Hey, Siestas! You are the biggest blast of a blog community EVER. Thank you for being so much fun about the Siesta Scripture Memory Spirals. You would have thought we were doing one of those big Oprah giveaways where everybody in the audience gets a really fabulous free gift and women scream for fifteen minutes. Oh, man, I wish these could have been free gifts! Would you believe that 1393 of you placed orders within the first 24 hours?? At this point, over 4000 of you have placed orders so it’s safe to say that we at LPM really did scream for fifteen minutes – and, yes, with absolute joy. Even laughter. I got a text when they hit a thousand spirals and it had about 20 exclamation marks at the end of it. I threw my head back laughing before the Lord and flat out slapped my leg. About a month ago when I shared this vision with Sabrina, I said, “I don’t know. I may be wrong but I think they’ll like them.” Well, you did. Which tells me it had to have come from God because some of my really good ideas have sunk deep into the abyss…but only after costing us an arm and one and a half legs. Anyway, back to the spirals. To say that my staff is busy is an understatement but we’ve got wonderful volunteers and everybody will still get the designated time off for the holidays. I go down stairs every little while and tell them I’m sorry (and they laugh and say you’re a privilege to serve) and we’re also trying to feed them a lot. Here are a few of them hard at work right now:
(There is lots of hugging at LPM. Nancy Mattingly heads up correspondence around here – oh, MAN! I am so thankful to God for her – and her daughter Sara just got home from college for the Christmas holidays and came to lend a hand. That’s one of us hugging her. We adore all the LPM offspring.)
We are getting them in the mail (the spirals, not the offspring) as fast as humanly possible but, as you can see, we are big in heart and small in numbers around here. Still, we are pressing on and you will have them at the earliest possible date. There’s no loitering around here. I hate to rub it in but I already have my set. I’m chomping at the bit to write the first verse in it but I’m waiting till January 1st on the dot. Remember me telling you that I can tend toward obsessive thoughts? Well, case in point: I’m fighting the mild urge to obsess over which verse to choose first (what if it sets the tone for the year?) and which pen I want to use. I’d also like to have better penmanship on this year’s set. Ordinarily by the time I get to April and I’m in the middle of this crisis or that, my verses look like they’ve been written in an ambulance – and maybe half the time they should have been. I know you’re thinking I should get out more but just think how much I get out already and remain this odd. Well, I hope the Lord is getting some amusement out of us being this excited about memorizing Scripture. And don’t tell Melissa and Amanda but I am making theirs stocking stuffers.
Speaking of getting out more, guess what I’ve been doing? I flew to Atlanta two days ago, jumped in the car with Melissa, and started a two-day trek home to the Lone Star State. Colin has a brand new job that is enabling them to come back to Texas! Wooooooooo-hooooooooooo! Or in the expression coined right here in Siestaville, “Yahoo-Jah!” (Hold the “Yah” for about five seconds then say the “hoo-Jah” really fast. It has a rodeo-type feel to it.) Colin is on his way right now with the moving van and Melissa and I got home with one of their two cars last night.
A couple of quick shots on the I-phone…
Walking to the car where we’d climb in, pay for parking, and head straight out of town. I am walking behind her thinking how I can’t believe this is really happening. Baby girl is heading back to Texas!
The first border we crossed out of Georgia. We literally drove through snow and sleet the first hour here. It was really exciting for me though. Snow is still a novelty around here!
The sky as we crossed the border into Mississippi:
A toast for miles behind us:
Day Two was really sunny and I wore my sunglasses for hours. Finally they were making deep dents and, let’s be honest, my nose doesn’t need any added distress. Melissa had this tiny little rag on her console for some reason and I made good use of it. Michelle said I looked like I was about to stage a hold-up at a Stop -N Go.
We had every plan to take our very best picture at the “Welcome to Texas!” Landmark in our own home state. Just as we were driving by it with my I-phone out the window, an eighteen wheeler sped by on our right side and gave us the evil eye. May God forgive him. We railed about it for a solid hour. No, there was no going back. It was freeway and would have taken too long to recreate. We consoled ourselves with sugar.
Thank you for enduring this long, unimportant-to-anyone-else family narrative. It’s not over yet. I’m just thanking you now so you can continue hanging on by a thread. We are beside ourselves to welcome the Fitzpatricks back. We’ll have them in Houston for at least several months and will soak up every minute. I think you can anticipate hearing much more about them and from them as we have her back at the Living Proof office. We are so happy and praise God with all of our hearts. Except for small amounts of time over summers or holidays, Melissa has been away from home for ten years and from Texas for eight. She’s got itchy feet like her mom so don’t look for permanence out of them in Houston but we’re at least hoping that, wherever they ultimately land, they’ll stay within half day’s driving distance. That’s all up to the Lord. When you raise your kids with the hope that they’ll follow hard after Jesus and live their lives as a divine adventure, there is literally no telling where they’ll end up. We’re so happy for seasons we get to spend together.
Amanda made last night one of our all-time best 4-Moore memories. When Melissa and I drove up last night, Amanda was standing in the driveway holding big welcome home balloons and blowing a party horn. (I snapped a picture but the flash caught their eyes funny and they look a little possessed so I’ll spare you. And myself. It was my worst nightmare when they were growing up.) At that very second, Keith drove up from out of town, too, and the four of us had this spontaneous moment together. The timing was so perfect that we couldn’t have planned it. We got in a group hug and blew our party horns as loud as we could then laughed our heads off. Then we did what Texans do when they get back from being out of State: we headed to a Mexican restaurant and rekindled our family affections over hot sauce and tortilla chips. We topped off the evening by driving around our subdivision of 26 years and looking at Christmas lights. The whole evening was a family gift with a big red ribbon God alone could have wrapped around it. Our little family has been through a lot and grace is the air we breathe. We don’t take moments like these lightly.
Right now I am praying in Jesus’ lavish Name that He will appoint some spontaneous moments like these for you and your family or friends. I am well aware that life is hard and all of us could use some reminders that God has not forsaken us – and never will – and that He is only good and never malicious or unfeeling toward us. My next memory verse is James 1:17 “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” (James 1:17 HCS)
Oh, thank You, Lord. You never change. You never turn Your back on us.
We are blessed to be His daughters, Siestas.
OK, I’ve got a ton of work to do so I’ll sign off right after one last thing. For you Houston-area girls, we are having a book signing tomorrow (Saturday) at the LifeWay Christian Store in Willowbrook Court from 12:00 noon to 1:30. (17776 Tomball Parkway) This location is really special to us because it’s the closest one to my home. I have no idea how many times I’ve been in that store and perused those shelves for something new to read. It is also the location many years ago where Keith took me as a surprise to see the first Bible study on the shelf. (The original A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place) He’d called the store in advance to find out when it would hit the shelf (I was too green to even know to ask) and took me out to dinner that night without saying a word about it. When we drove away from the restaurant, he said, “I need to make one stop on the way home.” I was perplexed when he drove up to the Christian bookstore because it really wasn’t his thing but what wife would pass up an opportunity like that? He grabbed me by the hand and made a bee-line straight to the aisle where they’d told him in advance he’d find the new copies. I was so shocked I couldn’t believe my eyes. There wasn’t much to that original Bible study cover (a big purple flower, I recall) but it was a beautiful sight to us. We neither one said a word. We just stood in the aisle and cried. It was priceless.
All that to say, this Willowbrook location is “home” to us because it was simply the most convenient location and became such an active partner in Bible study ministry. I’ve shopped in there a jillion times. I’ve sat cross legged in the resource/commentary corner and pulled books off shelves more times than I can count and also bought innumerable music CD’s. A couple of years ago, my good buddy, Johnnie, and I dropped by there after having lunch next door at Sweet Tomatoes and had Jackson with us in the stroller. He was almost three at the time and there was a stack of Get Out of That Pit hardback books near where we were perusing. We got so tickled as he kept pointing at the cover and yelling, “Bibby! Bibby!” Silly stuff but fun family memories.
It’s a great store and I, for one, loathe the thought that on-line book orders (as many as I’ve placed!) would ever replace the kind of store you actually get out of your car and visit. I don’t know about you but, half the time, I don’t even know what I want to read until I see it.
Anyway, that’s where Michelle (AKA: “The Hawk”) and I will be tomorrow. Melissa and/or Amanda may drop in but Michelle will be there for sure to help me. If you want to drop by and grab something off the shelf to have signed for somebody for Christmas, we’ll be blessed to serve you. These days the really abbreviated versions of certain written messages mean that the price range starts lower. We never, ever want to talk the women we are privileged to serve into overspending. No pressure here whatsoever. We just want you to know that we’ll be there to serve you…if you want to be served. Grin.
I sure love you guys. You are such a bright spot in my ministry life. I think of you every day. And right about now, my whole staff is thinking about you every minute. Pray your spirals home!
I’ll be back on here soon, Sweet Things. This mama loves you.
I just love this post! 🙂 Blessings to you all!
I am so sad I couldn’t come today! The first time I’ve been out of town in months is the one weekend you’re literally 5 minutes away from my house! At my Lifeway!
Also, I ordered my spirals! One for me and one for my sister! Can’t wait!
(And yes, this is a random post from a new girl. I’ve been a skilled lurker for at least a year now. I know… pitiful. Now that you’ve heard from me I guess I’ll have to post more often, right?! )
Praise The Lord! Beth I am so excited for you! The Moores together again! yippeee!
What could be more blessed than having both of your wonderful daughters near the nest where they learned to fly on their own?? Also, as a mother of two wonderful daughters, nothing!
Hi Beth and Siestas. I have been collecting verses ever since I did the Believing God course earrlier this year. I copy and paste verses from the “You version” Bible on my Blackerry and paste to a memo on my BB. I have the veses handy whenever I need them and often steal a quiet moment to read through and try and memorise. Every now an then I paste one to my face book profile status and many of my Christan and even non-Christian friends comment or “like”. Its amazing how God can use modern technology!! Thanks for being an inspiration Beth. Have a Blessed Christmas surrounded by your beloved family. Love Karin (South Africa)
I love your little family moments. LOVE you sharing your life w/ us, cuz you’re one of us!
I am spending this Christmas w/ my brother & our mom and our families. First time in 16 years. Jesus, let the healing begin!
Beth you are so halilairous! So excited for you about Amanda moving back. Oh, and I loved the Yahoo-Jah!!!!!
Have a Very Merry Christmas!! Love ya!
Olivia
My Man and I made an over night trek to see our Grandkids and celebrate Christmas a few days early. Oh what joy that brings to this Grandma’s heart.
I am thrilled with you about Melissa. And I was thrilled last night when my Man walked in the door with the mail, for there was my SPIRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Currently I am memorizing Isaiah 9:6 NIV
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everasting Father, Prince of Peace.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
With love and a heart of thanksgiving,
Yolanda
I have been a Siesta since the first blog post, and all of my family adores you. I just wanted to thank you for posting about your time at MD Anderson. It was beautifully written. My dad was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer and has now relocated to MD Anderson. They are attending your church and LOVE the staff there. The bookstore staff prayed with them! Here are 2 sites about my parents: networkofcaring.org and jimdornansjourney.com Our whole extended family is going through “Believing God” together and Believing Him for my dad. Have a blessed Christmas, and what a great thing to have Melissa & Colin home! She was living right here in my city and I never met her 🙂 I attend Northpoint in Alpharetta. Thank you for all you are and do, and for being so hilarious and REAL… Love, Heather
I lead the women’s ministry of our church. It’s called Moxie. When I read about the scripture memory team, I got so excited. But the real excitement came the next day when I Moxie Memorizers popped into my head. Our church is so young (mostly people in their 20s and early 30s). I’m so excited to help many of them start memorizing scripture for the first time! It’s going to be awesome, and hopefully, life-changing! Thanks for the idea! Can’t wait to get this started!!
I love the name of your group. I hope the Moxie Memorizers is a great success!
Beth,
I too am obsessing over my new spiral. I am worrying about which verse I should pick first – will it be the best one to start off the new year? I even bought two spirals, just in case I mess up in the first one! Thanks for being so open. You make it easy for the rest of us.
We are thrilled for you and your family. Welcome home to Melissa! So glad all the Moore ladies will be in Texas. Have a blessed week. Praying for Christ’s abundant love to touch all of us in Siesta Land.
I got my sprial! I got my spiral!! YAY!
Gena,
I got my spiral too!! Never thought I’d get this excited over one. lol
Can’t wait to get started!
May all my siestas have a wonderful blessed Christmas as we rejoice over our Savior”s birth.
Thank you so much for sharing with us Beth!!! Reading this post blessed my heart!
We had some wonderfully awesome family time with my sister-in-law and family last weekend when we were all snowed in during a blizzard – we got about 22 inches of snow:) We love snow which is why we live in Wisconsin!
Family moments like those and the ones you shared with us are truly priceless and a gift from God!! To think that He loves us so much to bless us constantly the way He does brings me to humble tears but I’ll accept that gracious gift happily!
It is such a blessing to serve Him and His Kingdom alongside so many I have never (and may never meet) this side of Heaven but oh what awaits us is something to look forward to!
May you have a richly blessed Christmas!!
Oh, Beth.
As I sit here in freezing Heidelberg, missing South Carolina and all my friends, I am so delighted to read your latest message – and thankful you had such a beautiful “family night!” My daughter is here for part of her Christmas break from college, and I am more grateful than I can put into words that she’s here on the sofa beside me, tapping away on her laptop as I click madly on mine. Merry Christmas to your family and your wonderful LPM staffers! What servant hearts they all have! (I’m sparing them 1/4000th of their work and using a spiral I bought here at the PX.) Love you so!
It is freezing here in the upstate of SC tonight too. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your daughter! Thanks for your service to the country!
I’ve picked a theme for the upcoming year….Surrender. My first verse is in 2 Timithoy, something about how Christians are not called to strive, argue, fight….
I’m really looking forward to the journey I know the Lord has planned for my heart. I’m looking hopefully toward changes and growth. I want to be a different person this time next year, one whose life is known by a surrendered or honoring others heart.
I think of that FFH song…”We all want love, we all want honor, but nobody wants to pay the asking price…Surrender is stronger…” Guess I’ll be looking up all the lyrics and adding that to my spiral!!
Michelle, TN
Yay! Welcome home, Melissa & Colin! My spiral arrived and it is SO CUTE!! I can’t wait to get started. Merry Christmas everyone!
that’s wonderful that Melissa is able to come home!
I wish I could.
I’ve been out of home since 93 and I’m desperate to go back…
Welcome back to Texas, Melissa!!!!!!! Beth, I can hardly wait to get my spiral…I think I ordered it in the first hour 😉
Just got my today…. so you should get yours soon!!!!
Beth,
I have to share – I got so excited for you when I read Melissa was moving back home, that I must have said something or made some noise, because my husband came into the room and asked me why I was excited. I laughed out loud as I realized that I feel like you’re a close personal friend, that I got so excited for you out loud! My husband will pick on me all night for reacting to your news, but either way, I’m so happy both your girls will be near you, even if it’s for a short season. What a blessing! Have a great week and thanks for sharing a wonderful post!
With love,
Stephanie
I feel the same way! And I laugh out loud a lot of times when I read this blog and my husband will say, “Are you reading Beth Moore’s blog?”
I am happy for the Moore family; what a blessing to have the family together!
And we love you Mama!!!! I am soooooo happy for you all that Melissa is back in Texas!! What a blessing! Like I tell my little cradle roll Bible class all the time, “YAY GOD!” Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your precious family. In Jesus’ Love Kathy Knoblock
Time to crank up that Christmas music!!! It will help the “elves” with their shipping duties. I pray that the Lord continues to Wow! you with his goodness throughout the Christmas season and in 2011!!!
I loved reading this post. I got a little teary at the part about having all the family home at the same time. I have two daughters, ages 4 and 6, and it makes me a little weepy to think that one day they will be leaving the nest. Thanks for all you do and sacrifices made by everyone at LPM to minister to us!
Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, about this post makes me happy! Melissa and Colin moving back to TX, Starbucks, 4000 spirals, and the Stop-N-Go bandit photo!
Love and hugs,
Adrienne
I just learned that my pastor will be starting a series on 1 John after Christmas. Wouldn’t you know that I had just wrote my new memory verse down and it just so happens to be from 1 John. 1 John 5:11-12! That wouldn’t be a coincidence would it?
Beth, I sure hope someday I see my book that I’m writing on a shelf in a bookstore, but somehow I doubt it. I’m not that good and it’s such a competitive writing market. I’ve never succeeded at anything, so why would this be any different. Just not letting myself get my hopes up. Although, I already had a request from someone at my church, to read it when I’m finished! I’m shocked anybody would want to read anything I wrote! Especially people who know all too well where I’ve been! I hate to tell you this, but almost everything I read comes from online! That’s because in the town I live in there is no such thing as a Christian bookstore! They have very few Christian books even in the library. Not very popular, in this, the most liberal area in Idaho. And I happen to be right in the middle of it!!
What wonderful news! Enjoy this season of togetherness. I had to say my spirals are here! my spirals are here! my spirals are here! I got one for myself, one for my 10 year old daughter and an extra. I am trusting the Lord to show me who it is for. THANK YOU for the spirals. I can’t wait till January 1st. I kept with the scripture memory this year but it wasn’t the same as learning scripture with all the Siestas. 2011 here we come!
My youngest child, and only daughter is following hard after Jesus, and she has wound up in China for this holiday season. At age 21, she has a huge heart for God’s people and is teaching young children the Christmas story in China. I am in awe of her and overwhelmed at God’s goodness to use her in this way- I already know it will be life changing for her. And though she won’t be home for Christmas (tear), I’m beyond words with joy that she is following hard after Jesus. Wouldn’t have it any other way!
So happy for you that Melissa is coming back! Enjoy!!
I wanted to share a picture of an ornament that our bible study leaders made and gave to each woman…in the Believing God study….maybe the blog does not let us add a photo?
You can share your picture with Beth and Staff by emailing it to [email protected].
Hi Beth: your Scripture Memoray Spiral is worth a million times more than Oprah’s whatever she is giving away. Hands down, no comparison. I have ordered two, my first time, so looking forward to 2011 to get started. Thanks for your faithful ministry.
Beth-
What a joy to have your family together, especially at this time of year! I have been in a bible study group for four years that has done nothing but your studies. We always say we are going to try something different but are so blessed by each new study we do together! I laugh at all your comments and post because although we are a “few” years apart I a convinced we are nearly twins. I too have obsessive thinking and am usually scattered in every which way. I am a Texas girl as well and am married to a man that sounds similar to your Keith. We live in hunting country in southwest Texas and I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew some of the same people. I am pumped about starting a new year with new memorized scripture in a new journal! I think I will go with a purple pen 🙂 I have followed the blog since the first scripture memory and wanted to attend the event but was eight months pregnant with our second son and didn’t want to stray to far from home. I have never commented before but as this new year approaches I wanted to give you a word of encouragement. My life has been blessed from your studies and I am grateful that you are sharing your gift. Our Savior is so worthy of your hard work.
Ashley
Uvalde, Texas
I have been reviewing the verses from our first year. Some of them are speaking louder and clearer to me than ever before. Do you ever include verses from previous years in your new spiral?
God seems to have given me a few specific verses during a long 14 year “perfect storm”. If I am correct, they are verses promising renewal and hope as the storms complete their cycles. I have almost “given up” that these verses were truly “words” just for me from our Lord. However, they are “right on” and speak to my heart’s greatest desires. I keep the glimmer of hope alive and pray them frequently. Just wondering about including them in our new spiral.
Please tell your volunteers, we appreciate their time and work on our behalf. Much Love
Hello All,
It’s amazing to be a part of this online “community”. Beth, I can just picture all of you together and it makes me smile and warms my heart. Family is such Good Thing!
Merry Christmas,
Leann (Alabama)
I am looking forward to starting my 2011 spiral with excitement and a little trepidation. 2011 will see the birth of my second child! Something I never thought would happen. Trepidation because the one lesson God has taught me (over and over) the last 2 years is that things can drasticly change so fast it leaves you spinning. I have spun through the last 2 years and am ready for some non-moving ground 🙂 I have been facing my anxiety, which can you believe even sometimes keeps me from posting here. A place love is so apparent and no one can see my face. But I look at that big empty box and anxiety takes over and I can’t do it. So I am going to find strength in this years scriptures and in the One who wrote them.
Yep, I agree, definitely need to see and handle the book to determine readability! Lol
Beth,
I just love your blogs/studies/just yourself. Thanks for following hard after God, and I can’t wait for my spiral!!!! Yay for pursuit of extra closeness!
Praising the Lord with your family today! What a delightful post – it made me laugh, smile and see Jesus! What more could a woman want!!
Merry Christmas!
Kimberly in Northern Michigan
what a blessing that Melissa and Colin could move back to Texas! In June my husband and I went back on missionary status and moved from our church in Oregon to Virginia, to help our son in his church plant. Village is just a year old, and already 100 people are attending! The heartbreak part for me was leaving my daughter, son-in-law and grandson in Oregon. However, in October, son-in-law got a job in Richmond!!! They are living with us for the time being until they close on a house, but this mama will have 2 out of 3 children living in close proximity (child 3 and her family are in Alaska–son-in-law is a youth pastor).
I didn’t get an “official” spiral, but I have my fake-leather covered journal from Michael’s (from the $1 bin) and I’m ready to go! Will be encouraging the ladies I teach each Saturday morning to be memorizing, too.
Merry and Blessed Christmas to you and yours,
Oh mama Beth,
I so love when you write like this. Just makes me laugh and cry at the same time. I am so happy that you and your daughters are all together again. That is awesome.
I can’t wait for my spiral. I got so excited I wrote out my check and sent it to your old box address. Because I was soimpatient and didn’t wait to hear from your lovely ladies where to send it. Johnnie is just a blessing. She wrote and said she thought yall still got it forwarded and if not she would let me know. I am thinking God is getting that right to you. I have been praying over that spiral for a week now. I can’t wait. NOw you would think this siesta would have more patience especially since i just finished Living Beyond. See excitement does make my mind get a bit out of control.
I can’t wait to start working on verses again. I was so not with it this past year and I need to be held accountable.
love you all you are a blessing Merry Christmas
i’m so excited about the siesta memory verse team. this is the first time i will be participating with you siestas and i really feel like this is an answer to prayer. first, i know the Lord is calling me to apply more scripture to memory. i generally thrive in organized settings (although I am not a naturally organized person) so it is a blessing for me to commit to memorizing scripture with all of you in a structured format. second, i am having my second baby in about a month and i have been so worried about how i will keep from feelings of guilt and defeat by staying in the shadow of the cross during those first couple of difficult months after the baby is born. i am one who tends to waiver between self-righteous works-oriented justification and self-loathing works-oriented failure. for a while now, God has been working with me on hiding myself in the shadow of the cross (not counting on works), and He is already beginning to show me that this upcoming time of memorizing scripture and counting on HIm for my righteousness is going to be a crash-course in His grace and mercy. i am genuinely SO excited. i believe the Lord wants me to memorize verses that all relate to the work of the cross of Jesus Christ and His faithfulness in keeping His covenant with us. i’m so done with believing the lie that i am failing or alternatively that i am something more than i am. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14, NIV. i think that is definitely going to be my first verse! can’t wait till January 1st 🙂
I am so happy for you to have both of your daughters near you, even if only for a season. My children are still little, my youngest is in kindergarten, but I pray that they will follow God all the days of their lives. I also pray that I might get to be not too far as they do that!!!
God Bless you and family Beth!
Thanks all of you LPM ladies, volunteers and employees. I really appreciate your time in getting us our spirals. Merry Christmas.
I wish I had check the blog earlier! We pulled into Houston last Friday night. We have been on furlough for 4 months now, and this is the only time we will be here!
I could have gone to that book signing!
Oh well.
Have a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones. I’ll keep my eyes open, just might run into you while I am here!
I just want LPM to know I got my spiral on FRIDAY – you girls have worked some serious overtime! Thanks so much and I am super excited to start this journey again. I petered out two years ago in about July. I hope and pray I will make it through the whole year. Blessing to the entire Moore fmaily this Christmas season – what a wonderful gift that you will all be close by – God is GOOD!
I wanted to do the scripture memory with a friend but several other friends got jealous and are ordering spirals too, love you Beth and Merry Christmas.
Ms. Beth you are so sweet! I could listen to you talk forever! Merry Christmas week to all you at LPM!! Love all of you!
I’m so happy for you that Melissa is going to be home for a season. Wanted to do a happy dance when I read it. Grin
Please pass on a HUGE “Thank you” to the volunteers for working so hard to get those spirals to us. Wish I were there to give them a big hug! I’m looking forward to laying my hands on the spiral and starting a new year of memorizing scripture. 🙂 I ended up neglecting memorizing about five months of this year. I need the accountability.
Praying your family has a wonderful and blessed Christmas.
Anna
I’ve been debating whether to get the spiral or make my own. It’s so exciting to see how many women are signed up to memorize scripture in 2011!
I am very excited for Christmas b/c my 2 out-of-state sisters will be home for a few days + me and my 1 in-state sister (4 of us). It just feels like home/childhood when everyone is together.
Beth, driving around seeing Christmas lights with your 2 grown daughters is a priceless back-to-childhood memory, isn’t it!?
Which leads me to a prayer request: My Mother In Law. My husband and I have been married for 10 years and she is still struggling with sharing her son with my family (splitting holidays, we all know that’s a huge issue with most families). She has been harboring assumptions and past hurts for many years – against me, her children, her parents, etc. She is mad at the world, one person at a time. She likes to say what she wants to say, but doesn’t want to be held accountable when she’s wrong. My husband has contacted her several times – she either doesn’t answer her phone or she “can’t talk right now”. She’ll “get over it”, let it simmer down to nothing, until the next hurt comes along and it revives the fire with fresh fuel. We/I’ve prayed about this for a week now since it happened. That if I/we did anything wrong that we would admit it/repent. Also have prayed that she would have a softened heart. She needs salvation first and foremost, and I know that after experiencing Jesus’ love/forgiveness she’d have the true joy/happiness that she tries to create by getting her way/wants when & how she wants it. I’ve asked God for more compassion, love, kindness to show her and I know He has rekindled that in me. My heart sinks when I read the words of emails she’s written that are not nice. We have decided to let it go until she is ready to communicate and then we will hit this thing on the head and resolve it. Will probably not be pretty. But we are not willing to just avoid the issue and act like nothing happened. She is miserable and unbendable, so it makes everyone around her miserable. Sorry for the long prayer request. I need prayer for my husband and me to have God’s compassion/wisdom/leading and love/forgiveness extended to her and to not stoop to her level. Turn the other cheek, etc. To be humble in knowing what errors we have made. THANK YOU.
I was so excited when I got my spiral on Friday! But I’m like you… it’s sitting on the table next to my bed taunting me. Where to start? Part of me wants to cheat and have the very first verse be Jeremiah 29:11 because it is such a great reminder that no matter what we are going through God has a plan for our lives. But that’s cheating because it’s hidden deep within my heart already. I’m praying God gives me just the right passage to start off with!
Blessings to you!
Beth Moore, you are an amazing woman. I read a poem over the weekend about one Christian climbing a mountain and the other saying – Call back. Like, call back and tell me what the Lord has done for you. Call back and let me know He guided you through the storm (that I am about to enter). It’s in Streams in the Desert on either the 18th or 19th of December. Either way – thank you for calling back to all of us. I get through many things in life because you are a wonderful servant of God and call back. Thank you.
Thank you thank you.. exactly what God has been impressing on me.. memorize.. I have ordered the spiral and so excited to get started..
Merry Christmas and Very Blessed New Year to you and your family..
love
M