Hi, Girlfriends! I hope your weekend is full of joy and laughter and recreation and that God’s shown up in the middle of it one way or another. I just got home a little while ago from Pittsburgh and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God. Yet again, He granted us the most fabulous group. I’ve had the joy and challenge of 25 years of speaking and 11 years of Living Proof Live and I’m going to tell you that God has given us some of our neatest groups this very year. I have loved every single one of them, starting with El Paso in January.
These 6000+ Pittsburgh sisters were like bird dogs on point from the very beginning. Totally focused and into it. They came for Jesus and I pray with all my heart that they got Him. I loved them like nobody’s business. A ton of really young women. And, of course, plenty of sisters in their 70’s and up. They always bless me so much, especially as I see them worship. There is something so dear about it that it makes me want to bawl. We had women from – get this – 28 States (mostly PA, Ohio, NY) and representing something like 378 different churches. Amazing.
We had something happen this time that is a total first at Living Proof Live: A PUBLIC PROPOSAL! Our drummer, Kevin Jones, who we’re totally nuts about, got down on his knee right on the stage this morning and asked his gorgeous girlfriend, Ashley, to marry him. Opened the ring box and everything. Travis had set them up so, needless to say, he’s beside himself. Taking all the credit. I’m so ticked that it wasn’t me. You’ve got to understand that we have all (including Keith) been wondering when the woman of Kevin’s dreams was going to show up. He’s like the catch of the century and it was amazing that he’d made it to 30 as an eligible single, handsome, GODLY guy. This was a really big deal to all of us because every wonderful young woman we’d meet would raise our eyebrows on Kevin’s behalf. Nope. Not the one.
Then Travis invited Ashley to a worship event where he and Kevin were serving and that was it. Get the tux. So, Trav called me this week to let me in on the secret that drummer man had gotten a ring, and that’s when the conspiracy took shape. Because Kevin has been such a big part of our team for so long, it was only fitting for him to have that platform for his proposal if he wanted it. There was a big catch though. It also had to work out for Ashley to come all the way from Tennessee to the event. (You wouldn’t believe how many things had to go exactly right for this to pull off. God loves them. That’s all I’m saying.)
Lo and behold, because it was Kevin’s birthday, Ashley just happened to come to “surprise” him. To really get this scenario, you need to keep in mind that she thought she was the tricky one and that he’d never expect her to show up. Kevin took the chance that she might hop on the plane and had leaked the word to both their parents that, with their blessing, he’d pop the question this weekend at the event if she did. Right on cue, both sets of moms and dads snuck into Pittsburgh last night and to the front row of the arena this morning to watch the whole thing first hand.
Here’s how Travis set it up: we’d sung two praise songs this morning in our first session when he called three of us having birthdays to the platform. One of them was Kevin himself. The others were Tammy Jenson (one of our terrific singers) and yours truly. He led the whole arena in a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday to us and then staged the brilliant part: Travis had asked Ashley to come up on the platform and present each of us birthday folks with bouquets of flowers. After she’d put them in our hands, Trav gave all of us that “clear the platform!” look and we scurried off. When Ashley naturally tried to follow us, Kevin grabbed her hand and told her to stay and the rest is history. I wish you could have seen her face. Honestly, Siestas, it was so romantic you wouldn’t have believed it. It made me want to march straight home and marry Keith Moore again.
It was so much fun. One of my favorite LPL memories of all. God loved it. I could feel it in my spirit. He got as big a kick out of it as we did.
Kevin & Ashley at Living Proof Live from Kris Seidenkranz on Vimeo.
Would you believe that the big proposal coincided with another LPL “first”? We had a young bride (22 years old) named Emily Venesky in attendance from the Pittsburgh area with her entire bridal party and get this: her wedding was TONIGHT. She would have walked down the aisle just 6 hours after she left the conference. When was the last time you heard of a bridal party opting for a Christian women’s event over getting their hair and nails done on the big day? I was floored. They were absolutely adorable. I pray that God blows their minds with favor over what they prioritized on this pivotal weekend.
Well, that’s all my news for now except for the fact that I got a brand new I-phone. And I am completely obsessed with it. I was a total power-texter on my Verizon Voyager. I knew it so well I didn’t even have to look at the darn thing when I jotted a text. My new I-phone has a totally different keypad, though, so I’m really having to adjust to texting on it but you just wait. I’ll be the reigning queen in five days flat. I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! There’s still a lot I have to figure out like how to answer it and stuff, which, of course, Travis knew. That explains why he grabbed it and took a picture of himself that looks sorta like he’s picking his nose with both index fingers and put it on my wallpaper. So, for now, that’s what I see every time somebody calls me. I’m getting Michelle to deal with it first thing Monday morning. In the meantime, I’ll just laugh my head off. I love my team. It’s like trying to work with a group of Godly 8 year-olds.
And, to our Siesta that very sweetly asked me if I was using a hands-free device while driving and talking to Melissa on my cell, yes, as a matter of fact I am. Blue Tooth. I’m so cool that I’m going to have to sleep in my sweats tonight.
Obviously, my team is working with a veritable 8 year-old, too, that looks suspiciously like she’s about to turn…
Beth,
Thank you for coming to Pittsburgh! My friends and I waited in anticipation to hear from Jesus and we did! I can't tell you how thankful I am that the Lord has blessed us with your teaching. I get you so much!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being so faithful to His voice.
Beth, Lancaster PA
I LOVE IT!!! Made me smile and then I wanted to jump up and go kiss on that sweet man of mine!
Happy Birthday, Beth!! I am one girl that is thankful for your birthday……..for God placing you on this earth with a purpose to help us grow-up hungry for God's word!
The conference was a wonderful blessing to me and those with me! Thank you for always being so real! Hope you liked your "I have Issues" t-shirt!
Blessings,
Brandi
Columbus, OH
Happy Happy Birthday Miss Beth! Oh how I am so thankful for you! I wish more than anything that we could sit down over a cup of coffee, chat and laugh our heads off. You are my kind of person!! Won't heaven just be a ball??? Thank you also for including all of us that follow your blog in your life. That proposal was beautiful. Don't you just love a proposal? I love seeing two people commit themselves together before God-what a beautiful thing. I could never get enough! Have a wonderful week with Jesus! He is it! 🙂
Cheryl
Glendora, Ca
Beth, I love reading your blog. It is a highlight for my day. Sometimes I cry and sometimes I laugh. I always walk away though pondering what I have read here. I want to wish you a belated Happy Birthday. I can tell that it was a good and special day. You are an amazing, amazing lady and my hopes for you are not just on your birthday but for everyday. You are a blessing to so many women around the world and not many can say that. I also congratulate Kevin and his wife to be. It was fun to watch on video. Wish I could have witnessed it all though. To the lady who was there with her bridal party…well what a way to start of her new life. She and her husband will both be blessed for it.
On another note. I have been invited to post this address to your blog readers. Well sort of. Not by you but by the author of the other blog. IF it is not good that this be here then I apologize in advance but we need some prayer. There is a doctor from the inner city of Fort Worth Texas who has been mentoring a group of boys for several years now. In his heart he loves them as his own kids. He moved his family of 6 children soon to be seven to Como so that they could minister to the community there and help to bring revival. Well, the boys were promised over a year ago that if worked hard that he would take them to Africa. On Monday afternoon he and a group of individuals depart on the journey that we pray will be life changing. God has pulled this together to make it happen for these boys. IF any of the seistas are interested they can follow the journey at this address http://thecomobrowns.blogspot.com/
Prayers will be greatly appreciated and the author said you could post prayers if so inclined. We want these boys to see that they are cared for and that there life can make a difference. They are going to be working on an orphanage.
Really enjoyed the conference in LLWL in Pittsburgh…fully equipped with a good 'ole fashioned college celebration of winning the Stanley Cup for U of Pittsburgh! Beth did her homework to appropriate the correct lauds and honors to the correct people-the Home team! Enjoyed the conference focus…excellent insight and Mr Travis is OUTSTANDING!!!Hope to catch you all again somewhere else.
Hilarious! Congratulations to the happy couple and Happy Birthday to YOU!
love you
I want to be a siesta!
Ok-my kids are looking at me funny because I'm crying watching the engagement video. So sweet! I'm looking forward to seeing you in August at a simlucast-I think you will be live in North Carolina. My study group is in week 3 of your Daniel study. We are learning sooo much! Thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
Heather
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,Beth.I love you & appreciate your ministry so much. My husband & I had a big surprise this weekend, also. My family surprised us with a 40th wedding anniversary party yesterday, a month late. The real surprise was my son & his family, including his mother-in-law, came from South australia. We haven't seen them for seven years, & two cchildren have been born since then. We are still in shock.
Judy
Norfolk, Va.
Happy Birthday Beth!!! I wish I could sing over you in person, but I know that our God is singing over you! Isn't that an amazing thought? I "love you like crazy"! Have fun with that I phone. You should put the picture of the Booger picker on the blog! That would be funny!
love love love you!
Judy
Hi Beth! I attended your Pittsburgh Conference this weekend with my sisters and my mom. Thank you so much for coming here. My socks were completely blessed off by this conference. It was amazing how timely your teaching was for me. I was amazed at how God works; it was evident that He had ordained for me to be there to hear what He spoke through you. God has ordained this storm for me.
I was so blessed by what God revealed to me that I sat down with my husband at 10pm last night and went over my notes with him.
Oh, and the praise and worship was spectacular. I could really feel the presence of God upon us.
Please, oh please, consider coming back to Pittsburgh soon! It was such a blessing, and I eagerly await another opportunity to attend a LPM conference!
Hi Beth,
Thank you for your exuberance and Heart for God. Yes, it is like being a child and I have that passion too! I jump up and down in worship because I can't help myself. Today I said, "God, is there anyone else out there? Does anyone else have that little kid passion?" Thank you for this post. It was confirmation that there are more out there passionate for Christ. He's my life! I get it!
Love,
Michele
Well what woman couldn't smile at that proposal video? So cool.
I'm just getting into texting. Finally talked my hubby into getting me a small texting plan. I have to type with my index fingers thought, my nails seem to get in the way on my thumbs and they aren't that long? Do you find that issue too?
You need to get on twitter now – Mrs. Moore. 🙂
Love the story. Congrats to the newly engaged!!! Happy texting!
Happy Birthday siesta mama I hope you live to be 100! 🙂 By the way that post was the sweetest thing it made me cry. I can not wait to see you in October I'm trying to get my college girls to come that it going to be doing the summer bible study with us who by the way are just crazy about you! Love you lots beth moore!
Kelly Jo
Albany Ky
Happy Birthday Blessings, Beth!
Thank you for your commitment to God's work. I am so blessed by you and feel so fortunate to connect with God and the Body through your studies. I love being able to get a fresh word from you every week on Life Today, too. My three sons know every Wednesday I am going take a half hour on the couch with a fresh cup of coffee and receive a word, and they have taken to watching you with me. We are ALL so fortunate to have you in our lives!
And can I just say, I hope I look as darling as you do when I reach . . .
Smiles,
Nicole
Oshkosh, WI
THANK YOU for sharing every detail of how beautiful and inspirational this weekend was for the PA girls!! What an incredible weekend of firsts that God knew even before time began! I hope you enjoyed your birthday and that Keith had a surprise or two up his sleeve when you returned home! Much love, Amy
It was such a treat to be at the conference and witness a "live" proposal! It's amazing how I can be so excited for two people I have never met before.
Thank you for sharing about The Perfect Storm. I especially felt the Lord speak to me when you shared the verse from Luke 1:45 on Friday evening-"Blessed is she who has believed…" because that is my memory verse for these two weeks!! Total confirmation for me:) I have to admit that I was coveting your shoes on Saturday-too cute! Happy Birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, you sweet thang! I just watched the video proposal…will that be something to tell the grandkids, or what? Two beautiful people embarking on a new life…so special…of course I just bawled all the way through it, knowing what was going to take place from your post. Thank you so much for sharing such special moments with your online siestas…love you
Wow! this was so much fun! A bride on her day at a Christian Woman's Event…..and I thought I was addicted to Beth Moore 🙂
O.k. Beth, I need your help!!! I have a new car and I have yet to program the radio, AM, FM and XM….apparently I can program at least six on each band…
I need your help with Blue Tooth, I have yet to program it and how do you text with Blue Tooth? Or can you?
And I need your help to program the "warning" messages…. oil change time and several others that I just don't understand….
Please make a trip to Arkansas and help me! Or if you are as brilliant as I think you may be you can just call me and talk me through it………
Happy Birthday!
God had His hands all over your ministry in Pittsburgh this weekend! Going through a perfect storm myself, it was all I could do to get to the conference..I was in the "oh well let it take me stage"..I just give up. But my dear friend, who had just buried her precious 23 yr old daughter,on Tuesday,was willing to come and see what Jesus had in store for her. What courage she had and what a time of renewal and joy was gifted to so many. Thanks for inspiring us all to stay close to our Jesus and to keep the switch turned on! for goodness sake!Thanking God for you and your willingness to serve HIM. Patty
You are the cutest darn thing!!
Ms Beth, it's so fun reading your posts. You keep me laughing.
Happy Birthday to a dear Sister in Christ. I love you!
Hi Beth-
What wonderful stories you had to tell us! I think the proposal was so sweet and so romantic! And the bride and her bridesmaids- how perfect for them to be at LPL instead of a luncheon or bachelorette fest! I was glad to hear about your i-phone; I have been debating about getting one myself- have even watched youtube demonstrations! So if you get stuck and Amanda or Melissa aren't around, go to youtube for a quick demo!
Happy Birthday! Here is a little poem for you that my dear late Mama loved:
"Many happy returns of the day of thy birth.
May JOY and GLADNESS
be given and God in His Mercy
prepare thee on earth
for that beautiful
Birthday in Heaven."
Love,
Fran
Happy Happy Birthday Beth! We're so glad that you're following God with your life and blessing the rest of us in the process!
I saw the video through BooMama's writing over at AllAccess and I totally knew what was going to happen as soon as he said "she's always asking me if I have any questions". My husband wanted to know how I knew… guys! 😉
SO FUN!!!
Love big surprises like that!
So glad that the weekend went well
That is so cool and every girls dream come true hello. that is awesome!!!! Hope you had a great day of worship I know we did!!
Happy birthday Mama Beth. What a blast it would be to hang out with you…you would just make my heart fill with joy and oh the laughter..You are so darn cute. Congrats to Kevin and Ashley. I think that is just totally awesome. I always love hearing all the stories yall bring back. I hope someday to be in the audience if you get to my neck of the woods.
love to you all
Tammy S.
Hi Beth!!
It's Emily! (Emily Venesky…the one at your conference in Pittsburgh who got married on Saturday!) I just wanted to say how much we all appreciated the prayer for our wedding and marriage and the advice that you gave. I have pictures of me and the bridesmaids at the conference that I'd love to share, I will send them into you asap! The wedding was amazing and we felt blessed to spend the morning of it with the women at the conference hearing God's word!!!!!!
Love always,
Emily
Beth:
There were 16 of us from Lancaster County that came to Pittsburgh. Each of us in our own different journey. Some of us saved and others just not sure.
I am in the storm right now and have not made it to Malta yet. After this weekend I was reminded that I need to focus on what God is who he says he is.
I also want to thank you for sharing about your family and for being so REAL!!
May you have the best birthday ever, and may you get a lot of what we like to call them "baggies" LOL!!
I was at the Pittsburgh Conference what a blessing!My two daughters went with me it was one of their Christmas gifts we loved every thing from you speaking to the praise and worship.We came home ready to recommit to the Word and totally commited to the Lord,Thank you for sharing your time and love for the Lord you are a true blessing to us.
I was in the Pittsburgh crowd and loved every minute of it!! It's so fun to read the "background" info behind the sweet proposal. Thanks for a great weekend!!
I can't thank you enough for the idea of the Siesta Scholarship Fund that allowed me to attend this weekend. At first I thought I was honestly going to burst into tears because it was as if God was saying, "You've been working so hard to do the right thing and I just want to do this for you." And then I was so bold to even think that maybe He wanted me there to give me a special message. And He did through you. What you taught this weekend was so what I needed to hear. I made a comment when you posted Luke 1:45 at just the right time at the end of last year and when you spoke it this weekend, it was just the reminder I needed. It was actually my first memory verse for this year. You are such an amazing blessing that He brought into my life 3 and a half years ago. I do thank God with my every remembrance of you. And if you want to wear glitter, you go for it. But honestly you radiate the love of Christ so beautifully, I just don't think you need it.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Beth!!! Thank you so much for your obedience to Christ. You have been a huge mentor to me and I can't wait to meet you someday in eternity.
Such a great post. Your enthusiam is so contagious!
I think this is probably one LPL event that none of us will ever forget! SO special. And you know what? I love that through FaceBook and the All Access Blog we got to share the excitement almost as fast as it happened! SO cool. 🙂
Happy B'day and get some rest!!
Love and Hugs
steph.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH
I hope you had or have a fun one, filled with family, friends and laughter.
Oh, by the by, did you know, that on your birthday you can eat whatever you want…even at night before going to bed?…..you can,….it's the rule. :0)
Happy b'day to ya.
Becky/Brentwood
Happy Birthday! We are all SO THANKFUL you were born! Oh SO Thankful! : )
OK I have chills and tears so romantic… LOVED the proposal! Precious you all will have to let us know about the plans!
I love how the room full of women clicked IMMEDIATELY. I cried! And I'm watching from AUSTRALIA! That was the sweetest thing ever. God bless them and keep them and expand their territory.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH! Thanks for the fun post!
Beth,
I have to say, you ROCK! I was in Pittsburgh with 3 amazing friends and my Mom. It is overwhelming how your words touched each of us individually. My dear friend is going through one of the worst "perfect storms" of her sweet life. God used you to touch her broken and wounded heart…GOD BLESS you! My mom was one of the women who has never been to an event like this weekend and you knocked her socks off! Beth, I just want you to know I am so grateful for your ministry. My friends and I have done over half of your studies and we just started Jesus the One and Only. Would you believe my friends did their homework when I was driving..NOT FAIR! I just wanted to say thank you for refreshing my soul. Tell Travis that was the best worship experience of my life! I am not kidding! Side note, did you wear Black and Gold on purpose Saturday? Just thought it was perfect! Happy Birthday Beth and my God continue to bless your life and ministry with his goodness.
love you! Sherry…I am looking for some body glitter to send your way!
Hi Beth,
Great time in Pittsburgh.
I had the pleasure of going with my 2 friends from church. It is the first time I ever went anywhere by myself in 26 years of marriage. And my sweet husband payed the bill for the whole weekend. God bless him. We enjoyed hearing Gods word from you. You are sooooooo real. I thank God for you!
I was wondering if you could put me in touch with the women you mentioned at the conference, that had lost children. You said they had a support group.
Also do you sell the cd's of dvd's of the conference. I would love to hear it again, as God had so many things to tell me through you, Friday and Saturday.
Had a great time, in Jesus Name.
Thanks,
Sherry
What a fun weekend! Loved the story from start to finish, loved that you got an iPhone (oh, iPhone…how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…), love that you are turning…, and still know how to have some Godly fun like nobody else I know.
Or sort of know. You know what I mean. :o)
Happy Birthday Beth – truly, the birthday blessings are all ours!
Melinda
You brought tears to my eyes with that proposal video. Awhhhhh….when a man had the courage to propose in front of 6,000 women…that's a Godly man! Praying for happiness and joy in their marriage togehter. My grandpa proposed at 14 years old and my grandparents stayed together until he died this year at 84 years old. That's the power of God!
Oh Jesus, I just want to thank you for Beth.
Thank you for giving us her so we can understand more fully your love and your heart. Thank you for all that she has been through so that she can understand the needy, she can understand the lost, she can sympathize with those who don't know you. Thank you for her heart Jesus, that it is filled with you.
Adonai, great mercy Father. We love you.
Amen.
Love in Christ,
Michele
Dear Beth,
Thank you thank you thank you… the words God gave you to share that were so specific to me I am so thankful 🙂
such a great weekend…so glad to be there and hoping you will break free of your baggie/iphone 🙂 you can do it!
love and happy birthday to you!
Shelley B.
Happy Birthday my dear friend! How great it is that we've never met and yet I cherish you like I've known you forever! Hope you had a great day!
kaci from norman
How incredibly fun! Thank you for sharing that with us!! I just LOVED IT!
BTW, I agree… the iPhone ROCKS! I'm looking forward to upgrading to the new one in oh, about a year and a half. LOL
I want to add a nod in agreement to what Jennifer from Tullahoma, TN said in the first post.
Blessings!
Anna in MO
Oh Beth – I love these posts of yours just full of fun and exclamation points!!!
It was a great weekend, and I prayed for YOU and the team and all the the women who would be blessed to attend the LPL in Pittsburgh. It appears that no one was disappointed!
We celebrated my precious mother-in-law's 87th birthday yesterday! She has been a godly mother-in-law to me, and I am so thankful for her. My husband is her "baby" and "late in life" blessing 🙂
Loved the proposal – what a precious couple and how awesome. I imagine Travis is beside himself.
My oldest son is a Pastor and he proposed to his wife at the end of a Sunday morning service and the newspaper did a feature on it entitled "Called to the Altar!" It was so sweet and I loved it.
Oh, I wanted an iPhone too – but my cell service doesn't offer that choice. I got a Blackberry Storm 2 months ago and I love it love it love it too! It is different to use the "touch screen," but you'll be fine in no time!
Hope your birthday is great this week. (Your "prize" should have arrived by now!)
So cool you'll have to sleep in sweats – now that is funny. You ARE cool and you don't look a day over…:) 22!
Much love,
GJ