**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! I hope you had a wonderful day!
Happy Happy Birthday Beth Moore!! I am truly thankful for your service to Kingdom work. I have been blessed by your obedience. May God bless you! Love ya bunches.
Happy birthday! May you be blessed beyond measure. Cindy Kelley, TN
Happy, happy birthday blessings Beth! I am so blessed by the gifts that God has given you to share. Thank you for being so open and honest, transparent. It really all points to Jesus! Thank you
Happy birthday, Beth. You inspire me daily. I hope your day was filled with love and lots of laughter.
Happy Birthday Beth! Thank you for sharing your love of God and pudding me to walk closer to him.
Happiest of Birthdays, Beth!May our God bless you as you have blessed all of your sisters in Christ
Happy Birthday Beth! What a lovely tribute. I have 3 daughters myself and they are so special. Thanks for sharing your daughters with us.
Happy Birthday!!!!
Happy Birthday, Beth! Your love and enthusiasm for God’s word is contagious! God has spoken to my heart in every one of the studies I have done, written by you! Thanks for serving Him with your whole heart! May He bless you this day!
Happy birthday dear Beth! I so enjoy your bible studies, your conferences, your emails. I hope you have a blessed day, doing your favorite things. I can’t believe this fabulous idea! What a blessing it would be to receive any of these.
Happy Birthday, Beth. You share a birthday with my adorable granddaughter, Yuuki, who turned 5 today. Thank you for your inspired teaching and for making a difference in my life.
Happy Birthday my friend, I love the way you are so personable to all of us even though we have never meet. Hope you are having a wonderful birthday with your precious daughters and family. We are so looking forward to you and your team coming to Wichita, KS. Thank you for inspiring so many women , me included, to live a life of loving Jesus and loving and caring for those around us. You are definatly an inspiration to me. Thank you ! With much love , Bonnie
Oh Bless your very bones! Happy birthday Beth!!!!
You are my sister in Christ, and I am SO glad you were born
Love,
Rachel King
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL BETHY!!! Oh, you are so dear to my heart. THANKYOU for being such a wonderful spiritual Mama to me, from afar. You have spoken into my life greatly, and I am for ever thanking God for you. I am so grateful for the day of your birth and I pray that God gifts you something from me. May today be one of you best. Love you Bethy, Bubby xxx
Happy Birthday! You are a blessing. Thank you for your encouragement and wonderful example. The Scripture team and your studies keep me in the Word, and I’m so grateful for that!
Happy Birthday, Beth!
Happy birthday, Beth. Thank you for sharing yourself so much with complete strangers like me. And showing me (and the world) that the Word of God can truly come alive if you approach it the right way. Thank you for helping to renew my passion and love for the Scriptures! Happiest of birthdays to you!
I hope you have had a fabulous birthday, Beth Moore!!! I live in Mobile, Al and have been doing your Bible studies for many years. I now have a daughter in Houston and a son in Austin and every time I visit Texas or go through the Houston airport, I think I just might run into you! Haha! I will introduce myself if that should ever happen! And, by the way, I really like Texas! May this Bday be the best one ever!!
Beautiful post by Melissa!!
Happy birthday!
I know one of my biggest regrets in life is that I will never meet, face to face, the one person who brought Jesus full fledged into my life. However, I am still so, so grateful that you did. Many birthday blessings to you today and for the year to come.
Beautiful!
Happy Birthday Beth,
My passion for The Word began 18 years ago, after sitting in a small class room with wonderful women going through A Woman’s Heart. I wanted that passion and love you so easily displayed. I love my Jesus, and studying God’s Word — Thank you for being so contagious!
Happy Birthday, Beth,
I hope I cam make you a beautiful latte one day! !
Love how contagious your love for the Word is!
I’m from Dallas, but I’ll be in Milwaukee in August! See you then!
Barb
What a heavenly tribute! Happiest and blessed birthday, Beth!
Have a blessed birthday Beth
Happy Birthday
Happiest of birthday wishes to you Beth ! What a tribute from your daughter !!
I want to thank you for following the Word ! My husband passed 2 years ago
and listening to you helped me to breathe again ! Thank you mam!
Happy birthday Beth! You are such an amazing woman of God. Hope your day is blessed
Happy Birthday to a precious gift from God. Beth, you have lifted up, encouraged and blessed so many with your words and your fierce love for God’s Word and His precious son Jesus Christ. Thank you and may your birthday be full of joy and blessings!
Happy birthday Miss Beth!! I am so grateful for your teachings, your love for the Lord and for women. I hope that you have had a wonderful You Day!!
Happy birthday, dear Beth! I’ve learned so much from your teaching over many, many years (all the way back to Thursday mornings in the chapel at HFBC). I love and appreciate you!
Happy happy birthday Beth!! Here’s to you. Praying you had a wonderful day with all your favorite loved ones and things you hold dear.
What do I say about Beth Moore? I love her. And I do, Beth. Thank you for your obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ as you glorify Him by sharing your amazing gifts with us!
Happy birthday!!! You are a spiritual mama to so many of us who need one. You show a wonderful side of the Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are refreshing and life-giving. I have been reading your blog since my kids (who are not so little anymore) referred to you as “Beff Moe”. They know you, and they know you are a lover of the Lord!!
Happiest of birthdays to you, Beth! What a darling daughter you have to write such a beautiful tribute to you. I’m sure your whole family is lovely, and my favorite thing about you all is that you are real! No pretend perfection that I might want to try to live up to. You always point to Jesus. Thank you for that. May this year be especially blessed.
Happy birthday Beth. Melissa sees so many different facets of your character and personality but somehow you have achieved every mother’s dream. You are in the present with them even though the LORD has carried you so far away at times. I want to personally thank you for what you have meant in my life. Your Bible studies started me on a journey with the LORD that I never dreamed could take me to some of the places that I have been. I left one in Nicaragua, my first mission trip, and only the LORD knows how HE has used it to further HIS kingdom. It was on the fruits of the Spirit. I completed four or five studies on my own but now we (my church) have gone through almost all of them and everyone feels a bond with you. I consider you one of my mentors and praise our Father for calling you to the task.
The happiest of birthdays to you, Beth! Thank you for sharing your gifts with so many. You have encouraged me to share my gifts with others. I love your love of God’s word and I especially love your sense of humor.
Love,
Karoletha
Happy birthday! Thank you for cheering us on!
Happy Birthday, Beth. Your ministry and teaching have given me a better understanding of the Bible and drawn me closer to God. I am truly grateful for your life and the sacrifices you and your family have made in order to bless others.
Beth,
Years ago when I began your studies, I fell in love with Gods Word. Your studies brought the fun and desire to learn more and to grow deeper spiritually. Thank you for obeying God and doing His work.
Happy Birthday , Beth-
I hope it has been a meaningful day for you – celebrating with your family, co-workers and some chips and salsa!
My birthday is tomorrow and I plan to do the same:)
We so appreciate the words you share with this faith community- They are thought provoking, encouraging and inspiring..Thank- you !
Blessings,
Kelly
Happy Birthday Miss Beth!! Praying this day for you is magnified by His love over your life! I’m so grateful for the woman you are and for how you love our God. He grows my faith exponentially through you in each of your studies, and I feel so blessed by your wisdom! Praising Him for the gift of you!
Happy Birthday Beth Moore! You have had a profoundly positive effect on me and I’m grateful you were born and grateful that you have followed your calling. Have a wonderful awesome great birthday!
Happy Birthday Beth! What a wonderful tribute from your daughter — I’m a mom so I know that as soon as you read this you must be misting over! Although most daughters dote on their Moms, all of us have been blessed over and over again by the gift of your teaching agree wholeheartedly with Melissa’s assessment! You are a pearl beyond price and I thank God for the day that I opened up that dratted quiz in Believing God! I tell everyone — that quiz didn’t change my walk; it changed my life! Lots of love and prayers coming your way for a blessed day!
P.S. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday to you, Beth! You are a true blessing, and look at that sweet daughter of yours, continuing the legacy! Now, there’s your birthday party! Precious thoughts from your child have got to be the very best kind of gift! Wishing you lots of chips and salsa, and coffee! (My favorites, too!)
Happy Birthday to you Beth ♡♡♡♡ all the way from Arlington, VA
Happy Birthday Beth! Thank you for being a Truth-teller. Thank you for persevering when it’s hard, not giving up when you want to throw in the towel, being authentic and constantly pointing others to Jesus. Your love for Him is contagious! Thank you for encouraging me to study scripture and dig deep through your example. I absolutely love when you find these Truth nuggets, parallel themes and symbolism throughout His Word. Thank you for being you! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!
Smiles,
Krishana
Happy Birthday, Beth! I just adore you. I’m am currently going through your book, Jesus, the one and only. I am learning so much! Thank you for letting the Holy Spirit work through you. Hugs, Norma Jean