My name is Melana Cummings (aka MooseMama…story to come). I live in Sheridan Wyoming. I have been married to Tim Cummings for 32 years. We met through a letter and he asked me to marry him in a letter. (It’s a very long story, but oh so sweet and God designed!) The first time we kissed was when he put the engagement ring on my finger. It’s not a common way to start out a life together, but we were best friends who got married. He’s still one of the dorkiest people I know. He makes me laugh. He makes me shake my head. He has always said that if I ever leave him, he’s coming with me. We have a 26 year old daughter Sarah, a 16 year old daughter Emily, and a grandson, Jensen, who is 3. I have worked for the State of Wyoming for 28 years, and have a degree in psychology from the only university in the state. I was raised in the Lutheran church but had no idea what a personal relationship with Christ was. When I was 21, Christ sought me out, and I prayed to receive Him. From that day forward JESUS HAS BEEN MY LIFE!
In 2006, I prayed that I would grow even more in my faith and in Christ. About a week later a snippet of video was played about the Bible study, Believing God by Beth Moore (never heard of her!) that would be starting soon. A prayer answered!
A few months later this Beth Moore was going to be in Salt Lake City with Living Proof Live, so myself and 5 friends drove to see her. She taught from Ephesians 3…how wide, how long, how high, and how deep is the love of Christ….to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. One phrase she said “All excess is a result of emptiness”, hit me hard. As a woman who has been overweight all my life, all I could think was “nuh-uh”!
That one Bible Study and Living Proof Live event were the beginning of many more Bible Studies and live events through the last 9 years. My prayers for growth were being answered! I loved reading Beth’s blog and made a lifelong friend through it: Adrienne Hudson (aka Fuzzytop in Tennessee) and I became online friends. In 2008 a friend and I drove from Wyoming to San Antonio Texas for the Living Proof Live, and “Siesta Fiesta”, where I finally got to meet Adrienne face-to-face. I wish I could name all of the Siestas I have met over the years! They have become so dear to my heart and really, an integral part of my life in Christ! Honestly, the kindness, love, support and joy these women have brought to my life is no small miracle.
The most hilarious part of that trip was a stuffed Moose with a Wyoming bandana on his neck. It was my intention to give the moose to Beth as a gift. Well, we started to take pictures of “Miesta Moose” (Miesta is a male Siesta), along the trip. The pictures got posted on a secondary blog that a couple of Siestas had started, which was all about the Fiesta. By the time we arrived in San Antonio, Miesta Moose had become somewhat of a celebrity. And so it began. I took him to every Beth Moore event I went to. He would even end up in recap pictures, and then Siestas from all around the country, most of whom, I had never met, asked me to send him to them so they could take him to the event in their area. He has been kissed and carried by some of the most wonderful women! Around his neck, he wears the wristbands from the events he has attended. I became MooseMama. He became so recognizable, that women asked to have their pictures taken with him. It pleased me that he showed up at tapings and book signings that Beth was doing.
In 2009, I felt God really was telling me that I could be more of what He wanted for me if I lost that excess weight and fill the emptiness with Him. I lost 120 lbs. in a year’s time. I was leading Bible Studies. I was teaching Sunday School. I even went on a mission trip to Africa with my church. Something I never would have tried when I was so overweight. Prayers answered!
The year 2011 brought with it a season of severe loss and struggle. A heart attack altered the health of my husband, my oldest daughter became a widow at 22. Two weeks following her husband’s death she discovered she was expecting our grandson Jensen. I grew steadily depressed with these changes and gained back all the weight I had lost. I felt like I was trying to hold everything from flying apart. I was exhausted. We stopped going to church. But God…
We returned to church last year, and God is showing me how He used Jensen to redeem these past few years. His faithfulness to me never faltered. This verse has never meant more to me, than now. Today it is my verse to memorize:
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
AMEN!
Caroline, Yukon, OK (changed from Broken Arrow)
“We live by faith, not by sight”. II Corth. 5:7 (NIV)
Priscilla Nash
San Antonio, TX
I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.
Psalm 119:10(NLT)
Stephanie – Tampa, FL
Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” NIV
Jennifer B
Plano, TX
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:15 NIV
Kirby Ray, Parsons, KS. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 NIV
Kim De Sha, Louisville, KY. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. John 17:4, NIV
Here I am, send me!
Isaiah 6:8b
Lauren from Steinbach, Manitoba:
“Who knows if you were made queen for such a time as this.” – Esther 4:14 (NLT)
Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward
him for what he had done.
but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
James 1:14 Life Application NIV
June Greenstreet
Bradford Ontario
“Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
Philippians 2:16 ESV
Terry Karlson
Winchester, VA
“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything.”
Phillipians 4:6 – NIV
Sarah Miller, Melbourne, FL, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
Matt 6:33 NIV
But see first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
Candice from Wallingford, PA
(August 1 and 15 verses)
23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Luke 9:23-24 NIV
Linda in Chester, VA
I will bless You with every breath of my life; I will lift up my hands in praise to Your name.
Psalm 63:4
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord’s holy people too grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
Ephesians 3:17b-18
Tracie Johnson, Taylorville, IL
Psalm 121:8 AMP
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
Letha. Mountain Home, Arkansas.
“As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.” Psalm 71:14 NIV
Rita – Alva, Florida
“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.”
Philippians 4:6 NLT
Laura Naiser – Georgetown TX
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,
Eph 3:20, ESV
Morgan Roberts
Brandon, MS
“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31 NASB
Erika Powell -Celebration FL
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 ESV
Diane – Spring, Texas:
“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10) ESV
“Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!”
Isaiah 7:11 (MSG)
Barrett, Plano. TX
Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?
2 Chronicles 10
NIV
Melinda O’Dell Rowlett, Texas
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 ESV
2 corinthians 9:8 NIV
and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work,
Dripping Springs, Texas
O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me
Psalm 7:1
Gina Jordan
Edgar Springs, MO
John 3:17 NLT
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
Sharon, Bowling Green, KY
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NLT)
Jodee Walker, Mountain View, WY “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” 1 Corinthians 13:11
Carolyn Dotts, Spruce Pine, NC
Proverbs 10:14 NCV
The wise don’t tell everything they know, but the foolish talk too much and are ruined.
Still trying to catch up !
Magan Lewis, Lakeway, Texas
“And we also thank God constantly for this
that when you received the word of God
which you heard from us
you accepted it not as the word of men
but
as what it really is, the word of God
which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thess 2:13 (ESV)
for June 15, 2015
(Been out of the country. Plenty of time for memory work. Finding Internet connections? Harder!)
Magan Lewis, Lakeway, Texas
“For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting
before our Lord Jesus at His coming?
Is it not you?
For you are our glory and joy.”
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
for July 1, 2015
(Been out of the country. Plenty of time for memory work. Finding Internet connections? Harder!)
Magan Lewis, Lakeway, Texas
“Therefore
when we could bear it no longer
we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,
and
we sent Timothy, our brother and
God’s co-worker in the gospel of Christ
to establish an
exhort you in your faith.”
1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 (ESV)
(Been out of the country. Plenty of time for memory work. Finding Internet connections? Harder!)
Cathy Clark, Umatilla, FL
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6
Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9 ESV
Sheri, Austin TX
Revelation 3:20 NASB
Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.
Psalm 48.14 NIV
For this God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide even to the end.
Kelli Holland
Lafayette, IN
…you make her glad with the joy of your presence. PS 21:6 ESV
Regina, Birmingham, AL
Beverly Cumberland Gap, TN
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen
For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 NIV
Nikki McGregor, Radford, VA
Psalm 18:32 NIV It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure. Melissa Stevens, Kingwood TX
Angie Miller – Macon, MS
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” Luke 1:13, NIV
Rosa – Cypress, TX
Psalms 119:38
Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Dorla in Lincoln Ne
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Eph 1:22,23 NASB
Colossians 3:5-8
5. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Hilary
Orlando, FL
I John 4:14, NIV
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
Covington, LA
“If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.” I Corinthians 13:3