The Unexpected Way God Hand-Picked My Bible

On my journey with Christ, I’ve discovered the real beauty of obedience. Learning to walk in obedience has become one of the strongest foundations of my faith. Without it, I don’t believe my faith would have grown the way it has, nor would I have experienced the incredible things God has done in my life.

Obedience means following Him and trusting that when He calls me to do something, I obey, even without knowing the full “why.” That kind of trust has changed everything. I now know that no matter what He asks of me, His plans will always turn out far better than anything I could create on my own.

It was this obedience that ultimately led me to the Bible I now know was hand-picked by God, just for me.

Discovering the Bible

The story begins in 2023, shortly after my husband and I moved interstate from Sydney to sunny Queensland. Early in our new chapter, I visited the Christian bookstore Koorong (one of Australia’s largest Christian retailers, with stores nationwide). Having been a regular at the Sydney store, I was excited to explore the local one.

I walked in like a kid in a candy shop, browsing everything with wonder. When I reached the Bible section, I spotted it: a large New Living Translation Bible from the Inspire collection. It was the most beautiful Bible I had ever seen. As a creative person, I was instantly drawn to the fact that it was designed for colouring in.

I sat straight on the floor and began flicking through the pages in awe. It was huge (I love big books with large, readable text), it used the easy-to-understand New Living Translation, and every page invited journaling and creativity. Between the verses were lovely illustrated sections with highlighted scriptures. I had never seen anything like it.

The Long Wait

As much as I wanted it, the price tag, around $150, held me back. I already owned several Bibles at home, so I couldn’t justify an impulse buy.

Over the next two years, I returned to Koorong many times. Each visit, I would sit on the floor, flip through those beautiful pages, and admire it all over again. Yet every time, I walked away without buying it.

The Perfect Timing

Fast forward to early 2026. After falling down a Pinterest rabbit hole about Bible journaling, I felt a fresh excitement as a creative to deepen my relationship with God through art and Scripture. I decided it was time to buy a dedicated journaling Bible. I set a budget of up to $100, something I felt comfortable with, especially since we were in the middle of the home-building process with the bank (another beautiful God miracle you can read here).

I spent hours online that week searching for the perfect creative Bible. While I kept thinking about the Inspire Bible at Koorong, I still hesitated at the higher price. After comparing dozens of options, I realised nothing else compared. On Friday night, I finally declared, “That’s it. Tomorrow I’m going to Koorong to buy it.”

Saturday morning, I walked into the store and rushed straight to the Bible section, hoping it would still be there. For over two years, there had only ever been one copy on the shelf, and I had always worried someone else would snatch it up.

It was still there, waiting.

As I picked it up, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before: the store was having a rare store-wide sale. In all my years shopping at Koorong, I had never walked in during one. The Bible was now exactly $100, the precise amount I had decided I could comfortably spend.

God’s Gentle Smile

As soon as I got back into the car, I was overwhelmed with emotion. In that moment, I felt God smiling down at me. I knew He had kept that Bible on the shelf for me all that time. He had orchestrated the perfect moment so I would walk in on the exact day of the sale and find it at the exact price I felt at peace with. Even though I had been willing to stretch my budget, He met me right where I was.

Obedience Opens the Door

At the same time, God had been speaking to me about distractions in my life, particularly social media. Obeying Him by deleting my accounts was a significant step, and the transformation it brought was more powerful than I ever expected (you can read that full story here).

I believe that act of obedience opened the door for this blessing. That same week, I walked into Koorong and found the Bible on sale. I was replacing scrolling time with time spent in God’s Word, and He rewarded my obedience so lovingly.

A New Way to Meet With God

The moment I got home, I went straight to my office, closed the door, and spent hours on the floor colouring, reading Scripture, and simply being with God in a way that felt authentic to how He created me.

Since that day, I haven’t been able to put this Bible down. I’m genuinely excited to open it. Even on days when I don’t feel like reading, I can still connect with God through colouring and journaling in a way that fits who I am.

Seeing God in the Details

Some might say $50 off a Bible isn’t a big deal. But to me, it was everything. That discount was God’s way of saying, “I see you.”

The more I obey Him in the small things, the more I see Him move in the bigger ones. This experience reminded me that God is present in everything, the small, the daily, the big, and even the scary moments. He is always watching, always working, and always revealing Himself. We just need to open our eyes.

A Transformed Journey

My spiritual life has been transformed by this Bible, and even more so by obeying God and deleting social media. My time online has been replaced with time in the Word. I feel closer to God than I have in years. My focus is sharper, my heart is lighter, and I actually look forward to time in Scripture instead of feeling like I “should” do it.

This experience has shown me how deeply personal God is. He knows the little desires of our hearts. He knows exactly how we’re wired. And when we obey Him, even when it’s hard or uncomfortable, He responds with such kindness and care.

Deleting social media felt big at the time. It meant releasing followers and the habit of seeking validation through scrolling. But God replaced that emptiness with something far better. The feeling of peace and freedom.

An Invitation to Obey

I now cherish quiet moments with my Bible. I colour a verse that speaks to me and it sinks deeper into my heart. I journal prayers and thoughts right on the pages. It feels like a real, creative conversation with God, the way He designed it for me. He didn’t create me to fit into someone else’s box. He wants me to come to Him as I am, with my love for colour and creativity.

If you’ve been feeling a pull to obey God in something specific, I want to encourage you: take that step. It might feel scary or costly at first, but He is faithful. He sees you. He is preparing blessings timed perfectly for when you’re ready, just like He kept that Bible waiting on the shelf for me.

I’m so grateful I listened to the call to delete social media and to the gentle nudge to finally buy that Bible. My days feel fuller, my faith feels stronger, and my time with God feels personal and alive.

I’ll continue sharing this journey: the lessons I’m learning, the creative ways I’m connecting with Scripture, and the unexpected ways God keeps showing up.

Thank you for reading my story. If it resonates with you, I’d love to hear how God is moving in your life. Let’s encourage one another to keep walking in obedience, one step at a time.