My Siesta Experience

So this weekend I was in Houston at the Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration with about 500 other "siestas". It was hosted at Houston's First Baptist Church (love love love the church!). What a fantastic time. Not only did we get to hear some great teaching by Beth Moore, but we were able to share our year's worth of memory verses with another siesta. It was beyond touching to see 500 women paired off in small groups with their spiral notebooks sharing precious Words that they had committed to memory and that had penetrated their life. Because God says that His Word never comes back void, so the Word we hide in our heart always penetrates. Always cultivates.

You can go over to the Living Proof blog and get the play-by-play of the weekend. What I want to share with you is something that surprised me. I had planned on some good teaching (thank you Beth!). I expected some great worship (thank you Travis!). I was hoping for some good preaching Sunday morning. (I was able to stay an extra day and attend services at Houston's First...let me just say - I could not write fast enough the preaching was so stinkin' good.)
What surprised me was the women. Ashamedly, I was not expecting as warm a reception that permeated the weekend. You could pick a siesta out of a crowd - ANYWHERE in Houston, and not just because she was wearing a pink feather boa. But because she was radiating some joy. Because she made eye contact and instantly said hi, or waved, and if able, asked how you were doing and if you were enjoying yourself, and what were you up to, and did you want to join them later for something....Not ONCE did I experience the slightest attitude, cold shoulder, haughty-too-good-to-look-at-you glance.

And I feel slightly stupid for thinking I would find that this weekend. But you know how we women are. Sometimes we're caddy. Sometimes we're cold. Sometimes we're downright mean. And you put 500 of us together in a VERY well-air-conditioned room for hours and you would think, statistically speaking, some kind of attitude would flare up. Not a one. NOT A ONE friends!

This was the cream of the crop. We were there to get a word, and not from Beth, but from the Lord. We were there because we had been hiding God's Word in our hearts INTENTIONALLY for a year and were ready to celebrate with some like-minded sisters. They told us there were 22 different denominations represented from 42 states and 2 countries. And yet we were connected. In every way that mattered. We were all there passionately pursuing some Jesus. Praise the Lord, I believe He was quite tickled and glorified in our unity in the Spirit. (Eph 4:3)

And here's something else I wasn't expecting. Every woman had a story. And with it, some tears, some pain. Her story just as valid as the next. Just as valid as mine. Her pain did not discount my own. Rather, each story of how the Lord had seen her through was like a tapestry; each testimony a ribbon weaving in out of the grand backdrop of God's amazing grace and mercy.

This is why it is so important to remain connected to the Body in times of crisis. So you remember you are not alone. So you hear how your pain is not singular to you. That God's not out to get you. Pain is a part of life, and our sweet Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble. But to take heart, because He has overcome. He has overcome friends. One way to remember it fresh is to hear it and see it on the faces of those who are sojourning on the same toilsome path. I wasn't expecting so many on the same path. But I'm so glad I did. So glad.

I went to Texas alone and exhausted. I left Texas with new budding friendships and a heart full of gratitude. If ever LPM does another weekend like this, ya'll HAVE to come with. And you can bet you'll see me there.