Returning to the old and familiar...

I couldn't tell you exactly when I started to use a Bible App on my phone, but I know it has been a couple of years.  I recently discovered something quite interesting.  I have really missed my old, well-used, heavy Bible!  In years past, I was known for always bringing my Bible (in its leather case that could also hold my journal) almost everywhere with me.  When I was introduced to the Bible on my phone, I really didn't think I would use it very much.  After a few months, I grew to love the ease at searching for a passage and navigating through the books quickly.  Slowly, I stopped using my "paper" Bible, until I actually had to stop and figure out where it had been stashed!  Occasionally, I  used my "old friend" when doing a devotional or to look something up.  But 99% of the time, I was using my phone Bible.  Until this...........

One of the best things about the last "school" year is that Gwen switched her women's Bible Study to Monday afternoons, when I am already at her house.  This has allowed me to participate with her group, getting to know some really awesome gals, and doing great Bible studies.  We just started a new short study, to take us to the end of the school year.  Gwen had given all of us a couple of choices of topics, and we all picked this one.  None of us knew the author, but there was something about the topic that appealed to us.  Last week we listened to the introduction video.  It was a wake up call for me, for sure!

Annie Downs, the author, talked about her own well-worn Bible and all the notes and underlines that it contains.  She even related a time when she got a new Bible and spent the time transferring all of her notes from the old book into the new one.  This was something that I had done, more than one time.  My current Bible is dated 8/11/04.  But it contains notes and underlines going back to 1988.  As I was watching Annie talk about her Bible, I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to old my own Bible and look at those notes.  I couldn't wait to get home and find my old treasured Bible.  It was one of those "moments that matter" for me.   Yes, that is my Bible under the Bible Study Book.  I have been using it since that day.  

I really didn't know how much I needed this particular study, not just to return to my Bible, but also for the content of the study!  The core message of the study is that we need to collect the moments that matter SO THAT we can persevere through hardships and when we just want to give up.  I am anxious to work through this Bible Study to gain insights and direction to just keep on, keeping on.

As Christians we are not promised that life will be easy.  What we are promised is the constant presence of Jesus with us.  The help of the Holy Spirit for what ever we face.  And the promise of eternal life with God.  I am so thankful for all of the ways that Jesus uses people - to write Bible Study guides, to make videos, to gather people together, to share their own stories, to just love one another.  

This is another prompting for you all to find a group of people to surround and support you.  There is nothing more powerful than hearing the "God stories" from friends you can count on.  And this is an encouragement for you to pick up an actual BOOK! Something that has weight and pages that you have to turn.  Hopefully it will be a Bible.  But purpose this week to find a real book to read.  Take a moment and feel the pages and even smell the book.  It will bless you!

Jesus, thank you for finding a way to draw me back to my old Bible.  Thank you for the ways you have preserved the Word through the ages.  Holy Spirit, encourage us to find those moments that matter and help us to collect them in our thoughts and in our journals!  Jesus, be with anyone that feels alone and without friends.  Give them courage and boldness to look for the lovely!  Amen