That's What He Said

I love movie quotes. I’m equally partial to shows, books, and podcasts. When a friend loves the same lines, we have the magic. We grow to love the characters so much that we’ll read about the real people behind them and share those details with each other. In a totally healthy, non-parasocial or celebrity worship syndrome sort of way.

I’M FINE.

I wouldn’t say I’ve hit “fan girl” status with the celebrities I love. I do occasionally have this dream that Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell ghost me so hard that I wake up sad in real time. I feel a little defeated, failing once again to lock down what would obviously be a lifelong friendship.

YA BLEW IT.

I’m not sure what’s going on in my subconscious. Some part of me really wants to win them over. I know them from their work and their instagram, with their smily face emoji children in tow. I don’t know them. Most importantly, they don’t know me. I am honestly fine with that, regardless of what my deepest and innermost private thoughts would tell you.

I think that’s what amazes me about the God I learn about in the Bible. In a culture submerged in power struggles, authoritative idealization, and hidden agendas, we meet a Creator that wants to be known. He didn’t create an owner’s manual because each life is so unique and unable to be duplicated. BUT He did provide a road map so that whatever detour you end up on, you can find your way back to the main path.

I mean, doesn’t that make sense? In the same way that we can’t parent each of our kiddos with the exact same methods, but we have a general outcome we’d like to see for each of them. It usually involves health, happiness, and a home of their own. Not our basement.

Taking a closer look at the “road map” (the Bible) involves trying to understand what it is saying, even when it seems inconsequential or minute. The words I might otherwise glaze over could be offering cultural context or themes that continue to exist today. Taking the time to understand these details often unveils such beautiful continuity.

I attended a study several months ago where we prayed the Scripture. We read one line at a time and prayed whatever came to mind. In this case, it didn’t need to include a commentary or the original text. It was so simple and organic the way they spoke to each of our hearts.

I knew this was something I wanted to share on the blog! Now that a new season is around the corner, it seems like the perfect time to get started. I’ve included free prayer cards for you to download and print for yourself. If you’d like to go one step further and laminate them, it appears you and I have the magic too.

These prayer cards can be used in a variety of ways. A verse a week, a day, or hourly. We all have our battles. Pray them over yourself, your family, your co-workers, your classmates, that guy that cut you off on the freeway. I chose verses for courage, kindness, patience, joy, and faith. The sixth card is to keep track of prayers and praises. You can download them when you subscribe to my site. (Sorry…not sorry.)

My hope is that you will experience these things as you pray them over your life. I also suspect the verses will take on different meanings as you face a variety of seasons and circumstances. Scripture is living and active. In this small selection of scripture, my greatest desire is that you will grow in faith because the work being done in you is not explainable or visible to the naked eye.

I know that may not sit well with everyone. Good. Test it and decide whether or not it has merit. In order for truth to hold up over time, it must be valid and reliable. Keep one eye open when something masquerades as truth but balks at a challenge. The only time people will hide things from you are 1. when they’re being dishonest and 2. when they’re planning your surprise party.

I have a wealth of useless knowledge in my head. I can recite more than half of Tommy Boy right here, right now. It may get a laugh, but it won’t cause you to contemplate life on a deeper level. Maybe it will. I’m not judging. My point is that along with Chris Farley quotes from the mid to late nineties (RIP, sweet prince), I can fill my mind with words that actually do have the power to encourage, enlighten, and even defend the rights of others in purposeful ways. Those are the quotes I most want to be known for. How about you?