Hey, my beloved sisters!
Though I won’t publish this post until Tuesday, the first day of October, I am writing to you on Sunday. I have the house all to myself today – not even a dog in sight – and I am sitting on my back porch as a generous rain soaks the ground, polishing the wide leaves of sweet gums on its way down. Our trees this far south are still plump and green and, right this minute, I don’t mind because the leaves have such a sheen on them in the rain that they look like vinyl. The temperatures will drop one slow degree at a time over the next month but we usually don’t have what people call “Autumn” here until as late as November. And it’s almost unrecognizable even then. Suddenly you just look up and the trees don’t have leaves and it hits you that you probably missed Fall on your way to work that morning when you ran into Starbucks for a dry cappuccino.
An Arkansas girl by heritage, I am on the hunt for Red October by mid September but I can’t think of a time since I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast that I’ve ever found it. Well, except when I close my eyes and look. And it is beautiful there. I do love Houston though, despite how season-challenged it is. Good people. Many, many who earnestly love Jesus and crave the sense of His presence and serve Him with both life and heart. Its diversity kicks up a rich climate for faith and a prime place to meet people very different from you who seek Jesus feverishly. It’s not as easy to keep your stereotypes tidy here.
In the early years of speaking, God purposed that I’d accrue copious hours of experience serving at various churches, women’s breakfasts and luncheons right here in our city limits and still get home to greet my children after their school day. I often pulled out of the driveway when they hopped on the school bus and squealed my tires back on the concrete just minutes before they pulled up at 3:15. My kids loved riding the school bus and, as it turns out (I write this with a smile), it was a grace to me. On paper, our lives shouldn’t have worked but somehow it worked (apply the term loosely) in practice. That’s the beautiful oddity of the will of God. What should easily work doesn’t work when He’s not in it and what should never work does work when He is. It’s crazy to think about in retrospect. He has been so faithful, just as He will be to you as you try to balance it all and seek His mercy through the insanity.
I wish I could somehow add the soundtrack of what I’m presently hearing to this post. I wish you could listen to the comfort of the rainfall, especially if you are feeling chaotic or anxious right now or frantic about how something’s going to work out. The water is falling steadily, not a soft shower or a downpour. Constant and consoling, almost like one of those sleep-settings on your iPad. And I wish you could hear 4 male hummingbirds competing over the feeder that is hanging about 8 feet from where I’m sitting. It mesmerizes me to watch them and I think you might like it, too, once you adjusted to the pace out here in these woods.
Sometimes we really do just need everything and everybody else to shut up for a minute and let us listen to the sound of God being God around us. These moments are brief for all of us. Just five days ago I was fit to be tied over something. I do mean fit to be tied and, over the weekend, greatly concerned about a situation even while I served. But I am going to sit here for the next few minutes and pour myself a cup of coffee while God pours these woods a cup of rain.
Well, I guess you can tell that I’m in a musing mood so perhaps I should wrap this post up before I work my way over to subjects like world peace and dark nights of the soul and existential crises and the beauty of aging and the delights of youth. Honestly, I can feel a poem trying to write itself in my head. This post must end with perfect timing before, indeed, my words start rhyming. Run for your life. It’s almost too late.
Here’s my Scripture for this October 1st!
Beth Moore, O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them. Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Amen, You do, gracious, merciful God.
I love you, Sisters. You are a joy to me. The next post will be registration for our SSMT celebration so we can get an idea how many to prepare for. Wooohoooo! It’s almost time to kick up our heels!
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
Gina, Bolivar, MO
“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:2 (NIV)
Judy, Virginia “O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them.” Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Christy L. Royal Palm Beach, FL,
“But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
Aimee, Houston, TX
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Proverbs 14:30 NIV
Susan
Jersey Village, TX
“Know this, my beloved brethren,
Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”
James 1:19, 20
(New American Standard)
Debbie, Marion, IN. “If only You would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me you bloodthirsty, men! ” Psalm 139:19 NIV
Elaine
McVeytown, PA
Psalm 78:18 NLT
They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.
Kellie from Keller, TX:
if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NLT)
Marti, Loganville, ga
Psalm 68:11 NIV
The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng.
Kim Baker, Louisville, KY
O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them. Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Natalie Dawes, Calgary, AB, Canada
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Psalm 35:5 (NIV84)
Jen Evans Seville Ohio
Psalm 37:5 ESV
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
Kristy from Tallahassee, FL says,
“Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.”
Romans 12:12 (CEV)
Andi Crumrine, Rockwall, TX
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27 NIV
Linda, Holts Summit, MO
Hebrews 4:16 NIV
Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Kimberly, Watha,
Psalm 68:9-10a NET Bible
O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them.
Kathy, Birmingham, AL
Her heart is secure, she will have no fear; in the end she will look in triumph on her foes.
Psalm 112:8 NIV
Dana Ashland, KY “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the INFINITE VALUE of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS my Lord.” Phil. 3:8a NLT
Tammy from Platte City
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)
Sara from Virginia, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2, NIV)
For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” (Hebrews 12:6 NLT)
Tangila, Pearland TX
Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. (Psalms 104:1 NLT)
Margie Rodriguez, San Angelo, Texas
Exodus 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them, for you live among them. Psalm 68:9-10a NET
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
–2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
Riverton, UT
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. (Galatians 5:6 NLT)
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1 NKJV
Brenda, Houston, TX
O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them. Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Misty Sanders, North Charleston, SC
He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
He drew me out of deep waters.
Psalms 18:16 NLT
Pat, Littlefield, Tx.
“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statues which I am commanding you today for your good?”
Deuteronomy 10: 12-13 NIV
Beth from Niamey
Isaiah 64:4
NIV
Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
Jackie UK
Joshua 3 verse 5 NKJV
And Joshua said to the people,
‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow The Lord will do wonders among you.’
Amy – Custer, SD
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psalm 36:9 KJV
Colleen, Cape Town, South Africa
No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…
Philippians 3:13, NLT
Thank you, Andrea from Pottstown, for this verse.
Stacy – Hinckley, England
The Lord is good. When trouble comes, he is a strong refuge. And he knows everyone who trusts in him.
Nahum 1v7 (NLT)
Lexington, Ky
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:15 NIV)
Beth, London, U.K. “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” (Psalm 116:7, NIV)
Lisa from Waycross, GA
Donna from Albany, GA
“O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them.” Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Kim, Valdosta, GA
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:1, NKJV
Cher Goeder, Toledo, OH
Deuteronomy 6:23 NIV
“But He brought us out to bring us in and give us the land that He promised on oath to our forefathers.”
Christine Busch, Port St Lucie, Fl
Psalm 13:6 (NIV)
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
“Daniel said, “Let the name if God be blessed forever and ever for wisdom and power belong to Him'”.
Daniel 2:20 NASB
Jayne
Frisco ,TX
Carmen, Summersvile, WV “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 NIV
Hannah from Mt. Holly, NC
“O God, You cause abundant showers to fall on Your chosen people. When they are tired, You sustain them, for You live among them.” Psalm 68:9-10a The NET Bible
Sue, Kalamazoo, MI. “Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord. Psalm 4:5 NLT
‘He will take DELIGHT in you with gladness.
With his LOVE, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Zephaniah 3:17B NLT
Doris, Whiteville, NC
Psalm 18: 3 ESV
I will call upon The Lord, who is worthy to be praised and I am saved from my enemies.
Menomonee Falls, WI
Not for us, O Lord, not for us, but for your name be the glory because of your love and faithfulness. Ps. 115:1 NIV
Elizabeth, Pittsburgh, PA. (For October 1 and 15)
Psalm 81:13-14, 16 (NIV):
“If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!…But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Do not be anxious about anything, but by everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 NIV