WE’VE MADE IT HALFWAY, SIESTAS! This is verse 12 of our 24! Can you believe it? I am so stinking proud of you that I don’t know what to do. And there is no doubt in my mind that God is as pleased with this pursuit as anything we’ve ever done on this blog. I’ve enjoyed it like crazy.
I’ve practiced Scripture memory and used index cards for many years but now, when I recite my verses, I think of so many of you out there doing exactly the same thing. I picture you darling college girls, a bunch of you single siestas, tons of you busy moms, and a terrific band of grandmoms all practicing your Scriptures as you balance the demands of your crazy lives. I think of all our Canadian Scripture memory-siestas and our beloved missionaries in other countries and how they sometimes record their verses in their new languages. There’s so much joy and motivation in community.
I keep thinking about a woman I met at the Pittsburgh event. She’d made the life altering decision to receive Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and I had the joy of getting to visit with her and pray over her for a few minutes. In her lap, she was holding a very nice large leather Bible still in the box. She had the top off the box and had stacked it underneath so that the Bible was in open displayed.
“Did you just get that beautiful new Bible here at the event?”
She rubbed the leather on the top of it then took it out of the box for me to smell how wonderfully aromatic it was. She shook her head and said, “No, I’ve had it for a while. Isn’t it beautiful?”
I could have cried. She’d brought it to the event in the box so it wouldn’t get messed up. I’d never seen anyone do that before in all these years of speaking. Her reverence for that Bible was stunning and, yet, there was something also very childlike about her. I didn’t think it was going to do much good to try to talk her into scribbling all over those gorgeous gold leaf pages so we offered her another Bible, a hardback Life Application NIV, so she’d feel like she could ruffle it up, mark verses, and write in the margins. I don’t know if she will or not.
Isn’t that the paradox of the whole thing? Sacred words etched on the page by the breath of God so folks like us with feet of clay can wallow all over them. Not just live by them but live on them. Not just thrive through them but sometimes, in tragedy and storm, survive through them. Life lived with Bible out of the box, off the shelf, flipped wide open and pressed to the heart.
And committed to memory. That’s how we press it to the head.
I’m working on the second half of my June 1st portion out of Psalm 112 NIV. Here are Vv.4-8:
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting the Lord.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
OK, Siestas, hit it! Let’s have your Verse 12! Name, city, verse and translation!
DILIGENCE, SIESTAS! DILIGENCE!
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in His temple."
Ps. 27:4
mk
Seattle
2 Chronicles 15:7
NLT
" But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded."
Heather
Cypress, TX
Janice H.
Summerville, SC
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)
Psalm 90:14 NIV
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Anne
Lorton, VA
Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don't you see it?
Isaiah 43:18-19 NCV
Kristin
Montgomery, AL
"And the Lord said,'Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Luke 22:31-32
allison, Montgomery, AL
*just catching up 🙂
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.â€
Amanda May
Olympia, WA
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.
James 1:17
Wendy-Rome, GA
Ezekiel 36:25
Then I will sprinkle water on you and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all you idols.
I am behind…THIS FAR BEHIND…but I don't want to stop. Right before this round of memory verses, my husband and I started having some problems. By August we were separated…I was so covered in frustration, grief and anger…I couldn't find my way to the site and log my verses…
I'm hoping I can still do this. I'm picking out verses today for the ones I'm behind on. I'm dilligently working on memorizing each and every one.
As a side note…I didn't walk away, God and I were wrestling over His purpose over my life and I was getting a little tired of His plan. My husband is home…when I finally accepted that it was over, he started to change by leaps and bounds. Even though my heart is still heailing and I'm just not 100% yet…we are working it out. We are working through the 'Believing God' Bible study again. It is my second time. We are believing God together to deliver us from this mess and bless us for our obedience at sticking together. We are in counseling and getting to know each other all over again. After almost 9 years of marriage, 12 years of being together, it's amazing how much we have missed with eachother.
all that being said:
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:16
NIV
"that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I Corinthians 1:5-8 (NASB) Adding verse 8 this time
Lora
Mooresburg
heather in austin, tx
Eph 1:7 NLT
He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.
Ephesians 5:22 NIV
Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Ashley
Marrero, LA
PS 18:18,19
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me to a spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me. niv
Jan in Katy
Robin Sutherlin
Katy, TX
Proverbs 27:1 NIV
"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."
Kristi Parks
Eugene OR
For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. Zeph 3:17 NLT
I go to bed and sleep in peace, because, LORD, only you keep me safe.
Psalm 4:8 NCV
Tonya, Searcy, AR
Jeremiah 29:13
"And you will seek Me and find Me if you search for Me with all your heart"
Beth Herring
Oak Grove, La
I'm catching up…
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 NIV
Donna K
Tx
Pay careful attention then to how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise. — Ephesians 5:15
Casey
Bumpass, VA
"Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24 KJV
Sandy P
Eugene, OR
"When and evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says,'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order."
Matthew 12:44-45 NIV
Michelle
Richmond VA
Deut. 7: 9
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
Michelle P
McAllen TX
Michelle P
McAllen TX
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalms 86:5
"Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also
from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord,
my Rock and my Redeemer."
Psalm 19: 12-14
NIV
Christine K
Eugene, OR
If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Numbers 14:8 (kjv)
Mulls
Chuckey TN
Psalm 127:3
Children are a gift from the Lord, babies a reward.
Aimie Markham
Murfreesboro, TN
Cortni B.
Watauga, TX
Psalm 12:18 NIV
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
John 14:21 NIV
C Chamblee
Philadelphia, MS
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
John 14:21 NIV
C Chamblee
Philadelphia, MS
"Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you." I Pet. 5:7 NKJV
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22 (NKJV)
Kristie
Queen City, TX
. Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not true would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you with me so that where I am you may be also.
Jn 14:1-3
Rebecca H.
Malvern, PA
Acts 17:28a NIV
For in Him,
we live and move and
have our being (not in …….)
Julie
Boone NC
Amanda in Katy
John 17:12 NIV
While I was with them I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that scripture would be fulfilled.
Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,†says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
NLT
Job 9:10
"He does reat things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles."
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whomthe Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit ther is no deceit.
Psalm 32:1-2
Paula
Atlanta, Tx
Lamentations 3:22
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Kara- Marietta, PA
Psalm 112: 5-8
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."
Lisa
Edinburg, TX
If we are thrown into a blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue from your power, you majesty.
Daniel 3:17 (NLT)
Stacy
Amherst, NE
"He will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever. He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting, in the Lord."
Psalm 112:6-7
Matia
Fort Worth, TX
Belinda Kendall
Olathe KS
I posted this accidentally anonymously on December 15, 2009.
Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,†says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.
Kimberly
Houston, TX
"Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness." Ps. 119:38-40 NIV
Lauren, New Braunfels, TX
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is GOd's will for you in CHrist Jesus.
1Thes.5:16-18 NIV
Tammi G
Florence, SC
L – Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies – make straight your way before me. Ps 5:8
John 14:1
NIV
Do not let your hearts be troubled
Trust in God, trust also in me
Michelle
OKC, OK
Psalm 37:4 NIV
Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Cedar Creek, TX
"Above all, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Proverbs 4:23