As the daughter of two public school teachers and now a grown mom of three, September is just as much a new year for me as New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

September 1st marks the dawn of a new school year, a new year, another fresh start on life.

Tonight, the truth came crashing down on me as I stood in the hot shower pondering all that’s been, all that is, all that will be. Often, inspiration for my writing comes in the shower. Blog posts swirl with detail. But tonight, my words weren’t coming to mind nearly as much as the bare-bones truth of the Bible. Passages washed over me with detail. One by one, they pieced together to tell a story, my story, maybe yours, too? A story of truth and peace. A story of living in the hard things of life, pressing on with purpose, trusting that in the end, our lives piece together into PERFECT sense.

That’s when I knew…for such a time as this, I must proclaim TRUTH over my life.

In this season of trusting, believing, risking, going and doing new things, I must proclaim truth and stick to that truth as my guide, my source of life. I must not waver. I must not look left and right. I must believe that truth exists. I must believe there is a WAY. That I’m not just fumbling around the universe haphazardly, but that I’m on this path for a purpose, for a particular reason in this particular season of history.

So tonight, this September 1st, I’m feeling a need to proclaim publicly, this truth over my life. These are the scriptures that came washing over me in the shower, all together, one after another. Perhaps they’re from our Heavenly Father for all of us. Perhaps you’ll see your story in these pieced-together verses as well. Perhaps these verses weren’t just for me, but you, too.

I very rarely “Bible thump” you over the head with verses on this blog. I strongly prefer showing you how faith plays out in my daily life in subtle ways, as feels natural. So bear with me. I’m diverting from my usual ways to proclaim this compilation of Bible verses as truth in my life because if I’m completely honest with myself and y’all, I’ve felt a spiritual attack these past years and months. I’m OVER it. So DONE. Today, I’m proclaiming TRUTH. Replacing those lies and attacks with TRUTH.

So be the truth.

Long live the TRUTH.

If you’d like to join me in claiming these truths, I would love to have you, friends. Call me crazy. Call me kooky. Call me “she’s lost her mind once and for all!” Call me whatever you wish. I need some truth tonight, this September 1st. And the only truth that’s flowing in this brain of mine are these promises, right here, for you and me.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”  Ephesians 4:1 

“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”  Matthew 10:39

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  Philippians 4:6

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”  Colossians 3:23

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”  Hebrews 12:1

These words aren’t for everyone. But they are for someone. Whoever has ears to hear? Hear it.