YouVersion

My favorite Bible app simply is called “Bible” on my home screen. You can search for it by the name YouVersion. I’ve been using the app for years and appreciate how it usually is getting better each year. It does sometimes take some steps backwards, but mostly I’ve appreciated the active development.



One thing I appreciate about the YouVersion Bible app is how easy it makes it to read and listen to the Bible in many different translations not only in English but in many other languages. Sadly, although it has thousands of languages on it, it doesn’t have my favorite Hausa language version yet. Still, I believe it has over 100 Nigerian languages (praise God!), some with the Audio. The only thing holding YouVersion back are copyright issues—they would gladly host more languages if they just had the permission. I don’t know what has kept them from getting permission for every language in the world. Thankfully there are other apps out there, so most (though not all) translations of Nigerian languages are now available in one app or another. 


The YouVersion app makes comparing translations of a verse or set of verses really easy. I just long press a verse, select additional verses, and then choose the “compare” option to see many translations side by side. If I want to see the context in another translation, I just touch it and there I am. The verses I selected are highlighted, and I can see all that comes before and goes after. I usually have two or three English translations, Nigerian Pidgin, and Hausa available just a touch away. When I read in different languages (and in different translations of English) the same verse may strike me differently, catching my attention—and sometimes grabbing my heart.

YouVersion also lets me highlight verses and make comments. I have had some issues with connectivity losing some comments, so now I mostly use the “copy verse(s)” feature and paste into my prayer journal for further prayer and reflection. Please join me in thanking God for a versatile multilingual easy-to-use Bible app!

Although I enjoy reading the Bible on my phone, I enjoy it even more when the phone reads to me. That’s something I’ll explore more next time in another feature of YouVersion.

By the way, starting on Sunday (Sep 27 - Oct 3) you can join believers around the world in a week of prayer for BIble translation using a YouVersion Devotional plan: Bible Translation: A 7-day Journey of Prayer for the Nations. If you are reading this later, you can probably also do this plan any week that works well for you.

Holding You and No Other In My Heart

"I love my life to count

And to know I've made an impact somehow

But Lord, I want you more

And I want to work and achieve

To enjoy the comfort it brings to me

But still, I want you more

Lord, I want you more 

(Chorus)

At the end of the day

It'll be your face I see

When I've finished running my race

I will be falling at your feet

Singing You've been worth it all

You are worth it all. - Song: Lord I Love You More by Eliza King 

 

A dance drama where I played the role of the first translators in a language.

When we got married in the elegant pillared sanctuary in Holland, MI fourteen years ago, I said the words, "holding you and no other in my heart 'til death do us part." It's the part of the vows that I could NOT utter in the pre-wedding, rushing out of the church sobbing, my sister and maid of honor in hot pursuit.  What is it about those words?  The hymn that says, "prone to wonder Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love" also gets me teary every time.  Saying those words to my hopeful, tenderhearted groom held so much weight!  Was I doubting my love for him?  My devotion? My longing to walk with him until "death do us part?" No.  It's as someone said to me before I got engaged when I was confused and questioning, "Christy, you will always grieve something. Your singlehood and the freedom that has given you, or the possibility of being married and having a family."  It's like we choose our grief.  I tell my little third culture kids, "We say "goodbye" a lot, yes, but we also say "hello" a lot!"  It was more than that though, fear gripped me that I may not be able to be faithful to those words, knowing how distracted, undisciplined, and recklessly spontaneous I can be. What if, before God and his body I committed to doing what I wanted to, but would fail to do? 

All week, multiple times daily I have listened to this song , "Lord, I Love You More" as it acknowledges the joy being known, loving a family, having a home, and having an impact in the world and then declares that it doesn't matter as much as Jesus.   I was part of the generation that sang "Seize the Day"  and Jim Elliot's poem sung by Twila Paris' "He is No Fool" and Steven Green's "The Mission"  that was called to go to the world and make a difference!  I came to Africa because I wanted my life to count, and then I read the lyrics of "Lord, I love you more", "I want to make an impact somehow, but Lord I want you more," and I ask myself "Is that true?"  If marriage is a reflection of the follower's relationship with the Rabbi and the statement "holding you and no other in my heart" is true of me, then the mission, the seizing of this day, cannot be foremost or it will replace the Love (and Author) of my life.  I listen to this song, and pray desperately that he will replace any love for anything or anyone that is greater than himself.  Especially ministry,  impact, and relevance, idols that vie for my attention.  

Because someday I WILL fall at his feet, with you, and I want to declare that it was ALL done with my eyes fixed, my wandering heart stayed and sealed declaring, "He's been worth it all,  I have held him and no other in my heart."

Holiday Orange Hat Closing Program