Better Work Stories - Born again

 I found out I couldn't be a born again Christian and a librarian at the same time, at least, not in the public library. Nativity displays had been disapproved of if not banned, and Bible reading was not to be done in work time, but I could do it on my days off. And at lunchtime, we had a Wednesday group at a Bible ministry called Bibles in Action where others met for prayer and read from the Word for Today.

Jesus saved and delivered me from being a weirdo. I no longer did yoga or reiki or any of those new age things. I didn't need to read Rainbow magazine and be pyschic or clairvoyant or whatever magic they were trying to tout. The books about Jesus in the library were alright, but some didn't seem to know who He was and claimed he was made up. I thought right, God, show me who you are. 

I needed a Bible so walked into the Bibles in Action shop. I can't afford a new Bible can you give me a spare old copy, like those King James Bibles. The only thing about the Bible was I could understand the stories in the shorter New Testament about Jesus as being superhuman but God? He was a mystery to me. The Alpha course seemed to say He is spirit, but I didn't really understand how that worked. 

I had to read the big Old Testament to find out. I don't know what happened, but what was before just words on a page become illuminated. It was the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. And there it was, Eve, desiring to be wise, was tricked by the serpent. She was like me. I had done a foolish thing wanting what was forbidden. My prayer was answered.

Forgive me God, I was like Eve. Then as I read on, Genesis became quite the story, and I read on and on and on until Mum became concerned I was reading the Bible too much. I read the whole Bible in a few months. 

I asked my boss if we could have Bible reading in the library. Just people taking turns to read the Bible out loud. That would be the way to share it. I thought it was a great story and it was all true. He said I could only do it outside work time. Thankfully I had Fridays off and so I gathered friends and those interested and we read the Bible on Fridays out loud until we were told off by people studying that we were too noisy, so we went tried to book a meeting room instead. 

And after that I had been working in the library for seven years God convinced me that it was time to have a break. Mum was not happy but there wasn't much she could do. They weren't giving out any paid sabbaticals but God was going to lead me somewhere else.