Am I close enough to hear Gods voice?

Have you ever been so busy that you almost missed something?

Maybe somebody was trying to get your attention, but you were focused on what you were doing.

Maybe you were thinking about the next thing on your list, trying to get from one thing to another, and you almost missed the person right in front of you.

I think sometimes our relationship with God can be like that.

We're so busy doing things for Him that we don't slow down enough to simply be with Him.

And that brings me to the question I want us to think about today:

Am I close enough to hear His voice?

Couple of weeks ago , we talked about divine interruptions—those moments when God steps into our ordinary plans and gives us an opportunity to be the visible hands and feet of Jesus.

But this week I want to take it one step further.

How do I recognize a divine appointment when it comes?

And I think part of the answer is this:

I need to know His voice.

Jesus says in John 10:27:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Think about that for just a minute.

Sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd because they know their shepherd.

It's not just about hearing a voice.

It's about relationship.

You can't recognize the Shepherd's voice if you aren't spending time with the Shepherd.

And that's where Philippians 1:9–11 comes in.

Paul writes:

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.”

And then he says:

“For I want you to understand what really matters…”

I love that.

Because isn't that something we need?

To know what really matters.

To have the discernment to recognize what God is doing right in front of us and join Him!

Trusting God when you don't understand where He is leading.

You know God's voice. You love Him. You believe He is good.

But when you look at what lies ahead, fear begins to speak louder than faith.

"What if I get hurt again?"

"What if this doesn't work out?"

"What if I can't do what He's asking me to do?"

"What if I step forward and discover that I wasn't ready?"

Sometimes, just like Justice, we stop dead in our tracks.

And from where we're standing, we may not be able to see the greener grass. We may not understand why God is asking us to leave the place where we feel comfortable.

But here's something I love about the story of Justice.

I didn't expect her to figure everything out on her own.

I went to her.

And that reminds me of the heart of our Heavenly Father.

God meets us in our fear

God doesn't ask us to trust Him because He is a stranger.

He asks us to trust Him because He knows us, loves us, and has proven Himself faithful.

And when we are afraid, He doesn't stop being our Shepherd.

He doesn't stop being our Father.

He doesn't stop being the One who guides.

He meets us right in the middle of our fear and teaches us to trust Him again.

Proverbs 3:5–6 says:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

God is teaching us that trust is built one step at a time.

And perhaps today, He is reminding you that you can follow Him.

Not because you know exactly what is ahead.

Not because you are certain that nothing difficult will happen.

But because He is faithful.

Because He loves you.

Because He knows what is best.

And because you are never outside the reach of His love.

When God Says Ride: Courage to Keep Moving Forward

What does resilience look like when God asks you to keep moving forward—even when the trail gets steep?

In this episode of Between the Barn and the Bible, we're continuing the journey of A Life That Looks Like Jesus and talking about courage, resilience, obedience, and what it means to keep going when God calls us forward.

I'll share the incredible story of the Pack Horse Librarians—women who rode through the mountains of Kentucky carrying books, Bibles, and hope to families who had little access to reading materials.

They didn't ride because it was easy.

They rode because someone needed what they carried.

And maybe that's true for us, too.

You may never ride a mountain trail carrying a saddlebag full of books and Bibles, but God may still be asking you to step outside your comfort zone—to encourage someone who's hurting, sit with someone who's struggling, pray boldly, or simply carry the hope of Jesus into a difficult place.

We'll talk about what it means to see resilience as trust in motion and how courage grows as we draw closer to God.

And we'll come back to an important truth from Chapter 1:

First, He works in us. Then, He works through us.

God doesn't waste the places where we've been broken, healed, stretched, or restored. Sometimes the very things He's walked us through become what He uses to help us carry hope to someone else.

So maybe being “unstoppable” doesn't mean we never fall.

Maybe it means that when God says “Go,” we're willing to get back up, trust Him, and keep riding.

Be ready. Listen when He speaks. And be willing to ride wherever He leads—even when the trail looks steep.

🐴 Grab your Bible, pull up a chair at the barn, and join me Between the Barn and the Bible.

Stay close to Jesus. Keep learning from His Word. And keep growing in grace.

Episode 2: Divine Interruptions — When Jesus Teaches Us to Stand Still

What if the interruption you're frustrated by is actually an opportunity God has placed right in front of you?

In this episode of Between the Barn and the Bible, we're talking about A Life That Looks Like Jesus by looking at one of the things that stands out about Jesus—He was willing to stop.

In Matthew 20, two blind men cry out to Jesus as He is passing by. The crowd sees them as a disruption, but Jesus sees two people who need Him.

The Bible says, “Jesus stood still.”

Those three words have been challenging me in my own life. I share a barn moment with Bella, my horse, who has a way of reminding me to slow down, put the list aside, and simply be present.

We'll talk about the interruptions that may actually be divine appointments, the possibility that some interruptions may even be God's protection, and what it means to hold our plans loosely enough to make room for people.

Because sometimes we're so focused on accomplishing the next thing that we miss the person standing right in front of us.

The question we'll sit with is:

If someone knew nothing about Jesus except what they experienced through me, what would they believe He is like?

Maybe today we need to slow down enough to notice.

Because sometimes the interruption isn't getting in the way of what God is doing.

Sometimes the interruption IS what God is doing.

Grab your Bible, pull up a chair at the barn, and join me Between the Barn and the Bible.

Stay close to Jesus. Keep learning from His Word. And keep growing in grace.

Meet Me Between the Barn and the Bible

In this first episode, I'll introduce myself and share the heart behind the podcast—and the woman I have in mind when I say “the cowgirl at heart.”

Maybe you love horses and country life. Maybe you're carrying a lot of responsibilities and wondering what's next. Maybe you want to hear God's voice more clearly, grow deeper in your relationship with Him, or simply find a faith that feels real in the middle of everyday life.

That's who I hope will feel at home here.

Each week, we'll explore the lessons God can teach us through horses, animals, Scripture, ministry, and the ordinary moments of life.

You don't have to be a horse person or be involved in ministry. Just be willing to pull up a chair and listen.

My prayer is that every episode will encourage you to slow down, recognize God's presence, and discover that sometimes the simplest moments can teach us the deepest lessons.

So grab your Bible, pull up a chair at the barn, and join me Between the Barn and the Bible.

Between the Barn and the Bible

Stories from the Barn

Truth from God's Word

My name is Kelly and I'm so glad you are here!