I loved my devotional this morning. It helped that I actually got to sleep in because I have the day off. Worked all weekend. And I do mean WORKED. I love the Deeper Still events but, because they last a half day longer than a regular LPL’s and the sessions are super long, you go home pretty wiped. Hence the day off. (I don’t take Monday’s off because of staff prayer time.) So, I was really rested when I was sitting propped up in my bed having my prayer time this morning. The Scripture hit me so tenderly that I nearly cried. You know the story. It’s about God’s fulfilled promise to Abraham’s wife, Sarah. Read the portion again and intentionally look at it as a woman because that’s sort of what this post is about. Be amazed and thankful that God has a long history of also making and keeping promises to women.
Genesis 21:1-7 (GW)
1 The Lord came to help Sarah and did for her what he had promised.
2 So she became pregnant, and at the exact time God had promised, she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.
3 Abraham named his newborn son Isaac.
4 When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.
5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.
7 Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.”
I got stuck on that part that says, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” I sat in a carload of women in front of the hotel in Denver Saturday night. We’d just spent all evening together at a restaurant. You might reason that we’d spent all weekend together but we just kept talking a hundred miles an hour and didn’t want to get out of the car. It’s just a woman thing. Our ages ranged well over twenty years but for that moment, we were BFF. Kelly Minter and I were in the back seat and I looked straight at her and said, “Yep. This is what I love about women. I love being a woman.”
Cheesy. I know.
But I do.
I thought it was so cool that Sarah knew that many would laugh with her. If I were a betting woman, I’d wager that she was talking about other women. I can’t see the men really slapping their leg over it, then clapping, and then throwing up their hands and shouting, “Glory!” like me and my buddies would do. I’d bet they just slapped Abe on the back and said, “Way to go, man.” Most of the time, if God’s really done something cool in my life, I like to tell my girlfriends about it because I know they’ll laugh and clap their hands, too. In fact, I intentionally tell the ones that I know will most appreciate it.
It doesn’t have to be something really huge like Sarah’s miracle either. Women can find all sorts of things to laugh with one another over. Here are a few I’ve experienced just here lately:
Melissa: While we were in Israel, we went out in the parking lot to wave good bye to the first half of our group departing for the States. The rest of us would not be going till the next morning. There was a bit of a delay and they had to sit for a few minutes before taking off so I decided to start entertaining them (outside the bus on the pavement) with cheers, a few little dance moves, and kicking my feet to the side and clicking my heels (yes, in a dress. It is a move I do very well). To my great surprise, Melissa got into it with me and up and did two cartwheels for them. (Not in a dress.) It made me so happy that I laughed and laughed. My little budding scholar! I said to her while I bent over laughing, “You have what it takes for women’s ministry, Honey!”
Amanda: Melissa and I always say that AJ is the funniest one of the three of us. She’s just not the extrovert so it’s not as obvious. Here lately she hopped in the car with me on our way somewhere and I said, “What’s that in your hand?” She said, “My Weight Watchers charm. I got it for reaching my goal. I’m going to put it on Annabeth’s charm bracelet so she knows what I had to do to get over her.” I clapped and laughed, not only over AB’s well deserved charm but over AJ’s darling college-looking post-partum figure. A met goal is worth laughing and celebrating together.
Kelly Minter: You know what a big fan I am of Kelly’s. I love her. I love watching these young women teachers come and take their places. I cannot describe my joy or my peculiar feelings of elation over it. I sat on the front row at Deeper Still next to my beloved Priscilla when Kelly took the stage to share a devotional early Saturday morning. As she took that platform, she would speak to more people (by several thousand) than she’d ever addressed before…and she killed it. (I hope you realize that’s a good thing.) Honestly, I pumped my fist in the air and yelled, “Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!” Hawk looked around and said, “Did anybody hear her do that but me?” I couldn’t help myself.
A person I can’t name yet: A very dear loved one of mine is expecting her first baby and I am beside myself. I nearly hurt myself with joy when she told me over the phone. I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. I love God for what He’s done in her life. I will love this child next to my own blood grandchildren.
Another really close loved one: She’s the one whose 1-year chip from AA I showed you several weeks ago. God is so busy restoring the years the locusts have eaten in her life that, if He weren’t omnipotent, He’d honestly have no time for the rest of us. We have laughed and laughed over the wonders He has done in her behalf.
What about you? Is there anything wonderful God has done in your life – big or small – that this community of women could laugh with you about? Look back at those Scriptures. Has God done anything for you about which you could say, “God has brought me laughter” or “Who would have predicted…?” Give us the chance to clap our hands and laugh with you.
I’ll close this post with the devotional that accompanied those Scriptures this morning. It’s Charles Spurgeon. It about killed me in the Spirit. I loved it so much. Enjoy, Siestas. Your Mama loves you.
It was far above the power of nature, and even contrary to its laws, that the aged Sarah should be honoured with a son; and even so it is beyond all ordinary rules that I, a poor, helpless, undone sinner, should find grace to bear about in my soul the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus. I, who once despaired, as well I might, for my nature was as dry, and withered, and barren, and accursed as a howling wilderness, even I have been made to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Well may my mouth be filled with joyous laughter, because of the singular, surprising grace which I have received of the Lord, for I have found Jesus, the promised seed, and He is mine for ever. This day will I lift up psalms of triumph unto the Lord who has remembered my low estate, for “my heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in Thy salvation.” I would have all those that hear of my great deliverance from hell, and my most blessed visitation from on high, laugh for joy with me.
Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening.
PS. Speaking of things fairly peculiar to women, I thought I might go ahead and tell you that I typed this whole thing standing up in my wrap-around terry cloth robe so my self tanner could dry. I want to be tan on my birthday.
Happy Birthday, Bethie! We can’t wait for you to come to St. Louis!!! Love ya!
I will make this one simple . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my dear Miss Beth ! ! !
I hope you are having wonderful day ! I pray that the Lord has filled your heart with great joy, today, specifically!
I have been thinking about you a lot today, even while I was mowing the tall grass in our yard this morning. It’s been raining here for days, so we couldn’t mow it, so it took twice as long to mow it, boo.
[BTW, for those of you who do not know, it is Miss Beth’s birthday TODAY, June 16th !]
I’ll write my other answer in another reply…….
Love, in Christ Jesus,
Jennifer O.
Southern Wisconsin
Well we’ve been under the weather here at the house. Starting with my mother and ending with my dad. My nephew aka “The Lil Precher”, since he wants to walk in his Abu’s (short for the spanish word abuelo which means grandfather and who so happens to be my father) shoes. My dad was not feeling well and with all that, my dad as a dedicated minister went to church and preached a wonderful sermon. We got home from church, cooked and as we were sitting at the table my mom asked my nephew if he had prayed for her today. His response was no Awawa (short for the spanish word abuela which means grandmother) I prayed for you last week it’s Abu’s turn. We laughed so hard that we almost fell out of our chairs. Till this day just thinking about it we still laugh.
Dear Miss Beth,
(Belated)Happy Birthday. May the LORD bless you and LPM as much as you bless me! My friends & I are enjoying your Inheritance study this summer. We are especially looking forward to seeing you in person on September 18th.
Hope your birthday has been happy! It was great to meet Keith & you in the Jackson WY Airport on 8/24/09. Thank you for your ministry for Jesus!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Today I am celebrating 9 years with the ONE that God chose for me! The one I laugh with until my belly hurts! <3. I hope your day was awesome!!
so cool!
The Lord truly is a promise keeper! My husband and I tried for 12 years to conceive our 2nd child after attempts at Invitro and every other medical intervention. In 2006, I delivered Cameron Michael and just when they said I was Advanced Maternal age and I could never have more children… I delivered my beautiful daughter Landrey Adison in 2007.
And everyone that heard of this laughed with me!
Ok, I’m not sure I can properly communicate this from my memory to this screen, but here goes…
Not too long ago I got up very early in the morning to have my alone time with the Lord before starting my day. First let me establish here that getting up before dawn has never come easy to me – and there is nothing pretty about it! I usually stumble from the bed to the kitchen to get the coffee started. I don’t even attempt to look in a mirror because that would just be too much to take in before first light. It makes me so grateful for the scripture that says that God does not look at our outward appearance…!
This particular morning, still half asleep and working from habit I suppose, I uttered the words “Good morning God – how are you?” From my spirit I heard Him quip back, “I couldn’t be better!” I seriously felt Him smiling at me with that smile that shows up on someone’s face when they say something that could be taken seriously or not and they are hoping that you see the humorous side instead of the serious side. All of a sudden I was wide awake, laughing, and telling Him – “You’re right Lord – you couldn’t be better!!!”
This memory puts a smile on my face everytime I think of it…I love spending time with Him!!!
Happy Birthday, Beth!
I loved this one! I’m late online tonight and wanted to wish you a very happy birthday with cake and everything!
And as I was reading my devotional a few minutes ago I felt a strong pull to give you this psalm for your birthday. Hope it’s okay that it is a recycled present. Many others have used this but it still is fresh and precious. Psalm 19 from the Message Bible. Enjoy!!!
BTW – HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH!! WE LOVE YOU SISTER!!
Happy Birthday Dear Beth!!! May you continue to be richly blessed on your birthday and in the next year to come!!
Thought I would share the memory verse I just got thru memorizing:
Psalm 30:11-12
“You have turned my mourning into Joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with Joy, that I might sing your praises and not be silent. O Lord, My God, I will give you thanks forever!”
I am up to 10 verses this year! Memorizing these verses has been a new experience for me! I have found them so helpful to repeat – to turn my thoughts to HIM! I have even used them in my prayer time – as I repeat them, I pray them over my family! I have experienced times of such Joy while repeating God’s word aloud!!! Praise the Lord!
My son is going thru a very hard time in his marriage and I have been sharing the verses I am memorizing with him and of course praying for him and his wife and that God would be in the whole situation, guiding them and that His grace would abound. My son, recently told me that he thinks they are going to try to make it, and that he is “just leaving his life in God’s hands”. There is Joy in my heart for his re-commitment to Jesus! Praise the Lord!
Also, I have been reading “A Shepherd’s look at Psalm 23” by W. Phillip Keller. I have become amazed at how much God is in every little detail of our lives – because He really loves us!! I have been so filled with awe and peace & yes, joy as I become more and more aware of His unfailing love!!! He put salve on my nose because of the pesky bugs that have been bothering me and the Sweet Holy Spirit changed my attitude so those knats aren’t bothering me today. YAY!!! Praise the Lord!!
Lovingly, Barb
My Sweet Beth,
I meant to get on here much earlier in the day to wish you a happy birthday! I do need to tell you that as I was driving my kids to Grandmas for the day this morning and we had just wrapped our prayer time in the car….I said “It’s Beth Moore’s birthday today!!” And I got a resounding Thank you Jesus….Happy Birthday Beth!!!
So there you have it…you may not know us, but you are an integral part of our family. Thank you for your many years of service to our GREAT GOD! When I met you in my first study of “Beloved Disciple” I had just moved back home from a mess of a life in Colorado, I was very single, very lonely and very broken. Since that first study my life has been transformed by His power and grace. I met and married my wonderful husband, and we became an instant family of 5 with his three amazing children….who have become mine in just about every sense of the word. Thank you for being our Siesta Mama, my teenage girls and I are doing “Living Beyond Yourself” together this summer!
I hope you had a splendid day surrounded by all those people you hold dear to you!
I love you,
Andrea
I am going to meet my birthmother and half sister for the first time (in person) in about 5 weeks. My birthmother told my half sister about my existence about 20 years ago. Fourteen years ago my half sister signed up on an adoption reunion registry (unbeknownst to her mother) and nine years ago I signed up on the same registry. It took them nine years to match us up (we were somehow missed….I know it’s God’s hand….I was NOT really ready). My birthmother and I look more alike than she does to the daughter’s she raised and on paper we are soooooo similar (we like certain things, that are a bit odd, for the same odd reason). I have had so many question about myself answered these past 3 months that I’ve been emailing with my birthmother. I can’t wait to see what it’s like in person. It’s a bit nerve wracking but exciting. I’m afraid I’m going to cry like a baby when I meet her. As someone who doesn’t much like crying in public – this could be interesting!
Laura in Pleasant Hill, CA
Laura, I’m praying right now that it will be a very sweet meeting!
Laura,
good for you for having the courage to check it out!
It’s okay to cry.
Let us know how it goes!
Happy Birthday Mama Beth! I hope you have a blessed day in the Lord and with your loved ones.
This post brought a big smile to my face.
On the way to Deeper Still this past weekend we had van troubles and had to turn around and trade. So what should have been 8 hour trip into 10-11 hour trip. We were tired but SO excited to be out of Utah and to be with so many Christian women! When we arrived it was raining and we had to walk to the event center. To say the least I went running through the parking lot, dancing and singing. I had the women I was with laughing SO hard. I did this all the way to the conference center and women I never met before this night, were laughing as well. I then started singing How Great is our God… it was a perfect way to end the walk before Deeper Still started.
This is completely unexpected because it goes against how I was raised. God has taught me how to be just let my hair down and be downright silly. I celebrate because it has been four years since God truly started making this change in me.
Redeemed in Him,
Stormy
Married 7 months. 34 years old. 8 weeks pregant. First baby. This came after the Dr had said I would need fertility drugs to get pregant! :
God has His loving hand in everything… even his tender and sometimes providential humourous side shows itself… For example… I went to the local animal shelter 9 years ago to get a cat… Now I have always grown up with dogs… never cats… have always thought they were aloof… self absorbed… and just plain… ummm not nice… lol… but at that time in my life I was living in an apartment in the city and going to school… a dog just wasn’t the answer yet I desperately needed something in the apartment to come home to because I felt very isolated and lonely and was dealing with other emotional scars and issues. A cat would have to do…
We went to the shelter and there was this one big orange male tabby named “Mountain”… now who would name a cat mountain??? Anyway as soon as I picked him up he began to drool… I later found out this was something “special” he did when he is extremely happy… lol… so we took him home and decided on the name Taybor (because he was a tabby, orange, and tiggerish, we thought we invented the name)… Actually if you take out the y the word Tabor appears in the Bible… (I discovered this years later) It is TABOR MOUNTAIN OR MOUNT TABOR… THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION… WOW was God involved in all of this or what… First God had my cat named Mountain… then He had us name him Taybor… and then He had me make the connection between Mount Tabor… and the Mount of Transfiguration… You see I believe God brought Taybor into my life when I needed something other than myself to be accountable for… a reason to wake up in the morning… a responsibility… something now deepended on me… Taybor became one of my first stepping stones in the process of recovery from a very severe and debilitating illness. He helped “Transform” my life… and God used a little helpless, abandoned, neglected, and abused cat to help bring healing and joy and laughter back into my life… Now who would of thunk it? lol My silly cat believes he is a dog anyway… he runs in front of me, drops to the floor… rolls over and wants his belly rubbed, He comes when I call him, he loves to snuggle with me… loves to be pet, touched, cuddled, kissed on the forehead… lol… He speaks when spoken too… He just cracks me up… My sweet boy that I thought would just be a snob… He is a gift from God… I am sure God was saying to Himself…. laughing of course… Sheri thinks she has everything figured out… well not this time… I have hidden so many treasures in this little fur ball it will amaze her… even when she figures out the meaning behind his name (mountain and Tabor) “she will laugh and others will laugh with her” God doesn’t leave out even the smallest of details… What a great God… I wanted a dog… and God laughed and said you can’t have a dog but I’ll give you something better… a cat that will fit you lifestyle, give you what you need, and even the silly thing will think and behave as if he’s a dog… What’s better NO yard mess to clean up… LOL… God is good! and definately has a great sense of humour…
Great to see you in Toronto this winter Beth… You don’t know this but you put your hands on my head and prayed for me… I really appreciate it… I didn’t know it was you until later when the friend I was with told me that you had done that… I assumed it was her… Thank you!!!My life is much more grounded in Christ, stable and joyful… I am excited where He is leading me… Like in the letter I wrote to you… I still believe it is in a teaching/women’s ministry… But I am still waiting and seeking the Lord… I have downloaded Mercy Seat, Do it Lord, and In Christ Alone from the Apple Store and listen to it all the time… They help me to refocus…
I hope and pray your family are all doing great… I pray that you are able, in your busy schedule, to find the time you need to celebrate, have fun, be at peace! I just feel that I need to say that the praises and the opinions of others can be fickle… but the wonderful good news is that Jesus thinks you are great… that you can do what He did… He believes in you Beth Moore, He has faith in You…. and that’s all that matters! The reason why the words Come follow Me that Jesus said to His yet to be followers was so compelling that they dropped everything, and left everything behind to followed Him…was because they didn’t make the cut… only the best of the best in the traditional Jewish religious schooling allowed the very best to continue on until they reached the point of approaching a Rabbi to ask if they could study under the Rabbi and become like him and do the things he could do… After careful scrutiny… the boy was either accepted or rejected based on whether the Rabbi thought the boy could take on the “yoke” of this particular Rabbi’s interpretation of scripture. (Many Rabbi’s Yoke of scriptural interpretations differed from each other) So since the people Jesus picked were labourers when He said to them “Come follow Me” they knew this was a huge opportunity for them… (The words Come Follow Me is what a Rabbi would say to the candidate that was accepted and he would have to leave behind everything and travel and follow the Rabbi for years)… It was a huge opportunity because they knew they were not the best of the best… they were overlooked, they weren’t the brightest, they didn’t make the cut… (hence they were out fishing instead of being taught under the guidance of a Rabbi) But along comes this Rabbi and He says Come Follow Me… Which only means one thing… Jesus, the Rabbi believes in them… believes they can do what He does… they can become (as close as they can) like Him… (especially after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.) That’s why, when they see Jesus walking on the water, Peter says if it’s you Lord ask me to come to you … so Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water… WAIT…WHAT!?! WHY WOULD HE DO THAT!?! Because he knows that Jesus believes in him to be able to do whatever HE does… and Peter believes that he can do whatever he sees Jesus doing… When he begins to sink… Jesus says “you of little faith”… but maybe he isn’t talking about Peter having little faith in Jesus… but Peter having little faith in himself to imitate his Rabbi.
To Beth and all you Siesta’s out there… The Rabbi has deemed you worthy… He believes in you even if others don’t… Even if you don’t believe in yourself to be able to challenge yourself to discover who Jesus really is… and what the scripture are really about and then act as though Jesus would… He know’s our past and our present and He still has faith in us… He had faith in a bunch of fisherman who didn’t make the cut… who were rejected and stamped not good enough… He had faith that after their training with Him, and when it was time for Him to leave, He would send the Holy Spirit and together they would be able to take His message to the World… And they did…
God has this amazing ability to take the unremarkable and make it remarkable…
Know this Mama Beth and fellow Siestas you are loved, trusted, and believed in by the Almighty God… and even if we let Him down… even if we let Him down again and again and again… HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS… He who began a good work in us who love the Lord will follow it to completion… For God is Love and God demonstrates His own love for us in this that while we were still sinners Christ died for us… AMAZING LOVE…
I send you all… my love…
I just found this revolutionary that my God believes in me! Hmmmm This makes me so happy and joyful that my Abba Father believes in me… trusts me… has faith in me… WOW
It makes me want to dance and sing and clap that my God believes in me… Even if I mess up and fall flat on my face… All He wants me to do is call out to Him… get up back on my feet, dust myself off… and walk on with Him and share love.
Miss Beth,
You make me smile ! 🙂
I am so thankful to the Lord that you are willing to share with us on this blog, my dear teacher. 🙂
This should make Y’all Houstonians giggle . . . It is getting “hot” even up here in southern Wisconsin [near the IL border]. Yeppers, the expected high temperature for tomorrow is 85 F ! And, I know that this temperature would be considered “cool” to Y’all, as I lived down in Houston for 8.5 years.
I recall one very interesting conversation that I had with a friend of mine back in June 2004, while I was in the process of moving back up here, after my becoming so accustomed to Houston’s heat & humidity. We were driving back here, and had reached the point in our long journey where it was our last stop for gasoline; about 100 miles straight south of here, near Bloomington/Normal, IL. It was late in the evening, and I got out of the car, and immediately let out a “BRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !” My friend just looked at me, as if I were crazy, and said, “Why are you so “cold”, it’s only 70 degrees F ?” I told my friend this; “Well, let me give you a bit of perspective. I haven’t felt 70 degrees F since JANUARY ! And, of course, I was dressed in “Houston-like apparel”, shorts and a T-shirt … My friend just said, “Oh my, that makes a little more sense to me now …” 🙂
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As for laughter since that time [2004], it has been very hard to come by for me, to be perfectly honest with you. Even back then, jobs were hard to come by, even for me, as a certified elementary school teacher with 5 years of experience [which I did in Houston & Waller, Texas].
However, ever since our supposedly “ancient” General Motors [GM] Plant completely closed its doors in 2oo7, the topple-down effect has been devastating to this entire area. So many companies that made parts for GM, and for other auto-makers in general were forced to close down, also. This caused 2 of my 3 brothers-in-law to lose their jobs, and the 3rd one had to take a major cut in his salary, even as an architect in Milwaukee, WI. So, to say the least, jobs are VERY hard to come by around here these days. They have even been laying off teachers in some nearby school districts this year. 🙁
Then, my dear Dad, Duane, was “escorted” Home to be with the Lord in March 2008, after a hard, yet short battle with end stage Leukemia. I’m not quite sure if it would have been any better if we had learned about this awful cancer prior to July 2007, but it was a horrible “ride” for both my Dad and my family.
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BUT, I know that I know that my dear “daddy” is truly with Jesus; and that is the best thing about the entire thing ~ And, two of his favorite songs were sung for us at his funeral: “I’ll Fly Away”, which was sung by his Barbershop Chorus guys, and “I Can Only Imagine”, was amazingly sung by my oldest niece; his oldest grand-daughter. [I cried through the whole song… I don’t have a clue how she was able to sing it for her grandpa].
BUT, even through all of this “stuff”, I know that GOD IS STILL HERE WITH US ! Hallelujah, thank You, Jesus !!!
Anyhow, whenever I hear “I Can Only Imagine” played on the radio now, it just makes me smile… to know that my precious “Daddy” is up in Heaven walking on those streets of gold; without pain, and praising the Lord Jesus !
Oh, to end on a more joy-filled note, one thing did make my Mom and me giggle a bit after my Dad passed away. Since the 2005 camping season, my parents decided they had better stick closer to home. My Mom had just been diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a life threatening lung disease, and has been required to use oxygen 24/7 since August 2004; which is the reason I feel that it was truly the Lord’s work in bringing me back here to live with them from Houston in the first place. Anyhow, my parents decided to rent a “seasonal site” at this nice campground about 25 miles west of here. Well, in May of 2008, the campground owners decided to make things a bit more “child friendly”, and had someone come in there and set up this block long “Jumping Pillow”. And, regardless of the fact that my [70 year old] Mom purposefully went without the use of her oxygen, and the fact that I was wearing an “air-cast” on my right leg at the time, we decided to go climb up on this silly jumping pillow to “try it out”. Well, un-be-knownst to us at that time, another seasonal camper was taking some pictures that day, and took a bunch of the new jumping pillow. To make a long story short, the following camping season, 2009, one of Kathy’s pictures ended up being “plastered” onto the front of the campground’s brand new brochure. And, it ended up having been taken that day when my Mom and I were checking out the silly “new Jumping Pillow”. So, there we were, 2 “crazy” adults, who had no good sense to have been on the jumping pillow that day, ended up having ourselves on the front cover of the campground’s 2009 Camping brochure !!! 🙂
Here are 4 important “Hallelujah Moments”, or should I say “GODstops”, for those of you who know Miss Beth’s Believing God Bible study…
First, my Mom is is now 72 years old, and is doing remarkably well, considering she has “out-lived” the doctor’s prognosis of “dying in 5 years” from the Pulmonary Fibrosis…
Secondly, and even more interesting, my Mom went back to working part-time as a registered nurse once the Lord helped her doctors figure out how best to treat her lung disease, medically speaking, besides the use of oxygen, in July of 2005. And, even though my Mom only has a handful of home-health agency clients, she is celebrating her 50th year working as a Registered Nurse this year !!! And, she is still very much enjoying doing so ! Praise the Lord !!! 🙂
And, last, but not least, the Lord found me a place where I could teach children again last September, at this dear place called “The Ark [Christian] Homeschooling Center” in northern Illinois 3 days a week throughout this past school year, and likely next school year, as well, even though it is more of a “ministry” to me than it is a “well paying job” . . . BUT, I really enjoy it !
I simply know that the Lord IS indeed taking care of us, and allowing both my Mom and I to do what we love to do most … Loving and serving the Lord through our work and our lives ….
I almost forgot … The Lord Jesus and I have been having a great time with “you”, Miss Beth, and your Esther Bible study [on cds] … I just started Day 1 of Week 8 in the workbook this evening. 🙂
By God’s magnificent love and grace; I am blessed, chosen, accepted, adopted, redeemed, and forgiven . . . And, I’m Believin’ God !!!
To His Glory Alone,
Jennifer O.
Southern Wisconsin
Good morning Beth
i just want to say how much i appreciate you … thank you for being you. thank you for being a real encouragement to so many of us. thank you for showing us how to live a life where Jesus shines through always… May your cup overflow with blessings, love, wisdom and wonderful memories this birthday and forever more! xxx Charms in SA
Oh, Beth, you have no idea how overjoyed I was to read your post this morning! I am getting ready to have surgery next week that has the possibility of leaving me unable to have children. I don’t currently have any children, but I have desperately prayed for them. I have been praying for God to show me a sign that everything will be ok with the outcome of this & that I will have children one day. Yesterday I had a doctor’s appointment to discuss my upcoming surgery. My mother didn’t know I had the appointment &, girlfriend, listen to this. Yesterday morning she happened to come across the outfit that she had worn on the day she went to the hospital to have me. She brought it to me & said “look what I found this morning.” I feel like that was God speaking to me to tell me that I will have a child one day. I have another medical appointment today & after reading your post this morning, I feel like God is speaking to me again to reassure me that everything is going to be OK. So, Beth, when the day comes that I find out I’m pregnant, I’ll be sure to let you know so you can laugh with me, slap your knee & give a shout of “GLORY!!!”
Thank you for starting my day off with these stories to get my smile going! Love the dancing in front of the bus…and cartwheels to boot! I recently wondered if I could still pull off a cartwheel…maybe I will try? Ha! God Bless!
Happy Birthday, Beth!!!!! :o)
I laugh with my kids…at the littlest things that make them bust a gut laughing, at the craziest things they come up with to do, at the funniest things they say.
I’m sure you’ve heard something similar before but my 4 and 6 yr old girls LOVE hearing the story of Esther. Since my mom and I have both done the study, we are pretty good at all the details. But my sweet Anabelle (4) is always asking me to tell her “that story about that girl from Easter.” I think it is the combo of the similar Easter and Esther AND the Veggie tales movie about Easter that has the Rebecca StJames character she loves. I have three girls and they make me giggle everyday! (6yrs, 4yrs 1yr)
Happy Birthday Beth!
I praise God for bringing you into my life. I am doing your “Loving Well” study ( funny you should mention self tanner) and I truly feel God speaking to my soul. I am struggling with my “testy” and asking God for insight so I am able to love with compassion.
Can’t wait to see you in Chicago in September!!
Happy Birthday Beth!!! I pray you have a wonderfully blessed day with family and friends. I thank you for this post because it is good to recount the wonders of God. In your study of Esther one of the biggest lessons I took out was that God’s big miracles are in the ordinary life circumstances and I have held on to that as God has worked in our situation and continues to work. Sixteen months ago my husband was laid off. We are in our 50’s. I have a job but like most people we have 2 incomes worth of bills, commitments, ministry concerns plus we were working on paying off debts. I asked God if He would allow us to continue to be a blessing to others during this time as well as meet our commitments. I don’t know HOW God has done it but here we are sixteen months later with God getting us through EVERY MONTH. God provided for my husband to go back to school with it 100% paid for!! We’re eating, we have a roof PLUS we are keeping up with our church and ministry commitments. Our daughter got married and we were able to help her some with the wedding. A dear friend has helped us with our sponsored children commitment. Also we are surrounded with needs of others plus birthday’s, graduations and other giving opportunities, and we can’t do alot but God provides that we can do something in the situations that come our way. God brings alittle extra through my job, at times, at other times He may prompt someone to share with us. God gave me Psalm 3 and I pray that over our bills before I pay them (and also if I get to feeling scared and overwhelmed). We are still on this journey and will be for awhile but God’s mighty faithfulness is sustaining us in so many ways. May His Mighty Name Be Praised, In Jesus’ Love Kathy Knoblock
I had a rough winter with feelings of loneliness galore. Something I have struggled with over and over. When I was going thru the Insecurity book one verse I felt God really gave to me was Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” I felt God telling me he would let me laugh again with women. Well, I have been developing some great relationships with women and I was blessed beyond belief to attend Deeper Still with what has become some very dear friends! God is faithful!!
Hey Beth! This is my first time commenting but I have been following your blog for a little while now. I just wanted to share a funny thing that God did for me this week. I am a jr. high youth leader at my church and one night at our weekly program we (all the kids & leaders) were outside trying to fly some kites. We had done it a week previous and the kids loved it but this night there was no wind. I think I was more disappointed then the kids. So I prayed that God would give us some wind to fly our kites up to the heavens and He did!!! We all laughed and I praised God for the laughter and the wind!
The Holy Spirit loves to fly some kites, I think!
Laugh with me as I share that I am completing “Breaking Free” this week. I began it not knowing if my marriage of 31 years was going to make it or not and really wanting it not to. But in studying God’s word with Beth and my group God has delivered and saved our marriage by breaking some strongholds and answering my prayer to give me a love for my husband I have not felt in quite some time. To God be all the glory!
Sheryl,
Yes, laughing indeed, to God be all the glory!! And praying you will experience the most wonderful celebration of a 32nd anniversary!!! rene
Happy Birthday, Beth – so sorry I am a day late – I had better intentions! My first call yesterday was to our precious grandson, Noah, up in McKinney who was 6 yesterday. What a blessing he is to our lives! I am laughing now just remembering some of our great times together. He totally has his “Pito” (grandfather) wrapped up right along with me.
God is so good!
Happy Birthday Beth! Here is one of my favorite poems for you, I meant to send it yesterday, but the time got away from me…………
The Coin
Into my heart’s treasury I slipped a coin,
That time cannot take, nor a thief purloin–
Oh, better than the minting of a gold-crownded king
Is the safe-kept memory of a lovely thing.
-Sara Teasdale-
We just finished the Esther study, so I always think of Xerxes when I read this!
Love you,
karen:)
I just have to say Beth this really spoke to me today…My hubby proudly serves in the USAF and our life the last few months has been rocked by one event after another and today the Lord has been speaking to me and then led me to your blog and I just have to say THANK YOU!!!! I know that the Lord has wonderful things to come if we just hold on even if its just on the corner of his robe….I will soon have my LAUGHTER and I just thank you!!!! God Bless you and your girls so much….BTW I am enjoying A Heart Like His right now and then I will be reading So Long Insecurity!!!
My three year old grand-daughter calls me Nea. Each time she spends the night with me, I read to her, then sing some songs, such as “Jesus Loves Me.” When I get to the chorus, I use her name and sing “Yes, Jesus loves Bella…” Last weekend, as I sang, she began singing along, and when we got to the chorus, she sang “Yes, Jesus loves Nea!” I laughed with surprise and cried with joy. He loves both of us!
Oh yes HE does! What a sweet moment for you!
Hey Siesta Mama!:)
God has done some BIG and small things in my life too that my sisters-in-CHRIST can laugh with me about:):) Who could have known that God would seek random me out as a teenager and totally redeem me and rearrange my life and give me hope??! Who could have known that I would with the Lord’s help, become a wild woman and overcome my fear of driving on the highway?! Who would have known that after about two years, six tries of fertility treatments, in vitro, and a spiritual revival I will never forget that I would have a beautiful, bright-eyed, grinny Baby Girl named Makenna:):) LOVE that cute face!!!:) I could laugh and cry about that.
Love in HIM, ((HUGS)), Blessings to you Siesta Mama
katiegfromtennessee
Well ladies- I need someone to laugh with me. Today I went to Victoria Secret to buy some COTTON underwear. I am all about white, black, and beige underwear. It’s really quite boring for my 30 something self. Anyway, my daughter was melting down as we were leaving the store so I handed her the bag. She loves to hold the bags in her stroller. All was going well until we were in the middle of the mall and I realized she had pulled out my underwear for everyone to see. Thank goodness I don’t buy anything but cotton. ha!
I haven’t posted in a while, but it’s not because God hasn’t been up to good things 🙂 I emailed Amanda two months ago with a very serious situation that I had been in…and ever since that day, God has repeatedly shown up so big that it completely made every heartache I endured be worth it.
One of the things God gave me (through your blog, Miss Beth) was the Kelly Minter study. And once I heard His voice there was no delay, just full obedience. This past Tuesday, our study group met and did our first week’s session of the Ruth Study. There are six of us in all~ three gals in their early 40’s, and three gals in our late 20’s/early 30’s. No exaggeration, we knew from the moment the six of us met at my house for a “getting to know you” dinner that we were going to be like peas in a pod. Each woman proclaimed that night how uncanny it was that we got along so well, since most of them don’t know each other (I knew them all~ they were carefully hand-picked based on listening to God’s promptings). The study has been I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E. I did something last week that I haven’t done EVER, and that was pray out loud to the Lord for a full hour and a half. As you can tell from this post, I’m a wordy-girl, but when it comes to talking with my Heavenly father I can get distracted very easily, and before I know it my prayer has turned into the list of things I’m going to do the next day. That prayer last week catapulted me into a new place in my life. I’m seeing things differently~ looking for His spirit in every situation~ I’m sitting here shaking my head because it’s been absolutely wonderful.
The girls in my Ruth study have decided that we would each like to purchase a pair of shoes that look similar to the cute red ones on the cover of the Ruth book. After we finish Ruth, we want to wear them to Girl’s Nite Out finale celebration 🙂 Any idea where we might find a pair?
I love, love, love you all very dearly. <3 <3 <3
Oh, Beth!
Know it had to have been a heck of a fun day for you yesterday! I celebrated 50 last month, and that was wonderful (well, not the number part haha)!!
My laugh “to share” happened at our women’s retreat a few months ago. We did the Loving Well series. When you spoke of loving the “far” people, I began to identify and piece together why God had placed 3 of them in the last 9 months so bizarely and seemingly hap-hazardly in my life. All of them separate and apart from each other in very weird circumstances. He spoke to me very clearly concerning each one and I was stretched WAY out of my comfort zone in doing what he asked. In my attempt to connect the dots, you said something that pierced my soul…from Is 58:6-12…then your light will break free (from your stronghold), and He will heal us. (paraphrased from my notes). NOW the funny part…was in my ‘break-out group’ dicussing what our thoughts were, when I had such an “AH-HAH” moment that I began to SOB, and I mean like Jesus came upon me and I had to let it loose… the ‘doing’ wasn’t for them, it was for ME! My healing…clearly God wanted their needs met by Him and I was available, but He wanted MY bones set free! Surely you KNOW what I’m talk’n about?! Well, I suddenly had a thought that I had NOT worn water-proof mascara, looked up from my hands wet with tears and nose-runs, and said O.K., do I look like Tammy Faye?!! And my “friend” said, no, worse, Alice Cooper…and snapped a pic on her phone…which she still has! We laughed so hard… and even in the laughter, there was more good medicine! Don’t cha’ just LOVE Him?!
I am looking forward to seeing you in St. Louis and laughing more. I WILL be wearing water-proof mascara. Bringing my 23yr daughter with me, and a darling friend.
Oh, and one more ‘laugh’ for you…you and I went to SWT together…but that’s another story!
So grateful to Jesus for you!
rene
omigosh I would have died!
I buy cotton hanes from Kmart, and will NOT even go into that section if anyone else is around. I go at off times and even then wait a while for the area to be empty. Then I hide the package under other stuff in my cart.
I’m not even putting my name on this because I can’t talk about that kind of stuff.
Any know a good book on insecurity? hahaha
You crack me up, Beth! I was just watching you last night on Life Today. You were teaching about guarding our hearts and me and my 16 yr old son cracked up at your comment about God not going with the children of Israel, but sending a cloud, etc. to watch over them….’cause if He went He might have to rip them bald! Lol!!!
Love you!
Happy Birthday Beth! My birthday was yesterday too- I turned 30!
Happy Birthday Beth. Hope you had a great day 🙂
Love,
Heledd
You want laughter? I will soon be finishing my 5th decade of living and about to enter my 60th year. OK, so I’m almost 60. I have been working at a place that has been financially unstable for the past year. Well. God gave me a job. HE GAVE ME A JOB!! A stable job. At a Christian University working for a professor. You cannot imagine the look on the faces of my younger co-workers when I told them. It took them 2 hours to get over their shock. No kidding!! I have been doing a Praise Snoopy Dance ever since……
I am laughing with my 2 month old baby girl who is starting to giggle for the first time-the sweetest sound ever!! Seven years ago I lost my first baby girl at 33 weeks due to Potter’s Syndrome. Was blessed beyond measure with a healthy boy 6 years ago and waited for God for 3 years to bless us with another. I knew immediately that we would be having a girl when we were told that the due date was Aril 4th. That is the exact due date of our first baby girl. God has been so faithful to us and we are laughing and celebrating this blessing to the fullest!!! Beth- your studies and teachings have kept me in the word and helped me to keep my eyes on Him!! Thank you beyond words. Hope you had an AWESOME bday!!
Last June, my little 4 year old daughter last was in the middle of the battle of her life, fighting aggressive kidney cancer. This week, last year, she was in the hospital receiving a blood transfusion and as I type these words today, she is squealing in the backyard kiddie pool with her friends, eating popsicles!
I just did a post about the importance of blood donation, especially now during the critical shortages…
http://littlepapiandpunkin.blogspot.com/2009/12/nothing-but-blood.html
When I looked at the pictures of her from last year I was overwhelmed and shocked. It stopped me in my tracks. When I look at her now she is the picture of health- bouncy new curls, rosy cheeks, and 9 more lbs on her frame. I can’t help but smile and laugh when I see her and think of her Great Physician! He restores the broken in every way!
Oh i love this posting and the note at the end. I do many things while waiting on self tanner or for my roots to color since my stylist sister lives in Arkansas and I in Colorado. Hearing these things from other women makes me feel joyful and happy, as do visits with the beloved tiny grandchildren in my life. Oh how i can laugh and sing and dance with joy and without inhabition when with them and with my best friends at times like the Deeper Still event in Denver. Still can;t get over all that i learned and experienced!! Joy, Joy, Joy!! There were four of us in one room at the hotel the night before the event. I had been in the shower and came out to find my three friends laying on one big bed on their backs with their feet in the air giggling and enjoying each others pedicures – well ofcourse i had to join in on something that fun so jumped right in the middle of them to show off my own red toenails – well Malaga Wine colored toenails to be exact!! Oh we laughed and giggled as we admired shiny toenails and looked forward to hearing God speak to us through you Beth!!
God’s ministry through you blesses me richly. Bible studies, prayer journals and this blog have provided a sweet fellowship for my walk with the Lord. Tonight, again, I am reminded that our Jehovah Shammah is deliberate and that ElRoi is always paying attention.
Some years ago my husband and I were facing a time of great testing. God provided several things during that time to remind me of His faithfulness and love. One of those things was a women’s Bible study on Jesus the One and Only. How I needed to reaquaint myself with our precious Lord and how brilliantly He showed up. Also, during that time, God opened our womb for the third time and blessed us with a son. He was born 8 years ago today (17th). We named him Isaac. 🙂
Tonight, I am worn out from all the celebrating of our day. I was just praying about and pondering another season of testing we are currently facing. I was feeling discouraged.
How amazing to find this post! The retelling of Sarah’s Isaac: Abraham’s faith. Seeming impossibility. God’s promises that never fail.
To remind me of our Isaac and the season surrounding his birth: Faith. Seeming impossibilities. God’s promises that never fail.
To renew me now. Faith. Seeming impossibilities. God’s promises that never fail.
And that does make me laugh. Outloud. God never fails. Praise Him!
I am involved in a small group at my church. I have a good friend in group who is a wonderful woman that makes me laugh so often. Her and her husband have grown quite a bit over the few years we have been in group together and they want to lead. However, in large groups she has a hard time.
My friend was able to overcome her fears and share her story with the women in our group. I am still so overjoyed that I smile and laugh through tears. What a victory for her and blessing to us who got to hear her share.
My girlfriends and I just had the funniest moment last night, and I even said, “We need to tell Beth Moore about this.” So here it goes: My friends and I are doing the revised “Breaking Free” study. We conference call once a week to go over the study and reflect on what we have learned. So last night was our night to discuss week 3. We were moving right along when we came to page 74 where it says, “Microscopes replace mirrors. Based on Matthew 7:1-5 what do you think I mean by this expression?” One of my girlfriends responded, “I think we shouldn’t nit pick every detail about what is wrong with a person, but just show them a mirror so they can see for themselves!” OH, did we laugh and laugh over that one! She saw her error almost immediately after sharing it aloud with us and could laugh at herself. We laughed even harder with the thought of God tapping her on the shoulder and saying, “Honey, the mirror is for YOU!”
God does have a sense of humor…thank goodness for that!
I have had a good laugh while reading so many of these comments!! I loved the one about the wake/birthday party!! (Even shared that one with my husband. But he didn’t laugh as much as us girls would.)
I have several dear sweet friends who make it so much better by the way we can laugh!! I have several stories that make me chuckle just thinking about them. But I’ll spare you!
One sweet friend who is naturally jolly and always has an encouraging thing to say really caught me off guard the other night. My husband and I are childless right now for 2 weeks and we are getting alot of teasing and cute comments from our friends. I had emailed my girlfriends letting them know the “2 weeks have now begun!” That evening, at a very serious and very quiet atmosphere (church business meeting), she turned around and says to me…”Now don’t go getting yourself pregnant this week!”
I thought I’d die right there!! (I guess if you know the whole story of me having 3 sons, ages 28,23, and 17, just getting the middle son “out” after 1 1/2 yrs of living at home after college and acting like his arms were broken and he was helpless… And that I cannot wait to hit the “empty-nester” stage of life! I turn 50 this year. Can you tell?)
Anyway, today another friend and I had a really good belly-laugh over that one!! (maybe you had to be there??)
I hope you had a wonderful birthday yesterday, Beth!
Heel clicking and cartwheels. I love the way you girls have fun. 🙂
I think laughter is one of the greatest joys that God has given to us all, if we choose to be joyful, even admist adversity. I think learning to be able to laugh at ourselves is the absolute greatest gift. I have been known to bring myself to tears because I am laughing so hard at myself, I just crack myself up sometimes. Some of my absolute hard core belly laughs have been caused by ME! God is so good and I love His gift of joy and the good sense of humor that he has blessed me with. My Mom recently gave me a little notebook that had a Mary Englebright picture on the cover, with three women holding on to one another and you can tell they are enjoying a good laugh. Written on the cover is this phrase… “She Who Laughs, Lasts” Simple thought, but SOOO TRUE!