I have0truly enjoyed it. If you’re not familiar with
You Version you should be! It is not just another Bible
App, it is one of the original apps that encourages and
provides plans to assist in reading the Bible in one year.
You Version is free of charge and has literally hundreds of
reading plans, devotionals as well as short videos.
Some of the devotionals are brief, and can be read in
2-3 days and others last a year or more.
There are reading plans geared for people of all walks of life; those who are new to faith, dating,
engaged, married, divorced, dealing with grief, leadership, seeking prayer, worship, the work place,
forgiveness and so much more. Some of the plans require deep thought and others are light and fun.
The writers of the plans include both the infamous, and the unknown. Some plans rock your world,
others will stimulate reflection and growth, and some will make you cry.
This morning I completed day twenty two of a forty day plan from Pastor Bill Johnson as well as a five
day plan about the Book of Ruth, which I loved as it is such a good story. It’s not unusual for me to
work on three or even four plans at a time. Whats really cool, is that if you’re not enjoying a plan you
select, or you don’t feel like it pertains to you, you can end it at any time without pressure. If you’re
loving the plan and want to read more than one day at a time, or if you get busy with life and miss a
day or two you can select, “Catch me up” and it will extend or correct the length of your plan. You can
also invite others to read a plan with you and share your thoughts in a comment section.
About two years ago, I discovered Shelia Walsh’s devotionals and spent the better part of a month
reading all of them. They were so good and really spoke to the person I was at that time. One Sunday
morning I woke up feeling really blue, it was all I could do to get myself dressed and out the door to
church. When I got there, I lacked focus and struggled to take part. When the service ended, and I was
collecting my belongings, a woman who was also a regular, made a bee line over to me and asked me if
was ok. She said I looked out of sorts, and she asked me if she could pray for me about something in
particular.
We visited for a few minutes and prayed about my circumstances right then and there; which in my humble opinion is the very best way, why wait? We then walked out together, she gave me a big hug and I headed home. As I drove along, I begin to cry, tears made of pure frustration, combined with doubts of my future and concerns for my family. When I got to the place I called home, I kicked off my shoes and threw myself on the bed for a much needed healing rest.
I woke up, well over an hour later to the sound of my phone ringing. I could see by Caller ID that the person calling me was the woman who had prayed for me before I left church. She asked me if the song Jesus Loves Me was of any significant to me. I told her it really didn"t. She went on to explain that she had been praying for me while she was preparing lunch for her husband and herself, and while she was praying, the tune for that particular song filled her head. I searched my mind and I knew I had absolutely no idea what that song had to do with me.
Later that afternoon, I remembered that I hadn’t read my You Version devotionals yet, so I opened the app on my phone and began reading. One of the devotionals I as doing at that time was written by a wonderful Christian author named Sheila Walsh. This particular devotional had a special message for five days in a row. I was called ‘Quiet Time for Your Soul’, (really good stuff by the way).
I was on day two, which Sheila had entitled, ‘Does Jesus Love Me?’
Before I even read the first word, the Holy Spirit instructed me to read the devotional out loud. The request came with such love and gentleness. I was overwhelmed with emotions
Towards the end of the devotional the author questions the reader by asking,
“Do you wonder sometimes if God loves you?
Close your eyes, still your heart, and hear him as He says,
“This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.
You are my friends.”
John 15:13
I continued reading: “He loved you all the way to the cross. He loves you in this moment, and He will love you all the way home to heaven!”
John 15:13
By the time I read those last few words I was weeping, and through my blur of tears, I read the final words of the devotional aloud: Jesus Loves Me, this I know.
❤️ The renowned theologian, Karl Barth, wrote volumes of dense theology. In fact, some would consider him the greatest theologian in four hundred years, since the time of John Calvin. He was once asked to sum up, in one sentence, the thousands of pages of theology he had written.
He paused and then replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Jesus is Love
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