Writing on our hearts . . .

Wrapping my hands around my coffee mug, I began gingerly: "Ciertamente él cargó con nuestras enfermedades y soportó nuestros dolores..." ...I paused mid-sentence and cleared my throat, I didn't want my Spanish-speaking friend to think I was just showing-off my scripture knowledge, but his eager eyes coaxed me to continue: "pero nosotros lo consideramos herido, golpeado por Dios, y humillado..." I paused again, this time searching for the next line. Why couldn't I remember? Even though this was something I had memorized, conversing in Spanish was still a bit of a challenge for me... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tomey, a friend I had met in Spain, had met up with me for coffee that evening.  After exchanging some small talk, seemingly out of nowhere he had asked me about my relationship with Jesus...with genuine interest. In f...

Ownership:   The  true owner of the Keywi™ project is Jesus Christ! It exists for His glory and for the discipling of His followers. “ …all things have been created through him and for him .” (Colossians 1:16b, NIV) “… for whom and through whom everything exists… ” (Hebrews 2:10, NIV) The endeavors of all who contribute to this project via assembly, design, printing, distribution, etc. are akin to gardeners who plant seeds and water the soil. We attribute any and all growth to God! “ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ” (1 Corinthians 3:7, NIV) Purpose: 1. Overarching purpose: To glorify Jesus by helping others grow in the knowledge, love, and worship of Christ, become more like Him, and increase His Kingdom! 2. Specific purpose: To provide Christians with practical, everyday ways to know and live out God’s truth at a heart level by memorizing and meditating on scripture, truth principles, and ...

Beauty in nature reveals the artistry, creativity, and goodness of our Creator. Kiwi fruit is not just delicious to eat, but forms a beautiful starburst pattern when sliced in half. This is just one example of how we know and experience God’s goodness!  Psalm 34:8 encourages us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (NIV) Just as God’s gift brings nourishment and delight to our senses, every set of Keywi™ cards made for this project is designed to be both beautiful and provide nourishment to the soul. As with any fruit, a kiwi begins as a tiny black seed. Planted in good soil with proper watering and light, the kiwi can grow into a vine and bear fruit.  Just as Jesus taught in the parable of the sower, my prayer is that the seeds of God’s word would fall on the good soil of your heart, producing in you a fruitful and abundantly fulfilling life. Bearing fruit requires that we remain in Christ.  ...

    As I look back over the last ten years of my life and back to that moment when I memorized Psalm 138:8 in 2003, “ The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever, do not abandon the works of Your hands .” (NIV ’83) I’m reminded of one thing that remained constant throughout those years: God’s word. As I was pursuing various career paths, jobs, classes, businesses, and relationships, one thing remained the same: God, His enduring love, and the faithfulness of His word and His promises. In the midst of all we go through and all we encounter in life, God has given us the unshakable and unchangeable truth of His word. God’s word is truth that endures forever because by His very nature, God is eternal and unchangeable. Jesus said: “ Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away ” (Matt 24:35, NIV) The apostle Peter quoted Isaiah: “ All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the ...

     Years before launching the Keywi project , I traveled to Costa Rica with my church for a short-term mission trip.  I had just finished graduate school and I was anxious to be out of the classroom and immersed in an overseas adventure! Nevertheless, despite the change of scenery and long-distance location, my studious habits still traveled with me. In preparation for the trip I  made up a ring-bound set of flashcards with Bible verses in Spanish. I wanted to have some familiarity with God’s word in the Costa Rican native tongue.  All my years in Spanish classes had focused on practical things like where to find the bathroom or directions to a hospital... but if someone were to ask me about Jesus or to pray for them, I wanted to be prepared for that too!  One of the girls at the school who  helped us paint during our mission trip While on the trip, we had a blast visiting orphans, painting churches and schools, and hosting an...

The very first Keywi cards, duct tape and all! After months of carrying around ring-bound flashcards in college, I decided to make a few changes of my own. Being able to study on the go was a definite plus, but there were a few problems with the flashcards I bought in stores. The ring the cards came with was much too flimsy for carrying around on my keys or snapped to my backpack. After a dozen or so times of losing all my cards because the ring pulled open, I switched to a sturdier carabiner. In addition, I taped a rubber band to the back card so I could keep the cards in a neat stack when I wasn’t using them. I used duct tape and a thin rubber band that eventually broke, but for the time I used the first “keywi ™” cards they served me well! From much use and being transported on my keys everywhere, the card edges got a little worn and discolored, but the trade-off was that I actually put to memory some encouraging verses that really applied to my life. I'll alway...

Commuting by bus to class gave me extra time to study! Roughly ten years ago, my busy college schedule of classes, studies, and work meant that free time was absolutely precious to me. Struggling to find a balance between all my commitments, I attempted many different methods of studying on the go. One day I decided to prepare for a Physiology exam while on my bus commute to class. Engrossed in my notes, I was startled when the bus lurched to a halt. Glancing up, I suddenly realized it was my stop and I hurried to collect all my things. I haphazardly stuffed my textbook and binder into my backpack while several stray papers slid across the floor. A fellow student reached down to help me retrieve my now crumpled notes. Thanking him over my shoulder, I jumped off the bus and rushed to class. Shaking my head, I couldn’t help but see a little humor in my latest studying strategy. What a sight I had to be jogging up the sidewalk with my backpack half-zipped and disheveled p...