Hey, Sweet Things!
I feel like I’ve lived a month-full of events since the last I checked in with you but decided in retrospect that maybe God had kept me busy so I’d leave up that last post a little longer. I knew in my heart that many of your lives were touched by hidden disabilities just as mine has been. Some of yours, vastly more than I’ve experienced but I know some of the pain and bewilderment and fear. My prayer is that, at the very least, you know you are not alone and that God sees every struggle and is moved to compassion by every heartache. He is still our Healer and when healing doesn’t come the way we wished and prayed, He is still our Strength and Sustainer.
OK, let me think what has happened around the Moore world since I talked to you last. Thursday morning I had the great joy of heading to San Antonio for one of my closest and dearest spiritual daughter’s first baby’s birth. (Did you follow that??) I have known Amy since she was barely out of college and came to work at my home church years ago. We were not instantly close because of such a wide age gap between us but God wove our hearts together through the ups and downs and twists and turns of time. For years now we have been as thick as blood. She is big sister to both of my girls and I love Amanda and Melissa even more for always opening their arms to her. As tight as the four Moores have been, I have never for one second been able to tell that they felt the least bit threatened as Keith and I loved this young woman second only to them. I relish so many dimensions of life in Christ and one of my top five favorites is family that He brings together, not by natural means but by the bond of the Spirit. The riches are immeasurable.
Amy moved to the Texas Hill Country where her man works after they married two and a half years ago. Then eight months ago while Keith and I were at our cactus ranch, I got a text from her that said, “Hey, can you call me when you get a minute?” That was not unusual but I just had the weirdest feeling in my stomach. I dialed as fast as my fingers would move and when she answered, I blurted out, “Are you having a baby???” And we both screamed and then cried. Amy married just on the other side of her mid-thirties and God knew that the desire of her heart was to have a baby. I was all about rushing it but, since I had no control, I let Amy and Steven do what they thought was best. And, boy, did they ever do a good job of it.
Michelle drove me to San Antonio so I could still work on my laptop in the front seat of the car. When she offered, I reasoned that it was a tad above and beyond her job description but she countered that I am her job and, after all, it was a workday, and, furthermore, when I’m out of the office, she doesn’t have as much to do. The truth is, I think she caught a bad case of itchy feet from me and I’m just as glad. She is the easiest person in the world to travel with and a big help to boot. Her Dad works for Marriott so she got us two rooms close to the hospital for $40 each. Not bad at all.
I stayed in touch with Amy and Steven all the way from Houston to San Antonio and made it to the hospital in time to lend some support to my sweet girl while she labored from 6-9 centimeters. I was so proud of her. I’ve thought a lot about Amy and Steven and that baby coming in their later thirties rather than their early twenties. I know this is not always the case but, as for this young woman, she felt so blessed to be carrying that baby that she virtually never complained about being sick or, as most of us feel from seven months to nine, ample of stomach. She was nothing but grateful all the way from push to shove. As I stared at the two of them staring at her, I wondered if I’d ever known a baby that was more welcome or more apt to be savored every single second of her young life.
Ainsley Elizabeth was born to Amy and Steven at 6:12 PM as Steven’s parents, Amy’s mom, sister, and brother-in-law, and our dear friends, Steve and Bonita Seelig, and Kimberly McMahon and I waited nearby on pins and needles. Steven shot me a text about ten minutes later and we shouted till the dead could have been raised at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. In no time at all, we all got to go back and see as beautiful a newborn as any of us had ever laid our eyes upon (needless to say, alongside Jackson and Annabeth Jones). A little while later while I was hogging her, everybody but her parents (busy with the doctor) gathered around to gawk at the gorgeous reality of her. I said to that darling little thing, “Ainsley Elizabeth, the generations welcome you! Come into this family and be loved!” And she had an expression like she might do just exactly that.
Ainsley and her absolutely darling new Mommy. I normally would never post a picture of a woman who’d just walked through the Valley of the Shadow (what my mom called childbirth) but Amy looked so fantastic that she earned this. This baby wasn’t even an hour old in this picture.
Since I did that to her in her unadorned hour, I think it is only fair that I show you a regular picture of Amy with her man. This sits on an end table in our den:
Back to the hospital Thursday night. This is some of our very best lifetime friends, the Seeligs, with Ainsley and me. Steve is a minister at “the other” big Baptist church right down the road from us and has been on the LPM board of directors since its inception. He is a nut just like he appears to be in this picture and that’s why I’m posting it.
This is one we keep looking at and laughing. I mean this in good humor and with nothing but respect (and our dear Sister Lynn knows that’s the truth) but doesn’t Ainsley look a little like Mother Teresa as an infant here?
This is Ainsley and the uncontested man in her life: Daddy.
And this is Miss Pris all by herself. This is her first outfit and I was given the dubious honor of putting it on her:
I got back Friday night and threw a roast in the oven and sliced potatoes in a pan and prepared a heaping helping of birthday dinner for one of my favorite men in the whole wide world. Curtis Jones turned thirty and our entire family unit was there to celebrate. It was one of those nights you can’t really plan when everybody laughs like there’s no tomorrow and makes big over everything. Colin and Melissa gave Curtis a great set of speakers for his I-pod and we turned up the music and danced our legs off on the kitchen tile. Well, at least Amanda, Melissa, Annabeth and I did. Keith wanted to. I could tell. He just wouldn’t bring himself to do it since the other men were sitting back laughing while we were carrying on. Believe it or not, Keith Moore was a disco king back in our college days and could twirl a girl on the dance floor with impressive flair. After we were entirely out of breath, we crowded around the Cotton Bowl until Amanda, our resident Aggie, just couldn’t take it anymore. All of us texted each other the next day and said what a blast it was.
Such a great welcome to the weekend then yesterday came.I spent the first part of it in near euphoria with both my daughters at lunch at a great little tea room by the ministry. Melissa had a decked-out veggie sandwich and my favorite pasta salad in the world. AJ had chicken enchilada crepes and a green salad and I had chicken and spinach quiche with tortilla soup. Man, my mouth is watering thinking about it. We then dropped Lis off at the ministry to do some catch-up work then I took AJ home and grabbed the boy. He, Buzz Lightyear, and I headed to the park where we played for about the next hour and a half. If I loved this boy one iota more, I’d break into pieces.
Then I got a text. A horrific thing happened in Arizona, sending shock waves all over the United States. A gunman unloaded a semiautomatic weapon at a public gathering for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. He wounded thirteen people and stole six precious lives right out from under their families. One was a nine year-old little girl. A nine year-old little girl. It’s the kind of thing that makes you throw your hand over your mouth. A bloody rampage. What on earth makes a person do a thing like that, we wonder. What kind of world is this we live in??
These are strange days. Terrifying days. Sometimes I just sit and shake my head and wonder what on earth is ahead. During those times, my mind often turns to the divinely intended irony of the exact same phrase found in Acts 2:17 and 2 Timothy 3:1 –
In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Acts 2:17
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1
A few days ago an older man I respect so much told me that he was scared to death for our world and that he believed we were facing history’s most perilous days. I hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase yet from a conference where I saw 22,000 college-age men and women wildly proclaim the Name of Jesus, pore over His Word, and support His cause with over a million dollars for missions. I thought of the irony. I thought of the truth. I thought of the prophesy of the worst of times and the best of times. The same days that will give rise to such peril will also see the rising of a refined church. Darkness will come but light will shine in the darkness. The shroud of death may threaten to cover the earth but the tender cries of newborns still remind us that beauty can rise from the ashes.
Somebody new might read this post and think how idealistic and out of touch I seem and that’s okay. Enough of the rest of you know that I didn’t even make it out of toddlerhood as a budding Pollyanna. Though many of you suffer in ways I can’t imagine, I have ongoing hardships and some personal challenges that seem overwhelming at times. Even in the midst of escalating horrors, Scripture commissions us in the final words of Romans 12, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Some verses skim easily off the surfaces of our lives. Others make it deep into the echoing chambers of our hearts. Psalm 27 is one of those for me. I memorized it years ago out of the KJV at a time when I thought I’d be swallowed up whole by my enemy. To this day, I call its closing words back to my conscious mind every single time I feel overcome by evil.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV)
The goodness of the Lord. Here. RIGHT HERE. In the land of the living. May He strengthen your heart. And may He crowd around the suffering with such force and affection that His healing presence is palpable.
We are praying for you, Arizona. And we are so, so sorry for your suffering.
Congratulations to Amy and her husband! Ainsley is just SO BEAUTIFUL! I am SO HAPPY for Amy (especially knowing what it feels like to wait and long for motherhood in your thirties). She is so sweet. Jovin and I ran into her at one of the Fall Forward events while she was pregnant. She invited us to come up to the Hill Country sometime for a retreat. I just might make it there some day just so I can get my hands on that precious little girl. I am a shameless baby hogger.
What a tragic day in Arizona..ugh. The news wires have been saturated with details upon details, it upset my stomach to hear any more. As I found myself praying for all those touched by the days events, I actually asked God what He was thinking in making us? He knew the evil that would reside in us even before The Fall and created us anyway. Thank you for sharing Acts 2:17; it overrides 2 Tim. 3:1. I’m so honored God chose me to part of the uprising of His church! Hallelujah! When the world falls apart around us, it makes me all the more glad that what we face is temporary and the hope of eternity is within our grasp!
And what a joyous weekend you had otherwise! Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mama Beth. You really are family to us and we appreciate everything about you!
Oh Siestas, please pray for my brother! His wife has found out some things and she will be confronting him today.
She has been violent toward him in the past. I am praying she will be filled with His Spirit.
Thank you Beth for Psalm 27, I so need it today!
Praise God, He answers prayers!
What a difference a day makes!
Beth,
Oh what joy and encouragement the Lord brought me through your post this monday morning. It is one of the biggest desires of my heart to be married and to be a mom. And like your Amy, I’m in my thirties (31) and started to believe..you know Lord, its too late isn’t it? It is like the Lord let me look upon His grace and work in your Amy’s life as if to say: child, believe me for your life too! And we share the same name too! I felt like God was talking directly to me.
This verse came to me as well in quiet time this morning:
Psalm 37:5
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act” My job? Commit and trust. His job? Bring His will to pass! Amen
Was at Passion in Atlanta volunteering with a group from our church! Wow! God is up to a glorious work in this generation..the love and joy and outpouring of Jesus to the nations and the needs are simply astounding. Privileged to be a part of it. And to be mindful that try as he may to steal,kill, and destroy, Satan will be crushed! And the light of Jesus will shine so brightly against the backdrop of sin and despair.
Blessings to you!
Love you, sister! The sight of you brings sweet memories from our Costa Rica mission trip.
Chuck Swindoll’s broadcast message today is on pain & suffering out of 1Peter. He is also encouraging & giving tips on Scripture memory!
I love baby stories, and Ainsley’s story is just wonderful. Precious thing…
The news out of Arizona is heartbreaking. We all shake our heads and wonder, “Why Lord?” My hubby and I had dinner with friends on Saturday, and we had a conversation about how the church, the bride of Christ, is being purified, and that while it seems that Christianity is on the decline, in terms of % people who are believers, the committment and passion of true believers seems to be intensifying. The Spirit being poured out in the midst of terrible times. Amen.
Love,
Adrienne
Thanks for sharing Beth … encouraging, sobering and hopeful all at the same time
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I have been so upset over the state of this union but I too know for sure that my awesome God is in control. I mourn every day over the things I know I cannot change but I also “take heart” that we are going to see a pouring out such as has never been seen before!! My sweet Beth, I am so thankful that God put it on your heart to do this post.
Such a wonderful post, Ms. Beth. Congrats to Ms. Ainsley on her grand arrival to this temporary dwelling place. It is obvious that she is encircled by so many who love her and will walk shoulder to shoulder to protect her.
I am doing your Revelation study right now- and am ever so more aware of the “birthing pains” we seem to be experiencing here on planet earth. And am learning to fearfully anticipate “contractions”- as the end will be a glorious new life! What I’ve experienced though completely new to me through your Revelation study is the urgency to get on my knees and pray for my generations following me! Never before have I had my children’s children and their children more heavily on my mind and ache in my heart (my kids are only 5 & 7- so I am years away from the reality of it.) That’s what your Revelation study is stirring in me- for the first time- to pray for my lineage, my legacy…that I will break all unhealthy cycles handed down up until me and start a new cycle- a new generation of strong, faithful Christians who will fearlessly proclaim the name of Jesus- NO MATTER WHAT.
Beth-
I am newer to your blog. I’ve been reading for awhile now, but have never commented. Ainsley is beautiful! Congrats to her gorgeous mama.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for the scriptures you posted at the end (Psalm 27). Those verses have been a comfort to me throughout some of my darkest times. I am grieved over what happened in Arizona. My husband and I prayed last night for all of the people affected by that tragedy, and for our nation. Thank you for reminding me of the divinely intended irony. Sometimes I get so scared for where our world is at, that I forgot that God is still on the throne. You have been a great encouragement to me, and God has really used you and your bible studies to bring me to a place of healing. I am still a work in progress, but I have come so far. I hope you have a very blessed day.
Welcome Siesta Anne Elizabeth. Loved your comment!
I say welcome too! : )
My daughter’s name is Anne-Elizabeth! (and so was my grandmother!)
I hope you have a blessed day! : )
Thank you mama Beth for sharing your heart with us you are so real and have such a gift with words. Congratulations to the new litlle one born I loved the pic of you and her and her looking like mother theresa that is to sweet. Iam saddened by the shooting in Arizona it is horrible as I had been talking to somebody at church yesterday I don’t know how you can live life with out God and go on day a day without Him, I know I couldn’t make it without Him because of everyday circumstances and not being able to get a job it wears on you, as Our Pastor at church yesterday was speaking about I JOHN 5:18-19 He said my Pastor that is ( Our Faith and Hope is just not terthered it is grounded in certainty ) Then he talked about Eph6:13-18 about putting on the armour of God and protecting our minds because the enemy messed with our minds. Anyway just wanted to share with you. Thanks Praying for the families in Arizona and the young man that did the shooting and his family.
Love to all
Carol
I love the name Ainsley! I heard it for the first time about 10 years ago. Thanks so much for shaing your life with us.
Thank you as always for sharing your thoughts and life in such a real way.
Thank you Miss Beth. Needed that reminder. 🙂
Dear Beth and Staff, and any Siestas who read this,
Please pray for my 26-year old son. This past week we found out that he has been having an affair and now he and his wife are separated. Thankfully, no children. They both grew up in Christian homes, went to the same church, attended the same high school, went to college together, have been friends since 9th grade. We are heartbroken and overwhelmingly sad.
Please pray that Jesus will come with a holy passion to rescue my son from sin and darkness; that God will remove the cloud of darkness from his heart, mind and spirit; that God will shine His light of Truth into the darkest recesses of my son’s heart; that my son might turn to Jesus and be saved! I am praying for full deliverance and am waiting to see God’s mercy. May God be glorified.
Terry in VA
Praying for you and your son.
Thank you, Lynn! My middle name is Lynn. 🙂
Beth,
I just say AMEN and AMEN to your post about the evil act in AZ committed against God’s children. For situations like these God gave us His Word as in Psalm 27, proof that He gives us comfort if we wait and trust in Him. And may I add something that I have learned from your lessons. We need to be waiting on our knees!!!!
Thank you for sharing your heart with us, Beth.
What a joy to see a newborn baby! Congradulations to Amy and her husband. Children are very precious and a wonderful blessing from God. They are so innocent and humble; we can learn alot from them. So grateful for the people God puts in our lives to share such joy.
I have to laugh about Steve, the minister. We use to have a Pastor who was funny also. In fact, he told us a story…his daughter was bringing home a guy she had been dating home to meet her parents. Her dad put on his wife’s robe and put curlers in his hair and waited for his daughter and the guy to come home. You talk about crazy.
To be more on the serious side: My heart goes out to those who have suffered during the tragic event in Arizona. Life is not always fair. We really do not have all the answers, no pat answers about the why God allows some things and prevents other things from happening. But, I do know there is a God.
Just recently I was reading “Between the Rock and the Grace Place” by Carol Kent. She talks about the empty tomb moments that sometimes happen in our lives. It appears the living God has left our life and is nowhere to be found. We are sure no good thing will come out of our situation and we are not able to find Him.
Mary Magdalene actually had the same problem. She could not find Jesus at the tomb. Someone stood beside her, then asked her, “Woman why do you weep? At first she does not recognize him, then to her surprise she realized Jesus was right beside her. Joy is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ. He has not left you, He is cares very much for you. Cling to God. He is your source of Hope.
In the Bible it says:
A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father. John 16:16
Our lives change and the world around us is changing as well.
Jesus realized that life was short, it last only a little while. In fact, John compared it to a woman who is in labor and she suffers much pain, but as soon as her child is born into the world there is joy. We live in a world that is filled with sin and evil. Jesus came to overcome death, evil and sin. He came so that we may know peace and have a victorious end. He wants us to rejoice with Him in Heaven.
Jesus was here on earth for a little while, but now He goes to be with the Father. He goes to live in Heaven with God.
Jesus reminds us that in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Our sorrow will turn to joy. We are only here for a little while and then we will be with Jesus.
Look for God in the midst, for His compassions never fail.
You are in my thoughts and prayers, all of you!
You have posted my next memory verse!!! I can’t get over the seeing the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. I’ve been captured by that verse for a few weeks now. LOVE IT!!
I wanted to mention something that I will be doing this year with my scripture memory. On one side of the notecard is the verse, but on the other side I want to jot down how God uses that verse in my life throughout the year. Not only will I have my scripture verses to look through the rest of my days, but I will also have written testimony of how God worked in my life through His Word.
Prayers and blessings,
Rebecca
THAT IS A GREAT IDEA!!
oooo….great idea. i am going to copy you…maybe even put a small prayer regarding the scriputre…great idea! thanks for sharing.
I love this post. It is exactly the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head lately. I have seen, what seems to me, such a rising up in the Bride around the world. Satan knows that his time is drawing closer and closer. I think that is why we see such things as what has happened in Arizona. If we wait and allow God to work we will see good come from this tragedy. As a very wise man once told me “You have to be a see througher not a look ater” Darrel Scott. His christian daughter was the first student killed at Columbine.
Oh Beth you had me laughing and crying that I thought I read Melissa bought sneakers for Curtis for his ipod. The proud parents look so especially happy.
I do hurt for this future generation with all that is going on. It pains me to see what they may have to deal with.
Blessing and prayers to all…Rebecca
Such a great post full of daily life as we live it, thank you Beth!
Praying for Arizona
Thank you for bring Psalm 27 to our attention. Very helpful.
I know I am late! But would love it if I could still make it in! My name is Anna, 26, and I am from Mexico but currently living in the United States. For the next two weeks I am planning on memorizing Psalm 139.
Amen and amen, Beth. Come Lord Jesus.
Precious! I loved this post (and stopped to breathe in thinking of the recent events).
So often I turn away from sadness, it just overwelms me, but GOD is stirring my heart to respond to how I can serve HIM. That verse you posted, was on a friends FB – probably from this blog – and I copied and pasted it, I guess we know what will be my next memory verse.
Lurve ya B –
This worship song by Laura Story is taken directly from Psalm 27. It is a beautiful reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of our GREAT GOD! Thank you for your ministry Miss Beth, this heart has been truly blessed! :0) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBm5aSsp6o0
I am also very sorry to hear about the shootings in Arizona. My prayers are with the families.
Thank you for psalm 27. I love that psalm. Thank you so much for your fresh reminders on where this world is going and to never get too attached to it. We should be clinging to our Lord Jesus Christ not this world! Thank you for your bible studies too, I’m currently doing When Godly people do unGogly things.I wake up every morning at 5:30 before my day starts and do your bible study as a part of my quiet time with my God. Your studies have brought great comfort and healing for this wounded soul. thank you so much for your faithfulness. You help so many of us wounded souls!
p.s that baby is sooo cute, i pray that God will bless me with one someday.
Wonderful column this week Beth! I’m glad to see you are not finding time to write them, but that God is!!!
Oh how I needed this encouragement today! LOVED seeing Steve’s picture as he was the minister in our wedding before my dad stepped in and performed the vow portion!!!
I have been living my own set of happiness and horrors and was encouraged by the words of Scripture. Life is oh so good right now…..our son and his wife’s marriage has been restored, they are buying a house. God is working in our church and I have the joy of a front row seat….then over the past few weeks I have endured physical pain like never before. This morning, left the doctor with a potential RA diagnosis. I was feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of chronic life-long pain.
I am reminded of the verse I am memorizing for our memory verse challenge. Deuteronomy 1:30-31 “The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.”
My God has carried me through everything right to THIS place and He will continue to do so. Now, my next verse to memorize will certainly be:
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV)
Beth, you must have gorgeous feet, because the Bible says, “beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” and my friend, you brought me good news of hope today. Thank you!
The events in Arizona are so frightening. My job is one in which I deal with the public every day. It is sobering how many unstable people are out there. Many times they look to me to be their rescuer and are so damaged that they cannot understand that I am only human. I am constantly reminded that this is a broken world, and there is only one savior- Jesus Christ of Nazareth. God has truly humbled me in this regard, and taught me healthy boundaries.
I happen to attend church with a former president. My husband and I are ushers at this church. We have to be hyper- vigilant if someone wants to know if he is attendance. There are some people that have shown up, looking for him , wanting to harm him, or at the very least cause an incident. It makes me sad that a former president cannot attend a church service to worship God because of someone’s hatred. No matter what our different political persuasions are, hate should not be part of the discourse.
What a blessing a new baby is! We are praying for the families in Arizona.
I felt this exact thing not too long ago at a greeting card store. In the one hand, a card for a dear friend who had birthed a miracle baby. In the other, one for a precious woman who had lost her only child in a tragic accident on the same day. How could both be at the same time? How can the pendulum from joy to grief swing far enough to meet with both families? Thankfully, there is one pair of arms wide enough to embrace them properly, tenderly, with compassion to the uttermost.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Thankyou Beth for your blog!! I love your enthusiasm for life, encouragement and challenge to join u in committing to memorizing scripture. I am so excited to be starting the first (in our church) bible study by my THREE top favorite bible study leaders, You, Priscilla, and Kay. “Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed”. Since i live in Canada i am trying to patiently wait for Gods timing in fulfilling one of my dreams to attend one of your “DeeperStill” events.
Before reading your blog today, Psalms 27:13-14 was my next passage chosen for memory today.
Thankyou for serving Him and allowing Him to bless us all thru YOU.
Aren’t babies a wonderful reminder that God is still doing miracles everyday?
We had two moms return to Bible Study this morning after “maternity leave” with their precious babes. I also wondered if Miss Ainsley was named after you!
I think one of the saddest things about the AZ situation is how troubled that young man must be. And he’s not alone–we hear stories like this far too often. How horrible to think that someone would think the only way out was by hurting others.
As I was reading through several of Beth’s entries from the last few weeks I see Bible verses that I suspect are women’s postings for the SSMT, but not on the “right” post. I ‘ll bet you already saw that and are fixing the situation! Almost 9000. Wow!
My thanks to all of you. To God be the glory.
Georganne
Loved reading the blog
Joining the Siesta’s
Here’s my memory verse
Psalm 107:20 He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.
I was trying to explain to my son (6) about the tragedy in AZ as I was crying at the newspaper. It was hard to do. Dear AZ, we are praying in our house for you, too.
Thanks for the post, Ms. Beth. I know I am among many Siestas who feel the blessing of being let into your life. I also am just sure that lots of us think the same thing, “If Beth and I knew each other, I’m sure we’d be the good friends.” I think that comes from how you open yourself up and lay open a place for us the do the same with the entire blog community. Thank you for that. I enjoy reading comments, not just the posts, which does bring a sense of community with the entire Siesta family. I love recognizing names and pictures! I love dropping by the Siesta home here on the web.
Glory! The joy of a baby’s birth….We too were at the hospital this week in San Antonio for the birth of our grandson, Dylan James…What an incredible joy to see our prodigal son come first to the arms of His heavenly Father, and then see him reach out his arms to his own son… It is a wonder. I cannot know but can only imagine the sadness of our Father when His creation turns on itself. How like the kingdom of God to be so topsy turvy, and yet our only Hope…
Yes, we are praying for you Arizona. When everything seems out of control and overwhelming. I think on these verses: 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17 Christ alone holds us together.
Mamma Beth, you couldn’t have posted this at a better, more needed time. Thank you. I was feeling discouraged and needed to hear this. I do believe I’ve found my next memory verses.
Congrats to Amy & Steven on the arrival of little Ainsley. 🙂
Blessings. Anna
Beth
I am new to this blog but not to you and your bible teaching. I first heard you
Heard you in charleston ,wv several years ago. I was saved and in church
But wasn’t much for the word . That conference was wonderful. I felt like I was saved all over again. I was coming out of a horrible time in my life . I am married to a wonderful man who knows the lord and have 2 beautiful daughters. We were busy with all their activities and appeared as the perfect christain family. I threw my self into a horrible pit of sin and got involved in a affair which only lasted 2 months . When my husband found out it nearly destroyed him.I was coming out of this when I went to you confernce. God had already showed me such mersey I had gone to couciling for months before my husband had found out convinced that I didn’t love him anymore we had been married for 20 years. God did a miracle in our marriage I Repented and my husband forgave me and we were trying to work things out. We have now been married 34 years and our marriage ia better than ever We have 1 grand child a girl and one on the way in june Both daughters are married to christain men.’god is so good. I want you to know that your studies have changed my life and I hold a small group at my house 2 x year we just finished breaking free and it was ammazing. God spoke to me a about a sibling that I hadn’t talked to in years and I wrote her a letter that god gave menand our relationship has been restored he also told me to share my past about what god had done in my marriage . I resisted becaus I thought they would think bad of me but I broke free from pride and it turned out wonderful I feel like a weight has been lifted. I love you so much and I am so thankful god has brought your studies into my life. I love gods word now and I can’t get enough of it. I now try to come to one of your conferences yearly. God is using you greatly beth .from one former pit dweller to another
Thank you for your testimony of Christ, our Redeemer!
Thanks for this packed out update. But special thanks for sharing Ainsley’s story. It gives me hope! While I’m “exiting” my 30’s in three months, I STILL long and hope to be a wife and mother. If God wills, it will come.
Regardless, it is always encouraging to hear stories like thiers.
Thank you.
Such a good post, Beth. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who lost loved ones in the shooting as well as those who saw or experienced this tragedy. Thank you for sharing Psalm 27. Those words are well fitting for us everyday, but I needed them today especially. Love you. Oh, and I love the woman who said you must have beautiful feet! haha…what a good compliment with such great meaning.
Thank you Beth for posting the pictures. Congratulations to Amy and her husband for the newborn. Your little girl is so adorable so pretty.
It is such a tragedy what happened in Arizona. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families. Its terrible. We keep them in our prayers daily.
Beth, you are such a sweet lady and I adorn you very much. I love hearing you talk. I have been to quite a few of your bible studies and I love them.
Thank you,
Sheryl Trumpet
I have read all of the response posts Beth and it breaks my heart to hear the pain of people in their reaction to the horrors in Arizona. The darkness that holds the heart of this young man is beyond our understanding. Our only hope is knowing that ultimately it is all in the LORD’S hands, but we can still ask why. Australia is waking up this morning and also asking ‘why’ as thousands of families in Queensland lose their homes and employment due to the flash floods that are sweeping through the state from top to bottom. Today we have heard that an inland tsunami has taken the lives of many, numbers unknown, as cars and homes were swept away, mothers and babies inside.My heart is breaking as a think of their terror. Psalm 27 is so precious and is certainly going into my key verses book for times such as this – love and prayers to all my sisters in Christ from Oz.
I really really enjoyed reading the scripture you provided: Psalm 27:13-14. I have been so intimidated by the uncertainty of 2011, but then I read what you had to say, and the scripture you shared lifted my heart up to God.
I am pretty sure those will be the verses I will memorize for February. 🙂
Thanks Beth for this blog. I come and read what you write often, and honestly, more times than not it is just the devotional I need for that particular day. I love how you think, how you write, and how you express the love of Jesus to us through your life journey. There has NEVER been a time I have read something and not walked away completely encouraged. There are many of us in New Zealand who love you to bits! Know that the door down under is always open for you! Bless ya heaps!!
Commenting from Canada, and how tragic was the event that unfolded in Arizona. Praying that God will bring something worthy out of this time to His children.
I love your little “mother teressa” pix. I agree with you that she is adorable and worth the extra wait for such a beautiful perfect gift from our Father above!
Thank you Beth for taking time out of your schedule to update your extended family of siestas!