Good Tuesday morning, Dear Siestas!
I pray your week is off to a great start! Mine started with a powerful sermon by my pastor, Gregg Matte, and an equally fabulous worship service on Sunday next to some of the people I love most in the world. Like numbers of you, I’ve been in the same congregation for many years and have deep investments in relationships there. Within six or seven rows of where we usually sit, I have dear friends from kindergarten to their seventies (yes, in our contemporary service). I’ve known many of the adolescents all their lives and have watched some of the young couples grow up, fall in love and get married. In fact, I stood with a few of them. My church is a wealth to me. I had the privilege of praying with one of my close 8 year-old friends at the altar on Sunday whose granddaddy is in the hospital and has her scared half to death. There’s just no way I can tell you what those moments mean to me.
I’m an early riser by habit but I was dead to the world Sunday morning and way overslept the clock. I got up rubbing my eyes and said to Keith, “Blast it, I’m up too late to get ready for church.” He very uncharacteristically said, “You can make it!” and I got ready in a record 45 minutes. (Keith does not have a churchy background and is not very churchy by routine. He is often very amused if I play hooky then act guilty about it all day. He’ll think of things to bait me then laugh his head off when I fall for them.) I told him never to expect me to get ready that quickly again but I was so glad we went. It was a truly great service.
My man is one of the most unique people I’ve ever known. He’ll say absolutely ANYTHING which means he’s been known to hurt my feelings on (frequent) occasion…but then he sends me a text while I’m out of town with just one sentence: Come home to me. And I do. I love him so much. He also does really unique things. When I got home Saturday night, I saw this pile on the kitchen counter:
He saw me staring and said, “Oh, I cut the fringe off that fancy pillow on the couch.”
I’m sitting here speechless just as I was that night. But I am bent over laughing. That’s my man. He thinks an ounce of pretension is worth a pound of manure.
OK, my other random thing is that I have a new travel case for my Bible and computer. I AM SO HAPPY! Perhaps you are not a traveler and do not understand the great importance of your carry on. It is your best friend on the road. It’s under pressure to meet all manner of requirement like fitting in the overhead and going under the seat and rolling down an Express Jet aisle. It also has to be cooperative in the security line when you’re trying to pull your laptop in and out and put it on the conveyor belt. These are not small matters. It also has to fit the large box of Hot Tamales one of the guys from the production team gives me as a reward at the end of most conferences.
To tell you how challenging it is to find exactly the right bag, I have carried the same one for some 12 – shoot fire, maybe 14 – years. The handle is almost impossible to get up and down any more and it’s beat nearly to oblivion. I love it so much though. It’s been good to me. Loyal. I even feel a little guilty about the rest of this story.
Sabrina, my coworker, has tried so hard to get me a new one through the years but I always have a reason for rejecting this one or that one. About a month ago, Hawk and I were at the airport on the way to a conference when we spied a woman with the cutest powder blue bag I’d ever seen. It had never hit me that my bag could be useful AND darling. What was I thinking??? Anyway, we attacked her, got the information on the brand, and ORDERED THAT BABY. Rich and Ron from the LPL team have helped me haul that one black carry-on all over the United States for years. They were so shocked to see the new one, they were too frozen to even lift it in the car. “Whose is this??”
It’s mine! I just love it! And so far, through two trips, it’s passing all my flying tests. It’s a bit too wide for my taste but its cuteness is giving it the advantage at this point and is making it worth the trouble to turn side-ways down the aisle. I may get annoyed with that after a while. We’ll see how it goes.
My small group and I are loving our Ruth study so far! Like some of you, we are meeting each week with one another and every other week with the Siestas at large. The first week of homework is fantastic. Don’t you love it? If you’re doing a different study this summer, tell us what it is!
I cannot say enough about our St Louis group. They were absolutely incredible. God was so gracious to grant us a strong sense of His Presence. He is all we have to offer. All we have of value. So many Siestas were there! We tried hard to get the Siestas together at the end of it for a clandestine group picture but most of them didn’t see the slide we’d been slipping up on the screen during break times. I didn’t get to meet Sister Lynn and I was so ticked! I did, however, see her beautiful face out there. I also got to meet five of our other regulars who were so darling that I could hardly stand it.
Well, Siestas, I better get off of here and down stairs at LPM for lunch. We’re eating in today. You are on my mind every day. Just wanted to say hello!
Awwwwww! There was a group of four Siesta’s from Theodosia, MO that didn’t see the slide about a photo! We cheered everytime we saw a slide illustrating the book but we didn’t see this slide. It would have been awesome to meet others from the group in person.
The entire experience at the Conference was great. We experienced the presence of God and worshipped Him in a way that I have never experienced before. Beth, the teaching was HUGE! I am still pouring over my notes and trying to absorb the huge picture; there was soooooo much. I told the gals with me, “If anyone leaves the same as they came, it’s their own fault.”
As we got home, I knew there was reality and real life to be expected in the house. I don’t know how I would have taken in the fringe being cut off the pillows (hahaha); it was enough to find pizza boxes, empty bowls and dirty glasses everywhere.
Thank you Beth for the hilarious insight into your life. We love your bag, and stories about your husband. Too fun!!
Erica, you asked how do we know that God loves us…I will have to answer by saying this, I know he loves me because I see eveidence of his Word coming true in my life. When I am obedient to something He says in scripture, and the promised blessing comes true just like He says it will, I see and feel His love in that blessing. I can see God’s love in the world around me, in the God-made things like our children and nature, beauty and compassion. God is a amazing, and I would encourage you to find a study that helps you to find those verses that show Him to you. I feel like I understand God’s character and personality better since completing Beth’s “To Live is Christ” study of Paul’s life…and I have been a Christian for about 30 years now. I would also encourage you to ask that He show who He is in your prayers, and I would bet He will do just that for you.
I will pray that you find your God Erica!!
Oh Sweet Beth,
I love your random posts. I laughed my head off about the fringe. That just made me giggle. My man would do something like that and I would be what were you thinking? I love that bag you have. Does it come in purple? My signature color. I am right smack in your Esther study and I have to say Mama Beth chapter four is something else. I have so many notes written in my bible aroudn that chapter…I have a tendency to forget…imagine that.. so I have to write things cause I need to remember this. Talk about destiny….and timing…I can’t wait to see what you are going to share with us in your lesson this week.
So glad St. LOuis was a blast. I so hope someday you will get in my neck of the woods so I can give you a big hug.
Thanks for making me laugh.
love you
Love, love the bag! I’m defintely into bags being cute and functional. Aren’t husbands a blessing even when they do things much differently than we as women do?! Love your post. You are so blessed to have a church family like you do!
Beth,
love the bag, if you have a pair of minutes check out these bags..http://www.epiphaniebags.com/
1. I am really wondering if you are truly a sanquine, Beth! My hubby chides me about (and supports) my bag addiction. I love change, and change my bag frequently to fit my mood. Currently, I am toting a bag that Hubby bought in the San Francisco airport while traveling for work trip. It is SO CUTE!!! Stripes and flowers!
2. I am studying “Discerning the Voice of God” by Priscilla Shirer. It is somewhat basic for me, but I am with a new group of women, one of them being a college student that I am lovin on. What this study lacks in depth for me, it more than makes up for in fellowship with sweet sisters. This is a new group of women that I am meeting with, the only one in my little town that is meeting this summer. We laugh together and we cry together, sometimes at the very same time!!
3. I so wanted to meet up with Siesta’s at the Denver Deeper Still. Maybe you could preplan a day or two in advance on here, then we would know to look for it at the LPL event. I’m totally game for the South Dakota LPM, and I really want to meet my neighboring Siestas!
4. Erica, DON’T GIVE UP! Find some women who LOVE Jesus, and are studying the Bible. Or a book that is centered on understanding the Bible. That is a great way to begin figuring things out, and a really fun way to do that is with other sisters in the Lord. It can seem overwhelming and complicated when you start. Tell God, “I’m having a hard time understanding you Lord, will you help me?” The Bible is the best source for understanding Gods love for you. Start in the book of John if you are reading on your own. Circle the word LOVE everytime you see it, and then go back and underline when it’s directed at you. And keep tuning in to Siestaville.
I love the bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t travel but I have LOVED bags my whole life. My children say someday I will make a very “Stylish Baglady”. I certainly have enough of them.
Ok, can I say I “envy” you friendships at church???? When we first joined the one we are attending, they were MUCH smaller…..had a Wednesday night group meeting and I got to know a lot of people that way. Then we changed buildings, we actually got our own sanctuary built, and they cancelled the Wednesday night meeting. Dang I miss it!!! They now meet on Tuesday evenings, men in one room and ladies in another…..not quite the same. I do have a small community group of “Bible Bunnies” I meet with every Wed a.m. and I LOVE those bunnies. We have been meeting for about 5 yrs and we really KNOW each other and that is so great. We are a powerful prayer group. But…I wish I were closer to some of the people at our church.
Well, I rattled on longer than I thought I would….
Loved your post Beth…..Blessings for a great rest of the week.
Bible Bunny in NO MI
Beth – we were so sad we didn’t see the slide and get to the photo op! I think our other plans might just work out, though. SO EXCITED!!!
Still praying and reflecting on the WORD we received! IMAGO DEI – I love it! Anyway – too many thoughts to share here!
love you bunches! Sister Lynn
Beth,
I LOVE these posts! Often, in my conversations with friends, I actually have to tell them,”Okay, I am changing subject channels now,” so they can keep up with my random thoughts.(It all connects in MY brain, they just don’t see the process!) I also TOTALLY relate to the many people in my head talking at the same time! Love your new bag! I,too,am LOVING the Ruth study! I am learning so much already! I’m trying to get my neighbor to do it with me too. Love you to pieces! Joan
P.S.See what I mean about random? It’s okay if you pity my friends, I do;)
Dearest Mama Beth,
When I saw that on your kitchen counter I just thought – Oh Lord, what has invaded Mama Beth’s kitchen! So thank you for letting us know what it was as I was cringing big time!! I thought it was worms! Yes you are allowed to laugh at me..Grin. I love that you think of us and share these random things with us. Your the Best!! Love ya!
Aww Beth, I do LOVE the new bag… and I have to know where you found it… but I’m kind of in love with my new zebra print one… it’s cute, my stuff fits and it’s airport ready. I looked far and wide for it…. but I really like yours, too and it wouldn’t hurt to have a back up. We traveling girls need to be prepared.
I’m so glad St. Louis was good–I’m a St. Louis (more or less) siesta and was sad to miss it :-(. We are actually doing your “Believing God” study this summer & are on week 2 tonight. Twenty women signed up, which is almost half the women from my small church. I’m excited to see what the Lord will do!
Aww! How sweet the words are coming from your man, “Come home to me.”
And I love your travel case. It’s so cute!!!
Oh sweet Beth-
Thank you for checking in today. I do need to tell you AGAIN- that I think our men would have an ever-loving BLAST together! Thank you for sharing so much of you and your life. I appreciate how real you are to me.
We are not doing the Ruth study- and I am fighting the urge to squeeze it in, but I only want to do it if I can commit to it…so feeling very torn. My girls and I are doing Living Beyond Yourself this summer, and learning so much. I love that I can study the Word with them.
We are (kinda) new to our church. I have been on staff there for a few years, but we just recently made the switch, and God has been so good to us! We are feeling so much more connected here and it is so great to see and feel! They are “our home away from home” and “our second family” as our pastor so encourages us to be. The girls went to a community a few hours from us that was ravaged by tornadoes recently, and it was awesome to see them come back from that trip so much MORE connected. God is indeed good, I love the fellowship of a church family.
Thanks for the chat today! I’ve missed you!
In Him,
Andrea
PS: LOVE LOVE LOVE the new blue bag- it is just TOO cute!
Dear Erica,
I must admit that there are things about God that can seem scary and most certainly confusing, but HE IS LOVE, and you can trust that even the most difficult concepts in the Bible are motivated by His deep and endless love.
First, we can know that He loves us because He has told us so. John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Romans 8:38-39 are a few of my favorite verses about His love.
Like Romans 5:8 says, we can also know that God loves us because He came and died for us. Because we have all sinned (missed the mark) in some area of our lives, we cannot be in relationship with God anymore. (That may be one of the scary truths you were talking about). BUT the good news is that God didn’t want to leave us that way, sitting in our mess, unable to fix ourselves. So Jesus came, lived with us, suffered with us, and then He died. He took the punishment that we deserved for our sin, and then He rose from the dead to bring us new, abundant, life!
You have to remember the cross. That’s the ultimate reminder of His love. He was willing to endure all of that because He wanted us…He wanted you. The entire Bible is full of stories of people running from Him, hurting Him, even killing Him, and yet He continues to speak to them and call them back to Himself.
It’s ok to have questions, fears, concerns, etc. Take them to God and ask that He would help you to understand. Read Luke 15:11-32. The man in the story is God. That is how He feels about us. Such love!
Dear Jesus, please help Erica understand and FEEL your love in a very real way today…
oh gosh, love you more, sweetest siesta mama!! love your fresh and adorable new carry-on! cover the old bag’s ears while i say this, but he was looking quite frumpy next to the new perky one… makes me wonder if he’s feeling depressed 🙁 poor thing. think of something important for him to do! and yes, as a missionary, i’ve spent what feels like half my life in airports and on planes, and i know about those travel-tests that the bag must pass!! i’ve had so many annoying ones! one would always somehow catch on the arm rests i was cruising by and so every 3 steps forward down the aisle, it was 2 steps back to loosen myself… that bag only lasted half a trip; i couldn’t survive it!! you may just have to let me know how this one holds up and if it lives up to all we expect of it!! 🙂
Love the new bag even though I am a black bag girl through and through. Our group is loving the study too. In fact I have decided to use Kelly’s material and teach the book of Ruth in our high school girls Sunday School class. There is a lot in there for their age group as well.
Hi, Beth! My husband, Cameron and I celebrated- really CELEBRATED- our 24th anniversary Sunday. I wasn’t sure we would even still be MARRIED to do so. My “season” as we started SSBS III last week was ‘pivitol’- I had one foot firmly planted and the other waiting for God’s direction for my life. Cam and I have suffered some of the most devastating blows a union can suffer, and we were both just about ready to quit when our dear Lord gathered our crushed spirits together with His. Like John the revelator, we decided to communicate “in the spirit” and a miracle occurred that allowed us to see each other for who we are in Christ. I’ve cried, laughed, and experienced a spectrum of feelings for Cameron I’ve not felt in a long while. He is as unique to me as your Keith is to you and I thank God for him. So my updated season is ‘eternallythankful!’
Just thought you’d appreciate that…You are my dear sister and I love you so much!
How do you do that? How do you stay in a church for so long? How do you weather the issue when you need to change churches because you have issues with something or the pastor doesn’t meet your needs anymore or you move away from your favorite church and you so miss it. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
Trying to finish Believing God and find myself pushing myself thru it. Then on to the study of Ruth. Can’t start one until the next. Staying in the Word.
I know what you are saying and it’s nice to know I’m not the only one. I struggle having a church that I really feel at home in the way Beth does! Maybe it’s partly my personality!
Wooo-eee! Some ministry going on here in the comments! I love it!!
Beth, I think your blue bag is darlin’ and my favorite color, too! (I also like purple a lot. Please don’t tell purple what a two-timer I am.)
I am struggling with going to church right now. Pray for my heart. We skipped on Sunday at my prompting and had home church (really). I love so much about our church! I do! But I am struggling right now…and that’s all.
What do you all do when you have a struggle with going to church??
Let me add that my struggle is not with God, but with a “get on board” program at church going on right now that feels like a sales pitch to me…
And I miss our worship leader, who passed a way from leukemia a couple of months ago.
Beth I love you so much you are to funny I love your random post’s they are the best.
When I saw the picture of that fringe on you counter I thought first before I knew what it was I thought what in the world is that shrimp or a plastic bag of shrimp then I just kept reading on then I cracked up when you said Keith cut the fringe of the pillow oh my I am still laughing about it. I am loving the Ruth study the first week of homework really knocked me to the ground on my fanny because how many times to I return to the same old habit over and over and I know its just plane old sin. So I am praying that God will continue to get a hold of me and take that sin away from my life.
Loved the blue bag, I think all of seista’s need one so when we go to your conferences you will know we are the Beth Moore seista’s I could just seee all those bags LOL.
Have a nice evening
Carol
Beth – What was the brand on your blue bag? I really need a better carry on bag for my computer, Bible, etc. when we travel. Also, Hot Tamales are my fav too! Love the large boxes at Walgreens for $1 if you buy 4 or 5.
By the way, attended the Deeper Still conference in Denver and it was absolutely the best teaching conference I have been to. Thank you for all you do to minister to women – you are a blessing!
Oh my gosh!! I almost bought that exact same bag at the airport just last month! Great taste, sister friend! Bless our little blue hearts … that’s right, they really are blue until brought out into the atmosphere! The oxygen is what gives the blood it’s red color!
Beth, It was so wonderful getting to meet you Saturday after the LPL event in St. Louis. I knew that I would meet you one day in heaven, but never dreamed that i would actually get to meet you here on this earth. God is so AWESOME
i forgot to mention that “the fringe”… was THE most hilarious thing i’ve seen and heard in a LONG time… that is sooo a my-dad thing to do! he once shot a hole in our roof from inside, to get a dang cat off the rafters… classy huh? he’s not dramatic or anything 😉
Seista sepik-meri katie
that is to funny about shooting a hole in the roof This is great fun here in seistaville
Blessing to you seista
Carol
Erica, I have struggled with that question sooo much! I was taught all my life God is Love, God loves me, Jesus died on the cross for my sins because he loves me. I know all of this in my head. I have had a hard time wrapping my heart around it. God is so big! Every time I would pray I would just see this BIG GOD in the heavens. People would talk about how he was right there with him and Beth always talks about how he is so fun! I was struggling so! I was told Jesus was thinking about me when dying on the cross but I would always think ” Certainly not me, everybody else, but not me.” I couldn’t get past my past if you know what I mean. I can’t tell you exactly when that changed. God brought precious women into my life to love me and show me they cared even when I wasn’t perfect. I finally became broken enough to let go of the control over everything in my life. Faith is believing and not seeing. If we could have proof of everything God has promised and said to us, it wouldn’t be faith. We just have to trust. I will be praying for you sweet sister.
PS. Beth, I laughed hysterically about the pillow fringe.
I can’t believe he left the evidence sitting there!
sorry i hit send before i meant to. God is so AWESOME and knew how much I needed to meet you that weekend!!! Thank you so much for praying for my family and our church. I can’t even begin to tell you how much that meant to me. I brought 22 ladies and one brave man to the St. Louis LPL and each one of them told me how much God spoke to their hearts through what you spoke about. Then on Sunday our pastor spoke about being created in God’s image and I could see all them turning to look at one another and mouthing Imago Dei, so AWESOME!!!!!
Thank you so much for being a true servant of God and spreading His word all over. I can truely see Imago Dei in you!!
I love you so much, keep up the awesome work of our Lord!!!
Meeting with my small group tonight. Feeling so privileged and blessed be in the company of these two other great women … don’t feel worthy of that! Excited and a little bit scared ~ I’m such a private person, but have a lot that I need to share tonight in this safe setting. Praying I will be able to share and be received well … during our weeping we must be sowing … and then one day reaping with our Savior. Oh how I can’t wait for that precious day to come.
Laughed my head off about the fringe! That is priceless.
Yep.
Erica, Thank you for posting that question. I have been thinking the exact same thing. A few months ago I went to a Living Proof Live conference, at the conference Beth asked us to turn to our neighbor and tell them Jesus loves you, I could do that. Then she wanted us to say Jesus Loves Me to our neighbor. Well, I couldn’t do it, because I have such a difficult time believing He does love me. So many questions on why. So, it has been so good to read all these responses from everyone. Thank you…
Beth- this post made me giggle so much. =)
I am just finished with my first day of “nannying” for the summer – my charge is a 4 year old boy named Kaleb. He is precious, but desperate for my undivided attention. (He wouldn’t play with his toys alone long enough for me to get today’s hw in for Bible study! =D) And that’s so taxing! Especially in this HOT Georgia humidity!! I’m so grateful for this giggle and a lighter mood. =)
Beth from GA
Wow! Nice looking bag that will become popular for so many of us.
I did see that the Siamod ‘Novembre’ Women’s Leather Detachable Wheeled Laptop Case is slightly narrower but taller that may work for you if you do become frustrated struggling down the airline aisles.
The McKlein USA W Series La Grange Leather Vertical Detachable-Wheeled Ladies’ is taller and narrower too, but it has a different handle than the one that looks like you have the McKlein USA W Series Glen Ellyn Leather Detachable-Wheeled Women’s 15.4″ Laptop Case. eBags
God created the world with so many beautiful colors and it is so uplifting to see a rainbow of colors to choose from.
We love because God first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Take Him at His Word–it never fails nor does He.
How stink’in funny is your hubby! I have loved reading everyone’s answers about God’s love to Erica – what an amazing group of woman represented here!
A group of friends and I are week 3 into the Daniel study and loving it. Is God making some waves in His women this summer, or what!!!
Hi Beth! I loved your random post! The fringe thing is too funny. I’m not doing Ruth this summer because I’m meeting with you and about 200 other women on Monday nights and Breaking Free. We are in week four, which you said last night was the digging deep week and already I know that this study is changing my life. I have come to realize just how much I believe Satan’s lies over God’s truth in my life. I have not battled the enemy with the truth of God’s word like I should. Can I just say, “this thing in my right hand is a LIE!!” I hate it so much and I am finally opening my hand and giving it to him! I want to be free from all the negative self talk!
Bless you for the powerful teaching and always giving Christ all the glory!
I love you so much ~ Kristin
Erica – I just saw your question! I have to scoot but want to weigh in when I get a minute – though sure you’re getting an ear full (and hopefully a heart full) by lots of other siestas! Oh, alright. I’ll post my two cents right now.
1) Because He says He loves us in numerous places in the Word.
2) I choose to activate faith and believe what He says in the Word is true.
3) If I’m faithful to activate faith about what He says – each day (I have found that faith is like a muscle and I need to exercise it. Don’t even have to join a fitness club!) then
4)… when times of testing come – and they will come – my faith in Who God says He is is alive and it carries me through those dark, confusing, desert times and places.
5) It comes down to me knowing what God says in His Word and believing it (why memorizing the Word is so key).
6) Point 4 is not easy. It is hard; but it is life – and my sweetest times with the Lord have come in my “Point 4” times.
Loving you, loving God, loving the book that tells us all about God and His love, loving siestas near and far ~
Dear Beth and Siestaville Sisters
First off, I love the fringe action! That is too funny! Trust a man to leave it on the counter for you to see! LOL
I would like to ask that if someone has a couple of minutes in the next few days, if they could ask God to send me a little sunshine. I am so richly blessed by the Lord, I know that without any doubt, and I love the Lord so much…but right now, in the next few weeks, my only daughter and her husband are moving from the Pacific NW to NYC for five years for grad school. It is truly a blessing, but I am having a hard time keeping it together as the countdown begins. She is definitely stressed and so I am trying to be supportive, but only a mother’s heart can understand that ache. My brother is also going to move to Hawaii around the same time. It all seems a bit overwhelming; because at the same time is the anniversary of my mom’s death (and I miss her dearly).
I remind myself that God has a plan for all of us and everything works for the good of those who love God. I know that there is a time for all things under the heavens, but right now I could use a friend to lean on from afar.
BTW, I am doing the Ruth study and so enjoying it. I know there are so many more urgent needs than this….I mean it is all good, but it is still hard, so if a little prayer could be said I would so love that heavenly hug!
Thank you siestaville!
Maryann. Yes. I get it. Praying.
Praying Maryann. For God’s light to shine brightly in your circumstances and His love to warm your heart in the loneliest, saddest moments of the days ahead. I pray He would give you a season of exchange. A time when He exchanges all the concerns of your heart for the Joy of His love.
Blessings.
Prayers going up for you, Maryann!
Thanks for sharing your heart Maryanne. I am not there yet but my teenagers are getting older every day and the thought of sending them off already makes me sad. They are in God’s hands
Maryann, you are more than worth a couple of minutes talking to our Father. Lord, please send Maryann some sunshine.
HUGE hugs to you Maryann! Praying for God to hold you tightly!
Hi Maryann,
I am most certainly praying for you. Praying for His comfort for you as He knows best how to provide it for you. Love you, siesta!
Love the new bag, it is perfect. Thank you for just being you! God has asked me to write you a letter introducing myself and telling you a bit about my journey. Now, you don’t even know me, however, He keeps bugging me so I guess you will be getting a letter, ok. a dang novel soon. You might want to pray for me. Have an awesome week. Love ya, mean it!
i simply love this siesta community… all the siesta sisters and beth! it is a place of love and comfort, safety and honesty. you all rise to the challenge of beth to answer sweet erika’s question of how do we know that god loves us. i love that!
erika…sweet thing, this is how you can know that god loves you. you put out a question that is so deep, yet pure and honest about god’s love and what comes forth to you is an outpouring of caring responses to you and ultimately all the rest of us, too. filled with scripture and loving words, virtual hugs. where else could you go and get this kind of response? siestaville welcomes you with open arms – no questions asked. the women here are representation, well a microcosm perhaps of what god’s love is like for you…to soak it up, relish it. which makes me keep coming back all the time. does that make sense? that god’s love is community, siestaville is community and you have now experienced his love first hand? that’s just the tip of it…
not to mention all that beth does and says in the name of our father – how she leads and ministers. makes me simply hum…
beth, btw: that baby blue bag is to die for!
I’m so glad you wrote today. I’m lonely tonight which is pretty unusual for me. My man is on a mission trip (surprise, surprise because he isn’t “churchy” either!)in Nicaragua with zero communication for 15 days. I laughed out loud so hard about the cutting of the tassles that my dog wondered what in the sam hill was wrong with me!! Love the blue bag – in fact I’m jealous!
Oh, Tina, I’d feel the same way. Glad we could keep you company for a little while. Hang in there and may Christ minister to your sweet heart while your man’s away.
Oh, I missed the little hints…I would have so loved to see me some Siestas, and finally meet you in person Beth…One day 🙂
I love that you husband cut the fringe off your pillow…love it..
The blue bag is so cute too…
Love ya, Kim
That cracked me up so much (the tassels!) I can’t wait to show my hubby!! HAHA!!
I have had an amazing week, and INCREDIBLE answer to prayer and I will share it with you all when I can. Just know, PRAYER works and God is so good. Beth, you have played such a major role in this situation, more than you can know. Someday we’ll meet, in heaven or here and I’ll get to share with you. Just know, God did something big and I’m pretty dang excited! 🙂
It will be telling on my priorities that out of all the topics in this post, Beth, the big standout to me is THAT BAG! I have a crush on the luggage from the sixties; those powder blue and blush pink little cuties. Your bag is so like them. I would travel just so I would need it. I would go places I don’t want to be, just so I could use it. I would wear it out and then have myself cremated just so I could fit into it. In other words, I like the bag.
Ha! Ha! Love your description of liking the bag!
Hey siesta mama
Love your random posts! I was wondering if you would pray with me as you did with your eight year old friend? I have been feeling very tired and out of sorts lately. I mean stay in bed all day kind of tired. I started a small group for the Ruth study and don’t know if I will be able to finish. I am missing so many amazing things that happen in the summer.
I have been to the doctor but no diagnosis yet. I am too tired to even have a quiet time most days and some days I am too out of it to have much of a prayer time. There is so much I want to do. Maybe this is some kind of spiritual warfare. As you say I want to end well.
I do want to say thank you for being such a faithful servant!
Love ya!
Kristi, I had no idea. Good grief. Stay at it, Sister. Something’s up. Yes, it may be warfare but it’s more likely Satan taking advantage of a physiological situation of some kind. Of course, I’m wondering if you’re taking good vitamins and supplements and getting plenty of sunshine and exercise and if there’s any depression involved in it but these are things for medical professionals and not friendly Siestas. Keep after some answers and I’m praying God will reveal them soon.
Kristi, you’re describing me 4 years ago. It was all I could do to get the kids to school, make it through work, feed them, feed myself… I seriously slept all the time. I even fell asleep one night cooking dinner, laid my head on the counter and was sound asleep. Turned out to be my thyroid… sucker went kaput on me at 35 years old. My levels were only off a little, but I had a good doctor that recognized clinical symptoms can be just as important as bloodwork. It could be lots of things, but definitely ask your doctor to please check your thryoid. I became a new woman once I started on the synthroid. love you and praying for you siesta!
Erica, Sometimes people grow up thinking God is here to punish us and to condemn us, but God sent Jesus to seek and to save those who are lost. Jesus came to forgive us of the things we do wrong. We do not measure up to the standards of a Holy, Righteous God. The price of sin is eternal death, but Jesus paid the price for our sins when He died on the cross. God gave you the freedom of choice.
You may believe in your heart what Jesus did on the cross or you can reject Jesus. To accept Jesus and believe Him you receive eternal life (when you die you will go to Heaven and be with Him) You can pray and ask Jesus in your heart today. Here is prayer if you do not know how
to pray: God, forgive me of my sins (things I do wrong), I invite Jesus to come into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for dieing on the cross for the things I do wrong and giving me eternal life. Amen
Christian means follower of Christ. Lord means He is in charge of your life and you want Him to guide you. Savior means He saves you from going to hell and you trust Him to take you to Heaven.
I turned my life over to God when I was 16 year old. I prayed a simple prayer. You will never regret turning your life over to God. He wants a personal relationship with you. Study His Word and keep in prayer.
Personally, I know God is a loving God because of who He is. He is Creator, Provider, Protector, Forgiver, Lover of our souls, Ever-lasting, Everywhere, Judge, Sustainer of Life, Holy, Father of the fatherless, Mighty, All-powerful,All-Knowing, He is Our Praise and Our Salvation, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the great and mighty God.
He knows your very thoughts and hears your prayers. He can direct your paths. He is Holy and righteous. He is the truth, the way and the Life.
God can work in your life and He wants the best for you. Praying God will speak to your heart today.
in Christ, Joyce
Dear Beth,
We just moved from Texas to Tennessee recently. I was taking a break from unpacking boxes, thought I’d check the Blog. My nine year old son came through and saw your picture on the sidebar.
He said, “Is that the Texas Bible Study Lady?”
Mom – “Yep”
Son – “And she still does it here?”
M – “Yes”
Son – “Woah!”
Hope that made you smile.
Love From Tennesee,
Michelle & Dimitri
michelle & dimitri,
made ME smile! 😀 (we moved from TX to KS…and was so glad she still does it here, too : )
Made me smile too! Whoa is such an appropriate word for what is here!
Siestas,
I did a search and found a similar bag… I think it’s the same and it does come in different colors. Search McKlein Glen Ellyn Rolling Laptop Totes
Love your random posts; so much fun!
I have to admit that I’m disappointed at not seeing the announcement about a Siesta picture in St. Louis.
And what a blessing to read all of the replies to Erica!
Didn’t intend for this to be so random…
Awww!! I love how this post transitioned from a post about a super cute bag to a post about how God loves us.
So… Hi Erica!! Looks like you just made yourself some new friends, chica! My name is Miranda, I’m 23, and I came to Christ a little over 2 years ago. It’s in the small things, for me, that I just KNOW God truly loves me. He’s done some A-mazing thing in my life that completely leave me in awe… but it’s when I hear a song on the radio that have lyrics that speak right to my heart on a bad day. When I look up to the sky and see a cross in the clouds…when I hold my sweet nieces in my arms, and when I feel the comfort in the stillness of His grace. His Word is what’s it’s all about, but you have to truly open yourself to all He has to offer. Not a stereotype. Him.
Blessings girl!
This is a quick blurb about what Erica asked: Oswald Chambers said it is easy to interpet God as indifferent because so often He is silent. If your question is honest then you will find the answer you seek and you will find your hearts desire. With all of my heart I know that God is love and I have experienced it. It may sound like a ‘pat’ answer but I suggest read the hymn Amazing Grace–all the lines. What did the writer of the song say about himself in relation to God in that song. Hope that helps. Love Heather
So, my Bible Study group had just ended and I was trying to decompress a little. Imagine three (relatively) young mamas trying to study Ruth together while 9 kids (ages 2 thru 11) and a rambunctious dog are running around a small house. I’m trying to figure out how to occupy them so we can actually discuss a little better, but so far no luck. We might try Burger King play area next week. Surprisingly, we still have a good time and did get to discuss some and walked away blessed by the time. I was just a little frazzled after. 🙂
Anways, your random post was just what I needed. Thank you, Beth! I don’t know why but it was just so refreshing to simply hear what has been going on with you and get a laugh or two out of it as well.
Your realness is an inspiration to me. I am just at the beginning of being in women’s ministry. I had no idea that is where God was going to take me, but he keeps putting women in my path. So, here I am, and I LOVE it! Anyways, it’s nice to know that it’s okay to be real. 🙂
Erica, Wow!! All the responses you’ve gotten have blessed me. I hope they have you too. Those ladies are giving you a small glimpse of the love our God has for us. My only suggestion is that you might want to check out Henry Blackaby’s “Experiencing God” study. That study helped me see God in a new light and made Him more real and approachable to me. Of course, all of Beth’s studies are AWESOME too. I come away blessed and more in love with my Savior every time!
Blessings,
SS