Hey Siestas,
My name is Mary, and I do all things accounting at Living Proof Ministries. I haven’t had an opportunity to meet many of you, but I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you through Facebook and the blog.
But the verse in Colossians I keep camping on is a verse of encouragement. Encouragement in the tough times. Who can’t use some of that?
Colossians 1:11 in the Message says,
“We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.”
God promises to help us through the hard times. Too often I exhaust myself trying to push through in my own strength. In those times when I make it through the storm on my own – it’s without joy and often without thanksgiving! This verse reminds me to catch myself in the act of gritting my teeth – to stop and instead draw from the “glory-strength God gives.” It is here in this posture I can rest in His promises. It is here where He is truly glorified, and it here where I give Him all the thanks He deserves – right in the midst of the storm!
Susie mcneely Russellville Arkansas
“The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
Deuteronomy 28:8 KJV
Brady Bradshaw, Orlando, FL. “they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
Psalm 91:12 NIV
Nancy Bradshaw – Melbourne, Florida
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
James 1:20 NIV
Jodi, DFW TX
“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.”
Isaiah 26:8
“See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” 1Thessalonians 5:15. NKJV
Amber from Newnan, GA
“I praise you because i am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, i know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14
Hummelstown, Pa
KJV
Psalm 27:12
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
Psalm 27:12
Deb from Milan, MI
Matthew 7:7 NKJV
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Tilley from Franklin, TN:
They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.
Psalm 25:13 (NLT)
Marilyn, Houston, TX “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control”. 2 Timothy 1:7
ESV
Rebecca, Louisa, VA
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ~ 2 Timothy 2:23-24 NIV
Kristin Mitchell from Dunmor, KY
“Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.”
2 Corinthians 8:11 NIV
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones…”
Jude 14 NIV (2002)
Emily, Topeka, Kansas
“Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.”
Romans 8:35-37 (HCSB)
Carol Burns now from Pflugerville, TX
“…and if you offer yourself to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness and your night will be like noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
(HCSB)
Kim Freeman Fort Worth Texas Psalm 129:14 NIV
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Jane Baker from Pontiac, IL: “I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.” Psalm 119:13 (NIV 1984)
Psalm 119:14
Kim Lee, Faison, NC: I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy.
2 Timothy 1:3-4 (NKJV)
Courtney from Lima, Ohio
“Just open your eyes and see how the wicked are punished.” Psalm 91:8 NLT
“To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?” Job 38: 26-27
Kristine from Welland
I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others, I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT)
Tessa Pierce Nacogdoches TX
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV
Hillary Dickey, Diberville, MS
“We know that we live in him and he in us because he has given us of his Spirit.”
1 John 4:13 NIV
Nance from Newmarket ON Canada
“They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never again be scorched by the heat.”
Rev 7:16
Rebecca Putman, Lexington KY
Colossians 3:1 “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
Kami Dimmick, Randolph Center, VT
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NIV
Rebecca from Birmingham, Alabama
“So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,”
Philippians 2:29 ESV
Carol from Pinon, Arizona-So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Hebrews 13:6 NIV
Tina, Zalma, Mo. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (KJV)
Mullica Hill NJ
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Psalm 103:1 NIV
Matthew 6:34The Message (MSG)
34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
liz gladstone or
Kisha Majors, Wylie, TX: “I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.” Psalm 34:2 NLT
Maureen, Pascoag, RI
Keep alert,
stand firm in your faith,
be courageous, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
NRSV
Georgia from Bristow, Oklahoma
I Peter 4:8: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (ESV)
Bonnie Jackson from Lockport, IL 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forevermore! Amen.” (NIV)
Terry, Odessa, FL
“We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.”
Colossians 1:11, MSG
Phyllis Winn
Gilmer, Tx
NIV “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die. “John 11:25
Sandy E.; Kansas City, Missouri; “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13 NIV
Elaine ~ Powder Springs, GA ~ The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness to all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.
(Psalm 25:10 NLT)
Susan, Wynne
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
Psalms 40:1 (NIV)
Bonnie, Alexandria, LA
“Now may the God of peace
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant.” Hebrews 13:20 ESV
Gay Beck, Plain City, OH
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
Hillary Mancuso
Fort Worth, tx
Habakkuk 2:3
“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:3
Melissa from Lawrenceburg TN
2 Corinthians 1:9
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. ESV
Beth Lewis, Story City, Iowa
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
Psalm 139:14, NKJ
Susan Turner, Shelby, NC
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 KJV
Karen from Bronson, Texas
“For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
Psalm 103:14 ESV
James 3:13 ESV
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Veronica- Nashville, Tn
And he has showered down upon us the richness of his grace- for how well he understands us and knows what is best for us at all times. Ephesians 1:8 (living bible)
Stacy Baker Detroit Mi
“My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar.” Psalm 42:6 (NIV)