Hey, you mighty warriors!
By the time you get this SSMT post, I will be on my way to Nashville for the videotaping of James: Mercy Triumphs. It almost makes me cry to see the actual (recently settled-upon) title in print. So much time and focus and prayer and frustration and second-guessing and bewilderment and wonderment – and learning and thrilling and growing and wallowing – go into the whole process of a Bible study journey. Many tears. Healthy laughs. Big eye-openers. Rich conversations. Moments of, “What on earth was I thinking??” Above all, so much desperation for Jesus. If God doesn’t pour His Spirit into it, it will fall flat like a collapsed pup-tent. That’s the God’s-honest truth. After 14 journeys similar to this one, I know just enough in advance to be dangerous. Enough to start shaking (not with anointing but mostly with anxiety) when the outline first goes on paper. I know now how life’s going to go on in the middle of it and how all sorts of unplanned ups and downs, woes and joys will mark its pages. I know now how I’m going to end up writing about things in my life and family that haven’t even happened yet. Some of them will be wonderful. Others will be painful. It’s kind of like starting a new journal. There is a certain amount of trepidation because you simply can’t guess what will fill those pages. It’s a stomach-knotting blend of anticipation and raw fear. But what I forget sometimes in that anxious moment when I know there’s no turning back is the grace. The goodness of God. The fact that I’m invited to believe He was the initiator of it, as He is in all things faith (Hebrews 12:1-3) and that I don’t have to assume complete control over it. I’m invited to remember what life the Scripture has and how much this woman has to learn.
Good grief. I’m sitting in a salon chair about to bawl my head off. (Writing this to you on Friday.) I’ll try to rein this one in and quit being so dramatic. This is no time to wear you guys out about the James Bible study because Melissa and I still need you to pray us through until the complete manuscript is turned in at the end of summer. The beauty of all the studies prior to Esther is that they were pre-blog and I didn’t gnaw you like a bone throughout the whole ordeal. It’s too late now.
Make no mistake. The studio audience, the LifeWay video crew, and I need your prayers like crazy this week. Yes, pray for us during the day when preparation is taking place but especially pray for us in the evenings on Monday (tomorrow) through Thursday. That’s when the actual sessions will be taped, two per night, back-to-back. And pray big things for the participants, too! They are so incredibly important in the process. Pray for them to get totally caught up in the Scriptures and in what God is speaking into their lives and be oblivious to the cameras. Pray for them to experience a powerful encounter with Christ through His Word and for Him to do something utterly remarkable in each life. THEN, pray for that anointing to also transfer just that heavily to the women who will one day watch the series on the other side of the screen. I requested a smaller group of participants this time (like I have at Life Today – the perfect size!) but that means the cameras will be much more obvious to all the ladies in the audience. Pray also for us to bond in the Spirit right from the beginning.
Thank you so, so much.
I won’t get a chance to blog much (if at all) while I’m in Nashville but Amanda and Melissa will chime in. I will try to get on Twitter a time or two a day perhaps so, for those of you who like that, we’ll stay in touch that way. (@BethMooreLPM – writing that kind of thing always makes me want to throw up in my mouth.)
After the sessions are complete, the video team and I will spend all day Friday doing some additional taping that won’t require an audience. Later in May they will come to Houston and we will do yet more taping. At that time (later in May), I’ll do the intros to the session and also an on-camera dialogue with Melissa over the project. She has been a huge part of this journey. In fact, she was the first of the two of us who felt drawn to this book of the Bible. She is not a camera hog and won’t let me add her name on the cover but it would be a crying shame for the women not to get a chance to connect with her on screen. She has zero interest in entertaining but she has a huge interest in studying. That’s enough to make her push past her discomfort and get on the screen. In case you’re not up to date on her part of the project, she is writing extra study portions 2-3 times per week of Bible study for the student that wants to go deeper.
I am always reluctant (as both my daughters are) to mention two of us instead of three. Amanda, Melissa and I are, as my people would say, thick as mud and we don’t like to pair off. As I mention Melissa often in this process, rest assured Amanda is cheering us on and praying for us every step of our way. She is not actively participating this time in the editorial process (I miss her so much) because her focus and energies need to be on her family but we three women are together continually.
SO, did you think I’d forgotten what we’re doing on here today???? No ma’am. I most certainly did not. All I’ve just told you led to the Scripture I’ve chosen as my ninth verse.
Beth, Houston. “Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 The NET Bible
Yes, Sir! If this selection resonates with you, join me with it! I’d be honored to memorize with you. I will say it over and over this week. Maybe you will, too, and He will hear us each time and find joy in it. I pray with all my sappy heart that the Spirit of God loves to hover over this community.
OK, so what are your verses, Sisters??? DON’T YOU DARE QUIT!!!!!
I love you to pieces.
Laurie- New Hope, VA
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 NIV
Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. Ps 27:14. NSRV
Tammy from Fort Myers, Florida: “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
Erin D – Dover, NH
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but no much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
Philippians 2:12-13, NIV
Misty,Marco Island; “Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!…I defiently need this one with a husband putting 60-80 hours in at work right now(ministry) and I am “alone” to take care of home and a precious 3 yr old and 8 month old. Whew, it is tough, I am amazed at a single mama’s strength she finds in the Lord! Thank You for this one!
Leigh, Montgomery: Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Matthew 6:26 MSG
Anna, Montgomery: I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way? Psalm 8:3-4 MSG
Tamara
Kelowna, BC, Canada
“Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!”
Psalm 27:14, NET
Mary Kay
Fulshear
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Romans 12:9
NASB
Rebecca, Louisa, VA: I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:2 (NIV)
This is the theme verse for the 2011 National Day of Prayer, which is Thursday, May 5th. May God bless America as we lift her up to Him!
Julianna (Istanbul, Turkiye) Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
Angela, Covington, GA
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”
Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV
natalie-millington, tn
“let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -galatians 6:9 (niv)
Marilyn, Fort Pierce, FL, James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. KVJ
Becky
Beaverton, OR
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His suffereings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Romans 8: 17-18
NIV
Bev, Louisville, KY
“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 glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV
Michelle Ontario, Canada
Romans 8:38 NIV
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
M’Lissa, Keller TX (Memorizing two verses this time)
Jeremiah 15:16 (ESV)
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.
-AND-
Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
madeleine, corrales, Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfullness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
Hebrews 10:39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.(NIV)
Whitney: Hamptonville, NC; “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139: 1-2 NIV
Jackie from Lake Charles: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Ps 51:10 NIV
“We captivate every thought to make it obedient to Christ”~
2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
Jennifer Madison,OH
Luke 6:38 NIV
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Kara, Ponca City, Ok: I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 NKJV
Maurina from Lake Charles: “I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as a little child accepts things or you will never enter it.” Mark 10:15
Paddy Plattsburgh, NY
For the Lord your God is the one who
goes with you
to fight for you
against your enemies*
to give you victory. Deut. 20:4 NIV
*oppression, fear, condemnation, despair, unbelief, confusion, etc.
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:5 NIV
I really wanted to put an ! at the end of my verse 🙂
Hannah, Chesterland, OH
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrow; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by god, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgression; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV
Beth, Dyersburg, TN
Wait for the LORD; be strong and
take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14 NIV
Susan, Tucson. 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 will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
James 2:12-13 NIV
Becky
Owasso OK
Rhonda
Gilmer
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NKJV)
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
*With the question,what is my faith in, rumbling around my brain.
Praying for you all this week!
Three Rivers, MI “Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 The NET Bible
Tammy, Manitoba Canada
I have just read thru all of the verses posted! And I feel so encouraged. God’s word is full of so many promises!
Wait for the LORD, be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Martie ~ Indianapolis ~ NIV ~ Ps. 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Thanks, Beth! I need to recite this verse over and over also!
Will pray for you this week!
Kellie Norris, mobile, Alabama. Romans 12:9. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good! NLT
Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil
“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. As has just been said:
‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.’”
~ Hebrews 3:12-13, 15 (NIV)
Bartlesville, OK
Hebrews 3: 12 – 13 See to it, brothers (& sisters!) that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Amy
Kansas City
When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23 NIV
Jean Schlosser Rubicon,WI Galatians 1:10 NIV
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?
Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to
please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Allison Moldenhauer ~Huntsville, TX
My baby girl (my 23 yr old cousin) lives there. She is a wreck and is hurting so. How I wish she could hear you, and how my heart aches knowing you are so close to her and yet so far away… she is at the end of her rope with trying to live a good, “clean” life without the help of the Holy Spirit and is literally having a nervous break-down… was in a hospital for a few days. She is beautiful, and so fragile. I know you get a thousand comments on here…. but please, someone, anyone, pray for my Courtney. I led her to the Lord at 12… she is not actively living in connection with Him, though. Breaking into the music scene, etc, is literally destroying her… Funny thing, though, she is now working for a company that sells Christian sheet music (??), and they have been so supportive. Last time she called me (last week) she didn’t sound good, though, and she hasn’t answered any more of my texts… very concerned. Anyway, anyone whose heart is touched, please pray. Tks so much, and so looking forward to doing the James study. <3 <3 <3
Tarah – Rib Lake, WI
I John 1:6 ESV
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” 1 Cor. 8:9 (NIV)
Renee – Charlotte, NC
“Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 NET
LOVE THIS VERSE!!!
Vicki Knott, Greenwood, SC
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2 (NIV)
Lisha, Wetumpka, AL:
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)
Jeremiah 17:7,8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Oops! That’s NKJV.