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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Susan O’Banion, Midland, TX
Philippians 4:13 ESV – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Nora Brooks
Monroe, NC
Psalm 62:11-12a (NIV)
One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.”
Debbie H/Nacogdoches, Texas
Psalms 141:3. NKJ
Set a quard, O’Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Mary, Fort Worth, TX
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
Psalms 100:1-2 ESV
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strentgh; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not hbe weary: and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 KJV…Strength for the New Year!!
Barb Sioux Falls,SD
Psalm 19:14 (ESV)
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Jennifer, Chino Hills, CA “Don’t copy the behavior and 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 and pleasing and perfect.” NLT
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. Isaiah 7:9, NIV. Soaking this in for this year to stand really firm and be bold about it.
Prayers for my prodigal:
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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.
Isaiah 42:16 NIV
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
– Psalm 19:14 NIV
Amanda Spence, Nashville, Tennessee And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, & acceptable, & perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2 KJV
Sherri Armstrong, Cottonwood, CA
Colossians 3:16a
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…
Angelina Eger, Capistrano Beach, CA
” He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalms 147:3 NIV
Psalm 92: 14-15 “They will bear fruit even when old and grey; they will remain lush and fresh in order to proclaim: ‘The LORD is righteous. He’s my rock. There’s nothing unrighteous in him’.”
Michele, Clinton,Ms Jesus christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever Hebrews 13:8
Thou, O Lord,art a shield about me. My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:3 NASB
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
JoAnne, Victoria BC Canada Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2 NIV
Elaine Van Hook, Greenville, SC
“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
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
Ezekiel 37:5, NIV
Jennifer, Forney, TX
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 ESV
Vanessa Webb Canton, TX Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matt. 11:28 KJ
Lisa Krumm, Slidell, LA “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Alisa Glover, Phenix City, AL
“Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God had said,
‘I will never leave you.
I will never abandon you. ‘”
Hebrews 13:5 NCV
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31, NIV
Natalie McGary Aurora, Illinois
Psalm 103:10-12 (The NET Bible)
10
He does not deal with us as our sins deserve;
he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.
11
For as the skies are high above the earth,
so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers.
12
As far as the eastern horizon is from the west,
so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.
Paulet Latlip. Marysville, WA
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full if grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. NV version
Those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds; those who look at every cloud will never harvest crops. You donât know where the wind will blow, and you donât know how a baby grows inside the mother. In the same way, you donât know what God is doing, or how he created everything. (âEcclesiastes⏠â11âŹ:â4-5⏠)
Erin Dugan, Temple, TX
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4, ESV
Vanda Knickerbocker. Boardman, OH. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end;23
they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 23:22 & 23.
Dorian Spencer, Atlanta,GA
For The Lord is living among you. He is a mighty savior. 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 3:17 NLT
Isaiah 6:8 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Tricia, Dallas, TX
Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me. My glory,
and the One who lifts my head.
Amber, Knoxville, TN: “You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north.” Deuteronomy 2:3, NIV
Jen Bowman, Strasburg PA
“Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.” Titus 1:8 NIV đ
Teresah, Redmond Oregon,
“Sow fo yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up the unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that He may rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
Lyn, Tulsa, Ok “Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.” Ps 25:20 NIV ’84
Nicki, Katy, TX
James 1:2-3 NIV “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Teresa Orndorff, Largo, FL “and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Philippians 3:9 KJV
Carrie, Prattville, AL “I am my beloved’s, and His desire is for me.” Song of Solomon 7:10 ESV
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NKJV
Jeannie, Nashville, Tn.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the ne is here!” 2 Cor. 5:17 NIV
Patti Duncan, OK For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:6-7 NIV
Marty Alvis, Clarksville, TN “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with saints and members of the household of God.”. Ephesians 2:19. ESV
Jamie Martin, Judsonia AR “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, o Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” Psalm 19:14 NAS
Krista – Columbia, TN – No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 – NIV
Mariann College Station, TX
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:6 NIV
Mariann College Station, TX
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8 NIV
Alise // Albuquerque, New Mexico
âI press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.â
Philippians⏠â3âŹ:â14⏠// NASB