Well the book just so happens to be the Word of God himself... more commonly known as the Bible. And being a person of this book simply means that your life reflects the words in between the two covers.
I spend some time each week at the college I begrudgingly entered in as a freshman almost nine years ago. Doesn't seem that it has been that long ago. I moved into my dorm room in downtown Charleston with high hopes to be packing my bags and moving back to the Upstate in a few short months, but little did I know that God had different plans for me.
This is a picture of the heart of my beautiful campus. Many come to see this area when they come to Charleston. Many people have been engaged right here or have there wedding pictures taken here. Students enter this area as freshmen and anxiously await the day when they will also walk across a stage and receive their diploma in the same spot. In the spring, summer, and fall this place would be full of students and visitors going a walk, stopping for lunch, conversations with friends, or homework in the sun.
When I sit and see this place it has so much more meaning than most students. Yes I did graduate here and yes many fun memories happened with great friends in this yard. But as I walk through here now as a graduate and almost five years of college ministry behind me what comes to mind is the first day I truly began to become a "people of the book". It was the kindness and grace of Jesus that allowed me to come to a school that I knew nothing about and that same kindness and grace that placed a girl in my life that took the time to share with me what she had been taught. A passion and desire to know God's word began in that green grass. It began with a dear friend teaching me how to study the word of God using Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The truth of the word of God soaked into my heart, mind, and spirit and I still can't get enough! That September afternoon was the first time anyone had ever took the time to teach me how to study scripture and the first time I realized the God of the Universe, the God I called Lord and Savior wanted me to know understand his word and his character as he transformed me into Christ likeness. I began to long to read and know the Word of God. Studying it brought and still brings me great delight as well as challenges me to walk in the standards not of the world but of God. This hour spent with a friend transformed my life forever.
Almost nine years later I continue to study the word and God and pray that I will continue to be a person of the Book. That my life and heart would reflect that of Jesus. And I take great delight in sitting down with college students just like me and teaching them how to study the Word of God and praying that they would become people of the Book. I never would have thought that one day during my freshmen year of college would transform all of my hopes, dreams, passions, etc. But it happened. All because of scripture piercing my heart and a God-given passion to teach and help women know the Word of God. The Lord continues to give me a bigger and greater desire to help women to know and understand scripture, for women to desire not emotional experiences but desire to make biblical decisions and convictions for themselves and families (if they have one), and for women to understand for the Lord has purposed for women in the Kingdom of God! What a joy it is to see women for the first time studying, meditating, praying, and rejoicing over scripture all to know God and make Him known!
So thank you sweet friend. Thank you for walking in obedience. Though you were young and still learning yourself, you took the time to invest and because of that I am forever grateful for you. Thank you for being a part in what God had and still has for me.
"For who has despised the day of small things?..." Zechariah 4:10
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