How many stars are there in the Milky Way?

Space.com has an interesting discussion about how many stars there may be in the Milky Way galaxy. They wrote that it is "surprisingly difficult" to determine an answer to the question. The short article describes the counting methods and the problems with each method. In the end, the article concludes,

So is there any way to figure out how many stars are for sure? In the end, it comes down to an estimate. In one calculation, the Milky Way has a mass of about 100 billion solar masses, so it is easiest to translate that to 100 billion stars. This accounts for the stars that would be bigger or smaller than our sun, and averages them out. Other mass estimates bring the number up to 400 billion. The caveat, Kornreich said, is that these numbers are approximations. More advanced models can make the approximation more accurate, but it would be very difficult to count the stars one by one and tell you for sure how many are in the galaxy.

Below, Night sky photographer Amit Ashok Kamble captured this amazing panorama of the Milky Way over Pakiri Beach, New Zealand by stitching 10 images together into a complete mosaic. credit: Amit Ashok Kamble:

Universe Today writes about how many stars there could be in the entire universe, "And so, if you multiply the number of stars in our galaxy by the number of galaxies in the Universe, you get approximately 10²⁴ stars. That’s a 1 followed by twenty-four zeros. That’s a septillion stars. But there could be more than that."

If we go with the septillion number, Adam Ford, AKA Adam 4D has this free-to-use graphic to ponder:

Let's take a moment to give praise and honor to our Creator! He made the stars. He numbered the stars. He named the stars. What man cannot comprehend, God did in a day. He is high and lifted up!

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. (Psalm 147:4)

To him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; (Psalm 136:7)

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3-4)

Indeed, in all His awesome majesty, He created Man, to have a relationship with. God loves us, Jesus is praying for us and the Spirit is helping us.

This great God who stretched out His hand and created a septillion stars by the power of His will, also loves each and every one of His called sheep. He loves you, nurtures you, protects you, disciplines you. Our great Yahweh, the One True God, Creator and Sustainer...

... Father.