The Word of God, the Bible, has been a vital part of my life. We had family devotions. I went to Sunday school and memorized verses. In confirmation, we studied the Bible and catechism. And worship texts from the Old Testament, Epistles, and gospels were read every Sunday. These continue to draw me into the Word.

I was in high school when I began to read the Bible through in a year. As I would read, I would mark verses that had special meaning for me. Some chapters were so full of gems of truth that I chose several.

The Books of History reveal to us the record of the acts of the Lord God with his people, the family of Jacob or Israel. The history begins as they cross the Jordan, conquered the land. We read of the troubles during the time of the Judges. We follow the reigns of kings Saul, David, and Solomon. We sense the distress of the divided kingdom and the time of exile. These books are important to our life of faith. The details were written down so that we can avoid the same sins. I am drawn to the magnificence of our God's grace as he forgives the sins of the people and calls them to obey.