If I’m not purposeful, I can get comfortable in the plentiful. I can forget what it’s like to be separated from God — in the dark.

Today I’m going to remind us. Well, not just remind us and leave us in a pit of guilt, I have something we can tangibly *do* in an effort to help bring light and life to those who have never read of their Maker.

Katie Orr and I wrote a little book called Savoring Living Water: How to Have an Effective Quiet Time. In the process of writing that book, God reminded us of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who do not have a single verse of Scripture in their language. The realization floored us. So we asked Him what we could do to help. And He led us to OneVerse.

To make a long story short, He led us to give $2 from the sale of every copy of Savoring Living Water to OneVerse, specifically for the translation of the Bible in the Vidunda language. Every $26 funded another verse for the Vidunda people.

We’re excited to report that we are SO close to reaching our original goal of funding 104 verses. In fact since the launch of the book last Fall we’ve raised almost $2300 towards the Vidunda project — that’s over 88 verses!

With the goal being within arm’s reach, we want to have a final push TODAY. So for today only, $5 from the sale of every e-copy will go directly to this Vidunda project.

If we can sell 82 copies of the ebook today, we will reach our goal!

You or I may not be able to leave our homes or families to go study languages and translate the Bible for a people that’s never read the name “Jesus.” But we can buy a book. And we can pray that God would bring His Word to the nations.

Click here to get your ecopy today!

If you’ve already purchased a copy but would like to donate more towards our goal, visit our OneVerse giving page to find out how.

(Sharing below is much appreciated.)

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As soon as my kids notice, they holler, “Mommy, there’s a hopeless person. Give him a granola bar.” I’ve tried correcting, “Baby, it’s homeless. Homeless.” But they still say “hopeless”.

We sometimes pass a chewy, chocolate chip granola bar out the window and then pray for him. But when the light turns green we drive to our comfortable life, forgetting his face until we go to Target again for toothpaste and Pull-ups.

flickr photo credit: jim fischer

Suffering covers the landscape of our world, from homelessness to terminal illness to the travesty of sex trafficking. The burden of living on this planet can push us to the point that we raise our hands in surrender to the mess. We turn our eyes back to the latte we just bought and conclude with slight apathy that we just can’t save the world.

And we’re right. We can’t save the world. But we can do something. And though it’s good to give a granola bar, I want to do more.

That’s one reason I partner with OneVerse.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:14, 17

In mere seconds I can pull up an app with 18 different Bible translations, including commentary and explanations of the original language. Not to mention the 10 Bibles sitting on our downstairs bookshelf gathering dust.

Yet millions have never read the words “God loves you and sent His Son, Jesus, to die on your behalf. To free you.” That’s a suffering that cuts my spirit deep.

Partnering with OneVerse is something tangible I can do. I can sponsor the translation of a verse each month and know that I’m handing hope to a people who truly live hopeless without the Words of their Maker.

I’m linking up with other OneVerse bloggers today trying to spread the word. You and I can’t save the world. But we can do something. We can help give the hope of Truth to those who have never heard.

Would you consider joining me in the effort? Would you help spread the word? Click here to find out more.

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In efforts to abide in Him this year and have His Word abide in me, I am going to start memorizing another chunk of Scripture. Specifically, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. That’s right, Matthew 5-7. One hundred and seven verses.

Did your coffee just come out of your nose?

I do have an in-real-life friend who is wild enough to walk this journey with me. But you know I have to ask. I mean, how could I not?

You wanna join us?

We will start this Sunday and plan to memorize 3 or 4 verses each week, with the weekly verses displayed in my sidebar to the right. You can also go to Do Not Depart for lots of great resources on Scripture memory. Believe me, if I can do it you can do it.

flickr photo credit: mark grapengater

God designed us to be spiritual beings with a spiritual hunger. When we try to fill that gaping void with things in this physical world, we always wake up hungry. But when we feast at the table of His Word, our inner man (or woman) transforms.

By His Word He reveals the dead places. He unfolds His plan. He infuses life. And He displays His love. That’s why I need it. We need it.

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
(Deuteronomy 8:3)

I think that’s why the statistics astound me.
 

You may remember OneVerse from my partnership through Savoring Living Water (which, by the way, you receive a free copy of if you become a monthly partner with OneVerse).

Just as we need His Word millions of others need His Word but don’t have six translations gathering dust on their bookshelf. They don’t even have one. “I’m not OK with that.” That’s why I partner with them.

We can help “end Bible poverty” beginning with ourselves and then spreading to the nations. His Word quenches the soul’s thirst.

 
Fill me, Lord…

Who wants to join me in this wild plan to memorize Jesus’ words?
How does it challenge you to know that so many don’t even have the option?
 

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Wait for it…

flickr photo credit: kasia

A VERSE OF THE BIBLE! Music screeches to a halt. “The lady has lost her mind,” you think.

Maybe that’s partly true, but for the month of December OneVerse is launching a program called Gift-a-Verse. For $26 we can sponsor the translation of a verse of the Bible for a people group that doesn’t have the Bible in their own language.

Let me say it a different way. For $26 dollars we can bring life, living water, Jesus to a people group that’s waiting to hear of this Savior’s love.

That’s way better than a scarf.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating because I need continual reminding. His Word is alive. We satisfy that deep down hunger for peace or joy or rest with His Word. Our souls crave our Maker’s voice.

In the midst of trial, He soothes and carries with promises of His faithful presence. When we have more questions than answers, He calms the anxious places by whispering of His perfect understanding. He teaches and corrects, transforms and loves with His alive Word.

Join me in marking those hard-to-buy-for-people off our list by giving them a gift that will truly make a difference in our world. A gift that will truly make a difference for another soul that craves the voice of their Maker.

Click here to find out more information or to Gift-a-Verse today!

Fill me, Lord…

How has His Word personally ministered to you lately?

I receive no compensation for my promotion of Gift-a-verse. I just think it’s a great idea.

The post the perfect gift for that person who has everything appeared first on Lara Howard.

Savoring Living Water is now available as a spiral bound hardcopy! Yay! Personally, I’m a little old-fashioned. I like to write in my books…with a pen and ink. So I love this!

And yes, $2 from the sale of every copy — including hardcopies — still goes toward our crazy, big goal of funding 104 verses through the sale of our book. Click on the button below to order your copy.

Hard copy $10

Click here to read more about Savoring Living Water.

As of yesterday, we have sold 202 copies since our release, meaning that at this point $404 will be donated to OneVerse for the month of September!

To break that down even further, at $26 per verse, we have officially funded the translation of 15 verses for the Vidunda people. Fifteen additional verses of Scripture will now be translated into their native language. That is awesome!

We still have a ways to go to reach our goal. So your help in spreading the word is much appreciated. Nothing is impossible with this great God of ours.

For those who have purchased the eBook for your Kindle or Nook,
we did not realize there wasn’t a way to print from those e-readers.
Please email me if you would like a download link for the Companion Journal.

Fill me, Lord…

How has God shown Himself mighty in your life lately? Let’s do some testifyin’.

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