Scripture Memory Team 2013.

While searching around Beth Moore's blog for some info on our upcoming Bible study, The Inheritance, I found an idea that I just love and want to share with you.

Beth Moore is having a Siesta Scripture Memory Team on her blog for 2013.  Here's how she describes it:

*We call this a Scripture memory “team” because that’s exactly what we are. We’re a really long line of women standing shoulder to shoulder with our swords drawn. (For you newcomers, Ephesians 6 calls the Word of God the “Sword of the Spirit.”) And we don’t draw our swords to wound people, to convict our family members (God’s job) or to cut off the ears of our hearers. We draw our swords to fight the good fight of faith. While I was saw stacks and stacks of Siesta Scripture Memory Spirals being stuffed into envelopes for shipping, it hit me with fresh impact. What if thousands of women really did memorize 24 Scriptures in 2013?? What are the implications of that? What kind of repercussions might that have in our personal lives and our homes? That’s worth getting riled up over. SO, you bet this is a team. Don’t be too cool for it. Remember, God’s Spirit is a fire. If we’re too cool, we can’t help but quench it. If cheesy works around here, we’re not ashamed. Just throw in a can of jalapenos and grab a tortilla chip.

I am committing to memorizing 24 scriptures this year and I'd love for you to join me.
Let's face it, as women we have all kinds of random knowledge rolling around in our heads.  Let's put those steel trap minds to good use this year and fill them up with God's holy word!

I picked up a spiral bound set of index cards that I'm going to use to keep track of my verses.  Around the first and third Saturday of each month, I'll be posting my verse for the next two weeks.  You can comment here on the blog or on Facebook with your verse.  Keep it simple, just your name, verse and Bible translation.  Pick your verse based on what God is speaking to you at the time or feel free to copy my verse. 

Comment at least 20 out of 24 times in 2013 and come January 2014, we'll head out to a local restaurant to celebrate and have some fun!


Here's my first verse:

 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Don't forget to comment below with your verse!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!  I'm taking the week off to enjoy family and friends.  See you next year!

A Merry and Content Season.

Last week an idea that has been randomly rolling through my head finally came together for me.

As I sat with a group of ladies, some younger - some older, in the home of a friend, I realized that we are all in different seasons in our lives.

Now I'm well aware this is nothing new. I've even mentioned it before when I spoke about my coveting struggles when I work at UHC at my old job. Just hear me out.

I think it helps to realize and appreciate that we all are in different seasons of our lives. Especially at this time of the year when it can be so tempting to not only over spend from our budgets but also overindulge in activities and general busyness. I know I've thought "Oh, I wish I could do that, but I don't have a sitter" or explaining to the kids why "everyone else we know has gone to Disney" but not us. It's always so tempting to compare our season with others.

Oddly enough, my friend's Keurig drove this point home for me.   Tammy is truly one of the main people who helped me as a new mom to get on budget and on track. If it hadn't been for her and Dave Ramsey I wouldn't have had our finances to a place where I could not work full time today.

As I glanced at that Keurig and the women gathered in that home, I thought of all the wonderful women I know and the seasons they are in.

I wasn't happy that I was still single at 29 when all my friends were married around me. God used that season to teach me that He is my bridegroom and to show me that despite my past, I deserved to be treated like a princess.

I wasn't happy when we were having fertility issues and miscarriages. I was absolutely devastated when we lost our little girl Grace. And while I'll never understand why, I learned that God is not scared of my anger at him. He loves me unconditionally.

I wasn't happy on many days when we decided to get our finances in order. It was hard to break a thirty some year streak of instant gratification. But it taught me about being a good steward and the freedom of not overspending.

There are days now that I struggle with everything I have to do. I can easily get bent out of shape over a messy house or the current four loads of laundry on the side of my couch that I need to fold this morning. This is now my season. I have my kids at home with me and it's a constantly messy season. But I'm going to enjoy it because I can already see changes coming. There will be a time when hanging out with Mom and Dad isn't the coolest thing to do.

Wherever you are right now, just take a deep breath. Remember, this is a season.


Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13

Guest post: Voice Recognition

A funny thing happened to us when Kyla was just a newborn.

We were, of course, exhausted from sleep deprivation. Glen was home and he lay down with Kyla, both napping. I was working upstairs on our family website when the phone rang.

I snatched it up quickly, so it wouldn't wake my sleeping beauties. (No one ever called or rang the doorbell, unless Kyla was taking a rare nap.)

I hissed, "Hello?" into the receiver.

"May I speak to Glen?" a woman replied.

"May I tell him who's calling?

"Yes," she said, "his mother."

She had the wrong number, and we hung up when I told her so. Unfortunately, we were not done. The phone immediately rang again. I jerked it up, still wanting to save the quiet in the house.

"Hello?" (We didn't have caller ID at this point...)

Same woman's voice said, "Hello, may I speak to Glen?"

"I'm sorry, like I just told you, you have the wrong number."

"I want to talk to my son! You better let me speak to him!"

Admittedly, I was frustrated. I told her, as calmly as I could at that point, "Ma'am, I know my mother-in-law's voice, and you are not her! You have the wrong number! We have a newborn, and she is asleep. Please do not call back!"

We hang up.

The phone rings a third time.

Resisting the urge to tear it from the wall, I answer with an abrupt Hello, and get a man's voice in reply.

"Yes, may I speak with Glen?"

(I can laugh now, but I assure you it was not funny then.)

"Sir, I assume that I just spoke with your wife, and like I told her, you have the wrong phone number. You are not my father-in-law, I know his voice!"

By this time a little wisdom kicked in, and I unplugged the phone.

This story reminds me of how important it is to have a close relationship with Jesus, so we will know His voice when He calls us home one day.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:27 NASB).

 

 

 

Guest post by Selena Campbell who blogs at Campbell Clan, as well as Campbell Cookin'.