K-Love's 30-Day Challege

http://www.klove.com/30day#.Tv1gK8iquOY.blogger

Scripture Challenge: Verses 2-3

This year is flying by!  Already time for Memory Verse 3...and I have yet to post Memory Verse 2 for the Beth Moore Memory Verse Challenge!  So....here goes...

First, though, let me explain my verse choice rationale.  My husband and I are reading the Bible through in a year, and I am allowing this reading to guide my verse selection.  Thus, as I read, I choose one of the verses that "spoke" to me over the previous two weeks.

Memory Verse 2:  January 15-31 (From my January 10 reading)

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Career-wise, this is such an unsure time in my life.  Not a spot that I ever would have thought I would be in having now nearly completed 20 years of teaching.  Thus, resting in the Blessed Assurance, I know that He will guide my footsteps further, which just supports my chosen word for the "One Word Challenge" for 2011...peace.

As I sit here typing this, down in my soul, I have peace.  The war is won.  I now how it ends.  Thank you, Lord, for the peace to endure the battles until the victory flag flies.

Memory Verse 3:  February 1-14 (From my January 31 reading)

Matthew 21:21 (New Living Translation)

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.

With this verse, I claim my sister Janet's healing from the severe psoriasis she suffers. Because of her, I now know another reason my daughter was born with her heart/lung condition...God knew that one day Janet would need Holly's testimony to increase her faith.  And faith she has.  And so do I.  In my heart of hearts, way down deep in my soul, Janet is healed.  Again, the war is won.

As I told her, to claim a testimony, she has to live the root word of testimony:  test. 

What mountain do you need moved?  All it takes is faith.

What I have  realized, though, is that only God can give the gift of faith...then He rewards you for accepting that faith as you claim that mountain.

Just ask me sometime, I will tell you all about my daughter Holly's mountain, entitled Pulmonary Atresia.

Nothing is impossible.  Nothing.

______________________________________

Interested in such a challenge as this?  Then, I challenge you to accept it, face it, begin it.  Your life can only be enriched for having taken the challenge.

God's Masterpiece

My scripture for the Beth Moore Scripture Memorization Challenge:

Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation)

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

I have never been so challenged in memorizing anything in my life!  Today, I even attempted putting these words to song!  Thank goodness, I have four more days!

Here's a list of ways I have seen God use this scripture in my life thus far:

1. On Saturday, I was praying as I drove to town for my husband and about a situation in his life.  When I returned home, nearly the first words out of mouth proved God was already answering that prayer.  Powerful.  Humbling.
2. My husband and I are reading the Bible through in a year...already we have discussed several passages.  This I like.  This I covet.
3. On Sunday, the song leader and I sang "We Are Standing on Holy Ground" for special music.  What a blessing!  I could feel God using us.  Powerful.  Humbling.  Thank you, Lord, for using us. 

I will memorize this verse.  Satan will be defeated. 

Thank you, Lord!

Out with the Old...

Ending this year with a day of cleaning...and beginning 2011 with a day with family and friends over, for what I hope, will be a good meal!

I am joining Beth Moore's scripture memory challenge...and this is my first scripture:

Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation)


10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Beth Moore recommends also putting these scriptures in a journal, which I think is an excellent idea, for there, I want to reflect also on God's use of my chosen scriptures.

Just so you know...I am a day ahead on challenge!  Feels so good!




This scripture I chose as I was thumbing through my The One Year Bible for Women (which I plan to read through in 2011) and feel that this scripture is appropriate for a basis for all my "intentions" -- not resolutuions! -- for 2011, for if I am God's Masterpiece, I need to act like it more.

The Answer.

Yesterday, I needed a word from the Lord, so I sat down and picked up my The One Year Bible for Women.

Let's pause here for a moment...before you even begin to have any sort of admiring thoughts about my reading the Bible through in a year...I'm not. Unfortunately. Not there. This version of the Bible always sits waiting on me, though.

As I sat down, I asked the Lord to give me something, a word, to help me understand, to deal with a situation in my life right now. I opened the Bible and immediately turned to yesterday's entry and begin to read...and, of course, received my answer:

7 Ten days later the Lord gave his reply to Jeremiah. 8 So he called for Johanan son of Kareah and the other guerrilla leaders, and for all the people, from the least to the greatest. 9 He said to them, “You sent me to the Lord, the God of Israel, with your request, and this is his reply: 10 ‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,’ says the Lord. ‘For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power. 12 I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.’ Jeremiah 42:7-12

Not wanting to take this out of context, I read on...the people did not do as the Lord asked...no, just do not want to go there.

Tomorrow, I will be 44, and if there's one lesson I have learned in life, do as the Lord asks.

As I shared this with a friend, who is helping me deal with the latest trial in my life, I could hear the humbleness in her voice when she replied, "Tammy, I know of no other scripture that would have been a better answer. You have your answer."

Honestly? And I am ashamed to say this..I am not sure I have ever read that particular scripture, and if I have, it did not "speak" to me as His Word did yesterday.

I am so greatful to live in a land where I have the privilege and honor to know and serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

Should you not know Him...my prayer is that He be revealed to you, for there is no greater peace than that granted by the Great Peacemaker.

Now, I have also not reached the grand age of 44 without learning that even though God grants the Peace, that the journey is not over, but, oh, the journey is so much easier when God grants His Peace.

Thank you, Lord.

Mugs and Muffins

In the morning at 9:00, I will help lead our women's book study of Susanne Scheppmann's Embraced by the Father.  As I began reading her book, I did a search and discovered her website, from which I linked to her blog on which her most recent blog post discussed a meeting for new women in her church in which they hosted a "Mugs and Muffins."  Coincidentally, I purchased muffins for tomorrow morning's meeting...or maybe it's a sign of sorts that this group will be touched, lead by the hand of God?

Prayerfully, this is my request.

I go tomorrow asking to be embraced, for as I related to my husband today, in too many areas of my life, I am focusing on the negatives.  As I told my husband today, if I were God, I would be saying, "Tammy, why should I reward you?  You are just too negative."

As I told my husband?  I want to focus on the positive and enjoy living.  In a few days, I will turn 44.  I want the next 44 years to be as rewarding as the first ones were...except for an even more positive focus.

Below is one of the first scriptures within the "Prelude" of Embraced by the Father...this time this scripture spoke to me:

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
_______________

I am humbled to be loved to such a degree. May my life reflect that love back...as I learn to dance.

Reading the Bible

Just came across a post while skimming Facebook from Essential Connection magazine that linked to their site where they had posted the daily Bible readings if reading the Bible through in a year.

I love to read, yet I have never read the Bible through...a bit shamed to admit to that.

Thus, here I now commit to at least attempt this endeavor.  I am adding the daily reads to a page that will be accessible on a tab at the top of this blog.  Maybe you might join me?

I will keep you posted!