Beth Moore's Blog, page 51

Say It Today, Pray It Tomorrow

Hey, my dear loved ones!

I believe God has placed something on my heart for us to do here in our community for the next several vital days on our nation’s calendar. It will take place in two parts.

Part One: Today and for the next twenty-four hours in comments to this post, those who are willing are going to comprise prayers drawn from Scripture for our new president and the nation he will lead. These Scriptures incorporated into prayers don’t have to be limited to the ones we’re most accustomed to seeing for leaders. By all means, look at those but also consider a Bible-full of precepts that speak to character and integrity and the many qualities that comprise a great leader.  See how the Holy Spirit might lay them on your heart and turn them into intercession. Also consider Scriptures that speak to issues like protection from harm for our president and for our nation and wholeness of heart.

If you need a launching point for your thoughts, think about how you’d want people to pray for your husband if he were elected president tomorrow. Go from there. Make it any length from a few sentences to a meaty paragraph but not long. Remember what Jesus said about those wanting to be heard for their many words in prayer. Keep it succinct and sincere. This is really important and you’ll see the reasons why during Part Two. The comments to this post will be limited entirely to prayers. Please add no other words or comments or even greetings or replies to one another on this one. Let’s just do the thing that really makes the difference. Refrain from signing your name to the bottom of it because you’re going to see in Part Two that others will be using it. Just sign off with an “Amen” or similar benediction but do indeed list any references for the verses your prayers were based on.

The most important discipline of this process is writing our prayers before we know who our president will be. Needless to say, other petitions specific to the man who is elected will be vital throughout his presidency but for this public format and for this 24-hour period of time, we’re going to write our prayers without knowing who it will be. I think (and hope!) we will find this approach very effective and helpful in our focus and prayer-direction throughout Part Two. Oftentimes, heightened emotion and opinion cloud focus, clarity, and wisdom in our prayer lives, especially with so much at stake. It’s hard to pray according to the Holy Spirit when our flesh is inflamed. Remember at the end of all of this, our God is sovereign and at no time does He lose control.

Your prayer will need to take this basic skeletal form:

Address God the way you feel led (Dear Father in Heaven or Creator of Heaven and Earth or Sovereign Lord, etc.)

Write the petition for our new president and for our nation.

Conclude it “In Jesus’ Name, Amen” or with something of similar intent and assigned authority.

List all Scripture references that your prayers were drawn from or based on. (Just the locations. You do not need to write them all the way out.)

Part Two: 24-hours or so after this post opens for comment, it will be closed. In other words, by mid-morning Tuesday, November 6th (Election Day) there will be no further way to leave additional comments but you will have full access to all of those already written. (Comments that come in after work hours this evening will all be posted before the 24-hour closure so don’t worry. If you write a prayer before the 24 hours is up, it will get posted when Lindsee is able to complete all moderations. It takes a while.)

After the election results are in, here’s what I’m suggesting. This is the time we get to reap the harvest sown in Part One.  Come back to this post and start voicing a number of these prayers that resonate most with you. More importantly perhaps, consider voicing the ones that may be harder for you but you know they are godly, sound, and Scriptural. If you’re less sure about some of them, look up the Scripture references the intercessor listed and see if the context gives you any insight or direction. You can use this as a resource for your prayers not only in this 48-hour period but in days to come. Consider praying several of them per day until you work your way through them. That’s what I’m going to shoot for. I’m hoping to print them out and stick them in my prayer journal and voice several at a time over the weeks to come until I’ve agreed in prayer with practically all of them.

I’m not remotely suggesting this is the only way to pray for the next few days and in the weeks to come. It’s just one way but I really do believe this is the approach God placed upon my heart for our blog community. I’m looking so forward to harvesting some of this fruit in the coming days and there is no doubt in my mind that it will help direct my petitions and cause me to intercede for things I would have overlooked. I am continually inspired in my prayer life by the powerful prayers of others. Aren’t you? Let’s do this, Sisters. I think blessing awaits us and, far more importantly, awaits our new president.

I love you so dearly, ladies. My word, we’ve been around long enough to spend our second election together. I pray with all my heart that God will be pleased with this community and will use it to encourage and edify the Body of Christ in a way only He can empower or explain. He is so worthy of our trust and He is well able and willing to respond to earnest prayers that align with His will and come to Him through the glorious, saving Name of His Son.

Before I sign off, all three Moore-Jones-Fitzpatrick girls could use your prayers! We are all headed to the other side of the world and to two different locations. Later today Melissa and I will board a plane for Greece for a dual-purpose trip over the next 7 days. (Voted early) As guests of Nick and Christine Caine, we will have the privilege of seeing some of the work of the A21 Campaign (Abolishing Injustice in the 21st Century) from a much closer angle and attend (and serve at) a conference there. I love nothing better than seeing what God is doing around this globe. God is using this time on the Kingdom calendar to expose horrendous injustices – particularly in the areas of human trafficking – that need to be fought by the Body of Christ. (See Isaiah 58!)

Melissa and I are also beginning a new Bible study journey together and, with the help of a guide, will be doing research in some very strategic places involved in the series. You will not waste a prayer on us! Pray for God to show us great and mighty things that we do not know (Jeremiah 33:3) and bless us with powerful encounters and insights and help us to serve people effectively and affectionately there amid such cultural differences. We are certain they will be a blessing of God to us but we want so much to also be a blessing of God to them. THEN, Amanda follows right behind us two days later (on Wednesday) heading to India for a very important mission trip with the organization “As Our Own.” Even in our very different destinations, all three of us will be serving in areas where human trafficking is appallingly prevalent and believers are being mobilized slowly but surely to cry out and labor for its end.

So! As usual, you won’t waste a prayer on the Moore-Jones-Fitzpatrick women and our families. (But don’t write them into your comment. Laughing. Don’t let me, your very own blog mama, get you off course with our purpose today! Only prayers for the president in your comments please.) Thank you so much, dearly loved ones.

Though I will be far from home, I’ve already prepared some blog posts for you in advance (look for one on Thursday) and Lindsee will be also be holding down the fort. So, have no fear, Siestaville! The city doors will stay wide open here throughout! Watch for the three of us on Twitter if you want to keep up with some things we’re experiencing in real time. (@bethmooreLPM, @AmandaMoJo, @MissFitz77)

You are dearly loved and prioritized here, Sweet Things. Now START WRITING PRAYERS!

Autumn Giveaway

DEAR SIESTAS! THE MERE THOUGHT OF YOU IS MAKING ME GO ALL-CAPSY.

It has been FOREVER and then some but I have been thinking about you. I know I haven’t been in this here blog-space much recently but I can assure you that I’m still at LPM. My days are full since I’m working and going to school part-time. AGAIN. Yes, again. Somehow even when I vow to walk away for good, I end up right back in the classroom in some capacity. This time around I’m working slowly on a M.A. in Biblical Languages at Houston Baptist University. When I’m not researching something for a project at LPM, I’m taking a Greek class in the Septuagint and a Hebrew readings class in the Joseph narrative. Oh, and how could I forget to mention Winston Jeffrey Fitzpatrick?! A little over a year ago Colin brought home a baby rottweiler and our life has never been the same since (even when I desperately want it to be!). Winnie is SO, SO bad but we love him madly.

Here is W posing in my dining room. Or demanding a filet mignon cooked over medium, I’m not really sure.

Here he is again furious about having to wear his birthday hat:

But really, enough about us.

I want to talk about YOU and a fall giveaway we are doing because we love you and appreciate you.

Now, I should mention at this point that if you are one of those people who is SO OVER all the talk about pumpkin-flavored anything, then you will want to run for your life.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

Do I have a faithful fall remnant?

This weekend we had our first legit “cold-front” here in Houston. It was even down in the forties one night. Glory be! The crisp cold air in my lungs got to me in the best way possible and, of all things, I wanted to cook. There’s just something about fall that always brings me back to the kitchen. Nothing better than listening to a little Norah Jones or The Civil Wars with the windows cracked open, cool breeze dancing through the house, while a chili or stew simmers on the stove. I thought just maybe fall might do the same for some of you so the grand prize winner will get a red Le Creuset signature round dutch oven (red not orange like the one on the box).

I love it passionately and do not want to let it go. I even enjoy posing with the beloved dutch oven:

The second prize to be claimed is a $100 gift card to Pottery Barn because, let’s be honest, Pottery Barn during the fall season is heaven on earth:

Gift number 3 includes an amazing decorative pillow, fall flower arrangement, and Hill Country Home candle.

Gift number 4 includes a fun little clutch from Anthro, a scarf, several pairs of boot socks, and some gorgeous MAC makeup in fallish colors.

Here is Lindsee modeling the scarf. Love her and she can work a scarf better than anyone I know:

This MAC stuff is tough to photograph but fantastic (includes three eye shadow kits and two lipsticks in shades of Russian Red and Viva Glam III).

Gift number 5 has a bunch of fun stuff: Cook’s Illustrated Fall Entertaining magazine, kitchen towels, mulling spices, Hill Country Home candle (again this is one of my faves!), autumn cupcake decorating set, beautiful engraved silver dish, Trader Joe’s Pumpkin bread mix, and more.

Gift number 6 comes with a fun autumn welcome mat, potpourri, decorative kitchen towel, and my favorite ever mulled apple cider candle. DIVINE.

Here is Mom sorting out all the gifts. Isn’t she cute?

So dear friend, for a chance to win one of the six prizes, please leave a comment with your first and last name and tell us something you love about fall.

We love you so much,

Melissa

(Lindsee not pictured here ONLY because she was out of the office when we snapped this photo)

 

Lewiston LPL – Scholarship Ticket Giveaway

Good morning, Siestas! I realize this post is a day early, however, as we said yesterday we have a really fun giveaway planned for you ladies so we’re doing a little flip flop around here. So instead, be looking for that not-so-secretive, exciting giveaway post tomorrow morning! Does it feel a little bit like Christmas Eve to you now? You know something fun is coming in the morning, but it’s still a mystery to you today. I love it!

Did y’all know that this weekend’s conference is the last LPL of the year? With all of the sobering storms that have swirled around in the Eastern part of the U.S. I have a feeling that the Lord wants to do something only He can do this weekend.

With that said, we have 20 scholarship tickets to give away thanks to the Siesta Scholarship Fund. If you have a desire to attend, but financially just cannot afford it at this time, please call our office toll free at 1.888.700.1999 during regular business hours (8:30 – 4:30 CST) and ask for Kimberly Meyer. If you happen to reach us while we’re at lunch, leave a message and Kimberly will get back to you.

We sure love y’all. Happy Wednesday!

Let’s Pray, Sisters! 1/2 Hour Livestream Today for Eastern U.S.: 11:15 AM CST

*If you are trying to log on and see that it is password protected, we will remove the password at 11:05 before we go live at 11:15 CST.

Hey, beloved sisters! We had such a fun post for you today to celebrate Autumn but Melissa, Lindsee, and I agree that today is not the day. With all the chaos people are enduring over the storm, let’s get together for a half hour of prayer today instead. I know it’s last minute but we don’t have to have a mighty throng to be heard. All we need is a mighty all-glorious God inclining His ear to hear because we intercede in His Son’s powerful Name. If you can join, we’ll meet with you at 11:15 AM on the dot, CST. I love you guys!

Click this link to join us in praying.

*Important: We will remove the password on our livestream channel ten minutes prior to going live at 11:15. If you try to log in early, don’t be turned away by the password as we will take care of it after we’ve tested out our channel. 

A Video Devo on the Deceptive Heart

A Video Devo on the Deceptive Heart from LPV on Vimeo.

Bloom Where You’re Planted

At work I share an office with one of my co-workers, Jenn. Jenn is one of the sweetest, most genuine, kind, compassionate, Jesus-loving women you’ll ever meet. I instantly clicked and fell in love with her. Because she has three little one’s vying for her undivided attention, I only get to see her every now and then, especially when we’re not in Bible study season.

The other day she was at the office de-cluttering her desk when she found a stack of papers piled up in her drawer about an event LPM had put on about eight years or so ago called “Tell Me How”. That specific event was for college aged girls ages 18 – 25.

Just about eight years ago, I was 19 and attended that event. It was my sophomore year of college and I remember that being a really pivotal time in my walk with the Lord and I was all ears. I wanted to soak up any and all wisdom I could from gain from these wise ladies because after all, I was a sophomore in college, and what in the world did I want to do with my life? I was desperate to know how to not royally mess it up, my life that is. Little did I know, and nor would I have ever dreamed, that almost a decade later I’d be serving alongside these sweet ladies. That was a really neat thought for me.

Sometimes life brings you to a full circle moment and that was one of them.

I told Jenn that I attended that conference and that to this day I still refer back to those notes. I think it was fun for both of us to walk down memory lane because we were both able to see fruit from that conference, almost ten years later.

The keynote speakers were our very own Siesta Mama, Beth, Priscilla Shirer and Christy Nockels, who not only led worship, but also taught a session. I clearly knew who Beth and Christy were at the time (we’re obviously on a first name basis), but it was my first introduction to Priscilla, whom from then on, I fell in love with. Her teaching was so powerful, she was hilarious and her passion was contagious.

The three of them each took a main session, there were breakouts to attend throughout the weekend and then at the very end, the three of them did a Q&A session with us. This was by far my favorite part of the weekend. It is amazing to me the rawness and vulnerability people express when asking a question anonymously. (They wrote in questions.) Questions ranged from Christy’s lipstick color (which was a MAC color and made my heart happy) to things I’d be too embarrassed to even mention on here.

I know I’m only 27 and have years ahead of me to mess up, but I didn’t want to be, and still don’t want to be, just a statistic.

One girl geared her question specifically to Christy asking her how she gets to do what she does? For those of you who don’t know, Christy Nockels is not only gifted, but an extremely anointed worship leader. She serves the Lord with such grace and humility. This girl in particular had felt called to be in ministry similar to Christy’s and wanted some guidance. I totally understand that.

Like always, Christy was so gracious and had such wise words to share along with words of encouragement.

I was glued to her as she shared her journey with us. Not that I felt called to that particular area of ministry, but we’re all called to something and I so badly wanted to know how to know what I was called to and how to pursue that calling.

She said one thing at the end that is forever etched on my heart.

“Bloom where you’re planted.”

Serve where you are. Do the mundane thing. It may be mundane to you, but it’s certainly not mundane to God. Even if it’s something you don’t enjoy at the moment, rest assured, you probably will not be doing it the rest of your life. Be faithful in the little things. Be faithful in general. Stay committed.

If you told me in high school that I’d be working in ministry one day, I would have laughed in your face. Not because I disliked church and not because I didn’t love Jesus. I loved each of those things, but my heart was always drawn to teaching. As in, decorate my own second grade classroom kind of teaching. I was the little girl that grew up playing school.

However, during my senior year of high school the Lord really started stirring up different passions in my heart personally. I wasn’t sure what it all meant or what would come of it, but instead of sitting on it, I sought counsel and leadership from some older and much wiser ladies about what was going on to hopefully makes some sense of all the Lord been birthing in me.

Hindsight is always 20/20 so what I know now is that the Lord was clearly shifting my desires. Aren’t you so thankful for His leadership? And the fact that He knows what’s best for us? And for people in your life who can speak truth and life into you? And for His Word that is a lamp unto our feet? I could go on and on.

That year I actually applied for an internship with a traveling girl’s ministry and I was turned down. I was heartbroken, but knew that if the Lord had truly placed these desires to work with girls in my heart, he’d be faithful and guide me to serve in other ways. Although he shut that door, I decided to press on instead of give up and bail out doubting everything I was feeling. But I also trusted that the Lord would change my desires if I wasn’t called to that specific area of service.

My freshman year of college I stayed home and attended a community college here. During that year, I helped lead a small group of freshman girls. It was a good taste of teenage drama, yet I loved them so much.

When I went off to college that next year, I immediately got involved in a Christian sorority, Sigma Phi Lambda and through the next three years served as chaplain, rush captain and little things here and there. Do you see how the Lord threw me into girl’s ministry long before I made it my actual career?

As graduation neared, the desire to work in ministry exploded. I don’t think I talked about it a lot because it kind of scared me. After all, I went to school to learn how to be a teacher, not how to lead or speak to teenage girls. Or work in a church. That was a totally different ballgame.

But God is faithful and his grace is perfect. He opened doors in ministry that I never pursued on my own. I really struggled at that time with deciding whether to pursue teaching full time or take on the ministry position at church as the Girl’s Ministry Director. But how could I not take this ministry position when my heart was really there? When I look back I see how he really prepared me for this exchange of career paths. It is a beautiful thing.

Had I tried on my own, I can honestly tell you that I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today. The Lord planted a seed in me years ago with a heart for young women, and I simply watered it along the way, again, by His still small leading, His still small voice. I tried my hardest to do what I felt He called me to do for that season and honestly, that’s all I still know to do.

It’s one thing to be passionate about something and walk out that passion, it’s another thing to think you’ve arrived. What does that really mean anyway? We won’t arrive until we reach Heaven’s gates. That’s our goal after all, is it not?

I don’t know what’s next for me or for you. But I can say with confidence and with experience that God is faithful. If He’s been faithful in the past, we can be sure that He’ll most certainly be faithful in the present and future. However, we must humbly throw ourselves under his hand. Under His leadership.

Trust the desires he’s given you. But check to make sure they’re desires that exalt Christ and not yourself. I could be really off saying this, but I’m not sure he’ll grant us selfish desires that steal his glory. He won’t waste His glory on us. Selfish idols and desires are things that rarely get his blessing, if ever.

How many times does he say in the Psalms that He satisfies our desires with good things. These are the desires that are rooted in what pleases and exalts Him. (Psalm 103:5, Psalm 145:16)

Bloom where you’re planted. And no matter what, don’t ever quit serving, dear sister.

“Don’t bother your head with braggarts 
or wish you could succeed like the wicked. In no time they’ll shrivel like grass clippings
 and wilt like cut flowers in the sun. Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last.
 Keep company with God,
 get in on the best. Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done:
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day
 and stamp you with approval at high noon. Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him.
 Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder,
 who elbow their way to the top.” Psalm 37:1-7 (The Message)

LPL Long Beach – Recap Video

Good morning, y’all! Here is the Long Beach LPL recap video for those of you that were able to attend and for those of you that enjoy watching to get a little taste of what the Lord did. I happen to be in the latter category. Grin. If you were there, we’d love to hear how the Lord spoke to you. Enjoy, friends!

Living Proof Live Long Beach 2012 from David Lowe on Vimeo.

Long Beach LPL – Scholarship Ticket Giveaway

Good morning, y’all! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve actually gotten on here and said hello, but thankfully, our sweet Siesta Mama has kept you all busy. But, today I come to you with more of  a business item rather than pleasure. At least it’s fun business!

This post is becoming so routine that these days we have people calling weeks in advance for scholarship tickets. Thanks to our Siesta Scholarship fund it is our great joy to get to do this, but I just wanted to graciously remind you that these tickets are truly for those that honestly don’t have a dime to spare but so desire to attend the conference. Please know y’all are really so good about this, but a friendly reminder here and there doesn’t hurt and it really helps out our Kimberly when she’s answering phones and explaining what these tickets are about!

So, with that said, we DO have 20 scholarship tickets for this weekends Living Proof Live in Long Beach. If you qualify, please call our office toll free at 1.888.700.1999 during regular business hours (8:30 – 4:30 CST) and ask for Kimberly Meyer. If you happen to reach us while we’re at lunch, leave a message and Kimberly will get back to you.

We love y’all so much. As always, prayers for Beth and the team are appreciated. They head out today and are thrilled to see you all! Have a great Thursday!

The Beauty in the Threadbare

I won’t publish this post until Monday morning but I’m writing it to you a little after 6:00 PM on Sunday evening. I’m only giving myself a little while to finish it so that I won’t awaken tomorrow morning wanting to whisper, woe is me, it’s work, work, work. Blah, blah, blah. Work martyrs are fake martyrs. They don’t count. They’re too self-important. It dawned on me about 2 years ago that no one was making me work nonstop but me so why, then, did I want to find somebody to blame for driving this skeleton like a shovel into quicksand? Anyway, I want to dance with my grandchildren at their weddings.

So, wonders never cease, some things in my life actually changed for a change but that’s another story for another time.  I like work. That’s the biggest issue. I love it even. But the body makes certain demands that are harder to ignore in more, how shall I say, seasoned years. That there is not always energy to spare after decades of flying high on fumes has been a glorious, unsolicited gift to me and one that came as a shock after major surgery and a serious cancer threat. I have savored what I do – researching, studying, serving – and what God has placed around me – many friends and fellow sojourners – and what I get to experience in my 4-generation family so much more in an ever-so-slightly less revved up gear.

For instance, I’m more apt to let time suspend for a few seconds and count the steps it takes for Annabeth to run to me from the car with a smile stretched from sea to shining sea. And I make notes – at least mental and sometimes actual handwritten – of the statements that cause the most prominent lisps with Jackson’s three missing front teeth. Friday night I had to purely look away at the dinner table when he said, “Did my mommy show you the pictures of the two postcards they sent?” Show-pictures-postcards-sent. Perfect. I tried to act like I was reflecting with my elbow on the table and my chin on my fist while I steeled myself to answer, “No, but she told me about them. I want to see them!” (It was everything I could do not to ask him to please repeat the question.) Amanda and I laughed later until we nearly had to kick our legs for relief.

I thank God for lessons only time can adequately teach and for still leaving room for airplanes, short nights, hikes, books, Bible dictionaries, and bikes. And still a fair amount of revving up. I’m not sure I could bear revlessness.

My man’s been gone for the day so it was all mine for the taking. I had a reflective, worshipful morning at church despite four shots of coffee strong enough to cleanse the sinuses and shear the throat like a spring sheep. (Remind me to get Jackson to read that sentence later.) I sat next to my firstborn on the front row and received a word about forgiveness from a pastor I greatly respect and took the Bread and the Cup with a depth of seriousness that made them feel especially healing to me. Maybe even filling. I was touched in my soul when I saw the elements on the edge of the stage in the chapel, just waiting to be served. I had not known we were to receive them but I had hoped. Right at the Clay Road exit on Beltway 8 as I was nearing our church that morning, a few lines turned in my head. I jotted them down in the parking lot.

O Glorious Lord’s Day

Our souls to awake

Saints to be gathered

Awash in glad grace

Called to the table

Jesus the Head

Partake, all you ransomed ones

By love come be fed.

I love church. What a harbor it has been to me through the years. I love the Table. I love its Head. My life would be a black hole without Christ and the communion of saints.

I drove my nearly 40 minutes home from church, fired up the stove and heated up Keith’s homemade chicken soup from yesterday – perfect for our first bona fide autumn day in Houston, Texas – and I ate a blistering bowlful by a wide-open book. Satisfied and sleepy, I heaved myself into the king-size hammock my coworkers gave me last year and held on tight till it quit swinging. It takes about 3 minutes. I read a little more, laughed, sighed, reflected. This is said hammock. I clipped this particular shot the day before.

Then, after a cup of tea, I pulled on my rubber boots to pay up on that promise of a walk I’d made to Queen Esther who’d nearly knocked me out of the hammock earlier, book sent flying, with her obsessive compulsion for closeness.

I was only about three minutes into our usual walk in the country when I said to the air what I’ve said to Keith one hundred times. “This is my favorite spot on this walk.” So I pulled out my iPhone to take a picture of it for at least the 15th time. I’m not exaggerating. I take the same exact shot over and over. Then I looked at it, blew out my lips in frustration and said again to the air, “I can never get this picture to turn out as fabulous as this really is.”

Then I looked at it again. And that’s when I realized for the very first time that the reason why I can never fully capture the beauty of it is because it’s really not all that spectacular. Quaintly pretty, yes. To us nature lovers anyway. Maybe a four. Maybe just a three.

But, it’s not what high-dollar sightseers would throw hand to chest over, bracing for visually-induced coronary thrombosis, exclaiming Breathtaking! Stunning! Well, I never!

No, now, THIS is the kind of thing you clutch your heart over:

I took that picture from a Delta airplane window exactly two years ago just before landing in that valley for a couple of days. I’m not sure there is a place more beautiful than Jackson Hole, Wyoming in the pioneered universe. Not to me anyway. But somehow when I’m there I can never get past the sight of it. I always plan to do my most creative writing there but I rarely do. Somehow, when nothing is left to my imagination, well, then…nothing is left to my imagination. It’s all filled up. And that’s that.

That’s the revelation I got today. The reason I can’t capture the beauty in these crude woods on camera is because it’s a beauty felt more than seen. It doesn’t scream anything. It won’t interrupt you while you’re talking. It doesn’t beg anyone to pen or paint it.

Simple things tend to have more manners. They won’t say a word if you don’t let them. If we don’t shut up, they will. But it will be our loss.

The beauty in the threadbare. The beauty in the unswept scenes that refuse to finish everything out for you. Or think for you. They leave the spiderwebs to walk into and the realistic fear of a snake slithering by. They leave you to have to kick the dried-up mud off your boots when you get home and to run the water hose over your slobbering dog. And, while you’re at them, they won’t leave you so speechless you can’t answer the phone in your back pocket. Go right ahead if you want to. And sometimes you’ll be glad you did. But other times, you might just get that sense that you walked and talked right past something special, if only vaguely special in a world overwrought with specialties.

The chance not only to see beauty.

But to feel it.

May God grant us this day a whisper of His beauty that sweeps right past our vision and dives deeply like a stream into our world-parched souls.

 

So, who are we, everybody?

Saturday morning update: OH MY WORD, YOU GUYS! THIS TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS EVER ON THIS BLOG! SO MUCH FUN! You guys are incredibly interesting. I am knocked out right now with a sense of awe that God would allow me to interact with you. I have tons of respect for you guys. Keep doing the thing and keep resisting the cookie cutter despite the (Christian??) social pressure. You are much more interesting this way. Just hold close to Jesus and don’t let being different become it’s own pretense or attention-getter. Keep that gorgeous authenticity that makes this community my favorite cyber spot on earth. Good grief, I am so thankful for y’all.

 

Hey, everybody! It’s been a long time since we’ve done a survey to see who God has brought together to form this sisterhood. It’s a blast not only to behold our common bonds in Christ but to revel in our diversity as a community of very different people committed to one glorious Savior. We’d be bored stiff if we only opened our hearts and lives to those who are just like us. If we have to line up exactly on about 100 points of doctrine, we are liable to get pretty lonely. We don’t even necessarily have to work out a difference to our mutual satisfaction to treat one another with mutual esteem and to honestly love one another. Always preferring someone remarkably similar across the table from us still smells a lot like Narcissus. We may even be fooling ourselves but, at the end of the day, it’s just another form of mirror gazing. Gross.

When I get to see a group of you out there after a Living Proof Live, I always wish I could freeze the moment and stare at each of you one by one. It is the most incredibly refreshing sight. You cannot fathom how different we look in person, all banded together in a holy huddle. It makes me so dang happy. It is clear in that context that we were drawn together by something so far removed from packaging. You and I know that is Jesus. Oh, how I pray that God smiles when He drops in on this community, holds time tightly in His hand, and stares at each of us one by one.

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:11-12

OK! What do you say we do a survey? Complete each of the following as succinctly as possible. Lindsee and I will LOVE bringing these in. Let’s do this today for the pure Jesus-joy of celebrating community!

1. Your name and where you live.

2. Your age or general age grouping (grin)

3. When did you accept Jesus as your personal Savior and, in briefest possible terms, what was the setting?

4. What line of work are you in? Or, if you’re in school, tell us where and what line of work you’re steering toward. (Do not hesitate to tell us you’re a stay-at-home-mom. No harder work exists nor longer hours.)

5. What is your #1 hobby?

6. Are you currently invested in a local body of believers? If so, which one?

7. Do you have pets? If so, you surely know we’ve got to know what kind.

8. Your biggest recent disappointment – slash – your biggest recent elation.

9. Describe your idea of the perfect Saturday.

10 Complete this sentence: Only people who really know me realize that I am ___________________________________________________________________.