Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration!

At the beginning of 2009, Beth Moore gave her blog community, aka Siestas, a challenge of memorizing 24 verses for the year. Several months into it, she offered an incentive of a celebration conference! Our memory verse spiral was our ticket; we just had to get there! By that time I was already hooked. God had used His Word powerfully in my life in this challenge and I was committed to the end, but this would be the cherry on top!

Just a little testimony of my experience with God through this... February 2009 was kind of a climax of a rough time for SweetHeart at work and consequently our family. That led to beginning to look for a job in March. I don’t do well with change and the last move was not pretty. (There were some other issues going on as well, but a lot of it was the move.) So I was not looking forward to the change, not looking forward to repeating being in that pit, just not looking forward to any of it. There were times that I felt like I was standing on the edge of the pit and contemplating, Do I just jump in? I really don’t want to but I don’t want to be happy about this either, maybe I’ll just not do anything and I’ll slide in? I would work on my verses and God would guide me around that pit. Anytime I had insecurities or doubt or fear, God would reassure me and love on me with His Word that was taking up residence in me. In the waiting and the uncertainty of applying, interviewing, waiting for a decision, wondering if this would be our new home, God reminded me of His unfailing character that I could trust Him and trust His ways and His love. And that He would be everything I needed no matter where I was. I’ve been a Christian almost all my life, been in Bible study and had a deeper relationship the last 15 years, but I needed this at this time to survive.

Then I had a friend who emailed me one day, “Pray for me—my marriage.” I had no idea what was going on and no clue of what to say or do. As I worked on my verses, usually while I was vacuuming :), I would pray those Scriptures for her and her family. God taught me a lot about prayer in this too because I had such a burden to pray for her. I had heard people say that before, but never really understood it. Now I do. Since I didn’t know what to say, I shared my verses with her. She said those were very encouraging to her. My God is so good! I would not have been equipped to lift up my friend if I had not been memorizing these Scriptures.

It turns out that we did move in August, and I’m doing good! All through the year I worked on my verses. It came to celebration time with Beth and, oh my, it was way more than just the cherry on top! Mom got to go with me and that was great!

Travis Cottrell was the worship leader and he sings my heart songs that make it easy to be in the presence of God and worship. The first night we were there, as we were singing, I just felt God’s Spirit say to my soul, “I’m proud of you.” For this girl who strives to please and struggles with insecurity, that was HUGE! (Needless to say I’m hooked and convinced. This is not a one year, just because Beth Moore challenged me thing. I’m already started on 2010 verses! It is God’s will to know Him and His Word, and it pleases Him when I do!) Then Beth taught on Psalm 119, and as usual she taught the Word that obviously overflowed from her relationship with the Lord, and her love and enthusiasm for Him bubbled over. One of the highlights of the weekend was when we paired off to say our memory verses to each other. Mom and I, along with a lot of other Siestas, went out to the courtyard. All over there were women saying their Scriptures that had become so dear to them. And then you would see high fives and hugs as they finished. What a celebration of all the hard work God was, is, and will be doing in our lives! My heart is so full and I am so blessed! This girl from a Tiny Town in Texas needed the sweet fellowship of this group of ladies!

Beth, Amanda, and Melissa thank you so much for all that you do here.  To the LPM staff, we know that it wouldn't happen without you too.  Thanks for all your hard work and service.  You all are a blessing!  I thank my God when I remember you!

(The rest of my Houston story is here.)