**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! You are such a gift to us all!
Happy Birthday, dear Beth! You have changed my life and made the Bible come alive for me! Thank you! Have a wonderful day and even better year!
Happy birthday, Beth. Have a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday Beth! Wishing you a lovely day.
happy birthday Beth! Friends and I, serving in East Asia, have worked thru a number of your studies together! Thank you for the blessing you are to so many around the globe.
May your day be blessed! We are STAS at Houstons First and I thought I would finally get to meet you, alas, you are attending a new place.
Happy, happy birthday Beth! Thank you for your leadership to all of us women trying to study and live God’s word. May you experience many of God’s blessings in the coming year.
Happy Birthday Blessings to you Dear Beth!
Happy birthday sister loved by God. I wish you a blessed day and many years of blessings ahead as you have given me so many blessings!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Happy Birthday, Beth!!! God changed my life through you. You are such a blessing!! Thank you. Love you!!
Happy Birthday! May your day be filled with the ones you love!
Happy Birthday!! Thank you for blessing us with your gift of teaching. I have learned so much from you.
Happy birthday! I hope you my friend are having a blessed day and best year to come! As you brought such an inspiring message and prefect message for LPL ABQ, you reminded us of how many of us in our generation need to generate! You are our spiritual mama and I do appreciate and love how you continually Point me to Jesus! You are so beautiful inside and out! Thank you for all you do for so many!
For your family
For your spiritual family
For the Kingdom of Christ!
Happy Birthday Beth!! May the Lord bless you on your birthday and always!!
Happy birthday Beth! I hope you experience today all the love and encouragement that you have brought into my life and the life of others! I love your enthusiasm and love for the Word of God! It encourages me to dig deaper!
Suzanne
Happiest of Birthdays, Beth!! May the Lord bless you richly! Thank you for the inspirations! In Christ love, Isabel, Rochester, NY
You have blessed my life more times than I can count!!
Praying you will be blessed beyond imagination today.
Happiest of birthdays to you, Beth
Happy Birthday Beth!
Happy Birthday Beth, I hope your day is special and blessed. Many more blessed memories with your precious family and life that you give us a little glimpse of during your journey.May God bless you with the many blessings that you teach about so tenderly and lovingly with your friends and love ones. I love you !!!
Happy Birthday to the incomparable Beth Moore! The Lord has used your words to inspire, challenge, and refine this broken vessel into more of the woman He created me to be.
Happy birthday, your a gift from God. When I have need encouragement I have gone to the blog and it always is there in you writings. Have a wonderful birthday.
I hope blessings abound on your birthday Beth!! …and may you never run out of salsa.
And thank you for sharing what God has laid upon your heart with so many of us.
Happiest of Birthdays, Beth! you are beautiful inside and out and such an encouragement. Thank you for following God’s calling whole heartedly and thereby blessing all of us in the process. It will be a glorious day to worship the Living God alongside all believers and I am excited to share in that with you. You have been a great teacher in my life. God bless.
Happy Happy Birthday to you Beth! You are an absolute blessing to me. What a precious tribute by your daughter. Blessing upon Blessings. Have a wonderful day
Happy Birthday, Beth!!! I can’t thank you enough for the many times you have walked with me through God’s Word, and always pointed me to Jesus! I love you dearly!
Happy birthday Beth. Hope it is best of days with friends and family celebrating the many joys of knowing YOU. God has used yyou to bless so many only He knows that number. God is faithful
Happy Birthday! Thank you for your ministry. It has been a blessing to me.
Happy birthday sister loved by God! I thank the Lord for what a precious blessing you are to me.
Happy Birthday, Beth!! May your day be filled with love and blessings!!
Because He lives!
Sandi
Happy, happy birthday to my mentor, my Spiritual mother and my hero! You are such a gift to me. Melissa, your letter about your mom was just beautiful, no doubt the best gift she will get this year!
What a wonderful tribute from your daughter. Beth, you inspired in me a love for the word of God. I l have participated in so many of your published studies and learn something new and find a treasure every time. Thank you so much for sharing your love for The Lord with the world. I wish you a birthday blessed beyond measure.
Happy birthday, Beth! May your day be as special as you are to so many of us! You have challenged me, and helped me grow as a believer, a wife, a mom, a daughter, and daughter-in-law and a friend, to be more like Christ, while living a life of believing God! Thank you for being obedient & blessing us in the process! See you in Milwaukee!
Happy Birthday Beth! May your day be filled with the continued wonder of the blessings of life God has gifted you. You are a blessing in my life with your teaching that stems from your devotion and love for our heavenly Father. Thank you.
Happy birthday! May it be amazing and filled with deliciousness!
Happy birthday Beth!
What a blessing you have been to me while I take this wonderful journey with our God!
Your teaching has brought me through some joyful and some difficult times.
Thanks for your devotion to Him!
Have a great day!
Shelley
Warmest wishes for the Happiest Birthday ever. You are an inspiration and an incomparable role model. I thank God for you!
Happy Birthday Blessings Beth!
I have loved seeing you in person and of course participating in so many of your women’s Bible studies. My favorite was Believing God as I was going through one major life trial after another. I’m blessed by your ministry and pray that my soon to be 20 year old daughter will come to love you as much as I do! May God Bless You on your very special day! Hugs and great hair, Sincerely, Lisa Hilton
The most blessed and happiest of birthdays are wished for you dear Beth! You light up and change so many lives with your inspiring devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Hoping you have a wonderful year ahead. Thanks for changing lives by helping us delight in His word. I thoroughly enjoyed your Children of the Day Bible Study, and especially seeing you in Atlantic City! I learned how essential it is to let the past go in order to move forward.
God Bless
Happy Birthday!! I have learned so much from your books, Bible studies, and onsite seminars my faithful sister. Love and prayers, Hope
Happiest of Birthdays!!! You are an inspiration:-)
Happy Happy Birthday Beth Moore. Your teaching and love for Jesus changed my life many years ago.
Wishing the happiest birthday blessings to the most rock solid life changing woman may she be forever blessed
Happy Birthday Beth. May you be blessed beyond measure. You share a birthday with my youngest daughter who turned 40 this year.
Happy, happy birthday to you!!! Hope you have a fantastic day! Blessings to you!!
Happy Birthday Beth! I am so thankful for the huge impact your ministry has had on my life!!
Happiest of birthdays, Beth!!
Happy Birthday, Beth! Even though we are the same age, you are my spiritual mama in so many ways.
Happy birthday Beth! May your wisdom and insight from God keep flowing and may His grace continue to shine upon you.
Happy blessed birthday
Happy Birthday Beth may you have a very blessed day!