wait upon the LORD

This week at church, Pastor Josh Matlock's message was:
When God is Silent
Mark 7:24-37

Josh hit three main points that God wants to teach us:
The need to be PERSISTENT
The need to be HUMBLE
The need to have FAITH

We know that God's love is unconditional and unfailing! I hope you know that! If God sent His own Son to die for us, not sparing Him, you must know that there's nothing He wouldn't do for you! So when we dig into this scripture, we see how even if He is silent and we don't see our prayers being answered...its only because He is drawing us closer to Him! God's silence isn't because He doesn't care, in fact its the total opposite. The more we ask and pray, the closer we're drawn to God. So then if/when we don't hear from Him just know that He's close...and He's drawing you closer! Be persistent! Humble yourselves before Him, He will meet you where ever you're at in life! And have faith that He only wants the best for you...and He will never leave you, nor forsake you! (Heb. 13:5) God wants to bless us and give us HIS desires for our lives, which doesn't necessarily mean what we want, but what we NEED!

strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

Isaiah 41:10
'Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you!

Our growth leads to maturity
and maturity to a deeper relationship with God!

ATTENTION Young Adults!

Bethany Baptist Church is calling all Young Adults (ages 23-35) for a fun-filled MOVIE NIGHT! This Saturday night, June 27th at 6:30pm the Young Adults group is getting together to build relationships, fellowship with one another, and have some much needed fun together! We would love for anyone interested to join us and make some new connections with some really good people. Please contact me if you're interested and I'll give you the directions (post a comment with your email and I'll send you the information).

Our church is seeking to grow our Young Adults Group and would love to involve you! If you are at a place in your life where you don't feel connected and would like to find a place where you fit in, this is for you! We get together for fun nights out, whether it be bowling, lunches after church, movie nights, etc. and are encouraging others in the community to join us. There is also a weekly Bible Study happening on Sunday nights that is focused this month on the book of Proverbs. We would love for you to join. If you want to carpool and are located around Upland, let me know and I can come pick you up!

the upland street fair

Tonight little Annie and I strolled along the weekly Thursday night street fair and farmers market in downtown Upland. The crowds were out and the vendors plenty. We enjoyed the music from the band playing in the gazeebo, while checking out the booths and peeking in the stores. I stumbled across a cute little sign that I will hang on my wall at home from the Christine Mason Miller Collection. "everyday a new story begins" - I love it! I found it at the Speckled Hen. I also stopped in at the Sideboard, a super cute store that you MUST check out!, to visit my sweet friend Judi. Then I was off to continue my journey through the fun-filled streets. The flower stands were gorgeous, and Annie and I sat for bit while I indulged on a super yummy carne asada burrito from one of the local vendors. MMMMMMMM, Good!! :) Annie was very popular with the crowd too...she was loved on by many! And with the weather warming up, the summer evening stroll through the street fair was a nice way to kick off the weekend. It was very enjoyable and entertaining. If you haven't checked it out yet this season, you're missing out! Get on out there and enjoy some of what Upland has to offer! We sure had fun! :)

boot camp...kicks booty!!!

Whoa! Tonight's Boot Camp with Holly kicked my booty!!!
Bethany Baptist Church offers a free weekly Boot Camp on Wednesday nights for ladies. If you're interested, please leave a comment on this post and I'll give you the information...and here's a link to the church website if you'd like to learn more about what they believe, service times, etc.:
Bethany Baptist Church

Holly's passion for being physically fit and helping others on their journey towards that is inspiring. She's admitted her love for food and eats whatever she wants, but makes sure to work out that much harder to stay fit. She looks GREAT too! Anyway, the Boot Camp offers a variety of exercises in a circuit training way. You start off warming up and then get down to business. I don't necessarily enjoy being pushed so hard, but in the end I feel great! You will too, if you come join us!

What also makes getting together on Wednesday nights for Boot Camp great, is the fellowship with such great women. If you know me at all, you'd know that I wouldn't be excited to exercise, haha :) Its hanging out with everyone that I love! So if you're like me, get off your booty and come on out...even if its just to socialize! You'll not only feel great after the workout, but you will leave feeling connected and your spirits will be lifted. These ladies are great! Please come join us next week, we'd love to see you there! :)

After boot camp tonight, some of us ladies went out for some yummy Quiznos and Cold Stone ice cream. Ok, some of you might think..."what's the point of boot camp if you're gonna go eat afterwards?"...well, hello!!!!! - that's why we exercise, so we can eat! :) hahaha!!! Anyway, that's what we did. And it was yummy!!! More girly time, which is always fun...and then a full belly after a long workout. Lovely!!! THEN...Holly, Thiam and I went to the movies and saw "The Proposal". It was very good, and one I'll probably buy! I LOVE MOVIES! :) Now its 1am and I'm tired, but am here blogging. I think I'll start working towards going to bed now.

But seriously, you ladies should think about joining us on Wednesday nights...I mean come on, where else can you get a booty kickin boot camp for FREE???? :) Do it already! :) See you there!!!

relax & refresh

While the cats away the mice will play! heehee :)
My cousins went out of town for a few days and so I took advantage of their pool today! I spent the day lounging and swimming, and enjoying the beautiful weather! Although it did get pretty warm today...hot actually! But the pool was so refreshing! It felt so good to cool off and swim! I found myself sitting in the pool reading magazines more than laying out on the lounge chair. Oh, and it didn't hurt that the hill behind the pool in their backyard is so beautiful, you feel like you're on a tropical vacation while you're laying in the sun with it in view! :) It was a very relaxing and enjoyable day!! I could get used to more days spent like that!!! :)
Thanks for offering me use of your pool, guys...it was a great day!

filled with joy

One of my favorite things to do is hang out with the girlies!
Tonight I spent the evening with two of the sweetest girls,
Kristy and Krista Matlock.
I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!!
We didn't do anything extravagant...we just had some yummy Starbucks and walked/shopped around the Montclair Plaza. We had a few laughs trying on sunglasses, but got serious so as to find Kristy a pair for the summer. And we found a cute little comfy outfit for Krista to wear this week after her surgery (pray for her on Wednesday!), and I found a couple sundresses to wear camping in a couple weeks. Our night of shopping was a complete success!! :)
And everything was on sale!!!
Can't beat that! :)
Anyway, the best part of the evening was just being with these two special friends. I love that we have been able to spend more time together lately and I am for sure looking forward to more girlie nights :)
I love you girls! :)
Thank you for being you! Your friendship means a lot to me and I hope I never take it for granted. I'm realizing more and more that God has everything worked out and that being back in the Inland Empire is for the better. He has surrounded me by amazing friends and family and is drawing me closer to Him. I appreciate so much that you two are a part of that and am filled with joy. :)
I hope you two have a fabulous week and I'll see you soon!
Goodnight!!

Father's Day

I AM BLESSED!
Although my dad passed away nearly 16 years ago, I have not been left fatherless. I have been blessed with amazing influential men in my life, one man in particular is my sweet friend and father-figure Tom Matlock. I have known him my whole life (since birth) and have been taken care of by him in the last few years like I was his daughter. Tom and Judi are very loving and caring individuals who God has blessed me with and knew I needed in my life. They call me their adopted daughter, and I love it! Today I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with them and their family celebrating Father's Day. We had a bbq and ate some really tasty food, watched Tom's grandkids play in the pool, and we spent some time in fellowship with one another. It was a beautiful day! Tom, I love you and thank you for all your love, support, encouragement, and guidance you've shown me throughout the years. You are a true friend and have been a father that I needed when mine couldn't be here anymore! Thank you, and Happy Father's Day!

Me and TomTom with his twin sons (the other two sons live in TX)Tom's grandkids...

I was also able to talk on the phone with another special man in my life...my new stepdad Ray-Ray. My mom remarried a little over a year ago after being widowed for many years. Ray has been a blessing to not only my mom, but our whole family. He has been a wonderful addition to our family and I couldn't have asked for a more loving and wonderful stepdad! He is the most thoughtful and caring man I think I've ever met! God has truly blessed me again by this man. Ray-Ray, thank you for welcoming me into your life as a daughter. I appreciate so much the lengths you have gone to in helping me with the job hunt, the understanding and care you showed me during some hard times I've faced this year, and the love you've shown me throughout the time I've known you. We all feel blessed to have you in our lives and I'm so thankful that God brought someone so amazing into our family! :) Happy Father's Day, Ray-Ray! :)

Then this evening I was able to spend some time at my cousin's house celebrating Father's Day with their family and my Uncle Bill. We had a nice time catching up, reminiscing, eating yummy bbq food, and enjoying each other's company. It was a great way to wrap up such a wonderful day. I love my family so much and thank God every day for blessing me with such amazing cousins! Don and Cathy have been such best friends for me this year. They too have welcomed me into their home and made me feel like one of their own :) Thank you for being so wonderful and allowing me to be a part of your lives! You two are so special and have truly been a blessing this year! I love you guys!!! Happy Father's Day Don! :)

I do wish that I could've spent this day with my dad, but our Father in heaven wanted him at His side...And who wouldn't? :) He was an amazing man! :) I am sad that he is no longer here with us, but do feel so priviledged and blessed to have had the 14 years with him that I did. My dad was awesome! I had the best childhood with the most loving and amazing parents! My most special memories are those from when I was a child spending time with my family...whether it was at home, outside playing pickle, camping at the beach or Yosemite, at church, watching my dad play softball with the men at church, enjoying time cuddling on my daddy's lap...just a few of my favorites! Life is good, and life is short. Don't take for granted what you've been blessed with, you never know how long you'll have it. Take time to appreciate your fathers, not just today but everyday! Enjoy the time you have together and make lots of memories! :) And remember to thank God for all you have!

John 1:12-13
[12]But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
[13] who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I may not have an earthly father anymore, but I have an eternal Father in Heaven who loves me and has saved me! You too can have this...John 3:16.
Thank you Jesus for all your blessings!

what's on the inside?

create in me a clean heart oh God
and renew a right spirit within me

We sang that song today in church and it was perfect for the message that Pastor Josh Matlock gave.
Clean The Inside
Mark 7:1-23
So, here's the question...
What's on the inside? What's going on in our hearts?

So on a normal day we go about our business, whether it be going to our jobs, hanging out with friends, watching tv or movies, listening to music. I know that I'm guilty of not paying enough attention to the little things that I allow into my mind and body each day, but that's just it! We need to pay attention to what we put into our minds! What we put in our minds does affect us ...what our eyes see, and our ears hear.

"The Inside is What Counts"
(read vs. 20-23)
We need to work on the sin that is in our hearts.
- Our thoughts prompt our actions:
Evil thoughts in our hearts activate evil out of us.
- Take your thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:3-5):
We need to learn to control our evil thoughts.
Ask yourself...Is this obediant to Christ?

Your Thoughts Matter!!

Replace the bad and evil thoughts
with good and righteous thoughts!

Josh closed the sermon with some scripture verses to help in our times of struggle and need. He encouraged us to memorize them and think of them when evil is present in our lives, to take control of the sin and focus on being obedient to Christ. We were created in the image of God, so we should live each day striving to live as He lived, holy and righteous!! You too can use these verses to help you when you encounter evil and sin and need help (we all need help!):

Immoral Thoughts: Philippians 4:8
Angry Thoughts: Ecclesiastes 7:9
Unforgiving Thoughts: 1 John 4:20
Unloving Thoughts: 1 John 4:11
Covetous or Greedy Thoughts: 1 Timothy 6:7; Ecclesiastes 5:10
Lazy Thoughts: Proverbs 14:23
Thoughts of Gossip: Proverbs 20:19
Critical Thoughts: Matthew 7:2
(I referred to a couple of these already today and it totally changed my mindset and helped free me from the evil that was present!)

What is the desire of your heart?
Is the most important relationship you have with your Lord and Savior??

Its a choice to live holy...how do you choose to live each day?

Sin is not freedom...Its bondage!
See if there be some wicked way in me;
cleanse me from every sin,
and set me free!

Romans 6:11-23
[11] Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
[12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts,
[13] and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
[14] For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
[15] What then? shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
[16] Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
[17]But thanks be to God, that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were commiteed,
[18] and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
[19] I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
[20] For when you were slaves to sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
[21] Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
[22] But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to god, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.