My Life Verse

When I was 25, I moved to a tiny island in the north Pacific called Saipan.  I taught second grade to children from seven different Asian countries and islands for two years.  This picture is the view from my apartment looking out over the Philippine Sea at sunset.

One day soon after I arrived on the island, I was up early, reading my Bible and praying.  I felt completely alone.  I moved to the island knowing absolutely no one.  I was afraid that this move would keep me a single woman forever, and I deeply wanted to be be married and have children.  I told God that I did not think it was not fair that I was in the middle of no where, with no friends.  I felt like God had abandoned me.

Then I turned in my Bible to Psalm 139:8-10.

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
 even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast.

It was the perfect answer to my prayer.  It was early in the morning, the sun was not yet up.  I was on the far side of the sea.  And God was holding me fast and guiding me.

And you know what?  I haven't ever felt that deep sense of loneliness since. I have been lonely of course, but I have never felt as devastated as I did that day. And as for the singleness issue, the story of how I met my husband will have to be saved for another day.

Here is a picture of my life verse that I made for my best friend...  We met in Saipan.

Do you have a life verse that you want in your house?  Let me know about it!  vinylbyhannah@gmail.com