Hey, Everybody!
I’m so happy to spend these next few minutes with you. I like to remind you in a writing season like this that I am thinking about you constantly even when it appears from your side of the screen as if we’re less in touch. As I study and write workday in and workday out, you are the first group that comes to my mind. Teacher’s pets if I’ve ever had any. I’m chatting to you constantly right now as I peck away at the keyboard. You just can’t hear me. I’m smiling thinking about how those tables may turn in a little over a year for any of you that end up doing the Bible study. You’ll be talking back to me as we discuss various passages in your homework but I won’t be able to hear you either. What a weird and beautiful dynamic.
I had the biggest blast getting to see a whole bunch of you Siestas at our Eugene, Oregon Living Proof Live. I was shocked when I walked in that room right after the event and David Lowe (our good friend who subs for Rich when he’s out) already had you split into two groups for our picture-taking. It would be hard to over-blow how much I loved being in Oregon for our event. God brought together one of the most wonderful, enthusiastic, Jesus-seeking, gonna-get-a-word-or-else groups ever. One of my top ten favorite groups in all fifteen LPL years. I could have cried when it was over.
(I just happened to remember that I have a few pictures on my iPhone of various shots from this trip so I’ll pitch a few in here for those of you like me who love visuals.)
(In the above picture, we took that State-famous “O” for Oregon and made it into a few divine adjectives for an “Omnipotent,” and “Overflowing,” “Overcoming” and “Out-breaking” God.)
Try to wrap your mind around the fact that God incited 7300 women by His Spirit to attend that event. That was nearly twice what we would have expected in that part of the United States for a gathering of this kind. Travis, the praise team, and I knew within about 2 minutes that Jesus was planning to be there whether we came or not. We felt completely incidental to the whole thing. He has something huge stirring in the Northwest. I can’t quit thinking about it. I got a DM from my good friend, Louie Giglio, last Friday saying that he and Chris Tomlin and their team had just been to that part of the country and were blown away by what God was doing. We left feeling the same astonishment.
I got to spend a little more time in the area than I usually do because I couldn’t get a flight out on Saturday night. That meant several walks in several different parks.
This scene was walking distance from the Holiday Express where we stayed in Eugene. Your blog mama is in there but it’s kind of like “Where’s Waldo?”
Most of our team went to Mount Pisgah Arboretum on Saturday afternoon and, honestly, it was like we were caught in the hobbits’ glen in Lord of the Rings. If Frodo Baggins had stepped out from behind a tree with his short legs and long hairy feet, the whole scene would have been complete. The trees looked just like the ones that talked in the trilogy and they groaned and creaked in the wind like old men trying to get out of a low chair. It was crazy. I didn’t even bother taking pictures with my iPhone because it would have been a travesty but our friend David got some great ones with his grown-up camera. This one doesn’t even give a hint of the gorgeousness that was surrounding us in that park but I think it is especially gorgeous because I love this group of women so much. These are some of the hardest working girls you’ll ever find on earth. They are part of the LifeWay women’s event team that actually puts on Living Proof Live events. (As well as Priscilla Shirer Live and many others.) They don’t often come to the platform but trust me when I tell you that no one would serve on that platform if not for these women doing all the front work, sight inspections, training, praying, and city coordinating. Then, once the weekend arrives, they are busy behind every scene, down every hall, and all over the arena. I am nuts about them. There are at least a dozen others who weren’t assigned to our Oregon event over the weekend. I wish you could see them, too. They are all stellar women.
I could have stayed a solid week in Oregon. Or, if all my people had been there, a month. But Bibby gets cranky for the grandbabies after too many days away. I saw them right before I left for Oregon and the day after I got back. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my beloved Amanda and Curtis, who always make room for the grandparents in their hyper-busy pastoring lives. I happen to be typing this post about five feet away from this picture right here. Now, I ask you, who could stand to be far from those two for very long?? My point exactly.
Oh, one more thing about the trip. On the rare occasions when much of the team gets to stay an extra night after the event, there is considerable foolishness. With God-fearing people, especially of mixed company, off-color humor is out so we have to go with just plain stupid and it works for me every time. This is Travis with his good friends Clay (who played the mandolin for us at this LPL! We loved him!) and Seth (who we always love and get to have on the team most of the time).
I bet Travis wore those glasses for 15 minutes in the drugstore. (Yep, that’s where all this stuff was.) Long enough to where I found myself talking to him normally as if he didn’t look like an idiot. Of course, it might be a tad hypocritical for me to say he looked like such a thing since…
Tragically, that’s not plastic you’re seeing there below the glasses. That’s my real nose. (I made myself laugh.)
Well, I could talk on and on but, the fact is, we have Scriptures to do today, Sisters! I love mine this time around. Remember how we talked about the importance of choosing one to memorize that really means something to us personally? This one’s really speaking to me right now. Lately I’ve been especially aware of the contrasts in the Christian public square between those who build up the Body of Christ and those who tear it down. If we’re going to be builders in a world tearing apart, we’re going to have to be deliberate. We’ll also have to accept the materials we’re working with. We’ll never have a flawless body of believers to edify. Not this side of our completed state. As my friend Carlos Whittaker says, we’re all crazier than we think we are. It’s a mess out there. Oh, for crying out loud, I’m a mess in here. But we do have a flawless Savior and we are indeed God’s chosen people, loved and planned for and accounted for in the Kingdom agenda. We’ve got to decide how we want to treat one another on this thorny journey. This verse says it well.
Beth, Houston. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV
There He says it: don’t just take a stab at it. Strive to excel in it.
Oh, Sisters, I love you so much. I truly do. I’ll talk to you soon!
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Psalms 117:2 (NLT)
For He loves us with unfailing love; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!
Donna
Ponder,TX
“Rather clothe yourselves in The Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13:14 NIV
Erika-Gadsden AL
Natalie from Perry, Ga. “Praise the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits- Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you love and compassion.” Psalm 103:2-3. NIV
Sorry so late! My husband graduated with his doctorate this past weekend. Big affair! Praise the Lord for sure!!
Nancy Beda from Boardman, Ohio
Romans 8:6 NIV The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
Laurie in Oklahoma City, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” (Isaiah 61:1 ESV)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
1 Corinthians 14:12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. ESV
Phyllis – Salisbury, MD
ephesians 2:12-13 “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenant of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
Bethany, Pittsburgh
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
Delta from Lakeland, Florida
1 Corinthians 14:12
English Standard Version (ESV)
12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 (HCSB)
Erin Mauney, Evant, Texas
Amber, Vancleave, MS
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)
Kelly, Jackson, MI
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5, NASB
Elizabeth, Gainesville, GA
“He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.”
Deuteronomy 10:21, NAS
Natalie-Austin
Prov. 3:3 NIV
Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck write them on the tablet of your heart.
Jeanette in Fair Oaks Ranch
Deuteronomy 33:29
Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by The Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you and you will tread on their heights. NIV
Luke 2:2,3 KJV
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Psalm 139:9
If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea. NIV
Vanessa from Anderson, SC:
“Pray diligently, stay alert, with eyes wide open in gratitude!” Colossians 4:2 (MSG)
Denise
The Woodlands, Texas
Psalm 90:17
Let the favor of The Lord our God be on us, establish the work of our hands for us, yes, establish the work of our hands.
HNV
Ephesians 3:17 NIV: so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Deanna, Maytown AL
You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious to God. 1 Peter 3:4 (NLT)
Cindy in Raleigh NC
Deut. 7:9 NIV
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
“But The Lord stood with me and gave me strength.” 2 Timothy 4:17 NLT
Psalm 62:8 (ESV) Trust in him at all times, o people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us.
Ti-Leigh
Orlando, FL
Psalms 31:15. ESV
My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
Pamela from La Ceiba, Honduras
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5 NKJV
Denise – Asheville, NC
John 6:63 (The Message)
The Spirit cam make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making.
Annette- Reno,NV
We live by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
NIV
Susan – Maynard MA
Psalm 25:1 – NLT
O Lord, I give my life to you.
“She is clothed with strength, and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31.25 NLT
Cindy, Roanoke, TX
See to it, brothers, 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.
Hebrews 3:12-13 NIV84
Shelley, McKinney, Texas:
Galatians 6:1 CEV My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don’t be tempted yourself.
Pat, Hilliard OH
Matthew 23:27 (NIV)”Woe to you teachers of the law and Phariesees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewash tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead & everything unclean.”
Donna, Norwood, Ma
Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
New International Version (NIV)
Marci; Huntsville, AL
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me”
Psalm 51:10 NIV
Julie, Houston, TX. “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.” Psalm 119:7 (NIV).
Tracy ~ Edgewood, Kentucky
Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT) Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Port Neches, TX
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)
Shelly Story, Wausa, Nebraska
1 Peter 5:6-10, NIV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him becasue he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist Him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make your strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
Carolyn, Orofino, Idaho
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV
Carmen from Fergus Falls, MN
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. I Chronicles 4:10 NIV
Blanche, Pearland, TX
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
Kim, Pearland, TX
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.
Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Amy, Seattle, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.” Proverbs 29:25 MSG
Alicia, Houston, Texas
“Worry weighs a person down, an encouraging word cheers a person up”. Proverbs 12:25 NIV
Vicki
Longview, WA
Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature you will live.
Romans 8:12-13 NLT
Soozi, Lexington, KY: “Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another.” Col. 3:12-13 HCSB
Tori. Dickinson,ND
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV
Erin in Euless, TX
James 3:5-6 (MSG)
“A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything – or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.”