Hey Siestas!
Can you fathom that we are on our 10th memory verse??? Good grief! 2011 is almost halfway over! Amanda and Curtis just got Jackson’s preschool graduation pictures and we all nearly flipped. It is the cutest thing ever, especially with that missing front tooth. His ceremony is in a few days but the little blue cap and gown just about put all of us over the edge. We will have a kindergartener next year and a mighty fine one at that. It just sails by. And how well many of you know.
I am getting lots of questions about whether or not we’re having Siesta Summer Bible Study. I want to say yes so badly. I have tried to turn this puzzle piece every conceivable direction to see how it would fit on the table. Between SSMT every 1st and 15th, the summer Living Proof Lives, the final Deeper Still, and, probably the biggest factor of all, the complete James manuscript due date at the end of summer, I just can’t make it work and still be a wife, mom, and active Bibby. I also don’t have my faithful blog master, Amanda, here to assist me with all that summer Bible study entails right now. I am, however, presently thinking of some ways that we can hold one another accountable to stay in the Scriptures this summer and also give you the opportunity to connect with other Siestas who want to do some of the same studies. Stay tuned for that. For now, I’ll joyfully recommend to you two that I’ve done this Spring:
Duty or Delight by Tammie Head (Many of you will remember getting to know this brand new author in April through our blog video. She is dear to me and will no doubt become dear to many of you.)
Brave by Angela Thomas (Angela is a gifted teacher and writer and I try not to let anything she offers sit on the bookstore shelf for long before I bag it and read it. I’m almost finished with this study and have been tremendously blessed by it.)
Both of those women love Jesus and communicate His Word beautifully. And you know how I feel about Priscilla Shirer and everything God uses her to bring to the table. You’ll never miss on her. Man, I wish we could do one of their studies the traditional way in Siestaville this summer but sometimes we realize that even another good thing is perhaps the wrong thing for now. If the Lord is willing, we’ll definitely do a study our usual way next summer on the off year from SSMT.
OK, young ladies, how about that 10th verse?? NO DROP OUTS!!! This verse is trying to leap off the page at me this time around and not so much for my own plight right now but for some people I really love:
Beth, Houston, Texas. “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.” Psalm 34:18 The NET Bible
Praise You, Lord. You are so faithful. Close in on those who are brokenhearted and hold them in Your healing grasp. Deliver the discouraged in such dramatic ways that You alone get the credit. We exist here in this blog community to give You glory, Lord. Come and get it. Our eyes are to the skies.
Brooke, formerly from Birmingham, AL now in Fredericksburg, VA
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 86:15 NIV
Charlotte, Houston, “Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” (Psalm 130:3-5) NLT
Stacey -Morocco,in
Psalm 27:14 (New International Version)
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
Vicki
Murfreesboro,TN
Psalm 29:3,7 (NIV)
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.”
Sharon-San Marcos, TX
Phillipians 3:14 King James Bible
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Karessa, Peoria IL: LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart. Psalm 15:1-2 NIV
Annette Toronto ON
For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b NKJV
Laura, Morgantown, WV
“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” -Proverbs 24:3,4
Hilary from Langley, BC., Canada:
Continuing with the Beatitudes:
“Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.”
Matt. 5:7-8 (NIV)
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NLT
Dori
Spring Hill, TN
Joni Princeton WV
“You are my witnesses,” says 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 after me.” -Isaiah 43:10 NIV
karen Cheney, WA 99004
“And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee,
He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee:
fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Euteronomy 31:8 (KJV)
Rebecca
Greenwood, IN
Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. Jonah 2:8 NIV
Kathy S. Hudsonville, MI
Romans 8:31 (NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
“For nothing is impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 NIV
Mary
Davison, MI
Lisha – Texas: The Lord will establish you as his holy people as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.
Deut 28:9 NIV
Tricia Union, Ky
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer!
*Romans 12:12 NIV
1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
Kristi, North Webster
“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:19
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 (NIV)
Chris
Canton, NC
Dianne
Richland, MS
Psalm 5:3 NIV
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Oak Ridge, TN
Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6(holman)
Sheryl, Rocky Mount,NC Ephesians 3:16-17a NIV I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.
-Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)
Ginny, Cape May, NJ
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6 NIV
Marilyn, Fort Pierce, FL, Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[a] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. Phil. 2:12b-16a NIV
sherrylu, powder springs, ga
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 NASB
quite appropriate for me as we are almost halfway through this adventure!!
keep the faith!!! 😉
Hebrews 10:35-36
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (NLT)
Kelsi, Pewaukee, WI:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverance.
James 1:2-3
Gwen, Kennesaw, GA.
“The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.” Proverbs 10:19 The Message
Nicole, Ocean Springs, MS – “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” ~Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
Mary H
Ardmore, AL
“The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.” Psalm 34:18 The NET Bible
Going with Beth: Lanie, Perry, GA “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.” Psalm 34:18 NET Bible
Diane, Montgomery, Al “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; it is the glory of al king to search a matter out is the glory of a king” Proverb 25:2 NIV
Lynette, Aurora, CO
Jeremiah 2:13 (New Living Translation)
13 “For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!
Janae – Riverside, PA
Romans 1:16(KJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of christ: for it is the power of god unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Miranda M.
Colorado Springs, CO
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is true worship.”
Romans 12:1
Mansfield, OH
James 1:17-18
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. NLT
Amy B., Edmond OK
” The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 (NIV)
Ontario, OH
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)
Martha,Lynchburg,VA
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children. Psalm 103:17 KJV
Psalm 34:18 NET
The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.
Debbie, Olathe, KS
Psalm 118:4 (NIV)- “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Leslie – Tyler, TX
I didn’t post for the May 1 scripture, but here’s what I memorized for that:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” James 1:22-24 (NIV)
This is my verse for May 15:
“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:25 (NIV)
Carla, Pierre, SD
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV
Kristen, Denver: “The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” 1 John 2:17, The Message
Julie/Deer Park, TX/ Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. Psalm 19:13&14 NIV
Kelly Snodgrass
Rogersville TN
Lamentations 3. 21-23 ESV
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lori; Magnolia, AR.
“The LORD is near the brokenhearted; He delivers those who are discouraged.”
Psalm 34:18 NET Bible