My Dear, Dear Siestas,
I am in the airplane on my way home from breathtaking New England with a whirlwind-week wrapped up in the Name of Jesus. He alone knows how much your prayers carried us. Never do I ever take intercession lightly. It takes time, concentration, and labor. I am humbly mindful that the requests we throw out to you here are added to a monumentally long list of your own. THANK YOU.
You’re already up to date on the first three days of our tour but I gave you my word I’d keep you up on the whole week. Praise His merciful, faithful Name, God was unsparing in His Presence among us in both Delaware and Connecticut. The arena on the campus where we met in Delaware was not only full to the brim with people but full of passion for the Lord Jesus. Their praise and worship rocked the whole house. I loved them to pieces and God granted us an altar time that night that I will never forget as long as I live. Our last night was in beautiful Hartford, Connecticut and I was deeply moved that God had us end this ten-year season of Living Proof Live in a church. That’s where we started these events, stayed for a long time, and where we will no-doubt (joyfully and obediently, I pray) return. Make no mistake. Every time we meet in an arena or civic center, we gather as His CHURCH and He graces it as such but it was wonderful to be back in a lovely sanctuary where God is praised week in and week out. We didn’t have to follow up something like ACDC if you get my drift. We also had a powerful altar time there last night and I can only imagine how God esteemed the many tears that stained the carpet.
After we concluded (late!) last night, LifeWay threw all us team members a surprise party. We had so much fun. Travis and I received three gifts that we will each treasure the rest of our sanguine lives. We were given framed maps of the United States will flag-pins in all 50 states identifying the city and the year we had the chance to serve there. I’ve got to preface the next gift we received with a story. Trav and I were saying at the party how much we wished we had a photo journey of the events in an album. We called over our dear Rich, our photographer extraordinaire, and asked him if he’d put together such a thing for us (as only he could do, creative as he is). We told him we didn’t even want a brother-in-law deal. We’d pay him full price for his labor. He promised he would. And fifteen minutes later he was called forward to do his part at our gathering and with tears in his eyes, he pulled two gorgeous, professionally crafted hard-back books out for us. The cover was a picture of one of the largest LPL events we’ve ever been charged by God to do. It was at Philips Arena (with CeCe!) in Atlanta, Georgia and the sight of that place filled to the brim is almost unbearable. The title beneath it is, “Living Proof Live: A Photographic History.” And, yes, by our very own LPL historian, Rich Kalonick. It is SLAYING. And, oh, Lord have mercy, the hair styles. And, if you don’t mind me saying (he will), not just mine. Trav’s hair has been through some seasons, too. But he is consistently the cutest thing for the whole ten years! I, on the other hand, have decided, big as it is, my hair looks better longer and blonder than shorter and darker. So deal with it. And, really, I should have gotten a nose job along the way. I used to want one but by the time I had the money to pay for it, I didn’t care anymore. As I look at the pictures, perhaps I should have cared more. (TEASING, GIRLS!) But that’s all beside the point. The point is, it captures a journey of God’s faithfulness amid frail but seeking people. I love every single page of it but my favorite parts of all are shots of the participants in varying states of praise and study, laughter and tears. Man, I am so blessed to be able to minister to women!! You just really get into it. AND, my other favorites are the group pictures of our entire team: tech guys, sound guys, light guys, graphics guys, event girls, Trav and the praise team, and, okay, yours truly. (When they’ve taken a picture without me, I always love to say, “I love it! But there’s something missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”) You cannot imagine the diversity of people and personality God has teamed-up at these events and we have grown into family. I am so thankful for them.
Our third gift was a blast-of-a-video compiled by our dear friend (and team member) Stephen Proctor. He’d compiled all sorts of greetings from team members and participants and a few special guests. Many of the shots were hilarious. I nearly died when it came to the part he shot of the team at an airport. He’d taken them into the nursing room (it was empty, praise You, Lord) to video them so it would be quieter. You can imagine most of them were too flustered with the environment to concentrate on their greetings. The video is complete with bloopers and you’d best run to the ladies’ room before you watch them. Other parts of the video made me do what I HATE to do in public: the ugly cry. Man, I hate that. Nobody looks cute doing that. The three gifts were the absolute best-possible ways to document and celebrate a decade of ministry. As LifeWay Vice President John Kramp so aptly put it, we don’t know where God will take us in the years to come – nor how! – but today we hold up a stone of Ebenezer and proclaim, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” He alone did it. He alone gets the glory. He alone decides where it goes from here. Not one of us would dare share one single success with Him. I’d be a wreck without Him.
I want to tell you one last thing I’m taking home with me from New England. My biggest loss – and it’s a BIG ONE – on the road is that I often don’t get to know any of the women personally. For this season of time, my one-on-one mentoring is done with serious concentration and calling toward my own daughters. They are the dearest ministry I have. Most of what I’m called to do otherwise this season is in a group setting. I’m so thankful for it and I can read a number of things from faces but I always wish I’d had the privilege of hearing their stories. One group of city coordinators sent me home this week with a very well-done photo album of their pictures, personal stories with Jesus, and their journeys over the last year as they worked toward their event. When I tell you I pored over it a little while ago on this plane ride and sobbed, I’m not exaggerating. It was as if we’d sat in a circle over a strong cup of fresh Starbucks and shared face-to-face. So many things struck me, some of which I’ve already written back in a letter to them, but one thing I feel compelled to share with you because I respect the same thing in so many of our bloggers. Many of them are living the Jesus-life faithfully OUTSIDE A SPOTLIGHT where they’d more often be affirmed and in the places where it counts more than anything. Where, as my people would say, the rubber meets the road. Right there in their communities, their school systems, amid hectic schedules of carpool and what on earth to cook for supper. Serving their churches, many of which are very small. Some of which lack a little spark. Many of them don’t have a sprawling LifeWay Christian Store near the neighborhood mall nor do they have a Christian concert every other weekend like we have in the Bible Belt.
One NE sister wrote me and said their beautiful city only has one Christian radio station and it’s mostly talk radio. Many of you could say the same thing. Numbers of you live in apathetic communities that just don’t give a rat’s tail about church or Christianity. Others live in very intellectual communities that look down on Christians like they’re ignorant and gullible. And yet there you are. Doing the thing. And doing it faithfully. Getting down on your knees at some point every day. Reading the Scriptures. Asking God to help you know Him. Living it out in your homes (is there any harder charge?) and in your work place and communities and finding yourselves wounded and wondering from time-to-time if God knows you’re alive. There is no such thing as serving in obscurity when you belong to Jesus. He is attentive to your labor. He is attentive to your CRY. IT MATTERS.
Sweet Thing, there is no one on Earth God notices more than you. He knows that the atmosphere He’s entrusted to you is not the easiest place on the planet to serve and, yet, day in and day out He sees you doing the thing. He knew you would. That’s why you’re there. He didn’t bother entrusting it to a light-weight. He knows you may go weeks between true soul-encouragements. Thank goodness we have the example of the man after God’s own heart, who, in 1 Samuel 30:6, was surrounded by bitter people who couldn’t see past their own problems to regard how he’d tried to help them. There, we’re told that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Yep, you can do that. When not one single soul bothers to encourage you, you can just go right to the Lord and encourage yourself. How ‘bout that? Speak to your own insides and say, “Why so downcast, oh, my soul? Why so disturbed within me. Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God!” As alone as you may feel, every time you praise Him, some ten-thousand angels jump in the chorus with you and your song becomes a symphony.
Stay faithful, Darling One. STAY FAITHFUL! Every ounce of your effort and every drop of sacrifice are poured like anointing oil on the feet of Jesus.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8
Tags: New England Nights
It seems all I can come up with is:
GLORY TO GOD!
But it’s enough, isn’t it? It’s so totally enough.
Bless you and yours, dear one,
Melinda
Beth,
I was so very blessed to attend your DE conference and you happened to go up the set of bleachers directly across from my row when you were taking questions from the audience. One question/statement I would have asked you is to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come back to this area as soon as you can. We women on the ‘shore’ (Delmarva Eastern Shore that is) are so HUNGRY for Jesus and your message filled a longing in my soul that had existed for many years. ‘FROM NOW ON’ I will Love like crazy and live in reconciliation with my Lord and Saviour while reconciling my relationship with my husband.
Your ministry has blessed me personally and I wanted to thank you for your message Thursday night and this new turning point in my life.
Grace be to God
Lynn in Delmar
Thank you, Beth. You are such a blessing and a joy to me.
Susan
Beth, Travis and your LPM Team! Congratulations on 10 very blessed years. Thank you for listening to our awesome God and sharing ALL of your gifts with us. It takes a whole host of very talented people to succussfully complete a LPL event and day to day ministry. All the planning, set up, support, take down, etc. It’s amazing what is done prior to Travis and Beth taking the stage to bring such warmth and love to some very “hungry for scripture” ladies (and some brave men).
And then when these two take the stage…you know there’s been an ark-load of prayer and preparation that has gone on. I will never forget my first LPL event in WA. And the Siesta Fiesta this year was incredible. I’ve said it before, Beth, but thank you again for all you’ve shared, taught and prayed for and being the real person God created you to be.
Congrats and best wishes for another 100 years of spreading God’s Word.
In His Love, Bobbie
Beth,
Thanks for such encouraging words for your New England sisters in Christ! I am one of them who can relate to those feelings you wrote about. When you spoke on Tuesday about “cleaving to a sense of purpose,” I must admit that I wonder at times what that purpose is. Yet I never want to be without Him or stop serving Him!
Take some time off now and enjoy the gifts you received! Oh yes, and take your daughter shopping!
Karen
Beth your heart is so big for Jesus, none of us see your hair color or nose. 🙂
Hugs,
Kelly S.
Beth, you have been such an encouragement to me throughout the years of knowing you and your ministry. My first experience with you was facilitating “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place” in ’97 at my church. And I have been grateful for every moment I’ve shared Jesus with you. Sometimes it’s been Bible study and video…sometimes it’s been live in a church and other times it has been in huge, sold-out events at the biggest arenas in the state. And it’s always with the most beautiful women of faith! I may not know all the women…but my heart knows them. We are one in Christ. Do you know how hard it is for women to get away from their families for these events? And there’s only one reason they come…to experience Jesus and to feel the passion of your teaching and Travis’ praising! We love you all so much!
I was there at the Phillips Arena and remember the teaching on Alpha and Omega and how you shared about our timelines. And I was in Baltimore for the Patriarchs taping…you prepared me in Jesus for a huge change in my life through that study…an uprooting…and those lessons strengthened me in the biggest battle I’ve ever been through.
I just want to say thank you for being faithful to Christ. You have touched me and changed me into a mature woman of faith that still has much to experience. But I will raise up my Ebenezer stone too, with you…because my God has helped me this far, too!
Please listen carefully, do you hear the sound? It is the sound of thousands of women from all across this nation clapping! We thank you. We humbly thank you for all you have meant to us. We love you like a sister…or a mom…some even love you like a daughter. But we love you so much! Thank you for loving us and sharing Jesus so faithfully. May God bless you richly and continue leading you down the path He has planned for you. Much love and gratitude, dear Beth…
And most of all, thank You, Jesus, for loving us so much through this ministry. May we be passionate in our love for You…
Dear Beth,
The last paragraph in today’s post so touched my heart. I’ve been going through a terrible season in my marriage and it feels like I don’t matter to anyone. Thank you for reminding me that I matter to God – what a blessed thought! He touches my heart in countless ways through your teaching and bible studies. Thank you for being His faithful servant. Please come to the Baltimore area sometime – I would love to attend one of your team events. Monica – a Siesta from Littlestown, PA
Dearest Beth,
I’m crying as I’m typing because just yesterday I looked out my bedroom window at the heavens and asked God, “Encourage me, Lord. I need your encouragement.” My very good friend for many years went to be with the Lord Wednesday evening after courageously battling breast cancer. A year and a half ago, my closest childhood friend also went to be with the Lord after battling breast cancer. Thank you so much for being the Lord’s servant and getting those words of encouragement to me.
We are all so delighted to hear that you were all honored in such a great way. The gifts sound absolutely perfect….keepsakes for sure!!! Way to go you guys, we love you all!!
Bless you, Beth. You ARE a blessing…and you bless with your words, with your heart.
Praying for our Sisters in the places that are not surrounded, as my community is, with Christians.
Praying and trusting God for a wonderful journey to continue on for you Beth as you carry the light to the nations–every tribe, tongue and nation.
Thank you for the encouraging words Beth. Love you so. You make me love Jesus so and you allow him to heal my brokenness through your words. You speak life into my life so many times. May Gods richest blessings be yours.
I Praise Him with you tonight. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being faithful to Jesus.
Thank you so much Beth for the coming to the New England area. It is certainly not the Bible Belt here but we’re praying to change that! I had the priviledge of being at the Delaware event with my daughter and serving as a volunteer alongside her. She is 18 and loves the Lord more than anything. Thank you for crossing age, race, denominational boundaries and being so real with all of us. We hope you can come back soon!
What a great post! We love hearing about New England and all your events all over the US!
Amen and Amen that you do minister to us.
It is sweet to me that you finished your 50 states visit in Hartford, Connecticut. We are off to see our freshman son, this next week, who is, in obedience to the Lord’s leading, stuyding at Yale (New Haven). When he visited, a young man assured him (and us) with this: “A lot of people seem to think that Ivy League schools don’t have a soul (meaning a Christian influence). I am here to tell you, that we do. You just have to sometimes look deep to find it.”
And isn’t it true,many times we all have to look deep to find our soul…the very thing that is our living, breathing connection to the Lord. I am praying that our souls will live closer to the surface in the days to come.
thank you.
RICH–Hear me Rich–we NEED to see that photo albulm of such wonderful hairstyles through the past decade. We probably all have seen glimpses from our Bible Studies (and am I the only one who thought Beth would jump out of the screen when she spoke on the videos? Can I get a witness?) but a reminder would be so great!
Ms. Beth-I am SO glad that the Lord has blessed you with all 50 states! And I am even more thankful that God has blessed you with the ability to lead, direct, encourage, uplift and love on the women of this world. THANK YOU for being faithful.
To Keith, Amanda and Melissa-thank you for sharing your wife/mom with us for the last ten+ years. What a sacrifice you have made and I know I am one of many whose life has been changed by that sacrifice. It has not been in vain!
May God bless the Moores even more in the next phase of ministry!
Between this post and watching The Locator, I’m just crying that not pretty cry too!
Agape Mama Siesta and thank you!
What a ride God has taken all of you on. Thank you for including us and sharing with us all the details of such an adventure.
I am so grateful to have been brought into the Living Proof world in the last 4 years, and have GREATLY benefited from the Bible studies, conferences, videos, and this blog community.
I want to offer encouragement with hearty gratitude to all you are doing. Keep on serving Him!!
Wendy
Thank-you for the update…for being faithful to do what he has called you to and for allowing Him to speak encouragement thru you in those last few paragraphs to this needy soul.
Bless you precious sister!!
Thank you for sharing your week with me. This is the first time I have been able to check in on the blog every day. Praying for people is my thing (thang?) and well, Thursday was LP/BethMoore day. This last post was extra special because I feel like I’ve been in all 50 states as I’ve been a prayer warrior for LP since there was such a thing (I mean thang). God is with you mighty warriors……..God is with you. Hallujah! Thanks for your faithfulness, Living Proof.
Beth-
First time post here :0)
I love this blog and am so thankful for this ministry. For a very very very new Christian, being able to go through comments and see how many others struggle with the same things is encouraging. I also love seeing how many are so faithful and true to the glorious God we serve…it is truly awe-inspiring. As a girl who shares some past experiences with you, I look up to your example and what you have done with God n your side, and can only hope and pray God will use my story to impact others in my life and in my community.
Thank you for giving me the desire to keep moving forward with proclaiming how great our God is, no matter what!
Beth,
Thank you so much for sharing the NE tour with us. I loved the posts.
As always you are so encouraging and uplifting.
How on earth did you have the energy for a party after that week?! 🙂
Blessings,
Beth,
Thank you for the day to day account of the trip. What fun! God is good. Thank you for the encouraging words. You are a blessing!
Thank you, Beth. That was the scripture GOD gave me over 2 years ago when I was captured by HIS grace.
“I WILL instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”
I wrote it in the first Bible I bought and at the urging of a dear Christian lady, I also picked up that book “Get Out Of That Pit”.
It may sound nutty, but even though I found a church, I listened to all of your Bible studies and even all of the Sunday School lessons on CD.
I didn’t even know who you were – BUT HE DID! GOD knew you would not lead me astray from the truth…
Thank you for being obedient and faithful to HIS word.
I caught that love for HIS word that you have. You said to pray for it and I cannot think of living without the sacred words of GOD!
Blessings and prayers for your life poured out for HIM,
Teri
Wow, Beth! What a week. Thank you for including us on your ride through the final 4 states. May God be praised at what He has accomplished through you!
And what a fitting celebration and gifts to end the week! Those 3 gifts were perfect!
Know that we are so grateful for your obedience to God’s calling on your life- We praise God for you and thank you for your service to Him and to us!
Much love!
Dear Beth,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words…I am so glad you do the thing too!!! How God blesses us all no matter where we are at; He is such an amazing God!!!!!
I still remember one of the things my daughter said when we arrived at the Expo center in Vermont and saw all the women standing in line..”Oh WOW…all these women are Christians!!”
She is 11 and I just want to thank you for things such as that…a reason, celebration, gathering of Christians, no matter where we live. I look forward to you visiting Vermont again someday!!!
Blessings,
Michelle
OK…and again you have blessed my heart beyond what I can even express with words. I hopped on here the other night…I had actually gone to bed…gotten in under the covers and was going to sleep. I ran down here and jumped on the blog and read your prayer for us from Moday…I would have sworn that you had been following me around this whole week. It was a really tough one for me. My heart has struggled and begged GOD to show me where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing…and then I read your prayer about not being stuck, not being without options, and how we should stop pounding on doors that HE has clearly closed, but we should walk through the ones HE has opened even if not our personal favorite door #1…That is where I am living. The door that I am walking through is not the one that I would choose…I want to be in ministry…I want that for my vocation, but that is not the door that GOD has opened for me right now. Oh, to be sure, HE gives me many opportunities to minister and to share HIM with others…the biggest area is in my home with my own daughters and my husband, but my heart wants to be touching the lives of hurting women…that’s not where we are right now…SO I will follow HIM through the door that HE has clearly opened and I will be satisfied…because HE is our satisfaction.
I am so sorry I have gone on and on…I really was only going to say that I copied that prayer and the last few paragraphs of todays blog to share with a new friend that the LORD JESUS has blessed my life with in recent weeks. She was blessed the other night to read your prayer and I’m sure she’ll be blessed to read your heart from this afternoon. Thank you Beth, for holding JESUS up high for us to look at HIM.
I love you!
Praise the Lord for His faithfulness. And many thanks to you, dear Beth, for heeding His call. You are a delight and a joy to so many. I feel priviledged to have sat at your feet and learned from you. May God continue to bless and prosper the work of your hands.
Peace,
Sister Lynn
(and all your sisters in the convent in Clyde, MO!)
Oh, Beth! Those words just spoke to my heart – they just touched me so.
This blog just ministers to me and encourages me to continue on in my faith. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your life with us.
Because you have – I am a life that has been changed!
Thank you 🙂
Big Texas-sized hugs,
Kate 🙂
Beth, Although I've been to a Living Proof Live event in NJ a few years ago, my Mom had never been. For her birthday, a friend gave her tickets to your even Friday night in CT. She was SO excited. When I talked to her today, she let me know you (& God) did not disappoint. She was floored (but not shocked) by what you and God had done. POWERFUL WORDS, she said. She gave me the gist of the message, and mentioned how powerful it'd be for my Mother-in-law. By any chance, do you record these events for purchase at all? If not, my Mom will just xerox her notes, and hope they capture your "essence". Maybe she should send it with a big blonde wig and a great pair of jeans!
We pray for you daily! God has a true servant in you, and we pray the enemy never gets any glimpse of any "backdoor".
Thanks for being faithful,
Amy
I have so enjoyed your play by play updates during your trip! God is using you in such awesome ways to bless and encourage other women. Thank you so much for the words of encouragement and giving me personally the courage and determination to keep persevering in the name of our Lord Jesus! God Bless!
Charlotte- in Georgia
My family is going through a very hard time right now. I prayed today that God would send some encouragement and He did when you wrote this post. Thank you!
Beth,
What a wonderful end to the week for you! And what a wonderful beginning to the next 10 years of ministry!
How is it that the last two paragraphs of your email ministered directly to ME! How God uses you! Let me tell you girlfriend!!! Thank you!
Love,
Donna (the mom of twin boys)
Thank you for that word. I needed a little encouragement in Him. I just said to hubby a little while ago that in this new church we just started attending, I don’t know where I’ll fit in. There are so many people and I feel like a small fish in a big pond. However I have determined that whatever God gives my hands to do, I will do.
I’ve got some things going on with my 8 yr old son and I’ve been asking God for HIS wisdom and direction in this. The verse you listed is one I’m going to pray over.
Thanks, Beth. I’m so glad that, as always, God showed Himself faithful to all. You are precious to us and I am thankful to have a big sis in the Lord like you.
Mrs. Beth,
You will never know how much those last few paragraphs meant….Thank you for the encouragement and love.
Love and prayers…
What an amazing blog and you are so right. My husband and I used to be missionaries and even though it was hard we were very much in the “spotlight” at our big church. We came home from the field due to illness, suffered through infertility and now God has given us a very special needs adopted child. I love him more than I can say but he takes every ounce of my energy and faith sometimes. Anyway, God said this to me recently …….when I was a missionary yes of course God used me but much of my “reward” came in the attention of men. Everybody knew who I was and what I was doing and there was a very “glorious” side to it. Now I spend my time, sometimes very isolated with this child. Most people have no idea the struggle I walk with him. I had the attention of men as a missionary but the Lord told me that my ministry to this child has captured HIS attention. THIS is the place I become most like him. The verse you shared at the end of your post is my “life verse” and one I desperatly cling to in this walk with the Lord. All that to say, Amen sister, Amen. Thanks for what you do.
Donna in Denver
What JOY! I am so Thankful! Wow I love hearing all these praises… can you even begin to imagine how God feels!
Thank you all for serving us so tirelessly… for being Jesus in the flesh to so many! Beautiful… just beautiful!
Love you all! Emmy : )
Dear, Dear Beth,
Ditto to all the above comments. If anyone ever was a WOMAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART it is you. Thank you for giving so much to all of us through your witness.
Love your BLOG, love your hair, love YOU.
How can I reserve a seat on BETH FORCE ONE?
Love, LINDA
Thank you for the encouragement Sister Beth. I needed it today. And please don’t ever, ever get a nose job. Your nose is beautiful.
–Grandmamitz
Sweet Thing, there is no one on Earth God notices more than you. He knows that the atmosphere He’s entrusted to you is not the easiest place on the planet to serve and, yet, day in and day out He sees you doing the thing. He knew you would. That’s why you’re there. He didn’t bother entrusting it to a light-weight. He knows you may go weeks between true soul-encouragements. Thank goodness we have the example of the man after God’s own heart, who, in 1 Samuel 30:6, was surrounded by bitter people who couldn’t see past their own problems to regard how he’d tried to help them. There, we’re told that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Yep, you can do that. When not one single soul bothers to encourage you, you can just go right to the Lord and encourage yourself. How ‘bout that? Speak to your own insides and say, “Why so downcast, oh, my soul? Why so disturbed within me. Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God!†As alone as you may feel, every time you praise Him, some ten-thousand angels jump in the chorus with you and your song becomes a symphony.
Stay faithful, Darling One. STAY FAITHFUL! Every ounce of your effort and every drop of sacrifice are poured like anointing oil on the feet of Jesus.
This is exactly what I needed to hear. Recently I’ve been going through a season of wondering if all of my effort was worth it. This gives me hope.
How you inspire me.
Angela
Oh you spoke to me tonight with this post. We love you Beth.
Michelle
What a week! It’s been so fun reading all about it. I check every day for the next exciting installment of “LPM’s Excellent Road Trip”! I’ve been praying for ya’ll and thanking God for ya’ll every day this week as you’ve traveled. I can honestly say, without LPM I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. You and your team keep encouraging me to “live the thing out”. And I praise God for you.
Hallelujah and praise His name!!
Beth,
The Lord changed your life so much and you are indeed “Living Proof” of what His grace and mercy can do in every one of us. God has used you in so many mighty ways. I am one of your students and so blessed and honored that the Lord saw the need to let our paths cross and our lives intertwine. Whether you know it or not, you are my mentor in the faith. Not just me, thousands of us. Do you hear that? Thousands upon ten thousands of us have been blessed by your ministry and changed by the Creator of this Universe; the Lover of our souls.
You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen – for you represent Jesus to us and you do it so well.
This isn’t a “praise you Beth” post. That would be wrong and not what we are about. But this is indeed a “Thank you, Beth” post. Thank you for saying “yes” to God in such a HUGE way that the overflow has spilled out upon countless lives who will never be the same because of your obedience and His incredible grace and love for each of us.
I, too, have heard the call and am saying “yes” to Him in whatever way He wants to use me. I caught the fire years ago when Second Baptist Church in Katy was brand new and my friend said to me, “Roxanne, you HAVE to go with me and hear this awesome Bible teacher named Beth Moore!” I believe Kim Hill was your guest artist.
I fell in love with Jesus that night and truly became inspired by His Holy Word. It was life to me then – like I never knew before.
I hope this does not sound corny, but I am so proud of you. You are dear and precious. And what a legacy, Beth. Both of your beautiful images hearing and heeding God’s call on their lives. WOW! What a MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!!
As you continue on this faith journey with the Lord, I pray God’s continued hedge of protection surrounding each of you and His hand of favor upon you. May your walk be blameless and may you walk on and on for the cause of Christ Jesus.
I love you so much!
Roxanne
Well, my dear Beth,
You nearly made me cry, too!
What special gifts those things must be for you two. I'm so glad Lifeway threw that party for Y'all! You've earned it, just by being "willing to become God's vessel of Truth" to the people whose lives He's touched through you!
Personally speaking, my Bible would still be sitting on a shelf with dust all over It… IF … one of my colleagues at the middle school where we both taught [NW of Houston] hadn't convinced me to try out this online Bible study nearly 6 years ago… that was being done by this lady that I had only heard of on a goofy radio station, [Yeah, it was KSBJ][on my morning commute from NW Houston to this school] because she was in the middle of a "real Watermelon Spitting Contest" live on their morning show in downtown Houston someplace! And y'all had me crackin' up so much that morning!
But, it wasn't until I started listening to this voice online from this same lady named "Beth Moore" in late September 2002 that my whole life began to change. For starters, I was still at my school [no computer at home] after all the kids had gone home, and within less than 20 minutes, there was "something" that I must have "grabbed onto" from the Intro session for "Believing God". I didn't know what it was, but I was frozen there, just listening to the words that He gave you to speak to us… And, praise be to God, I found out 6 months later that it was God's Love being poured through your sweet vessel into mine that afternoon.
And, after that day, I just could not stay out of His Word, even though I felt like I had no Earthly reason for trying to read It, since It didn't make much sense to me at first. But, you kept on encouraging us beginners, praise be to God! I pressed the pause button so often those first few weeks on that computer, so I could try to find some verse that you had directed us to, I couldn't even count! But, then I finally found these WONDERFUL things at a Christian bookstore [likely a Lifeway Store] called "Bible book tabs". And, yes, I still have that same Bible, and the book tabs and the precious Bible has seen It's better days, but I just can not seem to "give it up".
And, when I wrote that my "life was changed" that day, I mean that just a bit less than 7 months later, I realized that I needed to know "your Jesus"… And, this precious woman of God from your church led me to accepting Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior the day after Palm Sunday…
However, like you wrote on the blog this time, my life seems to "be in the middle of a literal whirlwind" of attacks, and homegoings [and trying to grieve as a "Christian should grieve" for my dear Daddy who is in Heaven with Jesus], and rejections from interviewers [due to there being too many applicants and/or teachers" in this crazy state], that I have become extremely weary in these life draining struggles to "simply keep holding onto Jesus and His promises for my life, and forcing myself to 'press on' each morning…"
BUT, I may be "hangin' on to Him with only a teeny tiny bit of a mustard seed of faith, I KNOW that I still belong to HIM, and that means EVERYTHING TO ME !!! For I know that He is causing Psalm 32:8 now, and will one day cause Jer. 29:11, and that verse you always used to quote to us in Bible study and SS class from 1st or 2nd Corinthians, verse 2:9 to happen in my life …
However, the best part of this whole thing is that my dear Mom [whom I live with] is doing the exact same thing; just hangin' on to Jesus, her Lord & Savior, too! =) My dear parents would've celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary on July 16th of this year, but the Lord called Daddy home on, strangely enough, the day after Easter; March 24, 2008… But, I keep trying to think that my Dad must have been put right to "work" in the Lord's wood carving area up there in Heaven, as he learned that craft mostly from Him in the first place this past January… that is, if he has been able to get off of his knees in front of Jesus yet …
Thank you, my dear teacher… for everything that you do, and for being such an "authentic Christian lady" for all of us…
In Christ's Love,
Jennifer O.
Southern Wisconsin
The crying is so refreshing and so worth every tear. I’m amazed at how you continue to encourage and support us through all that you have to do in a day’s time. I have no idea how you manage one day, much less 365 days a year. I know I (among the masses) am so tremendously blessed, changed and encouraged by your work and God’s hand in every single word that you write and speak. We’re finishing Stepping Up and it has blessed us so immensely. You always speak truth into our lives and yet speak it with so much love and understanding. Thank you for these wise words you’ve spoken today and for continuing to serve our amazing God and proclaiming all the glory and honor to Him alone!
Love, Amy in OK
That last paragraph, the one that God sees us and there is no one more he notices but me…lifts my spirit. I have a 17 month old handsome boy and just had my sweet 2 month old precious girl…She has had colic and can I say between that and my sweet boy needing my undivided attention (and cutting all 4 molars at the same time!) I was for sure God had just forgotten about me. I didn’t think I could do it. Motherhood is tough and yes rewarding but the way you phrased that last paragraph spoke right to my heart. Thank you Heavenly Father for speaking right through Beth and to my thirsty soul. It was just the fresh drink of water I needed 🙂
There really isn’t an adequate way to express how deeply this touched my heart just now. God has a way of talking through you and even when you are just writing in a little ol’ blog, I feel like we are sitting face to face over a cup of coffee. I must admit, I covet the one-on-one time your daughters get to be mentored by you! And I know, “Thou shall not covet!” 🙂 At least I am able to learn more about our Sovereign Lord through your in-depth Bible studies and this fun blog. Thanks for never keeping quiet about Christ, it has changed me in ways that you probably won’t get to understand until we meet face to face in heaven! Until then, many blessings to you and yours.