September is one of my favorite months, and yet also one of my saddest.  My beautiful momma, Helen Marie,  passed away five years ago, this September 19th. This month has always been so full of new beginnings, fresh fall air, pumpkins and fairs. And I love them all!   But deep in the recesses of my mind and heart, there is always this twinge of pain, beauty, nostalgia and want.  I truly miss her every single day. And I don’t think there is a time when I am not thinking of her, her laugh, her beauty and her love of God.  She taught me how to read, study and love the Bible, and I have several of her bibles filled with notes and journaling.

This week, I decided to buy a new Bible. Not that I needed one, but I wanted the one I gave to someone so that when we read together, we are reading the same version.  And I realized that I didn’t have NIV.  I probably have every other version, haha, but not NIV.

So while I was reading yesterday morning, and turned to the front of the Bible and put my name and date in and then stopped.  I heard God say look at the date again. September 2018.  Then look at the bible you bought last year. September 2017. Now go to the next one. Guess what it said? September 2016.   I realized that every September I had been buying a new bible.  The same month my mom passed away.  Then I felt the Spirit tell me ever so sweetly that it is honoring of my mom. That every September as I have been buying a bible, it was building on the foundation of my mom’s love of the Word and my love of the Word. She would love the bible I just bought, filled with flowers, colors and study notes

I sometimes have felt so guilty for not getting to her graveside much, or putting flowers on for every occasion, But this was so much better.  A bible that keeps us connected through God’s word. A Bible that is the Living Word that she now sees everyday, and I read everyday. Instead of empty vases, I now have Bibles that are marked and highlighted, just like hers.

I hope I am explaining this correctly.  It was such a powerful AHA moment for me, and I wanted to share so that maybe, just maybe it would bless someone.

This is the Bible I purchased. The NIV Women’s Study Bible. Isn’t it a beaut!