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
“Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.”
Psalms 119:50, NLT
Cheryl Dulaney
Lafayette, LA
Psalm 119:10 NLT
I have tried hard to find you – don’t let me wander from your commands.
Galatians 5:22-23 NAS
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,patience,kindness,goodness,faithfulness,gentleness,self control; against such things there is no law.
Lisa Martin Chesterfield, Mo
Philippians 4:6 NLT
Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Manassas, Va
Psalm 34:4 ESV
I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
The Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2Thessalonians 3:3
Holly Tabor, Nixa, Missouri
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23 NIV 1984
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/2ch.7.14.nkjv
Hilary
Orlando, FL
I John 4:16, NIV
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Linda Chuplis York Haven, PA
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
Deuteronomy 31:7. KJV. and Moses call Joshua and said to him in the side of all Israel be strong, courageous and firm, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them a new show cause them to process it.
Jacquie Terada from Mount Vernon WA
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. Psalm 139:9-10 NLT
Neosho, MO
Joel 2:13 NKJV
…return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful. Slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Fullerton, CA
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1Peter 5:7. NIV
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:29 NIV
Debbie, Hattiesburg, MS
“And, take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;”.
Ephesians 6:17 NKJV
Covington, LA
“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” I Corinthians 13:5
I Am the True Vine, and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that It will be even more fruitful.
John 15:1-2. NIV
Joy from Iowa~”Even so the tongue is a little member & boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. And the tongue is a fire, a world of inequity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body,& sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile & creature of the sea is tamed & has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”James 3:5-8 (NKJ)
Sonia Kibe, Morrilton, AR
“Oh God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer!”
Psalm 61:1 (NLT)
Tracey Knight ~ Arkadelphia AR
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63:2-3 NIV
Rockford, Illinois Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:26
Angelica (Angel) Chilton, Hillsboro, Texas
“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
Bayport, NY
Romans 5:5
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by
the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Tina, New Hope, MN
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 Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
Jill Hill in Houston – NIV James 1:18 – He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created.
Suzanne Kragt
Eden Prairie, Mn
Psalm 46:10 Niv
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
“Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoned iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18,19 (KJV)
I tried to post on the Sept 1st post, but it just says “error” so I don’t see any post from you there at SSMT.
Hebrews 12.3 KJV
For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Dyersburg TN Proverbs 7: 4 Say to WISDOM , ” You are my SISTER, ” and call UNDERSTANDING your intimate friend. “
barbara from Malakoff tx
2corinthians 12/9
But he said to m,”my grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness. ” therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesß , so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Angie Call; Belleville,IL
Gal. 2:20a Msg – “Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that i appear righteous before you or i have your good opinion, and i am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me.”
Stacey Mills, Warner Robins,GA
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. Psalm 139:1 NIV
Ashley Roth, Peachtree City, Ga.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NAS)
Sherri Meyer, New Baltimore, MI
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:5 (NIV)
Memphis,Tn
Psalm 18 v2 ESV.
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God,my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Proverbs 3 v5
Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
Meggie, Winnipeg, Canada
“The LORD is a friend to those who fear Him. He teaches them His covenant. My eyes are always on the LORD, for He rescues me from the traps of my enemies.” Psalm 25: 14-15 NLT
Deb McGuire Wayland, Iowa
Hebrews 11:6 ESV
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and the he rewards those who seek him.
Lise, Cumming, GA, Psalm 34:18, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit. NAS
Allyson
League City TX
Psalm 86:14 ESV
“O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life, and they do not set you before them.”
krystal ward
dallas, tx
therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
colossians 3:12 NIV
Molly Petrey
Paris, KY
Proverbs 27:17 NIV
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good spirit lead me on level ground!
Psalm 143:10 (ESV)
Deneen
Sterlington, LA
Strengthened with all might according to His glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness. Colossians 1 : 11 NKJV
Lauren Gross, Pineville, LA
Set your mind on things above, not on the things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2 NKJV
Diane Lenexa, KS
Psalm 19:9 NIV
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and all together righteous.
Gail Hinshaw, Summerville, OR
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12. ESV
Tijeras, NM
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him
McAllen Texas
“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.”
Romans 12:14 NLT