More Than Just a Number

We live in a world defined by numbers. They are everywhere we go and define much of society. From the number on a scale to the number on a report card to the number of points on a scoreboard to the number of friends that liked a recent social media post to the number of dollars in a bank account to the number of direct reports to the number of years on the planet to the number of years single or married - the list is endless.As we begin this Bible study, I want to ask, "Are you allowing a number to define you?"People constantly try to portray success in numbers. Businesses report gains and losses, while churches count offerings and enrollment. I grew up as a preacher's kid and often heard the church approach to numbers called the "nickels-and-noses" mentality. Often, we allow our worst day to become the definition of who we are: the day the divorce was finalized, the day cancer was diagnosed, the day the dreaded birthday arrived, or the day the scale's reflection didn't meet our expectations. A number can help us meet a goal and be a healthy objective or leave us empty and depleted. We are all trying to reach the next number on our list.Perhaps the most important question is if we are looking and trusting in the numbers that are important to God.In my life, the pursuit of numbers has been an ongoing battle. The number I have often allowed to define me has been reflected on the scale.The drive to attain the perfect number also drove me to find comfort in majoring in health and exercise science. I enjoyed this major and sought solace in helping others on their journey. During this time, I taught aerobics, worked in cardiac rehabilitation, and found my place helping others through personal training. But recently, the number that haunts me is the number of days I am here without my mom and dad. My mom died in 2012, followed by my dad in 2014. With each passing year, that number gets larger and the loss greater.Throughout this book, I will share many raw experiences, and I hope these experiences will help you. Whether you are a teenager looking to find your identity or a post-partum mom dealing with hormone havoc, you will be reminded that your core is found in Christ. I pray you will allow God to work in your heart and life. I pray that you will see yourself anew as loved, chosen, accepted, redeemed, gifted, and appreciated. And I pray that the number you most readily identify with will cease to rule and reign over your thoughts, attitudes, and actions.The theme verses for this study are Isaiah 43:18-19: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."So, grab your Bible and get ready to start this journey. And as you begin, hear your heavenly Father say loudly and clearly, "You are more than just a number!"