Tag Archives: Bible Study

Saddest, Darkest, Saturday

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Can you imagine the confusion? Imagine how discouraged they must have been. Imagine the grief – the one they put all of their hope is gone. Dead. All the hope of what (they thought) Jesus was supposed to be and what Jesus was supposed to do is gone. What now? Yesterday he died, tomorrow he will be resurrected – but they don’t know that. This is a dark day. Probably the worst day of their lives.

Are they replaying all the words that Jesus spoke to them? He was very explicit about what he would endure. At the time, they rebuked him for saying those things. He was supposed to conquer the world, not be crucified by it.

Were they trying to move ahead and go back to a “normal life”? What is a “normal life” anyway? All they had known for 3 years was Jesus. They gave up EVERYTHING to follow him. Did they have regrets? Were they questioning their decision to follow him now? He said he was the son of man and he called himself son of God – but if that were true, then how could he die? How could this be?

We celebrate Good Friday and we praise and worship God for Sunday, but what about Saturday? When we put ourselves in the disciples shoes, this must have been the greatest test of their faith. I can only imagine how I would have felt. Thank God Sunday is coming, just as we thank God for sending Jesus into the world to die for our sins. Without this sacrificial act, humanity truly would be hopeless.

Why Is The Bible So Confusing?

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If you’ve ever picked up the Bible and thought, “This feels like a foreign language to me,” you are not alone. Maybe you’ve tried reading it and felt confused, bored, or even a little ashamed because it just doesn’t make sense. Or maybe you long for a real relationship with God but don’t know where to start.

I completely understand – I hear this often from women I mentor. It is important to consider that the Bible was written in a completely different time and world than ours. The people who wrote it didn’t have phones, cars, or the internet. They spoke different languages, lived in different cultures, and told stories in ways that don’t always sound like our quick modern self-help books.

Sometimes the words just feel old, making a verse feel irrelevant, antiquated, or out of date. But here’s something important the Bible itself explains:

In 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT) it says, “People who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLT) we read, “If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News.”

If the words feel veiled or confusing right now, it might not only be the language or the history — there can be a spiritual side too. Our wounds, weights, and old ways can keep our hearts a little closed off… until we gently invite the Holy Spirit to help us see.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to stay stuck there. The same Jesus who rose from the dead is ready to come into your life right now. If you’ve never invited Him in, or if you want to open your heart fresh today, you can simply pray something like this from your heart:

“Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God who died for me and rose again. I’m tired of carrying these wounds, weights, and old ways on my own. Please forgive me, come into my life, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Help me understand Your Word and become truly addicted to You. Amen”

The moment you invite Him, the Holy Spirit begins to lift the veil and open your eyes to the beauty of God’s Word. It’s the beginning of the most life-giving relationship you’ll ever have.

Don’t lose hope! The very same Bible that can feel foreign at first is actually the most powerful, life-giving book in the world. Read Psalm 19:7-14 (NLT) and see how God describes His Word. He says it revives us, makes us wise, brings joy, and gives insight for living. That’s powerful – and worth the pursuit.

Proverbs 30:5-6 (NLT) reminds us: “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.”

Even when it feels hard to understand at first, every word is true and protective. God wants to use His Word to heal your wounds, lift your weights, and change your ways — so you can transfer all of that to the one healthy addiction that truly satisfies: Him.

You’re not defective if the Bible feels confusing right now. It simply means you’re human and you’re stepping into something divine. God didn’t give us a cold checklist — He gave us stories, songs, letters, and real-life truths so we could truly know Him. It’s a lot like beginning any new relationship. At first it feels awkward, but the more time you spend, the more comfortable it becomes — especially as the Holy Spirit softens your heart.

Here are a few gentle, practical steps you can try this week:

  • Use an easy-to-read translation like the New Living Translation (NLT). Pair it with the YouVersion Bible app and listen to the chapter read aloud — it helps the words come alive without getting stuck on hard pronunciations.
  • Don’t start at the beginning. Begin with the story of Jesus in the book of John or Mark.
  • Pray before you read: “God, I don’t understand this very well, but I want to know You. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes and my heart.”
  • Keep it short and kind to yourself — just 10 minutes a day is better than forcing more when you feel overwhelmed.
  • Don’t go it alone. Talk with friends, join a Bible study, or watch short Bible Project videos on YouTube to understand the big picture.

When my days were packed with corporate work, raising my daughters, and earning my master’s degree, I had to schedule time with God like any important appointment. That small shift changed everything for me. I realized that if I wouldn’t skip meetings or time with my girls, how much more important was my time with Him?

Read just one chapter a day, or even just a short section within those books. If you have a study Bible – read the footnotes and gain a deeper, more applicable understanding. Don’t forget to pray first. If something confuses you, that’s okay — just keep showing up anyway.

You’ve got this my friend. The Bible isn’t meant to stay confusing forever. It’s meant to become the most life-changing voice in your story — the place where you meet with God Himself and discover real freedom from the wounds, weights, and ways that have held you back.

Return to God

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
(Matthew 11:28 NIV)

For almost 20 years, I have been teaching Bible studies, and for the last 10 years, mentoring incarcerated women who are seeking to know truth and rebuild their lives with the help of Jesus. When they first meet with me, they are often desperate. They tell me they have messed up their lives so badly that the only way to find true freedom is by turning their lives completely over to Jesus.

Fascinated by their conviction, I ask them, “Why? Why do you think Jesus is the answer to your problems?” The typical response is something like this: “I grew up in church, but when I got to high school, I got mixed up with the wrong crowd. My mother (or grandmother) took me to church and has always prayed for me. I now know I should have listened to them.”

Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it? We make choices—even ones that seem good at the time—only to find ourselves in a place we never wanted to be. This is just like the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. The youngest son ends up in a pigpen one day and having to face the consequences of making a series of bad choices, decides to return home, where his father has long been awaiting his return. We turn away from God, and once we realize we’re not where we wanted to be, we can return to Him, repent, and ask Him to help us rebuild our lives.

God watches patiently as we try to run our own lives, until the day we finally see that we need Him—and have needed Him all along. He embraces us, welcomes us back into His loving arms, without condemnation for what we have done.

I love this story, and I love how the incarcerated women I mentor see themselves in this story too. Is that your story? If you think it is, God wants you to come back. He is waiting patiently for your return. So how do we actually return to God?

The Bible makes it clear that the path begins with honest repentance—a heartfelt turning away from sin and turning toward Him. As Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

This isn’t just feeling sorry; it’s a deliberate change of direction. Start by confessing your sins to God openly—no excuses, no hiding. He promises in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Humble yourself, pray, seek His face, and turn from whatever has pulled you away, as 2 Chronicles 7:14 assures us: God will hear from heaven, forgive, and bring healing and restoration.

Practically, this looks like daily steps of reconnection: Spend time in Scripture to hear His voice again, pray honestly (even if it starts as a simple cry for help), and surround yourself with a supportive faith community that encourages you. Worship Him, not just in songs but in a posture of surrender.

God isn’t distant or angry—He is gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger, as Joel 2:13 describes, “When we return to Him with our whole heart, He doesn’t just forgive; He restores what was lost, refreshes our spirit, and welcomes us home with joy.”

No matter how far you’ve wandered, the Father is standing by, arms open, ready to run to you. That kind of love is worth everything you have to run away from, give up, or let go of in this world.

Winter Bench, Waiting Soul

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This is the scene I walked past on my morning walk today. Something about it stopped me in my tracks. I pulled out my phone and took the picture—not because it was postcard-perfect, but because it felt strangely personal.

A single bench sits alone on a frozen pond. Empty. Silent. The river it faces is locked beneath thick ice. The temperature hovers around negative ten. Everything looks swallowed by cold—motionless, barren, waiting. The trees stand naked, stripped of leaves and fruit. No blossoms, no green, no sign of life. Yet even in their dormancy, they frame the landscape with quiet dignity. And then there’s the sun—still below the horizon, but already sending faint streaks of light across the sky. The promise of dawn. The certainty that warmth and color are coming, even if they feel far away right now.

As I stood there, the scene began to speak. I thought of people I know—people I love—who feel like that bench right now. They sit in the cold of their days, waiting for someone or something to arrive and give them purpose. They face a world outside their door that never quite delivers what they hoped it would.

They feel the constant pull—tension from every direction:

  • marketers demanding their attention and money
  • loud voices insisting they pick a side
  • responsibilities piling higher than they can carry
  • an aging parent who needs more than they have left to give
  • a job that measures their worth in output
  • a friend in crisis reaching for their shoulder, their wisdom, their strength

Their life feels like those winter trees—decorated with many branches of priority, yet producing nothing life-giving. Overwhelmed. Barren. Exhausted.

But the sun is still rising. And there is the Son. He’s always been there—sometimes placed on the back burner, sometimes almost forgotten amid the noise and weight of “real life.” Yet He remains. Steady. Patient. Offering.

When we turn toward Him—when we give Him the central place in our heart and schedule—something changes.

He doesn’t just warm the surface.
He illuminates the soul.
He renews purpose.
He gently reprioritizes what truly matters.
And somehow, mysteriously, He carries what we cannot.

Jesus Himself invites us:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

And the promise continues:

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”
— Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

You don’t have to stay frozen in overwhelm.
You don’t have to wait passively for hope to show up.
You don’t have to beg the world—or the people in it—to tell you who you are or why you matter. What you need is time with Jesus.
Real, honest, unhurried time.
That’s where rest returns.
That’s where strength is renewed.
That’s where the impossible begins to feel possible again.The bench is still empty this morning.
But the light is coming. And so is He.

Thanks for reading—and for letting this quiet winter scene speak to your heart and encourage you today.

Want To Change Your Life?

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For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Each morning, I start my prayer with a simple, awe-filled, “Wow, God!” For nearly 22 years, I’ve been reading the Bible—10 of those years daily. So why, in 2025, does this habit still leave me in wonder? I’m approaching God’s Word differently now.

For the past two years, I read the Bible cover to cover. In 2023, I followed John MacArthur’s Daily Study Bible plan, reading two Old Testament chapters, a Psalm, a Proverb, and a New Testament chapter each day. In 2024, I read chronologically with The Bible Recap. These years felt like a “rapid-fire” sprint through Scripture—lots of content, but high-level and less fulfilling. It became more of a task than a deep study or connection with God.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m grateful for the experience. Reading the entire Bible showed me the incredible timeline of Scripture, the inspiring stories, and God’s sovereignty in every situation. But this year, I committed to slowing down—way down.

My 2025 plan is to read one New Testament chapter per week. Each day, I read that chapter in a different Bible version. When the version includes study notes, I dig into the footnotes and cross-references. On days without notes, I turn to commentaries by Wiersbe, McGee, and MacArthur. The result? I’ve gained a deeper understanding of Scripture and how to apply it to my life than I have in over two decades. It’s mind-blowing!

As of today, March 25, 2025, I’m only on my third day of studying Matthew chapter 7. You might think I’d be further along by now—maybe Matthew 12—but I’m not. And that’s intentional. I’m taking my time, meditating on God’s Word, and it’s coming alive in a new way. I find myself talking about it throughout the day, recalling its meaning during decisions, conversations, and moments needing discernment.

I’m not memorizing every verse, but I know where to find them when I need them. At this pace—one chapter a week—I estimate it’ll take about three and a half years to finish the New Testament. I may never reach Revelation, let alone the Old Testament, and that’s okay. This slower, deeper approach is transforming me. God is revealing Himself to me in a more intimate way.

That’s why I’m calling this journey “Do You Want to Change Your Life?” It’s changing mine. Want to join me?

The Goodness of God’s Testing

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We can find God. He’s everywhere!

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yet, Job wonders where he is. I love Job and his “humanness”. Who hasn’t wanted to find God to sit down and have a talk with him. We would ask questions like, “Why God…?”

Job also gives us the answer, “When he tests me, I will come out as pure gold.”

Hang in there. Keep the faith. Trust God even when you cannot understand what he is doing or why he is doing it. You will come through it as pure gold… refined, magnificent, invaluable, and shining brighter.

Sinned By Accident

Posted in Daily Devotions: Chapter by Chapter by

Talking With Hands

Today’s Devotional: Deuteronomy 19

Have you ever hurt someone by accident? I have. I’m a very animated speaker and when I’m really into my story my hands are busy trying to bring added emphasis to each word that I’m trying to convey. This [habit] has gotten me into trouble from time to time. You could say that I’m dangerous to be around if you are a waitress carrying a tray of red wine glasses or a heavy tray of dishes. I can (figuratively speaking) poke out an eye if you are an innocent passerby and I remember having to apologize for inadvertently slapping someone with a quick lash from the back of my hand because of the passion in which I was speaking.

Deuteronomy 19 brings to our minds a scenario in verse 5, “For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life.” First, I’m impressed that God’s Word uses such a comprehensible example of accidental death and secondly, it’s something that could really happen. If it would… What do you you? If you kill someone, even if its an accident, isn’t that still murder?

God gives this example to let us know that accidents do happen, even ones that may result in sin. I don’t know about you, but I find relief in that. Surely my spilled red wine and minor backhanding doesn’t compare to accidentally killing someone, but what if, right? The bible helps us prepare for those moments of uncertainty and I’m thankful that God has ever possible scenario covered and will protect us.

Since we are prone to sin and God knows it, it is also a relief to know that ALL of our sins are forgiven. God’s grace is so unbelievable that even in the sins we commit by accident, He proves a way out. That way out is Jesus and how blessed we are to know our lives are saved.

Testing For Imposters

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Crystal Ball

Today’s Devotion: Deuteronomy 18

Palm readers, horoscopes and Tera cards don’t pass the test. The last verse in chapter 18 tells you how to know what is truly from God and what is false. Deuteronomy 18:21-22, “You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.”

Now what about today? This test would disqualify everyone on the contemporary scene who claims to be a “prophet” by predicting the future. I have heard of instances where someone has hit the nail right on the head, but more often they’ve miss the nail altogether. We never hear of their misses; we only hear of their accurate guesses and I admit – some are freaky accurate.

One very common prediction are the people predicting the end of the world on a certain date, the rapture of the church on a certain date, calamities that will come to a particular section of the country on a specific date, and a myriad of other such theories. My husband and I were married on December 31, 1999, which was supposed to be the eve of the end of the world. As soon as the calendar turned to 01-01-00 it would be the end of the world as we know it; that makes me think of the song by REM. Needless to say, the world didn’t end and we just celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary.

If we applied God’s test to these self-acclaimed prophets, they would be out of business in short order. A true prophet must be accurate in every detail every time. But do you know that there are no warnings about false prophets for the church today? Why? Because there is no more prophecy to be revealed. Everything has been revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His Word. Our warning today is not against false prophets; our warning is against false teachers. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you …” (2 Pet. 2:1). The warning to us is to listen very carefully today, because there are many sweet, soothing voices that sound very pious, but are not teaching the Word of God. Oh, how important it is for us to beware of false teachers!

McGee, J. Vernon (1984-01-06). Thru the Bible Commentary, Volumes 1-5: Genesis through Revelation (Thru the Bible 5 Volume Set) (Kindle Locations 21921-21931). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

The Key to Success

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Secret to Success

Today’s Devotional: Deuteronomy 17

A valuable chapter which deals with the regulations that would control a king. I do have a verse that jumped out at me and inspired this blog today. It’s verse 19, “It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees.”

It is written to instruct a king, but I see application for us. What if we made it personal and read it as, “God’s WORD is to be with YOU, and YOU are to read it all the days of YOUR life so that YOU may learn to revere the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of His law and these decrees?”

God may have been giving advice to prepare a king for his role as a leader, but I also know that the bible is our source for preparation in our daily lives. When I imagine the roles and responsibilities of a king I think of all the decisions he has to make, the people who are depending on him to lead them and the great responsibility on his shoulders not only in his household, but in his kingdom.

How is that different from our lives? We have decisions to make, we have people who are depending on us to lead them and we have great responsibility on our shoulders in our households and our workplaces, neighborhoods and communities. Should we need God’s Word less than any king of any land?

I think verse 19 has a very important instruction for us and I’m blogging this to help us remain firm in whatever life is throwing at us right now. You’ll find what you need in His Word and He is all we need. That may sound cliche, but I’m not intending it to be. Read, pray, meditate on his word daily. God sums it up perfectly in Joshua 1:8, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Come, With Joy

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Joy

Today’s Devotion: Deuteronomy 16

Today’s Theme is about Three main feasts: Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles. Exodus 12 gave us the real details of the Passover. The Feast of Passover was instituted as a memorial to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their adoption as Jehovah’s nation. The Passover is a festival that laid the foundation of the nation, Israel’s birth into a new relationship with God.

In verses 9-11, it says that they were to number seven weeks after Passover, which would be forty-nine; then the next day would be the Sabbath, the fiftieth day. Because the Greek word for “fifty” is pentecoste, this Feast of Weeks is known as Pentecost. It is also called the Feast of Harvest or the Day of First Fruits. It celebrated the first or earliest fruits of the harvest.

Verses 16-17 expand on the tabernacles. These are the three feasts which were to be celebrated in Jerusalem, which all males were required to attend. Three times a year they were to travel to Jerusalem to keep these feasts. It was to be a time of rejoicing and they were to come before the Lord with joy.

How often do we come to the LORD with a laundry list of wants and we through it all on Him. I’m guilty of that. I have burdens for people and events. I try to be sincere when I ask God about the things on my prayer list, but do I always come to Him with joy? Unfortunately, no.

This is a great perspective for us to keep in mind as we enter into prayer with Him. He does say “cast your burdens on Him and He will care for you” (1 Peter 5:7) and I’m certain God can handle it, but what if someone saw you, walked up to you and just started hammering you with a list of “I wants?” You would be confused. No sincerity, no compassion, not even a half-hearted, “How are you doing?” If we had people like that in our lives, we may avoid that person in the future.

I know God doesn’t avoid us, but I do believe as we approach the God of the Universe, we could (and should) be respectful, communicative, appreciative and joy-filled. This is a perspective that is a good reminder to us, especially me, that God is not my dumping zone of worries and woes. He is God and we are so blessed to be able to go directly to Him, in fellowship, with our lives.