Hey sweet siestas!
How much fun is this? Can we all just stop for a minute and thank our beloved leader, Bible teacher and yes, friend, for spurring us on in this world of scripture memory? I fail every time on my own. We need our people to conquer this task, don’t we? I’m good for a couple of months and then I flat out quit and blame it on something other than myself. But, I won’t quit if I have y’all! I’m thankful for this community. I’m thankful for the accountability. Memorizing scripture has transformed my heart and mind…the Word is living, and we have the privilege to breathe it in when we open those sacred pages and be changed from the inside out.
Something that I have done as I have memorized scripture is to write a brief synopsis of why I chose the verse on the back of the index card. I also date it. At the end of the year, it’s so powerful to go back and read a mini-journal of God’s faithfulness and the journey you’ve taken together that particular year. Go back and do that if you haven’t done it already. I’ll bet it won’t take you long to recall why you picked a particular verse. It will be a sweet gift to read through at the end of 2015.
Ok, my name is Fran Thomas and I’ve been married to Chip for 21 years! That’s crazy to me! I swear I’m still 30-something. We have 3 teenage boys. That’s another kind of crazy! Our oldest is 18. (Insert tears of high school graduation, starting college and hoping you can cook and do laundry on your own) It’s nuts, y’all. Savor the moments, mommas. It flies.
We are living life in Jackson, TN, and I love our community of people here. I work at Union University, teach college girls on Sunday mornings, sing in the choir, and serve with our jail ministry at Englewood Baptist Church. I am also a partner in a non-profit ministry with my two best friends, Christy and Robyn, that we founded called “More than a Mission Trip.” Our heart is missions in every form and fashion. Our heart is for the lost, the saved who are lost, God’s precious people at the ends of the earth and those who are around the corner. Our desire is to encourage other women to serve God locally and globally…there is no better time than NOW to love, obey and serve Him with all we have! We can’t question or delay what God clearly calls us to do.
So how appropriate for me to choose a verse that has me in a season of being scared to death of what God has called me to do. Would this be the Christian “pot calling the kettle black” or what? I like safe and comfy just like you do. It’s predictable and doesn’t make my stomach hurt. I know the scriptural promises from Him, but there is simply something terrifying about taking new steps with Him after a season of predictability. *sigh*
So, we press on, sisters. We believe Him and take Him at His word. I’m doing this even with the butterflies alive and churning about! Unfortunately, I think I have an unbelief issue right now, but I’m choosing to believe Him for this season because He is able! He is faithful… Me? Not so much. He never fails. NEVER.
“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
I don’t want to doubt or be tossed around because of my unbelief. I want my feet to be steady and secure in Him, His voice, and His direction. I really want to believe Him and trust Him even with these butterflies during this new season. I don’t just want to say, “Yes, Lord I believe you,” but it only be a temporary belief or trust. We’ll start strong and then fade, don’t we?
Lord, help my unbelief.
It’s easy to say, “Sure, I’ll get out of the boat, and walk toward Jesus,” but it’s a whole other thing to actually put the feet into motion, isn’t it? Let’s not be tossed around, sisters. Let’s walk by faith and take Him at His Word. Let’s choose to believe Him girls!! Declare it even when we don’t feel it. We’ll begin to believe what we know and speak over that situation. Let’s declare the Truth that we are hiding in our hearts.
Y’all are such a blast! Hang in there and march on strong and steady because we are MORE than conquerors! We CAN do this because He WILL show us the way! He will NOT leave us! He WILL show Himself faithful! He has good plans for this season! He will NOT harm us! And on and on and on the promises go. Declare them. Believe them.
It’s such an honor to journey alongside you. I will be your biggest fan and cheer you on like nobody’s business. Fix those pretty eyes on Jesus and let’s run our race well. I’m praying for us all. I desperately need Jesus and His Word.
Love y’all,
Fran
Gwyn Tidwell of Haslet Tx
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness;come before him with joyful songs.
Psalm 100:1-2 (NIV84)
Elizabeth Johnston
Dallas, TX
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 (ESV)
Ellen Roth from Bad Axe MI
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Rose Gillespie – Hot Springs, AR
“After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.”
Matthew 6:9 KJV (My August 1st verse ~ forgot to post)
“Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 9:10 KJV
Mary Gray, Fieldale, VA “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. NIV
Kim Bunting, Colfax, LA
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalotions 5:16-18 NIV
Emily, Loveland, CO
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:7 (NASB)
Deb, Loveland, CO
“Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.” Psalm 91:3 (NKJV)
Laura, Minneapolis, MN.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:4 ESV)
Teresa. Orange City. Ephesians 3:18 …may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth… (ESV)O
JulieB
Sharpsburg, Ga.
Luke 1:45 NIV
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.”
Fairfield, Ca.
Be rooted and built up in him, be established in faith and overflow with thanksgiving just as you were taught.
Colossians 2:7
Kathy Welch Tyler, TX
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil;
hold fast to what is good.”
ESV Romans 12:9
Karen
Trenton, OH
“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.””
Jeremiah 31:25 ESV
God will answer him and care for him. He will be a flourishing juniper, his faithfulness comes from God. Hosea 14:8 (NIV)
Karen Redmond, Saint Petersburg, Florida
For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.-Psalm 103:14, NLT
Sheryl, PA – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, so that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 5:29 NIV
Jerrie – Longview, TX
When your words came I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.
Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV)
Susan Peaslee Somerville Maine
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 KJV
Natalie, Houston, TX
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
Psalm 91:11 NIV
Denise Korsmo Amarillo, TX Psalms 66:8 KJV “O bless our God, all ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
Rachel Grantham, Raymond, MS
1 Peter 5:10–“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
(NIV)
Val Parker Dequincy, LA. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Philippians 2:3 KJV
Connie Colston Waxahachie, TX
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)
Stephanie, Irvine, CA
“The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.” (Psalm 25:17, NIV.)
#16 Colossians 3:4 NIV
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Galations 5:1 NIV
It is for freedome that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Elizabeth Mitchell- living in Haverhill, England- Romans 8:36 ” As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (NKJV)
Abby T., Ferndale, WA:
“For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
–Hebrews 10:14 (NIV)
Susan Davis, Lawrenceville GA
“But as for me I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 ESV
Betty Mullaney, Brown City MI 2 Cor. 5:17.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun. NLT Sorry for the late post!
Misti Robinson, from Houston, TX:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV
Lori, Edenton, NC
For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.
2 Cor 6:2 NLT
Bonny Hansen, Mitchell SD
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV
Jennae, Clovis CA, Proverbs 31:30 “charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears The Lord is to be praised.”
Ruth Kitchener, ON
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation”. Philippians 2:14,15a. (NIV)
Sherrie Lynn, Collierville, TN
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)
Sorry to be late!
Trudy. Lexington, Ky
1 Thessalonians 5:4 NLT
But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of The Lord comes like a thief.
Missy
Humble, Texas
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Ps. 19:14 KJV
Amy Spry
Dothan, AL
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2 NIV
Debbie : “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.””
Psalm 40:8 NIV
Holly Barrett, Crossnore NC
“Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar.” Isaiah 33:17 NIV
Susan Jezek, St. Petersburg, Florida
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Carrie Lagas, North Potomac MD
1 John 4:19 NIV “We love because he first loved us.”
Amanda Teske, Chandler AZ
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith
Romans 12:6 ESV
Kimber Perrotta
East Hampton, CT
“Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.” Psalms 119:35 NLT
Emily, Topeka, Kansas
“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”
Proverbs 4:18-19 (NIV)
Barb * St Cloud MN * Philippians 1:4 NIV “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy”
Kim S., Nashville, TN:
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
Diane, Longmont, CO
The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 NIV