The B-I-B-L-E.
I received my first “adult” Bible from Wyoming United Methodist Church in Wyoming, MN after completing my confirmation classes. It didn’t mean a lot to me then, and it just got slapped on the dusty shelf at home. But, years later, after I became a Christian, the book got opened and drawn in and slept on and dragged with me everywhere. It’s the first Bible I ever read cover to cover. It ventured with me to China and the Philippines and trekked up a couple of mountains with me in Colorado. It has been up to Duluth countless times and has been crammed in my backpack between some other less interesting books.
But, all that use ended up really destroying it. The binding broke and pages started coming unattached. The cardboard cover had a huge bend in it…I actually considered covering it with duct tape on a few occasions. The pages were all folded and marked and several were torn. My fear for it’s survival had me put it on the shelf and only use it as a delicate reference.
Then, the coolest of cool friends teamed up with my husband and surprised me by having it rebound for me. Camille gave me my new Bible, complete with a beautiful soft purple cover, new end pages, and every page pressed! She had my name printed on the front in a beautiful pink and on the side binding, the words “Beloved.” This is seriously the coolest gift!
“Hosea put it well:I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved.” – Romans 9:25
Oh…and kudos to Le Beau Bindery, the place that did it. It was beautifully rebound with amazing quality.