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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kallie Whitley, Fort Worth, Texas
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7
KJV
Romans 1:16-17 ESV
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “the righteous shall live by faith.”
Lisa Pack- Columbus, N.C.
James 5:16 NIV. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Mariruth Van Hal, Frankfurt, Germany. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 ESV
Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting?
1 Corinthians 15:55
Leah DiPascal ~ Charlotte, NC
” But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT)
2 Timothy 2:16- avoid worldly and empty chatter for it will lead to further ungodliness.
Mark 9:24 The father instantly cried out, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief! NLT
Sorry Im late had to figure out how to post.
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, (â€Ezekiel‬ â€11‬:â€19‬ NLT)
Susan Calloway, Frankfort, IN
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insights. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5,6 (RSV)
Stephanie Farmington, NM Col. 2:7 NLT “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Samantha P. From Texarkana, AR
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Proverbs 14:30 NIV
“He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 113:9
Victoria, Hooksett NH
“Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”
(Psalm 40:5)
It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. ~Psalm 18:32
Jen Iwanski, Eaton, OH. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 NIV
Johannah Mcnulty, Woodhaven, New York
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this.” Psalm 37:4-5 NIV
Rhoda Wilson, Toledo, Oh
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we could ask or think by the power that worketh in us,
Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)
Killeen
Oswego, IL
“My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” Psalm 73:26
Jamie Spires, Hannibal, MO.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NASB
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Eph 4:29(NIV)
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us
who believe.” Ephesians 1: 18,19. (ASV)
DeeAnn, Searcy, Arkansas.
Janet Greene from Franklin, Tennessee
“You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:4 NLT
Joanie – Richmond, VA
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
Kaylee Flannigan, Bridge City, TX
“The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Psalm 29:11 (NIV)
Lourrie Livingston, Daphne, Alabama
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
Sarah Bye, Olathe, KS
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
Philippians 1:27-28 (ESV)
Maura Jenkins, Lewes, DE. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” Psalm 23:6. NIV
Hamilton, Tx
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
Cindy B., Tulsa OK
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Tiffany Tolbert, Tulsa, OK
“Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already, you can see it now!” Isaiah 43:18-19(GNT)
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (â€Isaiah‬ â€41‬:â€10‬ ESV)
Tammy Daniel, Atoka, OK
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit yourselves again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 (ESV)
Jill Fontenot, Silsbee, Tx
“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:”
Phillipians 4:11 (NKJV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give hope and a future…” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
“And hope does not put us to shame, because love has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ” Romans 5:5 I am in Quito, Ecuador. My name is MĂłnica Báez.
Alexis- Jonesboro, Arkansas:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” -Isaiah 41:10, NIV
Cara, Dublin, Ireland. Psalm 8:2 NIV
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
Kim, Pflugerville, TX
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 NIV
Glenda Koen, Mountain Home, AR
“You are my Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
Psalm 2:7 NKJV
Nancy, Junction City, Ar.
“I will hope continually and will praise You yet more and more.” Psalm 71:14 NKJ
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”Psalm 73:25-26 ESV
Kim Williams
Charleston, SC
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 1 Peter 1:6. NLT
Ashley Allen, Burbank CA
“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love.”
Ephesians 4:2 NASB
Isaiah 43:19Amplified Bible (AMP)
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Gina Myers Cave City, AR
Teresa- Daphne, AL
I am about to do 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.
Isaiah 43:19 -NRSV
Cindra Evans, Chandler, OK
“Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” James 1:17-18 (NKJV)
Ashlee Webb, Albuquerque, NM.
“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, or sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:23 ESV
Barbie Campbell, Hutchinson Ks “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 NIV