As a young adult, I was an atheist.
I opened a borrowed Bible for the first time only because a co-worker challenged me to read it. My goal was to disprove it.
As a wife and new mom, I began reading the Bible with deep skepticism. I started in Genesis simply because it was first.
Somewhere between Creation and Joseph’s burial in Genesis 50, God opened my eyes to the truth of His Word. I realized my own need for Him. Confronted with the truth that God is holy and I am a sinner, I came to understand that I needed a Savior. My co-worker shared with me that God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for my sins. Through faith, I received eternal life.
That moment changed everything.
After a few years of dependence in fill-in-the-blank studies, I yearned to hear God for myself. I learned how to inductively study the Bible. Later I developed the TEND Bible Study Method to guide others to hear God through His Word for themselves too.
TEND is an acronym for the simple, transforming approach to Bible study. It eliminates overwhelm, pressure, or dependency on the fill-in-the-blank studies.
The TEND method helps women move from anxiety to peace and from confusion to clarity.
My husband, Mike, and I have been married nearly 30 years, by pure the grace of God. We live on the coast of North Carolina with our sweet mutt, Scout and enjoy every minute we get with our sons and daughter-in-law.
God is still teaching me how to tend my soul. Join me.
—Mariel 🌿
Tend your soul with my free guide.
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Fun Facts: (I love to read facts about people to get to know them better. Here are a few about me.)
- You’ve Got Mail is my all-time favorite movie. Seen it no less than 50 times (surely more!) and I love to put out a bouquet of sharpened pencils in the fall (if you know you know haha). I love a good 90s rom com!
- I absolutely love office supplies, not just any office supplies, mind you, but a 8×5 moleskin notebook, a juicy .04 pen and vintage colored post-it notes all make me so happy. Honestly, walking the school supply isle at Target is pure delight for me.
- I love the smell of old Bibles. I literally stick my nose in Psalms and inhale. I passed my love of Bibles to my sons who buy them in nearly every country they travel to.
- My favorite cold drink is Chick-fil-a lemonade, I mean what in the world!? Best ever! My younger son even bought me a plastic-looks-like-styrofoam CFA cup for Christmas to refill constantly with this liquid gold.
- My coffee order is a dry cappuccino, mostly because I don’t like complicated orders (I think I’m low maintenance while probably actually high-maintenance, per When Harry Met Sally)
- My favorite hymn is Come Thou Fount, that line “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it” gets me every time! Yes, Lord, bind my wandering heart to Thee!
- Tell me some fun facts about you!!
The TEND method helps you slow down and dig in and ask Him to show you what He wants to reveal to you, He does.
– April C.
[The TEND method is] just me, my bible, a journal, and the Holy Spirit, and yet really implanting His Word into my heart so I am able to put into action what His Spirit is revealing to me.
– Jana F.
