What is a Life Verse?
March 23, 2009 by Christine Smith
Filed under Life Verses
A Verse That Changed My Life
Life Verse meaning…When you want to know the meaning of a word or phrase, the first stop in the Internet highway is usually Wikipedia. Yet when you start your Wiki search for the meaning of “life verse“, you will not find it there. In fact, they inquire “Did you mean life vest?” One of the most informative resource on the web has not yet defined life verse, so we can assume this phrase is a fairly new term in our culture. Merriam Webster agrees, and when you search “life verse” the response is “The word you’ve entered isn’t in the dictionary. ”
Where do you look now, when the meaning of life verse is not in Wikipedia or Merriam Webster? You look inside your own heart for the meaning! Deep down inside, you have a special life poem, life words, life prayer, or life saying. These important words have become your own life verse, the drive behind your decision making process, the motivation for your work, your life vest during an emergency. Life Verse. Important words to an individual person.
People are talking about life verses that have changed their lives. Often the life verse is related to scriptures and shared by Christian men and women. At the Debbie Alsdorf Design 4 Living Conference, I started observing Christian women speakers begin or end their speech with “my life verse.” As these Christian women shared their stories of parenting, cancer survival, hardship, maturity and spiritual growth, they shared the verses that touched their hearts during these memorable times. Not familiar with the term at the time, I pondered this and recognized that I too was influenced by my own life verse.
My life verse was so important, I became addicted to it like a child is addicted to candy! I wanted to remember the life verse, so I wrote it down and put a copy in my purse. Soon, I started “shopping” for my life verse and when I found wall art with some of these words, I bought it and framed it where I would see it daily: my bathroom. Another copy was used as a bookmark in my Bible and everywhere I went, I carried my life verse. When I stopped to share my story with a stranger or a friend, I discovered I was unable to witness to others because I could not remember the scripture reference for my life verse. I knew some of the key words, but if you asked me where that verse was in the Bible, I was clueless. I would say “My favorite life verse is…um…heart, soul,mind…you know, from the Bible!” Not only did I sound stupid, I felt stupid. My daughter in kindergarten was quoting verses and scripture reference, my third grader was sharing her favorite verse “John 3:16” and repeating with with accuracy, yet their Mom could not remember her favorite life verse.
One day, waiting in the carpool line to pick up my children from school, I sat reading my life verse. Again I was frustrated and shouted “Why can’t I remember my own special life verse? Why!” As I continued to read the scriptures following Deuteronomy 6:5, my own verse, I stumbled upon another key verse that would change my life. There, at the bottom of my Holy Bible, the page with all the pink-yellow-green-blue highlighters and pencil marks reminding me of my own important life verse, I saw these words:
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 11:18 NIV
Though I was not struck by lightening, I was struck by the power of God and the power of His word. It was clear to me that if I wore my life verse upon my arm, I would bind it to my forehead. Translation, if I had a bracelet with my life verse, I would remember it. Driving home with the kids in the minivan, I started visualising my life verse jewelry. It occurred to me that putting the reference on my life verse bracelet would help me to remember it, so I decided that I would make jewelry with my unique life verse and a reference charm so I could remember the scripture location.
Passionately, I researched the idea, searched for something similar and was absolutely shocked that this was not available. Why not, I thought? I saw bangle bracelets with verses and references, but what I saw was the standard popular Faith Hope Love verses and not my life verse. With careful research and consideration, I concluded that if I used the alphabet letter blocks that are being used in Mommy Name Bracelets, then I could create a life verse bracelet. More research to find charms I could engrave, then I ordered the materials and waited to create my first life verse bracelet. While waiting for my beading supplies, I decided I had to LEARN beading. I purchased some plastic alphabet letter beads and made prototype bracelets with life verses. My excitement grew as I realized how beautiful a bracelet could be.
Then I took professional beading classes, studied beading books, learned beading materials and components and moved forward in designing personalized Life Verse Bracelets created with .925 sterling silver, Swarovski brand crystals and silver charms. Friends were asking for their own verse jewelry, so I created a business and called my company Holy Bracelets. When I realized people could not spell “bracelet” and I started creating necklaces with life verses, I changed my product name to LifeVerse Jewelry. After reading The Mom Inventors Handbook, I hired the intellectual property attorney listed in the book, and filed for a trademark. As my life verse business continued to grow in popularity, I found Christian mentors in social network groups such as MomPack, and Moms United in Business. The life verse that changed my life inspired me to build a business and share my work with other women.
I continue to be inspired by my life verse, Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV: Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. A few years ago, it became my life verse while I was sitting in a doctors office waiting for the results of my child’s brain scan. All morning I was reading the verse in my Bible, I went to the doctor appointment and waited with fear for my appointment with the doctor. As I sat in the waiting room at Dr. Amen’s Clinic (yes, its really his name!) I saw a DVD and placed it into the DVD player in the doctors waiting room. Within minutes, I heard the doctor on the DVD say “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Goose bumps went up and down my spine, I looked around the waiting room and saw other women whispering the words from the verse. My heart stopped right then, as I knew God was telling me He was by my side and He would walk with me in my faith. Today, I feel my Father’s hand in mine as He leads me and I follow, wearing my life verse upon my arm.
More Resources
The One Year Life Verse Devotional
Seven Prayers That Will Change Your Life Forever
Wow, “what is a life verse” was so well written and gave me goosebumps! What a great witness!