Good Friday morning, Siestas! Give yourself a pat on the back; you made it to the end of the week! Isn’t that a great feeling? However, before we start chatting about our weekend plans, I know you’re dying to hear who our TEN winners are that will soon be receiving a Bible Atlas on their front door step.
Drum roll please…
In no particular order and thanks to random.org, our winners are:
Cristi Welch (March 21st 2012 @ 10:34 PM)
Sherry Askew (March 22nd 2012 @ 9:44 AM)
Lisa Hale (March 21st 2012 @ 10:35 PM)
Catherine Moore (March 22nd 2012 @ 8:19 AM)
Mindy Hocking (March 22nd 2012 @ 12:50 PM)
Paula Barney (March 22nd 2012 @ 5:59 AM)
Brandi Cox (March 21st 2012 @ 3:35 PM)
Kim Potter (March 21st 2012 @ 8:30 PM)
Lynne Gallagher (March 22nd 2012 @ 11:57 AM)
Anne Swanson (March 22nd 2012 @ 7:04 AM)
Congratulations, ladies! If you’d please email me at [email protected] with your mailing address, we’ll get your Bible Atlas to you ASAP. We are so excited for you! I have no doubt you’ll love it!
Now, onto the weekend! Anybody have any exciting, out of the ordinary plans?
You know how when you ask someone a question so that hopefully they’ll ask you the same thing in return because you have a pretty epic answer? (You know you’ve done it at least once in your life.) Anyway, I’m really politely asking your plans are so I can tell you what we have going on. So, instead of it being a one-way street, we can hear from each other! Because we here at LPM are quite the busy bees this weekend.
First and most important, our Siesta Mama is spending her last few days in Australia at the Colour Conference and will head home soon. She speaks one more time, which will be very, very early Saturday morning our time and then she and Amanda will hop on a plane to Houston! We miss them so much. Two weeks is a long time to be gone from anyone, so I can imagine how ready she is to see her people! Will you join us in praying them home? Traveling can be quite stressful at times so we’re praying for ease in everything. I have no doubt we’ll get to hear bits and pieces of her trip soon, once the jet lag takes a back seat.
Secondly, have any of you ladies heard of the new LifeWay Women’s conference called Abundance? If not, consider this your brochure. Abundance kicks off tonight, in Houston of all places, how fun is that? A good portion of the LPM staff are attending and they are pumped up; and rightfully so because they get to hear from a handful of gifted teachers and speakers such as; Lisa Harper, Angela Thomas, Jennifer Rothschild, Kelly Minter, Tammie Head and Jen Hatmaker. Not to mention worship with Travis Cottrell and CeCe Winans. If you’re a Houston girl and this is the first you’ve heard of this event and are looking for something to do this weekend, you’ll be pleased to know it is not too late! The event is being held at Champion Forest Baptist Church and I’ve been told you can still get a ticket online here and pick it up at will call, or you can purchase a ticket at the door. Please note that if you call LPM, we will direct you to LifeWay; we have no ticket information as we are not hosting this event, just simply attending. Seriously, ladies, this would be a really good, solid ladies night out. For more information about Abundance in Houston this weekend, click here.
If you’re wishing you could attend but are not anywhere close to Houston, let alone Texas, don’t fret, click here to see if Abundance is landing near you anytime soon! LifeWay has mixed up the speakers and worship leaders for each event, so no two events are the same. No doubt you’ll be blessed!
I would most definitely be attending if I didn’t already have previous plans, but a little over three months ago I committed to run a half-marathon and it just so happens to be this weekend. A half-marathon? Yes, I am slightly crazy. But I am embarking on this adventure with 20 other crazy folks from my church, Bayou City Fellowship, as we seek to bring awareness about As Our Own, a ministry in India rescuing girls out of human trafficking and loving them as their own, which is the only reason I’m even mentioning it.
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you might be more familiar with this ministry, but if this is your first introduction to As Our Own, you can check out their website here. Anyway, we’ve been training and raising awareness and funds for the past three months and this weekend, we’ll get to put our training to the test and run for the freedom of these girls. Although it is slightly intimidating (and those of you who are avid runners are probably giggling right now), it is a complete honor to run for these girls and help bring some freedom and relief in Jesus’ name. Actually, as I’ve thought about it all week long as I’ve guzzled water, it has brought me much joy. Together, Team BCF is pairing up with Team Dallas as we run for sweet Parul. If you’re a runner and are interested in doing the same thing and getting a team together in your neck of the woods, there are still some races left that you can be a part of by clicking here and joining in the campaign called I Will Run. This ministry is dear to us for multiple reasons, all of which I wish I had the time and space to explain, but to get play a very small role in what As Our Own is doing is a complete joy! Come Monday morning I’m praying my joy will be overflowing and my legs pain-free. Grin.
As I think about the weekend ahead, I can’t help but smile and think about all the Lord is allowing us to be a part of, giving us a taste of what abundant life is all about. The enemy really has come to steal, kill and destroy, but Christ came so that we may have life, and not just have life, but to have it, and live it, abundantly. (John 10:10). So this weekend, as He allows us to serve, love and pour out in His name, I pray we’ll choose to do it with abundant joy in Australia, Houston and Dallas! After all, we have been given so, so much.
Happy Friday, y’all. May you live abundantly this weekend! We love you!
“God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They are filled from the abundance of Your house; You let them drink from Your refreshing stream, for with You is life’s fountain. In Your light we will see light. Spread Your faithful love over those who know You, and Your righteousness over the upright in heart.” Psalm 36: 7 – 10
Congratulations to all the winners! I must admit I’m more than a tiny bit jealous :). I’m just going to have to save up to buy my own copy because it looks fantastic.
I’m excited about a conference I will be attending at Biola University here in So. Cal on Israel and the Middle East. The author Joel Rosenberg is one of the speakers, and Marty Goetz is doing worship. Should be awesome!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. And especially to you, Lindsee, as you run for such a worthy cause.
Congratulations to the 10 winners of the Bible Atlas. How exciting!
Hope all the Siestas have a very blessed weekend.
Blessings,
Marita
Blessings to you Lindsee running the half marathon and to all of the LPM sisters attending Abundance this weekend.
God’s GALS Saturday is meeting to discuss week 4 and view week 5 video of the James study. We are all so loving it! Prayers for God’s GALS on Monday please. There are 50 of us going to Feed My Starving Children to package food for the starving children around the world. We are closing in our goal to raise $1,000 for the organization too. (www.fmsc.org).
Happy Weekend all!
Mary Ann Holton, Woodbury, MN
Lindsee,
I will be praying for you this weekend during your half marathon! May you have strength and endurance.
Wow, that is a lot!
Congratulations to the winners! Enjoy!
Definitely praying for Beth, Amanda, Priscilla & team as they finish and travel. Also praying for Abundance, which sounds like a complete blast! And may God give y’all swift feet for your run. 🙂
I’m attending a training for work and dog-sitting for my neighbor 🙂
Lindsee – we definitely need details on what Beth’s accent is like when she comes back!! haha Wondering what Southern + Australian sounds like.
Michele…it would probably sound like “G-day, y’all”. I spent two weeks in Australia in 2000. It was a great trip but the jet lag was the pits!
May you “run the race” with ease and enjoyment!! Certainly it is for a good cause. Quiet weekend which is fine. Have bible study homework to do 🙂
Headed to the white beaches of Orange Beach, AL….we’re officially on spring break. Regarding the conference there in Houston…..funny in a small world type of way, Lisa Harper played collegiate volleyball for me quite a few years ago!!!! She was hilarious back then and she is hilarious now. NEVER a dull moment! 🙂
Ginger
Wetumpka, AL
That is so cool, Ginger!! Have a great trip!
Goodness gracious, Ginger…I’m just an hour up the road from you in Sylacauga.
Praying for “Abundance” and the half marathon for As Our Own. Love that ministry. As I walked to my car with a friend after lunch yesterday she asked where my “13.1” sticker had gone on my car. My shocked reply, “Girl, I don’t run. In fact if you ever see me running, assume I being chased!” I am so not kidding. I’ll be happy to cheer you on, but if God told me I had to support ministry by running, I (like Jonah) would be sure to run…away. BTW, thank you, Lord for Not requiring that so far 🙂
My eldest and I plan to hit the Nashville Flea Market early tomorrow morning. My mouth is watering at the thought of it. Come to think of it, I better bring water too. Good Luck, Lindsee!
Oooohhh! I love a good flea market!!! Hope you found some fabulous treasures!
Hey Lindsee, I’ll be there this weekend cheering you guys on…Mark is running also. Good Luck and you’ll be in our prayers. Thank you for running for Parul! 🙂 Blessings…
Congraultions to the winners. I am new to this blog and I had more fun reading everyones comments. I think I could of wrote a ton of coments on all the books I love. I am excited that tonight my friend, Rusty, will be coming to my house and we will be listenig to Beths Heritage study. We had started but had to take a couple weeks off. We love it. Each study we have to listen to a couple times becouse they are soooo good.
Prayers for all. Have a great weekend.
A non winner 🙁
Just attending my Sat. Morning Beth group doing “To Live is Christ” – so I get to see her sweet face 🙂
Congrats to all 10!
Girl there are plenty of fun things to do other than run – maybe sometime we could chat about that! 😀
Praying our Beloved Beth & Amanda home safely!
My husband is out of town till Sunday – I have 2 extra kids =5 and we are just going to play play play – eat pizza- be silly – stay up late watching movies and have lots of fun! Praying for ya’ll!!!
I love hearing about good things happening for girls in India! My little girl’s dad is from India and I think how different things would be if he stayed over there and had a little girl. Since I work in retail, my weekend is full of work and church on Sunday and more work. Tonight I will finish my last day of homework for Jesus the One and Only and look around online for another study as my church is not doing Bible study again until July. 🙁
May everyone have a good and safe weekend!
Run Lindsee Run!! Have fun! I’ll be soaking Jesus up at Abundance and praying for you all!!
Natalie, I sure hope you enjoyed every minute of Abundance!
While I do not have any exciting weekend plans, as of yet, to share, I am so grateful that you brought up As Our Own, my deer sweet Lindsee. While I had not heard of this organization before, I am so glad that you and all the wonderful people at LPM have worked so hard to bring awareness to the issue of sex trafficking, as it is close to my heart. Best of luck and prayers to you and the BCF and Dallas teams! I love it is called I Will Run, as that is the name of one of my favorite Misty Edwards Songs. Bless you, my dear sister!
We have very special plans this weekend. My only child, a 9 year old autistic daughter, is getting baptized. We are so very excited.
Congratulations to your sweet girl! What a weekend. I know you’ll treasure it forever.
Praying for Beth as she finishes this conference. May God give her words to bless the hearts of those listening. May God grant them traveling mercies and rest and renewal as they return home. Bless all involved in the Abundance weekend and As Our Own runners and the ministry it will support.
This weekend my husband and two other couples from our new church plant, Possum Kingdom Cowboy Church, have the opportunity to attend the very first Cowboy Church Evangelism Conference being held at the Resistol Arena in Mesquite, Texas. We are praying for God to “Fan the Flames” of our hearts as we seek to bring the cowboy culture to know Jesus through our Western Heritage Ministries. To God be the glory…Great things He continues to do!
I have been given the gift of sitting for my 3 month old precious grandson. My daughter’s birthday was yesterday and she was excited to spend an uninterrupted night away with her husband. Dinner, dessert, Basketball game and sleeping in on Saturday morning. My husband and I received the bigger gift though. We get to spend all this precious time with our little man. He has been perfect, we have laughed, cuddled, read and had a full nights sleep. Little man woke up and sang to himself at 5:30 am, I went in at 6:00 am gave him his first bottle(mama’s milk), changed him, swaddled him and he fell right back to sleep. Can’t wait to see him when he wakes up again. We are having a blast. Grandparenting is everything I ever dreamed it would be. If you are reading this you are loved, do you know that? God loves you so much and he is pleased with you.
Be careful on the run!! Take it easy. 🙂
After 25 years of being away, 4 of the last years of searching, and even a tearful Sunday 2 weeks ago when I discovered what I thought was going to be my church home wasn’t going to be …. I am going home to the Episcopal church this weekend. I am so excited! I’ve already joined a group and it’s almost Easter!!! What a perfect time.
Hi Lindsee and siestas,
I have just had the joy, honour and blessing of being ministered to by our beautiful Siesta Mama at Colour Conference! Oh what a joy to have her in Australia, and boy did the Holy Spirit speak to a multitude of open hearts through Beth. Praise to our sweet Lord! And thanks to our humble, loving Beth for all her traversing in the Spirit to discern the Word to share. Love you Beth! Thanks for reflecting Jesus!
hey lindsee! just wrapping up a very restful spring break here in arkansas this weekend! my sweet young friend, alyson walker, will be running with you in dallas! i work at her college (ouachita baptist univ) but we also work out at the same gym. i’m so cheering you two girls on! and Jesus… He is too. 🙂 love~
Hi Tracey! That’s so fun that you know Alyson. I met her at a LifeWay conference a few weeks ago. Someone introduced us because they knew we were both running. Small world! Thank you for your encouragement!
OH I AM SO EXCITED! Thanks so much :))
I am so exited about today, Saturday! The James Bible study groups are having a celebration party to praise the Lord. We will of course eat, singing praises to the Lord, and have a time of testimony. The ladies that are leading worship came to my house last night to have a run through the songs. I loved spending my Friday night in praise. I feel as if I am six years old and it’s Christmas Eve. I can’t wait until 7pm.
Congrats to the 10 winners 🙂 Lindsee, enjoy the run!!! Blessings to you.
Congratulations to the winners! I know you will be blessed with information about our history found in the atlas.
Lindsee you are courageous to run a half marathon. Surely the purpose of helping those girls held captive by the sex trade, will give you the energy and stamina you will need to finish the race!
Although not this weekend, on Tuesday I am starting a Bible study group. I will be leading the group in a study of Tammie Head’s book “Duty or Delight?”. I am excited, but also nervous, as this is the first time I will lead a women’s Bible study group. I have taught children for many years. I no longer have the stamina or physical strength to work with children, so God is leading me to start this new group. It is exciting!
I am so looking forward to hearing more about Beth’s work in Australia. AND to get information on the Siesta’s summer Bible study! I can hardly stand the suspense to know what book we will study!
Congrats, Ladies!!! Enjoy your new books! Lindsee, thanks for all you do for Siestaville!
Siestas –
Excited and SO ENCOURAGED to see how the Lord is moving around our nation (and in Parul’s life) this weekend! Lindsee – may you be resting WELL this Sunday afternoon! Running and I have never gotten along. 🙂
My weekend was suburban housewife boring… except that it really isn’t boring at all.
I will be deliberately cryptic here for the sake of my beloved Church. We have been deeply, deeply blessed to be part of a church family where we worship in Spirit and in Truth. My family has been with the church for 10 years. The church, in the Washington D.C. suburbs, is far older than that. The Lord is doing something HUGE (like H-U-G-E) through us and several sister churches right now. We (our congregation) has to find a new place to worship within about a month or so. Worship, even in light of the disappointing news that we must find another space, has been beyond description beautiful – hopeful – Spirit-filled – trusting – watching – and all with an awareness that the joy we feel in this space we’ve called home for so long will be multiplied and magnified wherever He leads.
Sorry this is so long. Please pray for my church – that the Lord be sooo glorified as we walk this walk for Him? We are thanking God for the funds our situation is demanding of us, and for the millions of little things that a move like this requires. Our leadership reminded us of Joshua 1:9 as we deal with all the related decisions… “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
SO, my weekend would look like a yawn to many… but God is moving in my church and we are so grateful to all who join in praying for us during this exciting (difficult) time! Siestas – the darkness will get darker and the light far brighter… He is coming. And I’m so glad that somehow in His economy, I’ll get to spend time hearing each of your stories some day around some glorious table! How fun!
Hello Siesta! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and congratulations to the winners! My weekend was pretty epic I must say. My husband and I closed on our first home on Friday morning. We have been working our entire marriage to be able to purchase a home and all the hard work and prayers and work and prayers have finally reached fruition. We have now begun the arduous process of making the house our home. In addition, we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary today. It has been quite a weekend to say the least! What a way to celebrate four amazing and challenging years! God is so good and faithful. All the time! Each step of this process has been a “but God” thing and I wish I had the time and space to share all the details. It is truly amazing. Anyway, I am totally in full on “gush” mode this weekend!
Be blessed
April
Hi Ladies!
I’ve been reading Beth Moore’s book “So Long Insecurity” and am in real need of some encouragement. This has been a tough season in my life.
Much love, Danielle
I hear the race for Parul went great!!! I’m training and gearing up to run for Avishi with Team Chicago in June!
Alice! That is so awesome! Y’all will do great and have so much fun.
OH MY GOSH Lindsee, I am so excited that you are doing something to raise awareness for girls rescued from human trafficking!!!!!!!!! I was in Cambodia almost two years ago and was so shocked by the awfulness of this crime!!! I did not realize it is in the states too. I am so glad to hear you talk of it and know there are others who are involved! we actually have someone close that is starting a home for girls rescued from trafficking. it is exciting to be able to help so close to home with something that is so close to my heart.
I hope the run was awesome and helped to raise awareness.
God Bless
Ginny
I had an event filled weekend! We ran a 3&4grade n 7&8 grade basketball tournament from thurs through sat. whoohoo! Then we went home and I ate something that caused an allergic reaction and landed up at the emegency room! Another whoohoo! I have never experienced this before I can usually eat anything! Wow did it happen fast! Praise God for every experience we make it through! So now I have one more thing I can understand for someone who has this happen often! I am so sorry for them! We think it was a certain pepper? Well anyway the tournament went really well!
Lindsee,
Thank you for the update. I pray that Abundance was an amazing event and that Colour was as well. I look forward to hearing about them…
Come back to the blog, Siesta Mama! We prayed for you on your trip and have missed you. We want to hear about your trip to Australia! I’m being blessed by your “James” study so much, and have become a big fan of James.
Hey Lindsee: How did your run go? Hope your legs were not too sore. Thank you so much for bringing As Our Own to my attention. I visited their web site, and was so touched by the awesome work they are doing. God is speaking to my heart about supporting them through prayer and giving. Here’s a blessing for you: “If you do away with the yoke of oppression…and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:9-10). You go Girl!
so good. so very good. welcome home!
Speaking of life, my kiddos and I have been following this live webcam of a mother and father eagle feeding there three eaglets… it’s been especially captivating for my two boys as the father brings fish, rabbits and small birds to the nest. The Living Proof gang might find this fun to watch 🙂
Link: http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer:55.swf?cid=1/3064708&vrsl=c:176
My teacher friend and I were so looking forward to a girl weekend from Arkansas to Atlanta to go to the Abundance conference in july. We were looking for a spiritual boost in the arm to get us prepared for another school year approaching in August. We re so disappointed it was cancelled. Is there any events being held anywhere this summer I’m not aware of? Beth will speak in Austin? No Deeper Still or rescheduling of Abundance??? Searching…
Kim