**UPDATE**
Congratulations to the winners of the birthday drawing! Your names are posted below. Watch your inbox for an email from Living Proof later today so that we can get you your gift!
BONUS: The wonderful people at AMG Publishers have extended a 50% discount to any of you who would like to order a Key Word Study Bible! Click here to get more information, or to order your Bible. AMG Publishers
Winners:
#523 – Carole Germain #4348 – Karen Quinn
#2282 – Merissa G. #4399 – Anna Bunch
#2321 – Marilyn Riley #4430 – Nancy Beeey
#2756 – Merissa Ury #4813 – Myrlene Darnell
#2876 – Beth Longar #5648 – Nan Smith
#3937 – Dani Turner #5798 – Rachel C.
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A few nights ago I walked my buck wild new puppy around my neighborhood, watched the sun sink deep down into the horizon, and then settled in back at home. I flipped on my favorite season of the West Wing and I ate an entire bag of tortilla chips and ¾ a jar of my favorite salsa for dinner. What is it they say again? The apple does not fall far from the tree. Or something like that?
You see when we were growing up Mom would throw us kids in the back of Brontosaurus the station wagon and haul us halfway across the city to her old favorite Tex-Mex joint. She ordered a pint of salsa and a gigantic grease-stained brown paper bag of tortilla chips for take-out and she would eat all of this and only this for her dinner. Her own dinner. I can’t remember what we kids even ate, or if she fed us at all. I’m only kidding about that last part.
My mom was born at high noon in a fierce thunderstorm, my grandfather said. Her presence still shifts the atmosphere. A few weeks ago Mom left for a week in the hill country for a time of writing and solitude. The second she got back home, I loaded up my stuff and headed out to spend a night with she and my Dad. You see, for me, going to hang out with my parents isn’t really like going to hang out with the parents. Far from duty, it’s one of my favorite things to do. We caught up on all the life stuff that night. And then in the morning we drank our coffee in our pajamas and by 8:30 a.m. at the latest we had already covered topics such as the theology in Ephesians, the New Testament canon, the Holy Spirit’s role in the interpretation of Scripture, and the Festal Letter of Athanasius.
I have to say, this woman utterly dazzles me. She is the sweetest in the land. She is gracious and sanguine and loving and kind, no doubt, but she is serious and intense and focused and courageous. She has opinions and perspective and boldness and wisdom from the ground like no other. For all her awesomeness she is not self-righteous or squeamish, and God knows I have pushed her limits.
Mom is deeply committed to our family and I’ve always known that full well but I’ve also seen that she’s preoccupied with something a whole lot bigger than us. Probably the most important thing I have learned from her is that being caught up in Jesus and what He is doing in the world is everything. It is the ultimate priority and a family committed to His work in the world will get the privilege of making sacrifices together.
Over the past few years in my own journey I found myself in an unknown place, a place where a heart could break deeper and wider and in more directions than I could have imagined possible. Mom has walked alongside me on this road further than any human could be expected to walk with another. She would have had good reasons to just sit out a while and catch her breath. But she never left my side. The road has been bumpy but also tedious and repetitive. When the landscape didn’t seem to change for a long, long time, she kept plodding along with me, carrying my burdens and helping me shoulder the grief that felt too much to bear.
Mom is tender and she is strong and she is not afraid to look pain and grief and loss dead in the eye. Even more, she is daring enough to hope against hope. To see in others, even me, the beginnings of life and growth and health and wholeness where others might only see brokenness and death. She has shined the light of Jesus on me more times than I can count.
She can fry a chicken and whip up mashed potatoes and gravy with the best of the Southern cooks. Her pleasures are simple: the reading of books, sitting on the front porch, walking her dogs in the woods, eating dinner with my Dad, playing games on the floor with her grandkids, and drinking tea with Amanda and me. But make no mistake she is wicked smart and complex and multifaceted. She is so much more than even the best caricature of her could ever hope to be.
I love her.
Yes, I love her. If one photo could capture the light and color she brings to my world, this is it:
It is my joy and honor to be her daughter and also to work for her at Living Proof. This blog giveaway is just one of many ways I celebrate her beautiful life today. The first three gifts are from Living Proof and the last two gifts are personal gifts from me.
First and foremost, we are giving away eight Key Word Study Bibles. My mom gave me one of these Bibles many years ago. It was one of the first Bibles I ever really remember being excited about. It helped me become familiar with various Greek and Hebrew words before I ever took a Greek or Hebrew reading class. Every time I read it I was reminded that the Scriptures we hold in our hands in English are a translation. Remembering this often is a good thing and will take a person a long way in the study of the Bible, I think.
![IMG_2993[4]](https://blog.lproof.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_29934.jpg)
Second, we are giving away an assortment of several pounds of favorite Houston coffee beans. My mom is a serious coffee drinker, so this is just an obvious addition. This package will include but not be limited to one of my current favorites:
Third, we are giving away an arrangement of fresh flowers Mom loves. And, really, who wouldn’t like these?
Fourth, we are giving away a crossbody saddlebag. Mom and I both carry versions of this crossbody bag over and over again until one breaks and we have to buy another one.
Fifth and finally, we are giving away a small bottle of Flowerbomb. Mom wears lots of different perfumes, but she most often travels with this one.
So, if you’re interested in our giveaway please do pop on and say “Happy Birthday” and show Mom some love. Your comment becomes your entry into our random drawing. Comments will officially close 24 hours after the post is published, and please only one comment per person. The names of our winners will be posted at the top of this post at some point on Thursday.
I hope you all are happy and well.
And, Mom, I love you!
The best is yet to come,
Melissa
Happy birthday,Beth. May the Lord bless you and your family. Your bible studies have truly been a blessing to me. Thank you sweet sister in Christ.
A very happy, blessed birthday!
Happy Birthday Sista! Hope your birthday is as special as you are to all of us. Thank you for your example of loving sinners and praising the Lord for it! Celebrate!
Happy Birthday, Beth! What a tribute to you from your daughter. I was in the Tampa group at Living Proof Live. Thank you for putting Jesus first.
Happy Birthday dear sweet Beth Moore! I pray you continue to have many more blessed fruitful years of healthy living here on Earth. I so appreciate your obedience to God and Melissa’s observation of your preoccupation with God thoughts. Sometimes I feel that way too, and it is so good to know that it is ok and does not hamper the family.
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! This year may you grow closer to God and dive deeper into the word He has for you than ever before.
Beth…
Thank you for being a friend and mentor from afar. The impact you have had on my life over the years is inestimable. You have given me hope when I thought there was none, and you have challenged me to grow in my faith more than I ever thought I could. I am sending you a big hug with loads of thanks and a prayer that God will bless you, your family and your ministry is ways beyond your imagination! Happy Birthday!
Wow! What a stellar tribute to a beautiful woman from her beloved daughter. Her children shall rise up and call her blessed! Best birthday gift ever.
Happy Birthday Beth and may God continue to bless your heart, health and home!
Happy birthday, Beth! I thank God for you. Often, I would like you to know you have taught me the bible like no other. For that, I am so thankful and thankful for my sweet church and bible study ladies. But, more than all the knowledge, you have instilled in me an amazing love and passion for our Savior and for His Word. You are so very gifted!
Happy birthday, Beth Moore. You’re a blessing to me.
Beth you continue to encourage my heart to be in the Word. Have an awesome Birthday. You are so loved, Laura
Happy Birthday Beth!!! Thank you for being faithful in following God’s will and leading Bible studies for women across the world. I have been in so many of your studies and each one was just what I needed at that time ( amazing how God knew that Lol). I hope God richly blesses you and your family because of your dedication.
Happy Birthday Beth!
To a woman who blesses so many!
Happy birthday, Beth! Thank you for helping me look forward to time in God’s word. Coffee and bible study… Have an amazing year!
Happy Birthday, Ms Beth! May your day be filled with much joy, love, and celebration. Also wishing you a nice big chocolate cake to enjoy with family and loved ones!
Thank you for sharing your not just your life with us, but your love of and for Jesus as well. you have been such a blessing into my life…and many others I’m sure.
Happy Birthday Beth! The month of June is a wonderful birthday month. I just celebrated my mother’s (who is celebrating in heaven), my best friend of 30 years with a shopping trip to Hot-Lanta, and a niece who has walked a treacherous road and, through God’s steadfast grace, has come out the other side. I know you are beloved by thousands of women for as many reasons. For me, well, you’ve been the example of a ‘real’ person with battle scars, an abiding when there was not much else to hang on to, and a walk with Jesus that makes me lean in and say “I want that!” Here I am in my 60s and often wondering why God still puts up with me. But He does and when I switch on the TV and see you telling me of His great, ferocious, tender, steadfast love for me I always get a fresh word. On that girls trip I just took I stood in a bookstore trying to decide on a bible study. I needed something right now but I didn’t know what. So I stepped back from the shelf and said ok Lord, which is it (granted I had given Him a choice of one of your studies and nothing else, but it seemed reasonable to me) and I settled on Children Of The Day. So here He and I go. And I pray that He will sink Himself deep into my spirit with a stirring wind. Thank you for letting Him use you every day to be a wind stirrer.
Happiest of birthdays to you Beth! You are such an inspiration to me and so many more women. I have had the awesome privilege to see and hear you speak live and what an experience it was. May God richly bless you and your family as you continue to serve Him and touch people’s lives all over the world!
Wishing a most beautiful woman, Beth Moore, a very beautiful birthday, with much love! Melissa, you are indeed blessed with the best mother and so so many people are also blessed by her, including me. I can honestly say that Beth has ‘brought the Bible alive’ to me through her teachings. She is a true kindred spirit, which I felt from the first time I saw and heard her speak on video and then in person. Your post was so lovely and heartfelt.
Happy birthday Beth! May God continue to pour out His Spirit on you and bless you abundantly! The treasure of Himself is more than gift enough but I pray you will be showered with love today with the the people of your inheritance 🙂 With my hands raised high, I thank Jesus for you and the blessing you have been to me personally. God bless you today and may He continue to spill out His Holy Spirit through you more and more as you continue to serve THE KING!! Big hugs!!!
Happy Birthday Beth!!! You are an amazing woman of God and deserve a day of celebrating You!
Happy Birthday! Your Bible studies have meant so much to me over the years! I look forward to many more special times together.
Lora
Have the most wonderful God Blessed Happy Birthday!!!!!!
Best wishes and blessings for your birthday Beth! You radiate His love, life, laughter in and through everything you do and touch – thank you! Unlocking through the Holy Spirit His Living word with such depth and humility, has had tremendous impact on my life and ministry!
No wish could trump such heart-real wishes from your own daughter, but Beth, you have made a radiant Christ-light difference in our universe. I imagine his earthly personality was similar to yours (yours to his) in many ways. Much less churchy. More deep and fierce and passionate and crazy-loving and still ravenous for holiness. Thank you for inspiring me. Reminding me of the honest-to-goodness allure that is JESUS. Happy Birthday, Shiny You.
A Very Happy Birthday, Beth. I hope your day is filled with fun and laughter and love, lots of love!
Happy birthday, Beth! I have grown up studying the Word alongside you. I am thankful for all that God has done in, around, and through you to impact His kingdom; I’m grateful to have been a beneficiary of your gift of teaching that you use to glorify Him.
I pray that He blesses you tenfold this birthday and that you are drawn to even new revelation and places with Him in this coming year of your life.
Happy birthday!!!
Happy birthday , Beth! May God continue you make your life fruitful & full of blessings!
Happy Birthday Beth! 12 years ago my heart was changed with a whirlwind from breaking free…now all these years later we are serving Jesus full time as tent-builder missionaries as diplomats around the world and have seen over 1200 people in the last 11 months come to know the Lord 46 churches started and 72 new bible study groups…that is our Jesus…thanks for setting a passion for the scripture in my soul that I have never wanted to quench. May you have a blessed birthday and celebrate the lives God used you to touch…You were my spiritual mentor and mother….Love from Cote d’Ivoire, Africa
Happy Happy Birthday Beth!!!
I cannot imagine any one person, other than my Godly parents, who have had more direct influence over my life than you!
Thank you for the sacrifice and time you spend to bring us the Bible Studies you have through the years! Thank you for being REAL. Thank you for sharing your life with us!
I love you in the Lord and cannot wait to spend time with you in our Eternal home.
May you have the most blessed, wonderful birthday and I pray God gives you many many many more!!!
PS: Melissa’s tribute to you – amazing!!!
Happy birthday, Beth. I so appreciate you and your love of scripture. I have been studying alongside of you since Whitesburg Baptist in Huntsville, AL. You have taught me to dig deep in the Scriptures and will forever be grateful.
How precious was this Melissa? And you know…even though most of us may not have had the privilege of face to face, intimate relationship with your Mom…she is our ‘Beth’ and because she has entered our lives in a very intimate way nonetheless…we know these things you have written to be true as well. Beth, Happy Birthday seems lame and so does Thank you…but there they are…and most heartfelt because of who you are and because you share your wonder-full God given self and gifts with us! I am a stronger disciple of Christ because of you! Ironic that it was my youngest daughter who first went to one of your studies and told me about it…then as a pastor’s wife…well…we’ve lost count of the conferences and bible studies we have shared with you now…God is so good! Can’t wait to meet you one day…either this side of heaven or at home there 🙂 xo
happy birthday, beth… in many ways, your studies have changed my walk with jesus and made my love for him grow. i am forever grateful. have a blessed day.
Birthday Blessings, Beth! May your day be Wonder-Full!
Blessings Beth.
Wow! What more could you ask for than to be loved and thought of so highly by your daughters! Happy birthday to you sweet Beth! You have taught me so much over the years with the bible studies, live conferences and stories. Your excitement for the work and you God and your passion and love for ladies is contagious and continues to push and encourage me.
Thank you so much!
Be blessed!
Mindni
Happy, happy, happiest of birthdays, Mrs. Beth. You don’t know the joy God has brought to my life through the leadership of your Bible studies. Thank you for all you do!
Happy Birthday, Beth! You are such an inspiration to me and I just love doing your studies! Thank you for sharing Jesus with everyone you meet and for following Him always. Many blessings to you today and always!
Happy Birthday Beth Moore! One of my prayers is that my children will see my love for the Lord and have hearts that love him more than anything! Your Daughter’s post for your birthday represents that 🙂 what a great birthday tribute 🙂 Love, Nina
Happy Birthday! Thank you for faithfully shining his light every day!!!
Happy Birthday, Beth. Thank you for sharing your incredible knowledge of God’s Word. You have an incredible love for Jesus and share His hope with others. May you be richly blessed.
Happy birthday Beth. Your life has been made a Hugh impact on my life. To read the tribute from your daughter speaks volumes. May God continue to bless you and your family..
Many BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to you, Beth! I am thankful that you live a steadfast life of surrender, sacrifice and devotion to Jesus – and freely pour out His love, wisdom and goodness – so that we may know and love Him, too! I am praying your birthday (and year!) will be as SPECIAL and AMAZING as you are!! The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Happy Birthday, Beth! What a beautiful tribute from Melissa. Hope and pray my own kids feel the same way about me in a few years 🙂
Just wanted to wish Beth a belated birthday wish! What a blessing you and your ministry are to me! I’m so thankful how Jesus is so real to me everyday! He is my everything! And He uses your words oftentimes to cause me to grow closer to Him -to know Him even more! Happy Birthday!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Beth!! My life, family, ministry and work have been blessed as a result of your writing and teaching. I only know you from a distance, but I love you dearly and I pray today you feel the Lord celebrating your life right along with the rest of us!
I was at the Tampa LPL conference this past weekend (with My GP!). My “un” was “unprotected.” This awareness has already caused a shift in my heart and I am pressing deeper into the One who has always been, and will forever be, my Protection. Thank you.
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I love you,
Cathy
Happy Birthday, sister in Christ. What a blessing to so many. Prayers for a beautiful celebration of you today.
Happy Birthday, Beth! I am so inspired and challenged and moved by your passion and love for Jesus. Reading your words and hearing your fire for truth is helping me press in to Him in deeper, fresh ways, and I am so grateful. May God increase your fruitfulness and bless your socks off!
Love, Bonnie
Dear Beth, I’m so thankful for the day God brought you into this world! God is using your life to touch so many and I am grateful to be one of those people. Thank you for speaking and teaching God’s word in such a way that draws myself and so many others to Him and a better understanding of our hope in Jesus Christ. Your example of living an authenticate Christian life shows what it looks like to take The Word and apply it to our lives and live it out daily and with great joy 🙂 Have an amazing birthday!
Happy Birthday, Beth Moore! You said long ago in one of your video teachings that you would love one thing as a result of your teachings: That someone would come to LOVE THE WORD as you do. And I have become one woman who LOVES THE WORD. Lord knows how many others have come to desire His Word. Happy, Blessed Birthday, Beth!! And many more to come!
Happy birthday, sweet Beth! Praying your day is full of celebration and all the things you love!