A few years ago I spent our short South Texas winter of two months updating our scrapbooks.

I struggled at first with figuring how whether to separate out the professional and the personal, because Ron and I have been in Christian ministry together since we married in 1982. The lines between personal and professional are so blurred, I couldn’t divide them.

So except for some family Christmases and vacations, I chronicled fourteen years of our lives and ministry — yes, I was that far behind. Along the way, though — knowing myself — I had saved copies of photos, jotted notes and saved calendars, so I could recreate it all for the day I would finally get there.

It was amazing to look back and see all we had lived through and done together. We enjoyed the opportunity to praise God all over again for so many things. To re-remember and celebrate lives changed (and still changed these many years later). To register sadness over victories that did not endure the passage of time. My scrapbook project became a great exercise in hindsight, the clear vision that gets more accurate over time.

Our fourteen years filled up two scrapbooks, adding to the stack of others already done. Together, they are for us what the Bible would call a book of remembrance. A memorial, to do just that, bring memories to life.

I especially loved showing it to Ron. After three strokes, he had been gradually retiring from much of what he has done — and loved — all of his life. Feeling nearly useless by comparison, he had way too much time on his hands to judge his life and himself, time to wonder, Did I really make a difference in anyone’s life?

The newly finished scrapbooks were an eye-opener.

Ron was actually stunned when he saw it all end-to-end, as he took in the sheer number of people we had known, worked and worshiped with over three decades. His question was answered: yes, he had made a difference in many, many lives. Not the least of which was mine.

In seeing it all together in one flow of life, something else struck me: how certain people appeared over and over again. Some kept showing up on the pages of our book, their stories woven throughout our own.

Suddenly I wondered, is this how God looks at HIS book of life?

We assume the question, “Is your name written in the Lamb’s book of life?” is only about having your name recorded once on a numbered page — like a census roll. But could we be wrong about that?

Of course, if your name is in the Lamb’s book even once because you trusted Him for salvation, that is awesome! But what if that is meant to be just a beginning?

When we realized years ago that in the New Covenant of Christ we can know God in this life as well as in heaven, we began to deliberately make memories with God, not just talk about or hope in joining Him in heaven some day. Now as I pondered our memory books, it made me happy to think God’s book of memories would have our faces in it often.

You and God: meant to share a living relationship, recorded in time.

If God’s book of life is like ours, full of memories we have made together, we need to see the Lamb’s book of life in a different light: not a name on a line, but a vital relationship recorded.

Honestly, we can’t know this side of heaven which is true about His book. But if the Lamb’s book of life is more like a scrapbook of personal experiences shared between us and the Lord, and if that book has lots of entries about our life-sharing together, we never need fear hearing those awful words from the Lord, I never knew you:

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 7:21-23

It is clear from the Lord’s warning that one can claim His Name, use His Name, and outwardly do things to convince others we are walking with Him — yet still not know Him.

Beloved, make memories with the Lord!

Besides times of prayer, walk and talk with Him every day. Fellowship on purpose with His Spirit as you read His Word. Seek to know the Father’s will and do that with Him, making memories all over your life and His. Hog the pages of His memory book, Beloved. He won’t mind.