Welcome to Scrolls and Stones

My name is Celeste, and I created Scrolls and Stones from a place of deep curiosity, renewed faith, and a desire to share the beautiful historical depth of the Bible.

I grew up in an Afrikaans household, and when I was nine years old, my father became a born-again Christian. That moment shaped much of my early life. From the age of nine to about fifteen, I was closely connected to a church community, and during those years my love for God became part of who I was.

Although my later teenage years looked different, the love for the Lord remained in my heart. My morals and values were still rooted in faith, even during seasons where I was not walking as closely with God as I once had.

A Journey Through Life, Faith, and Grace

After school, it felt as if a whole new world opened up to me. My twenties were filled with exploring ideas, making choices, learning hard lessons, and walking through seasons that were not always healthy or wise. I do not regret the journey, because even the difficult parts became part of the story God would later use to bring me closer to Him.

In my thirties, life began to shift in a more stable and positive direction. I became more responsible, braver, more ambitious, and full of energy. I worked hard, accomplished things I never thought I would, and even made a major life change by moving to a new province.

I was fortunate to have a stable job, to learn, to travel, to grow, and to embrace the season of being single. Looking back, I know that every step of maturity and progress was only by the grace of my loving Father.

Then tragedy struck.

A few months before I turned forty, my mother passed away. My world was crushed. The hurt was deeper than words can explain. Her passing forced me to think about what really matters in life: people, connection, purpose, and most importantly, knowing God.

The Moment That Changed Everything

From around the age of eighteen, I had lived very far from God. But after my mother’s passing, something inside me began to hunger for Him again.

At the age of forty-one, while driving over Van Reenen’s Pass on my way back from Ramsgate to Pretoria, I had an experience I will never forget. It was raining, the road was busy with trucks and slow-moving vehicles, and I was listening to sermons because I was so hungry to know God more deeply.

Suddenly, I began to feel pins and needles in my arms and hands. Tears filled my eyes so heavily that I could hardly see. In my mind’s eye, I saw a cross, white, with red-stained cloth.

In that moment, I realised that God was carrying me. I knew that my sins were forgiven, that I had been washed clean, and that I did not have to earn my way into Heaven. Jesus is the way.

My heart was filled with more emotion than I could explain. Although I wanted to shout it to the world, I kept it quietly in my heart for a few days.

But something had changed.

Why I Started Studying the Bible More Deeply

After that experience, I began educating myself and started a journey to read through all the books of the Bible. That journey opened my eyes in ways I did not expect.

I became deeply curious.

I started learning through different sources: sermons, YouTube videos, short courses, Bible atlases, different Bible translations, books, and resources such as Bybel in Praktyk. The more I learned, the more fascinated I became.

I began discovering historical details, archaeological connections, cultural context, biblical timelines, languages, and facts that made the Bible feel even more alive and trustworthy.

These discoveries strengthened my faith.

Why Scrolls and Stones Exists

Scrolls and Stones was created because I want to share some of the fascinating things I am discovering about the Bible.

Here, I will explore:

• Bible facts
• Archaeological connections
• Biblical history
• Ancient cultures
• Bible timelines
• Biblical languages
• People and places in Scripture
• Manuscripts and translations
• Interesting connections that strengthen our understanding of the Bible

Some posts may be simple and factual. Others may explore deeper historical context. Some may even follow interesting connections that make us pause and say, “Wow, I never knew that.”

My heart behind this blog is simple:

To help others discover the richness of Scripture and be strengthened in their faith.

My Hope for You

My hope is that Scrolls and Stones will help everyday Bible readers see the Bible not only as a spiritual book, but also as a historically rich, beautifully connected, and deeply trustworthy collection of writings.

If you love God, are curious about the Bible, or simply want to understand Scripture more deeply, I invite you to explore with me.

Together, we will uncover Bible history, one scroll and one stone at a time.

Uncovering Bible History. Strengthening Faith.