“Joy is God’s smile; love is God’s laughter.” ―
Do you love to smile? Smiles can make you feel better even when you don’t really feel as though you have any reason to smile. I just wrote a post about how smiles are good for us last month. So this seemed the perfect time to share a devotional about the Bible and about smiles with a little something at the end that might bring on one of those smiles.
First, here are a few interesting facts about the Bible.
The Bible contains 3,566,480 words; 31,173 verses; 1,189 chapters and 66 books. The word “and” occurs 46,277 times. The word “Lord” occurs 1,855 times. The word “reverend” occurs but once, in Psalm 111:9. Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except the letter J. The middle verse is Psalm 118:8. The longest verse is Esther 8:9. The shortest – John 11:35. (If you ever had to memorize a verse for school, you know what that one says!) There are no words or names of more than six syllables. (These all apply to the King James Version)
As a writer, I’m very conscious of word counts. I don’t know who did the counting, but I’ll take their word for it especially about how many times the word “and” is in the Bible. Of course, computer programs can probably figure all that out in seconds these days. My computer knows exactly how many words I type each time I sit down to work. This post will end up around 700 words if I wrap up my thoughts soon. 🙂
Oh, and here’s Ezra 7:21 so you can check out those alphabet letters yourself if you want. I did check to see if the New King James Version had all the letters but “j,” and it does.
And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently. (Ezra 7:21 NKJ)
The following verse about happiness and sorrow in Proverbs is one I used in my second Hollyhill book, Orchard of Hope, where Wes is feeling broken and fighting against that sorrow of the heart. One of the ways he pushed back the darkness that threatened him was through times with Jocie that had him smiling and through searching the Scriptures.
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13 NKJ)
Most of my books do have some Scripture threaded into the story in what I hope is a natural way. Some of my stories have more than others. In the Shadow of the River, releasing this spring, has very little quoted Scripture. The book I’m working on for next year is going to be heavy with Scripture because one of the main characters is a preacher. Bible verses in stories please some and upset others. On the other hand, some readers are disappointed when no Scripture shows up in a story.
Perhaps one of the best things to know about the Bible is that it often meets a person opening it right wherever they are and presents them with the verses that will heal and comfort or celebrate and rejoice. I had that happen with Dirk in When the Meadow Blooms, when he stumbled across Ezekial 11:19.
Smiles can be part of healing and part of rejoicing.
I hope The Bible in 30 Seconds shared below will make you smile. I first saw it shared by Mark Lowry, a Christian comedian, but when I tried to find who might have written it, I wasn’t able to find a source. But if we start with a smile and end with a smile, then all is good.
The Bible in 30 Seconds
God made.
Adam bit.
Noah arked.
Abraham split.
Jacob fooled.
Joseph ruled.
Bush talked.
Moses balked.
Pharaoh plagued.
Sea divided.
People walked.
Tablets guided.
Promise landed.
Saul freaked.
David peeked.
Prophets warned.
Jesus born.
God walked.
Love talked.
Anger crucified.
Hope died.
Love rose.
Spirit flamed.
Word spread.
People saved.
God glorified!
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord! (Psalm 144:15 NKJ)
May you have many reasons to smile in the week ahead. You are a reason I can smile when doing my posts here. Thank you for reading.
Do you like to read novels that have Scripture as part of the story?
Comments 26
Yes. Just finished TRULY MADLY DEEPLY by Karen Kingsbury. Her novels are full of scripture, this one definitely. Thank you for your newsletter !
Author
Sounds like a great title for a book, Karen. Maybe the Scripture in Karen Kingsbury’s novels is what makes them so popular.
As an avid Bible reader and one who enjoys studying the WORD, I always appreciate scriptures used in writing! As a author myself, I have religious tones the large majority of the time, whether I intend to or not. Anytime I can use my talent or time to glorify and share His Book, I am happy to do so.
When it comes to the word “Reverend,” I refuse to call any evangelist that. I reserve it for God, for only He is truly pure and holy.
Ann, I am so glad to be able to recommend your novels for you always educate, entertain, and I know the words come from a good heart and are free from offensive language!
Author
Thanks for your comments, Sandra. As Christian writers, Bible truths do find a way into our stories. A good thing. I much prefer those stories than the ones where evil seems to rule. Not that good conquering evil doesn’t make a great story, but I do want the good to win in the end. 🙂
I hadn’t thought about not using Reverend. I have used that for preachers in my stories because my publishers don’t like the regional use of “Brother” for preachers that is dominant in my area. Nearly all the people I know call their pastors Brother and either their first or last name. I do use Pastor often though although I’ve never heard anyone in my community ever call their preacher Pastor so and so. They might introduce them as their pastor, but then they say Brother Jim or Jones or whatever. Funny how different things can be in different areas.
Thank you so much for recommending my novels to your reading friends. That’s so neat.
I liked the poem and will share it with my husband. As for books with scripture, I don’t mind if it’s a verse or two here or there. I wouldn’t like it, if it was there just as much or more of the story. I kind of liked when an author, might’ve even have been you, that had a scripture at the begining of a new chapter. It was kind of nice, it made me ponder the scripture and try to figure out what that chapter was going to be about.
Author
That wasn’t me, Jolynn. I’ve never done that but I have read books that had those Bible verses, a quote, or sometimes a bit of poem at the beginning of a chapter. I do like adding Scripture when it fits. I’m hoping it will fit in the book I’m writing now.
Yes, I love novels with scripture- I find it encouraging and uplifting.
Author
That’s so good to know, Cheryl. For me, it’s always according to how it works with the story. Sometimes a story needs to be more Christian worldview where an author might not want to poke in Scripture where it didn’t fit. But I always feel blessed when a verse or Bible story comes to mind while I’m writing. I remember really being happy when I was writing one of the Jupiter conversations between Wes and Jocie in Scent of Lilacs where Wes tells Jocie about the king who had to eat grass for a while. Nebuchadnezzar.
Yes, I do like to see scripture pop up in a fiction book I am reading. It makes the characters more likeable and real to me.
Author
Everybody can learn from the Bible, Birdie, especially the writer trying to make those fictional characters likeable and real.
I love when Scripture is in a storyline. It always has me looking at it in a way I hadn’t before.
Author
That’s a good thing, Lisa. One of my special memories is picking up one of my books that my mother had read and seeing her note at the bottom of one of the pages to look up a Bible miracle I had mentioned in the story.
I love to see scripture pop up in stories and I enjoy the way you thread scripture into your books,…especially in River To Redemption.
Thanks for sharing The Bible in 30 Seconds. I adore Mark Lowery. 🙂
Have a great week Ann! It looks like we’re in for some warmer weather the next few days. Although I believe I heard thunder earlier this morning. I’m not sure what that groundhog predicted (Ky seems to have a different set of rules when it comes to weather), but I’m hopeful spring is just around the corner. I have crocuses and Easter lilies coming up.
Author
Mark Lowry is a hoot, isn’t he, Lavon? I used to love it when he sang with the Gaithers and had the opportunity to bring a few laughs along with his great singing.
Whatever the groundhog says, we always have more winter, Lavon. The problem is the spring we have before that winter where things do start budding or growing too soon and then get killed back when the cold returns. I hate it when the leaves are frosted and turn black.
Glad you thought the Bible verses I put in River to Redemption worked. Of course, a major thread in that story was Louis’s strong faith and praying believing.
Yes, I definitely like to see scripture in books! And, thank you for the Bible in 30 seconds. My grandson will enjoy that!
Author
That little poem of the Bible in 30 seconds took some thought but whoever wrote it came up with many of the major points, Kim. I hope your grandson will like it. Maybe I’ll print it out and take it to show my Sunday school class Sunday. I have a kid in there who is hard to impress. So, she keeps me scrambling to find a Bible story that she will find interesting.
I very much like stories that have Scripture as part of the story. I feel like I learn from that every time.
I like the Bible in 30 seconds!! Mark Lowry is the greatest.
Author
I’m glad you liked the Bible in 30 seconds, Ann. It makes me smile when I read it because of so much truth in those few words. I’m glad to know you are a fan of Scripture belonging in inspirational fiction too.
I love scriptures in stories, sometimes they seem to find a place in my life at the time.
Author
Lisa, aaybe we are more open to the Scripture when a character is sharing it with us or showing the same need we might have to be ministered to by the Bible verse or story.
I absolutely love to find scripture verses in stories! Life is in them and the Word never “returns void”, “angels heed the Word of the Lord”…they get busy to accomplish things when we declare the Word. I think they might get frustrated when we go around speaking words of doubt, fear & unbelief instead of doing like Jesus when He overcame satan’s temptations through speaking the Word. I am so thankful for the Word of God that “endures to all generations” and so grateful for authors who are courageous enough to believe God’s Word can touch the lives of those who read their books. Thanks for being one of those authors! 😊
Author
Those are great thoughts, Connie. Thanks for sharing them. The Bible, God’s Word, is powerful and does endure. I feel blessed when I have a Scripture or Bible mention that comes to mind to help out my characters when I’m writing.
I love finding scripture within the stories. They always seem to fit right in and have a purpose and blessing to be found in the message . They meet us where we need it for sure.
Author
That’s a great way to think about inspirational fiction and the Scripture that sometimes makes it into those stories, Cindy. Of course, it’s always better when whatever reference is made to the Bible has a purpose and meaning for the characters too.
I like to see scripture in the books I read a Tri;ogy by Tracie Peterson and she has a lot of scripture in her books I always get something valuable out of reading them.
Author
It is great when the Scripture works with the story, Donna Jean. Some authors are wonderful or perhaps I should say inspired when they are able to thread the Scripture into their stories in a natural and good way.