Some scripture and some 7 and some Lord, help me

Holy cow!!!! It is June people! JUNE!!!! And school is out! And we sing songs and praise God and dance that all the kiddos passed and are movin' on up in the fall. Whoooooo hoooooooo!!! June also means that those of us memorizing scripture are at the halfway point in this journey. I feel like we get to this point and we are energized and excited and fired up to finish strong!

When I go through my spiral I absolutely love reading through each verse and remembering why I chose that verse and how that verse has spoken volumes in my life and maybe even someone else's life. Just so cool, huh? I say it all the time, but it's true....the word of God is alive and active. ALIVE AND ACTIVE!!! And that's a scriptural fact, too. (Hebrews 4:12)

Ok, let me tell you about a little something that a couple of friends and I are about to embark on and hope to high heavens that people don't think we are flat out crazy..... Ever hear of Jen Hatmaker? She also has this book out called "7" that you may have heard of. If you know anything about this book I think I just heard you mumble something under your breath or gasp or say "no way Jose'." And, I get it. I really do. And if I'm going to be fully honest with you, let's just blame all this on David Platt and Radical a few years ago because in all reality....the problem started there. Did I say problem? I meant journey.

You see....that is what God does....He starts off with a teeny tiny seed planted in your heart and then with beautiful patience and time and a bunch of Jesus and church...BAM! He has somehow threaded a lot of events and people together and before you know it, you find yourself doing something crazy that He planted inside you way back in the day. And because of this great thing called "community" that He throws us into we actually have other crazy people He has been working on and they want to walk this road with you....and HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE!!! He's a clever fella. Oh, and there's obedience. I really am learning this...failed more than succeed, but time is ticking and I don't want to miss a thing with Him, so let's just suck it up and GO!

 And, everyone pray now because it's real.

This is what Barnes and Noble says about "7." American life can be excessive, to say the least. That’s what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her family’s upper middle class home. She once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called “rich” by an undeniably poor child, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual was born. 7 is the true story of how Jen (along with her husband and her children to varying degrees) took seven months, identified seven areas of excess, and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. Food. Clothes. Spending. Media. Possessions. Waste. Stress. They would spend thirty days on each topic, boiling it down to the number seven. Only eat seven foods, wear seven articles of clothing, and spend money in seven places. Eliminate use of seven media types, give away seven things each day for one month, adopt seven green habits, and observe “seven sacred pauses.” So, what’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased God—a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better existence.

So....we are crazy, right? 7 starts June 1st with food. I'm eating the same 7 foods for 30 days and praying that I don't die or cuss someone out because I NEED CHOCOLATE PEOPLE or a Diet Dr. pepper. I know it will be rough and uncomfortable, but surely to goodness I can handle this. Don't  talk to Jesus about rough and uncomfortable, right? I mean...seriously....I know my family has more than enough food and has never known hunger or want. Food is always there. I'm learning to say less of me and my junk and more of Him and His Kingdom.

God has been working on this path for quite some time and honestly...I'm just so happy that He lets me, little ole me, walk alongside the Him, the creator of the universe. How cool is that? I think we'll be ok.

I know you are curious so here are my 7 foods for June: chicken, turkey, bread, tomatoes, corn, apples, and eggs. Sounds divine, huh? ;) I will update quite often on twitter how I'm doing...the good, the bad, the heavenly. Jesus already confirmed to me today in the most random way that me and my friends are exactly where He wants us. I cried after that tender moment. I then said to Him in my car..."I'm in, Lord. I'm in. Whatever you want to do, I'm in."

So...all this to say...He is indeed doing a new thing in my life for the remainder of the year and I couldn't think of a more appropriate verse, that I happen to love, as we kick of this journey....  

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:19

I'm so anxious to hear your verses!!  Ready, set, go!!

Love y'all! 

It really is all about love

I could not find the verse I wanted this time and I truly thought, "there is nothing in that bible that I'm looking for!" How ridiculous is that? What happens is, we don't want to take the time to dig and stop and think about what type of verse we truly want to know. I'll be the 1st to admit that sometimes I pick a verse because it's a "good one to know." And, yes, there are plenty of great verses that we need to know. However, this time was different.

My heart had gone into "deep mode" and I knew there was more to just picking out a verse this time. I have been walking a road with a friend who lost her son tragically just a couple of months ago. It has rocked me to the core of mothering and friendship. I have watched her walk this horrific road so very transparent and completely dependent on Jesus Christ. She truly radiates Jesus in all that she says and does even when the tears don't want to stop Jesus continues to prevail. Our hearts are woven together in a way that is hard for me to explain. It's simply a deep love for each other. It's a love rooted in Christ and solid because of the Rock we both stand on. I hope you know that type of friendship and what that feels like.

So, I knew I wanted a verse on love and something that had some depth to it and make me truly stop and think about what it's saying. I memorized a verse last year that says, "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them." Romans 12:9. That verse was an excellent verse because I remember specifically walking through a season where I was being challenged to love people that were annoying the fire out of me. If you look up love in your concordance and scroll through the love verses, you will have heard just about all of them. We know and understand that God is love and everything He is about. We know the commands to love others and what not to love. Again...I was looking for a scripture that went deep into my heart and described this type of love for my dear friend and all that she has taught me these last couple of months.

This verse is where I landed thanks to our own Kelly Snodgrass who is memorizing with us. ;) "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5.

Read that again slowly and let it sit on you for a minute. That's how I want to love. Give me a pure heart Lord. Let me love with a good, clean conscience. Help me to be sincere, Lord, with this love. Nothing fake.

 I'm so anxious to hear your verses. I just love and respect each and every one of you! It takes great commitment and dedication to stick with this memory thing. Let's spur one another on as much as we can!

Hugs and blessings~

I really do LOVE His Word.....don't you?

We are finally pushing past the hump I do believe! When I completed this journey last year, I remembered quickly how hard this time of year was for me. My family is deep into spring sports.....America's game....baseball. We love it so very much and it consumes more days and nights than not. However....I am learning with time, age, and nearly 16 years of parenting, that NOTHING will come between me and my personal growth with the Lord. NOTHING. I don't say that with pride. I can say that after more times of failure than success. There are some disciplines, however, that I am finally getting right. :)

I am in love with scripture memory and seeing the fruit of knowing His Word and how to apply it, can literally stop me dead in my tracks. His Word is truly life bearing and something I find myself desperate to know.....really know. Thank you Jesus for taking this prodigal daughter nearly 15 years ago and loving me with such patience and grace. I'm YOURS!! And you are mine. There is nothing sweeter than that right there.

The verse I picked this time is Isaiah 26:4. It is simple, short, but I love a little nugget with one of the words. Here is the verse....and then I will explain.

"Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal." 

 The very first word, trust, actually means to "attach" in the original Hebrew language. YES!! I want to attach myself to Him...through it all....I want to be attached to Him. When I'm feeling overwhelmed or worried or afraid or insecure or prideful or walking in any sin, I hope to recall this scripture and visualize my desperate self in need of holding onto my Savior. I'm holding on Lord. I'm attached to the One who knew me before the foundation of the world and sent His son to die so I may live.

Alrighty.....share away sweet friends!!! I'm so very proud of you!

Confession and a new memory verse!!

Y'all...seriously...I think it's still February or something. IT'S APRIL!!! It's mid-April! May will be here in two days. ;) Goodness gracious the time is flying. I must be old. That's what happens right?

Before I share my memory verse I have a couple of confessions. Ok.....here we go : I didn't memorize my last verse at all. AT ALL. I will go ahead and tell you that I moved my spiral from my dashboard in my car to my purse thinking I would go over my verses more when in reality the spiral never ever ever left my purse. Ugh. Big fat hang my head low. And while I'm at it...I had to go back to my previous blog post and look what I even selected as my verse. GOOD GRIEF people. But...this is life and I got slightly off track. However, this I know....we are full of grace and love and encouragement around here and there is absolutely no condemnation when we fail or drop the ball. Thank you Jesus for showing us how to do that. I will grab my spiral out of my purse now...write down TWO verses and start fresh.

 I picked this next verse because it is just all up in my business for many different reasons and it has deep meaning to me right now. This verse reminds me of how quickly we can lose ground in certain areas of our life...family, friends, work, activities, anything that brings glory to God if we don't guard or protect what we have worked for. Anything we work for can be lost. Satan can't have the people and the things that mean so much to me. He just can't.

Fran, Jackson TN "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded." 2 John 8 NIV

Ok...let me hear your verse girls!! And if you are willing...why did you pick that verse? I just love y'all. .

Love it!!! Let me hear those scriptures!!

This is definitely the time of  year when I tend to slowly fade out of scripture memory. Why? Because spring has sprung, my kids are so busy with spring/summer sports, and I just get a little too lazy with the warmer weather. It is just a struggle for me to push past this busy time of year and then through the lazy days of summer.

However...Satan won't win this battle with me. I may pick out shorter scriptures, but I'm still memorizing! So there Satan. Take that!

I want to provide you the context of the single verse I chose so here goes...

Fran, Jackson TN
   "I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philipians 1:6

I want to be obedient in ALL things. I want to walk this walk with great humility and integrity and authenticity. Jesus...I thank you that you WILL see the good all the way through. No matter where I turn or go or fall of the path...you WILL see it through.

Amen? Amen!!

Ok girls...fire away!!!  I can't wait to read what you have chosen!

His Word has truly been life this week

What a couple of weeks this has been....in one week, a mom to one of youngest son's lost her battle with cancer and she was buried. These 11 year old children handled this loss with such love for their classmate.  This past weekend, one of my dearest friends son was killed tragically in a car wreck. Needless to say....these last 5 days have been extremely difficult. However, I watched one of the most Godly women I know carry herself through unspeakable devastation with Jesus and her faith in such a way that you stood back and in a weird sort of way wanted to watch. I have learned so much from my friend Cindy that I wish I could tell you all I saw and heard that was a blessing to others as this momma dealt with the death of her firstborn son at the tender age of 18.

Cindy taught me to pray and seek the Lord in all I do. She showed me to live life authentically and I cherish our friendship in the deepest places of my heart.

My memory verse comes out of her son's funeral and it seemed fitting to really know and remember the power of this verse as I process these last few days.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 NIV

Oh girls....life is such a gift. Love your children well. Live for Jesus. Be as real as you can. Cindy taught me how to do these things. It matters......it matters when we can't manage to find the air to breathe. His Word is life.

Can you believe it?? Memory verse #3 is here!

Y'all...seriously...time is flying and every time I read a scripture that just grabs me I think "thats my next memory verse!"  I know I'm up to probably 10 favorites. ;)  However, I've chosen just one that I have read and known and seen time and time again, but it has new meaning for me right now. I meet with a beautiful group of ladies once a week and we talk about the challenges of being a mom and we pray for the pressing needs of our families every time we meet. It has become such a sweet time for us all. I can't imagine NOT doing this.  We have talked recently about the courage it takes to be a mom. We must be watchful. We must be wide-eyed and alert. A Proverbs 31 woman is no wimp.

So....my next memory verse surfaced this past week two different times and I thought...YES....this is the next verse for me. And...since I'm not one to memorize long verses (wink) I may break this one up into one month to make sure I really get it. I'm going to try though.

Grab your spirals girls....It's time to write down another Truth!

Fran, Jackson TN
  ^5" Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Ok...let me hear them!!!  I can't wait to see where your heart is! There is nothing like the power of His Word! I'm so very proud of y'all!  Don't forget to always go over the other verses.

Love y'all!