Hey, my dear, dear Sisters. I thought about you so much while we had the privilege to serve in Washington State. We cherished every second we were there and God was so gracious and merciful to us. He could not have given us a more wonderful group of participants to kick off the 2011 Living Proof Live schedule. We lapped up every second with them. They were so full of praise and expectation for God to speak and so rowdy and fun. I would have brought every single one of them home with me to Texas if I could have.
I want you to know that you sowed very direct seed into that event. On Friday afternoon my notes were, for the most part, ready to go but I just sensed a desire to seek something more from God. I knew in my heart that it involved prayer so I got down on my knees again and prayed but I got back on my feet still not quite feeling the breakthrough that I was hoping for. The thought came to me, I believe by God Himself, to get on the blog and scroll through all the comments to the Tacoma Ticket Giveaway post and look for entries where Siestas had prayed specifically for the event. I hit a gold mine. I stopped at each one of them and actively agreed and received all that had been prayed. The breakthrough came! It was God’s good pleasure to raise up seed-throwers from spots all over the United States and Canada to sow into the Tacoma LPL harvest. I can’t express to you how deeply and profoundly it hit me. Sometimes I feel like I harass you guys half to death for prayer but we are so desperate for it. I knew this weekend that it is God’s way. Profit sharing. Oh, how I pray that we might be able to believe God for a 2 Corinthians 4:15 work as we partner together:
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
I think God particularly blesses our seed sowing when we have no direct involvement at the event or gathering. No personal gain except the glorious nod of God. I’m actively praying for Priscilla Shirer’s simulcast in several weeks even though I’ll be in Fresno. I don’t doubt she’s praying for us, too. I can’t wait to hear the report of all God is going to accomplish through that mighty servant of God as she teaches and as her brother, Anthony, leads worship. This is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. One Lord. One Body. One Spirit. If the grace of God through Christ is “reaching more and more people,” our thanksgiving overflows to the glory of God!
The group in Tacoma exceeded our expectations in so many ways. Their outpouring for Japan moved us so deeply. Our wonderful brothers and sisters from Samaritan’s Purse were swamped. They were so overwhelmed at the break that we had to keep them open after the event and position them at exit doors They counted dollar bills all afternoon to the tune of $66,025.25. As soon as the horrific tragedy occurred, we asked Samaritan’s Purse if our offering for that LPL could go specifically to relief for Japan and they complied joyfully and set up an immediate fund. (Any of you are welcome to get on their website and also contribute if you feel led and aren’t already giving through another organization. No pressure. Just opportunity.) We are all stunned and heartbroken over the devastation in Japan. It’s just incomprehensible. The images are more than I can wrap my mind around. May “the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness” show Himself in every possible and undeniable way. May one of those ways be the banding together of His Body around the world to be His hands and a healing balm within them. They need our help.
It’s time for Siesta Scripture Memory Team Verse 6! Ready, Sisters?? Stay with it! I’ll give you my sixth verse (it reminds me of you) then show you a small handful of pictures I took over the weekend on my iPhone.
Beth, Houston. My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches of understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3 The NET Bible
OK, here’s some pictures from Tacoma if you want a peek before you chime in with your verse.
This was my one glimpse at The Mountain. We had rain most of the time and, mountain girl that I am, I just kept looking out of my hotel window for a glimpse of that famous sight. While I was studying, I felt a tugging at my heart and I jumped up in hopes that the clouds were lifting somewhat and sure enough, there that bad boy was. I was so happy, I cried.
This was the sunrise the next morning. I was always an early riser as a kid and, now that I am an adult, I know it nearly drove my mother crazy because she’d have preferred her Folgers by herself. (This helps explain to you why I was a coffee drinker by the ripe old age of six.) My dad used to take up for me and say, “The early bird gets the worm!” Well, when I caught a glimpse of that sunrise in Tacoma Saturday morning and fifteen minutes later it was pouring down rain, I knew my Daddy was right.
I can’t believe I’m about to let this come out of my mouth but I had some of the best Mexican food on earth there in Tacoma. I was baffled. Someone had recommended “Masa” (on 6th Street) to us but Michelle and I looked at each other like, “Texans better not try it. We better leave that to the Tennesseans. They might not know better.” But, after the event, we were about to have a meltdown for hot sauce and decided to cave to the pressure. It was so good I couldn’t believe my own taste buds. We started with this unbelievable Bean and Queso dip then, because cheese enchiladas weren’t on the menu, I decided to get Vegetable Fajitas. I’ve never tried them before but I’ve been with Travis and Angela when they’ve ordered them. (And I looked with contempt upon them.) They were unbelievably good. Really fresh – chunky and grilled and topped with cheese. Side of rice and beans. Sara was our waitress and took such good care of us. She’s expecting little Christos in a few months and we loved getting to talk to her. We saw a couple of tables of women from the LPL event, too, and so loved getting to hug their necks.
As if the Mexican Food wasn’t good enough, there was a Stumptown coffee bar attached to it. Talk about the ultimate way to end a meal! I have become a fan of Stumptown through our dear Kelly Minter who considers it a friend that sticks closer than a brother. (My words, not hers.) Michelle has been ordering it for me for a year or so and it’s what I grind and fix about twice a day in my office at LPM. Darla was our barista at the coffee bar in Tacoma and, as I live and breathe, the woman was an artist. Look at this crema. That is not whipped cream. That is how she finished off a Latte with plain-old low fat milk. UNBELIEVABLE. I was so impressed. I wanted to ask her how she dealt with her pride but she seemed astonishingly humble for such a craft. Almost like she didn’t notice she was a rock star.
These were two of the most wonderful women we had at the Tacoma Dome. (Blood) sisters Roxana and Christine sat down nice and close to the front and gave God considerable glory in my earshot. They and their small group wore tiaras to the event so we were blessed to no end by every glimpse of them. That is, of course, Michelle in there with us.
This last picture is of a group of really young women that were having coffee at the Starbucks we went to several hours after Stumptown. (No coffee for me that late. I’m saying that because I know somebody’s going to get into my business. I got Blueberry water but I didn’t want to. I drank four sips.) One of these darling things is getting married next week and had a little veil on. They were so cute we could hardly stand it. Just as they were getting up to leave, one of them looked over at me with wide eyes and asked if we were we.
WHY DIDN’T YOU COME TO THE EVENT??? We asked.
Because we couldn’t afford it!
Then I said: NEVER let me hear you say that again!
We do anything possible to get our college girls tickets to LPL’s. For crying out loud, if somebody’s broke, it doesn’t matter what age they are, we try to get them tickets if they really want to go. LifeWay, too! They are tremendously tenderhearted and willing to do whatever they can to minister and disciple. Tons of tickets were given away to that event in Tacoma. You have no idea how much we’d like to do it for free.
This was my view from the airplane seat just as we were about to put our tray tables up and our seat backs forward for departure. I wanted you to see my cute rain boots peeking out from the bottom. I’ve had them for a couple of years and worn them about a thousand times but they were for such a time as Tacoma.
Well, I’ve rattled your ear off. You guys are important to me. I love you. I think of you everyday. Now, cough up your sixth verse!
Hold tight to Jesus in the ebb and flow of this temporal world. One sweet day this convulsing earth will be made new. The skies will tear open like a veil and every eye will see. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Heidi, Anchorage, AK
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.”
Matthew 6:3-4a (NIV)
Sammie Knight, Flagstaff, AZ (Sedona at the moment; my permanent home) “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 NASB
Beth, Rome GA
“Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?” (James 2:20 HCSB)
Bev, Bayou Vista,TX:
“Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11 AMP
Tina, Cincinnati, OH: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body. (NIV)
Janet, North Vancouver, BC: “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Isaiah 50:4 NIV
Ingrid, Redmond, WA
Col. 1:21-22 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. (NLT)
Kelli, Anchorage, AK
Psalm 63:1-2 ESV
Oh God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Eph 4:29 NASB
Jocelyn, Costa Mesa, CA: Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
Natalie, Olympia WA
Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Psalm 71:17 NIV
and now i will be completely caught up on my posts (sigh of relief). =)
sue, atlanta, ga “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” psalm 25:14 english standard version
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Ashley Wise, Hungary, Micah 7:19 “You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea.” [NET]
Olympia, WA
“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your umplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12(NIV)
Kelly, West Richland
Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:4 NRSV
Sydney, Australia
“‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the LORD who has compassion on you.”
Isaiah 54:10, NASB
Rachel
Anchorage, AK
-Psalm 103:2-3
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases.
Karen, Dallas:
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you,
and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking
in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the church.
I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness –
the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1: 24-27, NIV
Cindy, Summerville, SC
1 Timothy 1:14 (NIV)
The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Michelle- Spokane, WA
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 NASB
Lisa S
Joshua 1:9 NIV
Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
I forgot to put Kinston, North Carolina
Caryn, Fort Worth, TX
“Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house;
Then the King will desire your beauty.
Because He is your Lord,bow down to Him.”
Psalm 45:10-11(NASB)
Jo, Fremont, CA
“I will go before you and will level the mountains.”
Isaiah 45:2 NIV
Pam, Honolulu, Hawaii
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”
Romans 8:33 (NKJV)
Myra, Lisbon, Portugal
Romans 11:33 NIV “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements and his paths beyond tracing out.”
Ps. 90:14 Satisfy me in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Peggy
San Diego
Psalm 55:22 KJV
Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee.
He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Debbie, New Delhi India: If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. James 1:26 NIV
Philemon 1:20, “Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.”
.
Trudy, Alberta, Canada
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Lee, Lexington
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
John 1:1-2 NIV
Jami
Shelby, NC
“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the cross, we’re a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by our misdeeds. And not just barely free either. Absolutely free!!” Ephesians 1:7 (The Message)
Julia Hamilton, Beaufort, NC
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” ~ Romans 8:32, NIV
Lisa Willimantic CT
Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will follow your truth. Give me a heart that doesn’t want anything more than to worship you. Psalms 86:11 (NIRV)
Heather, Tallahassee We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us, for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 1 John 3:19-20 (NASV)
Maria – New York
Hebrews 4:13 (NIV)
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Oh Beth, I know it’s Bible verse day but I am sooo excited that I needed to share with you the reason for it. Tomorrow 2 girlfriends and I are heading out to Colour Conference in Sydney, Australia and just tonight I found out that YOU WILL BE THERE NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled I am. I have texted all my mobile phone girls and told them this wonderful news and have invited them to join me as we listen to our Siesta Mama, Beth. I love you to bits and can’t wait to hear what God has in store for us.
“Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me” Psalm 103:1
Jennifer, Cleveland, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
Michelle Parma, Ohio
Judges 5:21b NIV
March on, my soul; be strong! Judges 5:21NIV
Esther, Lehigh
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of priase – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:13 NIV
Lisa Morning View, KY
Hebrews 12:2–NIV
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
Jessica~ Jacksonville, Florida
“and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:19 NIV
Lisa, Cumming, GA – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7, New King James Version
Chris in Manila
II Peter 1:4
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
3John1:2 NIV84
Shelly, Los Angeles
Rea, Centennial, CO
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 NIV
Natalie ~ Jacksonville, Florida
Psalms 84:11(NIV) ~ For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless
Joy, California:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6