WE MADE IT!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!! To the glory of God, we made it, Siestas! If I could hug your neck, I’d purely squeeze you in two! Please picture me (in a long skirt) doing copious cheerleader jumps! I cannot wait to celebrate with as many of you as possible in January. I wish with all my heart that every single one of you were coming. This girl right here is ready to party. Even one of you missing is too many but I know that it’s hard to manage the time away and the travel expenses are also just too high for many. I’d pay every one of your ways if I could.
Okay, you darling things. I didn’t even have to think twice about the verse I wanted to memorize this last time around in 2011 because it’s about you. With your understanding, I’ll use “sister” instead of “brother.” Here goes:
Beth, Houston. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my [sister], because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Philemon 7 ESV
Oh, gracious. That is the truth.
Now, since this is a very special occasion, we’re going to break protocol. This time I’m not going to limit you to your usual 1st and 15th Scripture-only entries. As we wrap up our year, you are welcome to also write a brief paragraph about what this journey with Christ has meant to you and why. No pressure. The invitation is simply there is you want to testify.
You are so incredibly dear to me, Siestas. I am at a loss for words. What a ride.
Lord Jesus, thank You, thank You, thank You, thank You! We cannot do anything to Your good pleasure that You do not first initiate and then enable. To You be all credit, honor, and praise. Please cause us to retain “the implanted word, which is able to save [our] souls.” (James 1:21) Make us wiser and make our hearts larger. You are our delight. We want so much to be Yours, too. You are our everything.
Robin, Indialantic, Fl
Proverbs 17:28 (NIV)
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Each time I would search for a verse I found exactly what I needed to hear at that time. And when I was in circumstances that overwhelmed me I pulled out my verses and was instantly filled with peace. More than anything as I was faithful God showed me how much more faithful He is!
Diane, Hemet, CA
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.”
Luke 1:46-48 ESV
Christy – Justin, TX: Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV) – “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.'”
This has been a life-changing experience for me to meditate on these words of my Father over and over again. I started off the year after reading “So Long, Insecurity,” with my Bible study friends, and then I came up with “one word” for my year… It was CONFIDENCE. Many of my verses were about that one word. Life-changing. So grateful!
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NIV
Robin in Landing, NJ
What a blessing it has been to hide God’s word in my heart.
I plan to continue this in 2012!
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8 KJV
This verse is the middle verse in the Bible.
Luke 1:49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is His Name. (comment.) My daughter Nancy and I have planned and planned to come in January and WE ARE.I do praise the Lord for allowing us to do such a great adventure…. see you in Houston!!! sue
Ramona,Pasadena:
“Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me.” John 14:1 Living Bible
Suzy – Atlanta
(I think I’ve been a couple of days late all year….)
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14 ESV
I LOVE the Word – and this year has been tremendous for me, because previously I had convinced myself that I was just too old to memorize scripture anymore. I was committed to trying – but was truly afraid that I could not keep my commitment. But here I am making my last post – and can honestly say I know most of my verses (still having a little trouble with the “address” though!)
However, I am going to Houston by myself – and looking forward to meeting some wonderful women whose posts I have read every other week all year.
I have to say that the “reading” part of this was just the biggest blessing to me – getting on-line and reading verse after precious verse was so uplifting! No matter how I was feeling when I started, by the time I left the blog I was praising God!
What a great year it has been to the glory of God! See you in January!
Hannah, Chesterland, OH
“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Psalm 105:4 (ESV)
Lori, Owasso, OK
Colossians 3:16
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
16Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
Debbie, Marion, IN “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8b Amen! and Merry Christmas to you all “)
Heather, Shiloh, NC
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 1 John 3:8b NIV
It was an honor and blessing to be a Siesta this year. Beth, I can’t tell you enough how much your passion for God inspires me. When I’m searching for wisom & encouragement I can count your teachings at Life Today to guide me to scripture. In such a negative & difficult world, Your enthusiam is contagious & refreshing. I’m hoping to make it to Texas in January, but still praying for God to work out the childcare and money details. Merry Christmas!
Well, I wrote a song and shared it at church last Sunday 🙂 Here is a link to the video where I shared how memorizing Scripture over the last year has helped me connect with God and then I shared the song that features several of the verses I memorized. The song doesn’t start til the 8:40 mark if you do not have time to watch the long intro. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nec1J0dCgQQ&feature=share
Jane, St. Louis
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 (NIV)
The Scripture I have memorized has been God’s Word of life and hope made real to me daily during a difficult year. I praise and thank God for you helping and encouraging us to do this! Have a blessed Christmas, Beth, and to all of the Siestas!
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 NIV
This has been an amazing journey! A childhood friend challenged me to do this with her and I have been so incredibly blessed. There were several ah-ha moments deciding on these verses and memorizing them. The verse before this I wanted the word gift in it. I hadn’t decided on one yet and asked my husband what some of his favorite scriptures are. (I hadn’t mentioned that I wanted the word gift in it though) He said “Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Wow, our God is awesome!!!
Beth Rome, GA
“Give me life in accordance with Your Faithful Love and I will obey the decree you have spoken.” -Psalm 119:88 HCSB
Having these memory verses has challenged me to get in the Word, to trust God’s leading and will for my life. I’m so thankful for the ability to memorize and take these verses to the nations.
Shellie
Moscow, Idaho
Isaiah 43:2-3 NIV
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the waters, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
I wish I could tell you I’m completely cured of suicidal thoughts. I was starting to think I was, but they returned yesterday after reading some of the Changes That Heal book yesterday, that Michele Miner (those of you on twitter know her as @micheledidasko) bought me, and sent me! I still can’t believe someone who’s never even met me, would do that for me!!! I will be making it to the celebration in January, but alas I’m getting ahead of myself! I have LIVED on these scripture verses this year!!! I had no idea at the beginning of the year what a journey God was going to lead me down. As many of you know, I began the year struggling with depression, went to my pastor for counseling, ended up planning my own suicide after the discouragement I got from him (sorry if that’s wrong to say, but it’s true). I ended up seeing another counselor, who was wonderful, but really didn’t connect with very well at all. In fact, I felt she was very cold and impersonal in the way she counseled me. She definitely lacked comapassion. You don’t even want to know how extensive my plans were over the summer and I wasn’t even admitting to making them. That’s when Michele intervened and started talking to me. I thought I was hiding the depth of my pain pretty well, but I guess not. She picked up on it rather quickly and thank God she did. I am feeling pretty discouraged though. I’m still not connecting with people here amongst the local believers and I’m getting more and more guarded as they say things that hurt, often unintentionally, but they still hurt. I also just found out that my husband won’t be able to get promoted to District Director until he serves as a Senior District Executive for at least 2 years with the Boy Scouts, which means we could be staying here with no pay raise for another 2-3 years. That doesn’t make me happy for so many reasons! One of those being that Jeremiah will be entering either his sophomore or junior year of high school after living here his whole life! With his sister’s close behind. There is the possibility that he could get offered a Senior DE job out of council that depending on the District could involve a pay raise. They sometimes do give you one if you have to relocate, which is what we’re hoping for. Anyway, things are looking pretty hard, but I think somehow I’ll make it. Again, I WILL be there in January, which is a miracle in itself!!!!
Heidi~Lindale, TX
NIV Psalm 51:12
“Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Jodell, Frankfort,
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Luke 1:46-47 NIV
Vicki…Corpus Christi,Tx…1 John 3:1
See what great love The Father has lavished on me (us)
that we should be called the children of God.
This has been an amazing year of rescue from a 33 year pit.
I left everything and moved to a new life with the help of parents and prayer sisters. This community has been my
support group during my transition. I am forever grateful
and blessed. Jesus is so faithful and I am totally in love
with Him and His faithful Siestas!
WooHoo we are meeting on my birthday, too!!
Julie B. – Wentzville, MO
“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”
(1 Peter 5:7 AMP)
He has so faithfully used His Word in my life to encourage, strengthen, rebuke and guide me this year!!!! His statuets have been my counselors and my delight, as Psalm 119:24 says!!!
Thank you for the accountability!!!!!
Janifer, Glen Burnie, MD
Psalm 9:10 NKJV
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Lauren, Asheville, NC James 5:16 NIV “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous prayer is powerful and effective.”
Perhaps the most meaningful time of this year was this summer when I was serving in Nicaragua. I work with a mission org. that serves there. To make a long story short I contracted an infection on my eye; a severe eye ulcer on 60% of my cornea and had to come home early. For quite some time I was unable to see let alone read my Bible. The verses that I learned over this year came to my mind and God used his Word in such a strong way and caused me to fall more in LOVE with him! I’m thankful that the Lord healed my eye and I’m left with just a small scar on my eye! Scripture memory has an even more special meaning!
Jean – Franklinton, NC
He will do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we may ask or think.
Eph 3:20
This year God has done exceedingly more than I could have imagined in my life. I was laid off in May from a job I worked full time for over 20 years (even worked there in college), and within 4.5 weeks I had an offer for a new job. Lots of transition this year, but God is good!
Angela, Amarillo, TX
Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself]and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. I Thessalonians 5:24 AMP
I have so enjoyed memorizing scriptures this year and I plan to continue doing it. Doing this has constantly reminded me that God is faithful and He’s the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Thank you for this blog! It’s been a blessing to me.
Heather, Sedalia, Alberta
“That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.” Galatians 5:26, The Message
Thanks for doing SSMT this year. The discipline of memorizing verse has been good for me. Are you doing another round this next year? If not, would someone please create a spiral anyway. Thanks so much.
Psalm 119:11(NIV)
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you
Wanda
Osborn, Missouri
Philemon 7 (ESV)
For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love,
my (sister) because the hearts of the saints have been
refreshed through you.
I got so excited about sharing the song with you all – I forgot to share my verse. It is the first I’ve shared in a few months as I stopped posting when I realized I couldn’t go to the meet up – I was sad about it, but it is not the right time and I should’ve kept posting. I’m going to memorize 1 Peter 5:10 (NKJV and ESV combo) But the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while will Himself, prefect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Angie Kendall,Cynthiana, KY
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46 NKJ
Rose, Dallas
“Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” ~Psalm 37:24 (NLT)
I have been encouraged time and again as I flip through my spiral during breaks at work, while stopped at a red light, before going to sleep at night…The Word is alive and active, and this year it has been such a blessing to have it (literally) handy all the time. Thanks so much for printing these beautiful spirals for us during the craziness of last Christmas, and thank you for keeping it going all year long. I’m SO EXCITED to come to the celebration next month! I wish you could all be there. 🙂
jenny
white hall, ar
“but now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
ephesians 2:13 niv
Michelle Calgary (Airdrie) Alberta Canada….
He who belongs to God hears what God says” (John 8:47).
What a journey this year has been! Amazed daily by HIM! It has been absolutely astounding to see Providence before my eyes. It has been beautiful to see how these verses were necessary and would be used over and over throughout the year not only for myself but for those He would call me to.
HE has now brought me to Houston Texas…Bayou City Fellowship! Can’t wait to see how he will use me to glorify him in the next season as I listen to HIS sweet voice!
Blessed beyond measure as I rely on and rest in HIS power!
Megan, Maple Valley
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Luke 2:13-14 KJV
Dyane, Edmond,Oklahoma “Let it be with me just as You say” Luke 1:38 The Message
For nothing is impossible with God.
Luke 1:37 NIV
Melissa from Easley, SC
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the word of God.
Rev 19:13 NIV
Shannon, Kissimme, Florida
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
The SSMT has meant so much to me!! I am so glad I came to know siestaville, it has been life changing!
Emily Jordan
Virginia Beach, VA
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ, The Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)
Cindy, Clarksville , TN
When a dear friend encouraged me to take this journey with her I had no idea I would face the biggest trial of my life. A constant reminder of scripture and knowing I was going to be looking to God for His words and guidance I know has and is making a huge difference. Please pray for me and my family, God knows what I need! My verse is:
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14 NIV
Cindy, Fort Worth
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for HE who promised is faithful. Heb. 10:23 NIV
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 TNIV
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
Better late than never has been my theme the past month or so. Even though I have had the verse chosen and have been working on it, getting it posted on the blog has been one of those little details. Memorizing Scripture this year has been an incredible blessing to me! As a foster mom to newborns between their birth family and adoptive family, it is challenging to keep up consistent Bible study when severely sleep deprived. I found that memorizing Scripture was a mind saver and a spiritual life saver. We had our longest placement yet – 11 months and the most intense experience of my life. I am so grateful for the blessings that were mine because of this discipline. When I could not concentrate to pray or read or study, I could review my memory verses. Thanks be to God!
Stacey- Morocco,In
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Jackie
Cypress, TX
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18 NIV(complete passage Ephesians 6:10-18)
Sharron Kay, Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas
SSMT has been an awesome spiritual experience. Scripture memory has always been a part of my life, but this bi-monthly accountability has helped me to really develop a discipline that my spiritual life needed. In my “senior years”, memorization has become more challenging, but it has been a good thing, too. Reading the Siesta sharings and scriptures has blessed my heart. Are we continuing to post in 2012? Will there be spiral cards available for purchase? Thank you, Beth and LPM staff for the ministry you share with each of us. All glory and honor and praise to our Lord Jesus for the opportunity to be Siestas. Merry CHRISTmas!
Sheri, Atlanta, TX
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift.” 2 Cor. 9:15
The experience of memorizing the Scripture the Lord lays on my heart, and then praying it over others is beyond anything else!!! My special “closet” for this is while I do swimming excercises and ice skating where I am usually alone and once every week or two during my fasting day. What an honour and a priviledge- the hour is up too soon!!
I often use these verses in cards to others who are sick or need encouragement and so often receive comments they were just the right verse! Yes, our Lord indeed speaks through His Word to our every need.
Thank you Lord for ending this season of verses with honour and praise to our Father for You and Your Redeeming Gift. Amen!
Grace Robertson, Silver City, NM
For Dec. 1 and 15th
“For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.”
Luke 1:49-50
NIV
Psalm 1:1-6 (NIV) “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he mediates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so for the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish.”