A Birthday Present from a Friend

My friend gave me a book for my birthday and I started reading it last night.  Funny thing is I thought I knew what was in the book. You see I have heard about the book. I have read about the book. I have heard other people talk about the book, so I assumed I knew what was in it. I was wrong.

My preconceived notion is not unusual. There are lots of people who grow up attending church, listening to ministers and Sunday school teachers tell them Bible stories so they think they know the Bible, but they never bother to read it for themselves. There is simply no other way to live the word if we don’t read the word.

Imagine my amazement when I opened the book my friend gave me and started reading.  It didn’t take but a few pages to realize that I was about to embark upon a journey with a friend I’ve never met. A friend who would ask tough questions and give deep thought to finding answers. After just a few chapters I closed the book and closed my eyes.

It was late and normally I would have been asleep, but this book got the dusty, spider-webbed cogs in my brain turning. I turned the lights out, closed my eyes, said my prayers and thought about the author’s words. Her name is Ann Voskamp and even though she doesn’t know it, she’s my new friend. I fell asleep contemplating what I had read so far and this morning the first thing I did (after I fed my granddaughter her bottle and changed her diaper) was go to Ann’s web site. If you have never been there I encourage you to go. You can click here to get there:  http://www.aholyexperience.com/

The name of her book is One Thousand Gifts and if you haven’t read it, don’t assume you know what it is about. Do your self a favor and get a copy. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

And about that other book I mentioned, The Bible. If you haven’t read it, you really should. It changes lives every day. I know because it changed mine.

P.S. Thank you Annette for the book! It just may be the best gift you have ever given me!