Remember? I said that I reserved the right to get on here and write if I wanted to and if what I wanted to write didn’t take away from the James study. I do and it won’t, so there.
It’s a Saturday off after several really hard weeks of work. I relish the Life Today tapings once I get there because the studio audience is always fantastic and the PERFECT size. (150 maybe?) I am close enough to them to hear them groan or chuckle and to see puzzlement on their faces so that I know whether or not to clarify. I am close enough to see if any one of them has tears in her eyes and if something I said hurt too much to leave alone. I am right there to see the work of the Spirit when He moves at His own discretion and I’m on occasion left with chills standing straight up on my arms, all because I’m standing close enough to feel it. And because He let’s me. I love all these things about the Life Today tapings BUT they are just about as much work over a 20 hour period of time as I ever do. Even the skin feels too heavy on my bones to take back home with me. It’s so worth it but 5 one-hour teaching sessions is a hard task.
All that to say, having the next Saturday off is a beautiful thing. I took Thursday, too, but I had a lot to do out and about that day. I had fun but not exactly rest. I’ll often opt for the former over the latter but not today. Keith left early this morning for a sporting clays tournament and just shut the bedroom door and let me sleep in. I opened my eyes about 8:45 and said good morning to the Lord. I then smiled really wide at the thought of a first cup of coffee. It never tastes better than that first sip. Then I had my quiet time and reflected back on the evening before. CJ took Jackson “camping” at a friend’s land where a handful of dads around the same age brought their young sons and did all but sleep outside. That is my kind of camping, too. As my grandmother would say, “I’m right outdoorsy till I’m sleepy.”
AJ and Annabeth came and spent the evening with my man and me. I’m just not sure little kids are ever any cuter or funnier than around 21 months. She talks constantly and, of course, had the undivided attention of three adults. Everything she wanted read to her got read to her. She ate spaghetti like she’d been starved for a month and with such enthusiasm that she had to be hastily swept to the tub lest all in her path receive a baptism by marinara. I did not say maranatha. I said marinara. Aunt Melissa then called us all on Face Time (I-phone 4 – it’s one reason we got it) and she, AJ and I howled our heads off. I like to wear different hats when I talk to Melissa on Face Time because it makes her laugh and, because I can see myself in the little square in the corner of the screen, it makes me laugh, too. First I wore a stylish little straw hat with a thick green ribbon around it that Melissa bought several months ago then I put on one of Keith’s cowboy hats. I just hate to be predictable.
Annabeth was scared of Face Time at first and hid all but one eye in Amanda’s shirt but now she totally participates and loves to talk to Aunt Melissa and to wave to her. It’s almost more than Melissa can stand and she invariably laughs until she gets a lump in her throat and wants to cry because she’s so far from home. She loves Amanda’s babies so much. Annabeth blew numerous kisses to her last night and even told her she loved her. (“LUH- do”) She even said something to her about “Jedus.”And that’s part of what had me reflecting during my quiet time this morning.
Annabeth thinks that the greatest part of getting ready for bed is rocking with Mommy and singing about “Jedus.” I love how her little mouth looks when she says His Name. I want them to love Him so much. That’s the one thing. The one thing I ask over and over and over. I don’t mean it’s the only thing I ever ask but it’s the only thing I ask like a broken record. If they – Keith, Amanda, Curtis, Jackson, Annabeth, Colin, and Melissa and others of our family yet to come – and I love Jesus, and I mean really love Jesus, everything else will be okay. I am convinced of that. We can get through virtually anything on love. I often ask God to spare my dear family of tragedy but not to spare us of His glory. Tragedies do sometimes come but we must never think for a moment that they’ve come lightly. We must steady our reeling selves to the anchor beyond the veil and know, when we know nothing else, that somehow, some way, glory must have been at stake.
I hope your Saturday is, at least in some way, a sabbath to you. I finished yet another Wendell Berry novel this morning and let the time pass without much notice. I finished a book last week that simply said, “Stop hurrying so much.” And I’ve been trying to practice that. Even both dogs are sound asleep right now which is no small wonder, especially as I spy a squirrel at the bird feeder in our back yard. Shoot. I might go back to bed myself.
On second thought, I’m starving here. When on earth will somebody around this house go to the grocery store???
My Dearest Beth:
How I love that you love Jedus the most!…because you do, you are such are real and faithful servant of the Lord for us Siestas. The taping was wonderful and we had about 15 of us there to learn from you and just like you, we delight in seeing the excitement and the joy in your eyes when you are delievering His words to us!…. Thank you for putting in all those hours for us…. becuase you do this we learn a lifetime of lessons to take home with us. Oh how I honor what He is doing in you!
My sabbath was really good. I drove to Houston to be with my family and went to see the broadway musical Shreck with my immediate family. It’s the first time My mom had just her 3 children to herself in a long while. What a blessing from God that was.
Thank you for getting on today and sharing with us!
Love you so much!
Lichelle
I’m so happy to have found this blog! I watch you on “Life Today” most Wednesdays. I want to be part of a girls Bible study and haven’t found the right one, 🙁
But God is so awesome and your blog is so encouraging! I hope and pray that you had a wonderful day off! I certainly would get your groceries if I lived closer! 🙂 Blessings!
My Saturday was spent up in Amish Country at a Bed and Breakfast. Had a wonderful get away with my man, walked, shopped and ate until we had to walk it off. The Amish can cook like nobody else.
Enjoyed the quietness of God and the wonder of His Creation.
Beth, I can’t thank you enough for being so “real” with us! Love the hats. :o) Thank you especially for putting in the hard work it takes to get God’s work & our blessing ready for us in the form of your video studies. I am on week seven of Believing God right now, and every day of video or homework is a whole new adventure with Him!
Siesta Mama – I’m so glad you were able to have a true sabbath day. It is something that God has really impressed upon me over the last 9 years, since I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. God told us to have a Sabbath day for a reason – we need to recharge – and in today’s society it is so hard. I just want to thank you for being an example to slow down and take a break! Thank you for the reminder!
Love you, sweet Beth, cause you made me love “Jedus” more than I ever thought I could! Continuing to pray for you.
Beth,
I’m so glad you ‘wanted to’! I hope your new hammock got some use this weekend, too.
After my group of gals watched the 3rd Revealation DVD this past Tuesday, we’ve been saying “I wuhin” with every little thing, throwing our hands up in the air with a victory grin, and laughing so! My 23y.o. has joined our group and this is her first time to do one of your studies. She said, yea, Beth Moore is the bomb! hahaha…thought you’d get a kick out of that : )
xoxo,
rene
Hi Rene. Is that Hannah who is doing Revelation with you? I was thinking about her (and you) the other day. I used Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “Beauty Will Rise” (along with Scripture) to pray for her, so when the song comes on on the radio I often think of her. The lyrics are like a salve to the hurting heart. Still praying that Jehovah Rapha’s beautiful work of healing is rising in her heart. My soul knows very well and can testify to the power of that name of His.
Oh Eposi,
I do hope you come back and see this post. Thank you Faithful One!!! Yes, Hannah is the daughter joining in this study with 10 other women ages 35-50…in my home. She moved here in August from Austin and started taking her microbiology and anatomy classes/lab (doing excellent) and working 20 hours and living at home with us. Your prayers are at work and still so needed! She is struggling with God’s plan, purpose, and hand in all of this. Finding friends at this age in her situation is hard. Her friends from UT have scattered in different states with jobs, grad schools, marriage…you know the drill, but they stay in touch. Nothing replaces real face to face joy of friends, though. She took her GRE and has started applying for PA schools for next year. She HATES her part time job! God IS at work. Dr. Evans has a quote: God is often the closest when He seems the furthest away. One day she will look back and see His hand in everything. YOU know, dear sister, and I would love to hear that testimony! It brings me such joy and comfort that you pray for her when you hear SSC’s song. Yes, a salve for the hurting heart…for us all.
I think of you often, and pray for God’s very best Boaz fashioned for you. Your heart is a treasure.
xoxo,
rene
Thank you so much for your prayers as well, sis. That means SO MUCH to me. I will also be praying about her job situation. Glad she is doing well in her A&P and Microbiology classes as she pursues a PA degree. I, too, had to take those for nursing. Loved Anatomy and Physiology (even though it was challenging at times)! I was VERY tempted SEVERAL times in that class to get off my desk and kneel with hands lifted high in praise of our Creator and His intricate design of the human body. So facinating! I cannot comprehend how some people can credit that to chance.
Hi Eposi,
I saw that you visited my blog, thank you….love your shoe find…impressive, yes : ) ! If by chance you drop back by here, are you on FB? Please friend me if you are; or you can email me [email protected]. You,Hannah and I have these things in common and I don’t know how to respond to comments on my “blog”!Like I said, I am learning as I go, and not techy!
xoxo,
rene
I’m wondering something. The tapings you were talking about is that with Mr. James and Ms. Betty? I’ve been watching their show on and off for several months and have grown to love them. They seem to be very sweet and he just makes me want to buy up all the clean water. I truly feel sorry for those children. I love the song open the eyes of our heart Lord. Only if our eyes were opened to the way things really are. Because I have a feeling I have no idea! Good to hear from you my sweet moma! You put a smile on this face! love you lots!
Buwhahaha! Beth you are so hilarious and such a Godsend! I don’t get a chance to comment often as I have a gazillion things going on, but I do skim your posts as often as I can. It’s so thrilling to be in one of your Bible studies and to read your blog and to go to an event of yours… it’s like we know you personally even when we really don’t! So neat. Thanks for all you do, for God’s kingdom and for the women on this earth! We appreciate you soooo much!!! Now you go rock yourself a lovely straw hat while meandering the grocery store aisles. 🙂
Such an encouragement about rest. I have felt overwhelmed about things lately. Our worship pastor is undergoing chemo for stage 4 melanoma. My friend’s mama died of breast cancer six weeks ago. Another friend’s husband was just diagnosed with stomach cancer.
Then a week ago, a Bible study friend died of lymphoma. We sat in Bible study a few days later talking about how kind our friend was. One girl mentioned, “You never know who won’t be here next week.” Well, I just lost it. My face crumpled and I flew to the bathroom. I could barely see as I choked out sobs. My friend (the one whose mama just died) came to check on me. As she hugged me, we talked about how overwhelmed we are at everything.
I’m so thankful I have friends and a church who is there for me. I don’t have to take all this on me. God will take it. Can’t wait to see how He will work in all this. If anyone feels inclined to pray for these requests, I’d really appreciate it. Have a great week!
Beth,
I am glad I checked the blog. I was so thrilled to see you had posted. We sure love you so! I follow you on Twitter, but nothing is like the community on this blog. I just wanted to send you a note that I hope is an encouragement to you. As I am doing your Revelation study on Monday nights, it just encourages me lift you up in prayer as you write James knowing that so many will be forever changed through the study of His Word. Thank you for being obedient to the Lord’s calling on your life, thank for writing, thank you for sharing your life and your family’s life with us,
thank you for loving us and for always reminding that Jesus is the One who is worthy. He really is IT isn’t He! Love from Okahoma to you,
Susan
So good to hear from you. I can’t tell you how timely this came to me. Your statement “glory must have been at stake” has resonated with me so much. I’m going through a bit of a painful time, and those words are stuck in my head. It makes sense of my pain & makes it bearable. Thanks for taking the time to write. You’re such a blessing.
Didn’t think about looking on here. My Satrurday was as busy as I care to get it, but it was fun. Any day with my grandson is okay with me. He is just 2 1/2 months old and really starting to smile and coo. We had a big work day in our community called Sharefest. People from all different churches met out in the community to clean, landscape and paint different areas. Great fun. Then it was off to a women’s function for a little while. Lunch with a friend followed by a counselling session with my youngest son. Finally home to just kick back. Carved a pumpkin and put my grandson in it (you’re only small enough to fit in a pumpkin once!). He was not amused. So it was bath, Bible Study and bed. All that in a 12 hour period. I am ready for the work week to arrive. Today was the Make a Difference Tour. Wow, it was so good. Worship for 3 1/2 hours! I can hardly talk. I have to get to sleep.
Good to hear from you. More on Tuesday.
Jan
Siestas, I just can’t tell you what this blog community means to me. I grew up with only brothers, and I’m raising teenage boys, so I have missed much ‘sisterhood’ in my life. I now live in an area where the church has deeply wounded us. But I KNOW that it’s man, not GOD who has done that.
YOU, dear siestas, restore my hope. I see so much love and acceptance on this blog. THANK YOU!!
Right now, I’m praying for my 17 y.o. senior in high school. He has given up on the church. He’s…bored w/ Christians. But I KNOW the faith that lives deep within him. When he was 8 years old he was listening to a Steven Curtis Chapmin C.D.; he fell to his knees and started praying. I pray for him to find a vibrant group of believers to challenge him and help him get to the next level. The WORD of the LORD shall not return void!
It is so hard when our kids don’t want to go to church. We will just pray that God will help find him an incredible group of young people to get involved with. That has been a HUGE answer to my prayers this year. My daughter is in 6th grade and LOVES going to youth group. There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing her “get it”.
Texas in the Mountains, Beth encourages us to pray the Word this is a prayer I’m saying. I will include your son “I thank You God that You love our children with an everlasting love, and with lovingkindness Lord draw them to You.” Jeremiah 31:3 I know what it’s like to have faithful teenagers off His path for a time, I join you in praying it will be a very short season. I love you Siesta.
I am up early this Monday morning because I need to get my homework done for Anointed….the Lord woke me up thinking about it! I want to thank you for your word this morning about loving Jesus and “getting through virtually anything on love” (the rest of the paragraph, too). A dear lady in my Bible Study group went home to her Lord last week and I want to share your thoughts with her sister (also in my group) and her daughter-in-law, who are both in love with Jesus. They will be comforted by your words – and with your blessings, I will share them. Love to you. Joy
Thank you so much for spending a minute with us. It was so wonderful to find a note from you.
I just wanted to share my deepest graditude for Wednesdays with Beth. They are such a special time for my daughter and I to connect with the heart of the Father. There are usually much tears and chill bumps as the Holy Spirit meets with us every time. It opens beautiful conversations up between us where God shows up to give my baby girl revelation.
I am unbelieveably grateful for your dedication to such deep meaningful times of revelation from our wonderful Daddy God. You are such a lovely vessel and I am forever grateful to James and Betty for facilitating my face to face connection with not only you but the Father.
We love you so much and the heart of the Father that you share.
I’m going to be reading a book called The Sabbath along with Angie Smith and her friend Audra….if I can ever slow down enough to find the time to read…. 🙂
SO TRUE – you just can’t beat that first sip of coffee in the morning – it never tastes better – sometimes i go to sleep dreaming of that first sip – ummmmm!!!
Gee, what a delight to get to share a Saturday with you, even if it is bright and early on a rainy Monday in So. Cal. I have to confess I haven’t read my Bible yet, but loved your post. I’ll get on Paperbackswap and see if I can find any Wendell Berry. I need me some light reading! I’ve been facilitating a study on your “Get Up Out of That Pit” and it’s been powerful! The LORD sent us, and I mean “sent us”: hubby and I, to Palo Duro Canyon, on our way back west from a family reunion in Arkansas. (It’s just south and a little east of Amarillo, off the I-40.) I had been looking at our Atlas from State Farm and in it they highlighted to us the virtually “unknown” 2nd largest canyon in the United States. We braved the 10% grade in our 38 ft. Country Coach, and were rewarded with an incredible journey. There, at the gift store overlooking the majestic canyon, and before we ventured down into it, we found the most amazing copper flying eagle sculpture with a 2 1/2 ft. wingspan made to look like bronze. I fell in love with that sculpture! I expected a $3000.00 price point which of course, would be out of the question! The saleslady said, “Do you like it?” Of course, I did, I oohed and awed…and explained the Isaiah 40:31 scripture: “And they shall mount up as wings of eagles…” She said, “You won’t believe this, but it’s on sale.” “How much?” I queried. “$235.00!” Our jaws dropped, incredulous. “That’s got to be a mistake! Why the copper alone would be worth more than that…” “No mistake, it’s a close out, and the last one we have!” My dear husband made a weak excuse: “Just where will you put it?” “Right smack dab in the middle of the coffeetable, that’s where!” (Duh…..!Up front an center!) Thanks to our “big boy” motorhome, we had the basement to carry the huge packing box it came in.
Yesterday we had our Pastor Pat and his lovely wife June, and our Associate Pastor and 10 other grateful believers to our home, after church for a big thank you and appreciation dinner on their behalf, for their servanthood and example and dedication to the LORD’S work amoung us. Keith would have approved of our menu, I just know it! Slow baked Brisket of Beef, Corn Souffle, Paula Deen’s Famous Potatoe Casserole, Brocolli Casserole, Caeser salad, Fruit salad and topped off with Red Velvet Cake and Pumpkin Pie. (Yikes! Nobody counted any calories….) Still, the hit of the occasion was the stupendous eagle in flight!
You see, after being a former pit dweller myself; I have found if I wait on the LORD, crying out, confessing and consenting He will by and by send the sweet and sure wind of the Holy Spirit, and all I have to do is open my wings and “catch the wind” and rise up and out of the pit and above it all! Thank you Siesta Mama for teaching this old bird, I’m not a chicken, after all!
Love you so~
Pam H.
Buena Park, CA.
I enjoy your Wednesdays with Beth and I enjoy you sharing about your family and wanting them all to love Jesus. That is my prayer also, We have 3 grown children each married, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Our oldest son has 2 sons Jonah 22 months and Oliver 3 weeks, our daughter has twin sons Cahde and Callahn 3 1/2 , our other son has a little girl they are taking care of while the mother is getting some help, she is 1 1/2. They are each so precious. Thanks for loving Jesus and all your sharing. I enjoyed your Sept. 18 Proverbs 31:26 I say the verse during the day and also pray the verse, this moring I didn’t do so good with a comment to my husband. My daughter also attended with me and she enjoyed it. Connie
I’m reading this on Monday morning. My Saturday started with a 10 mile run with my man, then my first ice bath. (Not a fan of that at all) I did fall on the couch and sleep. Two hours. SO unlike me, but I did not feel guilty at all!
God is using this 1/2 marathon training time to teach me SO much. Who knew RUNNING would become such a sweet time with the Lord? For the girl who hates to sweat, this is a shocker! Often times, it’s during the hours right after the run, when I feel so tired that I hear Him speaking to my heart. LOVE it.
Blessings on this rainy Monday morning!
stephanie
Good Morning and thank you for sharing with us. I’ve never asked you to pray for something but today this is heavy on my heart. My daughter is a nurse, working with very small cardiac patients and it has been a rough few weeks. Please pray that she can do her job “efficiently”, keep the parents “as happy as she can”, and that parents would consider what it does to a new nurse when they complain to the lead nurse. It’s hard for this mama to see her baby struggling..
I am praying, Lisa.
Thank you Eposi!
Lisa –
My husband (46 years young) has a prosthetic aortic valve that was placed when he was in his early 20’s (several yrs before I met him). He was born with a congenital heart disorder so was seeing cardiologists his entire childhood. I have had the privilege of meeting two of the doctors who treated him then and one nurse who served since his childhood. My man was all miffed when they finally MADE him switch to an adult practice only about 8 years ago. (Imagine how ridiculous it was for us to go to his checkups in his 30’s and see the mobile hanging above the tables and the stuffed animals propped by the scanners.) I post this to ask you to encourage your daughter to hang in there and serve with all her heart as the Lord leads. I used to hold back tears walking in that practice with my grown patient/husband. I imagined the miriad emotions those kids and parents went through just walking through the door. I imagined how I would handle it if one (or more) of our three children who – praise JESUS – were spared the same disorder would not have been. Just to be sure my husband had us do three special prenatal cardiology sonograms (one per pregnancy) to see the heart valves of our children. Your daughter is doing a good and hard work. I will pray the parents turn to Jesus and cry out to Him and lay off your little girl. My strong and flourishing man and our three fiesty kiddos are a testimony to God’s mercy and the excellent care given to a frightened red-headed boy and his equally frightened parents for decades. May He command His angels concerning her (and them) to guard them all in all of their ways. LOVE to you, Siesta.
A true day of REST – that sounded so wonderful!!
My Saturday was spent at Burt’s Pumpkin Patch with the grandkids – bluest sky you ever saw and coolest breeze you ever felt – feeling so blest to be alive and be a grandma on a day like that. Pumpkins and hayrides and pumkins and scarecrows and pumpkin pie (smelled it cookin’ all day) – and did I say pumpkins?!?! Don’t ya just LOVE fall!! My, my. Life is good! And God is just the BEST did give us such glorious blessings as this!
Dear Beth,
Just had to touch base again: Many thanks for introducing me and other interested Siestas to the wonders of Wendell Berry’s writing. How he can paint a picture with words is amazing. I just finshed reading his delightful story “Whitefoot” from Orion Magazine, thanks to internet! If you haven’t read this, I’m sure that Jackson would love this story of Whitefoot the mouse, who lives in the center of the world. I’m going to read it to my “Grandgirls!”
Hugs in Him,
Pam H.
Buena Park, CA
Glad to hear that you got to have a nice rest Beth!! Can’t wait to see you in Spokane this Friday!! A couple of gals from our Breaking Free Bible Study are driving over from Missoula MT. We are SO excited!! (say this in a sing songy voice for best effect)
XO
Debbie Kochel
Missoula MT
Dear LPM Team & Chief Ring Leader Beth,
Just a quick note this Monday morning as the Lord brought you all to mind during my time with Him this morning. I am so grateful for the thousands upon thousands of hours you all have worked together to minister to the body of Christ and specifically the impact you have had in my own life of pointing me toward Christ.
Like a good pack of sheep dogs you continually nip at the heels of the sheep and bark pointing them toward the direction of the Master. Never with the intention to injure or scare the sheep but to point them to the security and the hope we have in our Savior Jesus.
Isa 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Isa 40:11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Thank for comforting the “His people” by pointing us toward Him and His precious Word. Grace & Peace dear LPM Siestas
So excited to hear from you! Glad you had a wonderful day of rest. I was sitting with my man eating lupper (lunch and supper) when I got your text about the movie on Saturday. I told my husband about it and he just rolled his eyes. He said, “You act like she is your friend or something.” I laughed and told him that you were one of my best friends. I just can’t explain to him the relationship. I am so thrilled to hear that others, and you, also feel that we are friends. I truly feel so blessed that God chose to place you in my life and the lives of so many women.
By the way, I just finished The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, what an inspiration. I wish that I could have met her. I am getting ready to start the book that you all gave away a few weeks ago.
God has been so tender with me over the past few weeks. My very best friend, for 25 yrs, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully it seems to be the “best case senario”, but there are so many decisions to make.
Have a great week and thanks for praying for us! I am so excited about the James study.
Wendall Berry–How sweet to know you enjoy his books. I’ve read “Jayber Crow” and “Hannah Coulter.” I thought page 356-357 of Jayber Crow was about the most beautiful statement on faith in the dark places where we can feel alone and forgotten that I have ever read. Wow, Beth, thanks for sharing. So glad you had a little rest, and we are praying for you as you prepare the study on James.
Hi Ms. Beth,
I just wanted to say that this specific section of your blog, “Tragedies do sometimes come but we must never think for a moment that they’ve come lightly. We must steady our reeling selves to the anchor beyond the veil and know, when we know nothing else, that somehow, some way, glory must have been at stake.”, spoke VOLUMES to me.
I personally know of 3 people currently fighting AML (one who has been in ICU for the last three weeks). Also two families that lost their loved ones last Wednesday (20th), one due to colon cancer (she was only 43) and the other to suicide due to severe chronic depression (she was only 38). My uncle is also fighting cancer and my sister has discovered her middle child is autistic.
It’s a tough battle, here on earth. We cannot make it without the divine protection of the one who created it. It boggles my mind that many refuse to understand, that push away the free gift that is given in love time and time again. It makes me sad to see people, even professed Christians, not experiencing TRUE JOY at what the Savior has done for us. The kind of joy that makes you want to shout, dance, sing, cry, and laugh..all at the same time.
Misababy,
Amen siesta. Amen! That same phrase resonated with me as well. You summed up everything I wanted to say just beautifully, so I will just say Ditto, Amen, and Right on!!
So good to hear from you. I MISS YOU.
BLESSINGS.
This weekend was not particularly restful but it was wonderful! We celebrated Sunday afternoon with a surprise 80th birthday party for my mother-in-law. She was completely shocked to walk into the banquet room filled with close to 70 of her family and friends all yelling “Surprise” and singing “Happy Birthday.” Fortunately her heart is still good! I am blessed, and I know I am, to have a wonderful mother-in-law and extended family of in-laws, nieces, nephews and even a great-nephew.
Beth,
I want you to know how encouraging Life Today is to all of us. Wednesday’s with Beth are a high point of my week! Your desire to honor the Father and submit to Him is so strengthening to me.
Thank you for laying your life down for Jesus and us!
Love,
Ann
Oh, Beth!
We are sooo glad that “you can if you want to” :0). We love to hear from you!
And I wanted to say ‘ditto’ to the asking God for those little ones around you to grow to love Jesus more than anything! I totally relate. I have a few “monkeys” (as they are affectionately called) that I pray will love Jesus more than anything.
Told them, yesterday, that I found something free to send them in the mail. They were trying to guess what it was and one of the first two guesses out of their little mouths was “something Jesus?” That’s what I want them to be excited about everyday…’something Jesus’!
My Saturday was as busy as it gets. I, along with 10 BFF’s hosted a bridal shower for
one of the Bunco Babes daughters. Our friend Stacy, spreads love and faith wherever she goes! She is a blessing to so many. She has hosted showers for all of our children and this
was our chance to do one for her. We spent a year in the planning, and it turned out well.Our hearts desire was that it would be a blessing to both Stacy and Sarah. Beth, I love your blog, and I can’t wait to meet you in heaven some day and tell you what your ministry has meant in my life. God led me to your books and studies at a time when I was so oppressed by the enemy I could hardly stand. I was on my face begging God to help me or I would die. Thank you for being faithful to what the Lord called you to do, you made a difference in this womans life and I am grateful.
My greatest desire is that my children know, love, and serve Jesus. We have tried to raise them in a Christian home and have been very active at church, but ultimately the choice to follow Jesus is theirs. Our daughter is 18 and attending college away from home. She is a godly young woman and we are so thankful for her witness! Our sons are 16 and 13. Our 16 yr old has put us through the wringer over the last three years, but we are seeing some positive changes in his life. However, from all indications he does not truly know Jesus. Our 13-year-old is trying to decide between the world and Jesus. We pray that he makes the right choice!!
So glad you stopped by to say hi last Saturday. Your comment, “I often ask God to spare my dear family of tragedy but not to spare us of His glory. Tragedies do sometimes come but we must never think for a moment that they’ve come lightly. We must steady our reeling selves to the anchor beyond the veil and know, when we know nothing else, that somehow, some way, glory must have been at stake.” I really needed to hear this!!!! Another friend is terminally ill with cancer and unless God heals her she will not be with us much longer. I needed to hear “glory must be at stake”. Always so hard to make sense of these kinds of situations. So Hard!!
Alisha-
We have so been struggling with this as well as we just lost my father-in-law at the age of 63….way too young and way too early. But God is showing me that no number of days with him would have been enough. I had a very dear friend stumble upon a verse in Isaiah that she shared with me shortly after his passing.
“The righteous pass away; the godly often die before their time. And no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand God is protecting them from the evil to come. For the godly who die will rest in peace.” Isaiah 57:1-2 NLT
I can’t imagine how exhausting those weekends are for you, but it’s always so clear how He energizes and empowers you to get through it victoriously both on your face and on two feet at the same time.
Jedus… love it.
I have come to a new urgency for my own children much like what you described. Not to be good but to be God’s.
I hope you got some well needed rest for your weary bones. We just need those stay in our pajames until 3 pm days sometimes…
<3 y'all.
Sounds like a much needed day of rest! I spend saturday huddled with my six year old (my hubby was at work) watching the weather and listening to tornado sirens. Not so relaxing. Sunday God blessed us with a wonderful day with friends. My daughter and I fished for the first time. Our dogs made a new friend with a german short hair pointer who taught them a thing or two about bravery. And when the tornado watches and sever storms rolled in again we went inside for a great meal. Praise God for peace in the midst of the storm.
Oh sweet things-
God’s timing is so great! I have been too busy all weekend to get on here, but today I feel like I’m reeling. I’m having a pity party of all pity parties today…and not sure what struck me down so hard and fast (I know who, just not what triggered it). So today….I’m overwhelmed by work, life, family and my emotions. I am having a day where I would just like to find a cave to crawl into and stay for awhile, but life doesn’t work that way. It’s days like today that I am so thankful for my God….knowing that I can cry out to him and he feels the sadness of my heart, but that he will also keep me on the straight and narrow, lest I think I can make some sort of decision based on my wavering emotions. Thank you for being here….to share with, love and cry with! Please just say a little prayer for my melancholy mood to lift.
In Him,
Andrea
Been studying yours, Priscilla’s and Kay’s study “Anointed, Transformed, & Redeemed. Just finished the day with you where David has asked God “Who am I O LORD God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far.” 2 Sameul 7:18. The next day is dealing with David’s anger and fear with/of God because of the death of Uzzah during the move of the Ark of God. “Glory was at stake.”
Thank you so much for allowing God to use you as a vessel to minister to so many of us. May He allow me to tell you all about it one day in heaven. I love you my siesta.
Beth- I love hearing your family stories..My grandson and I skype. He makes all kinds of faces. He is 11! I asked him if he had a girlfriend and he said “why are you asking me that!!!” Oh and when you find out who is going to go get those groceries, please let me know… my husband and I are always wondering about that!!!
I am so glad you were able to rest. My sweet Siesta friend, Casey, and I attended the taping for the first time. (We were the ones behind the chair on the stage so we could hide her lovely pink cast on her foot! -grinning)
I DO NOT know how you do it. You were as enthusiastic on the last taping session as you were the first – if not more so. You were living proof of the joy of the Lord being your strength. You did your Father proud. I know you spoke so clearly straight into my heart throughout the weekend. Enjoy those sweet babies and of course, you new bff, James. Love to you and yours!
I am praying for you as I will be blessed to see and hear you this weekend in Spokane! Me and my daughter, Amy, are coming and we can’t wait! Thank you so much for all you do for ‘Jedus’ ; I just don’t know how you keep up the way you do?! Praying you all the way to Spokane Siesta Mama :o)
Eileen
Your teaching at Life Today was so powerful, Beth, and really ministered to my heart. I know that must be hard on you to deliver 5 different teachings in such a short period of time. Heck fire, it is hard for me to take in all of that information! I am glad I am a good note taker because I needed several days to reorganize my notes, ponder, reflect, absorb, pray, ponder some more, read my notes some more, dig in my Bible some more and write more notes! But…….. you gave me some GREAT information to use in my SS class!!! 😉
THANKS!
I had a total blast being with my sister and my Siestas!!! I even made some new friends while I was there. And let me just say this, that group at Life Today is just plain wonderful!!! I love their spirit, their enthusiasm, and their passion. The LAW OF KINDNESS is on their tongue!!!
Hope to do it again sometime.
In the meantime, enjoy your time and also know that we get a major kick out of you!
Thank you for all you do for the Body of Christ!!!
You are loved!!!
Mama we share a birthday month so your post title sounded just like something I would say!
My son is 2 1/2 and tonight we were leaving to go to Bible study at a friend’s house. My husband went back in to get his bible and from the backseat my son saw what was in daddy’s hand and he said, ‘daddy, get my bible pease.’ Uh, my heart turned to honey!
So he goes back in and comes out empty handed and regrets he couldn’t find it, so Jeshua says, ‘it’s in my pack-pack’ (backpack). Just when I was wondering to myself if he really knew what he was asking for.
I couldn’t agree more…if my children love Jesus with all their heart, everything else will be okay.
Glory must have been at stake…love that line.
It’s so good to hear from you, we have missed you so. The Outdoorsmen women are gladly giving up hunting season to hear you speak this weekend.
Hi Beth,
Not sure if you feel comfortable sharing (or if you’ll even have a chance to see this request), but I would love to know the title of the book with the message “Stop hurrying so much” that you mentioned.
Thanks! Praying for you as you work!
So glad you had a bit of time to yourself – there’s nothing like being lost in a book!
what a blessing to have nearly all your babies close by – my heart breaks daily being away from my only girl!
Cheery-upper of the day: Went to my husband’s office here on the army post in Heidelberg, and what had arrived but a huge shipment we ordered for his ministry to the soldiers of his unit – including a nice fat stack of Believing God! Can’t wait to begin the study with women who serve our country far from home. Love you, Beth.
I was at the taping and was absolutely blessed beyond words!
I brought my sister with me & after meeting so many of my amazing Siestas,
she instantly saw why I’m always ranting and raving about them. Precious ladies!
We were in line by the ladies who came from Minnesota & two more very sweet ladies from Louisiana. It was so much fun and just a very special feeling being in that small setting with so many sisters (and a few brothers) in Christ!
Beth, my husband and I watch Wednesdays each week and I had no idea you taped that many sessions in one weekend. Each lesson was SO good! Thank you!
This past Saturday we went to our daughter’s house. I had predicted the 23rd as the date she would deliver our first grandchild and she actually did go into labor Saturday, but our grandson was born in the wee hours Sunday morning. What a blessing from God.
We are elated! Mom and baby are doing very well.
Psalm 126:3 “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.”
I love you & I pray for you often as you continue to lead so many to Jesus through the teaching of His Word~
Valerie
Greetings Siesta Mama Beth:)
Good to hear an update on how your quality time with “Jedus” is going!:) Praise the Lord for Life Today tapings, it’s like a good kind of exhausted it seems to you. You can relate better to a smaller audience because as you say, you can see their precious faces. That is one thing that i do pray a so much for, for Makenna to grow up and come to know the Lord and to love Him deeply. Heaven knows I want that for myself, my husband, my family, and my baby girl…My Saturday was not what I expected, however, I did go to the grocery store, but, I accidently set off my car alarm in the parking lot and I think I left all my coupons and some cash in my shopping cart. I can’t find it anywhere. Sigh. Crazier things could’ve happened:)