Dear St. Lukers,
I was five years old when I received my first Bible. It was a baby blue "Precious Moments" Bible that had thousands of tiny words, some maps, and absolutely no pictures. To say it did not get used much was an understatement. My mom’s Bible on the other hand, was the complete opposite. The cover and pages displayed years’ worth of beloved use. Worn, underlined, highlighted, and falling apart - it had journeyed with my mom through the highest and lowest moments of her life. She discovered and rediscovered the truth of who she was as a child of God and the plans God had for her.
My mom was an integral part of my faith formation. She loved her Bible and spent hours teaching my sisters and I the stories of faith. I owe my earliest understanding of God to her intentionality. To this day, when I think of my mom, I picture her sitting early in the morning in a chair, with her Bible open; quietly praying for herself and her family.
My mom’s beloved Bible finally fell apart when I was in college, and she heartbrokenly replaced it. But she could never dispose of it. She said it was too dear a friend. Years later, I understand why. The Bible is one of the greatest ways we experience the character of God. God's love is laced in every story, and as we read and wonder, we make sense of our lives.
As we invite kindergarteners to receive their Bible this Sunday in worship, I pray that...
