Reading the Bible when life is hard
Longer pieces on the passages people reach for when they are worn out, grieving, anxious or afraid, and on what those passages actually say in context.
Bible Verses for Regret: The Things You Did, Did Not Do, or Did Not Say
Psalm 103:8-12 for going back over what you cannot change, with Paul's two sorrows, Peter's tears, Joseph and his brothers, and regret after a death.
Bible Verses for Sympathy Cards, and What to Write Under Them
Psalm 34:18 in the WEB and King James for a sympathy card, the line to write under it, and what to write when their faith is unknown.
Bible Verses for Patience: For When You Are on Your Last Nerve
Out of patience with a wait or with somebody? Psalm 13's four “how long”s, James 5's farmer, Paul on bearing with one another, and where those verses stop.
Bible Verses for Health Anxiety: Checking, Waiting, and the Woman Who Spent All She Had
Psalm 56:3-4 for when the urge to check comes, the woman in Mark 5 who spent all she had on doctors, and where to get help.
What Does the Bible Say About Rest? Rest for Your Souls, the Sabbath and a Rest That Remains
The Bible speaks of rest in several ways: God's seventh day, the Sabbath, rest for your souls in Matthew 11 and a rest that remains. Where each comes from.
Bible Verses for a Broken Heart: After a Breakup, a Divorce or a Betrayal
Heartbroken after a breakup, a divorce or a betrayal? Psalm 34:18 for tonight, Psalm 55 on a trusted friend, Leah's story, and words to pray while it still hurts.
Bible Verses for Feeling Left Out: Leah, Hagar and a God Who Sees
Left out of the photos, the group chat or the church circle? Psalm 25:16-17 to pray tonight, Leah and Hagar, and what to do when it keeps happening.
Short Bible Verses for Anxiety: A Line to Carry, and the Passage It Comes From
Short Bible verses for anxiety to keep on a phone or a note: Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 56:3 and more, each with who said it and the verses around it.
Bible Verses for the Loss of a Grandmother: Lois, Naomi and a Long Life That Was Not Long Enough
After a grandmother dies: Psalm 34:18 for tonight, Lois and Naomi, readings for her service, and words for a parent or a child.