that God and the “kings” are working
together. God could simply spell out
what He wants us to know, but He doesn’t.
He comes alongside us, engages us.
Instead of a lecture, He leads us in back and forth
exchange, conversation. He gives us questions to answer,
and the answers often bring more questions, and therefore more conversation,
more engagement. He loves to see the light bulbs switch on in
our heads, just as we enjoy seeing them switch on in the heads of children.
I’m
currently working on another writing project, larger in scope than WDHTHI? Again I am moving snippets of information
around and asking “What If?” Again God is alongside me, revealing pieces as I need them, switching on light bulbs as we connect them, leading me again to say, “NO WAY! THAT IS SO COOL! WHY doesn’t EVERYONE KNOW this?”
I am searching. God
is revealing. We are creating this project together.
And
it’s the coolest thing ever.
Debbie Legg is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
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Sara's Favorite Bible Verse
Sharon, one of my "spiritual moms", drew away and returned with small boxes for each of us. I knew what was inside. My heart raced. Opening the small box I saw a silver ring. Around its edges were Hebrew letters, that spelled out the verse I had requested:
"Fear not, little flock, it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32
We had each been asked to find a verse that was meaningful for us concerning our time in Cairo. I'd been stuck on this verse since the beginning of my Cairo adventure. I loved how Jesus refers to his disciples as his "little flock" - a small band of believers. He encourages them by sharing how God desires to give them the Kingdom- they who may feel so small. It's God's delight to do so. It encourages my heart that God loves to gather his people together and give them access to the Kingdom. Sharon exhorted us as we left that we were to take what God had done in us and bring it to others wherever God takes us. I look at my ring everyday, remembering God's faithfulness in building community in my life and giving us the Kingdom.
Last week I had a special opportunity to pass this verse along to 22 third graders. I made them necklaces, imprinting my ring around the edges. I told them about my ring and how I wanted to build family wherever I went, and see how Jesus would show up in the midst. It was their turn now. I encouraged them that as they left my classroom, they were to take the love God had poured out and give it freely to others - to let others know they could be a part of the family too - and that God was delighted to give us the Kingdom, no matter how small our flock was.
May you too be encouraged. It is the Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Pssst. Pass it on.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
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Katie's Favorite Bible Verse
What's my favorite bible verse? That's a tough question that is best answered with a story. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, I was fired.
Years ago, in a former life, I worked in the sub-prime
mortgage arena. I was an underwriter. My
job was to review loan applications to determine if we would extend credit to
clients. I had a habit of pointing out when clients couldn’t afford the
mortgage they were applying for. My boss had a habit of literally throwing out
income documentation and approving loans based on “stated” (and inflated)
income. You may have heard of these. A large majority of foreclosures in the
market today are as a result of loans just like these.
In the few short months that I worked for this company, I
apparently pointed out one too many risky credit decisions we made. I got fired.
Not laid off. Not downsized. Fired.
I have always taken work and integrity very seriously. Suffice it to say, the experience was
devastating for me. (…even when a kind heart in the HR department…probably out
of fear of legal action…contacted a head hunter to help me find a new job
because I had lost my old one “through no fault of my own.”)
Sometimes I think God goes out of his way to set the stage
when he’s got something important to say.
In the months leading up to this turning point in my life, two
other seasons had begun. One, I had begun seminary part time. And two, I had
begun meeting weekly with a friend of mine to pray about my future in ministry while
we read and memorized scripture. My favorite at the time was John 10:10, “The
thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come to give life and give
it abundantly”.
Within two weeks of being fired, a divine series of events led me to an extraordinary new job. I was offered a summer position with
Youthworks, a phenomenal youth mission organization. I accepted without knowing where it would take
me. As it turned out, for two life-changing and glorious months, it took me to the beautiful Crow Indian
Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana.
I went from a life of hour-long commutes and high corporate
stress to fresh air and Montana big skies. I went from working for “the man” to
working for The Man. Full-time ministry. I went from fear to freedom. I went
from lost to found.
The words I memorized had come to life for me. That is what
happens with words you unleash from scripture. When you commit them to
memory, when you meditate on them, and make them your own…there is no telling
where the Words of Life will take you.
What is my favorite scripture? The one that is unleashed.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
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The Bible Verse That Changed My Life
Don’t get me wrong, all Scripture is life changing. What I’m talking about here is finding a verse that knocks you completely off your feet and changes the way you look at life. I’m talking about a verse that results in an absolute paradigm shift. That happened for me the first time I discovered Psalm 139:14.
I was kissing my teenage years goodbye around the time it happened. I’d been in church all my life, knew all the key verses to lead someone to Jesus, had tons of head-knowledge about God’s love for us, but had no real awareness of His love FOR ME. My failure to receive His love and acceptance was ruining my barely-really-started young life. Self-pity? Check. Low self-esteem? Check. Fear of rejection? Check Check.
I don’t even remember her name, but somehow, a very patient counselor made sense of my sobbing and rambling. “Have you ever read Psalm 139,” she asked, and then she began to read.
“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up…I was stunned. How had I missed all of this? Where had it been hiding? Could it really be true? I was skeptical, but I began declaring, “I WILL praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows full well.” Of course, my soul didn’t know it well, but I kept declaring it until it was convinced! It’s a season and a verse I will never forget. Has a verse impacted you in that way? We’d love to hear about it—leave us a comment.
…You covered me in my mother's womb….
…I am fearfully and wonderfully made…
…How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them…
Anitra Elmore is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
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Life Verse
My "plan", (as in my meticulously thought-out birth plan), was not going according to, well, plan.
I'll spare you the particulars.
During one highly memorable excruciating point, I asked George to put on my favorite Hillsong worship CD. "Jesus, Lover of my Soul" was on that CD, and while I'd heard the song before, it had never caught my attention as it did during that moment.
This time, the song made me honkin' infuriated as it played because I couldn't quite make out a lyric. In the midst of a contraction I yelled, "WHAT?! He's taken me from WHAT?! I can't understand her!!! WHAT IS SHE SAYING?????!!!!!!"
Yes, it was that intense.My apologies to Darlene Zschech.
George answered gently, "Jo, He's taken you from the miry clay. Like, out of destruction and filth. And set your feet upon a firm rock."
"OH!!!!!!!!!! Well, OK THEN!!!!"
At the time, that lyric really didn't sink in. However, after Harper was born, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" became my worship song for us: mother/daughter. I sang it to her over and over and over, for God had indeed taken me from pain, back into life. And that life now included another new life. My precious newborn.
Thus, Psalm 40:2 will always stand out to me as a life-verse. I encourage you to read it in several translations - but for now, I give you the New American Standard to chew on. Enjoy.
"He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the [a]miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm."
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
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Favorite Bible Verse
"...I find my delight in your commandments,
which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes." Psalm 119:47-48 (ESV)
which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes." Psalm 119:47-48 (ESV)
God's word is a lamp, a light, an anchor. It is a marvel and a mystery and beautiful and encouraging. It is also strange and shocking, inviting us to dig into the wonders of our God and wrestle with things we don't understand. His Word is a treasure to us, allowing us to know the Father who created us all and loves us beyond measure.
Sometimes there are passages, stories, and verses that seem to come at the perfect time, and we cling to them, like favorite parts of a love letter - to read over and over as they touch our hearts again.
This week, the ladies of DFF will be sharing some of our favorite verses and the special place they have played in our story.
Saturday, June 02, 2012
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