ADDITIONAL WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT: I’m hopping back on to give a shout out to “Cindy” and all the Siestas in her same situation. She said (I’m paraphrasing) “Last time I was a slacker but I’m not going to let my perfectionist attitude keep me from getting back with it and turning in my verse this time.” WAY TO GO!! So you missed last time? Or you already feel behind? HOP BACK ON AND GET BACK TO IT! If you end up memorizing 20 verses instead of 24, that’s still a ton of verses! 18 out of 24? That’s 18 you might not have hidden in your darling little heart! Beats the heck out of 2 which is more likely what we’d do without a system and some healthy accountability. Stay with it, Girls! THAT SAID, I still want several THOUSAND of us to make it through December with 24 verses so don’t let this encouragement get twisted and cause you not to take it as seriously. Bring your best to the altar! I sure love and respect you guys.

Good Morning, Loved Ones! May this Sunday find us “in the Spirit” like the Apostle John in Revelation 1 when he was postured to encounter Christ Jesus in a way perhaps no man on earth had ever experienced Him “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet…I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me…His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One.” Exalt His Name with me this blessed morning. He is so worthy.

OK, you mighty band of Sword-wielding, Word-memorizing, God-glorifying, folk-edifying women, let’s give it up for Scripture #4! You have not slacked off in the least so far. I am so proud of you, I’d just get right on up and do a cheer if it wouldn’t get Star and Geli barking to high Heaven and waking up Spike. This is one of the most fantastic God-blessed experiences I’ve ever had with a large group of women and, young ladies, we will be the better for it. Don’t you think for a split second that this discipline is not having an impact on your life. Let’s keep it up till next December. NO DROP OUTS!

I am so jazzed over my Scripture. I’ve loved it for a really long time and now I want to commit it to memory. It’s Malachi 3:16 NIV. Oops. I’m still turned to Revelation. Give me a sec. OK, here it goes:

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. Malachi 3:16 NIV

Try to grasp what that Scripture suggests. Every time we boast in the Lord with each other – face-to-face, on the phone, picking the kids up at school, in the women’s restroom at church, over email, on the blog – He stops to “listen and hear.” Two different words are described for the attentiveness of His response. God listens. God HEARS. Scripture doesn’t waste words. (John 21:25) If it uses several different descriptions to say the same general thing, we need to take notice because that intensity is meant to turn up the volume.

The next sentence indicates that a secretary in the Kingdom of Heaven literally records either the occasion or perhaps the conversation itself on something called “a scroll of remembrance.” I don’t know about you but over the course of my life time, I want to keep that secretary writing as fast as his hand can fly across that scroll. Even this moment, an historical record is being kept of our communication in His Name. That’s too much, isn’t it? GIVE HIM PLENTY OF STUFF TO WRITE ABOUT, GIRLFRIEND.

Now for your Scriptures! Hit it, Siestas! Remember, only your name, city, verse, and abbreviation of translation so we can look at several thousand Scriptures on this comment list. Don’t waste any time getting it recorded in your spiral. I’ve found that any little oversight in the discipline can get me off course in my memory work. Our human minds tend to be lazy and on the look out for an invitation to shrug our shoulders and slack. It’s important to stay right with our program so we can keep up that momentum.

I am honored to take this journey with you. You are so loved and esteemed here. Can’t wait to hear from you!

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