Siesta Scripture Memory Team

Hello Blog Friends! It has been quite a while since I have posted but I think it was a good time for a break. I hope to be more faithful to blogging this year.

To start off, I wanted to share the link to our ministry blog to share about Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team, her way of encouraging women (and men!) all over the world to memorize scripture and hide God's word in our hearts.

Please be sure to read her instructions via that post as well as her post for the first scripture of the year. I will be sharing my verses in her comments as well as posting them here on my blog. Occasionally I may share a little snippet about what the verse means to me or to my family at this particular time in my life.

So here goes, scripture number one:

"This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming - it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time." Habakkuk 2:3 (The Message)

Next Book Review: Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend

I am so excited to be reading this new book from Ravi Zacharias! Come back soon for a review!!

Review of 66 Love Letters

As I began reading this new book by Dr. Larry Crabb I was totally unprepared for its "realness." The quote that begins before the books contents gives a peek at exactly what the premise is for this entire synopsis of the 66 books of the Bible: "We ask, 'Where does God fit into the story of my life?' when the real question is, 'Where does my little life fall into the great story of God's mission?'" by Christopher J. H. Wright. So, there I began this journey through the entire Bible holding on all the way!

Dr. Crabb's intention is to take the reader through the entire Bible assembled just as it is as a journey to God's plan and purpose for His people. I found this to be extremely helpful in understanding the reasoning that God allowed the books of the Bible to be placed just as they are, in the order they are in, in His inspired work. From our introduction of God as the Creator with His eye on every detail of our lives before we are even present on this earth to the wondrous conclusion of His rewards and eternal provision for us in His final love letter of Revelation.

But, even all of this is not the best element of this book. The most exciting thing is the way it is presented as a conversation between the writer and God Himself! Dr. Crabb's discussion with His Creator and Savior leads the reader to understand that God wants to discuss His love letters with each one of us. It also compels us to know that God can and does handle anything that we can ask of Him or question of Him. In keeping great reverence for God while expressing his humanity, Dr. Crabb helps each reader to understand that God will listen to our coming to grips with who we are as imperfect humans with great patience and understanding and will answer us to help us become what He has planned for us all along.

My only disappointment with the book is that I didn't have time to study along with the book and read through each book and chapter of the Bible with it. I plan to use this for study myself and possibly tackle one book each week for the next 66 weeks (adding a few here and there for the longer books of the Bible). Dr. Crabb also gives information in his book for links on the internet to help with a study guide for just such a perusal of God's word along with His book.

I would highly suggest at least reading this book and definitely using it for study later on. It was a life-changing experience for me as I am sure it would be for any God-seeker!

Missing in Action

Hello to all of my blog readers (the two of you that just happen by my blog through a search engine!!)! I have been extremely absent from blog posting lately. It has been a busy couple of months and doesn't seem to be letting up any time soon. So... will be taking a blogging break until I am off work some in the next month or so.

Explanation: A daughter graduating this year and heading off to college in the fall (many preparations for this that I just don't remember when I went off to school!), children participating in sports, end of the year school programs (yes they all began in April believe it or not!), preparations for women's events coming up this fall, church(enough said there!), work, and preparation for upcoming trips! Whew! I am tired already or is that just left over from prom weekend?!!

Anyway, see you soon back here with some great updates on a book I have finished and need to post about so that I can get a new one!! And in the mean time, let me share a quick "funny" from my youngest, Gracie: Last night, we had a concert of prayer at church for upcoming community events this month and this summer, and other things that have been on the heart of our pastor (my wonderful hubby!). We had finished up the prayer time and like always were standing around talking to friends, catching up on the past week, and laughing together. My Gracie always loves this time and enjoys giving "zingers" to many of the adults standing around.

She walked up to one of our praise band members and announced that she was stressed out. He proceeded to sympathize with her about that and she just blurted out, "I need to go home and lie down for a while!" Well, I wonder who she has been listening to?! (Finger pointing in my direction is prohibited!) :0)

I'm stressed and need to go lie down for a while! Hee Hee! Y'all have a great month!!

God and Man at Table are Sat Down

I am going back over my Day Four of Week Five study on the tabernacle in "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place." Today's study reminded me of a song that I will share a little later.

But, one thing that I thought was so awesome that Beth discerned from the scripture was how the Table for the Bread of the Presence was another example of God's reconciliation to man.

We all sit at tables to fellowship and "commune" with one another..getting to know each other better and sharing in so many of life's experiences. I think of the ladies in our class each Sunday night, gathering around tables and discussing the lessons of the week. And not only discussing, but learning more and more about each other and learning more and more about their precious Savior together.

I am so thrilled that God thought enough of us when He designed the tabernacle to put a table there where we could once again experience the sweet fellowship with Him. I love how Beth explained that the table was a representation of God and man coming together in the wood table (wood representing man) overlaid with gold (representing deity or God). It makes me aware again of how we have to be "covered" by His deity to sit in fellowship with Him!

All of this made me remember a very favorite old hymn that I had never heard before doing the Beloved Disciple study and hearing it sung on the accompanying album that came with it. I am including the words in this post along with a link following them to an MP3 version of the song. I so hope that you have a music player that you can listen to it on...this is the best version of it I have heard.

Please reflect on the words as you listen to the music and just picture yourself sitting at the table with your Heavenly Father enjoying a sweet meal of fellowship...a fellowship that will never end! Praise God!

God and Man at Table are Sat Down
Words and Music: Rev. R.J. Stamps.

O, welcome all you noble saints of old,
As now before your very eyes unfold
the wonders all so long ago foretold.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

Elders, martyrs, all are falling down
Prophets, patriarchs are gathering ‘round,
what angels longed to see now man has found.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

Who is this who spreads the victory feast?
Who is this who makes our warring cease?
Jesus Risen Savior, Prince of Peace.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

Beggars, lame and harlots also here;
Repentant publicans are drawing near;
wayward sons come home without a fear.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

Worship in the presence of the Lord,
with joyful songs and hearts in one accord,
and let our Host at table be adored.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

When at last this earth shall pass away,
when Jesus and His bride are one to stay,
the feast of love is just begun that day.
God and man at table are sat down
God and man at table are sat down

Enjoy the music at this link!

Fasting and Prayer in the US? No This is Haiti!!

Haiti Pictures

Please follow this link to our women's ministry blog to view the latest pictures from our Haiti team.