Thy Word is a lamp...

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

I have heard and read this verse over and over since I was a little girl. It became, to be honest, one of those verses that I would almost skim over while reading as if it simply belongs on a coffee mug somewhere or maybe in a eloquent framed display to show off in my home. But as I continue on my own personal journey to pursue Christ, this verse has become a simple, yet incredibly profound portrait of why I, and all of us who claim Christ as our Savior, desperately need God's Word every single day.

Because I have been there myself, I know there are some of us that say we believe in Jesus, and that God hears our prayers, but still feel overwhelmed by troubles, lost when it comes to coping skills to battle depravity, and think we don't hear anything in response to our prayers. Can I give you the #1 reason why you feel like that? I guarantee you it because you are not reading God's Word for yourself. Maybe you depend on what a pastor shares from the stage on a weekend, maybe a verse a friend comments on...possibly a random post on Facebook or a tweet on Twitter? Let me tell you, sweet friends...God has SO much more for YOU! It is pressing on my heart to share with you and to encourage you to explore the Sacred Literature and allow it to speak truth in your life...you will begin to see God's heart for you, the nature of His ways, and what He is saying to you through His sweet, sweet words of love and guidance, you will begin to hear God's response to your prayers, help for your troubles, you will SEE in the Written Word that even when you feel lost...God knows exactly where you are, and He is holding you close.

There are overall themes of Scripture, no doubt: God is good, God is love, Jesus saves, God wins, hope, glorious hope, beautiful hope. But, if you are not reading God's written Word because you think you know the general "idea," honestly, you are as foolish as a poor woman framing a million dollar bill and just looking at it because she knows it's worth "a lot." Or even better, now imagine the poor woman sitting through seminar after seminar every week listening to someone else talk about how to wisely use a million dollar bill, how wonderful it is, nodding her head, absorbing the information being shared by a great speaker, only to go home and agonize and stress over unpaid bills...all while her million dollar bill sits prettily framed on the counter.

It seems pretty unbelievable right?! Sweet friends, it is no different than allowing your Bible to collect dust on a bookshelf.

Don't believe me? Let me share with you a few situations where God has responded to my life though Scripture and absolutely rocked my world...and prayerfully ignite in you a desire to explore for yourself:

1. Like any of us, I have had people that are close to me speak hateful, hurtful, damaging things into my life that crushed me. I believed what was said in rages of hate-filled attacks were actually true about me until God showed me how to discern real truth (God's truth) and Lies of man, and Satan's attacks on my spirit:

"But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere." James 3:17


2. We all have moments in life when we hurt so deeply it feels like our souls are actually bleeding. One particular time in my life I was dealing with devastating news that not only broke my heart in a way that I did not know was possible, but shattered it even more when I saw my children hurting as well. Psalm 34:17-18 became a salve on the wounds in Spirit, and one I hold very sacred today:

"The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

3. To be totally vulnerable, because of very broken places in my life, scars I carry in my memories, and trials that seem to never end, I struggle with intense fears, expectations of abandonment, a reserve to trust, and mostly a lie I believed that I am unlovable. Likeable--yes...but I always seem to wrestle with if I am someone that can be loved for no other reason but just for who God made me. Such a spectrum of issues that God responded to with words that are so beautifully written I can not begin to give justice to how it moves deep in my spirit. Every time I read this passage, these strong holds in my life shatter:

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
..because you are precious to me.
You are honored, and I love you.
--Isaiah 43:1-5

Don't delay any longer. If you are not in God's Word, start today. No more excuses. Take your million-dollar bill out of the frame and use it. God's word is tangible and an incredible gift that God has given to believers. If you don't know where to start, I will be posting some resources later to help and encourage you. The Book of John is a great place to begin...I also love Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, and the Psalms. If you do not have a Bible, please let me know--I will send you one free of charge. It is my honor and sheer delight.

Be Still and Know "Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." Peter 1:19