In short, years ago, during the most stressful time in our lives, we experienced one of our biggest challenges which left us feeling lost.  The pain of this event was more than my wife or I had ever experienced and the weight of all the stress infiltrated every waking moment.

We had just closed a business of 13 years.... it was painful.  It felt like a death to us.  We felt lost...we felt like failures.

But during that time, of course, God was there.  He showed up in ways that I could never have imagined.  We felt more love in some of the darkest moments than we had ever felt in our lives.  During that time, among other blessings, I would frequently see 3:16..... like 10-12 times a week in some of the strangest places. At first it seemed coincidental, then it really got my attention and then I found great comfort in the consistency of 3:16 showing up…. This went on for 3 months. For example, we'd go to the store and buy groceries and the total bill would be $316.00 exactly.  I’d wake up in the middle of the night and look at the clock and it was 3:16 am.  I had to drive my daughter down south for a writer's conference and entered the address in my GPS and it said it would take me 3 hours and 16 minutes to get there.  I’d been watching a video and liked something I heard so I'd stop the video to write it down and the time of the video would be at 3 minutes and 16 seconds..... This kept going on and on and on.  We searched all through the bible starting with John 3:16 of course and looking at every 3:16 we could find..... can't say we found a secret hidden message, but even more powerful was the message that no matter our struggles we have Christ and I feel like that's what this kept reminding us of..... 

Mat 3:16- Jesus baptized & receives the Spirit 

Luke 3:16- John testifies about Jesus 

John 3:16- Jesus' mission statement 

Acts 3:16- Healing through faith in Jesus' name

1 Cor 3:16- We are the temple of the Holy Spirit 

Eph 3:16 - We receive the blessing of the Spirit 

Phil 3:16- Walking in the unity of the Spirit 

Col 3:16- Life in Christ 

2 Thes 3:16- Peace in Christ 

1 Tim 3:16 - The Mystery of Christ - the gospel in one verse

2 Tim 3:16 - Scripture is inspired by God 1

John 3:16 - Our duty and mission in Christ

Looking back at the pain we went through we feel blessed..... God took us to places we didn't want to go only to bring us to where He needed us to be.  I wish I could say we went through it gracefully, but the truth is we went kicking and screaming all the way :)  but I honestly would do it all over again. 

We still see 3:16 in some of the most unexpected places.  I’d like to believe it’s His reminder that no matter what we’re going through He is right there, all the time, He loves us and we just need to have faith. 

We feel blessed to be working with people from all over and meeting them sometimes in their darkest places and walking with them.

I have no doubt that you are going to heal.  Our bodies are amazing!  In His Grace we find healing, sometimes physical, sometimes emotional, sometimes both, but nothing is outside of His will.