My beloved sisters,

I am so blessed to ring in a new year with you and to anticipate God’s goodness and faithfulness in the coming 12 months. Let’s allow 2014 to be more than the next number on a calendar. Let’s deliberately enter into a fresh season and invite Jesus to do something brand new in us and thank Him in advance for what He has planned. His ways are always right. Always fitting. Without having a clue what is ahead in 2014, you can have unshakable confidence that your God will be good to you. He holds you securely in the palm of His hand.

I am deeply thankful for you this day and all you mean to His Kingdom. You are staunch servants. Mighty, mighty women of God.  I am amazed by all you do in His Name and for the beauty and creativity of His holy calling displayed and parceled among you. You sharpen me and keep me running my race at full speed toward the one and only goal worth setting: the finish line where Jesus stands, urging us forward and waiting to welcome us home.

I have a simple truth on my heart this new year but it is washing over my soul like a waterfall.

I want to obey God.

In mid-November of 2012, God dropped a word so convicting on my heart through another teacher’s lesson that my face instantly burned. You’ve had those times, too, when you look around the room sheepishly to see if everyone is glaring at you, hoping you got it so that the congregation can all move on to the next point. This was the word:

Stop sowing over and over in the exact same field.

 I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t ask for it. I was happy where I was. Like many of you, I like things to stay the same. I loved my circle of relationships and the familiar places I got to serve. I’ve never lost a passion for those places and have often wept with thanksgiving to God for the privilege of walking through some of the same doors again and again. I have a history of long relationships and staying put and that’s how I like things. But I knew God was talking to me. It burned like a branding iron.

Every single day for nearly 14 months, that same word has reverberated in my soul and troubled my feet.

I have made some strides and taken some steps. The Living Proof Live event team and I felt the urging of the Holy Spirit almost simultaneously to continue to do what we’ve been doing – calling people to worship and the Word – but to become very proactive about reaching the lost and the less-discipled. You will hear us become vocal about this initiative in the coming months leading up to our new LPL calendar year that launches in April. We are passionate to still serve women who know Christ well but we’re also hoping they will join us shoulder-to-shoulder in the accelerated outreach effort that God is blazing in our souls. We are praying earnestly that women will come bringing the lost and the searching and the broken and the untaught. A dying world surrounds us. One that Jesus loves. One that He died and rose again to redeem.

The process of change is not simple. It takes forethought and prayerful preparation. We are, for instance, deliberating on ways to make tickets available because we know that lost people aren’t prone to buy tickets to Christian events. We’re trusting God to show us what to do and how to do it. The free ebooks that we’re putting out for the first 10 days of January are part of this initiative. We’re very aware that, when it comes to reaching the unreached, free is key.

So strides have been made but they are only first steps.

I shared with you the date in 2012 that this word came to me so that, if you needed it, you’d have some assurance that I’m not knee jerking or reacting impulsively. I have had all these months to pray and study and listen to Jesus and ponder His leadership.

Fast forward 12 months exactly to the most recent November. A year after hearing from God so clearly about sowing further than the field that I’d loved and served in for so long, I had a very disturbing dream. I can count the significant dreams I’ve had through the decades on one hand so I’m not prone to look for messages in my sleep to keep from having to actually pray and read the Bible. That God can speak through dreams is clear in our own Bibles, of course, but for many of us it is unusual. I don’t feel the release right now to describe the dream though I may someday. What I do feel is a strong compelling to share with you what I knew beyond a doubt it meant. I believe that I can either be obedient to God in the faith walk He is setting before me or He will take my voice. I do not feel that it was a rebuke. I felt that it was a warning.

I was saved in childhood but I was 18 years old the first time I ever had a vivid encounter with God and it accompanied my calling. Christ has been so merciful to remain with me through harrowing ups and downs, fears and failings, and flaws and frailties. Good grief, what grace He has poured on my life. What forgiveness flows from His wounds on the cross. I’ve been so foolish at times and learned many things the hard way but I am not new to the believing walk. I don’t look to the air for my words from God. I look to the Scriptures. It is my daily bread. I want revelation any way Jesus wants to give it but I’ve been around long enough to know that, if it is unrecognizable in His Word, it is not of Him.

38 years have come and gone since that day I received my calling.

And I have rarely – if ever – received clearer orders from God.

I share this with you because I love and esteem you so much and want you to know that I haven’t lost my footing or had a dramatic change in my theology as I tread into a wider perimeter than I’ve served before. I say this to you before I have a single invitation on the docket that is out of the ordinary. I’m not manipulating you in advance of announcing some big plan to you. No such plan exists. No such invitations have yet come that I know of. But when they do, I will take them prayerfully before God and if He says go, Sister, I’m going to go. I must.

For lack of a better way to say it, I am not picking up and moving across the fence. I think this is more about dismantling a fence anyway. I’m not leaving Living Proof Ministries. I’m not departing from our mission statement of many years: to encourage people toward knowing and loving the Lord Jesus Christ through the study of His Word. I’m by no means leaving my beloved church, Bayou City Fellowship. I’m not saying goodbye to the blog or this community. On the contrary, we have an active year before us and summer Bible study right around the corner. I hope to enjoy many more years of fruitful friendship and partnership with LifeWay through in-depth Bible studies and Living Proof Live events. They have been so gracious and willing to exceed denominational boundaries. I praise God for them.

We must all be willing to exceed denominational boundaries. Revival is at stake. Nearsightedness will trip us and disunity will slay us in the perilous days to come. We can prioritize our denominations over the Scriptures if we want to but we will shrivel up and die on the vine if we do.

We who are called to teach must teach the Scriptures even if – and especially when – they differ from our long-held stance. That we will answer for.

These are days for bravery.

To avail ourselves to the Holy Spirit and a fresh work of Christ in our midst, our healthy fear of God must far exceed our fear of man. I say this with tremendous love. Those who refuse to rock the boat when Jesus is tossing the waves in their faces will never know the thrill of the water beneath their feet.

For without faith it is impossible to please Him. Hebrews 11:6

Change is on the horizon and certainly not only where I live and serve. The winds of the Holy Spirit are picking up. We can dig our feet in the ground and demand to stay right where we are. We can toil to maintain things just as they have been for years. And we can be left out of a coming awakening that could one day be recorded in the annals of Christian history.

We can throw our boundaries up at God, keep stacking our divisive bricks, and insist that He obey us.

Or we can obey Him.

God help me, that’s what I want to do. I am too old anymore to let the bullies boss me. And I am too young to quit.

Out of the stunning grace of God, I have had the joy of serving among some of the most well-discipled women in the Bible belt. Many of them take notes each week as their pastors preach. They listen to podcasts in their cars on the way to work. They serve their local congregations, feed the poor, and minister to the sick. Many of them have done every Bible study on the market by every teacher available. They keep their faces in the Scriptures. They memorize and evangelize and sacrifice. They are warriors. I’m not worthy of them but I so dearly love them. I have no words to convey how honored I am to have served among them and I deeply hope to serve among them still. But to serve them only – or even primarily – lacks stewardship. God is telling me to get my ear pressed to the ground for opportunities to serve in environments where women are less commonly studying the Bible in-depth. Some of those places may look very different from those I’ve visited before. I make this promise. I will hold tight to the Word and seek with everything in me to teach it soundly. I will hold onto Jesus as the love of my life. I will pray hard and you’ll never waste a prayer on me.

The days are short. The times, urgent. For all of us.

Need is a part of what steers a call.

I have no idea what the future holds. I have no idea where God will send me or if those places will seem different to many of you. But this I do know: if I do not tell Him wholeheartedly that I am willing to go anywhere He leads and serve anyone He says, He is going to do His good pleasure anyway. And without me.

I have to go with Jesus on this or my soul will collect an inch of dust on the lifeless, wooden altar of safety and sameness.

Thank you for your patience. You have been so gracious to bear with me through this lengthy letter. When all is said and done, I pray with my whole heart that this post will turn out to have been more than just about me. That’s so nauseating. I could have done that at home by myself and saved you the time. But maybe God wants to say something similar to someone else.  Maybe it’s time for your next step, too, even if you have no idea where your foot is going to land.

Maybe you’ve been raised to keep your faith to yourself…and it’s time to start sharing it.

Maybe you’ve studied and studied for years…and it’s time for you to get up and teach.

Maybe you’ve been mentored so well that you know it all by heart…and it’s time for you to mentor others.

Maybe you’ve been the focal point of much compassionate ministry and you thank God for it…but it’s time now to pay it forward and minister to others.

Maybe you’ve been breaking free for 10 years…and it’s time for you to live free and show somebody how it’s done.

Maybe all our risk-free living is not really living.

And maybe I’ve missed it. But I am about to take that chance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

Towards the very beginning of this year Beth mentioned doing something one day that she’d had the desire to do, give away her books for free.

Well, today on December 31st, the last day of 2013, that dream is coming true!

B&H Publishing Group  made available a selection of her books until January 10th, 2014 for free on any e-reader! No money to you whatsoever! The only requirement is that you indeed, own an e-reader of some sort, whether it be a nook, kindle or an iBook. (However, if you don’t have an e-reader, you can also download the Kindle app on your smartphone.)

B&H posted a blog with all of the details so to keep from being reduntant, but to help spread the word, I am linking to it here!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS!!! (The best way to find the books is to search “Beth Moore” in your e-reader and her books will pop up.)

This is a screenshot of what it would look like on Amazon. (You might need to click on the picture to enlarge it, but you should see $0.00 next to the “Kindle Edition”.)

As we begin a new year tomorrow, I can’t imagine a better time for you to grab a book and let God do a fresh work in you.

For fun and to help spread the word since she was so ecstatic, Beth sent out a few tweets! In case you’re not on twitter, I thought I’d screen shot them and share them with with you so you can join in on her excitement.

We love y’all and wish each of you a Happy New Year! Enjoy your new books!

 

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

GRACE from LPV on Vimeo.

My beloved sisters, my dear and very gifted friend Stephen Proctor took the grace writing I did for the simulcast and set it to music by Tony Anderson with images that animate it with fresh life. I pray that somebody who needs grace for Christmas more than any gift that could be wrapped in paper and tied with a bow will stand under this spout and be drenched in Jesus. That first Christmas morning, grace deeper than the floor of the oceans and higher than the heavens came wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. John 1:14,16 NKJV

You are so loved here at Living Proof. Merry, merry Christmas, my dear loved ones.

| Share with Others:

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

*Fair Warning: This is THE longest post of all time, but I promise you it’s worth it. Read it in segments if that helps!

Every year around the holidays I get the pleasure of listening to my coworkers discuss their signature recipes for their own family gatherings. I’m continually put to shame because, let’s be real, yours truly doesn’t cook.

(Actually, it’s not that I don’t like cooking, it’s just that I haven’t had many occasion to cook for. Cooking for one is pretty lame and as a single girl, I’m fairly content with a bowl of cereal each night. Don’t be fooled though, when my time comes, I will have no problem asking for the cooking anointing.)

About a week ago Beth came up with this brilliant idea to collect recipes from our co-workers to share with you, our beloved Siestas. While you won’t see one from me (Lindsee) on here, you will get a taste (pun intended) of some of our favorite holiday recipes. Eleven of our fourteen coworkers, including Beth, submitted their favorite family recipes and we are so delighted to share them all with you. (I’m also going to attempt to briefly explain to you what each of them do at LPM, which you may or may not find interesting, because sometimes it’s fun to picture who is serving you.) They are not necessarily all “Christmas Day” recipes, but more so holiday recipes, some you can use all year long, some are fun for New Years Eve, and a few are meant to be eaten on Christmas morning.

They also range from side dishes, to appetizers, to drinks and desserts! What’s not to love? To make it a bit more reader friendly and easy on the eyes, I’ve written out each recipe on a virtual recipe card and if you click on it, you can print out the card itself instead of having to always refer to this blog post. However, now that we all live in the land of smart phones, it is just as easy to bookmark this page in your websites for quick and easy access.

(But seriously, is the card not adorable? I printed them each at a fun website called Skip To My Lou. You should check it out. Adorable.)

The ONLY recipe you won’t find in a card is our Siesta Mama’s. Naturally, she wanted to bless you all with her dressing recipe and unfortunately, it won’t fit on the card. But that’s okay because she even has a visual for you all. If you want to print hers out (at the bottom), simply copy and paste her portion into a word document and you’re good to go!

You’ll see that some recipes have two cards because it requires the main dish and an icing or topping.

Here is a list of categories and titles of our favorite dishes:

Appetizers:
Blue Cheese Balls or Spread

Side Dishes:
Cornbread Muffins
Sweet potato Soufflé (Two recipe cards)
(Roughly) My Nanny’s Cornbread Dressing (This is the only recipe out of order and you’ll see it at the end of this post.)

Main Course:
Christmas Brunch Casserole

Dessert:
Chocolate Drops
Flaky Peanut Butter Brittle
Missy B’s Canadian Sugar Cookies (Two recipe cards)
Best Friend Cookies

Drinks:
Egg Nog

Snacks:
Christmas Mix

Susan is our resident chef at LPM. But aside from being our resident chef, she works in our correspondence department doing general email correspondence. Also, Susan is our resident counselor. Everyone here wants a piece of her wisdom. Grin.

Our beloved Diane heads up our resource department. If you’ve had an issue with a Bible study order, a scratched DVD or just had a general question about a product, you may very likely have spoken to her on the phone. She also loves animals more than anyone I know. We love her!

Sabrina directs what we refer to as Living Proof Ministries. She runs our ministry with godly business sense she gained from her time in the corporate world and keeps things in order. Truthfully, I couldn’t tell you everything she does because I simply do not know, but I know she works hard! We’re grateful for her leadership in so many areas.

Sherry has one of the sweetest hearts and gentle souls you’ll ever meet and we only get to see her two days a week since she’s a busy young mama of two boys. You’re going to laugh when I tell you I THINK she works and helps out in our resource/accounting department. (But I’m going to double check on that. I’d hate to lead you astray.)

If you’ve ever written and sent a letter to our dear Beth at LPM, you’ve most likely heard from the encouraging Nancy Mattingly. She works in our snail mail correspondence department. To know Nancy is to love her. I bet you’d agree if you’ve ever received a letter from her! Not to mention she gives the world’s best back scratches and massages. It’s truly a ministry.

I’m lucky because I get to share an office with Jennifer Hamm twice a week. I’m far from being a mama, but when I grow up I want to parent just like her and Sherry. They bless me so! Jennifer heads up all of our events, not the least of which is Tuesday Night Bible study. No small feat. And she rocks it. She is also the woman behind all things SSMT Celebration, which might bless you!

Oh, KMac. We have two Kimberly’s on staff, which is how this Kimberly adopted the name KMac. KMac is Beth’s personal assistant and the best of the best. One of the most efficient and humble people I’ve ever had the chance to meet. Plus, her laugh is loud and contagious. (And not the obnoxious loud, but the good loud.)

You may have heard a few Johnnie stories in the past because she and Beth raised their children together. Also, she is hilarious! Johnnie also works in our correspondence department, but more specifically, she answers your questions about certain books or Bible studies and she also would be the one to send you replies or the commissioning from the LPL conferences. For this recipe card, instead of listing the ingredients in one section and the process in another section, it is listed out by steps (Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3), so your best bet is to follow the steps. I hope it’s not too confusing!

You see Evangeline, but we refer to her as Vangie, or, our resident diva. And we’ve never loved anybody more than we’ve love Vangie. Not to mention she can pray the house down, and I mean it when I say it. She is a gift and a warrior! Vangie works in our resource department heading up our volunteers and packaging. So if you’ve ever received a product from LPM wrapped in pink tissue paper, you have Vangie to thank!

Kimberly Meyer is everyone’s best friend. You may be grinning, but I’m not kidding. She could talk to a tree (and I mean that in the most endearing way possible), which is why she is our LPM admin and properties manager. Kimberly answers our phones and speaks to every single person that calls…all day long. She is also our prayer chaplain. My favorite thing about Kimberly is that after talking with a lady for a solid 20 minutes and praying over them, she’ll explain to them that we really can’t give counseling here at LPM but she’s so happy to give them a number of another ministry that they could call for further assistance. Oh, and if LPM needed a cheerleader, she’s our girl. Most likely, if you’ve ever called LPM, you’ve heard sweet Kimberly’s voice. We’re grateful for her joyful spirit! It’s contagious.

And lastly but certainly not least, a recipe and a note from Beth herself, which is far better than any introduction I could give you. But just in case you’re unaware, Beth is our resident Bible study teacher, fearless leader, brilliant author and amazing boss. Needless to say, we love her so, so much.

(Roughly) My Nanny’s Cornbread Dressing

I say roughly, Sisters, because none of the women in my family have ever wanted anyone else in the kitchen. My sisters and I were not taught to cook at our mother or grandmother’s knee like some of you were. We were told to play outside or someone was “gonna to cut a switch.” I write these words with delight, not spite. If I’d had five children under one roof, I would have threatened the same thing. My brothers and sisters and I have each figured out our cornbread dressing recipes based on taste. Below is the closest I’ve come in my kitchen to my mother, Aletha’s, and grandmother, Minnie Ola’s, recipes. The only reason I’m braving this recipe is because young cooks ask constantly for dressing recipes and hardly anyone coughs one up because no one has it written down. So, please, at least give me an “B+” for effort here because your blog mama loves you and she’s willing to give it a happy shot. I don’t stuff my turkey with this. I bake it separately but you can certainly use this for stuffing. Just Google the variance in preparation. This recipe will make far more than you can stuff into a turkey. If you have a smaller family, half it and you’ll have plenty.

Ingredients:
4 pieces of bacon, fried crispy for the bacon grease alone. Eat the bacon while no one is looking and save the fat for this recipe.

Two batches of baked cornbread

4 baked biscuits. I do not know why. Because my grandmother used them and so did my mom. That’s why. The cheap Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits in the can work great. That’s what I use every time.

3 pieces of plain white toast

1 cup of butter

2 chopped onions

½ cup or so of chopped celery (To your taste. I use a bit more because I like celery.)

Salt, pepper, and sage to taste

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 eggs

Instructions:
*Fry bacon in an iron skillet if you have one and remove the bacon. If you fry them in a regular pan, just pour the drippings into your baking dish.

*Mix up a double batch of cornbread according to the recipe on the back of any bag of cornmeal. (I always substitute the vegetable oil in a cornbread recipe for an equal amount of Crisco shortening because the shortening makes it so much lighter and fluffier.) We want it light and fluffy!!

*Pour the batter into a nice, hot skillet with the bacon grease in it and bake until it is done all the way in the middle. (I’m feeling compulsive like I need to say stuff like, “Don’t let your grease catch on fire!” But I am going to assume many of you have some basic kitchen experience.) You’ll know it’s done when a sharp knife should come out clean from the center. (Don’t cut yourself on the knife. Stop it, Beth.)

*Bake about 4 biscuits according to directions. The cheap Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits in the can are perfect. (I do not know why. Because my Nanny did and my mother did, that’s why.) It’s awkward to just bake 4 so go ahead and bake the whole can and eat what’s left with your bacon.

*Toast about 3 pieces of white bread.

(A friend of mine uses the equivalent of crumbled white French bread instead of biscuits and toast. It’s the same general idea: cornbread dressing usually includes some regular bread.)

*Crumble up the cooled cornbread, baked biscuits, and toast together.

Note: I do all the above on the evening before if I’m doing a noon meal or too many dishes are competing for oven space.

If you are roasting a turkey (which is optimum for great dressing), reserve a cup of the drippings for the dressing and the rest, of course, for your gravy. (Make sure the turkey is completely done before you remove drippings.) I put my drippings in a gravy separator cup like this so that the drippings will separate from the fat.

If you can’t find a measuring cup with a low spout like this, put a regular measuring cup of drippings in the refrigerator and the top layer of fat will congeal as it gets cold. You can then spoon it or scrape it off. Keep all turkey drippings in the refrigerator if you are not using them right away.

*Saute 2 chopped onions and a ½ cup (or more, to taste) chopped celery in a cup of butter. (This is not the recipe for heart health. You can eat the rest of your celery for the rest of the week if you have to.) Pour the mixture into a very large bowl with all the crumbled breads in it.

This is where you start doing it by feel and taste:
*Add salt and pepper and sage. Remember that the sage is the primary flavor that makes cornbread dressing distinct but it can certainly be overdone. Start with a tablespoon, taste the mixture and add from there to suit your taste. Add 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Add 4 cups of canned chicken broth and the cup of reserved turkey drippings. If needed, keep adding more chicken broth little by little until the mixture is just a bit wetter than you like your dressing. It will dry out some as it bakes but, if you get it too soupy, the dressing will turn out too wet. You want the consistency to be fairly dense without being dry.

*After the above mixture suits your taste, stir in 2 beaten raw eggs. (Don’t taste it after the raw eggs are added unless you are really brave.)

*Put in a large greased baking dish and bake for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. After an hour, I start touching the top of mine with my fingertips and when it’s pretty solid, I consider it done. Don’t let it get too brown on top or it will be too brickish.

I like to put a tablespoonful of baked dressing into my gravy as I make it but that’s just me. I’m not a giblet person so I give the gravy a little added texture with this little addition.

Serve with lots of cranberry sauce and, if it’s good, talk about it a lot during the meal because you earned the affirmation even if you have to give it to yourself.

Good grief, I love y’all.

And with that, we’ll call it a post and hit publish.

Be filled and be blessed!

P.S. I meant to say earlier, but by all means, if there is a recipe you’re dying to share, feel free to do so in the comments!

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

* P.S. I have some fun news! If you’re wondering why the LPM blog looks a little different, it’s because we got a makeover and it went live today! Don’t you love it? We sure do! Sometimes we all just need a little makeover to change our attitude, agreed? I feel like the blog did just that today! Woohoo! Thank you so much to our friends at AdWhite for all your help and expertise! We’re so grateful!

 

Good Monday morning to you, ladies! I don’t know about you, but I had a whirlwind of a weekend. When my alarm went off this morning the only coherent thought I had was, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…get out of bed. Not only did my eyes struggle to see the morning hour, but I was so warm that the thought of peeking my toes outside of my covers with the chill in the air made me want to cry. But I did it! I had no choice; becauase after all, being an adult requires responsibility and well, work. And I hope to keep my job. Grin.

Anyway, I made it here and happy and now I’m even happier to announce our Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Winners!

I’ve never desired to leave you guys in such suspense, but part of my weekend excitement was that my little brother graduated from Texas A&M (Gig ‘Em!) and by the time I got home late Friday night, I had no brain power left to even look at my computer. (In fact, I felt slightly inadequate to keep writing anything after reading through the dissertation titles of the PHD students graduating. Whoa. I’m still thinking about how smart some people are and how I’ll never understand certain sentences or words.) Mind you, that was all AFTER our LPM Christmas party on Thursday that sucks every ounce of energy out of every staff member. So, here we are! Hey, the longer the wait the sweeter the gift, right?

Without further ado here are our lucky 12 (and random) winners thanks to random.org…

Stocking Winners

1) Michele
2) Melissa Holgate
3) Barbara Mackey-Zeigler
4) Sharon
5) Kim Morgan
6) Carol Comey
7) Sarah Tolson
8) Beverly Toney
9) Ginger Golembiewski
10) Courtney Beth Burnside

Cookbook Winners

1) Christiana Billingsly
2) Tiffany Fling
3) Toni Rahm

Congrats, ladies! You should be receiving an email from me (Lindsee) ASAP so I can retrieve your mailing address!

And just for fun, I’ll leave you with this one special picture from our Volunteer Brunch on Thursday morning. Needless to say, we had a few laughs. (For the record, sometimes you let a picture speak for itself, which is exactly what I’m going to to do here.)

Oh, and here is Sabrina and Beth, they happened to be matchy-matchy at our Christmas party and it was cute! We attempted a staff picture, but as Melissa put it so kindly, it will die with us.

We love y’all so much! Be expecting some super fun things on the blog this week. Hopefully as soon as tomorrow (Tuesday), but for sure Wednesday!

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

 

 

 

 

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU I COULD DO TEN CARTWHEELS!!!!!

 

LET YOURSELF FEEL THE HOLY NOD OF GOD THIS WONDERFUL DAY, MY BELOVED SISTER.

YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT HE ESTEEMS AS TREASURE BEYOND PRICE.

HE HAS LISTENED INTENTLY EVERY TIME YOU’VE SAID A VERSE OUT LOUD AND RECOGNIZED THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE WITH DEEP AFFECTION.

HE HAS BEHELD YOUR RADIANT FACE, DAUGHTER OF GOD, AND FOUND YOU SO LOVELY.

LET YOURSELF HEAR HIS COMMENDATION THIS DAY.

LET HIM SAY “WELL DONE” TO YOU.

 

Oh, Jesus was so worthy of all this work, wasn’t He, Sister???

 

You have been a stellar group and you’ve kept to the exact instructions with every single entry, limiting them to the verse alone. This time when you leave your verse, you get to leave a comment with it. Testify! Boast in the Lord! Tell us a specific way God used this year of Scripture memory in your priceless life.

THEN, click this!

Hallelujah Chorus

 

Beth, Houston. Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2b-3 ESV

I love you so much I could cry. Thank you for the privilege to serve you. 

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

*Ladies! You make Christmas stockings all the more enjoyable! We have now closed comments and will post our 13 winners as soon as possible. (P.S. I’m out of the office today so this time you might have to be a bit more patient. Grin.) We love y’all. Happy Friday!

About 30 minutes ago I returned to my office laughing to myself after a birthday lunch for one of my co-workers. Lunches are a big deal around LPM in general, but throw a birthday lunch in there and you’ll never want to work anywhere ever again. Besides the food, the main event at any gathering is the words. Oh my, y’all, the words. We can easily toss around 20,000 words between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM on any given day. It is both fun and overwhelming at times. Me, the sanguine, is actually fairly quiet, believe it or not.

I’m tickled though because, I don’t know if you’ve ever worked with 14 women, but we like to play copycat. For instance, one of us could fall in love with a certain moisturizer overnight and by the next week, we’re all using the same moisturizer and the same eyeliner. I guess you might say we trust each other’s opinions. Today was one of those days; except we talked extensively about television series we all need to watch. Riveting, you guys.

I’m sharing all of this with you because of what we’ve planned for today! It happens to fall along the lines of things we love and never shut up about.

Because today, we’re giving away our staff favorite things! The things we go on and on about and claim it’s the best things we ever discovered! We get a little partial and enthusiastic about our worldly goods every now and then. (Well, maybe a lot.)

(If you’ve ever seen an episode of Oprah’s Favorite Things back in the day, imagine that and then scale it down by 100. Unfortunately, we won’t be giving away any cars today, but who would turn down a few stocking stuffers?)

Admit it, we all love giveaways around here, but there’s something about giving away objects you love. Hence why sometimes we give away food or books. So, I surveyed the staff here at LPM and told them all to send me a favorite thing, something they either use or think about on a daily basis. After I collected the emails and studied them, I took myself shopping, and with much glee, I might add to purchase every item for you, our dear Siestas.

Today, TEN of you will win a stocking stuffed full of LPM’s very favorite things! Y’all, I’ll unashamedly admit that I want this stocking for myself. It is just so fun!

The beauty of this post is that it will double as an idea post for stocking stuffers you may be looking for yourself.

Without further ado, (in my best sing song voice) these are a few of our favorite things…

1. Bath and Body Works Fresh Balsam Fragrance Bulbs (plug in) from Diane
The best part about a plug-in is that once you’ve exhausted a certain smell, you can buy a new one, and they’re a lot cheaper than buying a new candle each time.

2. L’oreal Voluminous Mascara from KMac
Yes, we are serious about mascara around here. Well, most of us anyway. I’m looking forward to trying this myself.

3. Tazo Green Tea (with Lemongrass and Spearmint) from Kimberly
Have no fear, we are mainly coffee guzzlers around here, but some delicious hot tea is good for the soul.

4. Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in Peony from Jennifer
If you’re looking for a chap stick with a little hint of color, this is your best friend.

5. Trader Joe’s Nourish All in One Facial Cleanser from Linda
If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, beg the Lord to show favor on your city to build one. It’s a treasure, to say the least. But, do not be anxious if you’re not near one, you can find a ton of stuff online. Thank you, Internet.

6. Trader Joes Kitchen Soap from Sabrina
Shall I repeat myself? Pray yourself a Trader Joe’s near you.

7. Daily Light Devotional by Anne Grahm Lotz from Nancy
I’ve yet to use this devotional, but all of my coworkers sing its praises. I’ll be purchasing my own asap. As our beloved teacher tells us all the time, it’s good to study under other authors and teachers. Be wise, but be free!

8. See’s Chocolate Covered Almond Clusters from Evangeline
Who would say no to See’s candy? I can’t help you if you do. Grin.

9. Philosophy Hands of Hope Hand and Cuticle Cream from Sherry
Philosophy has an entire line-up of wonderfully named products, from skin care to bubble bath. Purity, Amazing Grace, Miracle Worker. It’s all very fancy and nice, but is so worth every penny, if you’re into that kind of thing.

10. Essie Nail Polish from Lindsee
I think I may be repeating myself here, but for a girl who loves to paint her fingers and toes, I favor Essie polish. My current favorite winter color is, Ladylike. The name alone sold me.

11. Boot Socks from Beth
Just today Beth wore the cutest pair of boot socks you’ve ever seen. If I’d of had half a mind, I would have taken a picture for you. But for you who wear boots, this is the trend right now. Plus, they keep your legs and feet warm. Score!

And for a bonus, THREE grand prize winners will receive one:

12. Barefoot Contessa Cookbook from Susan
For a New York Time’s best seller, I have no doubt you might fall in love with your kitchen all over again.

Ladies, the fun is all yours now! Just make sure when you comment to leave your first and last name, as that will help us out when we announce the winners. Also in your comment, consider sharing your favorite thing with us. The more the merrier! We’ll leave the post up for at least 24 hours and post the winners this weekend. Okay, y’all, fire away!

Just a brief look at the winnings. (They’re not the prettiest giveaway pictures we’ve posted, but you get the idea. I had to spend more time shopping than photographing!)

| Share with Others:

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others:

Hey Sisters! Grab a Bible before tuning in if you have one close by!

A 12th Month That Redeems a Year from LPV on Vimeo.

Leave a comment here. | Share with Others: