this is too good to keep to myself

My sweet friend Allison forced a book on me back in November. Yes, she forced it on me, but only because she knew I needed it. You may remember that I wrote about it a while back. I had to force myself to take a break from reading the Twilight series to get to this one, because honestly, I knew Allison was going to get after me about it. So, I put New Moon down and picked up Calm My Anxious Heart. Before I go on let me give thanks to Allison, especially for my very own recently acquired copy of this great book. It's a must read for any woman. There's simply too much covered in it for me to do a description true justice, but I want to share a favorite excerpt to give you a taste. I love this story so much that I'd love for my own story to be much like it one day:

Throughout her life, Mattie cherished and depended on the Word of God, committing to memory many verses from her worn King James Bible. Her life verse was 2 Timothy 1:12: "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I committed unto him against that day."

As Mattie grew older, her memory faded and details eluded her. Even the beloved faces of her family slipped from recognition. Finally she was confined to bed in a nursing home. When her family and friends would visit Mattie, they would still find her quoting scripture, especially her well-loved life verse. But with the passing of time, even parts of this most special verse began to slip away. "I know whom I have believed, " she would say. "He is able to keep... what I committed... to Him." As Mattie grew weaker, the verse grew even shorter: "What I have committed... to Him."

As Mattie lay dying, her voice became so weak that her family had to strain to hear the whispered words. There was only one word left of her life verse: "Him." Mattie whispered it again as she neared the gates of heaven. "Him... Him... Him." He was all that was left. He was all that she needed. Her life focus was Him. (p. 119)

This book is full of wonderful stories, examples, and best of all scriptures to lead the reader to a deeper level of intimacy and trust in the One who holds it all in his hands. I am so thrilled to have my own copy, because I can tell you for sure, this is one book that I will need and read time and time again.

And speaking of memorizing scripture, Allison and I, and anyone who wants to join us, have big plans involving 24 memory verses, our best friend Beth Moore and a fun reward in January. You'll be reading more about it in the months to come, I'm sure, as well as learning about the scriptures I choose to memorize as I feel led to share them. I love praying God's word to him. No better way to do that than to just hide it in my heart. Psalm 119:11 says: "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

And Isaiah 55:10-11 promises that God's word always accomplishes its purpose:

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

I'll end with Mattie's life verse as read in the Message:

But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground—the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end.

He can be trusted to take care of us "right to the end," when we can call on the only One that matters as we get closer and closer to his presence: "Him... Him... Him!"