Beth Moore in Memphis

Hi everyone! I have two extra tickets to Beth Moore this weekend (Oct. 9-10) in Memphis. They are FREE and if any of you were thinking of coming down, please let me know ASAP and you can have them. They are for a suite at the FedEx Forum, but I think you can sit anywhere if you want to get closer. Please let me know!

happy new year!

I agree with Carla, it's been too long!

I just wanted to invite anybody in the area to Southeast's Esther study on Tuesday nights starting January 13th. (they are doing it at other times as well but I thought it would be fun to get a big group of us together and do it.)

Also, I will be reading through the Bible chronologically again in 2009 if anyone would like to join me.

May the Lord bless you and keep you in 2009!

blessings,
karen

been to long

Hi Kentucky siestas, it's been way too long since I last spoke with anybody. It has been crazy around here as I know it has been for you guys also. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I sure did. How has everyone been since our "No Other God's" study? I've thought about you often. Please write back when you can and tell me if anything new and exciting has happened in your lives. Our little 6 year old grandson said he prayed and received Christ as his Savior around thanksgiving; We had been praying for him that he would understand. Oh to pray like a child! He had no tears, fears, or concerns. He said he just wanted to pray and asked Jesus in his heart. Keep him and his 9 year ols sister in your prayers that they will love Jesus with all their heart and live for him with total abandon. I also have my very first pet- I'm 49 ! It has been so precious and amazing to have this at this point in my life. Her name is Roxanne and she is a 2 1/2 year old Yorkie. She has the sweetest personality. I think it's because she was abused before we got her and now she is like the diva of our house. I could tell mant more stories about her and my grandkids but I'll leave it at that for now. I pray that all you guys will have a healthy, safe and spirit-filled new year! Love much Carla Lee

God's Great Mystery

We've heard a lot about "change" lately, but right now I'm undergoing an "unchange." Last February my husband took a great job in Frankfort--we were living in Memphis, TN at the time--and my three boys and I stayed back for my oldest to finish the school year. We came up here in June, thinking our house would sell within a few weeks and we'd get a house here and settle in. Months went by, lots of people looked at our house. We got a few offers but they fell through for strange reasons. We began to wonder what God was doing, since we had been obedient to come here, and we had, for the most part, had good attitudes about the move. We were paying rent on a condo in a hotel, and paying mortgage, utilities, etc. for our home. We knew God was in control and was going to take care of us, and that He had a plan that we needed to trust Him to fulfill. Soon after, my husband found out about a great job opening in Memphis, at a station where one of his former bosses now worked. That guy was dying to hire Brian for the position, and, well, he did. Which means we are moving back to Memphis. That's where the mystery of God comes in: Why did He move us here, only to move us back? Is it because someone in my family is going to get sick or worse? Is it because,...well, I don't know. What I DO know is that God brought us here to Kentucky, and He is sending us back. I could give you miles of examples of His hand in all of this. One is that He led me to the Kentucky Siestas, when I didn't know anyone and wondered if anyone around here was going to do the No Other Gods study. And this blog led me to meet Traci, who gave me the scoop on Frankfort and was my first friend here. God led us to a great church and Sunday School class that we absolutely hate to leave. And though I am excited about living near my family again, I truly do not want to go back! That in itself is an answer to prayer because I was afraid that I'd never really like it here. God is good, and though I may never understand His ways, I praise Him for His mystery!

So, Thank you, Kentucky Siestas, for being here when I needed you! You have been a blessing in my life!

--Sherri

***Beth Moore is coming to Memphis in October '09, so come on down and let's go together!

Stranded without electricity, I read The Shack

Well, ladies, since I did not have electricity early this week, I holed up at home and read "The Shack." I know we talked about this book in an earlier post (Sunday, July 27 - I don't know how to create Links or I would "link" you to the post. Can someone teach me how to do that? :-). My sister in law was reading the book then, and to tell you the truth, I haven't asked her opinion about it yet. But, a member of my home Bible study, who has tragically lost a child, told us that she was reading it. I trust her opinion as a woman of God, so I thought, well, I might as well read it.

For me to read an entire book in two days means it fascinated me and made an impact. But, before I give my opinion of the book, I want to reread the "meat" of the book and just contemplate it. I know, you're thinking "why is she bringing this up if she isn't ready to comment on it?" Well, I'm curious, who has read this book and what do you think?

Oh, and you Northern Kentucky gals, did you survive Storm Ike OK? Us - Ike gave our tree in the backyard a good shearing with several downed limbs, but no damage to our property.

That brings me to a prayer request....we can replace "things," but please pray for the Wiche family that lost their precious 10 year old boy, Frederic "Eric" Wiche Wilson on Sunday (he was doing yard work and was killed by a downed tree). He is the grandson of a wonderful man, Fred Wiche, who used to do a segment on the local TV news "The Weekend Gardener." Fred passed away just before his grandson, Eric, was born. Now they are together with Jesus! Pray for the family that are left behind.

God Bless!

Cheri

STILL MORE

I am currently doing Beth's LIVING FREE with my online group Siestas4Him and Sept.7 will start leading A HEART LIKE HIS at my church. God's hand is certainly in the David study. Read the posts on my blog about it and you will understand why I am showing up even if no one else does. I'm afraid NOT to.

LINDA

More and More Bible Studies!

Well, ladies, Connie and I have decided that we are going to do When Wallflowers Dance together. At this point, we are planning to start next week. However, if any of you would like to join us online, we would love to have you participate. It's only six weeks so the workload shouldn't be too bad and we'll be finished in plenty of time to get ready for the holidays. Anyway, if you're interested, let us know.

And no, Cheri, I have not done Stepping Up yet. I would like to and it is on my list. Perhaps next time around. I'm also hoping that church does the new Mary Kassian in the spring. It looks awesome. Of course they'll probably offer it at the same time that they offer Esther and then I'll be in a quandry.

blessings!

Bible Study?

Hi Ladies!

I'm curious, is anyone involved in Bible study this late summer/early autumn?

I just started Beth Moore's "Stepping Up - A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent."

I am meeting with a group of ladies in a home study here in Louisville. This is my fourth study with this group of wonderful women. We met for the first time last Wednesday, and guess what, I'm already behind on my homework!

This past week has been busy with trips, work, and family get-togethers! Traci and I took an excursion to Cincinnati Museum and finally met face to face. We had a great time and I think that I talked her ears off. While at the museum, we had a real life review in anatomy and were newly amazed at the miracle of the human body!

After the Stepping Up study is finished, I plan to get back to studying "Believing God" (Beth Moore). I started this online study by myself around the time that I started NOG and Heaven. Needless to say, it was too much to try more than one study at a time!

Please share any Bible studies that you are now attending or doing solo.

God bless!

Cheri

FINISHED

HEY GIRLS, I HOPE I GOT SIGNED IN QUICK ENOUGH. I can never begin to say thanks for letting me share with you and learn from you and hopefully grow with you during this journey. I have had a blast and wish we could meet up some time. I won't be long but I wanted to share just a few gems I discoverd along our way.The first part of the study I was a little intimidated by all this blogging and getting on the right date, and well you get the picture; that I wasn't looking deep enough or I was trying too hard to see things that just wern't there. But praise God the last 3 lessons opened my eyes and heart to exactly what I was needing and dealing with in my now.

I too, have been bothered all my life because of things I was taught in my childhood. I had perfectionism burned into me for so long that just in the last 8 years of my life believing that is NOT how God has it all planned out. My outward appearance must ALWAYS suppress or out rank anything I had on the inside. Whether I was saved, smelled like it, or felt like it or wanted to, I had better look like it! GONE BE THAT IDOL! I live for the joy of my Lord! Also, the Lord will noy allow me to live in the desert forever. This too will pass. There's so much more but I don't want you to run from me just yet! Please someone, anyone, contact me via my e-mail or phone. (865-688-8534) Iwant to hear about your lives and how God is working and evident in you. Send me a group pic and I'll try to send you guys one also. Love much, Carla Lee from Knox, Tn

Remaining In The New

Remaining In the New
By: Michelle Adams

Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Put on-enduo-Greek word-to be clothed with

I asked the Lord how I could truly remain in this new beginning day after day and year after year. How could I clothe myself with this new person? A person, who thought different, felt different and behaved different than she had in the past? How could I truly become the person that God wants me to be and how could I walk in the center of his will? I can say all sorts of things but to see them come to pass, to live them everyday can be difficult. I asked for insight.

Everyday at least twice a day I change my clothes. In the morning I take off what I slept in and dress to go out to work. In the evening I change from my work clothes to whatever I am sleeping in. I would never consider going off to work in my pajamas so why do I sometimes go off to work without clothing myself with the new man? It’s the same thing. When I wake up in the morning before starting a new day I must invite the Lord to come go with me, I must communicate with Him and seek His guidance for that day otherwise I am leaving home bare and uncovered. I haven’t clothed myself with the new man I have neglected my Heavenly Father and my relationship with Him. This makes a huge difference in how the day goes and my attitude about the events of the day.

A day in most of our lives lasts several hours usually somewhere around eighteen and we only sleep about six. During the course of eighteen hours a lot of things happen. It’s common to drop something you eat or drink on your clothes; once the spot is there it doesn’t just go away. Spiritually speaking our days are filled with different people, many events, things that sometimes hurt, that make us angry, frustrated or just plain tired. We wear these things emotionally so many times and the affects of them can be seen whether we realize it or not.

That’s why it’s so important that at the end of the day we bring our baggage to the altar in prayer. Everything that we have picked up that day, all the things that have stained our lives and left a mark we must lay down at night. We have to talk to the Lord about our day and tell Him all that has taken place and leave it there with Him. That’s the only way we can truly lay down and rest in peace. If we will learn to do this we can get up the next morning with a clean slate because we’ve put it down the night before. We can put on clean, fresh clothes spiritual as well as physically and anew each morning. The stains from yesterday do not have to go with us again today. Today holds its own spots and if we don’t lay them down every night we will find that we are full of them. We will end up on overload, feeling overwhelmed and not knowing how to cope.

As I write this I am reminded of a Women’s conference I attended one Saturday four or five years ago with a co-worker. The speaker that day talked about walking in a new beginning and ridding yourself of all that was passed. Her illustration was of a wall. She said we are born with a blank wall but as we grow up all those around us write on our wall. The wall becomes covered with all the writing, it affects our behavior, our attitude and how we deal with things. She taught that when we come to Christ, he has the ability to erase what is on our wall. Christ Jesus can erase that old man but we have to let Him. We must be willing to look at the wall that has been covered with various things and talk about them. We must invite the Lord to erase those things, usually one at a time.

When God erases something that has been written on our wall he writes a new thing. He gives us new life and a new beginning, He really does make us new people and he compels us not to have the wall become covered again with negative things or things that are not of Him. He wants to write on our wall filling it with the goodness of His grace and mercy. He wants us to clothe ourselves with the new man everyday, to start with a clean slate, that’s why His word tells us His mercies are new every morning. We mess up, we endure a lot and we face so many different things. God presents us the opportunity to rid ourselves of all things old and remain in the new. The only way to remain is to repeat the pattern of changing your spiritual clothes daily.

Heavenly Father, I desire to remain in the new. Help me to clothe myself with the new man every morning and to lay down all that happens in a day every night. I don’t want to carry today with me tomorrow but I want to learn to start anew. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Roll Call

Be sure that you go to the LPM blog today and sign in! Beth wants us to individually give our name, city and state. I also put "Finished with Kentucky Siestas!" ;-)
Hope that you are enjoying the closing weeks of summer!

Finishing Strong

Ladies,

I have posted the discussion questions for weeks 7 and 8. I hope that everyone has time to leave a comment or two. I thought that the last two weeks were very encouraging. At the end of this study, I feel that God has dealt with me regarding a few idols and I am surrendering them to Him. But I know that it is only by God's grace that I can say that. I am reminded of what we studied in week seven, day three "For when I am weak, then I am strong" and "His grace is sufficient for me."

I want to leave the Kentucky Siestas blog open for our mode of continuing communication after the study is finished. I feel like I have met some great ladies through this study/blog and I don't want to lose touch. If you will, post updates on what you are doing, studying, and either post or email any prayer requests. If you want to write a post of encouragement, please do. If you have deleted the email addresses for everyone, I can resend them to you. Just post a comment on the blog and I'll send them.

Early next week, Beth wants us to individually post our name and town on the LPM blog when we have completed the study (like we did when we signed up for the study). So, be sure that you add your name to the roll call!

God bless you all!
Cheri

Beth's Final NOG Message - Week 7 "Seasons of Aloneness"

Question 1:

Beth writes:
On the bottom of p.148 and in the context of promised blessing, Kelly writes, “Sometimes the Lord immediately replaces what we have left [as in, said good-bye to], and other times we are left feeling empty for a time.” At several very important seasons of my own life I believe God deliberately let me feel that empty space for a while before He filled it…even with Himself. If you’ve had a similar experience, share it and discuss what purpose God might have had in it.

This line of discussion also brings to mind the segment of Jeremiah 15:17 that Kelly shares on p.167 in Week Eight: “I sat alone because Your hand was on me.” Keep in mind that God created each of us to be a very plugged-in part of the Body of Christ. We were created for relationship but sometimes God draws us into a time of aloneness with Him so that He can work something IN US that He desires to later work THROUGH US. If you’ve had a season like I just described that had a pretty profound effect on you, share it briefly with your group.

Beth's Final NOG Message - Week 8 "Making Room - Cleaning the Heart"

Question 2:

Beth writes:
The intro to Session Eight was so powerful and dead on. Revisit the testimony about the married friend realizing she needed to get rid of the cards, letters and emails from the first guy she ever loved. Another friend shared a similar story with Kelly that she references on p.178. We can hang on to all sorts of things from the past besides old boyfriends and, often, until we really say goodbye, we can’t say hello to something wonderful God has for us. As Kelly’s been telling us for weeks, we’ve got to make ROOM.
Discuss a time you came to a similar conclusion and acted on it.
OR, if you haven’t let go of something but you know you need to, ask your group members to hold you accountable and pray for you to have courage to follow through.

Beth's Final NOG Message - Week 8 "He Brought Us Out...To Bring Us In"

Question 3:

Beth writes:
I loved Day Three! Revisit Kelly’s first paragraph on p.173. What is the “bridge between the old and the new”?

THEN, take a good look at Deuteronomy 6:23 in the margin of that same page and note Kelly’s abbreviation of it in the second paragraph: “He brought us out…to bring us in.” Girlfriend, that statement deserves an index card! Why is it so critical to keep that concept in mind?

Beth's Final NOG Message - Week 8 "Your Harvest is Just Beginning!"

Exhortation:

Beth writes:
The last two days of study out of the Book of Ruth were so good. Didn’t you love the last line of Ruth 1 (V.22) where we learn that Ruth and Naomi, devastated and grieved, entered Jerusalem, just “as the barley harvest was beginning”?
Read John 15:8 "By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
As we draw our journey to a close, having moved out some idols to make room for Christ, encourage one another to believe God to move in powerfully and purposefully. Speak these words over one another, emphatically and with authority: "Your harvest is just beginning!"