Well friends, there is much to share this time, but I’ll try to be brief. I was blessed to pieces to be able to travel to Houston on January 20 for Beth Moore’s Siesta Scripture Memory Celebration. I met Siestas (Beth’s code name for sisters from her blog community) from all over the country who spent 2011 committing God’s word to their hearts. I can’t even begin to describe how it felt to be in a room full of 1,000 plus women who were brimming with the Holy Spirit, gained at least in part through the discipline of scripture memory. If you ever had any doubts about whether memorizing scripture was for you, please read some of their testimonies here, on Beth’s blog.
If that doesn’t convince you, perhaps Ann Voskamp will. She wrote a blog this week about her scripture memory goal this year. You can read what she has to say by clicking here.
And last but not least, for now, what about John Piper’s two cents? He makes a convincing case here for the importance of memorizing scripture.
I will tell you that many years ago I made a new year’s resolution to read my Bible daily. After a few years of making that a resolution, I realized it wasn’t really a resolution anymore, it was a habit, it had become a discipline. Same thing with daily prayer, there was a time when that needed to be a resolution for me. Now it’s a habit, a discipline. I am not trying to toot my own horn here, I’m just saying that after a while of doing something that is really good for you, that has a good impact, and that bears fruit, that thing can become a habit rather than a chore or item to put on a list. And your affection for it can grow. Memorizing scripture has become that way for me. I can’t even imagine not memorizing the Word. It has blessed me to my core and borne fruit in such a way that I almost crave it. I can’t urge you strongly enough to put aside any thoughts that you can’t, and just do it. You can! And you won’t regret it!
My verses for February 1, 2011 were I Thessalonians 5:16-18:
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
These verses came to me through my daughter. By this time last year, the kids were well aware that I was memorizing verses. I had insisted that we all repeat I Corinthians 13:4-8, substituting our own names for “love” until they all had it memorized themselves. Emma’s Sunday school lesson had been on these verses from Thessalonians, and she thought they would make good memory verses for me. She was right!
A few days later, I was reading Francis Chan’s book about the Holy Spirit, “Forgotten God,” and he mentioned I Thessalonians 5:19,
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Well, I don’t believe in coincidence, so I felt that the Lord was prompting me to add another verse to my short passage, and I tacked this on. I have seen these verses pop up everywhere this year. At the SSMTC, all 3 of the women in my group who recited our verses to each other had chosen this passage (although I was called an overachiever for tacking on v. 19). And if I recall correctly, verse 18 pretty much sums up Ann Voskamp’s life-altering book, “1000 Gifts.” If you are thinking of memorizing scripture but aren’t sure where to start, this passage is a great place! You can even break the verses up and do them one at a time.
This year I am memorizing Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6 & 7. I have only just begun, but I can’t express how these words are affecting me. My prayer is that they will truly affect how I live and love those around me. My verses for this time are Matt 5: 8-12:
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I’d love for you to join me in learning more about this world-changing sermon here.
Now it’s your turn! Please post your verses in the comments below, and if you memorized last year, please share your last year’s verses and any ways that you were impacted by memorizing scripture. Also, if you have any helpful tips for others who are taking on the challenge this year, I’m sure that would be much appreciated! Additionally, Beth’s ministry hosts a celebration every other year, so I hope that all of you will consider traveling to Houston in January 2014 for a time of unbelievable blessing, Lord willing! Meanwhile, perhaps we can come up with our own way to celebrate this year’s memory efforts together in January 2013. I’m open to suggestions!
Thank you for coming, and the Lord bless you and keep you, dear ones!
Christy
Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts 
Preach it Siesta!
Ditto for this year Matt 5: 8-12:
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Unless you decide to overachieve again and do Matt 5,6,7 and 8 🙂
Last year my verse for this period was Rev 2:7 “To she who overcomes I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
I got this from Made to Crave. The idea of overcoming cravings for food and turning to God instead was really speaking to me. I gave up sugar (well obvious sugars, like sweets and candy, I don’t get crazy about it if it is food like breads, even though I limit my amount of bread) in Sept of 2010. This allowed me to see that saying no and turning elsewhere was completely possible, which is why I got so much out of M2C. If I was still eating sugar I don’t think it would have spoke to me as much. BUT – I don’t have this all together, I need to work harder at turning to God instead of food; now without a sugar monkey I have a salt monkey on my back — I cannot be left alone with a bag of chips.
So I try to say this verse when I’m wandering in the kitchen looking for something to snack on – sometimes I’m successful, sometimes I’m not. Thank God for Grace.
But I do want to echo the value of memorizing scripture. It honestly has changed my focus. I’m so excited about the SOTM, even though I came into kicking and screaming, I know this is a God thing for me.
Whew! Long day girls, sorry I’ve been so long to reply! I am beyond delighted to have you here, Peggy. On Jan 15 we were online acquaintances, now we are forever Siestas and friends! Going to have to get me a copy of M2C for sure! Love you!
Just caught your overachiever funny — you crack me up, lady! I am definitely adding Made to Crave to my list of must-reads this year. The first on my list is C.S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity,” but not til after I finish “Christy,” published in 1967. What are you reading now or next?
Right now I’m working on The Final Summit by Andy Andrews. I don’t know if you have read any of his books — again until One Thousand Gifts, which has ruined me forever, his book The Noticer was my favorite book. By God’s plan I started reading it the day before my Mom died and it was a book that deals with perspective, it helped me greatly.
The Final Summit is a follow on to The Travelers Gift which was very good too. (lessons to live by) He is a great writer – he takes his past history (Noticer) and historical events and adds fiction to them. You are never really sure what is truth and what is ficton but they are all full of very good messages and you learn a little along the way. The Heart Mender was really good too (forgiveness was the theme). I highly recommed them all but The Noticer will always have a special place in my heart.
peggy i loved made to crave. i read it this summer. it made me think about the power of food,and the power of Jesus!
Cara, I’m with you. Apart from One Thousand Gifts, which is in a class by itself and probably the best book I have ever read in my life, M2C was my favorite book last year.
i am memorizing the sermon on the mount and i have verses every week but then we are posting here 2 x a month and it just confuses me so can i just say ibid from now on? thanks for the grace.
my verse for feb. 1st last year was John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (from the NASB). abide was my word last year. i often imagined myself clinging to a vine – arms and legs wrapped around tight and the vine just winding it’s way around me – like that advertisement in the movie theater where the girl is in her seat and vines start climbing all around her? and i tried to remember that it is not my clinging alone that produces fruit – it is HIM IN ME.
I agree with you trying to figure out where I am twice a month is hard when we are doing it weekly, so I’ll just cut and paste what our girl Christy writes. 🙂
Yes, I’m such a rebel. 🙂
Love your image of the vine!!! Amen to having HIM in us!!!
Sorry about the confusion on the Sermon on the Mount — trying to stick to the twice a month and guessing where you’ll end up. No worried about your verses!!!
God bless you Christy! My verse for 2/1/11 was Hebrew 12:1
“…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
There are so many things that trip me up: the want of material things, ego, thoughts that aren’t held, “captive to Christ”. So many things can trip us up and lead us to a place we had no intention of going. The enemy is always ready and willing to load us down with a backpack full of regrets, desires, etc. I like the picture of running the good race (or maybe – the good relay) and as I am running, I am taking off my backpack of junk and passing it on to Christ, who is ahead of me, but I don’t stop there. I continue to run free from what slows me down and trips me up. The only problem is that the next thing I know, I’m wearing that stupid backpack again! So I just have to keep passing it on – usually multiple times on any given day. Oh, well – endurance, right?
My verse for this 3rd session – Feb. 1, 2012 is 1 Cor. 6 :19:
“Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for ? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.”
Yep time to cut back on the trips to the micro brewery and Burger King. Time to spend time on the Wii Fit board! Time to stop, “squandering what God paid such a high price for”. I have the book, Born to Crave – maybe it’s time I read it! Last year I became more spiritually fit by memorizing scripture and it made an impact on all aspects of my life. This year I will add becoming more physically fit. Pray for me, PLEASE!!!
Love ya, Linda
Hebrews 12:1-2 is our family verse! I love it because it is very clear, don’t get tangled up and keep running!
God bless you Linda, your verses for last year and this year have ministered to me this morning. Timely Word
You girls are all about the imagery! Love the backpack analogy, Linda! I’m going to get the Lysa Terkeurst book Cara and Peggy have been talking about, Made to Crave. Want to read it with me? I’ve been neglecting the physical fitness as well. I will be praying for all of you dear sisters. So so so glad to have you here! Love you lady!
I have to, have to, have to finish “1000 Gifts” first, and then I will start “Made to Crave”. I probably won’t start MtC for a couple of weeks – if you don’t mind waiting? Let me know.
Love ya too,
Linda
Hey, that sounds perfect! I have a book I’d like to finish first too, “Christy” by Catherine Marshall, anyone else read that? Would you like to say we start on Feb 15? I was thinking of starting a sugar fast (or some kind of fast) on that date. If you don’t want to tie into a date that is no problemo! Just let me know. I’ve got to get a copy!!!
Anyone else want to join Linda and me in reading “Made to Crave” by Lysa Terkerust?
And Linda, can’t wait to hear your thoughts on 1000 Gifts!
I was just given a copy of One Thousand Gifts, and hope to read it soon! i will pick up Made to Crave when I go to town again. Thanks for the support here!
I’ll read M2C with you when you do it. I decided I needed to read it again so I’d like to do it in community.
I would like to read Made to Crave with you all. I heard an interview on the radio with the author. Let me know when you are starting (first I need to buy the book). I, too, am committed to be physically fit this year (not skinny…just fit and healthy).
Matilda! So so so excited to hear from you again! I will comment more later, but I am thinking that I will start Made to Crave on Feb 22. I will post about it next week on the 15th to give everyone a chance to get it, then start it on the first day of Lent. Been thinking of you every morning, and just delighted to hear from you! More later, oh and I wanted to share this — you said something about Victory in Jesus in one of your comments — I was just listening to that song by this artist this morning. Couldn’t find it on YouTube, but here is another equally encouraging and uplifting song by the same artist, Travis Cottrell — if you have time to listen, you WILL be blessed! Love you, Sister!!!
Hi! Our time with Beth was awesome! I am so glad I got to go, just wish I had met up with you, Christy. Sorry I didn’t work that out.
Last year my verse for Feb 1 was Isaiah 26:3 and 4: For you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal.
That day my son left for South Korea. He is in the Army and will be over there another year yet, returning home in 2013. We hope he gets to come home for a visit this summer. It’s hard to stay at peace not knowing when you will see your youngest child again. He had already been in Iraq for a year before that. I knew or at least hoped this round wouldn’t be as difficult as that was, but the separation is very difficult. The Lord has granted me great peace over this last year. Jared had a few rocky months with no friends, and especially no Christian friends. Now thanks to an answer to much prayer he has found a church and a Bible study group to go to over there. He has gone two weeks now and is loving it. I have relied on the Lord to take care of Jared, and to give me peace during this time. Keeping my mind on Him, and having this Scriputre challenge has done wonders for me through this last year.
This year I am beginning a longer passage that will probably take me a few weeks. It is Hebrews 7:22 – 28. These two weeks, I hope to get vs. 22 – 24 memorized. They are:
Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of these priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.
The Lord has been teaching me a great deal out of Romans this past year, and these verses just picked right up on it. We will see where He takes me from here!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Hi Tammy! I’m sorry to that we didn’t get to meet up in Houston, but I bet there will be another time! It sounds like you met up with some other Siestas, that is beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharing your verses — love them all! –, and about your son Jared. I will be praying for both of you! Especially love the Isaiah verses, I can see how they were a comfort to you while your son has been serving overseas. May the Lord bless and keep him while he serves our country!
Looking forward to getting to know you better, Tammy!
Warmly, Christy
Sister Tammy, I will be praying for your son as well. What is his name, so we can mention him by name before God. (As I pray for him right now I know God knows his name and he knows whom I am talking about). Be blessed
Hi siestas. I am still alive, just busy. Last year I was on verses 5 and 6 of Psalm 84. I really liked the verses about dwelling in God’s house do that was why I chose them.
This time I’m working on Psalm 91 on the recommendation of a friend for praying for spiritual warfare.
I’m on verse 3
Surely He will save you from the fieler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. Ps. 91:3 NIV 1984
Hanging in there in the midst of a rather dry time for me. I’m thankful for this group to help me persevere with memorizing scripture. Thanks, Christy, for sharing about the transition from a resolution to a lifestyle.
NW hugs!
Delores
So good to hear from you Delores!!! I’m very sorry to hear that you are in a dry time. We’ve all been there, that’s for sure. I pray for you now that your verse Psalm 91:3 will speak to your heart and lift your spirit. I’m looking forward to getting to know you this year as we travel this road together. We are Siestas at heart!
Love you, Siesta!
Christy
I have laid awake all night. In anguish. I finally just got up early to read His word, find a scripture to add to my memorization log. I read the blogs. I read several scriptures that have often brought me comfort, but found nothing there that could stop this pain that is devouring me. I am standing on the sideline watching Satan drool and tear pieces of my faith away.
I put on my pretty Christian face before starting my day, practicing the smile and calm “Thank you so much for praying for Tennyson, and our family” when inside I feel like screaming, “Oh yeah , by the way I tried that and it’s not really working out”. I know He is faithful, I see it everyday, yet I cannot give all. All my fears, anger, selfishness, addictions, unbelief, – all of them still reside in a very overcrowded heart. A heart that was only meant for One. Again and again I keep going back to Hebrews to our family verse but God takes me to another place in Hebrews. It is Highlighted in neon pink, and underlined in black. Key verses from a Bible study in the past, I’m sure. Hard to miss…and as I read it I feel something for the first time since I opened my Bible hours ago. I feel God say stop. Meditate on these words. WHAT?
I don’t want to!!! I already feel worthless and this, THIS is what you want me to work on memorizing? and in the silence of the early morning I hear nothing, but the trembling of my overcrowded doubting heart. So I will obey, for once, and do something that does not bring instant satisfaction or comfort to my soul. It does not bring peace to my aching heart – It reminds me of what a dangerous path I am headed down, and what happens at the end.
Hebrews 3:7 – So, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the time of rebellion,8) during the time of the testing in the desert. 9).where your fathers tested and tried me, and for forty years saw what I did 10)that is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.11) so I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest “12) See to it my brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13) But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness
Thank you so much for the encouragement you all share by participating in this blog, For encouraging me daily, when you do not even know me – I guess there was no where in Christy’s invitation to this blog did it say “ALL FUN, ALL THE TIME -” I want those words to be everywhere, all the time, thus my problem
Please pray for me as I memorize and meditate on these words. I don’t understand why in my pain this is what God brought, but He did…..and I will…..
Side note – I will be putting all pink highlighters in the garbage disposal as a Science experiment for my kids during school today! No science lesson will be attached, but hey I have boys – they won’t ask one question about the destruction! “Little Blessings!”
.
Oh Cristi my heart hurts for you. Praying for you now. I see the big fun all the time in you. And I see our sovereign Lord guiding you in a new direction. He has big plans for you, sister, and for Tennyson. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Trust in him, lean on him, fall into his arms. And read your Jesus Calling for today. It was written for you. With my love for your anguished heart, Christy
Chris and Delores, I wish I had words for you that didn’t sound like a nice Christian platitude but I don’t ,so I sit with you, virtually, wondering why. I read this today — the Greek root for the word meaning ‘endure’ is the word meaning ‘abide’. Which kind of takes me back to what Cara said about seeing herself cling to the vine – sometimes that’s all there is. Praying for you.
I love that anaology because my endurance comes and goes. The journey doesn’t seem so overwhelming when I envision that I am on a journey, but really God is the one running and all I need to do is abide in Him and rest my head on His shoulder…and I could really use some rest.
Thank You Peggy!
Cris
Cris I am so sorry you are going through such a pain filled time. None of us really know how we will react during times like that, until we arrive at those times. Some of them truely seem to swamp us much like the tsunami did Japan. All we can do is cling to Jesus’ hand, and grab on like a little child to her parent. Know that God is holding on to you too. Your verse shows You how He is calling out to you, to hold on. He does love you.
I know He does, but in the darkness, you can be so self absorbed, and forget that His love is perfect and as real as my love for my sons. Thank you – because right now the only thing I need to focus on is His love (and memorizing my scripture which seemed allot shorter when I picked it….lol)
Even in a tsunami I have the God of Jacob as my Rock, memorizing my scriptures will help me to hold on firmly, because being swept off into the ocean of self pity and depression is a choice and I choose NO! Thanks Tammy!
Cris
Hi Cris, I definitely can relate to what you are going through. I could have used your memory verse over the weekend….but this still serves as a testimony that you are not alone. This period you are going through with bring God glory as you grow and persevere. Your roots are going deeper in search on that living water, your tree will bear such sweet fruit. But first you have to through this pain. It is not pleasant – I know! and the enemy will want to take advantage of this “weakness”. But we are encouraged by the scripture in 2Cor 7-10, particularly end of verse 10 “for when I am weak, I am strong”. Sister Cris Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. I am in a similar situation, and maybe I am ministering to myself more than I am to you, but I hope you find solace in this message.
Dear sweet Matilda,
Thank you so much for reaching out to our sister Cris! I am praying for you as well as you go through this time of trial. I am so encouraged to hear you ministering to Cris out of your own experience. The Lord bless you and keep you, dear sister!
Love, Christy
Matilda~
Can I just tell you how much I heart the name Matilda!…LOL…. Some girls get so lucky! When I was little I would pretend my name was Matilda May or Priscilla Princess Penelope~thus why God gave me boys – Priscilla Princess Penelope would probably turned out like NELLIE on “Little House on the Prairie”!
I am so thankful that you listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to write your thoughts and feelings. Three huge life changes happened over the week, 1 week after my sons diagnosis. Friday, I find out my job ends May 2nd, Monday, my dear & amazing Uncle passes away, Tuesday, my husband is told by the neurosurgeon 6 weeks of no work or surgery.
I have shuffled around the house, in sweats I have worn for three days,cleaning up puke from 2 sick children, thinking
“How could my card got mis-filed? Especially in heaven? Who would put my card under * STRONG * IS OK WITH CRUMBLING LIFE CRISES category? I need some White-out over here..NOW!”
And there it is, beautifully pointed out by you “for when I am weak, I am strong.” It’s not me who has the strength at all, it is Him, not me. You opened my eyes to see that the reason HE tells us to only carry today’s burden’s is because he already has tomorrow’s..Thank you sweet Matilda May! Just so happens the Holy Spirit was ministering to the both of us – YA-YA Siesta Hood’s….Now all weekend I get to hide these words in my heart so when satan says….
‘Well, well , what a mess you are” – I got something to say back! and what I believe is TRUE! Because “I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM!”(blue ribbon bracelet is coming back on)
Blessings to you sweet MM~
Heart you!!!!
Cris
I still believe my card got mis-filed~ *I specifically remember asking for the * Easy with Occasional Gum Drop Rain Shower” *
Cris, I have been meaning to tell you, I have a friend who has 3 daughters, and two of them are named Penelope and Priscilla. Jealous? I agree, I LOVE Matilda’s name!
Love you ladies,
Christy
I have just had a chance to read these encouraging words. Thank you Cris and Christy, you have made me smile. I like “Matilda May’ 🙂 I have been told my name means Strong and mighty in battle. My mother’s name is also Matilda and she lives her name out. Sister Cris, I am still praying for you and your situation. The darkest hour is before dawn, hold on, don’t give up for Joy comes in the morning. God is truly an orchestra, He knows who to send and when. And most of us dont even know that is our cue…lol – He is amazing.
Cris – remember – we believe in the unseen, which is eternal. Go to January 11 of “Jesus Calling”. You’ve poured out your heart to Him, now start thanking Him for the work He is already doing that you can’t see. Praying for you,
Linda
Thank you so much Linda – God really blessed me through your reply. I was unable to get to the blog until today because yesterday my boss called, whom knew I was resigning in April (when my contract was up) due to my son needing 4 to 5 Dr appointments a week. She called to tell me that they feel it would be best if my resignation date was moved up to the end of this month, perhaps even sooner. As soon as they have chosen my replacement I have 2 weeks to train her and then I am finished. So I really have no idea of when I am done, it could be 2 weeks or 3 or whenever they deciede.
Reading Jan 11th from Jesus calling gave me the peace I needed. I am being given an oppurtunity to Trust, Believe, and Let Go. I need to see this “job thing” as an answer to prayer instead of another blow.
I don’t want to pass on a chance to be receptive to God’s will – thank you for helping me adjust my percpective and thank you for the prayers.
Cris
Cris!
Yesterday when I first read the Feb 6 Jesus Calling I was thinking “I really could have used that one Thursday!” Eragon and I got into a pickle while skiing and had to be rescued by ski patrol. Couldn’t have been a more perfectly literal passage for us that day! But then I thought of YOU Sister. Because right now you are definitely perched at the top of a steep slope. I pray that you are clinging tightly to Him, leaning on Him, trusting in Him to see you safely down.
Love you, Christy
Oh ladies, I’m so delighted to see you reaching out to each other in encouragement, that is EXACTLY what I was hoping for in this blog community! Not just everyone attached to me (because I am NO vine), but all of us attached to Jesus together and reaching out to one another in His love! (Okay that analogy got weak at the end, but I hope you all get my point!)
Praying for each and every one of you this morning!
Love, Christy
The New Jerusalem is my favorite translation for devotional purpose. Prone to procrastination and scarcity fears, in 2011, I chose this verse from the Apochrypha (2 Maccabees 1:3) May he give you all a heart to worship him and to dfo his will with a generous mind and a willing spirit.
Stuggling with insignificance and still looking for work a year after lay-off and in my 50s, I chose this from New Jerusalem Psalm 92:14-15
In old age they will still bear fruit, will remain fresh and green, to proclaim Yahweh’s integrity; my rock in whom no fault can be found.
Dear AdeleAlys,
Oh thank you so much for sharing your struggle here, what a beautiful and comforting passage! I pray that you not only do not feel insignificant, but that you feel the full depth and breadth of the Lord’s immense love for you right this minute. Praying for you to find work, trusting in His perfect promises for you, sweet Siesta,
With love, Christy
The light that used to shine in my heart was dimming out last year. This year, this little light of mine is going to shine, and let it shine! it baffles me how I came to be in near darkness and yet still proclaimed to be a Christ representative. Judges 6:1 says “The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of the Midians seven years” , verse 7″when the people of Israel cried to the Lord on account of the Midianites” (RSV). The people lived in sin and were persecuted by their enemy for 7 years, but it took them 7 years to finally cry out to God. (I am resisting preaching a sermon right now). They were comfortable with the sin in their lives and did things in their own strength, fought the enemy and were defeated in their own might, yet it took them 7 years to cry out to God. I think I had started to be luke-warm, but thank God I did not wait 7 years to cry out to God my savior. Of course the enemy is not happy about this and has waged war. I told him, this fight is fixed, I have already won, he is defeated – I have victory in Jesus!!!
So my memory verse for this half of Feb is from Psalms 119:9-12
9)How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word
10)I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands
11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you
12) Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees
Yay! All of this is so awesome. An awesome gift from an awesome God!! I hadn’t read the blog for a couple of days and I too love all of the reaching out that is taking place. Lent sounds like a good time to start, “Made to Crave” together! This morning I was meditating on eating healthy, living healthy, etc. and I thought: What a sacrifice! but that is exactly what i need to do – sacrifice. I don’t sacrifice much. So this will be interesting. I am looking forward to starting this. With all this love an encouragement available I am looking forward instead of dreading the “D” word. Yeehaw!!
Love you gals,
Linda
Yay! When I post on Feb 15 I will invite everyone to join us in reading Made to Crave on the 22nd. I’ll publish a supplemental post on Feb 22, and we can all just make comments there about anything made to crave related. 🙂
And here’s what I think — it’s one of those things that might start out seeming like a sacrifice, but once we start reaping blessings, it won’t seem like much of a sacrifice!
So excited to be doing this together! Love you sister!!!
Oh Matilda!
Thank you so much for opening your heart here! Psalm 119:11 was my last verse last year, what a beautiful passage! You are so right that just when we declare our intentions to draw near to the Lord, it’s almost like we are inviting attack.Thank the Lord He is with us there, every step of the way, just waiting to hold us and help us.
Praying for you daily, sweet sister!
Love, Christy