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
Vickie in Louisville. Consider it pure joy, my dear brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4 NIV
Clancie, Elizabethtown, KY, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4, NIV (1984)
Jacie from Amarillo, TX
“Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.” Psalm 145:21(NIV)
Deena from Amarillo, Texas
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24b (NKJV)
Debbie Portland, OR
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5 ESV
Carol, Cashion, OK “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer, be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” Romans 6:5-7 NASB
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”. Matthew 5:9 NIV
Kristy, Amarillo, tx
“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
Ephesians 6:16 NKJV
Karon from Canton, NC
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him”.
1st Corinthians 2:9 NKJV
Noreen
Calgary, AB
” I say to myself, The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:24-25
Nancy from Evansville, IN writes
So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you, do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy 5: 32 NIV
Caty of Stockbridge, GA – He giveth power to the faint: and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. ~Isaiah 40:29 KJV
Kristin, Searcy. 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)
Jenni, Murray, Ky
The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.
Isaiah 60:19 HCSB
Melissa, Locust Grove, GA.
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.”
Luke 10:23 NIV84
When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.
Luke 10:5-6 NIV84
Tracey Knight ~ Arkadelphia AR
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you. ~ Isaiah 46:4a NIV
Patty Pierce
Searcy AR
Psalm 37:4 ESV
Delight yourself in The Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Laura H. O’Fallon, MO “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:24 NIV
Pam D., Hendersonville, TN ” Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.” Joshua 1:9 NCV
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psalm 16:6
Vicki, Wilmington, NC
And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
Daniel 2:21 NKJV
Linda
Belton, Tx
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O most High
Psalm 9:2. (NIV)
Edna
O’Fallon, MO
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:16
ESV
Bev van Vuuren – South Africa – Psalm 131: 2 – But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. – NIV
Edmond, Ok
Michele
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
Sandy, Rock Hill, SC
“Be very careful then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV
Kimberly in Madison, ME:
Psalm 81:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden;
His hands were freed from the baskets.
“A father to the fatherless and a judge for the widows is God in His holy habitation.” Psalm 68:5 (NASB)
“Not faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Heb. 11:1 (NIV)
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 – NIV)
Jenni, San Diego, continuing Psalm 37, verses 29-31, NKJV: “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
Sue, Groveport, OH
Psalm 34:15-16, NIV
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Danyelle
Dayton, OH
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.
Isaiah 50:4-5, NIV
Christene from London, Canada
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.
Job 19:25 NIV
Angie W., Federal Way, WA
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Ps. 27:13 ESV
Mary Beth, Chiang Mai Thailand, Galatians 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6 NLT
Mickey, Blue Springs, MO
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
Misti, from Kingwood, TX
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1 NIV
Temple, TX
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Debi, Alva, FL Zechariah 10:1 (NKJV)
Ask the Lord for rain
In the time of the latter rain.
The Lord will make flashing clouds;
He will give them showers of rain,
Grass in the field for everyone.
Lynchburg, VA.
Romans 8:26 (English Standard Version)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Sherri Bennett, Tustin, CA: (Stealing from Beth!)
“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
1 Thessalonians 2:4B NIV
LIsa S. in Montgomery, TX
We are not trying to please men, but God, who tests our hearts.
Troy, Ohio
Psalm 116:7 NIV
Be at rest once more,
O my soul for the
Lord has been good
to you.
“…I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,” Eph 3:17b
Carol Midland,Texas
Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to You.
Psalm 102:1
Psalms 68:9-10 (NET)
9 O God, you cause abundant showers to fall on your chosen people. When they are tired, you sustain them
10 for you live among them. You sustain the oppressed with your blessings, O God.
Psalm 118:13 (ESV)- “I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me”
Diera – Austin, TX
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 NIV