With deep appreciation and a heavy heart,
I hereby discharge my 1978 NIV Holy Bible
after 46 years of honorable service.

PB gave me this Bible the Christmas before we got married. It has provided comfort, teaching, correction and training through every stage of my adult life. This book has seen me through seven moves, four babies and thousands of early morning quiet times. The pages have received coffee stains, children’s scribbles and an untold number of tears.

There are dates written in the margins next to certain verses. Like,

• “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Ps. 27:13-14 —March 2001, waiting for bypass surgery
• “When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” Isa. 43:2 — Dec. 1991, Marshfield Hospital
• “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.” Isa. 58:11 — March 22, 1988, appointment to first church
• “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” Ps. 46:5 — April 2018, Granddaughter born at 28 weeks, Meriter Hospital

So much of my heart is entwined in the words of this holy book. But, alas, the binding is coming loose and pages are falling out so I am resigned to move on.

There are other Bibles on my shelf, but none of them feel right.
I searched Ebay and found a 1978 NIV Holy Bible
exactly like my retired copy.
I’m gonna try to wear out another Bible.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Isa. 40:8