Write down what gives joy to your life. Read 1 John 1:1-4. The Apostle John was a disciple of Jesus. He saw miracles. He heard the teaching. He touched what Jesus touched. He then wrote about the resurrected Jesus in order to share the Good News. Besides writing the Gospel of John, he also wrote three letters that have survived. The letter we call "1 John" begins with John emphasizing that he was writing about what he saw and what he heard. He was called by Jesus when he was a fisherman. He followed Jesus for three years. He witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross and three days later saw and heard the resurrected Jesus. He found joy in writing about Jesus. His hope was that people would read his words and put their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. I grew up in church. I believed in God and I believed in Jesus. As a teenager, I began to question the resurrection and incarnation. The "incarnation" is the term we use to describe how God became Jesus in the flesh and lived among us. It was the Gospel of John that took away my doubts and confirmed my faith in the resurrection and incarnation. I remember thinking, “Wow, John really believed this because he saw it firsthand.” A few years later, God called me to tell people about Jesus. What a privilege I have been given to preach, teach, and write about Jesus so that you might hear and read so that you might find joy in following Jesus. You also have been called by God to tell people about Jesus, but maybe your story will be told by writing it down. A written testimony about God working in your life is not just for someone today but also for future generations.

Prayer: Lord God on high, as you gave the Holy Spirit inspiration to the gospel writers, lead me to write a testimony that glorifies your name and inspires others to come to faith or be strengthened in their faith. Amen.