*This post is coming to you a few days early as our staff travels with Beth, which you will read more about below.
Hey, Everybody! It’s May! We are making progress, Girls! By now you are getting some verses down in your bones. I was thrilled two weekends ago when we had our clandestine Siesta picture after the end of our Albuquerque Living Proof Live and a bunch of them brought their spirals. Talk about teacher’s pets! Here they are:
OK! I’ve done a little video – a really, really short one this time – where I say my verses to you while I’m on a walk in our woods so this stands as my official entry for Verse 9! I’m doing memory work right now out of Ephesians Chapter Four and it is so powerful. As you’ll hear in this segment, God seems to have a tremendous partiality to the number ONE.
Y’all, I love doing this with you. I love an SSMT year. You are so dear to us. By the time you’re submitting your verses, I’ll be speaking in London at Hillsong Colour Conference. Our whole LPM staff is coming and many of our volunteers. Melissa is with me and will be heading up a short tour with our volunteers after the Hillsong conference ends, giving emphasis to several figures in Christianity who had tremendous influence on Spiritual formation. We are looking extremely forward to it. Her suitcase weighed 10 whole pounds more than mine strictly from books. Made me grin. The girl is a book nerd if you’ll ever meet one. We were so sad Amanda couldn’t come on this trip but she needed to be home with her very busy family this round. We miss her like nobody’s business. Would all of you please pray for us as we labor in this gorgeous field of harvest? Please ask Jesus to pour out His Holy Spirit lavishly upon us and to give us such hearts of love for every person we serve. When I say, ask Jesus to pour out His Spirit, I mean like GUSHES. FLOODS, TIDAL WAVES of Living Water. Understand what I’m saying? PRAY BIG. Get in there with your faith if you’d be willing and ask God to be enormously present among us here. Ask for many to be saved, many to be delivered from strongholds, healed, and made whole in Jesus. Ask for multitudes to awaken to the breadth and length and height and depth of the borderless love of Jesus. Thank you! I owe you a debt of love which I gladly, joyfully pay.
Ok, Girls! Hit it with those verses!
Dianne Hernandez, Lafayette, LA
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to see him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4. ESV
Amber Anderson
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Psalm 84:12 NIV
Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Diana Scott, Romulus MI, – Romans 15:13 NLT
I pray that God, the source of hope, and fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Barbara Bollman
West Fargo, ND
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philppians 2.3 NIV
Ann Royal Spring Lake N.C.
Create in me a pure heart,O God,and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NIV.
Tammy Ellis, Oneida, TN.
KJV Ecclesiastes 3:2
A time to be born , and time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted
Katy, TX, John 7:18, NLT
Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies.
Ellen Dark, Sarnia, ON
“Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.”
Psalm 119:29 NIV
Isaiah 53:3 NIV “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”
Mindy Habelt, Williamson, Georgia
Matthew 7:13-14 (HCSB)
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”
Nikki Gack, Park Rapids, MN
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
Lois Wheeler Des Plaines, IL
Philippians 4:19 (NIV) “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
Cindee Johnson
Portageville, Mo
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
Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet I call this to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!
Gay Beck,
Plain City, OH
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'”
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
Jane, Waukee, IA
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 3:16 NASB
Kay Tucker, Elyria, OH
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.”
KJV Psalm 138:7
Beth, Toronto: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Ps. 37:23 NLT).
Brittany, Rio Rancho, NM “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. LUKE 12:35-36
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:2-3 ESV
Shannon Pate
Little Rock, Arkansas
John 1:1 (NIV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Courtney Turner ~ Griffin, Ga.
The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest. (Exodus 14:14 AMP)
Lisa, Hutchins Tx
“that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,”
Ephesians 3:16 NASB
Lara Lee Bugeja, Royal Palm Beach, FL
Philippians 3:13-1 ESV
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Hillary Dickey, Diberville, MS. “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. NIV
Melissa | Lancaster, PA
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11 ESV)
Mandi…. Edmond, OK…. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3 NIV
Anne Chen, Cerritos, CA “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep him commandments. ” Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
Judy Gentry, Stigler, Ok.
To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:20-21 ESV
Heather – Fort Worth, TX
“Restore to me the joy of my salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12 (NIV)
Debra Tillman, Zachary, LA
“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7 (NIV)
Robin Wickman, Merriman, Ne – “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25 NIV
Praying for the Hillsong Colour Conference!! 🙂
Donna Brassfield, Claremore, OK
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
Psalm 31:16 NIV
Katie Davila, Tomball, TX
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11 (ESV)
Katelyn Kraft, Columbus, OH
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” – Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
Bethany, Magnolia, TX
And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
2 John 6
Chelsea McNary, Lima, Ohio
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
Heather Burch – Simi Valley, CA – Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.
Psalms 27:14 NASB
Corrie Crouch, Silsbee, Texas
Colossians 3:17, ESV
And whatever you do, in word and deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Lynda from Ocala, FL – Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
Lamentations 3:22. NIV
Arlington TX
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
Kate K., Lafayette, IN
“I sought the Lord and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4 NIV
Melissa from Waldorf, MD
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37 NLT)
Karissa, Martinsburg, WV Isaiah 41:10 NIV “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 right hand.”
Michele, Columbiana, AL
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a
worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
Tasha J.
Edmond, OK
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103:2-5 NIV
Angie W., federal Way, WA and Ennis, MT
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9, NIV
Joyce Grimes – Pace, FL
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17 NKJV)
Lindsey, Scenery Hill, PA
Exodus 34:7 (ESV)
keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.
Carol ~ Webb City, MO
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.