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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. (â€1 Corinthians‬ â€13‬:â€3-7‬ MSG)
Sonya , Keota Oklahoma “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
Carla McCoy, Leander, TX:
Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (â€Luke‬ â€1‬:â€45‬ NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on Me, and come, and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV
Jenny Schultz, Valrico FL
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. – John 15:4 NIV
Jennifer Olmstead
Janesville, Wisconsin
1st Thessalonians 5:5 :
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night, nor to the darkness.
———————————————————-
Please pray for me, though, as I join this wonderful Scripture Memory Team, as I have been trying to work through a lot of physical and emotional (grief) pain to deal with; and it has caused me to have a very difficult time focusing/concentrating. (I very unexpectedly “lost” both my dear Mom, and my pastor within eight [8] days of one another, in March, 2013).
BUT, I KNOW that I NEED to get back into His Most Holy Word, and to Learn from Him ! ! !
Thank you !
I want to be part of siesta scripture memory
But I don’t understand much, were do I write
my scripture. Mat. 6, 33
Lamentations 3:22b-23 God’s Word Translation
His compassion is never limited.
It is new every morning.
His faithfulness is great.
Carrie from Cary, NC
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, (s)he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come!” 2Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Wendy Karabensh
Vero Beach
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 (NIV)
Donna Ivans, Ponder, TX Colossians 3:16-17 NLT Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Sally Henry – San Clemente, CA – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1b NIV
Annie from Harrison Ohio. JOHN 1:16. From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
Lacey Peyton Conroe, tx
“From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” John 1:16
Phoenix Az. Jeremiah 29.11
For I know the plans that I have made for you declares the Lord ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope’.
Joyce LaForte, Blue Springs, MO “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 NAS
Tiffany McWilliams Dudley. Starkville, Ms. Philippians 2:14-15: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (NIV).
Natalie, Seattle.
Not to us, Oh Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness! Psalm 115:1 (ESV)
Sandra Mills from DeBary, FL: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT. God has a purpose for me!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
Amy Hiebert, Halstead KS
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NIV
Betty Suber from DeBary, FL: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone. The new is here.” Corinthians 5:17 NIV.
Lisa Mottin, Davidsville, PA
“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
John 1:16 (ESV)
LeeAnne, Reseda, CA “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners..” Isaiah 61:1 NIV
Gena, Surprise, AZ
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
posted on Jan. 1 but have not found my post so posting again
Create in me a pure heart, O God Psalm 51-10
Tricia, Hurst, Texas. To help me with my upcoming birth, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” Psalm 105:4 ESV
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.
Casey, San Antonio, TX
“Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the field; afterwards, then, build your house.” Proverbs 24:27 NASB
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (â€Galatians‬ â€5‬:â€16‬ NASB
JoAnn Patterson, Mobile, AL
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3 ESV
Karen Seel, Elkins WV,
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health
of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 43:5 KJV
LaMonique, Katy, TX. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV
Stephanie, Tucson, AZ “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of The Lord. (Eph 6:4 NIV Study Bible)
Ardmore OK
I can do all things through Christ which strenghtens me.
Philipians 4:13
Christine West, Westlake Village, CA
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 (ESV)
Katherine H, Coral Springs, FL “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
Agnes Romer, Tulsa, OK
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Jen, Superior Twp. MI
Psalm 37:3 ESV- Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Bethany, St. Louis, MO– “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Romans 12:10 ESV
He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” pointing to His disciples,He said,”Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:48-50 (NIV)
2 Corinthians12:9 ESV But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Heather Dyer Harriman, TN
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 (HCSB)
If You take, still I will praise You, because You love me and will sustain me!
Tania S. Wake Forest, NC: For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 ESV
Anggi W. Auburn, Washington
I will lift my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? Psalms 121:1 NASB
Jocelyn, Orlando, FL,
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11 NLT)
Nancy R, Hilliard, OH
Isaiah 43:19
See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it ? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
The Lord is my light and my salvation,whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
(New American Bible NAB)