COUNTDOWN TO HOUSTON (Part Three)

Seven weeks and counting.

The angel said to the women, " Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen just as He said.
Matthew 28: 5-6 (NIV)

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 (NLT)

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

COUNTDOWN TO HOUSTON (Part Two)

Eight weeks and counting. Here are my next three memory verses.

I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27 NLT 2-15-2009

Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God's presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God's name. Malachi 3:16 Message 3-1-09
This was the verse that Beth chose in a different translation.

When the country is in chaos, everyone has a plan to fix it- But it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out. Proverbs 28:2
Message 3-15-2009
This verse seemed appropriate, following the 2008 Presidential campaign, election, and inauguration.

COUNTDOWN TO HOUSTON (Part 1)

Nine weeks from today I will be in Houston to celebrate with Beth Moore, the staff at Living Proof Ministries (LPM), and other Siesta Scripture Memory Team (SSMT) Members at Beth's church.

Last Dec. Beth challenged the Siestas who follow the LPM blog to make 2009 a JESUS YEAR by committing to scripture memorization. We were to post a scripture on the LPM blog on the 1st and 15th of each month that we planned to memorize, or at least meditate on if our memorization skills were lacking.

On March 15, 2009 Beth announced that she was planning a free celebration for those of us who had posted our scriptures at least 20 times and could recite 10 of them from memory. Our admission ticket is our spiral bound notecards with our scripture verses on them.

I am EXCITED to meet Beth in a smaller group setting but I started this challenge with the only reward being God's Word in my head and heart and that continues to be the BIG PRIZE......but I am not cancelling my hotel or plane reservation !!

Because this has been such a powerful experience I want to share it with you. I am going to post 3 scriptures each week until I go, in hopes that you will be blessed also. I have chosen scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments and from six different translations. Let's get started.....



Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. Luke 1 :45 NIV 1-1-09



Celebrate God all day, everyday. I mean revel in Him. Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them to see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Philippians 4: 4-5 The Message

1-15-09



I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. By you Words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. Psalm 119: 11 and 89 (NIV) and 105 (Message) 2-1-09

I chose these scriptures after being in Gatlinburg with our Baby Boomer group. Dulaney's lessons were on WORDS and their impact, both positive and negative. What better way to focus on the postive impact of words than by learning GOD's WORDS!

That's it for now. See you next week for part 2.

30 YEARS AND COUNTING

On November 17, 1979 I became Mrs. Ernie Peel. Many of you know about our whirlwind courtship... We met on a blind date arranged by Ernie's sister Patsy on 6/24/79 and became engaged on July 12, 1979 . During that short time frame we only saw each other EIGHT DAYS!!!! And here we are 30 years later still sharing a life together.

Thank you to our families and friends who have supported us and shown us wonderful examples of unconditional love. You have made our marriage richer.

60 YEARS AND COUNTING

On October 1, 1949 Joyce Parcher married Charles Wilmoth at Fourth Avenue Methodist Church in Louisville. My parents have been married SIXTY years today!!!!

Happy Anniversary Mama and Daddy. You are a blessing to me, Ernie, and Brittany..... and to everyone who has the honor of calling you friends.

I love you to the moon and back !!!! GO CARDS !!!

WHAT KIND OF A FAN ARE YOU?

Today is the big game between my UL Cardinals and the UK Wildcats ! Of course I want to win but this year UK seems to be the better team. If UL loses, will I stop supporting them? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I am NOT a fair weather fan. I have been a CARDINAL since birth. My parents' first date was to a UL Homecoming Dance and they will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 1. I grew up going to UL games and remain a supporter WIN or Lose.

This got me thinking about Christianity. What kind of a Christian are you? Are you a fair weather Christian, happy to follow Jesus as long as things go your way? Do you stay in your church as long as things remain COMFORTABLE? No talk of sin and repentance? Your kind of music? An entertaining minister?

Or are you a loyal follower of Jesus? Will you follow Him no matter what happens in your life? If your spouse leaves you, if illness comes you way, if your job is eliminated? Will you remain loyal to your church even if the minister is not a gifted speaker? If he or she challenges you to change (REPENT) your behavior (SIN)?

Jesus has not promised us an easy life BUT He has promised to "Never leave you or forsake you". Being a fair weather or loyal fan of your team will have no impact on eternity.... but being a loyal follower of Jesus will reap ETERNAL VICTORY. Lord, please find me faithful.....

A DISTURBING BUMPER STICKER

Today as I was driving along I saw a car with a "DARWIN" symbol and this bumper sticker on the back.

IF GOING TO CHURCH MAKES YOU
A CHRISTIAN, DOES GOING TO A
GARAGE MAKE YOU A CAR?

I wanted to tell the driver how flawed that logic was. I wanted to say the
only thing that makes you a Christian is a relationship with Jesus Christ... and I DID say those things. Of course I was alone in my car and the driver had no idea I was speaking to him or her.

Maybe that driver has never heard the Good News....
Maybe that driver has heard the Good News in a bad way....
Maybe some "human" messed up in telling the driver about Jesus, showing condemnation and judgment rather than love....
Maybe the driver knows ME and saw me acting in an Unchristian way...

Todd's current sermon series is called ALL IN THE FAMILY . We are looking at ways to make people feel like they belong to our body of believers.... that even if they are "new" to our church, they are part of us, an important part.
The premise of this sermon series is that INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE NEED TO BE ACCEPTED, VALUED, AND INCLUDED.

Am I living a life that reflects my relationship with Jesus? Are You?

Last night I (?) picked my memory verse for Aug. 15th. Today, I see how perfect that verse is for leading people to want what we Christians have. (And it is not a church building.......)

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)