WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE 2015 SIESTA SCRIPTURE MEMORY TEAM!
WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!
Allow me to introduce myself to you as your fellow sojourner for the next 12 months and your official cheerleader. It will be my pleasure to remind you often that, in Christ Jesus, you most certainly CAN be victorious in this adventure of the faith, this challenge of the mind and this discipline of the Spirit.
Nothing we’ve done on this blog since its inception has seemed to attract more outrageous favor from God. We are convinced that He loves it. God never misses a single individual going to the work of memorizing His Word but imagine His delight when a huge community of tremendously diverse women in age, background, and worship tradition band together in a pilgrimage of faith. You don’t have to stop and wonder if it’s God’s will for His words to abide in you. The Word of God alive, active, and abiding in us speaks to us, shields us, warns us, strengthens us, sanctifies us, equips us in our callings, and directs us in our decision making. It sharpens our insight and improves our discernment. It makes us wiser and, let’s be bold enough to say, even smarter. Our brains were hardwired to flourish across the board when nourished by the Scriptures. Above all else, Scripture abiding and thriving in us builds up our faith, for “faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) Â And, Girlfriend, we want to be women of faith. That faith erupts into works that were planned for each of us before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 2:10)
OK. I want to get right to it before I lose some of you so that no one will be unclear about the protocol.
The entry of your first verse is your official registration for SSMT (Siesta Scripture Memory Team). Everybody who joins us needs to start right here in a designated comment to this exact post. Even those who may jump in with us a couple of months late who are willing to work double-time to get it all done will start right here.
For a quick recap of our objective: Remember, we are committing to the memorization of 24 verses in 12 months. Two a month. We each get to select our own verses to align with our personal needs and challenges. Choosing a Scripture that resonates with you is immensely helpful in the memorization process. If you have trouble coming up with one of your own, you can always share mine or look through the other entries for ideas. You’ll find your SSMT posts right here on the blog at 8:00 AM on the 1st and 15th of every month in 2015. [Under the LINKS section listed on the right hand side of our blog home page, you will find all SSMT posts will store together for easy access. See “Scripture Memory Team 2015”.] If you haven’t had a chance to read all the instructions and hear about our end-of-year celebration, please go back and read the informational post then return to this spot. Questions unanswered here are answered there.
One of the most important things for you to know from the top is how to arrange your comment with the verse you’ve selected. We limit each comment to this information:Â
Your name, city, verse (written all the way out), reference, and translation.Â
SO, here goes mine! I’m obsessed with the Book of Ephesians right now so much of my memory work will probably come from those pages.
Beth Moore, Houston, Texas. “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Ephesians 2:19 ESV
We’re fellow citizens with the likes of Peter and John and James and Stephen and Paul and Timothy and Barnabas and Joanna and Susanna and Lydia and Tabitha and just try counting all the Marys. We’re fellow citizens and members of the household of Middle Eastern believers confessing Christ in hostile climates, of Chinese believers meeting in house churches, of Eastern European believers finding hope in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have brothers and sisters in Thessaloniki, in Paris, in Belfast, in Riyadh, in Copenhagen, in Calgary, and Rome. We – right here in this community – are sisters to a household of God that stretches across this globe, saved by the blood of Jesus Christ alone. By grace through faith. “It is the gift of God, not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) That’s what makes us family. We, beloved sister, are in gorgeous company. Let’s give our time on this planet as part of this household all we’ve got. Christ is so altogether worthy.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! One last thing before I say Go! Don’t panic or jump the gun and post a second time if you don’t see your verse published soon. I will be moderating all these launch comments by myself because I don’t want my staff to have to work on the holiday so I beg your patience. I’ll be hard at work on it but it will take me a while to get them all posted. As a rule over the next 12 months, only post a second time if it’s been 48 hours since you left the comment and you still don’t see it.
****I noticed that some of you posted verses earlier than this post was published and they came up on the SSMT informational comments.  I should have doubly emphasized what time the posts will go up each round: 8:00 AM, each 1st and 15th. So sorry if I did not make that clear enough! If you submit your verse earlier than that, it unfortunately appears under the wrong post and, the way blog moderating works, there’s no way for us to transfer the comments over. If you left your 1st verse under any other post than this one, please add it here as well. This is the official registration post.  I know it’s a bit complicated at first! Hang with it! So sorry for your extra trouble!
Hey, I am so glad you’re doing this with us. So much love to you.
OK, GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Martha Lake, WA
“… Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Becky Reed, Snohomish, WA. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strength you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Sarah Cox, Round Rock, Tx.
Isaiah 43:18-19 English Standard Version (ESV)
18 “Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
Deanna, Harwood, MD. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV
Jenison, MI
Job 19:25 (NIV)
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
Keller, Texas, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NLT
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (â€Luke‬ â€4‬:â€18-19‬ NIV)
Dayle Annand, Antigua, Guatemala “So whatever you say and whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.”. James 2:12 NLT
Abby Muirhead from Houston, TX
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV
Sharayah Smith, Dallas, TX. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 kjv
Debby Pruet, Katy, TX. “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord,”plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11, NIV
Amanda Wilbur, Riverside, CA.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (NKJV)
Jean Howison, Columbus, Ohio
“Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” HCSB
Lorie Herinckx, Portland, Oregon “Therefor, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourself also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin”. 1 Peter 4:1 NIV
Janet D., Camarillo, CA, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 NIV
RhnĂ©e O’Brien, Cincinnati, OH
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Vicki Wright, Fort Worth, Texas
Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me
Bridgit, Lawrence, KS.
“Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!Isaiah 60:1 (Amplified)
Lamentations 3:19-26
The memory of my distress and my wandering is wormwood and gall. Remember O Remember and stoop down to me. All this I take to heart and therefore I will wait patiently; the Lord’s true love is surely not spent nor has his compassion failed; they are new every morning, so great is his constancy. The Lord, I say is all that I have therefore I will wait for him patiently. The Lord is good to those who look for him, it is good to wait in patience and sigh for deliverance by the Lord.
Laura Richards, North Las Vegas, NV “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 HCSB
Kimberly Reed, Fresno, California
“Let your beauty be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:4. NIV
DeeDee Reading Williams, Bluegrove, TX. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works-this person will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25
Rebecca McDowell, Spring, Texas~”Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4, NIV
Sarah Kerstetter, Knoxville, TN
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (â€Isaiah‬ â€41‬:â€10‬ NLT)
Madison Donley, Lakeland, Fl
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Sandy Helmers, Cedar Falls, Iowa “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23 ESV Chose this because I am reading the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and writing down 1000 things I’m grateful for this year!
Deanna Estes
Lexington,KY
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NAS
Focusing on God’s plans being greater than mine. …
John 13:7- “Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. ” ❤
Luke 4:18 (NKJ): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”
“When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” Psalm 94:19 HCSB
This verse assures me that no matter my concerns God has my back. Amen!!
For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 (ESV)
Lynette Castle, Phoenix,AZ “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplicataion with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 NASB
Greenwood,SC.
Colossians 3:12 (ASV)
Put on therefore, as God’s elect holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long suffering;
April, Magnolia, TX
“”and all things, whatever you ask in prayer, BELIEVING, you will receive.”
–Jesus words from Matthew 21:22 NKJV
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Rene, The Woodlands,Tx
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
Ephesians 1:11
It is in Christ we find out who we are and what we are living for.
Hilo,Hawaii.
Psalm 91:2 NLT
2) This I declare of the Lord:
He alone is my refuge,my place of safety;
he is my God, and I am trusting him.
Peg Flint, Del Rio, TX
Habakkuk 3:17-18New International Version (NIV)
17
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Bloomington, IL. Don’t copy the behavior & customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good & pleasing & perfect. Rom. 12:2 NLT
Kim Burroughs, Maryville TN, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14 ESV
But with Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matt 19:26 KJV
Juley Metcalf, Spicewood, TX
“Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.” Hosea 6:1 NKJV
Ephesians 6:10…finally be stong in the Lord and and his mighty power.
Williamston MI
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:11 NIV
You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on His throne at the right-hand side of God. Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things on earth.
Angie Georgi, Mills River NC
Psalm 27:1 NLT
“The Lord is my Light and my Salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?”
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Destin, Florida
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called acceding to his purpose.” Romans 8:28