THE GREATEST GIFT EVER
Back in 2015, for my birthday, I was gifted a Bible, a Bible study guide, and a silver necklace with the cutest pendant. I gave the study guide to my friend, but I kept the Bible and my beautiful necklace. To this day, I still have both. Honestly, while I loved and appreciated every gift, nothing made me happier or compared to the instant joy I felt when I was handed this Bible. Why was this book so important? Well, because at that moment, when it was gifted to me, I felt heard.
Let me explain...
At the time, I had just started digging deep into my search for life’s answers, and I really wanted my own personal Bible. I’d been using those tiny New Testament booklets — the orange and green ones your church would give you as your welcome to Christianity starter pack. The ones you could slide into your pocket.
But eventually, I didn’t want that anymore. I couldn’t deep dive I with that.
I remember expressing this to my person at the time — and without my knowledge, he decided to go Bible-hunting for my birthday. Perfect timing, too. I had just gotten baptized and was ready to take this studying thing seriously.
I was about to go in!
Well…this is it now. All tore up and hanging on by a thread, as you can see. But y’all, it's been 10 years since I’ve had it! I can’t believe so much time has passed. And clearly, I refuse to buy another one. If it falls apart, I might just glue it back together and keep it pushing.
At first, this book looked like an envelope-shaped clutch with beautifully laminated, golden edges on each page. This book to me was simple, yet aesthetically beautiful. I’m giving you a description of the outside, but it’s what’s inside that really has been a blessing. That’s what stole my heart.
The knowledge and wisdom I have received from this are so substantial in my life today. And guess what? 10 years later, I still have not finished studying the entire thing. That’s insane to me!
This book has challenged me. I’ve had to reread and study the same chapters just to understand. This book has frustrated me. There were times I couldn’t always get answers right away — and other times, the answers I did get made me question my whole existence and belief system- everything I thought to be true.
I can’t even lie to you — I considered walking away from it all. Actually, I did walk away once. I put this book down for 2 years. Let it collect dust. It got me so mad. (Like, mad mad, lol.")
But even with all that has come with what I’ve learned and continue to learn, the deeper I dig into it, the more I realize something:
I am my most calm..my most confident when I am immersed in this book and actually applying it to my everyday life. It reminds me of the verse:
“If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God”
This book is torn. Worn. Highlighted. Written in. Smudged.
But it is still — without a doubt — truly my greatest gift ever.
xo,
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