Scripture in My Stories

Have you ever read a Christian novel, see a Bible verse, and go, “I need that Scripture reminder today”? Do share in the comments.

I love it when my readers tell me that my books have encouraged their Christian walk in some way, especially if a Bible verse they came across while reading resonated with them. It takes a long time for me to write each of my books, so it’s always fun to see that what I have written means something to my readers. Ultimately, to God be the glory and honor.

One of the perks of being an indie author is that I can write whatever my heart is compelled to write without editorial cuts or publishing house caps. I am free to glorify God through my writing with no word limit or word count glass ceiling. I can include as many (or as few) Scripture verses as necessary for me to tell the story of my characters’ spiritual conditions. I love talking about the Bible in my books. I love showing how my characters grow in their faith.

Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
Jeremiah 20:9

Sometimes my characters’ faith journey is long, as Ivan McMillan found out in His Longing Heart (Seaside Chapel Book 1). Ashamed of his material poverty, he sank into a spiritual quicksand. He felt inadequate to teach in the Seaside Chapel men’s Bible study group and inadequate to face the love of his life. Eventually, Ivan’s answer came from God through Proverbs 3:5-6, which is one of the themes of His Longing Heart.

Yes, yes, I know Proverbs 3:5-6. In His Longing Heart, I talked about the four steps of the problem-solving process, and it begins with trusting God in the first place.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

In Know You More (Savannah Sweethearts Book 1), Heidi Wei was worried about her brother, a private investigator who kept getting into trouble. Heidi’s love interest, Pastor Diego Flores of Riverside Chapel, shared Psalm 56:3 with her to remind her that God could be trusted to keep her brother safe.

Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
Psalm 56:3

In addition to sharing the verse with Heidi, Diego also told her two things:

• “Before you ever fear, trust God.”
• “God is all you need.”

The phrase “God is all you need” is so commonplace among churchgoing Christians that sometimes I wonder if it can be easily glossed over. I first heard it from my mother when she sent me off to college (university). It was a couple of decades before she became a Christian, but she knew enough about God to be certain that He was all I needed as I went to college on my own, away from family and friends.

Yes, God is all I need no matter what happens in my own real life. When I wrote these stories and the rest of my books (I’m writing book #31 at the moment), little did I know that some years later, my own books would not only encourage my readers, but also remind myself of the Bible verses that I’ve woven into my stories. God’s Word never returns void.

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11

If you’re new to my books and story world, and want to see more Scripture in Christian romance, here’s a free ebook for you. In this novel, Ask You Later (A Savannah Sweethearts Prequel), I featured several Bible verses, including Philippians 4:13 that reminded artist Leon Watts to depend on the Lord to deal with his estranged father, even as Leon was still grieving the death of his mother. (Don’t worry. I only write novels with happy endings.)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Happy reading!

Jan Thompson (72 Posts)

USA Today bestselling novelist Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with elements of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with an air of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. Join Jan's mailing list for her latest book news: JanThompson.com/newsletter