I have been reading the Gospels as one big book. The plan was to read 3 chapters a day and be done in a month, but I missed a few days so that’s not going to happen. I don’t know how you study or read the Bible, but I like to take notes about an observation, what I learned or something God spoke to my heart. I have notes, hearts and arrows all through my Bible. Some are dated, but most are not. What I love about re-reading my notes is being reminded of all the life we have walked through together. All the times I was challenged by what I read. All the hearts remind me of how much I am loved and how God likes to show me that I am.

If I could, for a moment, refer back to the Tapestry blog (12.14), one thread I have seen over and over in my life is the thread of trust. Sometimes it is a healthy, robust color and other times it is thin and gray.

I see this theme of trust over and over in my notes. I can trace how I learned to trust Him. The more I learned about Him, the more I could trust Him. The more I trusted Him, the more I loved Him and changed the way I thought and acted.

As a young kid I think trust came easily, but I soon learned that not all people could be trusted, even those who you were supposed to trust. As a result trust was hard for me.

I was cautious of Jesus when I first started following Him, at 16. I remember being overwhelmed by His love, but the idea of talking to Him and hearing Him was a little hard to believe. Why did He want to do that with me? I did not grow up in the church, so all of it was so unknown and I was so uncertain.

I remember being in a meeting with my small group leaders, at Youth With A Mission, and Curt asked me to pray. OUT LOUD! Oh man! I remember so clearly that I started with “Dear God, if you have time, would You…” when I was done, Curt said something that changed everything. He said that God did not look at me as a nuisance or a bother. That God will always have time for me and will want to talk to me anytime, anywhere.

This morning in my reading of Mark 2, I read the story about the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him down through the roof. Talk about needing trust! I wonder if he was holding onto that mat with all his strength and didn’t breathe until he reached the bottom? In verse 5 it says:

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the
paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”

Written in my Bible near that verse, I wrote the word for “Son” is “Teknon” (tek'-non) which means child; tender term of endearment.

So, when Jesus saw that man, He saw His child, who He loves!
Once again, I was filled with wonder and gratefulness that I am seen that same way, as His child He loves. Not only that, but He meets me where I am: broken, on my mat. Loving and forgiving, not condemning or frustrated.

For a minute, let’s close our eyes and picture we are sitting with Jesus. What do you picture Him doing? Is He distracted by what is going on around Him? Is He scrolling on His phone chuckling or shaking His head at the latest TikTok? Is He bored, looking at His watch, just waiting until He can leave? What are you doing doing? Any of those things?

I am reminded when I read these stories and my notes how very involved and invested He is with me.
How He is facing me and fully focused on me and our conversation. And I want to be the same way to Him.

Trust can be hard, sometimes you have to step out in trusting someone before you know if they can be fully trusted. Each and every time I stepped out and believed God, I was never disappointed. All I need to do is look back at my notes.

If you had to pick a theme thread that has been through your life, what would it be? What would you write in your notes to remind you what you’ve been through, what you learned and what you would share with others?

I hope the next time you are spending time with God, remember He loves you and is waiting to talk to you.
Have the most amazing day!
All My Love ~
Jodi xo

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