Secret Stuff and Jesus Stuffies!

Hello Dear Reader! Here I am back with another missive. It’s literally feast or famine with me, isn’t it? What can I say. Sometimes I just think of y’all and I know I’ve got to share. So, how about it? Wanna read some secret stuff? I haven’t cleared this with anyone (as in publisher and agent type people) but I’m gonna drop a few words here from the next book I’m writing! It’s that study from the gospel of John I’ve been wanting to pen for so long, the one I mentioned in our last visit. Each chapter opens with a little note to John (cause his gospel has helped me so and I feel like we’re besties!) before we start unpacking Scripture. Kinda like this…

Dear John,

Back in elementary school we had exams called Open Book Tests. Our teacher would actually allow us to open our textbooks to find the answers. What’s more, she would encourage us to take our time and find the answers! As much as I loved open book tests, it felt like there had to be a catch because it seemed too good to be true. I half expected her to cry, “Gotcha!” at any moment and send us to the office for cheating. It never happened, not even once. For the life of me I couldn’t see how anyone could fail an open book text, but a few of my classmates always managed to surprise me.

I’ve decided following Jesus can be a little bit like an open book test, only infinitely better. God gives us His Word and encourages us to look in it for answers to all of life’s questions. In my simplistic analogy, the infinitely better part is how God gives those who are trusting in Jesus top grades before we even begin the test! Grace, grace, that’s amazing grace and it encourages me on the days when I seem to be failing the open book test, which happens more than I care to admit.

Aren’t we thankful for our longsuffering Teacher, John? I don’t know how many times I read your gospel before it began to hit me. You and your friends struggled to grasp who Jesus was and what He was doing in your midst, despite the fact that y’all started following Him from the first day He said, “Come.” Y’all were slow to catch on and Jesus was right there in flesh and blood. Why, you could’ve pinched him! (You didn’t, did you? Tell me you didn’t pinch Jesus.)
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That’s it for now. The pic? That’s the “Jesus Stuffy” I made. He helps me illustrate how sorely we need a living breathing Jesus over our comforting little religious practices that fail to help us believe and keep believing! #ohmysoul

Hugs, Shellie