The Weekly Encourager – March 22, 2017 – Old Bible, New Notebook

While packing for a church women's retreat, I saw an interesting juxtaposition. I was taking my trusty old Bible from the 1970s and a new notebook with a colorful graphic design. What a contrast: the faded, marked-up, dog-eared, tea-stained book held together with duct tape lay next to a bright spiral notebook of striking contemporary design. It occurred to me that the notebooks I select have changed over the years in color, style, and size, reflecting the mood of various times in my life. Certainly the content is different in each notebook, as I record new sermon notes, quotes, Bible verses, thoughts, prayers, and key events in my life. Different studies and experiences have taught me more things along the way, but they always harken back to the Book. The Word of God never changes, but we can always learn something new from it.

On the retreat, my friend Kathy Kuhl spoke on Renewing Hope. First, she gave us many Reasons for Hope in this world and the next, and every one of them was drawn from God's Word. In this world, we have hope that God will be with us whatever happens, God will sustain us through trouble, God is sovereign, God works all for good, we are being sanctified, and our ongoing sin takes us to the cross, and thus to joy. In the next world, we have hope that death is not the end, we will see Jesus face to face, we will be made like Jesus in glory and holiness, we will have new bodies, there will be no more tears, our sin will be forgiven, justice will conquer injustice, and we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth. All these reasons for hope are worthy of our meditation and thanksgiving to God!

Next, Kathy spoke on Guarding Our Hope, something I hadn't really pondered before. If we're feeling hopeless or depressed, it may mean that we're not guarding the gift of hope that God has given us. In this talk, she gave practical suggestions to prevent the erosion of our hope and to strengthen hope along the way. Among many good points was the reminder to be meditating on Biblical truths regularly, so that they permeate our thoughts. God's promises become positive messages that we tell ourselves, rather than the negative messages which so easily bedevil us.

One striking point was that stories are powerful, because they stick in our minds. What stories do I tell myself? Which character am I, the victim or the overcomer, the prisoner or the king's daughter? When I speak to others, are the circumstances of my life framed in hopeful terms, resting on the promises of God? Am I living out a story of hope which encourages those around me? I need to be careful to tell good stories, informed by Scripture.

By God's grace, I came away from the retreat with a desire to continue reading Scripture morning and evening, and to write down key verses in my notebook. The truth of the Bible is the same year after year, but we need to study it again and again, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us. The more we interact with these timeless truths, writing them in our notebooks as the Spirit writes them upon our hearts, the greater our hope will be. The old Bible and the new notebook are perfect companions.

God is faithful,
j

Here is a link to Kathy Kuhl's website. This page tells more about her speaking generally:  http://www.kathys-/