Tag Archives: Bible

The Vibe May Change…

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A couple of days ago, I spent hours trying to figure out why the “Follow Me” button had disappeared from my blog. With the help of my AI assistant, I checked settings and lists, tried everything I could think of, and followed every suggestion. I knew the answer had to be somewhere in the program.

I could see the follow box. I could see the list of followers. Everything seemed to be there, yet the button refused to appear on my posts.

Then I discovered a list of buttons that had somehow been switched off. All I had to do was turn one setting back on, and voilà—my button was restored.

That little adventure made me think about our relationship with God.

Sometimes we experience a sense of goneness. We pray, worship, and read Scripture, yet God feels distant. We wonder, I’m here. Where is He? We can’t feel the vibe of His presence, so we begin to assume something has gone wrong.

But feelings are not facts.

God is faithful and always keeps His word. David wrote in Psalm 139:7-10, “Where can I flee from Your presence?” The answer is nowhere. Joshua reminds us in Joshua 1:9 that “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The bottom line is this: God hasn’t gone anywhere.

When His presence seems hidden, the problem isn’t that He has disappeared. More often, we’ve become distracted, discouraged, or focused on the wrong things. The connection is still there because He is still there.

In Isaiah 41:8-10, God makes this promise:

“You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off;
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

The vibe may change.

God never does.

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up

When Gratitude Becomes Worship

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Giving thanks for who God is, what He has done, and what He will continue to do for us should be as natural as breathing. Yet, if we’re honest, we often need reminders.

Every book on prayer I’ve ever read encourages believers to include thanksgiving in every prayer. More importantly, Scripture does the same. Passages such as Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 call us to live with grateful hearts and offer thanks in all circumstances.

During a past worship service, we shared what was called a “Wave of Thanks.” While it wasn’t the same kind of wave offering described in Exodus 29:24, the idea was similar. One by one, people offered words of gratitude before the Lord.

Many of the blessings mentioned were familiar and precious: family, new babies, new homes, faithful friends, our church family, and, of course, Jesus and the salvation He freely gives. Others spoke of God’s faithfulness through difficult seasons. We have witnessed cancer in some of its ugliest forms, yet we have also seen God intervene with His healing touch.

One expression of thanks, in particular, captured my attention: the miracle of life.

Within our church family, we have seen life-threatening traumatic brain injuries, including one that resulted in a coma. Humanly speaking, the outcomes could have been very different. Yet both men survived and are living life to the fullest today. What a testimony to God’s sustaining grace!

The words of an old hymn came to mind:

“Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the Creator triumphantly raise,
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who guideth us on to the end of our days.”

Even more amazing, our Creator has offered us more than physical life. Through Jesus Christ, He has made eternal life available to all who believe. The greatest miracle is not simply that we live today, but that we can live forever with Him.

Prayer

Lord God, Creator of Life, thank You for the gift of every breath and every day. Thank You for sustaining us through trials, healing us when we are broken, and reminding us of Your faithfulness. Most of all, thank You for the eternal life found in Jesus Christ.

Give us the desire and courage to live fully for You. Let us never lose our sense of wonder. Help us never to take Your blessings for granted, and never let us forget the greatest gift of all—the life we have through Your Son. Make it so in Jesus’ name!

The hymn “Let All Things Now Living” was written by Katherine K. Davis and set to the traditional Welsh melody “The Ash Grove.”

This is an edit of a post originally posted on 11.23.2011.

The Smell of Sheep

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I don’t know about you, but smell is one of my strongest senses.

I love the smell of coffee shops, carnations, freshly mowed grass, good perfume (no musk, please—I’m allergic), freshly baked cinnamon rolls, Christmas cookies, vanilla, and Ray’s cologne.

What I don’t enjoy are farm animal smells, skunks, cigars, waste, spoilage, sickness, or death. Yes, death has a smell.

Over the years, God has gently reminded me that relationships are often more important than comfort. Sometimes He places us in situations where we have to look beyond what we find unpleasant and focus instead on the people He loves.

That brings me to sheep.

Like it or not, sheep smell.

Our Great Shepherd knows that. Yet He still chooses to walk among us and call us His own.

John 21:15-17 tells us that after His resurrection, Jesus gave Peter a simple but profound command: “Feed My lambs. Tend My sheep. Feed My Sheep.”

First, he was to feed the lambs.

Lambs are young and dependent. They cannot survive without care and nourishment. In the same way, new believers need loving Christians who will come alongside them, teach them God’s Word and how to apply it in their lives, answer their questions, and encourage them to become more like Jesus.

Next, Jesus told Peter to tend His sheep.

Adult sheep require a different kind of care. Sheep are known for wandering, and so are we. Left to ourselves, we can easily drift from God’s best for our lives. Throughout my journey, God has placed faithful shepherds around me—friends, family members, pastors, teachers, and mentors. They have lovingly corrected me, challenged me, and occasionally used their shepherd’s staff to pull this stubborn sheep back from the edge.

Then Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.”

Adult sheep no longer need milk, but they still require steady nourishment to remain healthy and strong. The same is true spiritually. We need a regular diet of prayer, Scripture, worship, fellowship, and encouragement from other believers. These are the things God uses to sustain us and help us grow.

As I think about sheep, I’m reminded of something important. The shepherd knows His sheep. He knows where we’ve wandered. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our stubbornness. And yes, He knows we smell like sheep.

Yet, He still calls us His own. The Gentle Shepherd does not turn away from us because of our flaws. He is always near, He cares for us, and through it all He faithfully leads us home.

All we need to do is follow.

Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us. Give us the wisdom to learn from those You have placed in our lives and the humility to accept their guidance. Lead us in the paths You have prepared for us. May our lives bring honor and glory to You in all we say and do. In the precious name of Jesus, our Shepherd, make it so.

I first wrote this post on October 26, 2011. Today I’ve revisited it and made a few updates.

The Call We Don’t Want To Answer

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Where—or what—is your Nineveh?
Where is God calling you?
Are you deliberately saying no?
Is your allegiance tied to something—or someone—else?

Jonah was a true believer. Up to the moment God called him to go to Nineveh, he had followed faithfully—in his life, his work, and his actions. But this? This was too much.

Jonah was deeply loyal to his country. He was willing to do and say whatever God asked…as long as it aligned with his own thinking.

But God said, Go to Nineveh.

In Jonah’s mind, there were already others—like Amos and Hosea—doing God’s work. Why send him somewhere so far outside his comfort zone? Surely someone else could go.

And we know how the rest of Jonah’s story unfolds…But what about our story?

What is God asking of us that we’re resisting? Where are we saying, “Lord, surely someone else would be better for this”?

Here’s the truth: God will accomplish His purposes. The question is—will we be part of it?

Will we miss the blessing of obedience because the calling feels too big, too uncomfortable, or too far outside our plans?

Look at Proverbs 3:5–6. When we trust in the Lord and honor Him in all our ways, He directs our paths. He never calls us to something beyond His ability to sustain—but He does call us to know Him, trust Him, and follow through.

Abba, Father, Creator of all this is, was, and is to come, give me an all-consuming desire to know Your Word so well that in every situation I recognize the path You’ve set before me. Lord, give me the courage to walk the path You’ve laid before me, even when it feels uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or too great for me. Help me to trust You fully, to lay aside my own plans. Give me the courage to say YES—no matter where my Ninevah is. Hear my prayer in Jesus’ holy name.

This blog was first published on 9,21,2011 as Ninevah or Bust.

The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible – Review

The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible, offers a unique way to engage with scripture. It is perfectly suited for those who appreciate both artistic expression and journaling. It arrives packaged in an easily wrapable box, making it giftable without much fuss. The Bible has a lovely pink faux-leather cover. It is a very usable Bible in that it can lie flat on a hard surface making it easy to both journal and color and it curves and bends comfortably on your lap during your quiet time.

The interior encourages active engagement with the text. You will find sufficient space to record thoughts and prayers with journaling lines at the side of each page. There are numerous pictures to color match the message of the Bible stories, which creates a visual connection to the scripture. Please note that the Bible features small print, which is typical of Bibles that have extra features. This is definitely an adult Bible intended for home-based study.

Overall, this is a premium, beautifully constructed tool for deepening one’s faith and knowledge through creativity and contemplation.

If you would like to have a copy of The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible I am gifting two people. All you need to do is hop over to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10231487595909861&set=a.2108327384582 –  and say YES in the comments section of the post. (I can only mail to United States addresses.) Winners will be selected by a random number generator. Your opportunity for a free copy will end on November 30, 2025.

Blessings and success to you and yours!

Marie