If you wonder what my spiritual life has been like over the past 20 years, take a look at my Bible. It got so marked up and worn out that my wife had it rebound for me two years ago. The longer you linger with passages of Scripture, reflect on their meaning, discover patterns, do word studies, teach it, apply it,and return to it over and over again, it becomes your worldview. It becomes your words and your response set. Howard Hendricks used to say, “This book will keep you from sinning, or sin will keep you from this book.” He’d spin phrases like, “Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives,” and “If you find a Bible that’s falling apart, it’s usually owned by someone whose life isn’t falling apart.”
My prayer life has become marked by Scripture as I’ve learned to incorporate God’s Words into how I pray for people. My teaching, counseling, mentoring, and songs have all become marked with Scripture. How would you finish this statement, “What I love most about God’s Word is…” Go ahead and complete this sentence and share it with someone, then come back to this blog for 3 more examples of how I’ve been “Marked Up.”
My life has been so marked up over the past years. I had a college professor who used to mark up my entire paper, but he taught me how to improve my writing. I have “Marks” who have become dear brothers who have left their marks on my life. I met my first life-changing Mark back in 1988. Mark Weaver is a biblically grounded Christian counselor in Millersburg, Ohio, who has been a faithful friend for more than 30 years. Mark knows Scripture inside out, and he sees life through a biblical lens. Mark always surrounds himself with a band of brothers who strengthen him and hold him accountable. Mark knows and loves me for who I am, and he’s become like an older, wiser brother. I think Mark is in his mid-60’s, but that’s not holding him back from pursuing adopting a little boy who needs loving parents and a forever family. Mark is one of my heroes.
God brought Mark Frazer into my life back in 2006. Mark used to fix cars outside of town in a small garage on his property. When God called Mark to a leap of faith, he sold his home, moved his family into town, and bought a car shop. In the early years of our friendship, Mark and I gathered friends @ Frazer Automotive to have life-changing conversations around God’s Word. Mark is a faithful, Spirit-Driven sponsor who gathered up all his rowdy friends and formed a Spirit-Driven soccer team that competed with the best of teams. God has used Mark’s humble leadership to build a caring community where God is restoring lives while he and his team are repairing vehicles. Two of our Spirit-Driven friends, Drew Plank & Mike McPherron, are continuing their renovation of Frazer Automotive so we can become even more intentional about helping people restore their lives. “Grace” is more than the name of Mark’s church, it marks his life and all that he does. How unique and wonderful it is to have a mechanic so full of integrity and God’s Spirit that you can trust him with your car and your life. How I thank God for my younger brother, Mark.
All life-changing groups need new life, and our Tim Horton’s Talking Matters group just got marked up with one passionate retired history teacher, Mark McClintoch. Mark is the #1 fan of the Ashland Eagles baseball team. Mark is also the #1 fan of Tim Hortons. He begins each day @ 6 a.m. with the Times-Gazette, with Tim Horton’s coffee, and a new readiness to engage friends in life-changing conversations. He lights up Tim Hortons with his passion, and our group will never be the same. I wish more retired people would be like Mark and intentionally look for new ways to build into the next generation. Mark is becoming a dear brother who listens intently, notices people’s strengths, and is ready to add life and intensity to any conversation. If your life is lacking connectedness and community, join us any Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. @ Tim Hortons for Talking Matters , and you’ll discover iron sharpening iron.
How has God’s Word marked up and changed your life?
How are you using your words to improve someone’s life?
Who is marking your life and making it better?
(Make sure you let them know it.)