Day 42- A Life Verse First

Today I was at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola visiting a family from our church with a very sick 6 year old.  She is fighting an unknown medical issue with a high fever. They would love for you to pray for her.  So, this was not an easy environment for a "first."  While I was sitting with my friend Candy in the Pediatric ICU Waiting room, a guy with a hospital staff shirt and a Superman cape on came in and went to the bathroom.  Candy commented that Superman must not use phone booths anymore, but bathrooms.  When he came out and started out the door (still dressed in hospital staff shirt and cape to my disappointment), I told him that I had never met Superman before.  He shook my hand and I told him my name and out the door he went.  That's kind of a "first" but not quite enough for the day.  I wanted to make that a bigger event (ask him for an autograph, ask him if I could pray for him), but he was out the door pretty quick.  In the words of Jase Robertson, "He gone."

My friend Becky suggested that I might pick a life verse and blog about why for a "first." That is my "first" for today. If I had to choose a life verse ( a verse that sort of defines my life or has shaped my life), it would probably be Isaiah 41:10. That verse says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

The night I gave my life to Christ I heard a lady share her life story; particularly about how she came into a relationship with Jesus. She had a very dramatic conversion experience. She was hooked on heroin, married to a professional gambler, and lived in a world of hurt. The night she gave her life to Christ, Jesus broke the heroin addiction and she did not even know it for a while. She just knew her body did not crave drugs anymore. Her husband was later murdered and she lived with great fear for months, if not longer. After hearing how real Jesus was to her, I wanted that kind of relationship with Christ as well. I trusted in Jesus that night. Soon afterwards, I asked her to sign my Bible and she did by signing her name and writing Isaiah 41:10. That verse was a great verse for me. Much of my life, I lived with fear. I lived in fear of God. I lived in fear of hell. I lived in fear of what others thought of me. I was painfully shy because I was afraid of speaking up and making mistakes. God has used that verse through the years to remind me that I need to trust in God and not myself. God is with me, in me, and for me as a believer in Him. He has used that verse to break many fears in my life (there are plenty more to go). I love this verse.

Good things need to be shared.  So, thought I might add a bit more to this "first."

So, I took out my cell phone and randomly chose 3 names (I held my phone and punched a letter without looking to see what name would come up).  I then texted those three people Isaiah 41:10.  Once again, not a huge deal, but something I would not have done if I was doing a year of "firsts."  Hopefully, they were encouraged. I hope you are, too!

Fearing not for the abundant life

Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Isaiah 41:10
2. Beverly Massegee- the lady who shared her story the night I gave my life to Christ
3. Crazy Love by Francis Chan