BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

***article continues after this**** Read Through the Bible Old Testament / New Testament __________________________ Sat 1 Ex. 18-19 / Mark 9 Sun 2 Ex. 20-21 / Mark 10 Mon 3 Ex. 22-23 / Mark 11 Tue 4 Ex. 24-25 / Mark 12 Wed 5 Ex. 26-28 / Mark 13-14 Thu 6 Ex. 29-30 / Mark 15 Fri 7 Ex. 31-32 / Mark 16 Sat 8 Ex. 33-34 / Luke 1 Sun 9 Ex. 35-36 / Luke 2 Mon10 Ex. 37-38 / Luke 3 Tue 11 Ex. 39-40 / Luke 4 Wed 12 Lev. 1-3 / Luke 5-6 Thu 13 Lev. 4-5 / Luke 7 Fri 14 Lev. 6-7 / Luke 8 Sat 15 Lev. 8-9 / Luke 9 Sun 16 Lev. 10-11 / Luke 10 Mon 17 Lev. 12-13 / Luke 11 Tue 18 Lev. 14-15 / Luke 12 Wed 19 Lev. 16-18 / Luke 13-14 Thu 20 Lev. 19-20 / Luke 15 Fri 21 Lev. 21-22 / Luke 16 Sat 22 Lev. 23-24 / Luke 17 Sun 23 Lev. 25-26 / Luke 18 Mon 24 Lev. 27-Num. 1 / Luke 19 Tue 25 Num. 2-3 / Luke 20 Wed 26 Num. 4-6 / Luke 21-22 Thu 27 Num. 7:1-48 / Luke 23 Fri 28 Num. 7:49-78 / Luke 24 “Read Through the Bible in a Year Plan” written by Marilyn Hickey, and used by permission. ***Living Free continues**** What could be better than this? Dara picked up the contract and read it again. In her hands was the culmination of all her dreams. A recording contract with a Christian company. Finally! Confirmation that she was good enough. Finally! Proof that she had heard from God! Finally! Her dream was becoming reality. There was a drawback to being raised the way she’d been. She knew the voice of the Lord. And she knew without a doubt what He’d told her. 'Don’t sign that contract.' With a sinking heart, Dara thought, 'That’s the problem with putting your faith so far outside the realm of possibility. When you live in the land of the impossible, there’s no bridge back. There is no backup plan. So at moments like this, there’s nothing but gut-wrenching pain.' Facing the Enemy—In the Mirror “I felt like a failure, again,” Dara recalls. “As a little girl, I’d learned that we have an adversary whose goal is to steal our destiny. I’d made a firm decision that I wouldn’t be robbed of God’s plan for my life. But when I was finally offered a recording contract and knew I wasn’t supposed to sign it, it felt so unfair. “When I held that contract, it was as though I was holding my dream—only to have it snatched away. As I sat on the floor that day, I realized that I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t content. I was miserable. I’d become so focused on the call that I’d slipped into perfectionism. I didn’t feel as though I’d ever be good enough. I met my enemy face to face: It was me.” Alone and broken, Dara put away the recording contract. She opened her Bible and began the process of rediscovering who she was in Christ. In His presence, she heard these words: 'What matters to Me is that you get free. Will you worship Me for the rest of your life, even if no one ever sees you do it?' “I will, Lord.” 'I want you to stop focusing on the label. I want worship to be your lifestyle and for you to just love people. When you do what matters most to Me, you’ll walk in the dreams I’ve placed in your heart, and nothing else will matter.' As an act of faith and obedience, Dara picked up her guitar and sang to the Lord. Like the psalmist, words poured out of her broken heart as she sang a new song. “Hurting heart and broken wings cannot stop Your love from always finding me….” When it was finished, she titled the song, “Free.” Later, Dara went to her parents and shared her struggle with them. “What’s your first calling?” they asked. “To fellowship with the Lord.” “Concentrate on that call. In time, He will bring you out of obscurity.” “But I’ve worked so long for this.” “This season of your life is about character and integrity,” her father said. “Think about the season in Brother Copeland’s life when God established his character and integrity. When that was done, God showed off in his life in an amazing way. What’s your story supposed to be? Because when your character and integrity are firm, God will do the same for you.” 12 : BVOV : FEB '14

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