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
Tremont, IL
If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
Psalm 94:17-19
Jackie UK
Psalm 119 verse 36
Give me a desire for Your rules, rather than wealth gained unjustly
Kim Peterson from Vista, CA
Jeremiah 33:3 NIV
Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Paula, Houston, ztx
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
—Romans 10:9, NIV
Angie Brown, Taylors, SC
I am late for this one, but here it is.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139: 23-24 (CSB)
Gina Fernandez, Wilson, NC
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
Psalm 149:4 NASB
Barb Faasse, Jenison, MI “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us.” Romans 5:5 NIV
Alicia, Balch Springs, TX – ‘When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.’ Ephesians 4:21 NIV
PatWilfong, GreenBankWV,
(Regarding the Argueing by the disciples on the way to Capernaum, on who among them be the greatest,)
Mark 9:35,36 and Matthew 18:3,4. NIV.
(35) Sitting down, Jesus..(36) took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms,
(3) And he said: “I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
(4) Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child,
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Mark 9:35,36 and Matthew 18:3,4.
Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NIV.
Sharon, Radford, VA
August 22, 2015
Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Carolyn Deevers, Dardenne Prairie, MO
Luke 19:10 (NIV)
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Lori
Shakopee MN
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and His kingdom is from generation to generation.
– Daniel 4:34b, HCSB
St. Pete. FL
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6 ESV
Jennifer, Fort Worth, TX
Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.
I Pet. 4:8 NIV
Shelley, Brigham City, Utah
Ephesians 2:10, ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
“You made a way through the sea and paths through the deep waters, but your footprints were not seen.”
Ps. 77:19-20
Marilyn Brown in The Plains, OH says:
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.”
Pr. 14:26 NIV
Kelly Parker, Shreveport, La
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10 NIV
Susan Toney
Raymond, MS
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
Matthew 6:22 NIV
I am late but better now than never 🙂 Anne-Marie, Munich – Germany, 1 Pet 5.6-7 (NIV): Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Rebecca Stewart Julian, NC “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 NIV
Michelle, Queen City, TX
Phillipians 4:13 kjv
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Kay Richmond, Va
You did not choose me , but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit- fruit that will last- and so whatever you ask in my name the Father will give to you .
Spanish No me escogieron ustedes a mi, sino que los escogi a ustedes y comisiones para que vayan y den fruto, uno fruto que perdure , asi el Padre les dará todo que le pidan en mi nombre.
John 15:16
Jennifer Haglund; Story City, IA
“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)
Lorri Sapp, Oak Grove, MO, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12, NIV
Lauren, Fort Worth, TX
Now I will take the load from your shoulders. I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
Psalm 81:6 NLT
…and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
Ephesians 2:16
Jenn, Marana, AZ
“But the king (I) will rejoice in God; all who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.” ~Psalm 63:11
1Peter 1:3, 4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you. NKJ
Jeri Jacobs, Hemet CA.
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19. NIV
Melissa Weseloh, St. Louis MO
Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! – Psalm 100:2 (ESV)
Megan, Goodlettsville, TN 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) “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 will heal their land.”
Karen Roberson, Cullman, AL
James 5:13 NIV
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Charlotte, Jacksonville, FL. “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB
Charlotte
Philadelphia, Ms
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
John 15:10
ESV
Dorla in Lincoln Ne
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Eph 2:3 NASB
Kimberly, Montgomery, AL
“Though they plot against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.”
Psalm 21:11 (NIV)
Pat, Brandon, Fl
Proverbs 17:15
Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people are equally abhorrent to God.
The Message
Dorothy Williams
Montgomery, AL
1 John 5:15 KJV
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
Kari Ellis, Bloomington, MN: “But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it” James 1:14 NRSV
Janice Parent, Waynesburg, KY…Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope].
John 6:68 AMP
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. -James 3:17 (NIV)
Paula, Dalhart, TX
“Be joyful always; pray continually;”
I Thessalonians 5:16-17 NIV
I’m catching up!
Kate K.
Lafayette, IN
“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
Candice from Houston – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NIV
Shelly Verley
Apache Junction, AZ
“15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15, NASB
Deonne Collins – Hallsville TX – “Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” Nehemiah 4:20 NIV
Martha Salters
Natchez MS
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your
life?
Luke 12:25. NIV
1 Cor 2:9 (NIV)–
9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
Julie Wagner, Nederland, TX
“Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out a person that defiles them.”
Mark 7:15