0717211138: A prayer I was taught by God 8 or 9 years ago that came to me just weeks after I started reading The Bible. Several years before I had tried but just couldn’t do it. And again, a couple of decades prior, I tried and failed. I supposed my lifestyle was far too contrasting in nature. Anyways, about 8-9 years ago I gave it another shot… One afternoon I tried reading one of the books straight through and it took about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I don’t recall which book it was however. Then GOD intervened and said try reading 4 chapters a day. I started at the beginning with Genesis, took that advice, and for approximately 10 months I read those 4 chapters a day until I got through it – front to back. GOD knew exactly what HE was recommending based on my limitations and the fact I’ve never been much of a reader. At this same time I was reading “The imitation of Christ” and took the same recommendation and applied it to this little red book given to me by a dear, dear friend who received it following the death of her Grandfather. And sure enough, it worked!

I’ll tell you what spurred me on with regard to another attempt at reading it (The Bible). Sometime around the mid-nineties just after our fathers’ passing, I had a conversation with my younger brother Gabriel who told me when he was about 13 or 14 he had had enough of what his mother had to say about our father. One day he got on his bike in Ontario, Ca. and decided to take a ride out to Laverne and look for our father who was homeless at that time. His reason, he wanted to meet the man face-to-face, and decide for himself who he was and how he felt about him.

Well, one day I realized that I felt the same way about The Bible. Opinions abound about that ancient text. I wanted to see for myself what it was, and how I felt about it first hand. So I did. Two things stood out early on:

First, it was an indictment of mankind, and what man would write about himself, his own kind in this regard (and hope to live peaceably among his fellow human beings);

Second, was that there was little or no humor in it which is often the case when trying to take the sting out of an otherwise controversial or sensitive subject (is there anything more sensitive or controversial than The Bible). Another way humor is used in books is to bolster sales. And now that I think about it, there simply are few justifications for man’s history regarding his behaviors (something one very well might expect – of course you can always argue… I’m quite sure there will be some disagreement here -> slaughter of entire civilizations… babies…) towards his fellow man (ok I admit it – The Bible is riddled with justifications for… and criticisms of…). All told… it does seem to contain quite the explanation. Maybe I should change the above title to “opening a real can of worms”😒 Moving on….

This is the prayer GOD gave me just weeks into my third (or fourth) try at reading The Bible*. It took a few weeks to form, but eventually it came to me.

“Oh Blessed Lord, let my heart, mind, and spirit be open to receive this most precious gift through YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST who is risen! Amen.”

Oh, one last thing. Something very interesting took place right around this time**. As I sat on the couch in the living room of our little apartment on Roadrunner pkwy. reading (aloud)… I remember hearing a little noise at the door periodically. I would get up and look through the little peep-hole and see nothing. This continued for some time. We had hung a Christmas Wreath on the front of the door for the Holidays which remained there for some time (months lol). This might have been around March or April of 2013 (maybe 2014). Anyways, one day we were coming home from the store(?) and heard a little noise coming from the wreath as we were unlocking the front door to enter. It was 3 little sparrows in a nest. It was the second floor with a little overhang, and 2 doors, one to the right and one to the left – opposite each other. Now I don’t know about you, but to my mind… Birds don’t ordinarily nest where there is a lot of human traffic. I seem to recall something in either The Bible, “The Imitation of CHRIST” or “Poem of the Man-God” about GOD’S creatures longing to hear GOD’S Word.

I just want to say that it is things just like this which have contributed to a greater Faith and understanding of GOD and HIS existence, as well as HIS love for each and every one of us.

**I believe August or September of 2012 (maybe 2013) was when I sat down and read The Bible, a chapter in its entirety as mentioned above. I became discouraged for several months and then attempted to pick it back up some time in February or March of 2013 (maybe 2014).

•Title credited to Burt Bacharach and Hal David.