Bible Verse Challenge, Day 7: Love Conquers All

For the last day of the challenge I've chosen the verse that means the most to me.

Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

In the past 3.5 years I've spent with my almost-husband, we've grown from awkward college grads to more sharpened (albeit still awkward) and weathered adults.

And while we don't have decades of marriage to speak for, we've had our fair share of struggles. Being apart for the whole of our relationship is just one.

When we first got together, I confess I thought he'd never fail me. And I naively vowed I'd never let him down. You can guess how well that went.

Most days, it's no big deal. But there have also been seasons that tested the strength of our commitment to one another. We had to love one another with faith that this, too, would pass.

There have been nights we've laughed until we cried, and other nights that the laughter never came.

And of course, there's been cold feet. We're human.

It's in looking into the face of someone else's humanity and seeing your own reflected back at you that it hits you:

This love thing? It's not about you and all the great things they can bring to your life. It's not about the holes they fill or the needs they meet.

And it's not about them, either. It's not about having a pet project to work on or a fixer-upper to make into your superman.

Instead, it's about the willingness to give grace, forgiveness, compassion, time to one another, every day, regardless of the weather or your bad mood, always.

It's tough shit.

But, you know, that's why marriage is a sacrament. Sacraments are rituals that are full of God's strength and power. We step into that new life with our spouse not as a pair, but as a trio — with God at the head. God is love, after all. He sets the standard.

And so we love like Him. Patiently. Enduringly. Gently. And in time, we'll find that love can bind, heal and transform even the most stubborn of hearts.

Thanks to an incredible man, it happened to me.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 6: Squeaky Wheels and Giving Hearts

Today's pick isn't just one verse, but it's one of my favorite parables, so let's break the rules a bit, shall we? :)

And (Jesus) said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. (Luke 11:5-8)

This parable hits on two different points, and both are equally valuable.

When I first heard it at Mass years ago, the Italian in me felt vindicated. I'm about as hard-headed as it gets, and when I really want something, it takes a lot to stop me.

We are all on a winding journey that comes with its fair share of curveballs. And I believe that success isn't so much about how well we succeed in navigating those obstacles, but our desire to keep pushing forward despite them.

I feel that that's what Jesus is calling us to here — an attitude of stubborn determination and commitment to making the right decisions and doing our best to follow His example in our lives. Too, I believe this speaks to the power of prayer. It might often feel like we're talking to the ceiling, but we're told over and over again to ask, seek, knock and share our hearts with God. Like a good parent, He cares for us and our needs. The answer may not always be yes, but He still wants to know what we hope for.

There's another person who teaches a lesson in this parable, and that's the neighbor. How often do we turn away someone in need because of our circumstances or pure inconvenience? I know that I tend to get so absorbed in my own little world that I can often forget to look outward. This parable challenges us to respond to the needs of the hurting world around us, whether that person is our literal neighbor or a homeless father in Camden.

It's amazing how so little can teach us so much, isn't it? Jesus is a master storyteller, which explains why His messages still resound in us almost 2,000 years later.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 5: Clean Slate

Today's verse exemplifies what I believe is the most comforting part of belonging to God.

The Lord’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning — great is your faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Elsewhere in the Bible we read the adage, "There is a time for everything." And it's true: There are seasons of great joy and terrible sadness, wealth, poverty, success, failure...

Failure. Oof. It's obviously not one I like to think about, but sometimes it seems like every day is a series of countless tiny missteps.

And those days leave me so frustrated that by the time my head hits the pillow I can barely stand myself. I know what I'm capable of, and yet still fall short. We've all been there. Discouragement and disappointment, especially when they're self-focused, are ugly beasts.

This verse offers me a potent reminder that failure doesn't matter.

I use the phrase loosely here — of course our actions have consequences, that's part of life. But at the same time, failure doesn't have to spell the end of the world.

The same can be said for those long seasons of doubt, struggle, or even personal tragedy. Even though they may turn our worlds upside down and things may never be the same, there's something we have to remember:

Time keeps moving.

The best piece of advice I ever received is that life is merciful because it continues on regardless of our circumstances. Sooner or later, better days do come.

And you know, that's God's way, too. No matter how bad I screw up my life, my relationships or my journey with Him, there are always opportunities to make it right and begin again.

I might not be a morning person (that's an understatement), but I always breathe a sigh of relief with each new day, God's gift of a clean slate.

Here's the best thing: We don't even have to wait until morning. Every moment is a new opportunity to do something new.

If you want to change something, do it. If you need forgiveness, seek it. If you need help, reach out.

Don't wait. You don't have to.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 4: The Whole Truth

Most people know the passage in 1 Corinthians that begins, "Love is patient, love is kind ..." It's read at practically every wedding, and I bet some of you even know it by heart. But the verses that precede the iconic passage speak much more to me.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor 13:1-3)

There's a famous quote from Ghandi that goes, "I like your Christ. But I do not like your Christians ... Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

He speaks to a serious issue in all of Christianity. What we say we believe and how we live are often starkly, shamefully different. We're all sinners, and sometimes that comes through clearer than out redemption does.

We can be full of zeal for our faith, but that will mean nothing to anyone if we present it with cold, compassionless legalism. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

At the same time, our humanity isn't a catch-all license to say and do whatever we please. We are broken, but that doesn't mean we're supposed to sit in that brokenness for the rest of our lives. God's mercy doesn't act as an excuse to continue to hurt ourselves and others.

Let's be honest — we're going to fail. But in those moments, willingness to admit it, apologize for it and work to repair the damage can make all the difference. That's why Confession is so important and beneficial. It keeps the ego in check and allows us the freedom to move forward.

The Gospel is about love, truth, justice, and equity. The way we talk about it and the way we live it out should reflect all of those things. When they don't, the message rings hollow and false to the people who most need to hear it.

A caveat, here: Trying to live as good examples of the Gospel does not mean faking it, hiding our struggles and never having a bad day (or week, or season). That's just as bad as showing no remorse for our shortcomings, if not worse. No one responds well to a faker or a liar.

Just be real about everything: Your trials, your frustrations, and the ultimate goodness of God over all of it. Tell your story as it is. The truth speaks volumes more than an airbrushed image ever will.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 3: We Need Each Other

Today's verse is about relationships of any kind, and its message is simple.

Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil. If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

This verse hearkens back to one from Genesis, at the very beginning of it all: It is not good for man to be alone.

Regardless of what you believe about God or faith in general, I think most of us can agree that we humans were created with a desire for belonging.

We live, grow, bond and work in community. Like it or not, interaction with other people is at the core of who we are. We encourage and nurture each other through whatever life throws our way.

True, we all need time to be alone and recharge our batteries. But what happens when we don't want to deal with other people, or feel like we can't? What if we don't feel valued or safe?

We shut down. And soon, the only company we're left with is our own pain, anxiety, or shame.

Isolation dulls our minds and crushes our spirits. And chances are good that our relationships will suffer as well.

The same can be said for our life with God. When we pull away from Him, we cut ourselves off from the support and grace He wants to give us.

Nurturing those critical relationships take honesty, commitment and vulnerability. It might make us squirm in the moment, but it stretches our capacity to give and receive love, to heal, to forgive, and ultimately, to thrive.

Maybe it's time to call a friend you haven't seen in a while ... or have a heart-to-heart with a spouse ... or take five minutes to pray. Think about it.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 2: Keep Moving

Today, I've chosen a verse that led to radical changes in my perspective on life following a breakup several years ago. I've felt it tug on me again lately.

“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)

Admittedly, I have always been a pining sort of person, never quite satisfied with things, usually settling into a restless kind of contentment.

I ache for the seasons where life was simpler and the consequences of my current decisions less drastic.

And yet, at the same time, I yearn for a future that is brighter than this present moment. I'm hungry for more opportunities, new scenery, a stronger and more mature version of myself.

But here I am. For now, this is where God has placed me.

This temptation to live outside the here and now is especially strong lately. In 73 days, I'll be marrying a man who has been too far from me for too many years. We have a little home that begs to be filled with laughter and love. There are old and new friends waiting for me to arrive. There are new opportunities to work. There is ministry there, and my heart swells at the thought of finally getting my hands dirty.

There's a niche for me on that island. And with him. All I want is to be with him.

To do it, though, I need to leave my home. My family. My friends here. My job. The simple town that has cradled me for my entire life. This is all I've ever known. There are moments when my joy and hope for the future is punctuated with grief that leaves me breathless. I cling to the familiar and bury my head to hide from the unknowns.

Will I be a good wife? Will he really be there for me as he says? What about when children come? Can I really handle this?

But I know that self-doubt is just a distraction from the life God's called me to. Each season is a new opportunity to be molded by Him into something more beautiful.

And we'll never experience that if we spend life looking backward.

Bible Verse Challenge, Day 1: Strength and Courage

Over on Facebook, one of my best friends challenged me to share a Bible quote that's personally meaningful for each day this week. Since today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, I thought that today would be great to start the reflections.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joel 1:9)

I remember stumbling upon this verse a few years ago while preparing for my driver's license road test. I was so apprehensive about it, and seeing this was an eye-opener.

"Have I not commanded you? ... Be not frightened!"

If you ask me, that sounds like a gauntlet. Courage in the Christian life isn't a suggestion or a requirement — it's a necessity if we hope to carry on. This life is full of trials, and we'll never navigate them successfully with a frightened spirit.

But it's certainly easier said than done. As someone who struggles with generalized anxiety, it's easy to read a verse like this one and think that I've failed.

With time, though, I've learned that strength, courage and a stomach full of butterflies are not mutually exclusive.

So many people believe that strength is measured in lack of emotion or vulnerability. And similarly, many think that courage is boldness without a drop of hesitation.

Those are lies. Scripture is full of people who stand as proof of true courage — they are able to act, to speak, to live unapologetically for God even in the midst of their fear.

A courageous heart is one that says "Jesus, I trust you" with each shaky step onto the water. A strong soul is one who doesn't shy away from honesty, even when that means being vulnerable or admitting failure.

Yes, God sets a high bar for us with this command. But He does it with the faith and confidence that we can reach it. That should be an encouragement for all of us.