As I’ve heard for years now, there is no testimony without a test! On Mother’s Day 2016, I shared C. Celeste Marshall’s victory over infertility in “Becoming a Mother Over 40 & Beyond…Janet Jackson isn’t the Only One…A Mothers Day Testimony…” Her testimony was beautifully captured in her book “Memoirs of a Barren Women.” Although my blog was the first media outlet (yes, I consider my humble blog to be a media outlet 🙂 ) to feature her miraculous story, I knew I would not be the last because her miraculous story is akin to one you would read in the Bible! My college friend was told she couldn’t have children but God told her otherwise! Ten years later, God’s promise was fulfilled with the birth of her son Terry Simeon Marshall in August 2013. Celeste told her husband she was pregnant in Christmas 2012. It is only fitting that Celeste would share her story with The 700 Club during the Christmas season! Her story is a perfect one to share on Christmas Eve just before we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus! SEE her story below!
If you live in Atlanta, you know that the recent mayoral race was a hotly contested one resulting in a razor thin runoff that only wrapped up yesterday with Mary Norwood finally conceding the race despite her belief that “there were some irregularities with the election,” according to the AJC. Mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms is the mayor, but she cannot lead the city without Norwood and others who care about the city. I would guess that is the reasoning behind Ebenezer Baptist Church hosting a Post-Election Reconciliation & Accountability Unity Service tonight at 7 p.m. According to WAOK, the service will be held in the old versus the new sanctuary. I pray that some of those mayoral candidates and the current Mayor-elect find their way to this service. Going to God and prayer should not be the last resort, it should be the first tactic to tackle a new challenge. Now that the end of the year is here and the next year is unknown, this is a prime opportunity to meet before God. See the flyer above for the details!
I don’t know about you, but the Bible is the foundation of my life! Without the wisdom woven through its words, I would be an anxious mess. Without the encouragement embedded through its expanse, I would be overcome with sadness. Without the direction doled out through its dimensions, I would be completely lost. That is why I’m been following the construction of the Museum of the Bible in our nation’s capital since I first heard about it a couple of years ago, and as of yesterday, just in time for the holiday season, it is open!!!
The Museum of the Bible invites all people to engage with the Bible through museum exhibits and scholarly pursuits. Dedicated to the history, narrative and impact of the Bible, the museum, located at 400 4th St. SW, is three blocks from the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
Exterior rendering of the eight-story, 430,000-square-foot Museum of the Bible. Photo credit: SmithGroupJJR
Below are some statistics about the museum:
Total square footage: 430,000
Floors: 8 (including two basement levels and two new floors constructed on the existing rooftop)
The museum is approximately 170 feet in height from the lowest level to the rooftop
Central exhibit floors: 3 (History, Narrative and Impact of the Bible)
Construction and property costs: More than $500 million
Workers on-site daily at construction’s peak: 500 – 600
Time it takes to read every placard, see every artifact and experience every activity in the museum: 9 days at 8 hours per day
Floor height (in feet) needed to accommodate exhibits: 20 (approximately)
Length (in feet) of giant LED ceiling screen running the expanse of the museum’s
grand lobby: 140
Biblical garden: 1 on rooftop
Ballroom: Dinner seating for 420, lecture-style seating for 630
Performing arts hall: 472 seats
Number of biblical texts and artifacts on display on the History floor alone: More than 500
Number of blocks from the National Mall: 2 (approximately three minutes walking)
See a video tour of the museum:
Check out some highlights from some of the museum’s floors:
Floor 1: Overview – Courageous Pages Children’s Area
From the Pit to the Palace: This pedestal game uses a maze and a rolling ball to tell the story of Joseph, from his coat of many colors to his various imprisonments to his ascent as second-in-command of all Egypt.
Walking on Water: This is a mesmerizing illusion that uses high-end technology to project a watery surface in the middle of Courageous Pages. Kids marvel as they stand “atop” the water and inspect the animated marine life below them.
David and Goliath (game): This game puts players in the center of the action of this well-known story as they pitch soft “stones” at a mobile Goliath target.
Floor 2: Impact of the Bible – Bible in the World
Biblical Names: Guests see how thousands of names can trace their origins to the Bible.
Education: A schoolroom setting lets guests experience firsthand how the Bible has inspired educational efforts around the world. Media traces many biblically founded universities and colleges around the globe, and guests compete against each other in a Bible quiz.
Fashion: Mannequins on a runway feature biblically inspired designs. A “magic mirror” allows guests to design their own fashion.
Floor 3: Stories of the Bible – The World of Jesus of Nazareth
A completely immersive, themed environment called The World of Jesus of Nazareth transports guests to a meticulous re-creation of a first-century village. Photo credit: Alan Karchmer
Parable Theater: This cozy standing theater offers guests filmed representations of some of the most arresting of Jesus’ parables.
Synagogue: Guests take in a jaw-dropping re-creation of a typical village house of worship
and instruction.
Typical House and Cooking Courtyard: These two areas detail the private life of Nazareth villagers, allowing guests to walk through a typical village home and see how they slept, prepared meals and performed other daily chores.
Below are some photos from the grand opening:
U.S. Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry Black Photo Credit: Museum of the Bible
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Photo Credit: Museum of the Bible
Gospel artist CeCe Winans Photo Credit: Museum of the Bible
