Dear Y'all,

Dear y’all, I didn’t understand the Bible for a long time. When I finally did understand it, it was life changing. Today, we’re getting practical. We’re talking how to actually sit down and study the Bible all with the goal of growing spiritually. I’ll also hit on good and not so good Bible translations. Reading the Bible shouldn’t just be something we check off our to-do list. It should change the way we live. Your friend, Macy

The Bible Recap plan on the YouVersion Bible app
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1...

The Bible Project article & video collection on Bible themes
https://bibleproject.com/videos/collections/themes/

Enduring Word App
https://enduringword.com/about/enduring-word-smartphone-app/

My ESV Study Bible (sorry guys, these are kinda girly)
https://hosannarevival.com/collections/beautiful-bibles/products/esv-study-bible-bethany-theme

Scripture Referenced:

2 Timothy 3:16-17

1 Corinthians 8:1

Hebrews 4:12

Dear y’all,

Is God okay with hunting and fishing? I want to share some biblical truths I turn to when people question hunting or why I choose to do it. What is our relationship with animals and natural resources supposed to look like? How does the Bible echo the mission of conservation? But I also want to flip the question around on us hunters… are there some things we’ve gotten wrong? I found a few things I personally need to rethink.

Your friend, Macy

Dear Y’all, I recently went down a rabbit hole researching Halloween, and the more I dug, the more questions I had. As Christians, should we celebrate Halloween? And where do we draw the line? So get cozy and grab your pumpkin spice coffee, get comfortable because we’re going to talk about it.

Your friend Macy

Dear y'all, today's guest is an avid outdoorsman, and he's never met a buck he couldn't find a reason to give one more year. He's got more trail camera pictures than we have wedding pictures. He's got a smile that'll light up a room, dimples that'll get him out of just about anything, and an attitude so good it's borderline suspicious.. He's a man who loves the Lord, loves people, and has a heart that's even better than his looks. He's my favorite person and my best friend. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my first guest, who I’m also married to.. Slade Johnston!!

your friend, Macy

Dear Y’all, The world can be an ugly place, and I’ve never really felt like I fit in with it. To the world, a lot of my views probably sound like unpopular opinions—what I consume, how I dress, what I value, and what I don’t participate in. But it recently occurred to me: if my life looks too much like the world around me, that’s probably not a good thing. Jesus never asked us to blend in. In fact, the only place I do blend in is in the woods. And that’s because I wear Mossy Oak bottomland. There’s another way to live, and I’d rather follow Jesus down that road. Get in, y’all. We’re following the Lord. 

Your friend, Macy

Dear Y’all, Have you ever felt overlooked? Or just ordinary? Like there’s nothing particularly special about you? I have. But the more I read the Bible, the more I realize God has never seemed too concerned with picking the person everyone else would pick. He chose shepherds, fishermen, the youngest, the overlooked, and the unlikely. In fact, calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things seems to be something God specializes in. Your friend, Macy

Dear y’all, I’m not sure how this book of the bible went from being one of the most confusing to my favorite. This book paints a picture of how God wants to pursue a relationship with us, despite our best efforts to mess everything up. Everything in this book points to Jesus. You can not script this or make this up. Let me tell you what I found in Genesis.

your friend, Macy

Dear y’all, I went into the woods hoping to come home knowing more about a deer. I came home knowing more about God. I couldn’t control the outcome, I didn’t know the outcome, but I did know who was walking with me. This story is all about God, featuring my biggest buck yet.

your friend, Macy

Dear y’all, I used to be pretty selfish, but I hardly realized it. We live in this world full of self care, self love, treat yourself, self promotion but we’re still anxious, depressed, and unhappy. Maybe it’s not that we don’t love ourselves enough, maybe it’s that we love ourselves a little too much. God revealed to me the areas I needed to work on myself, and I still am every day. Because a life lived for others turns out to be a lot more enjoyable, and worth it. And we end up looking more like Jesus, and less like ourselves, which is a good thing.

Dear y’all, I used to live a little lukewarm. I opened my bible because I was supposed to. Days went by where I didn’t stop to pray. I had no consistency whatsoever. But something life changing happened when I dug deeper, when I committed to knowing God fully. God’s word went from being words on a page to living power inside of me. Reading the bible wasn’t just a task, it became something I couldn’t stop doing. Prayer went from being forgotten to being my reflex in any situation. One thing I found is this closeness with God and faithful habits does not happen on accident. It happens on purpose, with a plan. So let’s go deeper together.

Your friend, Macy

Resources Mentioned:

The Bible Recap Plan on the YouVersion Bible App:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/17553-the-bible-recap-with-tara-leigh-cobble

Prayer Team App:
https://prayerteam.app

Streaks App:
https://streaksapp.com

Enduring Word App:
https://enduringword.com/about/enduring-word-smartphone-app/

My Bible (plus others!)
https://www.amazon.com/shop/macywatkins14/list/2HDWXGG2AT6MM?ref_=aipsflist

Atomic Habits:
https://amzn.to/4y2pvEh