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!
Allison Mullins, San Antonio
“Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 NLT
Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Kate, Grapeland, Texas (NAS)
Elaine, College Station, Texas (ESV)
Laura, College Station, Texas (NIV)
Donna, Lufkin, Texas (NIV)
Diane, Florence Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened throught the deceitfulness of sin. KJV
Dena , Wilmington NC. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NASB)
Diane, Missoula MT
Isaiah 26:3″You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.” NCV
Leah; Perkins, OK
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB
Cassiopia, Aurora,CO “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:” (Proverbs 31:28 NIV)
Tracie, Minneapolis. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Is. 41:13 NIV
Sarah, West Richland
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 NIV
Moreover, whom He has predestined,
These He also called;
Whom He called,
These He also justified;
And whom He justified,
These He also glorified.
NKJV
Romans 8:30
Jeanetta,Tyler My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. James 2:1 NET
Colfax, Washington
“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
~Psalm 51:7 NLT
Ann, Ostrander, Ohio “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” Ephesians 3:12 KJV
Kerri (Greenville, MS)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13, NIV
Kierstan
Portland, Oregon
1 COR 6:19-20 {NIV}
19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Jill H., Aurora, IL – Ephesians 3:14 – “For this reason I kneel before the Father,” NIV (beginning Eph. prayer)
Romans 12:1,2 (The Message)
1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Vicky, NE
Denise, Colorado Springs-CO
“Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die; keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” Proverbs 30:7-8 NIV
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 2Timothy 1:8-10 KJV
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16, NIV
Kathy
St. Louis, MO
Alecia, Resaca, GA
Romans 8:38-39 NKJ
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angles nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Diane, Hemet, CA
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Isaiah 64:4 NIV
Karen, Woodstock, Ga.
Then he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
LORD,You have been our dwelling place throughtout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought for the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalms 90:1-2 NIV
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Ps 27:13-14 NIV
Noreen, Bloomington/Normal: 1 Thes. 5-23: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” NIV Bible
donna, mt. pleasant, nc
Jeremiah 31:25 For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes. NASB
Be still and know that I am God; relax and rest in God. Listen for all his glory as he shows you his awesomness. Psalms 46:10 NIV
Susan in Stillwater, OK
Ephesians 4:29 NIV “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ashley, Atlanta
“And the Lord commanded the man’You are free to eat from any tree in the garden but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”- Genesis 2:16-17 NIV
“Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings that my servant Moses commanded you. Don’t turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go. Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed. “I have commanded you, ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’ ” Joshua 1:7-9 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Shirley, Alabama – Rom 8:19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. (NIV)
Cindy, Gold Canyon ~ “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always for the Lord God is the eternal Rock” NLT
Isaiah 26:3-4
Sally
Columbus, OH
“You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar.”
Psalm 139:2 NIV
Philly, PA: When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.(NIV)
Proverbs 10:19
Marsha, Tucson, AZ
In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide the to your holy dwelling. Exodus 15:13
Joy Chambers, Monroe, GA – “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” -James 1:22, New Living Translation
Vicki, Wilmington NC
He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20 NKJV
Debra, Meadville,MS I will answer them before they even call to me; while they are still talking to Me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.
Isaiah 65:24 NIV
Jackie, Versailles, KY: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3:12 (NIV)
Allison, Tampa: Prov.29:15
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.”
Michelle,Magnolia,TX
Walk with me and work with me.Watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fittng on you.
Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly.
Matthew 11:29-30 the message
Kay, Sheridan: He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8:21 NIV
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” –Philippians 4:8, NIV
Lynn, St. Louis, MO
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2, NASB
Tiffany, Columbus: “Say to God, How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.” Psalm 66: 3, NLT
Robin, Arkansas: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 KJV
Linda Matsko, Indio, CA – 1 Samuel 16:7b “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Colleen, O’Fallon. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work in us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 NLT
1 Corinthians 14 NIV
Do everything in love.