*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!
“For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.” Acts 13:36-37 (NIV)
Melissa Sangster, Simpsonville, KY
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”
Philippians 2:3 NIV
Liz, Costa Mesa, CA
Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. ”
John 8 : 12 NAS
Amy G, Clovis Ca
2 Cor 10:4 NIV
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Yvonne
Louisville, KY
Gal 3:26 (NIV)
So in Christ Jesus you area all children of God through faith.
Sadie
Louisville, KY
Jeremiah 29:11 (HCSB)
For I know the plans I have for you – this is the Lord’s declaration – Plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future & a hope.
Amy Oesterreich, Crown Point, Indiana
“Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.”
1 Tim 1:5 HCSB
San Antonio, Texas
“…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours…”
Mark 11: 24
NIV
Be Still and Know that I am God Psalm 46:10 NIV
Barrett, Plano, TX
There is none holy like the Lord,
there is none besides thee;
there is no rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2
Revised Standard
Orange, TX
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 NLT
Tracy Kent, Westminster, MD. You shall have no other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:7 NIV
Magan Lewis
Lakeway, TX
For our appeal does not spring from
error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,
but just as we have been approved by God
to be entrusted with the gospel,
so we speak
not to please man
but to please God
who tests our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ESV)
Whitney Payne, LaGrange, GA: James 2:2 (NIV84) – Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
Gwen Parish
Earth TX
Isaiah 45:2 (CEB)
Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God, and there’s no other.
“You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.” Psalm 65:11 NLT
Ann : Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Cynthia, Russellville, AR
Hosea 6:3 HCSB
Let us strive to know The Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land.
Cedar Hill, TX
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.
Luke 1:45 (NASB)
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)
Marilyn from SE Michigan
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 KJV
Amanda McFadden
Catlett VA
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
Yanzhen Pan Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Charming is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears The Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 30:31. NIV
Do not be so easily beset by the things of this world! Heb 12:1
Julie Wagner, Nederland, TX
“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
Galatians 5:9
Tracy Baker, Kountze, Tx,
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 NASB
Lorna Coonrad, Austin TX
Colossians 3:15 NIV
Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart’s
Since as members of one body you were called
to peace. And be thankful.
Becky from central PA
“God is able to make all Grace abound to you, so that in ALL THINGS at ALL TIMES, having ALL THAT YOU NEED, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Cor 9:8 (Niv)
Lucille Goins, New Bloomfield Mo.
Ephesians 1:21 NKJV
Far above all principality and power and might and dominion,and every name that is named,not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Lindsey Gibson, Soddy-Daisy, TN, Habakkuk 3:19 (NLT) The Lord God is my strength, he will give me the speed of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.
Sherry from Independence, Oregon:
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV)
Lisa Collins, Dripping Springs, Texas
Psalm 8:5
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
Katrina – Chandler, OK
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. “. James 1:13
Jackie, Mobile, AL.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
-Isaiah 26:3 NIV
Shari Schock: Steilacoom, WA
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
“For the LORD your God 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.”
Robin from Snohomish, WA
Matt. 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” NIV
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” NLT
From Mishawaka, IN
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (â€I Thessalonians‬ â€1‬:â€9-10‬ NKJV)
Stacey Mills, Warner Robins, GA
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NIV
Leslyn, Houston, TX
“Rejoin in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4 NIV
Jennifer, Topeka, Kansas
“You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalms 139:3 NKJV
Becky, Alberta, Canada
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. Lamentations 3:22
Rachel, Vancouver, Washington. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;” 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV)
Columbus, Ohio
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:17=18, NASB
Jennifer Tunstall, Deer Park, Tx
“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke18:14 NLT
Jolie Schafer Houston, TX
Psalm 143:5 NIV
“I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”
Cher Goeder Toledo, OH Message Translation
I Timothy 2:1 “The first thing I want you to do is pray”
James 4:14 ESV
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Denise Wilkin
The Woodlands, Texas
Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
Sierra Skowhegan Maine
Esther 4:14 NCV
“If you keep quiet at this time, someone else will help and save the Jewish people, but you and your father’s family will all die. And who knows, you may have been chosen queen for just such a time as this.”
Susan Thomson, Crockett, TX (a little behind!)
“ALL PEOPLE ARE LIKE GRASS AND ALL THEIR GLORY LIKE FLOWERS OF THE FIELD;
THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWERS FALL;
BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER”
I PETER 1:24 NIV