When Paul Zamora first began coming to Hope with his wife, Nicole, it was Fall of 2014 and he wasn’t reading Scripture. He had grown up in the Catholic church but his spiritual life was lacking a connection with the Lord. In fact, he had a lot of arguments with organized religion.

But as he kept attending services and began to form relationships with other believers in the Hope community, he noticed a consistent focus on the Word. Gradually, he started to read the Bible, a couple of nights a week at first and then more and more consistently.

In the past few months, Paul has begun listening to the Bible using the YouVersion Bible app. He finds that listening to Scripture, and also other recorded books, is much easier and more time effective for his lifestyle. He and his wife follow the same reading plans, keeping them close to one another on their journey with the Lord.

Paul was amazed to connect with some of his friends who were also using the YouVersion app. Using social media access, they could see his Bible-reading progress and he could see theirs. Friends he didn’t even know were believers were suddenly in touch, and now he has what he calls a “virtual small group.”

What used to feel like a chore now feels as natural as interacting with his wife and children. Paul likens the feeling of staying in communication with God to when he is exercising regularly and then feels sluggish if he doesn’t — like something is missing, something is lacking. He listens to the Bible on and off throughout the day and some at night, and will specifically go to the Word to read a verse when he’s struggling. When he skips a day, almost immediately he doesn’t feel right.

Since getting into the Word on a regular basis, one of the biggest gifts Paul has experienced is the strong connection he has with the Lord. Passages that used to puzzle or even bother him in the past now make sense. He feels the Lord’s guidance, giving him grace and insight into the text.

If the thought of diving into scripture leaves you feeling overwhelmed, Paul has some encouragement: “Everyone has time to read even just one verse a day and even that can enrich your soul and supplement your connection to our Lord.”

Do you have a story about how Scripture has changed your life? Please share them with us in the comments section below.