A Message of Inspiration From the Author of Living Loved, January 4, 2026

Hey friends, there’s a difference between visiting God and dwelling with Him.

Psalm 91 begins with this promise:

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Notice the word dwells.

It doesn’t mean dropping by, checking in when life gets tough, or visiting on Sundays or in moments of desperation.

Dwelling implies staying, remaining, and making God’s presence your home.

Friends, many of us know how to visit God; we rush to Him in crisis, fear, or when we’re at our wits’ end. And praise God, He always welcomes us. However, Psalm 91 reminds us that the protection, peace, and covering we crave are found in dwelling, not just visiting.

Jesus echoes this same truth in John 15 when He says,

“Abide in Me, and I in you… apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4–5)

Abiding means living connected, choosing an ongoing relationship over occasional encounters, and staying rooted in Him, whether life is calm orchaotic. Abiding means our initial response is dependence, not self-reliance.

Visiting God says, “I’ll come to You when I need You.”

Dwelling with God says, “I’ll stay with You because I need You always.”

When we dwell in Him, we don’t have to chase peace, it envelops us.

When we abide in Him, fruit naturally flows from our lives; love, patience, peace, faith, kindness, joy, faithfulness.  

Friend, God isn’t inviting you into a fleeting moment with Him.

He’s inviting you into a way of life.

Friends, let’s be people who don’t just visit God’s presence, but who choose to dwell, abide, and remain under His shadow every single day. Live loved friends!  

About the author

Tracy Kelley is a follower of Jesus, mother, grandmother, author and speaker, living in Sulphur Springs, TX.   She is the author of the book Living Loved, Learning to Live in the Fullness of Gods Love, where she shares encouragement from her daily journey and how God has shown His love to her through various trials.  You can buy her book, find events, book her for your event, and follow her by going to her Facebook page, where you will always be greeted as friend!  You can purchase her book at Good News Book Store in Sulphur Springs, TX; online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most other major retailers.