Hey, Darling Ones! In case you’ve been looking in the lost and found for your senior Siesta, here I am! I’ve had lots of (good but busy!) family stuff going on and, in the process, got behind on my writing for Esther. SO I had my man take me to the cactus lands of West Texas where cell phones don’t ring, emails don’t send, and deadlines are what happen when someone runs the tractor over the telephone wire AGAIN. A divine set-up indeed. And I got caught right on up, praise You, Jesus. All is well with Moores, Jones’s, and Fitzpatricks. I have all sorts of things to catch you up on and I’ll do that soon. Far more importantly, it is Holy Week and I’ll look forward to reflecting with you on some of what that means – some of what CHRIST means – to us as we approach the weekend.
Until then (most likely Friday), I’d so dearly love to know how you are doing. Check in and let me know. Keep your responses to one to two sentences max so that I can read them all. Can’t wait to hear about you. I’m so sick of myself I could throw up. Love you, Siestas, and I’ve missed you!
This is to all the sweet women who’ve posted on the blog and are feeling like GOD is silent in their lives.
Please hear me when I tell you this: I was living in a pit of sin 2 miles wide and 100 miles deep. I was so far in my pit of sin I think I had sunk in the actually mud up to my neck.
I was drowning in my sin.
HE, GOD, The Father, HE rescued me from impossible circumstances.
HE can do this ladies. Please do just as Beth has said over and over, “Pray to love HIM more”…Pray for HIS HOLY SPIRIT to so fill you with HIS love and power that you can face another day or even a half day.
Just like Beth always says, “Don’t think of it in years, think half a day at a time”.
HE is trustworthy ladies and HE wants to be your true love. Pray for it. I know HE’S waiting. If he waited for me and accepted me, HE will do the same for you.
I promise.
Praying you keep knocking until you hear HIS voice,
Teri
I feel loved just knowing you would ask. Far too often I feel invisible, and that no one really cares to know how we are anymore.
Beth.. thank you for your ministry.. my group is doing Believing God, the long version.. we do one day one week.. a long slow rain.. and I am doing Psalms of Ascent. God uses the studies to bring me back and back …I am struggling with aches and pains and not having the energy I once had. I need God’s wisdom to prepare my Teacher of the Finalist 5 minute recorded talk.. how do you do it.. lot’s more than 5 minutes. thanks for all those quiet times.. Denise in Oklahoma
I just got home from a mission trip with a wonderful group of High school students. We worked with kids through Mission Arlington and experienced many come to know Christ! What a way to be on pilgramage to Easter!
I am both scared and excited all at the same time. I am a newlywed, and I had to move across the country for my man. Our church has been looking for a Women’s Ministry Team Leader for as long as I’ve been there. I have known for a while that God wanted me to fill that role. He wanted me to minister out of my own need for refreshment from His Word and fellowship with other sisters. So, I made the commitment two Sundays ago and have been charging ahead full steam!
My first “act” was to organize a shopping trip to a Liz Claiborne outlet that is going out of business soon. Most things are a measley $2.99! Praise Jesus!
I assured the ladies more “spiritual” things would be coming–like a study of Jesus, the One and Only!
Thank you, Beth, for teaching me what it means to be a servant and for giving me a heart for women. I have an overwhelming desire to see women immersed in the Word, knowing Him like I do….and more.
With much love and gratitude,
Jen
Dear Beth; this is the 4th try at attempting to post you a blog! Never done this before and obviously very bad! thank you for your passion for the written word. Your love is addictive! I am offering two “A Woman’s Heart” updated at my church, a.m. and p.m. and have about 30 girls total. We are gobbling up your teaching with a spoon. God bless you! love, Marcia
Depression hovers close. Tears flow. I know He reigns and I’m praying His refreshing rain will fall upon my hurting heart.
Praising the Lord for our 7 year old son who recently went off a ski jump after only 3 ski lessons and ended up with only a broken leg! Asking the Lord for restraint from not breaking the other leg when I found him flying thru the air on a rope swing in our back yard yesterday!!
Just came from a missions trip in my own town!
Good Friday? Why do they call it that? I’ve cried all day. It is the anniversary of the death of my Jesus and the 2 year anniversary of the sudden death of my earthy father. The only thing that good about this Friday is … its almost over. Looking forward to some RESURECTION! My Jesus and my spirits. Can I get an AMEN?
Just spent spring break traveling through southwestern South Dakota with my family. We saw the Badlands for the first time!! Oh my goodness, I’ve now spent the past 24 hours praising God for his MARVELOUS WORKS. We definitely serve an awesome God!! Let’s give him some praise today!!
In Him, Denise
Manhattan, KS
I’m a little behind in my bloggin’, but better late than never!
(Over 800 comments?! Whoa. I’m really late.)
Today my little girls and I waved goodbye as my husband drove off with 65 high school students for a 2-week Spring Break trip! Yikes! So I’m praying my God provides the help and reassurance I’ll need while hubby is away. Satan sure knows how to use my active imagination when I’m home alone, and fear often gets the best of me. I’m praying that the Lord helps me take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ!
Praying for you, Amanda and the gang. 🙂
I am blessed! One of my four daughters is coming home tomorrow. Tonight our church had a Good Friday watch and pray evening and my husband led one segment (3 hours) of the service. For Resurrection Day, my husband, daughter and I will, along with my 86 year old mom, take lunch to my dear Daddy, 88, at the nursing home. God is very good.
iFor 15 years, my husband and I (and our kids once we had them) celebrated Easter on our own, without our families, though they live here in town; I came from a Buddhist family and Tariq came from a Muslim one.
Tomorrow, we’ll go to my parents’ Korean church here in town to see my mom get baptized!!! She’s the first of either of our families to be saved, besides Tariq and me. My dad and brother will be there, too. So it’ll be the first Easter ever that we celebrate with other family members! I’m so used to it having been so hard & so discouraging for so many years that I haven’t begun to fully rejoice. I’m amazed at His faithfulness.
Happy Easter,
Karen K.
Houston
at seminary -> praying hard about what the next phase of our life will be.
and financially struggling at present -> desperate (but believing) for His provision for our family.
overall, knowing and believing that the seasons of hunger come to teach us that we can’t live by bread alone….
God is so good and I am so excited for Easter to celebrate what He did for us. Life has many different aspects right now, college, unsaved friends at home, plans for summer, next big steps in healing, and pouring into other women here at school. SO much to keep up with.
Beth- thank you so much for writing Breaking Free…it was a divine appointment with God each time I read another chapter. I love you and am so thankful for your ministry!
Just finished Stepping Up – reading Get Out of that Pit. Wow!
I was struck in a new way that Jesus can meet with me personally even while he meets with others. How Great is Our God!
Beth, honestly I am not sure how I am doing. I am attending brekaing free and the night we put our strongholds on the alter, I left mine, sexual sin. I am single and still a part of the V-culb. I did really good for a little over a week. As time as gone on I have started to struggle agian. This past week, I spent a lot of time alone. (which was nice) But I really fell really hard with my stronghold again. This time much more then ever. I just feel so dirty and nasty. I feel like no guy will ever want me if he found out how nasty I was.
A houston sista!
I’m relishing the celebration of the Resurrection this year like never before… And excited to see my 14 mo. old daughter hunt for eggs. 🙂
Today (March 22) is my birthday! 41st! It is my saddest b-day, though, as my husband has a new job out of state and we will be moving when school is out…leaving a great church, schools, and hardest of all, my family! But I am convinced it’s God’s plan, so I can’t be too sad!
Dear Beth, would all you siesta’s please pray for my son and daughter in law. My daugher in law has asked my son for a divorce, they have been together 12 years, married for 5. My son is devastated. I dont know what to do , I cant fix this and feel so helpless.
Like Jennifer, I also beg you to please pray for the restoration of my marriage. I, too, feel very alone, and I just don’t know what to do next. I love my husband but feel ignored, hurt, and unloved. I am also a worn-out mother with a sweet 2-yr-old. There is nothing I would like more than for my family to be happy and thriving! I am begging the Lord to show me what to do!
Feeling a bit out of sorts and don’t yet know why. I know I should be filled with gratitude and tears this Easter but for some reason I’m not….
We have travelled to Raleigh to spend time with our extended family and are so very grateful to be together this Easter! God is so very amazing, and has made His presence so very evident throughout this trip. Have a blessed Easter!! Love to you! Lissa
Well, thanks for asking!! LOL!
I am a exhausted mommy of 4 little girls, why must all holidays be so busy with cooking and planning? I feel like I miss the joy sometimes and find myself completely jealous of my husband who doesn’t seem to stress over green basket cupcakes and how much ham is needed for the large family gathering.
I am also grateful for a God who “so loved the world.” Where would I be without that ultimate sacrifice and how can I get that message through to my children this Easter? They must know and see the glory of God through is divine sacrifice. Amen?
And last but certainly not least, I am wondering why God took us out of full time ministry after 12 years? It is clearly His plan for now that we sit on the sideline but for how long?
Only the Lord knows and He will only share the details when He is good and ready…..and I know that gets a mighty loud AMEN!
Tanya
We are not well. Our small business is slower than ever before. We’re not meeting the bills. My husband took a part time job to help out, fell and injured himself so badly he can’t work. I may have to look for work to help now, and I dont know where or what to do.
I’m not good and I need major prayer! I’m in the worst stronghold of sin in my life and I can’t seem to get out of it. The life is being sucked out of me!
I am learning more every day to trust the Lord in the midst of our 2-year trial to have children. He is faithful, and we are learning that maybe the miracle in this for us right now isn’t a baby; maybe even better, it is the peace God provides during times of deep sorrow. What a friend we have in Jesus! Believing God has been an amazing help to me! I’m believing God. 🙂
I looked at my Bougenvellia today; moved outside in its pot and thought to be dead, and lo and behold it is budding again.
It reminded me of Christ’s resurrection. I am elated to be alive today and breathing a fresh new breath in Jesus Christ! God bless you and your family!
i “choose” to embrace jesus, but things are not easy with my family. financial strain. ever heard of it? :O) going on 18 months now. feels like it will never end and i’m sick to death of it, but we always have just what we need, so really, i’m not going to complain. i still smile and i have the most incredible family, husband and son to KEEP me smiling
We are doing ok. Tired from vacation and eagerly expecting what God wants from us next. That can get hard sometimes … waiting.
I did forget to add something to my post, I am 31 years old and never had a real boyfriend. I am a victim of sexual abuse as a child. I am the houston sista who posted eailer. Thanks for being a role model for all of us. Love you Beth.
Hey Beth ….I’m so blessed …God is always soooo good ,right now he has placed me on a mission in my life at almost 50yrs old to take our old family farm and turn it into a Theraputic riding center for special needs kids, I am currently working along with about 20 other close friends and family on getting it up and running by June,08 ,much to do but God has provided all we need for it so far in every area. We’re all very excited and so are the children who have already signed up for it ….Now beth Get this ..We have officialy Named it “Breaking Free Theriputic Riding Center” and we are incorperated as a non Profit , God is Good as I said before!(God told me when I did Breaking free ,the kids want to break free too Linda ….thanks Beth and Gods blessing be on you I love You ..Linda in ohio
I LOVED Easter this year since my 3 and 2 yr. old are able to do and understand more. I think it’s become my favorite holiday!
I have never been better! Our God is mighty to save!
From one Christian Hedonist to another. Although I’ve never met you, I love you.
Kathryn
Good to hear from you. Keep working on Esther. We are all anxious! Busy Spring Break and Easter week with my young ones . . . My sister gets to go see you in FL next week. So excited! Love you too!!
Hi Beth. Just getting plans organized for the women in our church to attend the Jacksonville conference. Hope you are well and look forward to seeing you there.
Laurie- Tallahassee, FL
We love and have missed you. I can’t wait until San Diego LP on 4/11 & 4/12. Several ladies from my bible study is volunteering, praying for the LProof team and a special annointing for our Beloved Siesta Beth.
Christ is Risen Indeed. Hallelujah.
Maddy
Dear Beth,
I wasn’t able to respond until today, Monday after Easter, but I read your entry. All I can say is me too. I’m so very sick of myself too. As a small entry in the midst of hundreds, more than anything I send this out there as a plea to Father God to help me. Only He can.
An update about our Easter plans to see my mom get baptized….We learned Easter morning that my dad decided to accept Jesus/get saved *and* get baptized, both that morning!!! He had been taking the baptism class with my mom and decided at the last minute to do it.
Another cool thing is that the night before, our 11-year-old son had a thought come to him (a God thought): Maybe Grandpa could get saved and then be baptized the same day as Grandma. So he prayed for that as he fell asleep. My husband and I were clueless!
A little background: Last year at this time, my parents were both regularly attending their Buddhist meeting on Sundays. Even in recent years, I’ve struggled with things like, “Would you please not try to read our children’s fortunes using their palms or birthdays?” and lots more. What a turnaround the Lord did.
Blessings,
Karen K.
Houston
I’ve had a 7 week roller coaster ride, sick or hurt family members.All I know is I got through it only with the help of the Lord and Wednesday’s with Beth. Ceffie
Struggling & have been for a while–my husband is lost & I’ve become doubtful & depressed. He is “happy the way I am.” That scares me to death! Please pray for us. I know God is faithful to hear our prayers.
There is no place like home.
Our family went to see my brother & his family in Hawaii over the last 10 days. We had a wonderful visit. We took my mom and aunt with us. It was the 1st time my mom has traveled on a plane in 35 years! She was so stinking cute all excited and nervous.
We saw rainbows (often doubles) several times a day. They had me clapping and praising GOD like crazy! :o)
We all have jet lag now but are so glad to be back at home. :o)
Menopause is not for whimps! I’m finding I need more and more of Jesus.
Hi Beth, I am studying Daniel. I’m absolutely absorbed in it! I have Chapter 11 left to do. Also, I’m praying that I will be a Wife and Mom someday very soon. I’m 39!
He is Risen!
am so amazed that God never
stops speaking His great Love for us, to us!! Beth you are a huge
blessing to my life. Thank you
loving Jesus for all to see!!
How sweet of you to ask. I am sending you a hug to help comfort you in the loss of your friend, Mr. Sizemore. Me, I have had to move in with my mother at age 53 because my dad died in August and she has osteoporosis and is on a walker. I need prayer because I am not happy here but certainly want to enjoy every minute with her I can. I am trying, but failing. This is longer than two sentences. I’m sorry. Love you. I’m doing the Tablernacle series on my computer with downloads. Yes, Lord!
Just trying out this blog thing…So like our God lead me to LPM and the Siestas!
fabulous! Thanks for asking. You are such a blessing in my life. I feel like you’re not just my Bible teacher but one of my dearest friends and you show me daily (through “A quick word with Beth”, “Wednesdays with Beth”, and “To Live is Christ” weekly Bible study with my girlfriends) what it looks like to be completely in love with Jesus and completely obedient to His call on your life…AND I can see that it is wonderful and am experiencing that as well by trusting Jesus and following your example. Thank you Dearest Beth. I’m looking forward to LPL in San Diego in just 2 weeks…going with my girlfriends and we can hardly wait !!! 🙂
Cindy in So Cal
I want to thank you for the blessing that you enabled for my family. The Jacksonville message was just what our family needed. Look forward and and run that is all that matters. By letting go of the past my two sisters and my two neices, we have had the most wonderful and laughter filled weekend of our lives. You and your ministry are truly blessings sent from God. I would recommend to anyone a 625 mile ride to see it was well worth it.