Turning TEN!

Ten years ago, I started Operation Actually Read Bible. My first post was called THE MISSION.

My goal--obvious as it may be--is to actually read the Bible. You might think that I've not read it. But that wouldn't be the case. I've read it a dozen or so times over the past twenty years. However, I've not been in the habit of reading it lately. For the past three or four years, my reading of the Bible has been pitiful to nil. I know--rationally speaking--that I NEED to read the Bible...that I NEED to study and read and pray. But it's not a part of my daily routine. Hence why I'm challenging myself to ACTUALLY read the Bible instead of just talking about how I need to start one day soon.

(Oddly enough, my last post was a book review of a book about reading the Bible.)

Is my mission still the same ten years later? Yes. No. Yes.

By the grace of God the Bible has become a significant, deeply rooted part of my day-to-day life. I would no more think of skipping the Bible than I would of skipping a meal. Those that know me know that I don't fast from food voluntarily.

My priorities are by no stretch of the imagination perfect--far from it. There are still sins to wrestle, temptations to fight, thoughts to conquer. But the Bible is my very food and drink--the very fuel I need to delight in God.

If I were to rewrite my mission today, I might say more about absorbing or meditating on the Word of God. I could definitely grow in how to read the Bible prayerfully, meditatively. I would love to learn how to journal, for example. I am really great at reading the Bible at a quick pace--like I would any book I read. I'm not so great at reading it slowly and really digesting it verse by verse. (I think there are benefits to FAST and benefits to SLOW.)

Ten favorite posts from June 9, 2017 to June 8, 2018.

How to make Bible covers.
Christian perspective on George Orwell's 1984.
Christian perspective on Great Expectations.
God is Just. God is Merciful.
Is Your Thanksgiving Conditional?
Do You Read With Your Eyes Shut?
Bible review: Spurgeon Study Bible
Toxic books
Book review: The Cross
Book review: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Finding the Love of Jesus

Finding the Love of Jesus From Genesis to Revelation. Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. 2018. Bethany House. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Jesus loves women. He has loved us since the beginning, even from before the words "in the beginning..." were written.

I have conflicting thoughts on Elyse Fitzpatrick's newest book, Finding the Love of Jesus From Genesis to Revelation. I do.

On one hand, it's a book about reading the Bible. It's a book on a mission to get people excited about reading the Bible. It's a book that seeks to clarify what the Bible is all about: JESUS. It's a book that wants believers to understand the Bible and really grasp the glory of God. So how could I not appreciate that?

But.

On the other hand it's a book for women. Part of me totally and completely gets why there are devotionals for men and devotionals for women. Why there are certain subjects where it makes complete logical sense for books to be targeted just for men or just for women.

But I find myself having strong feelings that reading the Bible is not one such subject. Theology should be for everyone--for men, for women, for young and old. If something is TRUE like good theology is true, then it doesn't need to have a label "for women" or "for men" applied to it.

Bibles, bible commentaries, good and hearty theologies shouldn't have to be segregated into being "for men," or "for women." They just shouldn't. If theology is good and sound and TRUE and substantive, it shouldn't matter if it was written by a man or a woman.

Women shouldn't only read books by women. Men shouldn't only read books by men. Women can learn from men. Men can learn from women. The truth is it doesn't matter the sex or gender of the author-preacher-teacher. What matters is if they are being led by the Holy Spirit. The same spirit leads all believers.

Along the same lines, it also shouldn't matter if a book is new or old. Books should be judged by their contents: not their covers, not their authors.

But. Back to the book in hand. This book wants women to feel the love of God and to see that love of God expressed fully in Christ. This expression is not limited to the four gospels. Christ Jesus is to be seen Genesis to Revelation. There is not a book of the Bible where Christ is not to be found. The whole book is about HIM. Four chapters of the book focus on seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. Jesus is to be found in the law; Jesus is to be found in 'the gospel.' I can't argue the necessity for this even if I feel it is a felt need for both men and women.

It is written in an easygoing appealing style. It is not intimidating. It is not dry. It is engaging.

I agree with the premise that the Bible is all about Christ. I agree that every book of the Bible has something to say about Christ. But believing this to be true does not mean that every single verse in every single book of the Bible points to Christ. Or at least every single verse points equally. For example, it is easy to see Christ in Isaiah 53, it is a lot more difficult to see him in Genesis 5. Yet each generation in the begats was one step closer to the promised Seed. Each generation could cling to the hope that one day the Savior would be born.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Summer 2018 Goals

Sunday Naps. Every Sunday I listen to my Andrew Peterson playlist. My playlist has all three Resurrection albums: Resurrection Letters: Prologue, Resurrection Letters: Volume 1, Resurrection Letters: Volume 2. In total, the playlist is almost an hour and forty minutes. A good Sunday nap will see the list start over again.

• Question: Which of the Ten Commandments can you keep in your sleep? Answer: The sixth commandment, because, as the following statistics demonstrate, getting enough sleep is an act of loving your neighbor. David Murray.
• Few things are as theological as sleep. Show me your sleep pattern and I’ll show you your theology, because we all preach a sermon in and by our sleep. David Murray.
• Ultimately, sleep, like everything else, should lead us to the gospel and the Savior. First, it prompts us to think about death, that we shall all close our eyes as in sleep, and wake up in another world (1 Thess. 4:14). It also teaches about our Savior. The fact that Jesus slept (Mark 4:38) is as profound as “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). It reminds us of Christ’s full humanity, that the Son of God became so frail, so weak, so human that he needed to sleep. What humility! What love! What an example! What a comfort! What a sleeping pill! It illustrates salvation. How much are we doing when we sleep? Nothing! That’s why Jesus used rest as an illustration of his salvation. “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). It points us toward heaven. There remains a rest for the people of God (Heb. 4:9). That doesn’t mean heaven is going to be one long lie-in. It means it will be a place of renewal, refreshment, comfort, and perfect peace. David Murray.

Coloring Pages. One of the groups I am on in Facebook has a coloring sheet for each week. I believe there are ten left of this sixteen week creative project. Coloring isn't always super-relaxing, but, it is super-humbling. It involves a certain amount of risk: what if I color outside the lines, what if my colors bleed into one another, what if my colors clash horribly, what if I mistake a flower leaf for a flower petal. It involves a certain amount of commitment. Even if I color outside the lines, I will finish the picture. Even if my colors bleed into one another--yellow has a way of doing this with the black edges--I will finish the picture. Even if my colors clash horribly, even if I regret that color choice, I will finish the picture. Even if I make a mistake and misidentify what something is, I will finish the picture. It does not have to be perfect. It does not have to be just so. It can just be. Flaws are not to be brooded over and pointed out.

Reading the Bible chronologically. I finished the NLT Beyond Suffering Bible on May 31. My summer goal will be to read the Bible chronologically. I have several Bibles that I could choose to read. I have a Daily Chronological Bible in the King James Version, the HCSB version, the NKJV, and the NIV. The newest one to come into my hands is the KJV Daily Chronological Bible. Lifeway is/was giving away free paperbacks this week in June. (4th through 9th). I will probably, probably, probably go with the KJV.

Tackling three books from my TBR Reading Pile challenge. My remaining nine choices are:

_ 4. Dear and Glorious Physician. Taylor Caldwell. 1958.
_ 5. Great Lion of God. Taylor Caldwell. 1970. 
_ 6. Heaven by Randy Alcorn. 2004.
_ 7. The Joyful Christian. C.S. Lewis. 1977.
_ 8. God's Word Alone by Matthew Barrett. 2016.
_ 10. God's Glory Alone. David VanDrunen. 2015.
_ 12. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
alternates
_ 13. John Newton by Jonathan Aitken
_ 14. Living Insights Study Bible, NIV (1984)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Maggie's Dare

Maggie's Dare: The Great Awakening (Sisters in Time #3). Norma Jean Lutz. 2005. Barbour. 144 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Maggie Baldwin struggled to restrain the excitement bubbling up inside her. Her younger brother, Caleb, at ate eight, could run about the Souder shipyard with abandoned glee. But at age twelve, she was expected to use decorum befitting a lady.

Premise/plot: Maggie cares tremendously what other people think of her. Specifically she cares about what other girls her age--richer girls from prominent families--think of her. She's included, for the most part, but doesn't feel properly IN the in group. She wants to dress like them, talk like them, think like them, essentially be them. But now and then she realizes that she doesn't really think like them, that she's different. One way in which she differs from her friends is that she sees slavery as wrong. They don't. So when she sees her friend's new slave--her friend's first slave--becoming sicker and sicker, she tries to intervene to save her life. (Her father is a doctor. She has been raised to be compassionate--and observant.) Will Maggie learn to be true to herself no matter the risk to her popularity?

My thoughts: I'm not sure this is the best introduction to 'the Great Awakening.' I'm not even sure it's an adequate introduction to 'the Great Awakening.' What we do get is an outsider's perspective from a girl who does little thinking for herself for the first hundred pages. Because her friends look down upon the 'new' revivalist preachers, she does. She parrots whatever they have to say whenever the subject comes up. She ignores what other people have to say on the subject. Even if their experiences are more first-hand. The fact that she does eventually open up her mind--or perhaps I should say the Spirit awakens her mind--is good and nice. But I can't help wishing that Maggie had come to her senses quicker.

The book may or may not be set in 1744. The cover says 1744. But I could have sworn that some sentence in the book dates it in either 1740 or 1741. I can't find it now. But I remember reading it and it sticking out as odd. I want to say it was discussion about Christmas or the New Year.

I liked plenty of the characters in this one--just not Maggie, until the end.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review: May 27-June 2

Beyond Suffering Bible, NLT

• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John 
• 2 John 
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

NKJV, Chronological Study Bible

• Genesis

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

My Victorian Year #22

This week I'll be sharing quotes from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening and J.C. Ryle's Old Paths.

From Morning and Evening:

Like Mephibosheth, we may cry unto the King of Glory, “What is Your servant, that You should look upon such a dead dog as I am?” But still the Lord indulges us with most familiar fellowship with Himself, because He sees in our countenances the remembrance of His dearly-beloved Jesus. The Lord’s people are dear for another’s sake. Such is the love which the Father bears to His only begotten, that for His sake He raises His lowly brethren from poverty and banishment, to courtly companionship, noble rank, and royal provision! Their deformity shall not rob them of their privileges. Lameness is no bar to sonship; the cripple is as much the heir—as if he could run like Asahel. Our right does not limp, though our might may.

The more grace we have—the less we shall think of ourselves; for grace, like light, reveals our impurity.

“THOSE HE PREDESTINED, HE ALSO called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:30. Here is a precious truth for you, believer. You may be poor, or in suffering, or unknown—but for your encouragement take a review of your “calling” and the consequences that flow from it, and especially that blessed result here spoken of. As surely as you are God’s child today—so surely shall all your trials soon be at an end, and you shall be rich to all the intents of bliss.

Lament not your troubles—but rather rejoice that before long you will be where “there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”

Memory is frequently the bondslave of despondency. Despairing minds call to remembrance every dark foreboding in the past, and dilate upon every gloomy feature in the present; thus memory, clothed in sackcloth, presents to the mind a cup of mingled gall and wormwood.

Wisdom can readily transform memory into an angel of comfort. That same recollection which in its left hand brings so many gloomy omens, may be trained to bear in its right hand a wealth of hopeful signs.

There is no need for God to create a new thing upon the earth in order to restore believers to joy; if they would prayerfully rake the ashes of the past, they would find light for the present; and if they would turn to the book of truth and the throne of grace, their candle would soon shine as aforetime.

“Be angry—and sin not.” There can hardly be goodness in a man—if he is not angry at sin; he who loves truth—must hate every false way.

Luther once said, “The devil hates goose quills” and, doubtless, he has good reason, for ready writers, by the Holy Spirit’s blessing, have done his kingdom much damage.

A little thorn may cause much suffering. A little cloud may hide the sun. Little foxes spoil the vines. And little sins do much harm to the tender heart. These little sins burrow in the soul, and make it so full of that which is hateful to Christ—that He will hold no comfortable fellowship and communion with us.

A great sin cannot destroy a Christian—but a little sin can make him miserable! Jesus will not walk with His people unless they drive out every known sin. He says, “If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

If you would live with Christ, and walk with Christ, and see Christ, and have fellowship with Christ—take heed of “little foxes that ruin the vines—for our vines have tender grapes.” Jesus invites you to go with Him and catch them.

Christian, what have you to do with sin? Has it not cost you enough already? Burnt child—will you play with the fire? What! when you have already been between the jaws of the lion—will you step a second time into his den? Have you not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all your veins once—and will you play upon the hole of the viper, and put your hand upon the cockatrice’s den a second time? Did sin ever yield you real pleasure? Did you find solid satisfaction in it? If so, go back to your old drudgery, and wear the chain again—if it delights you. But inasmuch as sin did never give you what it promised to bestow—but deluded you with lies—do not be snared a second time by the old fowler!

What a comfort to know that we have a great Physician who is both able and willing to heal us! Let us think of Him for a while tonight. His cures are very speedy—there is life in a look at Him. His cures are radical—He strikes at the center of the disease. And hence, His cures are sure and certain. He never fails, and the disease never returns. There is no relapse where Christ heals—there is no fear that His patients should be merely patched up for a season. He is well skilled in all diseases. Jesus Christ is thoroughly acquainted with the whole of human nature. He is as much at home with one sinner as with another, and never yet did He meet with an unusual case which was difficult to Him.

We trust Him—and sin dies; we love Him—and grace lives; we wait for Him—and grace is strengthened; we see Him as he is—and grace is perfected forever!

Do not be discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence? Fight on, “looking unto Jesus”; and though long and stern is the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward.

In my experience, I have found Him good, so good, indeed, that all the good I have has come to me through Him. He was good to me when I was dead in sin, for He raised me by His Spirit’s power. He has been good to me in all my needs, trials, struggles, and sorrows.

From Old Paths, chapter thirteen, "The Heart"

The heart is the main thing in religion. Wishes and desires are not enough to make a Christian. 

There is only one sure test of truth. What saith the Scripture? What is written in the Bible? What is the mind of the Holy Ghost? If we cannot submit our judgments to this infallible umpire, it is useless to pretend we have any religion at all. 

We may give God a bowed heal and a serious face, our bodily presence in His house, and a loud amen. But until we give God our hearts, we give Him nothing of any value.

There are only two sorts of hearts, a right one and a wrong one. What is a wrong heart like. The wrong heart is the natural heart with which we are all born. There are no hearts which are right by nature. There are no such things as naturally “good hearts,” whatever some ignorant people may plebe to say about “having a good heart at the bottom.” If your heart has never been changed by the Holy Ghost since you were born, know this day, that your heart is wrong. A truer word was never written than that which calls the natural heart a heart of stone.

A stone is hard. All people know that. It is unyielding, unbending, unimpressible. It may be broken, but it will never bend. A stone is cold. There is a chilly, icy feeling about it, which you know the moment you touch it.  Until God sends fire from heaven to warm it, the natural heart of man has no feeling about religion. A stone is barren. It is utterly barren of penitence, or faith, or love, or tear, or holiness, or humility. Until God breaks it up. and puts a new principle in it, it bears no fruit to God’s praise.  A stone is dead. It neither sees, nor hears, nor moves, nor grows. Show it the glories of heaven, and it would not be pleased. Until God plants the Holy Ghost in it, it is dead and motionless about real religion. 

I will now show you, in the last place, the right heart.  The right heart is a “new heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26.) It is a heart which has new tastes, new joys, new sorrows, new desires, new hopes, new fears, new likes, new dislikes. It has new views about the soul, and sin, and God, and Christ, and salvation, and the Bible. The right heart is a “broken and contrite heart.” (Psalms 51:17.) It no longer thinks lightly of offending God. It is tender, sensitive, and jealously fearful of running into sin. (2 Kings 22:19.) A right heart is a heart which believes on Christ alone for salvation, and in which Christ dwells by faith. A right heart is a purified heart. (Acts 15:9; Matthew 5:8.) It loves holiness, and hates sin. It strives daily to cleanse itself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, (2 Corinthians 7:1) A right heart is a praying heart. It has within it “the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father.” (Romans 8:15.) Its daily feeling is, “Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” (Psalm 27:8.) A right heart is a heart that feels within a conflict. (Galatians 5:17.) Last, but not least, the right heart is honest, and single, and true. (Luke 8:15, 1 Chronicles 12:33; Hebrews 10:22.)

You cannot have two heavens,--a heaven here and a heaven hereafter. Changed, renewed, converted, sanctified, as your heart is, you must never forget that it is a man’s heart after all, and the heart of a man living in the midst of a wicked world.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Bible Review: Beyond Suffering Bible

Beyond Suffering Bible NLT: Where Struggles Seem Endless, God's Hope Is Infinite. Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni & Friends, Inc. 2016. Tyndale. 1696 pages. [Source: Bought]

I finished the NLT Beyond Suffering Bible yesterday. I loved, loved, LOVED it. I decided to read it cover-to-cover, Genesis to Revelation. This isn't my typical way to read the Bible. But now and then it's the just-right way for me to do so.

It is the New Living Translation. Now, I'll be honest, the NLT is not in my top three translations of choice. Or even in my top five really. But. Because of the resources in this one, I definitely find the trade off worth it.

The special features make this a WOW Bible. Or perhaps I should amend that to say with the ever-steady INFLUENCE and HELP of the Holy Spirit the special features can lead to some wow moments. 

 Bible introductions. True, other Bibles have Bible introductions. But each Bible introduction in this one stresses key suffering and disability themes found within that book of the Bible. (In addition to giving the basics you'd expect.)

For example, these are the Key Suffering and Disability Themes found in the book of Jeremiah:

• God’s words are sweet. In the midst of our suffering, God’s words bring joy and delight (Jeremiah 15:16), even when they do not promise immediate relief. In contrast, words of false prophets who provide empty promises are bitter poison (Jeremiah 23:13-16). But when we pay attention to God’s words, we can have peace as we trust in his sovereign plan.
• Give us ears to hear. Jeremiah rebuked the people for failing to listen to and obey God (Jeremiah 7:24, 26; Jeremiah 17:23-24, 27). When pain strikes, we often become locked inside our own minds, unable to communicate with others. God is not confined by such restraints. He always listens and responds when we pay attention to his voice.
• God is our source of knowledge. Jeremiah castigated humanity for lacking knowledge (Jeremiah 10:14), because knowledge is linked with “fear of the LORD” (Prov 9:10). Fears about weakness and inadequacy often flood our minds. Knowing God, the source of all knowledge, helps us see that our human fears can be removed and replaced with his loving presence (1 Jn 4:18). A healthy awe of our Creator calms our minds and becomes the lens through which everything else is made clear.

And the Key Suffering and Disability Themes found in the book of Lamentations

• Sorrow must be faced head-on. Jeremiah dearly loved the city of Jerusalem, but he did not defend her innocence, writing that her tragic destruction was the result of her own weaknesses. Sorrow and sin must always be faced head on. It is this no-nonsense, raw approach that allows hope to grow in the fertile ground left from the ashes of suffering. By being honest with our failings and honest about our sorrow, we allow God to turn our hearts back to him so that he can give us the hope of the renewal he has promised.
• Lament implies trust in God. Jeremiah expressed real anger and “negative” emotions—several poems in this book reflect deep heartache, frustration, and hopelessness. There are those today who believe that even in the face of unspeakable struggles, lamenting indicates a lack of faith in God. On the contrary, lament can be an implicit expression of one’s trust in God. Lament shows our awareness that God cares for us and can change our circumstances. God doesn’t view lament as a critical review of our problems, but as a form of praise offered in anticipation of the ways in which he may yet reveal himself.

Connection Points. These are brief notes that provide commentary and application. While there aren't as many notes as you'd' find in a study Bible like the ESV Study Bible or the John MacArthur Study Bible, I think that's a good thing overall. These notes are concise and helpful.

Genesis 3:15 A Promise of Victory. When God put hostility between the serpent and the woman’s offspring, he opened the way for our eventual redemption. Sometimes referred to as the protoevangelium (“first gospel”), this is the first promise in Scripture of God’s final victory over evil and a full restoration of the cosmos to its intended state—free from the effects of sin. These are words of great hope for those who suffer.

Exodus 3:14 Intimacy with God. God is not bound by time, space, or other limitations. As the Timeless One, he is able to walk with us through all our struggles and sufferings, never growing weary or running out of options (Isa 40:28). Jesus, the great “I AM” incarnate (John 8:24, 58), invited all those who “are weary and carry heavy burdens” to find rest in him (Matt 11:28-29).

Exodus 40:36-38 The Christian Life. A large part of the journey of faith is learning to walk with God instead of running ahead of him. The key to discerning God’s direction in our lives is resting in his presence. We may not always be certain which way we should go, but when we “remain in [him]” (John 15:4), the Good Shepherd will never lead us astray (John 10:14; see also Ps 23).

Ruth 2:19-20 Family Support. Often in our suffering, we withdraw from those around us, particularly our family. And sometimes families can be uncaring. However, as we see in the example of Ruth and Boaz, family members can also be amazing agents of God’s love and support. Consider gently reaching out to your family in your suffering. They may be waiting, unsure of how to help and looking for you to provide them with directions.

Job 7:3 Chronic Struggles. Job did not suffer for a short period of time. He was “assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery.” Chronic illness and disability are not evidence of God’s lack of involvement in our lives. Instead, suffering can often serve to deepen our relationship with the Lord, who suffered in our place and stands alongside us in the midst of our suffering.

Lamentations 2:11-12  The Plight of Children. Jeremiah didn’t just have passing thoughts about the destruction of Jerusalem, he lived through it. He anguished over not being able to bring greater comfort to his people, especially the children. The majority of children around the world with disabilities live below the poverty level, which compounds their struggles. Even today, childhood deaths due to starvation continue to increase. Ask God what you can do both in your community and around the world to help ease the suffering of children.

Mark 8:31-33 Suffering Does Not Define Us. Many know Jesus as the Suffering Servant. In this passage, Jesus reminds us that his suffering was not a surprise but rather something he knew was coming and chose to face head on. Yet it is easy to forget that Jesus’ life was not all about suffering. The stories preserved about Jesus’ life in the Gospels attest that the human experiences of joy, love, parties, and sleep were just as much a part of his daily life as suffering was. Suffering was not the only thing to define him. Suffering is not the only thing that defines any one of us.

Romans 8:28-29 Becoming like the Son. It can be hard to believe that God is working everything “together for the good of those who love God” in the midst of pain, sickness, heartache, or financial uncertainty. How can such trials be for our benefit? How can this verse bring comfort, even though it sometimes feels like a trite platitude? We must look to the full counsel of Romans, where Paul also teaches that problems and trials help refine our character (5:3-4). And when our character better reflects Christ, more people are able to see what God is doing in our lives, and they are drawn to him.

Romans 8:35-37 God Stays! Trouble does not come because God has abandoned us. Christ’s love is not withdrawn because of disability, struggle, financial ruin, lies, or depression. God is present with us in both good and bad. The Holy Spirit cries out on our behalf when we are unable to find the words (8:26-27). Suffering is not a sign that God has left you. It never has been, and it never will be.

Profiles. The Beyond the Suffering Bible contains profiles of Bible characters--like you'd expect--but it also contains profiles of ordinary--or not so ordinary--people who know a lot about suffering and/or disabilities. These are inspirational and insightful.

From the profile on Noah

• Given the depravity of his culture—which was probably worse than our own—Noah’s life must not have been easy. But Noah stood firm, even when the call came to build the ark. Take a stand for righteousness Before the flood, Noah likely suffered a great deal of ridicule and scorn from skeptics around him. It must have been painful to watch his friends and neighbors ignore his warnings of God’s impending judgment. When the great flood finally came, Noah witnessed firsthand the destructive fury of God’s wrath against sin and evil poured out on all creation.
• No matter how severe the calamity, distress, or difficulty, God’s purposes continue and always prevail. Like Noah, we are called to take a stand for righteousness in the midst of evil. It won’t always be easy, convenient, or comfortable. But in the end, we have God’s covenant to protect and watch over us. What better promise could we have than that?

Devotionals. I don't always love devotionals. But these devotionals seem to be the exception to the rule. Here is one from the book of Jeremiah:

Two Roads, Two Choices Jer 24:1-10 Two brothers. Two responses. Two roads. The theme introduced in Genesis 4 with Cain and Abel runs all the way through the Bible to Revelation: Choose God or false gods, righteousness or wickedness, wisdom or foolishness, the narrow way or the wide way. The “two-road” metaphor also appears in Jeremiah 24 in the vision of two baskets of figs. God asked the prophet what he saw, and Jeremiah responded that he saw a basket of good figs and a basket of figs that were rotten and useless. The two baskets represented the responses of God’s people under sustained suffering. While both groups had stumbled, some of the people would eventually turn and choose to honor God. The others simply turned their backs on the ways of the Lord, and God told Jeremiah to treat them like rotten figs. We don’t like to think about God turning away from his people, but these examples instruct us in learning to make the right choices. God cannot tolerate an unrepentant lifestyle of sin. Paul documents God’s response to those who lived lives of ongoing wickedness: “Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done” (Rom 1:28). There are consequences when we make the wrong choice. We don’t like to think about God turning away from his people, but these examples instruct us in learning to make the right choices. God cannot tolerate an unrepentant lifestyle of sin. Paul documents God’s response to those who lived lives of ongoing wickedness: “Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done” (Rom 1:28). There are consequences when we make the wrong choice.

Words from Joni. These are letters spread throughout the Bible. Here's a brief excerpt from one found in the book of Jeremiah:

My best memories give shape to that hopeful future promised in Jeremiah 29:11. Your memories—especially if you’ve lost a loved one, or your health, or your ability to think clearly—should inspire hope in you, too. For as wonderful as the world was when all those special remembrances occurred—as wonderful as it was when my hands worked—these things are only a foretaste of more delightful, pleasurable experiences to come. Jesus is the one who makes our futures bright. Jesus assures us that our best memories will one day blossom into a more joyous reality than we can ever imagine. He is our hope (1 Tim 1:1). What are the memories of things you’ve lost? How might those memories inspire hope in you today? How might those remembrances draw you closer to Jesus, the God of all hope? Grab hold of this verse—Jeremiah 29:11—and so many other Scriptures that promise the world. Oh, not this world, but the world to come!

Articles. These are found at the back of the Bible.

• God's Story of Disability The Unfolding Plan from Genesis to Revelation by David C. Deuel, PHD
• A Biblical View on the Sanctity of Life by Joni Eareckson Tada
• Why Am I Disabled? Reflections on Life's Questions and God's Answers by Christopher Ralston, PHD
• The Constant Distraction: Living with Chronic Pain by Michael J. Easley, DMIN
• An Innocent Addiction by Stephen F. Arterburn, MED
• How To Be A Loving Friend to Those Affected by Disability by Mark W. Baker, PHD
• Becoming a Welcoming Church: God's Urgent Call to Disability Ministry by Steve Bundy, MA
• Hope: Heaven, Our Real Home by Joni Eareckson Tada

Some of my favorite quotes:

Every God-honoring response to a trial increases your capacity to praise God and enjoy him forever. Joni Eareckson Tada

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God will lift the Curse that brought disability. People with disabilities will no longer need a law to protect them, prophecy to offer them hope, or instruction to correct misunderstandings about disability. For now, we eagerly await our assured deliverance from the suffering associated with disability. David C. Deuel

We have an immortal soul, and we were made to glorify and magnify the Lord. As image-bearers, we are all equal. This is so critical to how we relate to people with disabilities. Joni Eareckson Tada

If we can embrace the view that we are not defined by our disability, pain, or disease, we can minister to others. A major turning point is not only refusing to be defined by our situation, but also seeing others with hearts of compassion and knowing that we can encourage them because of our pain. I call it “imperceptible influence.” You and I have no idea how we are being used by Christ. Simply pressing on, staying in the Word, choosing not to whine, learning to have a healthy sense of humor in the midst of trials, affirming others in their gifting, and trying to encourage those who struggle in similar situations are ways Christ works through us. Your faithfulness to him and your compassion for others may never be graded in this life, but don’t underestimate the possibility that God is using you and that you have that imperceptible influence. Michael J. Easley

Comfort actually has nothing to do with removing suffering; it is about offering another person strength as they endure suffering. We do not need to remove suffering from our lives or the lives of those we love because we can find God there in the midst of it. We often misunderstand the point of comforting others. We think we are supposed to come up with pithy phrases that will distract them from their pain or that we are supposed to be an agent of some miraculous cure. But actually, the true meaning of providing comfort is to simply be with others in their pain. You don’t need to know what to say, and you don’t need to do anything in particular. Mark W. Baker

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible