*UPDATED*
Thank you to the sweet sisters who let me know that the purple coloration was from an anti-fungal skin treatment called “Gentian Violet.”

My mom is on her way to Atlanta for the Women of Faith pre-conference. She asked me to post some before and after pictures of Matthew while she was gone so that you can see God’s miracle with your own eyes.

The before pictures are very upsetting, as you can imagine. Actually, I couldn’t have imagined how awful they would be. You will see that his skin was purple. I believe it was a result of his malnourishment, but I don’t have any explanation beyond that. I cried when I saw these images even though I had already seen the after pictures. Because they are so graphic, I want to be sensitive to you and those around you. Instead of posting them here, I am giving you a link to see them on another page. Here it is:

http://www.lproof.org/LOI-BeforeandAfter.html

And here are the after pictures. Glory and honor and praise be to our God!

Many thanks to Janice Meyer at LOI for her ministry through photography.

Isaiah 58
True Fasting

1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.

3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.

4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.

5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in 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.

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

I rocked with my daddy on the porch at the Cracker Barrel in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

I found out that I love cornbread.

I saw the church where Granny grew up. The Lord gave us a rainbow that evening and you might be able to see it in on the left hand side.

I saw one of the houses where Granny used to live. Granny says that their house before this one was the size of a Cracker Jack box. Eight people lived in 1200 square feet. There was much more room in this house and Nanny made it very lovely, but they were house poor.

I saw her old high school.

I saw a sunset she would have loved.

I saw the old movie theater that my great-grandpa ran. It’s no longer a movie theater, but you can tell what it once was.

I played in the rocks and dirt at camp.

Even after I got a bath, the dirt came out of my nose.

I played with basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, and baseballs to my heart’s content.

I made a new friend. And he liked putting pebbles on my head.

I picked out the pebbles stuck between my toes.

I rode in the car for many, many hours but I was very good.

I saw Mommy smile when she got her first cup of tea in a week. It wasn’t that good (the sugar settled at the bottom), but it was better than nothing.

Praise the Lord for hotels with WiFi! We made it to my mom’s hometown – Arkadelphia, Arkansas, this evening. It was so fun driving through town and searching for all the landmarks I had written down on my list. We found both of my mom’s old houses. I wished for her when we were there because I wanted to know which window was her room and how big the tree in the front yard was when she lived there. It really made me miss my Nanny to see the homes where she raised her family. One of the houses was right across the street from the old high school. Mom and Aunt Gay used to run home during their lunch period and watch As the World Turns with their mom and grandma. Female bonding at its best. We drove down Main Street and saw the building that once housed my grandpa’s movie theater. My mom told me that, of course, her dates always wanted to take her there. I pictured my Uncle Tony working at the ticket window as a preteen. Finally, we made our way to the First Baptist Church, where my mom fell in love with Jesus. There were cars outside and it was apparent they were having their Sunday evening activities. I took the opportunity to wander through the halls for a minute and grab a bulletin for a souvenir. I saw that they were about to have some sort of fellowship meal and I kind of wanted to crash the party! A sweet lady greeted me warmly and I thought it must be a very dear church. There was a Cracker Barrel not far from there and it did not disappoint. My only regret is that I didn’t buy an Arkansas Razorbacks t-shirt for Jackson in the gift store. My grandparents would have been proud. When we pulled up to our hotel I told Curt that I still can’t believe I’m old enough to take random trips like this without getting permission from my parents! I’ll be 28 this fall.

I did get to talk to my mom for a few minutes this afternoon. She visited Matthew today. For those of you who don’t know his story, Matthew was on his deathbed when she met him and his mother two years ago in a malnutrition clinic. He was starving, malnourished, and dying. By the time he arrived at the clinic, he was too far-gone to be helped. My mom prayed with him and pleaded for his healing. You may have seen footage of it on LIFE Today. God did a HUGE miracle, to the praise of HIS glory, and Matthew was completely restored! My mom said he just turned five years old and was running all over the place today. I know she had a sweet time with his mother, who believed without a doubt that on that day two years ago, God raised Matthew. We serve one awesome God! Be encouraged as you believe Him for your own miracles, sisters!

My little family is heading out for our last summer camp. We have the privilege of serving at the youth camp for Curt’s home church. We’re so excited! On our way, we will drive through Arkansas and stay in my mom’s hometown. I have a list of family landmarks to drive by. I haven’t been there since I was nine years old, so it will be fun.

I am taking some work with me, but I will be shocked if I have even five minutes online in the next week. So for the next week you won’t see your comments posted or even your bulletin board entries. I am so sad to say that I won’t be able to update you on my parents’ trip. I’m not exactly sure if we will even have a cell phone connection at the camp we’re going to.

My mom and I will look forward to catching up with you ladies in a week or so! Thanks for keeping my parents in your prayers. It is VERY comforting to know they are being lifted up. I did have a message from my mom after church saying that they made it to Angola safely. Praise God!

Enjoy your week!
Love,
Amanda

I’m so happy to say that this morning I got a phone call from my mom and they were already at their hotel in Johannesburg. Praise the Lord! She sounded good and other than a little delay in D.C., everything had gone well. It was evening there and I’m sure they were looking forward to going to bed soon.

It’s been a while since I posted a picture of Jackson. Here’s my little Skater Boy at 17 months.

Don’t worry, Dad. I’m taking good care of your guitar and cell phone.

Little man’s best friend.

Hi, sisters!
This is the Africa trip prayer memo that will be emailed to our prayer warriors either this evening or tomorrow morning. Also, I have loved adding so many of your Bible studies to our Bulletin Board! Thanks and keep ’em coming!
Love,
Amanda

Friday morning Keith and Beth will depart for a mission trip to Angola, Africa. They are partnering with LIFE Outreach International (www.LifeToday.org), a ministry that has touched countless lives worldwide through its humanitarian relief programs. This wonderful and effective ministry graciously hosts Beth every Wednesday on its television program, LIFE Today with James and Betty Robison.

Beth and Keith will arrive in South Africa on July 28 and proceed to Angola the next day. In Angola, the team will visit and serve at six “Mission Feeding” sites. LOI currently feeds over 400,000 African children every month through its Mission Feeding program. They will also visit two malnutrition clinics and two villages where they are not currently feeding in order to show the major need for food in those areas. The team will visit four additional sites for the “Water for LIFE” ministry. This ministry uses portable drilling rigs to dig wells that provide clean drinking water to communities. Throughout the week, the team will be taping footage of the feeding and water programs in order to help raise financial support for these ministries. The Moores will return to South Africa on August 2 and begin the trip home on August 5.

We covet your prayers for Beth and Keith and the entire mission team as they serve our Father in Africa.

Please pray…
-For peaceful, on-time flights. Storms have been forecasted for Houston for Friday morning.
-For Beth to be able to write during the plane rides.
-For perfect health during and after the trip.
-For a quick adjustment to the time change.
-For physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.
-For safety.
-For the entire team to be anointed to wash the feet of the people they encounter.
-For Christ to be glorified as physical and spiritual needs are met in His name.
-For lives to be changed.
-For this trip to result in increased financial support for these important humanitarian programs.
-For God to bind the enemy from having any influence over this trip.
-For God’s peace to rest on every family member and co-worker left behind.
-For the camera equipment to work perfectly.

Beth’s number one prayer request is for Jesus to so overwhelm them with love that it would carry them through the many difficult sights and emotions they will face. Beth wants to feel what Jesus feels for these dearly beloved people. She wants love to be the strongest emotion she has. Thank you so very, very much for taking these matters before the throne. God bless you, Dear One!

First of all, thank you for praying, ladies! My grandpa did not end up needing that surgery yesterday. We were all thrilled! He is not out of the woods yet, so please continue to pray for him as the Lord brings him to mind. Also, my mom’s flare up is gone. Praise God! Thanks for going to battle with us over those things.

Second, I want to let you know about the Bible Study Bulletin Board on our web site. We created it several years ago to help women find Bible study groups meeting in their communities. We were getting lots of emails from women who were relocating to new cities and wanted to plug into new groups right away. We also heard from many ladies who were attending churches that didn’t offer Beth Moore studies and wanted to know where they could find one.

If you are the leader of a fall Bible study group and you would welcome members you do not already know, we would love for you to register your group online. If you are not the leader but think this sounds great, please let your leader know about this opportunity to reach out to women who are hungry for the Word.

Please know that once your entry is submitted, I can’t edit it. I can delete it, but I cannot make any changes to it. Also, be sure to read the guidelines before you register or choose a group.

If you have connected with a Bible study group using our bulletin board, we’d love to hear from you on the blog today!

My friend Michelle, whom you may have read about in Get Out of That Pit for a prank she pulled while we were in college, loves to compliment her friends by saying, “You’re a rock star!” So I’m stealing Michelle’s cool saying. In honor of my sister’s 25th birthday, here are 25 reasons why Melissa is a rock star.

1) She has the heart of a lion. Strong and brave.
2) She loves nerds. But she never was one.
3) She calls her Bible the Holy Scrips.
4) She can read out of a Greek New Testament.
5) She still makes our mom roll her hair for special occasions.
6) She makes up extremely bizarre names for the people she loves.
7) She is the funniest person in our family.
8) It’s never as much fun when she’s not around.
9) She’s a wonderful auntie to Jackson.
10) On several occasions, we’ve picked each other up from the airport wearing the same outfit.
11) She squeals when she’s really tickled.
12) She hates words with “p” in them. Pumpernickel, pumpkin loaf, pamphlet, etc.
13) She has THE most beautiful hair in the world.
14) She’s honest.
15) She knows a thing or two about perseverance.
16) When we were little girls, we would soak our feet in hot water together. We never outgrew it.
17) She was and is better than most boys at sports.
18) She’s got an artistic side.
19) Which means she’s great at decorating and putting outfits together.
20) She’s an inch taller than me. But my feet are bigger and I don’t think that’s fair.
21) She loves classic cars.
22) When she was 14, she bought an iguana to impress a guy. Mom eventually had to pay the pet store to take it back.
23) She’s a faithful friend.
24) She’s a very good baker and she also throws great dinner parties.
25) She’d give me a lung or a kidney if I needed it and I’d do the same for her.

I have been camped out at my parents house for the last couple of days. My parents are leaving for Angola, Africa, soon and I wanted to make a visit before they left. We’ve had a wonderful time together. Melissa’s 25th birthday is tomorrow and we’ve been celebrating all week. Right now my parents are busy cooking a Thanksgiving-in-July feast and we are looking forward to sharing that together in about 1 hour and 55 minutes. Not that I’m counting.

I plan on writing a post later with more detailed prayer requests for the Angola trip, but I would love to ask for your prayers now. As many of you know, it takes a lot of energy to get ready for an overseas trip – packing, getting immunizations, getting projects finished, and preparing spiritually. And the enemy is infamous for stirring things up right before an important work takes place. Here are a few things we would love prayer for before the trip.

A) Keith’s dad, John Moore (Pappaw to the grandkids), is in very poor health. He had an extremely serious, risky surgery last week and has been in the hospital ever since. Yesterday he developed a painful complication that could require more surgery if it does not correct itself before Monday. What was already working against him was the fact that his flesh has a hard time healing due to radiation he endured with prostate cancer years ago. He is desperate for prayer and for a work of God. As I was typing this he called my mom and she assured him we were asking our prayer warriors to lift him up. Please pray for complete healing without further surgery, for relief from his pain, and for a better quality of life for him as a result of his surgery last week. Thank you so much in advance!

B) My mom is having a reaction to one of her vaccinations that is causing a health issue she deals with to flare up. Please ask God to extinguish this flare up.

C) Pray for peace over the ministry and over our whole family for the next week as they prepare for this important trip. Pray for the peace to remain as they travel. The travel dates are July 27-August 5.

My parents have partnered with James and Betty Robison of Life Outreach International to help feed hungry and malnourished children in Africa. Because of the generosity of Life Today viewers and the amazing provision of our loving Father, Life Outreach International is currently able to feed over 400,000 children per month. This is what the trip is all about. I will have more details for you later, but for now you can read a little more about it here.

Thank you, sisters, for standing in the gap! You have no idea what it means to all of us! We love you.
Amanda

My Dear Sister,
The God of Glory
Has called you.
You have a ministry.
In Christ, you are enough for that ministry.
Never forget that showing God off is your ministry.
No matter what,
Keep your heart in your ministry.
Unveil your face
And serve others with authenticity.
Always remember
That the power is in God’s Presence.
Let nothing
Come between you
And intimacy with God.
Keep moving forward
From glory to glory.
Let God thin that veil.
Remember, ministry is not about position.
It’s about people.
Let name after name
Be written on your heart.
Do not seek great things for yourself,
Seek a great God.
As you leave this place,
Go in a fresh anointing.
He who turns water into wine
Turns wimps into warriors.
You have a ministry.
Go fulfill it.