My Worn, Precious Bible

For the next few days, I'd like to share several entries from my previous blog with you.  Here is the first one, about " my worn, precious Bible." 

The following portion of text is from my Beth Moore Esther Bible Study workbook. I immediately identified with what Patricia Raybon said about her Bible and what it means to her, how it comforts her and its preciousness to her. I've never heard it expressed so exquisitely! I have done all those things she mentions with my own precious Bible ~ in my case, it is worn, been pasted together twice (maybe three times) and loved beyond measure. I have several Bibles, but my NKJV Spirit Filled Life Bible is my favorite and most cherished of them all. I've written important dates in the front of it such as my day of salvation, baptism, family "Homegoings" and the day in 2003 when our beloved Pastor Scott Bauer suddenly went home to be with the Lord, the day I joined my wonderful church, and other dates I want to remember. I have special verses underlined, notes written in the margin, dates of healing and promises from God written next to scripture, etc. I'm sure you have these kind of things written in your Bible, too. Such precious memories and promises of hope. Doesn't it give you a warm and special feeling thinking of these times of communion and fellowship with Jesus and how He's seen you through everything in your life?

"Author Patricia Raybon described a time when she sought the presence of God in a hospital chapel while her husband underwent life-and-death surgery. 'I picked up a Bible. I waited for that nice rush that comes from holding a worn, loved copy of the Scriptures. Bibles like that have their own heat. They've been prayed over, cried on, sung with, stroked and gripped and loved so hard they just emote - just by being touched - that human loam and steam and hope that faith gives off.' ...Glance over at your Bible. Think what you've been through with God in those pages... Think of the hope, guidance, assurance and affection you've sought. Think how thankful you are that God wrote something you can hold to your chest, rocking back and forth, when your heart is shattered and your sight too blurred to read. Every Bible is the Word of God, but with no ears to hear it, hearts to love it, or hands to warm themselves by the fire of it, man is tragically lost to it." (BM)

Here's a card I just made to "bless" someone in the New Year.  My prayer is that each of you will be blessed in 2012!