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
Carmela Dominguez, Forney TX: He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22 KJV)
Desiree in Carlsbad
“Jesus looked him hard in the eye – and loved him!
He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor.
All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”
(Mark 10:21 msg)
Rosalye
Vicksburg, MS
I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.
Jer. 31:25
NIV
kathy from leesville, la But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 NIV
Kay, Tucson Colossians 4:6 (NIV)
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
“For nothing is impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37
Paula, OKC, OK: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:3-4 NIV
Cindy, Kearney NE
Isaiah 41:13(NIV)
For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Betsy Roberts – Antwerp, OH
“He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings’ He give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”
Daniel 2:21 (ESV)
“But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”
Malachi 4:2 KJV
Kelly, Jackson
Psalm 65:8: “They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” NASB
Laurin, Harrisburg, NC – “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25 NIV
Romans 8:37 (NIV)
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Jennifer, Fort Worth
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory an majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25, NKJV
Melissa, San Antonio, TX
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)
Anna McCollister
New Palestine, IN
Psalm 119:35 ESV
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Tracy from Aurora, CO
Deuteronomy 6:5-7=You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. (NLT)
Pamela Williams, Olive Branch, MS
For You bless the righteous, O LORD; You cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:12 ESV
Dena K. from Columbus, OH:
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12 NIV)
Dayna Vaczi, Overland Park, KS
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165 (NIV)
Tara G.
Sherwood, AR
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Matthew 7:13,14 (ESV)
Deanna, Maytown AL
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God;” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James 1:13 NKJV
🙂 OctoBER
HAPPY FALLidays with “Ber” month Blessings,
Kim Safina
Central Coast California
“As long as the earth endures,seedtime and harvest,cold and heat,summer and winter,day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22
Jessica, Carlsbad, CA “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done.” Phillipians 4:6 (NLT)
Theresa Bradford – Pace, Florida
Joshua 11:15 (NIV)
As the LORD commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it, he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
Darla, Pittsburgh (Let’s GO BUCS!)
“The Lord will guide you always. He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land, and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
Isaiah 58:11 NIV
Philippians 4:19
My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus
Hi! Can you still sign up for the scripture memory group? Or will a new group start…this year? Not sure of the timing of this… 🙂
Thank you 🙂
RB
Kim, Frankenmuth, MI:
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23 NLT)
Donalda, Osler, SK
Philippians 4:8 MSG
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. “
Donna, Southlake ,TX
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you”. Psalms 32:8 NIV
Angie, Markham , Ontario
Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a fellow believer or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. (James 4:11 NET)
Sue, Kingsport, TN
“This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 NIV
Lisa, Simsboro, LA
“If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! Psalms 139:19 NIV
Sharon, from North Plainfield, NJ:
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. ~ Romans 6:14 (NIV)
Amy, from North Plainfield, NJ:
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 Lord’s people. ~ Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)
Shannon, Warner Robins, GA
“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” Ephesians 2:20 NLT
Jennie F. from Long Creek, Oregon. “When someone pursues you and attempts to take your life, my lord’s life will be tucked safely in the place where the LORD your God protects the living.” 1 Samuel 25:29 HCSB
Proverbs 31:10 ESV
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
MacKenzie, St Louis
Christa Rodriguez from AZ
1 Peter 3:4 (NLT)
“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God”.
“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does” James 1:25 NIV
19- Kristy from Cedar Park, Texas: I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jer. 31:25 NIV
Gwyn Tidwell of Haslet, Tx
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (NIV84)
Karen, Cheyenne, WY
Psalm 1:5 “When the Lord judges them, their life will come to an end. Sinners won’t have any place among those who are godly.”
Exodus 15:1: NLT. I will sing to The Lord he has triumphed gloriously
Kathy from Syracuse,NY
Psalm 91:4 “He will cover you with his feathers.He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” (NLT)
Karen, Lynnwood, Wa
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”
Psalm 68:19 (NIV)
Merredith, Champaign the full 23rd psalm ESV. after losing a step father and a father in law both within 11 days in September this scripture is VERY close to my heart.
Shannon, Buda, TX
But from everlasting to everlasting The Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.
Psalm 103:17 NIV