Beached Starfish & 10 Favorite Bible Verses: 10 on the 10th

Hello, Dollies!

This 10 on the 10th series has been adopted by Whitney at The Perfectly Imperfect Mama. Have so enjoyed participating in 10 on the 10th over the last few years.  Was glad to know that Whitney took over hosting so the series could finish the year.

Today we are sharing our 10 favorite Bible stories.  But before I get to them, I want to share a quick story shared at church by guest pastor Marcos Witt, “considered the most influential and famous Spanish speaking figure of Christian music.” [source]  Hope it will warm your heart and encourage you as it has me.

Beached Starfish

This is my paraphrased version of Witt’s story.  He told of a beach where starfish had become stranded on the sand when the tide went out.  Up and down the beach were starfish as far as the eye could see and a little boy picking up one starfish at a time and gently tossing it back into the water.

A man walked up on the boy and asked what the child was doing.  The boy replied that he was putting the starfish back in the sea.  The man looked up and down the beach at all of the grounded starfish and told the child that there was no way he could ever put all of the creatures back in the water.  He went on to add that what few starfish the boy could save wouldn’t make much difference.

The boy picked up a starfish and cast it back into the ocean, commenting, “It made a difference to that one.”  He scooped up another and gave it a little fling into the water and repeated, “It made a difference to that one.”  The child tossed a third fish into the sea adding, “And I bet it will make a difference to that one, too.”

Make a Difference

That sweet story really spoke to me.  It reminded me of a time several years ago when a close teacher friend told me I couldn’t save the world.  Three of us teachers shared the same cleaning lady.  But my friend had had employed Liliana longest.  PC and I were very pleased with Liliana’s work and after about a year, we gave her a raise.  My friend became very upset and questioned me about giving Liliana a raise, saying that she felt pressured to give Liliana a raise whether she wanted to or not.  She accused me of always trying to save the world.  When, in reality, all we were trying to do was make a difference to one hardworking person.

We can all make a difference.  Who can we help?

Now onto my 10 favorite Bible verses.

A Little Background on My Little Background

Debated with myself about how to share with you my 10 favorite Bible verses.  Would it be better for me to just list the verses with links for each to Biblegateway.com where you could read the actual verse, if you liked?  Or would it be better for me to share the verse here with you?

As you might remember, and as I have shared in several early posts, here and here, I was raised with little formal religious training.  It feels a little uncomfortable, unfamiliar for me to share my favorite Bible verses with anyone, especially anyone who has a lifetime of religious background.

As a ‘novice’ to the Bible, it is hard for me to identify or call by name 10 Bible verses from memory.  Impossible, in fact.  Except the one that the smallest daughter on “The Waltons” TV show was able to memorize – “Jesus wept.” John 11:35.  And had to look up the book, chapter, verse for it!

10 Favorite Bible Verses

I began my relationship with God after struggling for years to try to do everything on my own.  So the verses that encourage us to turn to Him for rest, for light for our paths, even the reminder that we reap what we sow, spoke to me.  In no particular order and without further delay, here are some verses I find most uplifting.

1. 1 John 4:4 Contemporary English Version (CEV)  Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world.
2. 2 Timothy 1:7 King James Version (KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
3. James 1:17 Christian Standard Bible (CSB) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
4. 1 Peter 5:7 Amplified Bible (AMP) Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].
5. Ecclesiastes 3:1 21st Century King James Version (KJ21) To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.
6. Matthew 5:16 Living Bible (TLB) Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.
7. Romans 8:39 New Living Translation (NLT)  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
8. Galatians 6:7 King James Version (KJV)  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
9. John 8:12 Good News Translation (GNT)  Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”
10. Matthew 11:28 American Standard Version (ASV)  Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Devil in the Details

When I started working on this post, I began my list of 10 favorite Bible verses from those I had encountered during recent quiet time and church messages.  I wrote it in a composition book where I take notes at church.  Then I ripped it out so I would have it with me in my purse to add to.  And I promptly misplaced it.

Started again.  In my Morning Pages notebook.  Tore this second list out and tucked it in my Bible.  Only to have it disappear, too.

Finally, I decided to write the list in my to-do book, and did not tear it out!  And there it stayed until I began this post.  But I had to wonder, was it the devil in the details that kept my list from me in hopes of preventing this post?  Or was it God playing tricks on me and hiding my lists so that I would have to get back in His word to create a new one?  Or am I just that scatterbrained?

Your Turn

Do you have a favorite or a few favorite Bible verses?  Won’t you share with me in a comment below to help me grow my list.  And let me know why they speak to you, too!

Going to get this post published and linked-up with Whitney.  Hope you will hop by her place to read her 10 favorite Bible verses.  And then pop in tomorrow for Wellness Wednesday!

Thank you, sweet ones, for sharing a bit of your busy day with me.

Hugs and kisses,