Hey, Siestas! So much love to you! I pray Christ is revealing Himself in unmistakable ways right now and showing up smack-dab in the middle of the most mundane tasks. Before I get to some of your questions, I’ve got to give a huge shout-out to God lest a rock cry out in my place. Can we say there ain’t no high like the Most High to Ocean Mommy’s 90 year-old grandmother praying to receive Christ on Thursday? That, you darling things, is something to celebrate!
All of your questions were terrific! Thanks so much for caring to know. I am answering a bunch of them here and hope to answer a few others in the weeks to come. If your question doesn’t show up here or in the next few weeks, it’s not because it was dumb or inappropriate. I probably felt like I couldn’t answer it well, sufficiently, or briefly in this format. If your questions were posed to AJ, watch for her to answer those in the days to come as well. These are just a number of the ones directed specifically to me. I may have paraphrased your question to make it a little shorter. OK, here goes!
*What’s the best way to show love to an “unlovable” husband? My darling sister, you be sure and get your cup filled to overflowing every single morning by Christ because the only way you’ll emotionally thrive under those conditions is to love him out of the overflow of Christ’s love for you. Something we learned in LBY is to Pour-Out/Pour-In. This is how it works: Pour out all of your concerns and hurts and confessions to Christ every single morning – don’t let them mount up or they will turn toxic and bitter on you – then, emptied before Him, ask Jesus to fill you back up with His Holy Spirit. See Psalm 62:8! You need Somebody you can tattle on your unloving person to and Someone who can also enable you to miraculously demonstrate love to him. Truly, it is the Most High Calling – see Luke 6:32-36. All of us are called to love people who “hate” us. We just may not be married to one. Also remember that love is not always a feeling. Sometimes when I’m dealing with an unloving person, I have to demonstrate the love of Christ and later my feelings tend to catch up with my actions. I am a big believer in solid godly counseling. Seek it if you need extra help. Also, I’m assuming he is not physically abusive to you. For any of you out there – married or single – who are being physically abused, GET TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY AND GET PROFFESSIONAL HELP. If you are a mom, get your children out, too, and pray for the crisis to bring your abuser to repentance and the professional help he needs.
*Do you guys still have a relationship with Michael? On occasion and in some seasons more than others. I still have hopes that a day is coming when we can have a healthy, consistent relationship, but we’re just not there yet.
*What books are you reading? I almost always have what they call a “Christian inspirational” book of some kind and a Christian novel going at the same time. I just finished reading the novel Same Kind of Different as Me and I loved it. My favorite Christian inspirational book recently is Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson. In addition to those, needless to say, I am buried in commentaries and resources for Esther and have a tall stack for the session revision of Breaking Free, too. Since I got the question, “What are some of your favorite books?” I’ll go ahead and answer that one now, too:
I read constantly and enjoy lots of diversity in my reading. Therefore, I have to be willing to sift through doctrines or perspectives I may not share if I believe I’m going to discover treasures or even insights. I’m just giving you a heads-up that, just because I may be about to mention someone doesn’t mean I’d line up on every point of doctrine with him (nor him with me, goodness knows). It’s just that I’m old enough now (smile) and have studied long enough to not be at as high of a risk of getting tripped up as I might have been fifteen years ago. That said, if I’m researching an OT Book of the Bible, I always get works by Jewish scholars (I like to see their take on it) as well as Christian scholars. I’ve read many works of Jewish rabbis (love the late Abraham Joshua Heschel) as well as some Catholic monks. In the narrower mainstream, I love tons of authors and this, obviously, is where I spend most of my reading time. Some of my contemporary favorites are Philip Yancey, Mark Buchanan, Ravi Zacharias, Nancy Pearcey, Erwin McManus, and John Piper (I particularly love his devotional books and so loved his poetry book based on the Book of Job). I almost always read anything John or Stasi Eldredge put out there.
As far as novels are concerned, a couple of my favorite authors are Robert Whitlow (I’ve read everything he’s written) and Joel Rosenberg (I try not to read his stuff before going to bed or I’ll never sleep). I was very impressed with Joyce Meyer’s maiden voyage into novel-land. I thought The Penny was fabulous. (Jumped back on to add another author that I can’t believe I forgot to mention: JAN KARON and especially her Mitford series! One of you mentioned it in a comment and I hit my head like I shoulda had a V-8! That series is one of my all-time favorites! Floored I overlooked it!)
*What are your favorite Bible studies by other authors? I bet I don’t have to tell you how much I love and appreciate works by Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer. I have also done every Bible study Mary Kassian has published. If you haven’t done Conversation Peace, you just must. I love Jennifer Kennedy Dean’s works on prayer as well as Jennifer Rothschild’s works on ANYTHING. I devour anything by Anne Graham Lotz that I can get my hands on. I so appreciate Angela Thomas’s works. I totally dig Randy Alcorn’s Heaven.
*Who do you like to listen to on tape or CD? Actually, you didn’t ask me that. I made up the question myself. Grin. I just thought it would be fitting as an insert right here while we were on this subject. My favorite preaching to listen to on CD (besides my own pastor, of course) is Dr. James McDonald out of Chicago. I’m nuts about his style and the man knows his Scripture.
*What are some of your biggest challenges in ministry? Time, schedule, stress, NERVES, and thinking I just did a terrible job with a message and yet having to go right back out there again. Also just being scared to death I’ll blow it and hurt or offend the Body of Christ somehow.
*Two weeks left before there is one less (with the name) Moore. On the peace and calm meter, how are the four (original) Moores faring with Melissa’s wedding coming up? I loved this question and had to laugh. I don’t think you could necessarily characterize any of the Moore’s as calm at almost any time. Not one of us is laid back. We are passionate about almost anything and have lots of feelings about everything. Any peace we ever have truly is peace like a white-water river and not remotely like a pond. I have to tell you something we all howled our heads off about. Some weeks ago one of you left a comment on the blog asking – in your own fun words – if AJ and I were about to drive Melissa crazy over wedding stuff. It was about the same time another of you commented on Melissa being the quiet one of us Moores. Let me be joyfully and lovingly clear: we all dance circles around Melissa and there is nothing vaguely quiet about her. Remember, she’s the one that used to walk down the stairs when she was four years old and ask me first thing in the morning, “Are you going to boss me today?” Amanda is the closest to quiet in our family and, believe me when I tell you, she holds her own. Lis and I would both tell you that Amanda is by far the sweetest and wittiest of us. (She truly has one of the sweetest, most loving hearts of anyone I’ve ever known and is also incredibly clever.) Melissa is the wildest and funniest. Very, very affectionate, thank goodness, and disarming. She keeps all of us honest. Keith and I? We are simply certifiable. It is a very lively family. And Melissa is the boss. Just so we have that straight.
*If you could live your life all over again, what is the one thing you would do differently? The tears are stinging in my eyes and I’ll have to try hard to keep from sobbing on this one. The list of things I’d do differently is so long, I couldn’t pick one out and the worst of it so appalling that I wouldn’t share it anyway. I have been so stupid. I was so messed up and clueless that my healing took a long danged time. I am as true a testimony of the forgiveness and grace of God of anyone you could know. He has been utterly unreasonable in His love and patience for me and I will love Him forever for it. To love much after I’ve been forgiven much is my hope. I do, however, want to try to satisfy the question if I can with one thing that comes to mind: I wish so much I’d gone with my spiritual “gut” in a situation years ago where the Holy Spirit was warning me to stay back from something. Someone very godly talked me into not backing off. I just wasn’t ready to handle a situation like that and tremendous anguish resulted. Ironically, God also performed one of the biggest works of my life through it. He is such a Redeemer. His sovereignty is my only peace.
*If you could only give one piece of advice to your daughters, what would it be? To pray every day to love Jesus more than anything else in all the world and to deliberately practice abiding in His love for them. Hands down. No contest.
*How do you love someone in your extended family that passively or actively rejects Christ and mocks your walk with Him? I had this exact situation and I can’t guarantee this for everybody but, over time, God worked a miracle in our relationship. One of the things God taught me was to be low-key on the “Christianese” (religious vernacular) around him, but to be high-key on authentic love and joy – to live what I believed in front of him more than to talk about it. I have not won him to Jesus and I don’t know if he’ll ever budge from his belief system but, slowly, God allowed me to win his respect. He loves humanitarian work just like I do so we have that in common. He no longer seems to scorn Christ or believe that all Christians are hateful. I love him so, so much and would give virtually anything to spend eternity in the same place with him.
*Are you just exhausted after Tuesday night Bible study? Yes! And so is my beloved staff! We often get very little sleep when we get home that night because we’re so wound up. It’s a very long day for all of us but it’s the most important thing we do here in Houston, so literally no one complains. Thankfully, we get off on Wednesday afternoons after staff debriefing lunch. The exhaustion after Tuesday nights is nothing like after a conference, however. By the time a Living Proof Live event is over, I am – as my grandmother used to say – as limp as a dishrag. I feel almost bruised. God is so worthy though and so faithful to restore me and get me back on my size 7’s pretty quickly.
*I’m one of your BF posts that had an affair in the past. My husband and my God have forgiven and restored me. But I still have trouble with guilt around those who know about it. Any help? Yes. Trade the guilt around those people for humility. And don’t trade back. Also soak yourself in God’s Word so He can speak louder to you than anyone else. Memorize Scripture and when that condemnation comes upon you – from the inside OR the out – start rolling that Scripture around in your redeemed head for all your worth. Let the pain of every consequence lead you to deeper and deeper sanctification and knowledge of His Truth. And, as the Book of Jude says, after all you’ve learned and all you’ve suffered, if you see someone about to make the same mistake, do everything you can to snatch that stick from the fire. (VV. 22-23)
*Where was “Stepping Up” filmed? In a studio in Nashville and the audience was primarily made up of women who either worked at LifeWay (in all sorts of positions like customer service and editing) or had husbands who did. Some of the others were in ministry and just needed to be ministered to. It was a way we could give a small gift back to those who have partnered with us behind the scenes.
*I have always been taught that Jesus is the SON of God but I am so confused because I hear people referring to them as the same. This sounds dumb, but please clarify. You posed an important question! The Godhead – Father, Son, and Spirit – is three in one. All three were active even in the creation account (compare Genesis 1:1-3 that immediately distinguish between God the Father and the Holy Spirit as He hovered over the deep THEN see Colossians 1 where Christ’s activity in Creation is recorded.) That Christ is absolutely divine is clear in many Scriptures but here are a few: Colossians 1:19, “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.” Colossians 2:9 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” In John 14:9,11 Christ explained, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” John 20:28 also tells us that after Thomas saw the resurrected Christ and touched His wounds, he called Him, “My Lord and my God!” Hebrews 1:3 is one of my favorite verses of all about Christ: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”
*Any chance you’ll do a study on Romans? My beloved editor, Dale McCleskey, needles me often about it but, no, I don’t anticipate it. I haven’t been very qualified to write any of the studies, truth be told, but I am vastly unqualified to write on Romans. I taught the entire book for a year in my last Sunday school class (only a few years ago) and those CD’s are available through LPM. I’m betting that’s as close as I’m getting to a study. Romans 9 nearly killed me. Then again, never in a million years did I picture writing a study on Daniel.
*Do you just humor us when we ask about that outfit or that pair of shoes or what kind of make-up you wear? Girlfriend, what are you smoking? Are you kidding me? I love it. I’d ask you the same kinds of questions in a heartbeat if the tables were turned. Right after Bible study. And while we’re on the subject, one of you asked about my favorite lipstick. (I just went and got my cosmetic bag. It has at least 10 lipsticks or glosses in it.) My favorite drugstore variety is Revlon’s “Moon Drops” Line in the green tube with the gold band. For those with my coloring and penchant for bright, the shade I wear most often is Peach #704. My favorite more expensive variety is “Dior Addict” that you get at Sephora. It hurts my pocketbook every time I splurge but it is gorgeous on. And, of course, I love me some lip plumper! But Sally Hansen on the drugstore counter makes about as good as any, at least in my and Melissa’s opinion. (I don’t think we’ve ever won AJ over to plumper. She thinks it stings. We think it’s worth it.)
*And, for all of those who hated that last question, this one’s for you: What do you like to do for fun? I am an avid dog lover and I could hike mountain trails until my legs were nubs. And I pump iron. Don’t even think of treating me like I’m just a set of shiny lips. Heehee.
*Beth, why do you love Siestas so much? Because they love Jesus like crazy and make me want to love Him more. And they can like their servants without putting them on pedestals. And they ask lots of good stuff and start lots of good discussions. That’s why. And I made that question up, too.
Beth,
Thank you for encouraging us with “apples of gold”. Pr. 25:11
Anna in MO
GOOD MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I checked the blog all week last week and nothing new in Siestaville. Then the weekend came and kids and husband came home and I just had me too much fun!! So, can you guys set up some sort of cell phone paging service alerting us to a Q/A time… he he he 🙂
AHHHH, What a wonderful time I had reading the last two entries. I warmed up some left over Starbucks Mocha..(I buy a grande and save half for another day…2 for the price of 1) had a little fruit and muffin all the while my three year old is playing in the sink with bubbles…Someone should’ve told me he’d be happier playing in a little dish water than he would with all his tractors… Oh yes, back to what I was going to say.. I just really enjoyed reading and learning more and more and seeing more just how much my Father loves me!! Thank you Beth, your openess and just realness gives us such a clear and simple way to see Jesus!!
Love you Mama Beth! Jesus Bless your day and may your week be a huge bundle of JOY!!
Kate in Charlottesville
***Only 7 more months until San Antonio*** I can barely wait 🙂
Hey Beth, I used to be a professional body builder so one day we’ll have to see who has the bigger guns! That was some 20 yrs ago…. I had to chuckle when I heard you pump iron. It’s so good for those of us over 40! Keeps the creaky bones movin!’ What I do for fun is get some really good movies that make me laugh and cry and scream “you can do it!” at least once per month we have a movie day, bed head, pizza and no housecleaning allowed that day. I call it ‘brain dump’ day and it’s a blast. I also love to travel and I love to see God do miracles in the most unlikely places like the signs and wonders I saw at a MOPS group I spoke to last week! go GOD! 🙂
Thanks for sharing and letting us get to know you and your family! Hmm…I’ll have to try some of that lip plumper. Your post made my heart smile today. Can I just tell you how much I LOVE coming to this place? Thank you Amanda and Beth!
Oh, women do love the details, don’t we? I remember in a Genesis Bible study where we had searched many spiritual things. We had compared Abraham’s sacrifice of Issac to God’s sacrifice of Jesus, but when it came to Sarah’s beauty at an old age, let me tell you EVERYONE had something to say. We talked about how the sun must not be bad for your skin, after all she lived in the desert, in tents and with no Oil of Olay! I love it, I just love it, and I believe God does too! When I get to heaven there are many wonderful spiritual truths I want to explore, but I also want the details. I want to know the beauty secrets Esther learned in the palace, what outfit she wore when she was presented to the king. I want to ask Mary what kind of baby Jesus was if He had colic?
Oh, yes God is a God of details and that ladies is one way we are made in His image!
Love you all,
Wanda in Georgia
I often read this blog but rarely comment. However, the other Siestas questions raised one in mine. Who is Michael? What is the story behind that?
Thank you for your honesty, vulnerability and authenticity. You hear the name “Beth Moore” thrown out a lot in many different circles and its kinda of this distant famous person that no one really knows. But this blog shows all of us how real and amazing of a woman of God you are. Blessings!
I so appreciate your spirit and the personality God has given you and your willingness to be authentic. God truly is creative and so merciful. I sometimes have to remind myself that God created me just the way I am, very serious and never laid back but also witty and funny (as least I think so…).
Two weeks ago I was in Memphis, TN working on a job and so I had to spend the week in a hotel room. (Travel is not usually required in my line of work.) Well it just so happened I was scheduled to have my hair appointment during that same week, but because the client needed me in Memphis, I had to reschedule my hair appointment. The entire week, my hair behaved so beautifully that every morning as I finished getting ready, I just had to do a little shout of thanks to God for taking care of this one seeminly small issue for me. I was never late one morning, the bathroom in the hotel was just fine, the hair dryer was wonderful and my hair looked great all week!
I’ve been waiting a full week to find someone to tell this to. I did share it with my husband, but he couldn’t have cared less nor does he have the foggiest idea why that was such a victory. So thank you for allowing me to share with “like-minded” siestas.
By the way, this week the hair is terrible, but thankfully my appointment is scheduled for Wednesday!
Oh Beth a dear friend really dissapointed me, i’ve heard you said countless times to put your hope on Jesus not friends, with that said, all you shared made me know you and love you like a dear friend. Isn’t God Great. . .He even provides real cyber firends 🙂
We appreciate you much!!
Beth,
Please don’t feel like you have to post this particular comment. I just wanted to share something with you and didn’t know how else to do it. I, too, have a prodigally past and appreciate how open you are about how grace has been so very present in your life. Grace is everything to me. You have blessed me unspeakably.
I came across some lyrics to a song that just brought me to my knees and my guess is that it would bless you as well. I wrote a post about it and put the lyrics on my blog. Check it out when you have time.
http://thepoint-leah.blogspot.com/2008/02/point-let-me-introduce-you-to-grace.html
Thank you for your awesome ministry and leadership to those of us who are walking with Him!!
Leah
I loved this post, beth! I didn’t get to ask any questions, but I really enjoyed the Q&A. Oh… by the way, you wrote ‘you can still LIKE your servants…’ Beth, we LOVE you… truly we do… 🙂
One last thing… thanks for sharing about the situation you regret in your Bible studies and now… I’m learning from your experience. In the future, I’ll be heeding the Holy’s Spirit’s warning, while carefully weighing the counsel of my advisors… So, thank you for sharing your story with us. 🙂
Thanks for your willingness to share. The connection we all feel through this blog has been such a blessing. I just want you both to know that the extra effort and time taken to minister to all of us in this medium is so much farther reaching than you can possibly know. Once again, God has taken something seemingly small and turned it into something remarkably HUGE.
Thank you for your ministry Beth. I have spent the past 2 years in rebellion and coming back to the Lord has not been an easy road. I met you one time, on a Sunday, after your Sunday school class in Houston and you said to me “He is so faithful”. I always remember that and it is so true. Thank you Beth, your ministry makes me want to love Jesus more.
Melanie
Hey Siestas:
I have to jump on here really quick while my acne clearing gel is working on that horrible thing on my chin this morning! You would think that stuff would quit happening in your thirties, but not for me! Anyway, I just have to share with y’all what God is doing!
First you need to know a couple of key points:
1. I am a TX girl not getting to live in TX because of hubby’s job
2. I am a home school mom of two – old fashioned boy in third grade little miss girly girl in kindergarten
3. Run a marketing business from home – very fun
4. Love my family so much!
5. Very social person
Anyway, I love people, and since I have been here, I just haven’t had a really best girlfriend – quite a few friends, but not someone that you can just be really completely vulnerable with. And with home schooling, it can get very isolating. We do tons of activities, church, etc., but I have had to give up some grown up things in order to do what I know I have been called to do in schooling our children.
Well, my little boy, who is truly a little cowboy and hunter (his favorite things to watch on TV are John Wayne movies, the Rifleman, the Gene Autry Show, etc.). Well, there just aren’t many boys like that who love to ride their horse and go deer hunting, or black bird hunting, or whatever he can find. So, he doesn’t have a friend right now – which is hard for me. We are praying for a special boy to come into his life, but it is hard to wait. He has a tender, mercy heart, so he sometimes gets run over by other boys, even though he is a strong as a horse and could certainly put a stop to it. He says that that is just not God’s way – proud of him, but sometimes his mama isn’t so wise…
Needless to say, the enemy constantly puts that worry in my mind about him. And, then starts working on the isolation with me, so last week and through this weekend I was just wallowing in it – poor me, no friends, insecurity creeping in, in a pit.
Yesterday when I ready the Q&A, and Beth included the Psalm 62 reference, I made a note of it to hang out there in my quiet time this morning. Well, thank goodness because God reminded me that my hope is in Him, my honor depends on him, and I need to poor my heart out, to him. He will bring the people in our lives that we need, the ones He knows we need, but even if He doesn’t, HE is Enough!
If you ever think of it, pray for my little boy, and me. I don’t like asking for prayer because my things seem so trivial, but I know I can’t go back to that place God just dug me out of, so I am going to humble myself and ask fellow sisters who probably go through the same thing, even though we haven’t seen each other face to face, to pray for one displaced TX girl!
Thank y’all for listening, and I am thankful for this blog. I have absolutely never done the blog thing before this one, but God is showing me that His meeting my needs doesn’t have to look like I think it does…
Have a blessed day!
Jodi
Ms. Beth,
Thanks for being so open and transparent. You are a wonderful friend and mentor to so many ladies. I hope that one day God could use me to affect people the way you have. This blog is so wonderful and I look forward with eager anticipation everyday for a new entry. Your relationship with your daughters reminds me so much of my own relationship with my mom. I love her like a fat kid loves oreo’s and it is very evident that your girls feel the same way about you. The fact that they love you, respect you, and have followed you into ministry screams that you are authentic and truly live a Christ Centered Life (not perfect, but striving to be all you can be by his grace and mercy). You have encouraged me to believe that I can affect women’s lives, that I can do the ministry that God has for me, and that I should never limit God on what that may look like. God Bless You!!
Thank you so much for your ministry Beth. I have spent the past 2 years in rebellion against God and coming back to the Lord has been a tough road – much tougher than I thought it would be. I met you once, several years ago, on a Sunday, after your Sunday school class in Houston, and you said to me “He is so faithful”. I always remember that and it is so true. Thank you Beth, your example makes me want to love Jesus more.
Melanie
You are funny!
Beth,
These answers are so great! I laughed and cried. But I have to tell you since you brought it up that I have never forgotten the story of Melissa coming down the stairs and saying, “Are you gonna boss me today?” Simply because I have me a “Melissa.” She is a fireball in a petite, 41 lb, 6-year old body named LINDSEY CAROLINE! That child has challenged every ounce of patience and restraint that I have. She is moody, emotional, passionate, and fiery. Keeps me on my knees, I tell you!!
I also have thought a dozen times of you telling of how you and Keith went to pick Melissa up recently for church. There she stood in her black jumper, tights and her Greek New Testament tucked under her arm — were your words.
It calls me to pray over and over again for my Lindsey, every day, that God will take all of that passion and fire and channel it into a smokin’ hot, flaming love for Him and His Word. And that this child who I have to take to Sunday School kicking and screaming some days will one day stand and declare the praises of Him who has called her out of darkness into His wonderful light!
Sorry to overshare, but I had it on my heart! And sometimes it just has to jump out onto this virtual paper! 🙂
Blessings,
Dori
I LOVE this post!
I know I missed the post deadline, but Amanda, is there any chance I can talk you into addressing how you share Jesus with The Tod? (I have one of my own and I’d love some ideas!)
Thanks for lovin us like a siesta!
You are a dear heart and we totally love loving Jesus with you!
Hope your week is blessed in every way!
Peace – Sr. Lynn
I know this is redundant, but I have to say it anyway.
I just listened online (oneplace.com)to the Romans study for today. It is impossible to describe how timely that was for me. I just spent the morning pouring these things out before the Lord and He loved on me through you in a powerful way. Thanks again.
Thank you for sharing. In the midst of my grief this has been a joyful distraction.
Beth,
Reading your answers was great. And now with all these comments you have even more Questions. It sounds like Firecracker should be first priority. Because yes, Firecracker, it is a matter of life and death. When you say yes to Jesus and what He did for you, it actually becomes Life with a capital L!!
Less than 2 weeks for all your preparations for Melissa’s wedding. We want pictures!! Can’t wait to see all three of your dresses.
Oh, Beth. I love you more and more all the time. And one of the reasons is because you don’t treat us like we’re lower than you. I mean really, you’re a bible teacher with a huge audience. I just sing in my tiny little church on Sunday mornings.
Beth, another question…
What do you do for your workouts? Hit the gym, walk, yoga, etc.?
Beth,
I know you can’t respond personally to all these comments, but I still wanted to get this name in front of you. Knowing that you’ve read Joel Rosenberg (I’m loving his books!), have you ever read Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour? Its given me a completely new perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict that I never would have seen before. Very informative and eye-opening for me!
Thanks so much for the Q & A. I love the Moore family and continue to pray for you all!
I was so thrilled to learn more about you and your family from these questions, especially your answer to “How to love an unloving husband.” I love mine very much (38 yrs. now) but he has never been a “huggy” or “kissy” person. 😉 His tough upbringing took care of that. But, I pray that God help me to love my husband the way that He loves him, and like you said, love is shown more through our actions. I praise God for the work of His Holy Spirit in me, and how He will answer my prayers!
Just love you,
Patti
okay that last one brought tears to my eyes … “why do i love my siesta so much?” thanks beth, i definitely feel it and feel God reading your posts today! 🙂
lisa h in kc
You know as I was reading through these I suddnly was reminded of “The Carol Burnett Show”. Remember the Q&A sesion she always had? (Okay some of you are too young) See Beth, this could have been so much worse….we could have asked you to do Trazan for us!!!!
Thanks for letting us ask all of these things. It was a great relief after the Breaking Free post. I had a hard time reading those. All I could think of was oh Lord thank you…I just thought I had been through some stuff!
God Bless You!
I will probably post again later when I finish reading all the questions and answers…but in the meantime I had to comment on your favorite authors…”metoo metoo!” I love the ones you listed and wanted to suggest some new ones to you…Denise Hildreth and Charles Martin are fabulous! I also LOVE James McDonald as a preacher. I love to listen to Alister Beggs also. He is scottish and out of Cleveland. LOVE to hear that man teach! Ok…I’ll be back later 🙂 You are loved and oh so much fun!p.s. do you ever find yourself quoting Father Tim??? my friend and I do it all the time.
You like to hike? That is so awesome!!! I didn’t know that. I am sorry for underestimating you. 😀
Hiking Yosemite is one of my favorite things to do hands down.
Hello sweet Beth – and all of you ladies out there in Siesta-ville (all across God’s amazing, wonderful world):
I discovered this blog just a few months ago and have been so blessed by all of you – and perhaps more specifically, by Christ in and through you.
I just wanted to share that for some reason, after reading through your answers to our questions today, Beth, and after reading through all of your comments “tas philas” :), my appreciation for all of you welled up and transformed into a love that’s making me all teary. It’s a bit surprising and overwhelming!
So my question on the heels of these tender emotions is: Has anyone set up a meeting place in heaven so all of us Siestas can come together to laugh and cry (happy tears!) and rejoice and worship our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lover of our souls?!!
Someday! Until then, what a blessing to meet you all here.
Linda
PS: Even having read several times how Corrie ten Boom thanked God for lice in a Holocaust prison camp, I NEVER thought I’d praise God for cockroaches – but now I have! 🙂
PPS: What shade do suppose our lips will be in heaven? Will they be glossy?!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
What a thrill to see you going to Vancouver Canada at the end of the month…My son has just emigrated there alone ( he’s 25) and been having struggles to find work and accomodation.
I have continually asked God to bless him in that place and then see you are going to be there too!
I know God has plans for him, and you in that city.
Blessings to you all and especially to Melissa for her Weddding Day!
GCC
England U.K.
Thanks for the shout-out to James Macdonald (even though no one had asked that question!!) My life has been changed by his ministry and Walk in the Word. 🙂
Oh Beth, I am so sorry I did not get in on the Q&A until it was too late, but you did say you would continue to answer some questions in the weeks to come, so I am going to try to squeeze one in that is such a burden for me. I would cherish some wisdom from you. My son, almost 11, met this new boy in his class this year. He talked about him constantly and finally we invited him over to play. It did not take me long to realize he nor his family were believers. Also, I do not like the way my son acts when he is around this boy. Yes, I have gently tried to talk with my son and certainly have been praying, but I haven’t just forbid him to be friends with this boy, though I have tried to make excuses for the boy not come over. Any advice? Did your girls ever have friends you did not approve of?
Wow! What a neat post! Even thought it’s already been stated in these comments, one of the things I appreciate about both you and AJ is how transparent you are. I missed the 30 minute opportunity to ask a question, but I think my other siestas covered it well. Thank you for allowing us to know you even a little bit more. You are such a gift to us!
Wow, thanks so much for sharing so much of you with us. I loved reading all of these but the one that touched my heart the most was your advice to your daughters. I have prayed that very prayer for my children since the first time I heard you speak at a WOF event back in 97 or 98. I can’t wait to see the rest of your answers and AJ’s.
Oh Firecracker!!! I can’t wait for your question to be addressed. I believe Beth is one of the best people you could have asked that question to! Praying for this one!!
Dear Firecracker,
Like other siestas have mentioned,
YES YES YES this GOD stuff is
REAL REAL REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He loves YOU sooooo much, He let his One and ONLY son be crucified and left to die on a cross…just to take the burden of my sin, all our siestas sins, your sins, and anyone else who would like to accept the most precious gift of LIFE! I wish I could give you a HUGE hug and just show you a smidget of the amount your GOD loves you and wants you as His child!!! PLEASE do take time to read in Genesis and John, as our other Siesta wrote..PLEASE continue logging into this blog…because we siestas wanna love on you as MAMA BETH and AJ always love on us. You just keep reading the Bible, and reading this blog too as I am sure you will see Jesus show up in Big ways in the Moore Family!
Love Ya Firecracker!
Hello Again Ladies,
I had to come clean.
The following was my original post from last night….however there was a little more to the story…keep reading.
“Just had to share the silliest thing that I have EVER DONE!!!My husband was out of town, my boys were at a church activity so my daughter and I had a “Girls Night Out”. After Mexican, we roamed the mall, picked out treats from Claires for her, and then it happened. I wandered into Payless, and there they were…those beautiful brown platform high heeled peep toed shoes…AND I BOUGHT THEM!!!
They are amazing!!! I’m 5’11” and wear a size 11 shoe…but I had to get these in a 12…and they were still FABULOUS!!! Not boat-like at all!!!
If I make it to a LPL event this year I will show them off!!!Love to you all!!!!
April
Lauderdale MS”
I guess I was so excited about the Giants HUGE comeback for the Superbowl win that my mind and my fingers were not working together. The line that desribes the shoes as, ” those beautiful brown platform high heeled peep toed shoes” was originally typed, “those beautiful brown platform high heeled PEEP SHOW shoes.”
Thankfully, with a little prayer sent heaven ward, I reread my post before I sent it!!! Can you even imagine how hilarious that would have been!!! Bragging about purchasing “PEEP SHOW” shoes!!! I almost wet my pants, and would have but I did not want to dirty those precious shoes!!!
Note to self, typos are not the end of the world. Unless you misspell your intended word and instead spell another.
Hope this made you smile!!!!
Have a blessed day.
April
Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for sharing yourself with us! Once again showing just how special Jesus is!
Thank you for being willing to be our Titus 2 sister! I howled at Melissa’s “Are you going to boss me today” comment. I have one of those but along the way she submitted to a higher boss that makes her want to take my bossing and she would love to do just what you do, Beth, teach the Word!
Thank you for sharing about Michael, as our family often wonders about him. Now we will know a little better how to pray when the Holy Spirit brings him to our mind.
I so appreciated how you “feel” after teaching and can encourage you that I have yet heard you – that the Holy Spirit didn’t minister to me. Praise God for His ministry.
And if I could comment on just a couple other things…to the sister in Wyoming who does LPM bible studies, could you, if the Lord ok’s it and you are in Cheyenne, post the location on Beth’s site cause I have someone who is very dear to me there who could so use a beth more bible study group.
And to the TX homeschool mom, I will pray for a friend (a common prayer in this househould). To encourage you that God hears, I reached my wits end trying to teach my youngest to read (my older two have graduated, being homeschooled the whole time). I prayed (what a thought) ‘please Lord show me how to teach her.’ That day, He used someone I had just met, to make a suggestion. And guess what, yup, it’s working 🙂
Thank you Amanda and Beth for this blog!
love
mk
Thank you,Mama Beth, for taking the time to answer so many fun questions. And I loved your answers! I could hear you in my head as you answered each one, and grinned right along with you!
Thank you so much for showing “real Christianity”- I amened your answer about loving family members with Christ’s love without using “Christianese.” I think that’s what this world is looking for- the genuine, authentic love of Christ- and then being won over by that.
Thank you also for modeling how to be “real” even in ministry. I am a Pastor’s Wife, and at times, it is hard to find the balance between opening yourself up and guarding your heart. Thank you for being you!
Thank you also for sharing your advice to your daughters- What a wonderful prayer for them, and one that I might copy for my own kiddos:)
Praying God’s richest blessings on you-
Much love,
Tara
Thanks from all the Siestas out there who like me are a minister wife without many people who they can confide in. You open yourself up so that we can see the real you, and offer a safe place where we can feel loved and express ourself without condemnation!
Praise be to God for my best friends at LPM especially the Moore gals!
I love you bunches!!!!
Amanda in SC
But, I have a question for you? Have your children been attacked by the enemy because of your ministry?
Beth,
Thanks for your authenticity. It’s probably one of the things I love most about your ministry. It’s real life.
Amanda, your post on having an “off week” put a smile on my face. With all the stuff unfolding around us in Kenya, the past week is one I’d never want to relive. Ever. The enemy is having a heyday in this region. We can really do with lots of prayers for Kenya, especially for children who are being hurt in the process…
Anyway, thanks for the work you ladies do. May God remind you tonight of how crazy he is about you. (And about us siestas.) 🙂
It sure looks like we could host a wonderful book review/suggestion forum. Lots of great ideas out there…The Shack by William Young was my most recent thought provoking read. How about Lynn Austin’s series “Chronicles of the Kings”…great historical fiction look at king Hezekiah and Judah’s struggles with captivity/Assyria. Don’t you just love historical fiction. Thank-you Beth for your candor with us all. Looking foreward to Vancouver LPL event….maybe I’ll toss you a Payless shoe!!! Any other Siestas going to this event?? Consider yourself well hugged and loved on today.
Now this was fun!
Beth, I have been participating in your studies for many years – and in a strange way feel I have gotten to know you… but this blog has given all of us the blessed opportunity to get to know you, your family and ministry even better! Praise Jesus!
I just want to say THANK YOU to the anonymous for answering “Fire-cracker”!!! Sounded like some words from Wanda Elizabeth to me.
Anyway…. Firecracker, you can ask all the questions you want on here. It is a SAFE place and we all care about each other dearly! As the words of one of my camp songs say, “Jesus is the Rock and He rolled my blues away.”
Welcome to Siestaville Firecracker!
Beth,
I agree with siesta (sister-in-Christ) Katie from AL-I just want to know Christ!!! I thank God for sending you as our mentor! Your love for Him is contagious:)
katiegfromtennessee
Love the answers! I’m amazed that you are able to make the time you do for us Siestas . . and I’m MOST grateful.
Two comments – How many tubes of Sally Hansen lip plumper do you suppose you are responsible for selling today? I’m a 62 year old grandmother (with my lipstick running up those little lines around my lips) asking the clerk at Walmart where I can find lip plumper and feeling like vanity run amuck! ROFL
Also – since you have no plans for Romans – just thought I’d let you know I’ve been asking the Lord to put Nehemiah on your to do list. GRIN!
Beth…
This was a great idea. Thanks for sharing. Aren’t Rosenberg’s books life changing? I can’t put those things down. What a servant!
Also just wanted to say thanks for the Stepping Up Study. I love the Psalms and many that are in that grouping are most familiar to me (I quote 121 to my boys everyday), but God is using that study to open up new thoughts and judge attitudes and actions in some amazing ways. Thanks for being His instrument.
Blessings,
Corrie