Hey, Sweet Things!
You guys are so much fun. Thanks for getting excited with us about the app. I’m just thinking about how this whole technology thing was in the mind of God centuries ago when He inscribed His words on the sacred page through the pens of men. Too much to wrap our minds around, isn’t it? He is the One who knows “the end from the beginning,” and “from ancient times, what is still to come.” He says, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:10)
At the moment I’m typing up this post, we have a whopping 9250 entries under Verse 1. Never in my wildest imagination did I picture this. I was pretty blown away by our strong and steady couple of thousand in 2009. Keep in mind that the 9250 is not an exact reflection of participants because there are some replies under comments, like, “I’m copying yours!” and “I’ve never even heard that verse!” I’m not going put a restriction on that because community in Christ is what makes Siestaville work. We do know, however, that way over 8000 are participating because that many women ordered spirals or downloaded the artwork. Others who are participating grabbed their own spirals the easier way from the store. I also want you to picture the many preadolescent girls we have on our team. Don’t you remember loving stickers and pens and school supplies when you were that age? I should have known they’d take to the spirals. Just close your eyes and imagine them reciting some of the verses dearest to your heart. Many of us have lived long enough to know by life experience what they are reciting by faith. It’s such a precious thought to me. They will find Jesus faithful just as we have. Yep, we have junior Siestas but we also have plenty of senior Siestas which delights me just as much. Our joy in standing shoulder-to-shoulder with this mighty band of women is indescribable. I wonder how many football fields we would stretch across. Whew. For just a split second I saw us all in my bright red college drill team uniforms. Scratch that thought.
OK, before I call for your second verses, many of you asked for the exact date of the SSMT celebration next January. I double-checked the weekend with Sabrina and it’s January 20-21, 2012 from Friday evening until Saturday noon. Of course, we’ll get you the proper information starting early next Fall but, if you think you might want to come, put it down on your calendar, start saving your expense money, and plan to memorize your darling little head off. The event itself is our gift to you and your ticket in is your well-used spiral (of either kind).
Are you ready for SSMT Verse 2? I’m giving you a heads-up that I plan to target a lot of James verses this year so, while I’m still going to tell you mine each time, I’ll also suggest a good alternative for those of you who could use an additional idea. Remember! Limit your comments to Name, City, Verse, and Translation. Here’s mine:
Beth, Houston. “My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” James 2:1 The NET Bible
Here’s an alternative I really love and memorized a couple of years ago. My dear coworker, Diane, is memorizing it right now so it’s washing back over my mind:
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” Psalm 40:5 NIV
And that, O Lord, is the gospel truth.
OK, Sisters! Bring on Verse 2!
I pray that Christ is so pleased. I feel in my soul that He is.
Have a great weekend!
Eileen, Sarasota, FL
Psalm 119:36-38 NIRV
36 Make me want to follow your covenant laws
instead of wanting to gain things only for myself.
37 Turn my eyes away from things that are worthless.
Keep me alive as you have promised.
38 Keep your promise to me.
Then other people will have respect for you.
Duet. 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Anna, Elkhart
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
He has showed you O man what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Isaiah 40:31
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”(NIV)
Melanie-Arab,Alabama
Heidi from Kenosha, WI:
Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” NKJV
Tammy
Sugar Land, TX
“Everything is permissible” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is constructive.
I Corinthians 10:23
Becky
Fort Collins, CO
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
Tia, Pierre, SD: 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (NIV)
Brenda Knoxville,TN
Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of Your words give light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
Rebecca (Mom), Maya (Age 7) and Emmy (age 5), Richmond VA:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of great worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genunine and may result in praise glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1Peter 1:7 NIV
Whom have I in heaven but you? There is nothing in the world I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26
Erika, Chester VA
“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.”
Psalm 13:5-6 (NAS)
Becky – Waukesha WI
1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)
Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive.
Ruth, Odin, IL
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renenwed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
Peggy Lee, Whitefield, NH: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, the peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18 (NIV)
Rachel, Knoxville, TN
Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (NIV)
Jaclyn, Richmond, VA
“For I, the Lord your God, have taken your right hand in mine, saying to you, have no fear; I will be your helper.”
Isaiah 41:13
Kim Eshelman Lewisburg, PA
Hebrews 10:35-39 NIV
So do not throw away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded. You need to perservere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what He has promised. For in just a little while “He who is coming will come and not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith., And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
Exodus 33:13-17 (New International Version, ©2010)
13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
Susan, Adamsville,tx
Chris, N. Ft. Myers, Fl.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,and His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep his covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.
Psalm 103:17-18 NKJV
“Teach me your way , O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11 NIV
Joy, Grand Rapids MI: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
Now know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands, 2 Cor. 5:1
Melissa
Asheville, NC
“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14
Teresa, McKinney, TX
Joshua 1:9 NASB
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Columbia, SC
2. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph3:12
Kathleen, Richmond,
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galations 6:9
NIV
Amy
Bham AL
Jessica Cleveland, MS
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering producees endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
-Romans 5:3-5 ESV
Allyson, Winnsboro SC:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Cherise, Cheyenne, WY: “The LORD your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring [you] quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17 (HCSB)
Vicki – Eufaula AL
James 3:9-10 (New International Version, ©2010)
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Praise be to You, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.
Psalm 119:10-12 (NIV)
Carol, Jena, LA
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5(NIV)
“But the wisdom that is from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 NIV
Cindy, Ocala, FL
“…I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;…”
Isaiah 49:15 (partial) NIV
Let all that I am wait quietly before God
for my hope is in Him.
Psalm 62:5 NLT
isaiah 43:10 (niv) “you are my witnesses,” declares the lord, “and my servant whom i have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that i am he. before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”
Jen, Mechanicsville, VA –
It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63
Moore, OK
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
Tiffany – Canton, MI
“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
Job 5:3 (NIV)
“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
“I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ- which is far better- but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.” -Philippians 1:23-24
Kelly, Fredericksburg, VA
Isaiah 43:18
Do not remember the former things, neither consider the things of old. (19:)Behold, I am doing a new thing!
Tina, Walker, LA
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV
Melissa, Newark, CA
John 15:5 NIV
I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV
Yoakum, TX
Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is our sun & our shield. He gives grace & glory. The Lord will with hold no good thing from those who do what is right.”
1 Peter 2:23-24 (NIV)
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Jenna, Nashville, “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14, NLT