BarbaraLynnSeibel 3 - Barbara Lynn Seibel

October 5, 2025October 4, 2025

God Rescues a Rebellious People

A Study of Isaiah 53:4-6

For many months I have wondered if there was something wrong with my refrigerator that was purchased in June 2024.

It seemed louder than I recalled, but it was still working fine.

The internet research basically said refrigerators can make loud noises randomly and that if it was working properly otherwise, there was nothing wrong with the appliance.

But I still felt something was wrong.

So, I asked the opinion of every person who came to my home who I knew was mechanically minded about it.

None of them seemed overly concerned about it since it was such a new appliance.

In July 2025, my in-laws vacuumed the coils for me and agreed it might be wise to have it checked out if it continued to sound loud to me. But they too felt it wasn’t an urgent issue.

What does this have to do with a study of Isaiah 53:4-6 and God rescuing a rebellious people?

I’ll explain after we review the passage.

September 28, 2025September 27, 2025

Why Do We Falter in Our Worship?

I faltered in doing my daily stretching this past week four days in a row.

Along with this, I spent those four days toting around a heavy backpack while at a conference for my work.

When I resumed my stretching routine on the fifth day, my body was extremely tight and less flexible.

I also suffer from DOMS: delayed onset muscle soreness. This is one of the primary reasons I practice a daily stretching routine.

Thus, the consequences of my faltering yielded a cranky low back and stiff joints throughout my body on the sixth day.

I know better, and yet, I still faltered.

But this is a Bible study blog, not a fitness blog.

Still, the example above reveals that there are consequences when we falter in our daily habits.

The study below reveals the consequences of when we falter in our worship.

September 21, 2025September 21, 2025

I Got New Flooring This Week

Greetings Readers!

I have been busy packing up my household belongings to prepare for the installation of new flooring over the last few weeks.

The flooring installation began last Wednesday and continued through Saturday.

Aside from a few items they ran out of material for, the project is essentially done.

Because I’ve been directing and moving items around, and dusting repeatedly, these last few days, I’ve had little time to work on a Bible study post.

I did my research, but the actual crafting of a post will wait until next weekend.

Why next weekend?

September 14, 2025September 13, 2025

What Happens When We Try to Rush God? | A Study of Genesis 16

Why is waiting on God’s timing so difficult for us?

Many of us, especially in our fast-paced, instant-gratification culture, struggle even when we’re waiting for something as simple as a red light to change at an intersection.

But what about waiting for something more significant? A spouse, a child, or even a particular career aim?

How long are you willing to wait on God for these types of relationships or objectives?

What follows next is a study of Genesis 16 highlighting how Sarai took matters into her own hands rather than continue to wait on God’s timing.

September 7, 2025September 6, 2025

Responding to an Unexpected Question

A few days ago, I received an unexpected question in an email from a coworker.

This question caused me to pick up the phone and share my reaction with my coworker.

Now, it’s not uncommon for me to get lots of questions during my workday.

In fact, one time, as I was preparing to leave for vacation, I emailed all employees with the following subject line: Ask Barbara Not an Option.

I then explained in the email’s body that I would be away from the office with little access to the internet. Thus, “Ask Barbara” was not workable during the time I planned to be away.

This email generated a mixture of responses ranging from “good for you” to “what will we do while you’re gone?” comments.

But before I share the unexpected question I recently received and how I responded to it, I want to look at John 18:19-19:11.

After all, this is a Bible study blog.

August 31, 2025August 30, 2025

Does How We Live Matter to God? | 1 Kings 9:1-9

Are you a faithful follower?

No, I’m not talking about social media.

Although who and what we follow on social media can reveal what matters to us most.

But the question I’m asking is deeper than surface interests such as being an animal lover or decluttering expert.

(I’m the first, not the second, although I’m working on that.)

Seriously, I’m asking, are you a faithful follower of God?

And I’m asking whether how we live out this faithfulness matters to God.

Join me in studying 1 Kings 9:1-9 to consider an answer to these questions.

August 24, 2025August 23, 2025

Proverbs 25:20 |How a Heavy Heart Began to Sing Again

I’ve previously shared that I didn’t return to public worship for several months after experiencing the tragic death of my husband back in July 2024.

Although I streamed worship services in the privacy of my home during that time, I often crumbled into a pile of anguished tears and sobs during the music portions of the service.

Often, music can be a balm in times of discomfort. But I didn’t experience this.

Instead, all music, not just worship music, made my grief more intense.

Although I physically returned to public worship services in January 2025, just hearing the music still made me crumble into tears. It was exhausting to fight them while in public.

There was no way I could add my voice to the singing or even hum along.

My heart was still too shattered.

There were some who couldn’t grasp why taking part with music was so hard for me.

But God understood.

August 17, 2025August 16, 2025

How Obedient Are You? | A Study on Genesis 12:1-9

Years ago, my late husband and I owned and lived in one side of a duplex. The other side of the duplex was also owner-occupied. Our agreement with each other in the event either were to move included giving the other owner first chance at buying before listing.

We had moved to this duplex because we had gotten in over our heads on a single-family home financially. So, when our neighbor told me she was preparing to list her side of the duplex, I immediately sought God’s advice whether we should attempt to buy her out.

In my mind, it could have been an opportunity to have rental income to speed up our financial recovery. Provided we could afford the additional mortgage, that is.

When I sought God’s advice, I got the following response in that still, quiet voice that you know is not your own mind speaking: “No, you will be moving.”

Although startled by this response, I told our neighbor we weren’t interested in buying her side.

I’ll share more about this after we look at God asking Abram to move in Genesis 12:1-9.

July 16, 2025July 16, 2025

Brief Time Away Needed

This is just a quick note to explain why I missed my usual posting last Sunday.

The week before, I needed to limit my screen time because of an intense headache and light sensitivity along with fatigue.

I spent one entire day in a dark room just resting.

People keep asking me if I get migraines.

I respond that I’ve never received an official diagnosis of migraines.

But I frequently get barometric pressure headaches. The worst headaches are when it threatens to rain but then it doesn’t.

Thus, I try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet most of the time. But I’m certainly not perfect at it.

This past Monday, I resumed working on a post hoping to get a study posted today.

But then that afternoon, an intense wave of grief shut me down again.

July 6, 2025July 4, 2025

A Study on Luke 5:1-11

Have you ever been fishing?

My first memory of fishing is with my dad.

He cast a line with a rod and reel, then handed it to me to hold.

A bit later, I felt a tug on the line. We tried to reel it in, convinced there was something big on the line.

Turns out it was a baby turtle that had chomped on the bait and then wound the fishing line into a tumbleweed under the water.

Not the catch we were expecting.

Interestingly, my dad never took me fishing again.

Simon Peter also had an unexpected fishing experience.