Every year for 20 years, Hank has read through a One Year Bible. But reading these Bibles goes beyond personal edification or completing a resolution. They are his legacy to spur others on in their Bible reading and inspire them to grow in their relationship with Christ.
“I love the Bible. It’s such a joy to read it, and I just want everyone to have that joy and understand what it can give you,” said Hank.
“For 20 years I have read through a One Year Bible, and each year I dedicated it to a family member. The notes in the margin were personal, such as ‘This is my prayer for you.’ I’ve underlined, circled, and highlighted many passages, letting them know what inspires me. It is my legacy to them,” said Hank.
Through these Bibles, Hank has encouraged a love for God’s Word in others. Sharing his struggles, joys, failures, and triumphs as he moves closer to God has been a comfort and a catalyst for his family members to grow deeper in their understanding of God through his Word.
“When I give it to them and they read it, they always come back saying, ‘I didn’t know you were going through that’ or ‘when you wrote this it helped me to better understand what I was facing.’ The Bible gives me joy whenever I read it, and I get joy by sharing it with others. The more you get into it, the more your joy will grow,” said Hank.
In 2020, Hank read through The One Year Pray for America Bible.
“I especially love the prayers that have to do with that day’s reading. . . . I also love the prayers you’ve inserted throughout the Bible, such as a prayer by Dr. Pridgeon for the anniversary of 9/11,
or the prayer by the Rev. Samuel Smith spoken July 4, 1831, or the broadcast by FDR on D-Day on radio, June 6, 1944. What a wonderful Bible!” said Hank.
We are excited to hear what Bible he will be using in 2021!
We all are influencers. Every single one of us. If we
follow Jesus, we have been given a platform—whether it is in our homes, at the
office, at school, or even in the dentist’s office! Recently, a lady on social
media brought her over-stuffed, beautiful journaling Bible to the dentist’s
waiting room to Bible journal before her appointment. To her surprise, her
Bible gave her the opportunity to talk about her faith when she normally
wouldn’t have been bold enough to initiate a conversation about God. Her Bible naturally
opened up the opportunity to share about him.
Tyndale author Emma Mae Jenkins
invites young girls to step into God’s calling and live in ALL CAPS in her
amazing book, ALL-CAPS
YOU:
“To live in ALL CAPS is to give attention and to tune in to
the words that God has spoken, even when the words of the world sound loud. In
the Lord we lack no good thing. We are fully loved, fully chosen, and fully
known by God, therefore we can fully be who he has called us to be—we can truly
live our lives in ALL CAPS.”
Riley
is one of our Inspire
Prayer Bible
Ambassadors. We asked her to tell us a little bit about herself in the
interview below. She and so many other Bible journalers know how to live
the ALL CAPS life. We are ambassadors for Christ (VERSE) and God has chosen
people of all ages to draw others into greater awareness of his abounding love
and grace and truth.
Over the course of the next several months we are going to
shine the spotlight on some of our Inspire Prayer Bible Ambassadors as
a way to encourage all of us to keep living boldly for Jesus and to shine his
light brightly wherever God has us!
RILEY: Raised on Sweet Tea
and Four Wheelers (and Jesus, of course!)
What are some of your
favorite hobbies? (Besides Bible journaling in your Inspire Bible, of
course!)
I
enjoy mud riding and laughing with my family.
Tell us when you first
encountered God and how your choice to follow him has impacted your life.
I
first encountered God by growing up in a Christian household, and my choice to
follow him has changed my life because I’ve become a better person.
Who (or what) has had the
biggest influence on helping you grow in your faith?
Bible
Journaling has impacted and improved my life by bringing me closer to the Lord’s
Word in a fun and creative way.
When did you first start
Bible journaling?
April
14, 2020
Do you have any tips to share
about how to stay close to God each day?
•
Read your Bible
•
Pray
•
Worship God
Who is your favorite person
in the Bible and why?
Jesus,
because he died on the cross for our sins.
What Bible verse would you
like to encourage others with today?
Philippians
4:13: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Would you like to say a
prayer for the person reading this right now?
Dear
Lord, I pray for the person who is reading this right now. I hope with my words
and encouragement that they will become closer to your Word, their faith will
grow strong, and they will become a Christian who rejoices in your Word. In
Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
May Riley’s story be an encouragement to stay in the Word,
on our knees, and eager to share the hope for which God has planted in our
hearts as we trust in him.
“This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.” Colossians 1:6
Every year for 20 years, Hank has read through a One Year Bible. But reading these Bibles goes beyond personal edification or completing a resolution. They are his legacy to spur others on in their Bible reading and inspire them to grow in their relationship with Christ.
or the prayer by the Rev. Samuel Smith spoken July 4, 1831, or the broadcast by FDR on D-Day on radio, June 6, 1944. What a wonderful Bible!” said Hank.
