How is my favorite blog community? I’ve been keeping a close eye on all of you for the last week but I intentionally left our blog wide open to Amanda as she went on mission to Guatemala with Compassion International. I am so proud of her. She went way out – I do mean W-A-Y O-U-T – of her comfort zone to take that kind of mission trip and see those horrible conditions with her tender heart. Don’t get me wrong. Amanda’s always been courageous but she has as sensitive a heart and conscience as anyone I’ve ever known. It’s part of what makes her the wonderful person she is. She can’t look intently at something without taking it on. The only thing further outside her comfort zone than going to those projects and that vulture-infested dump was then asking if anybody wanted to help. That’s the thing about taking a trip like that. Your comfort zone is forever changed. I think God means to get each one of us to a place where we’re more comfortable asking for help than we are with closing our eyes, turning our heads, and letting things stay the same.That applies to any dimension of life, really.
We are convinced that God wants us to take time out of our regular routine around here at least once a year to highlight specific world needs and offer opportunities to help. You are never under compulsion. These are just opportunities for those in search of some. A platform of this kind comes with serious responsibility and stewardship and is meant for more than a social outlet for an isolated sanguine. It’s a frightening prospect apart from the grace and mercy of God. About four or five years ago, Travis and I also heard distinctly (and separately) from the Lord about giving to the poor at our Living Proof Live events. There are so many great opportunities for giving that we’ve chosen to spread it out a little bit through the various arms of this ministry. At Living Proof Live, we partner with Samaritan’s Purse. Here on the blog, we partner with Compassion International and, through the Wednesday broadcast, we partner, of course, with Life Outreach and Mission Feeding. Our efforts are pathetic if God doesn’t add the increase through the power of His Spirit but we trust Him to do so. After all, it was His idea. He is the one who said,
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; then righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Praise His faithful Name.
We’ll move now from the sacred to the virtually meaningless and then hopefully back to the sacred. Since I talked to you last…
*I’ve had a weekend off. Got to sleep in. Read, read, read, and go on a walk and, afterward, drive over to see my dear sister, Gay, where she serves Jesus. I am so honored to pursue Him with my very own blood kin. She was the dearest thing in the world to me growing up. We shared not only a room but a double bed. That’s what you do in big families with small bank accounts. The word “mine” wasn’t in our vocabulary much in those days and we were the better for it. We shared the same dolls and were dressed in matching home-sown outfits a good bit of the time. We were inseparable till life took its grievous toll. Believe me when I tell you that we both earned the right to self-destruct. We never quit loving each other even through periods of hurt and silence. We just quit doing life together for a while. God is restoring to us the years the locusts have eaten. That’s another story for another time but one of the biggest things going on in my personal life. I love Jesus so much for what He’s doing. (OK, so that one didn’t turn out meaningless at all. Often when I write, I mean to head one direction and end up in another.)
*I’ve had a fancy dinner with my man. Colin and Melissa gave us a gift card for Keith’s birthday to a steakhouse in Houston that we really love and we shared a crab cake, each got a wedge salad with crumbled blue cheese, steaks (mine 6 oz filet, his, a honking – or shall I say mooing – rib eye), cheese grit souffle, green beans, and croissant bread pudding for dessert. It was incredible and so much fun. My man was so handsome sitting on the other side of that candle-lit table.
*Keith shot in two sporting clays’ tournaments over the weekend and won first place. The man can shoot. I love it when nothing perishes.
*Curtis and the kids flew back from his parents Saturday night and I got to see them Sunday at church. I so enjoyed just sitting with my son-in-law in the worship service. It’s rarely ever just the two of us and I am such a fan of his. We are blessed beyond measure to have the two sons-in-law our girls brought us. I got to have Jackson all afternoon until Curtis grabbed him to head to the airport to get his mama. I would love to have had Annabeth, too, but she’s pretty tanked after Sunday school and church and is most blessed by a nice, long afternoon nap. I’m the same way most weeks. I get to spend many Monday mornings with her anyway so that’s my consolation.
*Jackson had his very first soccer practice last night! Yes, Amanda and Curtis have entered the wild world of children’s sports. He was so proud of his shin guards that he slept in them the first night.I love the little dude so much.
*It’s still 100 degrees in Houston.Do NOT send me any pictures of autumn leaves. Melissa tried that yesterday and I called her mean names.
*There is a rat in my garage.
So, what are you guys up to this Fall? I’d love to hear about your plan for victory over the next several months! What Bible studies are you in this semester? Are you engaged in a small group or are you going solo? Do tell!
Sorry I’m all over the place. I think I’ve had too much coffee.
My Sunday School class is doing your study “Jesus the One and Only.” It’s been a wonderful experience to fall in love with Him all over again.
I made a renewed committment to pray for my husband’s salvation. I found the cutest sterling silver ring with the words “Everything is possible with faith” engraved around it. I wear it everyday knowing that “what is impossible for men, is possible for God.” (Luke 18:27)
Praying for everyone to have a great fall!
Salina, I’m praying with you for your husband’s salvation. With God all things are possible.
Patti Hayes
My usual Bible study group is starting A Woman’s Heart again this fall, and I’ve decided to break away from them temporarily to try out Kay Arthur’s Return To The Garden. We started last week and I’m loving it so far. Kay’s homework is different but I’m getting the hang of it, I think. Fortunately, the groups aren’t starting at the same time, so I think I’ll be able to sneak in on the third week of A Woman’s Heart once Return To The Garden is finished. I have always wanted to do the tabernacle study again after the first time I did it, but I really felt that I needed to do this Kay Arthur thing with my friend.
I say I’ve always wanted to do A Woman’s Heart a second time, but the truth is, Beth, I always want to do every one of your studies a second time right after we do them. I just feel that it’s so much information and study that I would benefit from starting over as soon as I finish and just taking it again, to make sure it absorbes. But as soon as we finish one, we’re right into another one and I’m too busy with new homework to go back through the old. Does anybody else feel this way?????
Well, it’s still hot here in the ATL, but our mornings are cool and that is a blessing! This fall, physically God has me training for this 1/2 marathon. BUT, He is using it to teach me some spiritual lessons.
I’m thrilled to be starting Discerning the Voice of God w/ my Bible study girls next week. Can’t wait to see what God is going to do!
And thank you for sharing about you and your sister and the reunion you have had. I am praying for that in our extended family. We are in the middle and just praying that exact passage for Hosea, that God will restore the years the locusts have destroyed.
blessings,
steph.
Hi, Beth. Thanks for your great post. I don’t normally comment, but I love to read your blog. I wanted to share what I am up to this fall. Today I began my second year leading the Moms’ Group at my church. It’s an amazing group of women who earnestly seek the Lord in all they do and I am honored to lead/serve them. This year we are studying The Armor of God out of Eph. 6. I am so excited to see where God leads us through this study and I am hopeful for some life changing moments. In addition to this ministry, my husband and I are leading a Family Small Group at our house every other week. We haven’t done this style of small group before but are excited to include our two daughters, ages 9 and 4, in the study along with other families. Our daughters also keep us very busy! Our oldest will start basketball at the end of October and our youngest just started a ballet and tap class last night. She seriously is the cutest thing! It’s fun to see her enjoying one of the first activities she has participated in apart from her older sister. I am praying to be able to attend your Living Proof Live event in Tacoma, WA in March. I have only been to one before and I am looking forward to it so much! God bless you this fall and thank you for your heart for all of us. P.S. I know you said you didn’t want any pictures of autumn leaves, and I won’t send any, but it is absolutely beautiful here in the suburbs of Seattle today. We barely had a summer though, and the last few weeks have only been in the 60’s for the most part. It’s downright cold! I know, it’s difficult to imagine that while living in Texas. I was in San Antonio in July for a wedding and I think I melted just a little. It is so hot there! Hopefully the coolness of fall is just around the corner for you, but really, does it ever get that cool in Texas? Or is just “less hot”? Hang in there!
I made the hubby clean out the garage and we found a dead rabbit in there! I’d say the cleaning was long overdue! Soccer, homework, baths, cleaning, dinner etc. exhaust me but it’s fun, most of the time 😉
I really think your “every day” updates are some of my favorites. Makes the joy and peace and victory I see in your life seem more attainable for my own, if we two “average girls” can be lumped in the same category. God is setting me free from a 20+ year addiction to food. I’ve lost 40 pounds during the past few months and aim to lose another 25 or so. The journey is brutal. I’ve done this before, certain I would never go back to Egypt, only to run head-long back into it. Pray that this time it sticks!!
I’m a sixth grade teacher, into my fourth week of the school year. So far, so good. Mostly! I’ve got my own daughter several periods a day and that has been a challenge. On Friday she came over to me and whispered in my ear, “You’re being too strict today.” To which I replied, “Well, you guys are being bad today.” Today she was mad because I was on her case about her math test, stating she hates having her mom for a teacher. Completely forgetting, obviously, that I would have been on her case no matter what!! We’ll survive, but it looks like the year will have its challenges. On top of that, she broke her collarbone during P.E. and is stuck wearing a figure-8 brace for a month, which has been the cause of much fussing and whining about “feeling bound in” and “having a hump in the middle of her back.” Oh boy, am I learning patience and kindness.
Daughter #1 has started the world of high school. We’ve had lots of tears. This child has a huge heart and wears it on her sleeve, so we’ve been having nightly chats and counseling sessions. Currently she is mad that we didn’t have her sooner, arguing that if we had, she’d be a junior. I calmly pointed out that she’d still have had to make this adjustment, to which she insisted that it would have been easier. Between the two of my kiddos, there has been no end of irrational statements during the past few weeks! I’m doing my best to nurture and love and see the humor, but parenting currently has me about worn out!
Okay, that’s my shot at the trivial and meaningless. Thanks for listening! It felt good to vent a bit. 🙂
Love you,
Renee
“I’d love to hear about your plan for victory over the next several months! ”
I’d like to fill out an adoption application and send in my fee in the next few months. Timing is everything and the Lord is in control. He just needs to tell my husband its TIME.
By the way, your sentence yelled out to me because our new daughter (whenever and from wherever) will be named Victory Hope.
BETH!!! I’m so excited. I have begun studying Biblical Greek. Tomorrow night is my fourth lesson and we are already translating simple sentences. I prayed and voiced my desires to our heavenly Father and voila, my church offered it on a Wednesday night. I get more and more excited about God’s Word and more excited to experience the results from believing its Truth by faith. I’ve had some hard journeys, but learning to die to self and holding on to the joy in walking with Christ is so worth it. The JOY of the Lord is my strength on this life journey.
We are beginning a small group bible study called Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus next Monday! I’m really excited but a bit nervous because…we’re inviting boys, as in a co-ed small group of college age and grads. My church doesn’t attract a whole lot our age so we have to band together! I’m praying all goes as God plans and hopefully a boy will want to step up and help lead!
Amanda did an amazing job of sharing her experience with us! She is braver than I am! I am thankful that she made it home safely. She had a lot of people praying for her.
I started Community Bible Study last week. In a couple weeks, we are going to start the Believing God Bible study at my church.
Enjoying doing Bible study with you!Have an awesome week, Siestas!
Thanks for the check-in!
I’m in my second year of seminary– worshipping through a theology class, learning Hebrew, and reading some challenging work for Biblical Global Justice. I’m MOST excited about the Psalms study my building is doing, too. 4 of the ladies got married THIS MONTH! Whew!
Dearest Beth-
I am so excited about attending the Simulcast LIVE in Chicago. I purchased 2 extra tickets (had no idea that I did that but God did), so I was able to bless 2 friends with them. Each of them have had a very difficult year and need the encouragement! I love how Jesus goes before us and allows us to be part of His work.
As far as Bible Study, I have been in a group of women called the BSL’s, (Bible Study Ladies) for the past 2 years. We just finished the book of James after more than a year of study. I am soooo looking forward to when you finish your study, what an awesome part of scripture. We will be heading into 1Peter.
May the Lord Jesus annoint you and the praise team as you minister to hungry women who are desperate for Jesus.
I love you so much,
Michelle
Dear Beth, So much to tell you. First, remember I told you at bible study last Tuesday night that Melissa and Zachary are getting baptized this weekend.
We go to 2nd Baptist Church here in Katy, right off of I-10. I will send you a picture of them next week. Also, Bible study started today at 2nd and I am doing your Breaking Free. It is so good. I can’t believe you did it again. You go girl! I am loving it. My bondage is being content here in Texas. We moved here last year and I still have days where I feel very much alone. I worry about what if something happens to my family. I don’t have any friends here yet and all of my family is back in St. Louis. Moving to a new area for the 1st time is not easy so that is why Breaking Free is so important to me. I am praying that after I take this study, I will be content with whatever happens in my life and where ever I live. God bless you! I am so grateful God gave you the gift of teaching. I learn so much when I take your studies.
PS. My best friend who lives in Virginia told me today that 90 Days with Paul comes out in October. I can’t wait. Right now I am doing 90 days with Jesus and I have done 90 days with David and John and I love them all. Although, this one about Jesus might be my favorite. I hope you are having a great week. Take care of yourself.
This fall I will be studying the book of Isaiah at Bible Study Fellowship. It is going to be life changing and challenging at the same time. I can’t wait!
Hi everyone,
We are starting a whole new women’s ministry at our church (they had cancelled the old one) and indeed, I get to do your Psalms study with some wonderful church friends on Thurs. mornings. God has provided EXACTLY what I needed, timing and everything, once again, and I am astounded and love Him all the more. Oh yeah, reading Believing God right now too while I help take care of my mom this week(Alzheimer’s type dementia). Thanks again for your devotion to help us learn more about God and His ways.
Jen
What is God doing in our lives this fall? We are having our second baby in mid October. A girl to bless our family. So needless to say, I did Breaking Free when you first wrote it and I am doing it again. I don’t want to pass on alot of baggage to this precious little lady. A tiny carry on at most (haha).
Beth, thanks for your devotion to Christ and ministry to women. It’s been a guide and inspiration for me in my role as a pastor’s wife. What God has done through you in my life has truly continued on (I hope and pray) through this sinner’s heart into other women.
God Bless you and your ministry.
It’s soooo fun to see all the different studies these women are diving into this fall! Wow! And I love seeing that others on here are in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) – I’m a discussion group leader with BSF and we start tomorrow – only my 2nd year so I have much fear and trepidation, but have learned God likes to have me in positions where I have to fully rely on Him to survive! 🙂 And I’m doing Esther at our church (LOVE it so far); Chuck Swindoll’s “Grace Awakening” with our Sunday School and am REALLY looking forward to YOUR visit here (in Rapid City, SD) in November!! Can’t wait!
I am so excited to be in God’s Word using Faithful, Abundant and True as our women’s study this fall. I was privileged to attend the Orlando event, so you might say I’m going “deeper still” with Deeper Still. We have 22 women, of all ages, in this coastal South Carolina group. 22!
I am also blessed to be doing the CBS study of Revelation with my husband.
Beth, you and your sister are in my prayers every day. What a wonderful God we serve. He cares so much about each and every one of us.
Oh, I’m glad you asked. 🙂
Our ladies are doing “Wising Up” and last night’s lesson was on friendships. It was SO good! Before the lesson we sang “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” It was beautiful!
After the lesson was over, I was turning off the sound and shutting the dvd machine down & one of our very gifted and talented ladies went straight to the piano and started playing that song again. The other 29 or so ladies had left and there were 6 of us around the piano. One of our ladies invited a friend who lives here, but is originally from Korea. We sang one hymn after another for over 30 minutes. The lady from Korea has a beautiful voice. I was so very blessed. I was telling my song leader about it today and he wants us to sing next Wednesday night at church. 🙂
Our ladies love you and love your teaching. I wish you could just be a little fly on the wall sometime in our studies and see how much laughter & delight we have watching you teach. We are definitely “wising up.”
THANK YOU!
So glad you were able to have a restful weekend & glad you and Keith had such a wonderful time when you went out for dinner. Everything sounded super delicious!
Valerie, that was beautiful thank you for sharing.
Valerie, your sharing of that story made me want to be there. What a sweet testimony.
Blessings to you,
Patti Hayes
completed the session two video for “Here and Now, There and Then” about an hour ago. SO AMAZED AT GOD!!!! LOVE getting to know my Savior better. Can’t help but wonder about the poor woman you described pleading with her husband in their front yard to keep their family together years ago. this is my 4th study. first three: Esther, Breaking Free, and Daniel. keep em comin, girlfriend! and God bless!
I am embarking our our second Priscilla study- One in a Million! So excited to study the faithfulness of God!! Because HE IS!!
Thanks for the post…always an encouragement to my soul…meaningless or not;)
I just loved Amanda’s posts from her mission trip! We sponsor a child through Compassion in Thailand, and my girls (11 and 9) read every word. It was so good for all of us to be reminded of our blessings, but also was so interesting to see some behind the scenes workings of Compassion. We sat down Sunday afternoon and wrote our little sweetie a long letter and promised again to pray for her. It grieves me that I can’t sponsor 10,000 children! Thank you for sharing your trip Amanda!
Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed 🙂 On week two, and I love it because I was actually at that DS and it is reminding me of so many wonderful things the Lord did that weekend. I think we’ll do Jonah after this one to finish the semester 🙂
I’m with you with the hot hot weather! I’m so over it. As far as this fall, I’m trying a new small group Bible study at my youngest’s school. We are doing the DVD’s NOOMA. We have done Rain and Fire so far. All I can say is WOW! It’s been wonderful! Learning so much about God, myself and others in the group. In addition, we started the Mom’s In Touch today at my older daughters’ high school and a book study (Raising Kids for True Greatness). Mom’s In Touch is a prayer group and is such a blessing to me. We pray for all the students in the school. I’m not great at praying and much less focusing for an hour but it is teaching me a lot! And after all of that…seeing colleges outside of Texas for my oldest. I think that’s changing me or maybe “killing” me the most.
Thanks for your post! Love reading them:)
Beth,
I am excited to share Kelly Minter’s “Ruth” study with a new group of friends. I homeschool and felt led to begin a Homeschooling Mom group this fall where we can encourage one another by refocusing on the Word, & reconnecting with one another. After being so encouraged and built up by Ruth this summer, I decided this HAS to be a part of our new group. Come to find out there are lots of moms who homeschool in my neighborhood who come from very different belief backgrounds…Who knew?! Only after I decided to do this have I met these new friends….I do not understand how they do it apart from Him! Anyhow, praying for Him to draw these unto Himself. I believe His Word will not return without accomplishing His desire…If only they will come to hear His word.
We just began “Breaking Free” tonight at our church (I am facilitating) . . . I did this study on my own in 2008 while my husband & I were in Houston for 5 months when he was receiving treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center . . . I’m nervous, excited, humbled and SCARED to be doing this in a group!
Hi Beth,
Our leaves haven’t changed yet here in Maryland but the weather has cooled. We had very hot temps this summer which kept me off the golf course. So, fall holds good golf days for me. I took up golf last year and I am crazy for it. I smile as I think of your golf story.
Thursday our group of women GAB = Girls And Bibles will start Esther. We have about 17 women attending their ages ranges from 30’s to 60’s. This is really cool because of our seasons of life we each have so much to give to one another. On Saturday I will be at the simulcast and I am so looking forward to this. Beth, thank you for inspiring me to be a woman seeking a Christ-centered life.
What a cool name for your group – GAB, Girls and Bibles – I really like that.
Patti Hayes
I’ve learned these past couple of months that mice traps do NOT (always) work. I learned this the VERY hard way…. when what I thought was a mouse was leaving evidence all over my garage. A friend came over to set the trap… I saw the trap when I came home and the next morning that the trap wasn’t where it had been hours earlier. Almost instantly, I heard a tapping noise… the “mole” was VERY much alive in the trap. The poor thing had dragged itself across the garage and was headed back from where he had come from. Lots of spiritual correlation…. Where Do I go running when I get trapped? I didn’t think of the spiritual connection in the moment… I was in a near panic… k, a full blown panic! The poor thing was suffering. A friend came over and took it out of it’s misery. I deactivated the other trap. The little critters can have FULL reign of my garage.
On a more serious note (not that that wasn’t serious to me!). Jesus has really been reminding me that He wants my WHOLE heart…. He keeps sending me the message LOUD and CLEAR!
I have just started your Revelation study at my church. It is so weird not having hardly any homework. A year ago I really didn’t want to study Revelation but I know it is meant to be.
Hi, Beth. Our ladies Bible study group started your “Here and Now…There and Then” Revelation lecture series tonight for our fall class (yes, leaves are turning colors here in Atlanta). Our core group (with the same leader, God bless her!) has been together for over 10 years now. We were challenged tonight to “drop the ball and open our mouths for a fresh Word” — just a wonderful beginning to our new study. And we had a newbie in our group, who had never done a Beth Moore study! We all love you so and we pray for you. May God keep His tender eye on you, and continue to refresh and quench the hunger you have for His word… and to it share with us. Much love from your girls at the Dunwoody Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.
Well, I am in the first semester of clinicals in nursing school.. so I am VERY BUSY! But, God has placed me smack-dab in the middle of hurting people (other students) and for that opportunity, I am grateful. Right now I am praying about starting some type of “light” devotional time with all the students invited in the middle of the week. Trying to be salt and light in a hard place 🙂
Praying for you Marjorie.
Patti Hayes
My husband is a college minister and I took time off from leading Bible study to have my third child. I am so excited that I am back to hosting college girls in my home this semester. I will be leading the Daniel study and am so excited! I am also participating in the Revelation study with older women in my church. I am thrilled!
Loved hearing about Amanda’s fantastic trip to Guatamala and catching up with you. I took your lead and my husband and I went on a long stroll alone together last weekend in our local park – it did us a world of good. This fall I will be meeting with two of my co-workers to pray, worship, lunch, and encourage each other (today was our first session). I started the No Other Gods study after I finished the Ruth one this summer. Still working on it (my buddies at work are still working on the Ruth study, so I decided to continue on without them)! Once they catch up I am hoping that we can do the Jonah, Navigating a Life Interrupted study by Priscilla Shirer.
Anyway, after being encouraged today by my co-workers, I have decided to go on the Women’s Star Retreat next month our church is hosting. This will be my first retreat so I’m a little nervous. Truth be told, my main hang up is that traditionally when the ladies return on Sunday morning they all gather at the front of the church at the beginning of our service, holding hands, swaying, and singing. Honestly, I have to have the worlds worst voice, and I really don’t know if I am brave enough to come out of my shell to do that!!! Pretty silly, I know, but it’s the truth!
I’m with you about the weather. I live in San Antonio. Not only is it hot, the humidity is almost too much to bear!
Diana, I hope you don’t mind me responding to your comment. Sometimes I feel like I’m reading someone else’s mail when I read these comments. I don’t know when you’ll be going on your Women’s Star Retreat (sounds fun!) but I’m going to be praying for you to be right up there in the middle of the group that’s holding hands and singing on the Sunday morning following the retreat. Take some advice from the Nike advertisement and “Just do it” I know, easier said than done and that’s why I’m going to be praying for you.
Blessings,
Patti Hayes
The passage you quoted from Isaiah 58 is definitely one of my favorites. I would love to reach out to my community,but right now our family is focused on raising four young, active head-strong boys. However, God has blessed my husband with a cool job, and we have soo much fun reaching out to people with out tithe money. God is good.
During the summer our small group of women read through and discussed the “So Long Insecurity” book. This Fall I am excited to put those principles into action as we enter into a new church and a new community.
Everything sounds lovely except of course the Rat. I suggest your man handle Templeton (original Charlotte’s Web).
I’m busying doing lots of football game attending, football TV watching, sewing, scrapbooking and running. Life is lovely and busy at the moment. Survivor Nicaragua starts tomorrow but who is counting the hours — never me! Amazing Race comes back soon so all will be right with the world. HA!
No Bible studies planned for this fall but just today a co-worker asked me if I wanted to do one with her.
Happy beginning of Autumn to you and yours!
A rat?! Oh my goodness, is that making you run faster on the treadmill?
This fall I am…
*a 1st time soccer momma too!
*nursing a baby while chasing a 3 year old boy while decoding a 1st graders ‘tude while wondering what adolescence will be like while…
* trying to knock the Chick Filet milkshake habit I developed while preggers
*starting a prayer group at my church
*reading Jesus Manifesto & Irresistible Revolution
*your Revelation study again with another group — will be doing some digging on my own while following along
*helping my mom start over again
*deciphering what is American Christianity and the real thing; desiring to break free from “cute” Christianity and be impactful for His Kingdom
What a fun post!
Staying victorious will take intention on my part as I am taking algebra this semester. I already feel like a failure because my mind just doesn’t get numbers and letters put together. I’m trying not to let this class take the joy out of the semester!
I’m hoping to catch The Patriarchs at a new (to me) women’s Bible study…I’m apprehensive because of recent experiences with groups of women. Used to love it, but now I’m gun shy.
The brightest light in life right now is watching my kids get do do what they are passionate about! Makes me smile just thinking about it! Football season is in full swing and I’ve a son playing on the high school team, and one playing on a club team. My sweet daughter is a cheerleader! Love it!
Well, that’s about it! 🙂
I do so love you.
Teri
Teri,
I know exactly what you mean about algebra. That was one of only a handful of C’s that marred my college transcripts and I just could not seem to get it, so I was actually thrilled to come out of there with a C.
Praying for you,
Patti Hayes
I love Fall and am looking forward to all of the festivities Fall brings! Going to the Apple Orchard, making apple crisp, watching my kiddos jump off of the picnic table into a mound of leaves and trick or treating. So much fun! I also love being able to put on my cozie pants again but dread trading in my flip flops for the confinement of shoes : (
We started our Fall ladies bible study last night and I have been looking forward to it since we finished Kelly Minters this Summer. We are doing Here and Now, There and Then, by You lol! We got our first assignment to look for ways God is revealing Himself to us, and I have already seen His work in my life today. I’m going to love this study. You left some people off your chart though, it should go like this:
God—–Jesus—–His angel—-John—–7 churches—–Beth—–the girls rockin the ladies bible study hoot-hoot!!
Well one thing I know! I am going to memorize Psalm 91. What are you memorizing?
I’m checking up on you because you said in Lexington that if anyone asks you what your memorizing you will have a scripture!! It really encouraged me to get back in Gods word. I’m really good with memorization and I know I should take advantage of it.
I love you very much!!!!! Glad my moma’s back!! 🙂
On Friday night, I was reading blog posts from the women on the Compassion trip. With tears rolling down my cheeks, I went to the Compassion website and clicked on ‘Sponser A Child’. We have sponsered a young girl from Ecuador now for 6 years. There was nothing else I wanted to do at that particular moment than go to that website and find another little person to help the only way I can right now. Of course, a thousand little faces popped up on the screen. There is NO way to choose. So, I put in my soon-to-be 6 year old son’s birthdate. One young man came up.
That was it. I cannot wait to get his picture in the mail and begin writing to him. I really hope it doesn’t take the whole 15 days that the site said it would 🙂
Thank you for traveling all that way to bring awareness to me. I remember reading the posts when Melissa went. They all tug at my heart so much. I need to put them in my favorites so that I can go back to them when I am feeling that I don’t have enough in this world of mine.
My sister, a couple of friends and myself began your Esther study last week. I took it with my church, at the time, about 2 years ago. I am SO VERY excited to share it with others. Today was the second week and it was the session where you spoke on Esther being an orphan. You talked so passionately about that and about children who grow up without their mommas. I had remembered this session quite vividly from the first time I had done the study. However, I didn’t remember it being so early on in the study. It tugged at me. My sweet best friend died suddenly at the age of 30 about 4 months ago. At the time, her little man was 8 months old. All I could think about at the time wasn’t so much about what her husband would do, but that her little guy didn’t have a momma anymore. I do worry about her husband and I pray for them both and know that God has them both in His strong & mighty hands…but I keep thinking is that sweet baby boy doesn’t have his momma. I am also doing the study, “Jesus – My One and Only” with my church group on Monday evenings. I am doing my very best to cling to my Jesus. Trying to cling to His Word.
The work that God does through all of you with your Bible studies, through Living Proof…at times it’s a life preserver.
Thank you.
In Him,
Suzanne
Suzanne, thank you for reaching out to that little boy! He will be so excited to hear from you.
Praying for you Suzanne.
Patti Hayes
These are my favorite sort of posts 🙂
I think ‘autumn’ in Houston is almost worse than summer because I come from farther north so I remember what September is ‘supposed’ to feel like 😉
My husband said having snakes in the side yard would keep the rats away…I haven’t decided which is worse. I think a call to pest control is a good option!
Oh Beth, how nice that you were seeing your sister. I have just been doubly blessed. My Mother and I had been estranged for 32 years and my Sister and I for 26 years. A couple of weeks ago I received an email that my Mother was in her last days and I went to see her. We talked and cried and healed those years that we were absent from eachother. The bonus was that my Sister flew up to see my Mom and we reconnected and have vowed never to be apart again. God orchestrates the most wonderful blessings for us doesn’t He? I am so thankful for these gifts!!
I actually just got home from my Tuesday night Bible study….Daniel. We watched week 2 tonight and I can hardly wait to get into the homework!! I love studying under the teaching of our Siesta Momma!!
Let me start by saying you brought the biggest smile to my face when you spoke of Jackson sleeping in his shin guards. I just sent my last “baby” off to college to play baseball and there were many a nights he slept in a “cup.”
I have completed 7 of your studies. When I did Esther last fall, I prayed for God to reveal his plan for my life. What is my destiny? Well, I was asked to lead our Beth Moore study of Daniel and…. we have a male joining us. I have always worked with children, but Lord help me, I am leading adults. I am looking forward to this new season, but a little, no a lot, nervous.
Beth,
I am doing your Revelation study with 10 wonderful women at a sweet friends home every Wednesday afternoon.. tomorrow is Session 3 and I can hardly wait! I used to be one of those people who was afraid to study Revelation..I knew that I know Who wins and thought that was all I needed to know. Boy was I wrong!! I am LOVING your teaching and learning such interesting, wonderful truth!! There is no way I can ever thank GOd enough for how HE has and is using you in my life and in so many others lives!
So proud of Amanda…I have been sponsoring two children in Kenya for several months through Compassion and it is such a blessing!
By the way, please keep up the prayers for our trip to DC … leaving Saturday and back next Wed. My hubby did finish up his chemo last Friday and is not feeling well at all today. Praying that the chemo fog will lift before we leave so that he can get through this busy business trip!What a joy to know that you and other siestas have been praying!!
love you dearly and always praying for you, your family and Living Proof!
Martha in MS
Beth — I plan to slow down and start writing a book this fall. I have no interest in selling books, and I am not even a writer. It may never be published, and that does not concern me. I want my mom to read it, and my brother, and anyone else who needs to hear it. I know there are people who need to hear my story, because I need to hear someone else’s story right now. So I am basically trying to fill the need that I am experiencing. ??? Sounds confusing to me too, but I understand what I am saying. 🙂
I commented on your blog after the recent Lexington, KY event which I could not attend. I was in the midst (and still am in the midst) of coping with the tragic loss of my 29-year old brother (he is now 30 as of September 11). We lost him suddenly, tragically, and at the hands of evil people. He was writing a book himself – he was an extraordinary person, and he deserves a memoir, so I have decided to pick up the reins and write him a book. People tire of the heaviness of grief, but the fact is that I still need to release it somehow. I am sure you understand on some level as a writer. I pray the best for you, your family, and all of the Siestas participating in this blog. –Jill
Praying for you as you write, Jill. I’ve been working on a novel that has been in the process for almost six years now and when I sit down to write, I’ll think of you and pray for you. What a tender labor of love for your family.
Blessings to you,
Patti Hayes
I will reply more appropriately at a more decent time because at the moment I am just checking in after a night of prayer and bible study with some amazing women. But did you really mean to say you have a ‘rat’ in your garage? I truly hope you typed too fast and meant ‘cat’. 🙂
I am back in Bible Study, Yeah!!!. My best friend and I have parted ways after 31 years of friendship. So it has been as sad season for me to say the least. I asked God to give me an extra special Bible Study group this fall and boy did he deliver! I am with an amazing group of women more welcoming and loving than I could have ever dreamed. God is so faithful. And the cherry on top is we are doing Here and Now by the one and only Beth Moore. God is truly so good.
Love, love, love your posts Mama Siesta! I am just loving on my family this Fall. Our summer in WI here changed abruptly to Fall weather but it has been beautiful! I am teaching my daughter’s girls club class at church while my hubby is helping with our son’s Ranger group. I am blessed by the works that God is doing in my husband’s heart. He becomes a man of God more and more everyday! I can just picture Jackson in his shin guards! Hubby and son have entered the world of tackle football this season and we are all loving it. Who would have thunk my tenderhearted fourth grader would be such an awesome defensive lineman and hubby is surprising himself I think with how much he is enjoying coaching this group!
Hi, Beth! I love the conversational style of your writing! 🙂
Eleven of us — mostly neighbors — will be meeting on Tuesday nights beginning 9/21, to read and study The Grace Awakening, by Charles Swindoll.
Beth,
I was so blessed by Amanda’s posts! I served for a short period at a school and orphanage in Uganda last year and was completely changed.
Our church has been having a Tent Campaign this week. The evangelist is great and so is the response. Pray that our whole community will be affected by the moving of the Holy Spirit this week.
Right now I’m involved in a Bible Study called The Truth Project. Pray that I can soon lead this study or another one at our church soon. So many brothers and sisters in Christ need to be discipled. I need to be discipled! I want more of Christ everyday.
I love this scripture! Can you give the reference?
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; then righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Hoping to make plans to see you next July in Charlotte, NC! Can’t wait!
Take care!
Isaiah 58:6-8