I Didn’t Finish the Bible This Year (And I’m Still Grateful)

At the beginning of this year, I set a goal that felt both sacred and ambitious: read the entire Bible from cover to cover in one year. I had the plan, the bookmarks, the good intentions, and that fresh-January optimism that makes you believe this will be the year you do all the things.

And then… life happened.

Busy weeks turned into tired evenings. Some days I read deeply and felt moved. Other days I skimmed. Some seasons I stayed consistent, and other seasons I barely opened my Bible at all. As the year came to a close, I realized something quietly humbling: I didn’t quite finish. I came close but not all the way.

And surprisingly? I don’t feel defeated.

For a long time, I thought falling short meant failing. That if I didn’t complete the plan exactly as intended, the whole effort somehow didn’t count. But this year taught me something gentler and truer: God isn’t impressed by checklists. He cares about the posture of our hearts.

Even though I didn’t finish reading every single page, I did grow. I wrestled with hard passages. I found comfort in familiar Psalms. I saw Jesus more clearly in the Gospels. I learned things I didn’t know before, and I was reminded of things I desperately needed to remember again. That matters.

So instead of closing the year with guilt, I’m choosing to carry on with a clear heart and a good spirit.

I don’t want to rush Scripture just to say I finished it. I want to sit with it. To let it challenge me. To let it comfort me. To let it shape how I live, not just what I accomplish. Carrying on doesn’t mean starting over in shame, it means continuing in faith.

This experience has also stirred something else in me: a desire to show up more consistently here.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this platform and what I want it to be. Not a place of perfection or performative faith, but a space for honesty, growth, reflection, and grace. I’d love to start posting more consistently, maybe even every Tuesday and Thursday, just to keep it simple and doable.

No pressure. No promises of perfection. Just presence.

Some days that might look like Bible reflections. Other days it might be lessons learned, questions I’m still carrying, or moments where faith and real life collide in messy, beautiful ways. If this year taught me anything, it’s that consistency rooted in grace lasts longer than motivation rooted in guilt.

If you’re reading this and you also set a spiritual goal you didn’t fully meet, whether it was reading the Bible, praying more, journaling, or simply slowing down… Please hear this: falling a little short doesn’t erase how far you came.

We’re allowed to continue without condemnation. We’re allowed to begin again without starting from zero.

So here’s to carrying on.
With humility.
With hope.
With a clear heart and a good spirit.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll see you back here on Tuesday. 💛

Hosea: Betrayal and Healing

When Faithfulness Hurts: What the Book of Hosea Taught Me After Betrayal

I’ve been in an unfaithful relationship before, one where the person I trusted chose someone else behind my back. It’s the kind of heartbreak that makes you question everything: your worth, your judgment, even your ability to trust again. Healing from that kind of betrayal isn’t linear; it comes in waves, some days soft and some days crushing.

So, when I recently revisited the book of Hosea, it hit me in a whole new way. This isn’t just an ancient prophetic book tucked quietly in the Old Testament. It’s one of the most raw, emotional portraits of betrayal, heartbreak, and relentless love in all of Scripture. And honestly, it mirrors the emotional rollercoaster of anyone who has ever felt cheated on, abandoned, or forgotten by someone they gave everything to.

Thanks to The Bible Project’s incredibly clear overview and some rich historical notes, I’m seeing Hosea with fresh eyes. So here’s the story and why it matters.

A Love Story Full of Pain (and Promise)

Hosea lived in the 8th century BC during the final, crumbling years of the northern kingdom of Israel. Politically, it was chaos. Spiritually, it was even worse. Israel was caught in a cycle of idolatry, broken covenants, and moral decline; constantly running to other nations and other gods for security.

And God uses the prophet Hosea’s marriage as the living, breathing symbol of what’s happening.

The Call No One Would Want

God tells Hosea to marry Gomer, a woman who would later be unfaithful to him; a woman whose wandering heart would break his. Their marriage becomes the central analogy for God and Israel:

Hosea is the faithful one
Gomer is the one who leaves, chases other lovers, and breaks the covenant

This isn’t a tidy Bible metaphor. It’s messy. It’s emotional. It’s painful. And reading it, you feel the sting of what betrayal does to a heart that only wanted loyalty.

This is what God feels toward His people.
This is what unfaithfulness looks like from His side.
And this is where the heartbreak (and the grace) begin.

A Nation That Forgot Its First Love

Israel in Hosea’s time as a people who wanted the benefits of God but also wanted to “chase other lovers” such as idols, political alliances, and corrupt systems that offered comfort without commitment.

Historically, Israel was:

Worshiping Baal and mixing pagan rituals with their faith
Exploiting the poor
Breaking the covenant God had made with them
Seeking protection from Egypt or Assyria instead of trusting God

Just like Gomer left Hosea, Israel left God.
And just like betrayal in a relationship, it brought consequences.

Hosea’s children were even given symbolic names like Lo-Ammi (“not my people”) and Lo-Ruhamah (“not loved”) representing the brokenness of Israel’s covenant relationship with God. The names are bracing, but they reveal exactly how bad things had gotten.

Love That Doesn’t Give Up. Even When It Should

Here’s where the story gets even more striking.

After Gomer leaves Hosea and ends up trapped in a life of exploitation, God tells Hosea to go get her back. To buy her out of slavery. To restore her. To love her again.

Not because she deserved it.
But because Hosea’s love was meant to mirror God’s faithful love for His unfaithful people.

This can beautifully describe as the heart of Hosea:
a God whose justice and mercy meet in a love fierce enough to pursue us even when we run.

Hosea is not a story about excusing betrayal. It’s a story about God healing it.

A Message for Anyone Who Has Ever Been Betrayed

What stands out to me most is how personal Hosea feels.

Because I know what it’s like to feel unwanted.
To wonder why someone wasn’t faithful.
To ask what I did wrong, even when the truth is that their choices weren’t mine to carry.

But Hosea shows that God fully understands betrayal, far deeper than I ever could. His people broke His heart again and again. Yet His response wasn’t to abandon them. Instead, He promised restoration:

“I will heal their waywardness.”
“I will love them freely.”
“You are my people.”

Hosea reveals a God who sees the hurt, the unfaithfulness, and the shattered trust, and still chooses love, redemption, and renewal.

Why Hosea Still Matters Today

In a world that treats relationships as disposable, Hosea stands as a reminder that:

Faithfulness matters
Covenant love is powerful
Healing is possible
God’s love is not fragile or fickle
And even when humans fail us, God does not

It’s not a call to tolerate toxic relationships or excuse betrayal. Hosea actually shows the consequences of broken trust. But it is a call to understand that God brings beauty even from betrayal, and He knows the pain of unfaithfulness better than anyone.

Closing Thoughts

Reading Hosea after my own heartbreak made the story come alive. It reminded me that:

God understands betrayal intimately
He never stops pursuing restoration
And He is faithful even when everyone else is not

Hosea is more than a prophetic book, it’s a love story written through tears. It’s the heart of God on display. And it’s an invitation to trust again, not because people are perfect, but because He is.

If you’ve ever been cheated on, abandoned, or left wondering why your love wasn’t enough Hosea tells you this:

You are loved by a God who never stops choosing you.

Judges Summary

The Book of Judges

If the Book of Joshua feels like Israel charging triumphantly into the Promised Land, then Judges is the sobering reality check that follows: a raw, unfiltered look at what happens when a nation forgets its foundation. Judges is one of the most dramatic books in the Hebrew Bible, blending history, theology, and storytelling with a strikingly human honesty. Many Bible video overviews like those from The Bible Project or dramatized retellings from Bible Stories for Kids describe it as an ancient “cycle of brokenness,” and that phrase really captures the heartbeat of the narrative.

The Setting: A Leaderless Nation

Judges spans roughly 300–350 years after Joshua’s death. With no central king and no unified leadership, Israel becomes a patchwork of tribes learning (often painfully) how to survive morally and politically.

The book opens with what could have been a hopeful moment: Israel continuing to conquer the land (Judges 1). But the momentum slips quickly. They fail to fully drive out the surrounding nations, and this slow compromise becomes the seed of deeper issues.

Bible Project videos often highlight this as “the beginning of the downward spiral” which is a theme that defines the rest of the book.

The Cycle: Sin → Oppression → Cry for Help → Deliverance

One of the clearest patterns in Judges is its repeated spiritual and social cycle:

Israel abandons God for the idols of surrounding nations
Foreign oppression rises
Israel cries out in distress
God raises a judge: a spirit-empowered leader
Temporary peace, until the cycle starts all over again

If you’ve seen animated Bible summaries, they often use a literal spiral graphic to show how each cycle gets worse than the last, less faithful, less heroic, and more tragic.

The Judges Themselves: Imperfect Heroes

“Judge” here doesn’t mean a courtroom official; it means a military deliverer and regional leader. Some are well-known; others get only a verse or two.

Major judges include:

Othniel – the ideal model judge (Judges 3)
Ehud – the left-handed strategist who frees Israel from Moab
Deborah – prophetess, leader, and the only female judge (Judges 4–5)
Gideon – called while hiding in fear; later struggles with pride (Judges 6–8)
Jephthah – a tragic figure known for his rash vow (Judges 11)
Samson – perhaps the most famous judge; gifted with supernatural strength but undone by lack of discipline (Judges 13–16)

Modern Bible video commentaries often explore how the judges become progressively flawed—reflecting Israel’s own growing corruption.

A Nation Unraveling

The final chapters (Judges 17–21) are some of the darkest narratives in Scripture. There are no judges, no heroes just moral chaos. These stories show:

Idolatry spreading unchecked
Violence and civil war between tribes
A society drifting far from God’s laws

The repeated line, highlighted in many dramatic retellings and commentaries, serves as the book’s haunting refrain:

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
— Judges 21:25

It’s not just a summary, it’s a warning.

Why Judges Still Matters

Judges is more than a collection of wild stories; it’s a historical mirror. It shows the dangers of spiritual forgetfulness, the consequences of compromise, and the resilience of God’s mercy. Every time Israel breaks the covenant, God raises up deliverance as imperfect though it may be.

Bible Project videos emphasize that the book ultimately creates longing:
longing for true leadership, true transformation, and a king who can lead with righteousness.

That longing sets the stage for the books of Samuel and the rise of David.

Galatians

Galatians 1 – No Other Gospel

Key Themes:

Paul’s authority as an apostle
The danger of false gospels
The divine origin of Paul’s message

Important Verses:

Galatians 1:6-7 – “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all.”
Galatians 1:10 – “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?”

Highlights:

Paul defends his apostleship and message, saying it came from Jesus Christ, not men.
He warns the Galatians about turning to false teachers preaching legalism.
Emphasizes that salvation is through grace, not works.

Galatians 2 – Justified by Faith

Key Themes:

Unity of the apostles
Justification by faith, not by the law
Living in Christ

Important Verses:

Galatians 2:16 – “A person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

Highlights:

Paul confronts Peter for hypocrisy (favoring Jews over Gentiles).
Strong declaration that righteousness comes by faith in Christ, not the law.
Paul’s personal testimony of living by faith, not by human effort.

Galatians 3 – Faith or Works?

Key Themes:

The foolishness of returning to the law
Abraham’s faith
The law as a guardian

Important Verses:

Galatians 3:11 – “The righteous will live by faith.”
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Highlights:

Paul argues that the Spirit comes through faith, not law.
Uses Abraham as proof that justification has always been through faith.
The law was a temporary guardian until Christ came, not a means to salvation.

Galatians 4 – Heirs Through Christ

Key Themes:

Adoption as sons and daughters
Freedom vs. slavery
Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

Important Verses:

Galatians 4:6-7 – “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts… So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child.”
Galatians 4:9 – “But now that you know God… how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?”

Highlights:

Believers are adopted into God’s family and made heirs with Christ.
Paul expresses heartbreak that they are turning back to slavery under the law.
Uses Hagar and Sarah to illustrate the difference between being a child of slavery (law) and freedom (grace).

Galatians 5 – Freedom in Christ

Key Themes:

Living by the Spirit
Christian freedom
Fruit of the Spirit

Important Verses:

Galatians 5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free… do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Highlights:

Believers are called to live in the freedom Christ offers, not under legalism.
Warning against using freedom as an excuse for sin.
Encouragement to walk by the Spirit, not the flesh—resulting in spiritual fruit.

Galatians 6 – Sowing and Reaping

Key Themes:

Restoring others gently
Sowing to the Spirit vs. the flesh
Boasting only in the cross

Important Verses:

Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:14 – “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Highlights:

Encouragement to carry each other’s burdens.
Warning that what you sow (to the flesh or Spirit), you will reap.
Final encouragement to remain faithful and to boast only in what Christ has done, not human efforts.

OVERALL MESSAGE OF GALATIANS:

Salvation is by grace through faith—not by works of the law.
Christ brings freedom from sin and legalism.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live transformed lives.

Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace Review

Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace is not just a film—it’s an emotional journey that gently wraps your heart in warmth, compassion, and hope. From the very first frame, it’s clear that this story is driven by a deep desire to uplift and inspire, and it succeeds with grace.

At the center is Lucy, a radiant little girl whose innocence and unwavering faith become the emotional core of the film. Despite her illness, Lucy’s optimism never falters. Her belief in kindness, love, and the healing power of compassion is both humbling and profoundly moving. Through her eyes, we see a world where forgiveness and second chances are possible—even for those who believe they’ve fallen too far.

The film’s connection between Lucy and Edgar, a hardened inmate, is nothing short of miraculous. Their bond speaks to the redemptive power of love and how the purest hearts can reach the darkest souls. Watching Edgar’s transformation, prompted by Lucy’s courage and unwavering light, is one of the most emotionally powerful elements of the story.

What truly elevates Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace is its unapologetic embrace of faith—not in a preachy way, but in a deeply human, healing sense. It reminds us that even in the darkest times, peace can find us, often through the most unexpected messengers.

The performances are gentle and heartfelt, especially from Scarlett Diamond as Lucy. Her portrayal is so genuine that it lingers long after the credits roll. The film’s direction, pacing, and soundtrack all complement the story’s emotional resonance.

In a world often clouded with cynicism, Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace is a rare and beautiful reminder of hope, second chances, and the quiet power of grace. Prepare to cry, reflect, and be moved—it’s a story that leaves a lasting impression on the soul.

Seamless Bible Study Week 1

My women’s bible study group are doing seven online sessions covering the book called “Seamless” by Angie Smith where she summarizes the bible, making it easier to understand it as one whole story rather than everything that it encompasses. Here’s notes from the first week!

Seamless by Angie Smith

Week One:

Day One: Introduction

* The Purpose of this study is to simplify the bible and make it less intimidating for readers to access The Word
* The bible wasn’t written for experts. It was written for us.

Day Two: Creation & Fall

* “In the beginning…” Genesis 1:1 Three simple words launch us into Gods love for us.
* God created the earth in 7 days

The list of what was created each day:

* Light/Dark Day/Night

* Sky/Heaven

* Earth/Seas & Plants

* Sun/Moon/Stars

* Birds/Fish

* Land Animals/Humans

* Day 7: Rest

* What resulted from the original act of disobedience against God (the fall) was the turning point for humanity. The first sin against God.
* Satan asked Eve in Genesis 3:1 “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit of any of the trees in the garden?” Satans approach in the verses 2-7 is very conniving, cunning and sly.
* God created a situation where His people could choose whether or not to live in accordance with His rules. They chose not to.
* Sin took root into the Garden of Eden and it will grow into a monstrosity before God, in His mercy, will send His Son to us.

Day Three: Results of the Fall

* God asked in Genesis 3:9 “Where are you?” When he is asking this question he wasn’t asking them to identify their location but rather their condition. He wanted to pull Adam and Eve out of their fear and shame so He could meet them where they are.
* God knows exactly where you are as He knew where they were -mind, body, soul and spirit. What He wants from you is the same as He wants from them. To come to Him no matter how difficult it seems.
* Adam blames God & Eve for the Fall because “God gave Eve to him and Eve was the one to commit the sin.”
* Eve in turns blame the serpent. We always have a choice to believe either God or the Devil. It can’t be both.
* Sagan will bruise the heel of God’s people, he will wound them and have a negative effect on their lives. He is the enemy of God and the Devil will always do his best to injure and mislead God’s children. But a wound to the heel is not lethal; it’s temporary.
* After Adam & Eve is sent out of the garden we see the pattern of sin continues in their children. The first murder is committed by their son Cain against his brother Abel out of jealousy.
* Other people existed also at this time. It is said that Adam and Even had other sons and daughters but we only hear of Cain, Abel and Seth.
* Seth who has a son of his own named Enoch. Not to be mixed with Cain’s son also named Enoch.
* Enoch fathered Methuselah who fathered Lamech who fathered Noah

* Read Genesis 6:5-8

* Wickedness overcame the land and the sin of the world worsen. God knew the depths of the humans hearts and knew they were alienating themselves further from Him.
* Understand that we aren’t God and we cannot simply put ourselves in His place. He is all knowing. He cannot go against His nature or His promises.

Day Four: The Flood

* Noah found favor with God and told him to build a great ark because He was about the flood the earth.
* It rained for 40 days and 40 nights (whenever the number 40 comes up in the bible it indicates a time of testing.
* It stopped raining after 40 days but the water didn’t disparate until 150 days later.
* The first thing that Noah did when he got off the ark was build an alter for God and offered burnt offerings.
* One of the central themes of Scripture is the use of sacrifice as a symbol of our need for atonement.
* God made the first animal sacrifice back in Genesis chapter 3 when He made animal skin clothing for Adam and Eve.
* God blesses Noah for his faithfulness and tells Him to be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth. Let’s try this whole humanity thing over again.
* God uses the symbol of a rainbow as a promise to never flood the earth again.
* Even when we didn’t deserve it. God gave us another chance.
* God doesn’t have to love you, but He does. You don’t have to earn it.

Day Five: Job & Babel

* The members of the heavenly court come together and Hod gives Satan permission to test His most righteous servant, Job.
* Satan strips Jobs life away from him.
* I believe God is good even when we don’t always understand all the particulars of His decisions.
* Job shows faithfulness amidst the suffering.
* In suffering we should turn to God and find comfort in Him.
* Noah’s three sons were Shem, Ham and Japheth and they multiplied until the world was full of people again.
* The world spoke one language until they decided to build a great city and make a tower for themselves.
* God took this as humans were trying to elevate themselves and no longer put Him first.
* The Tower of Babel was a monument that stood for men’s desire to be important.
* God scrambled their ability to understand a language and had them spread out instead of building power together.

LIST OF BOOKS OF THE BIBLE BY CHAPTERS

LIST OF BOOKS OF THE BIBLE BY CHAPTERS:

REGULAR ORDER:

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis – 50
Exodus – 40
Leviticus – 27
Numbers – 36
Deuteronomy – 34
Joshua – 24
Judges – 21
Ruth – 4
1 Samuel – 31
2 Samuel – 24
1 Kings – 22
2 Kings – 25
1 Chronicles – 29
2 Chronicles – 36
Ezra – 10
Nehemiah – 13
Esther – 10
Job – 42
Psalms – 150
Proverbs – 31
Ecclesiastes – 12
Song of Solomon – 8
Isaiah – 66
Jeremiah – 52
Lamentations – 5
Ezekiel – 48
Daniel – 12
Hosea – 14
Joel – 3
Amos – 9
Obadiah – 1
Jonah – 4
Micah – 7
Nahum – 3
Habakkuk – 3
Zephaniah – 3
Haggai – 2
Zechariah – 14
Malachi – 4

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew – 28
Mark – 16
Luke – 24
John – 21
Acts – 28
Romans – 16
1 Corinthians – 16
2 Corinthians – 13
Galatians – 6
Ephesians – 6
Philippians 4
Colossians – 4
1 Thessalonians – 5
2 Thessalonians – 3
1 Timothy – 6
2 Timothy – 4
Titus – 3
Philemon – 1
Hebrews – 13
James – 5
1 Peter – 5
2 Peter – 3
1 John – 5
2 John – 1
3 John – 1
Jude – 1
Revelation – 22

SHORTEST TO LONGEST:

One Chapter:

2nd John
3rd John
Jude
Obadiah
Philemon

Two Chapters:

Haggai

Three Chapters:

2 Peter
Titus
Habakkuk
Nahum
Zephaniah
Joel
2 Thessalonians

Four Chapters:

Colossians
Jonah
Malachi
Philippians
Ruth
2 Timothy

Five Chapters:

James
Lamentations
1 Thessalonians
1 Peter

Six Chapters:

1 Timothy
Galatians
Ephesians

Ten Chapters:

Ezra
Ester

Twelve Chapters:

Daniel
Ecclesiastes

Thirteen to Twenty Chapters:

Hebrews – 13
2 Corinthians – 13
Nehemiah – 13
Hosea – 14
Zechariah – 14
1 Corinthians – 16
Romans – 16
Mark – 16

Twenty to Thirty Chapters:

Judges -21
1 Kings – 21
John – 21
Revelation – 22
Luke – 24
2 Samuel – 24
Joshua – 24
2 Kings – 25
Leviticus – 27
Matthew – 28
Acts – 28
1 Chronicles – 29

Thirty+ Chapters:

Proverbs – 31
1 Samuel – 31
Deuteronomy – 34
Numbers -36
Exodus – 40
Job – 42
Ezekiel – 48
Genesis – 50
Jeremiah – 52
Isaiah – 66
Psalm – 150

Nahum

Written by: the Prophet Nahum

A collection of poems announcing the downfall of Assyria and Nineveh

Assyria was one of the great ancient empires and also known as one of Israel’s great oppressors. Assyria’s expansion into Israel destroyed The Northern Kingdom and it’s tribe there. (2Kings17)

The fall of Assyria came in 612 BC, Babylonians rose up and took the city of Nineveh (Assyria’s capital) Chapter two depicts the fall of the city of Nineveh followed by chapter three where it depicts the fall of the empire entirely. BUT chapter one’s introduction to the book begins with the Lord’s anger and how he plans on seeking vengeance for his people of Israel and heal the oppressed and those who go against Him. God appears to judge the evil among nations.

“The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

Nahum quotes Exodus (34: 6-7) by saying The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. The poems then goes on to discuss the differences and similarities to The Fate of the Nations vs. The Fate of God’s Faithful Remnant. He never mentions Ninevah or Assyria by name in chapter one which could imply a few things:

Nahum is portraying Ninevah’s fall as an example of how God is at work in different points of history.

Chapter two then brutally depicts the battle of Ninveah and the state in which the city becomes.

Chapter three goes into detail about how the city’s downfall effects Assyrian’s as a whole. “Woe to the city built on innocent blood” He proceeds to explain that their own voilence is what ultimately lead to their downfall.