Jan 18, 2015

My Old Black Book

Okay, here's my old black maroon BOOK. Of all the things that belong to me my Bible is probably the most valuable. It's been with me for a long time and it is filled with memories and messages. 


I've had this KJ Bible since 1999. It was a gift from a church in Dearborn Heights, MI. They asked us to give them a few items we would like and they would try to get them for us for the missions conference. I had a Bible but it wasn't very nice and so I asked for a Bible and they gave me the Old Scofield Study Bible. I immediately fell in love with this Bible. It had great references in the back including a proper name concordance. I know that Scofield was off in a lot of places with his doctrine and I wouldn't suggest this Bible to a new Christian but for me it was great. 

I've personalized my Bible through the years. I have pictures of my family in the front and back. The above pictures are: 

(the left cover across the top and then bottom) 
Johnny reading his Bible in 1997 in Hungary on our survey trip to Croatia, My babies while we were on deputation, my family also while on deputation, my dear Daddy who died when he was 39, he's 38 in that photo.  

(the right side across the top and then bottom) 
the photo on our second prayer card, Joshua and Cody looking cool, and my sweetie


My Bible is filled with great quotes and sayings I have heard through out the years. I only have one signature in my Bible, that of Bro. McCracken's wife Nancy. I heard her testimony in a meeting in Romania and was so moved by her faith after a terrible crippling car accident. 

Anyhow, I have some pretty nifty sayings too. 

Treasures in Heaven are laid up as treasures on Earth are laid down. -Dr. Todd Lasseter (my pastor)

You can't clean a polluted well by painting the well house. -Dr. Bob W. Smith 

I'm narrow minded because I travel a narrow road. -Bro. Floyd, Fellowship Baptist, Jackson, MI

I'm not shouting on credit, I'm should on a "paid in full" bill. -Johnny Leslie

85% of being successful is simply being in my place. -Dr. Smith

I'm a nut but I'm screwed onto the right bolt! -unknown

You fall the way you lean. -Charles Wetherbee

Meekness: Having strength under control. -unknown

To be a missionary you don't have to cross the see but you do have to see the cross. -unknown

Joy is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus. -unknown

Stay in the Book till the Book stays in you. -Dr. Raymond Barber

I don't know how often Noah fell down in the Ark but I know he never fell out! -Dr. J.C. House

No man can ever be used of God until he's willing to be forgotten by all. -Veteran Missionary Jimmy Rose

If it doesn't move you enough to pray about it, don't whine about it! -Pastor Wes Bailey

A tear today is an investment in a laugh tomorrow. -Dr. Lasseter

A heart touched by grace brings joy to the face. -Dr. Lasseter

The church is not a museum of Saints. -Pastor Bocook

Anyhow, those are just some of the little sayings I have in my Bible. I love to go back every once in a while and read them all. They're like mini sermons!


I have on one of the front pages of my Bible this poem: 

There is a treasure,
Rich beyond measure, 
Offered to mortals today;
Some folks despise it, 
Some criticize it, 
Some would explain it away.

Some never read it, 
Some never head it, 
Some say, "It's long had it's day";
Some people prize it, 
And he who tries it, 
Finds it's his comfort and stay. 

God gave this treasure, 
Rich beyond measure, 
His Word, we call it today. 
Let us believe it, 
Gladly receive it, 
Read, mark and learn to obey. 
                              -A.M.N.


Over the name of each book I have the name in Croatian. Several years back I realized I didn't know all the names so I thought that would help, it did. 

Also above Genesis 1:1, I wrote DEAR TORI. Our preacher Dr. Smith preached once about the Bible being a love letter from God to us. He told us how he wrote in his Bible at Genesis 1:1: DEAR BOB and after Revelation 22:21 he wrote: LOVE, GOD. I loved this idea and I did the same with my Bible. It's a love letter to me from God!


My Bible is bilingual too. I have notes in both English and Croatian. I have many wise quotes from the national pastor, Rajko Telebar


And again on the back cover I have more photos. Actually a lot less than I used to have. I need to add some more current ones soon.

(the left cover across the top and then bottom) 
My best friend Amanda Rasbeary, Preachers wife in Wylie, Texas and I, Madison (Johnny's sister's oldest daughter), Johnny again, Madison and her little sister Kaitlyn (I super-love those girls)

(the right side top to bottom) 
Johnny again (can't get enough of him), and my Daddy back in 1976 sitting with Santa

Anyhow, that's my Bible. It means a lot to me, not only because it is God's inerrant, preserved Word but because it holds 16 years worth of memories. 

Anyhow, if you decided to share your Old Black Book, let me know so I can check it out!!

15 comments:

  1. Tori, thank you for sharing your Bible with us. How precious. I had a NKJ that is coming apart and I had to get a new one. It takes awhile to make a new Bible your own but it's getting there. The worn out one is lying on a table I call my "Rapture" Bible. It sits there waiting to be discovered when I'm gone and someone needs to read it's words.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love these saying!

    I misread "You can't clean a polluted well by painting the well house. -Dr. Bob W. Smith" as CAN at firsr and spent a moment contemplating, "Now what could that mean?" ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a beautiful post and such a lovely idea sharing it with us.
    My Uncle already talked of his Schofield Bible. He was the one who cared enough to continue sharing the Gospel with me until one day, on Jan.21,1983, 32 years ago next week I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He has been the Lord of my life since that glories day. I still continue to rejoice in the fact that someone never gave up on me.
    My Bible, Tori, looks just like yours!
    I have a Geek Hebrew Study Bible, and I cherish it. I have run out of room to add things, but what I have has great meaning and many memories.
    My life verse is, Galatians 2:20.
    What is your life verse?

    This was a delightful place to visit on this early Lords day, thank you for sharing.

    Joy to you!
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have my Bible inside a case that my mother in law gave to me many years ago. I also like to write down sayings and I have a few verses to special hymns written in the back of my Bible. I keep notes of sermons inside so it is marked up and a few times I have caught preachers re using sermons.lol....Thanks for sharing your Bible with us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:12 PM

    Thank you for this post. I agree with you about the Schofield Bible. I had one a long time ago, and I just loved it. Perfect size and great notes. It fell apart, and my oldest daughter asked for it. I think she still has it. I could never find another one like it. I have notes in two different ones now and am thinking of transferring them all to one. :-)
    God bless,

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely post, Tori! My favorite Bible (and the one I use for my devotions) is the 1967 Scofield with word changes. It is missing both the front and back covers, but I can't throw it away because of all the markings and notes in it. I only use it at home, though. I've thought of replacing it, but that particular Bible is out of print. I keep looking for one at thrift stores, though, because you just never know!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a nice idea! I may write about my Bible sometime. I don't always get to comment, but I subscribe to you posts by email and enjoy reading all of them. I hope you have a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really enjoyed this! I never thought of putting pictures in my Bible. I have a couple of old favorite Bibles even though I use newer ones - the old ones have sermon notes, underlinings, and markings that make them special to me as well as notes in the flyleaves. I did a couple of posts about my Bible, one called "Meet My Bible" at https://barbarah.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/meet-my-bible/ and another called "Flyleaf Favorites" at https://barbarah.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/flyleaf-favorites/. I think I am going to add a couple of your quotes to my files.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My first bible has tons written on the flyleaf, but I never thought of putting photos! I don't carry it out anymore since I have an iPad and use it for looking up scriptures at church.

    I'm a quote collector so I really enjoyed your list o'quotes. I'm going to have to borrow a few!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have the same Bible, a burgundy, Scofield KJV. I've had several over the years. The one that I am carrying now I've had since my husband began pastoring our church...fourteen years this month. I love the old Scofield. For me, the font is much easier to read than others. I agree with you that he was off on some of his doctrines but overall it is my favorite study Bible.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks like your Bible is a very special book. The Bible is a special and wonderful book in any case, but yours is personalized! Loved the quotes. I keep a collection of good quotes handy--I'll have to add some of these to my list!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous4:01 PM

    That is definitely a treasure, Tori. I like that you've got the source of the quotes for many of them. Wonderful memory triggers.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Truly a treasure! Beautiful post :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. My Bible looks much like yours. I love Nancy McCracken's testimony! The only autograph I have in my Bible is my husband's! I have many sermon notes, and names of preacher's I have heard and the dates I heard them. I got mine in 1998.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi there Tori, my Bibles, or all of them as over years, have had a few as they grow worn, or print to small, etc, are like yours.
    I want to thank you. I've been hunting for that poem for ages now. I live in Australia. There was in the mid 70s a US preacher who used to quote it, I never saw it all, only heard it several times but it stuck in my mind.

    Anyway I've saved it and will put it in my most marked Schofield KJV Bible which I now use for church... it has piles of loose sermon notes all the way through, in books where we are currently studies of book or subject, but it's print is to small now for everyday reading. I've a Bible app on my phone but I do love to hold the pages and read this way, but use it when out with time waiting on things.
    Lord Bless you and His word in your heart.
    I love the idea of making it a love ❤ letter too.
    In Christs service,
    Shaz in Oz.
    Ps just saw Debbie Harris commented on this, shes a lovely sister in the Lordand I visit her blog too. 😊

    ReplyDelete

Hey thanks in advance for leaving a comment, sure do appreciate it!!