Somewhere along the way, someone introduced me to the practice of personalizing Scripture. Wish I could tell you who that was… I cannot. What I can tell you is, grab a pen or pencil and hang on... When God puts a verse in front of me that speaks into my daily life, I write it out as it appears in our Bible. Then, I re-write it as if it were a message from God to me, personally. Sometimes it's easy, putting "me" in for "you", as in Ephesians 1:4 where personalized, it reminds me: "For He chose me, in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight."

Sometimes, it's adding in my name, as in Philippians 4:6, where it coaches me: "Do not be anxious about anything, Mary Ann, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, Mary Ann, present your requests to God."

A few days ago, I was out walking and worked through the Lord's Prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-15, "My Father, who art in heaven…" could I encourage you to do that right now and throughout this week…and hang on!

" 'So you will be my people, and I will be your God.' " Jeremiah 30:22