*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!
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)
Escondido, CA
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
Marge-Chili, WI
Ephesians 3:18
may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
(NIV)
Amanda, Santa Clara, CA
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
psalm 62:6(nlt)
Sarah Miller, New Palestine, IN
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (â€1 Corinthians‬ â€13‬:â€5‬ NIV)
sherry bolander, Burlington, Iowa
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:16
Lisa Estes, Mauldin, SC
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
Donna Smith, Athens, GA
“all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
–John 1:3
Sherry from Perry, Georgia
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6 NKJV
Cindy S Walker, Clear Lake area of Houston, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”, Romans 12:1 NIV
Abbey Le Roy, Bluefield, West Virginia. “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame.” Isaiah 44:9 (ESV)
Matthew 6:34 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about it’s own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. Nehemiah 12:27
James 1:17, 18 Amplified
Every good gift and every (free, large, full) gift if from above; it comes down from the Father of all {that gives} light, in {the shining of} whom there can be not variation {rising or setting} or shadow cast by His turning {as in an eclipse}.
And it was of His own {free} will that He gave us birth {as sons} by {His} Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures {a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself}.
“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–that you being rooted and grounded in love,” Ephesians 3:17 ESV
Kelly from Reno, NV
Col 3:17 – NLT
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
not doing siesta this year (sadly) BUT am attending the London Hillsong conference and so so so excited for this weekend and what it holds. Praying mightily for the staff as they travel to our wonderful city!
Deanna – Harwood, MD
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8 old NIV
Jennifer Mosher in Canfield, OH
Lord, you have assigned my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. Psalm 16:5 NIV
Kathy High Point, NC
Job 19:25 NIV
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25
Ann Seaney, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 NIV
Sara Terrill – St. Louis, MO. “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
Lisa Landis
Castro Valley, Ca
Psalm 147:11 NIV
“the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
JOYce Leola, AR
Romans 12:11 NIV
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Sarah Fox, Springfield MO
Psalm 34:6
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all of his troubles.”
Jeanette Dahm. Lake Oswego, OR. Romans 5:5. Hope does not dissapoint, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. HCSB
Rebecca Jordan, Winston-Salem, NC
“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV
Jan Horne
Bossier City, LA
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever-Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
Anita Vogelaar, Ede Holland
Kolossenzen 3:17
Doe alles wat u zegt of doet in de naam van de Here Jezus, terwijl u God de Vader dankt door hem.
Wolfeboro, NH
“Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants of you in your life in Christ.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18 ESV
Sheila Johnson, Beckley, WV Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. Proverbs 31:11 NIV
Judy, Cottageville WV
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph. 3:19
Ruth, Odin, IL
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
-Romans 8:17 (NIV84)
Carolyn, Maryville,TN Prov 29:25 KJV The fear od mn bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Kim Peterson from Vista, CA
James 1:25
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Valerie from Boise ID
“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
I Thessalonians 4:17 NIV
Carol Hartley Montgomery, Al
Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Paula Rockwood, Brunswick, ME
“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,”…
Psalm 139:9
Karen Anderson from Minot, ND
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are for good and not for disaster,to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
Lori Smith, Little Rock Arkansas
Acts 9:7 NIV The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
Ellen K., Chester, VA
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (â€Ephesians‬ â€3‬:â€17‬ ESV)
Jennie Strope
Enid, OK
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2 ESV
So thrilled to hear you say that verse! It’s exactly what I wrote down this morning to think on today!
Bonnie Tolson, Outer Banks, NC
“…live worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Eph. 4:1-3
Sheryl, Bloomington, MN Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NKJV
Stacey DiGrazia, Elgin, Ill.
“… the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
Ephesians 1:23b
“Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You WILL restore my life again; from the depths of the earth, You WILL again bring me UP!” Psalm 71:20.
I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord. I will make music. Psalm 101:1