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
Stacy, Greenfield, Indiana
Have you not known? Have you not heart? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary: his understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28 ESV
Romans 5:8 – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Kathy, Las Cruces, NM:
“Pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”
–Romans 14:19 (NASB)
Anne, Athens, Greece – Titus 2:14 GNT –
He gave Himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness & to make us a pure people who belong to Him alone & are eager to do good.
Isaiah 11:2 “And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” NLT
Shelly Higgins, Pikeville, Tn.
16. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Philippians 2:14-15 ESV)
Alexia-Champaign, IL
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 NIV
Heather Wilkinson
Springfield, VA
1 John 4:4 (NIV)
You, dear children are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Not sure if I already posted this or not… I am behind in posting, but not in memorizing!!
Scarlett, Round Rock TX
“The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.” Proverbs 29:25, The Message
Christy, Conifer, Colorado
I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
I Timothy 2:1-2 NIV
Brigette Brock
Morehead, Ky
But that is not the way you learned Christ.
Ephesians 4:20
ESV
Jessica, Cumming, GA
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”
Getting caught up!
Stephanie and daughter Madison, Louisville, KY
Proverbs 31:10 NIV
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Kathy French, Austin
“For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36 NLT
Janet, Holmes Beach, FL
By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and
beautiful treasures.
Proverbs 24:3,4 NIV
Janet, Holmes Beach, FL
The LORD will keep you from all harm –
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:7,8 NIV
Gwen Parish
Earth TX
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Jan Marken
Buena Vista, CO
Ps. 138:8 NASB
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Amy Smiley, Williams, AZ
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
Ephesians 3:16 “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.” NLT
Paula, Atlanta Tx
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren”. 1 John 3:16 NKJV
Mandy, Raymond, MS
“gentleness,self-control;against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:23 NIV
Crystal Parrott – Everett, Ontario, Canada
“but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” James 1:14 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
Dana
Boerne, TX
Sarah Miller, The Colony, Texas, “But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 NLT
Ruth, Odin, IL
“And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
-Romans 8:27 (NIV84)
Rachel, Vancouver, Washington. “But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.” James 1:10 (NIV)
Mandy Helm
College Station, TX
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Jan Marken
Buena Vista, CO
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Gal. 5:1 NASB
Jan
When my anxious thoughts multiply within, Your consolations
delight my soul. Ps. 94:19 NASB
Angelica (Angel) Chilton, Hillsboro, Texas
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
Isaiah 50:4b, “Morning by morning he wakes me and opens my understanding to his will.” NLT
Melissa J – Houston, TX
Search me Oh God and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
PatWilfong,GreenBankWV.
verse 16:
(Regarding the Argueing by the disciples on the way to Capernaum, on who among them be the greatest,)
(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.
Roanoke, TX
When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4 NKJV)
Amy
Buda, Texas
“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 NIV
Dawn Deare from Lafayette, LA
Psalm 119:38 ESV
Confirm to your servant your promise that you may be feared.
Michelle,
Bossier City, LA
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all the things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NLT “May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.”
Sheri – Portland, Oregon
…who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
3 John 6
Austin, Texas.
“I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Galatians 4:19 ESV
Jennifer B
Lucas, TX
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17 NIV
Cynthia , Russellville, AR
“For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV
Nesha Vest – MEchanicsville, VA
‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.’
Ephesians 2:8
Holly from Alpharetta, GA
Romans 8: 5 NIV Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires
Ps 91:4 NLT “He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”
“Commit they works unto Jehovah and they purposes shall be established.” Proverbs 16:3
“rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayers” Rm. 12:12
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
James 1:16 ESV
Johnine from Anna, Texas
With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation. Psalm 91:16 NKJ