I often write Bible verses in the inside of my books as I autograph them for people – verses that speak to the story and the Biblical truths contained in it. When I wrote An Aria for Nick, it was very clear that the verse would be:
In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33
I love that verse – probably because it is so seeped in truth. These are words in red letters – spoken by Yeshua (Jesus) just hours before his arrest.
I tend to put this verse in the front of any book I have that has war in it. An Aria for Nick was first, then the Virtues and Valor Series, and recently when I’ve signed the Love and Honor series books. As an Army brat and an Army wife with a husband who spent many early ears of our marriage deployed in rather rough conditions, the verse meant war to me – much like when Christ said, “There will always be war and rumors of war.”
But lately, as our fractured family navigates this life post-death of our teenager, I realize that Christ was not speaking only to me as an Army wife. In that role, I held the verse as almost a defense-mechanism. “If something happens to my husband while deployed, it’s okay because while the world will give us trouble, Christ has overcome it. He said so.” It is what I shored myself up with and speaks more volumes that I could put down here.
Now, though, it has an added layer to it. In this world I have had trouble – and in 2023, that trouble was compounded and multiplied then doubled again. It was trouble after crisis after brokenness and yet – – take heart – Yeshua has overcome the world.
He reinforced the importance of loving God with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. He commanded us to love our neighbors, love our enemies, and continued to spread His words after He was gone.
He overcame the world in a beautiful, tangible way. It is through His example and His actions that I know deep in my soul that I can take heart! Through Him, I, too, can overcome.
My years of using His words as a way to combat even the worse possible news shored me up for the news the night we found out Jeb was killed. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! Yeshua has overcome the world.
