Riverside California 2/29-3/8
Beautiful, sunny, 85 degrees. Nat and Scotty are angels for letting me come visit each year during this time. Wednesday night we flew into Ontario and made it to the Parker residence by 11:30 pm. Thursday I woke up and took the precious puppy Judah for a walk at sunrise and spent the day walking up Mount Rubidoux. 3 miles was pretty exhausting after skipping out on the gym for 2 weeks. The mountain overlooks california and is possibly one of the most beautiful sights. so peaceful. Judah bug was one brave puppy leading us up the mountain and climbing the big bounders. I was fascinated by the lizards out bathing in the sun. Starbucks out here is famous and the workers have never even heard of Caribou. Hilarious. Friday night we took a crew out to eat for some amazing burgers and drinks. It was delicious and quite messy. Natalia got some epic photos of that night. Saturday was a sleep in day for the girls. Then we had a late breakfast at the Mission Inn. No this is not a hotel, I thought that too at first. It has cozy little restaurants and a strip of stores to window shop.. and did I forget to mention Casey's famous cupcakes? She was the rich girl on laguna beach years ago. Sunday was beach day, how could we skip out the sand & the ocean? We drove through newport and laguna just to sight see and ate at a yummy little place called Schwack's. Very interesting name but the best bbq chicken sandwich i've ever had. Then it was nothing but good books, sea shells and the hot rays. Perfect beach day. We all got a good nap in the sand. Along with stealing some of it for a keep-sake. Shhh. Today, Monday, we spent hours at Starbucks reading reading reading. I love reading. I recommend for those who love to read Christian books "unbroken" by Tracy Elliott. It's deep, it's real and it's ugly. The book is about a young girl who grew up in a home of alcoholics and was verbally and sexually abused by her 5 uncles. She grew up with no parents (they both died) and she began to use drugs and alcohol quite harshly. She began stripping and threw her life away. Until Jesus came and saved her. It's a powerful book and will keep you tied in.
Oh, I also got my sixth tattoo at a shop called "art of war" by an amazing tattoo artist named Jonny. He did remarkable and my wrist now has its third tattoo- Philippians 3:13. What does it mean?? Forgetting your past and looking forward to your future. A quote of my life. A healer for me.
Church at Mars Hills in Santa Ana California was amazing as well. So much like Substance Church back home. Modern. Young. Lights. Worship that leaves you wanting more. Pastor Mark Driscoll gave a sermon on pornography and sexuality as a whole with a stripper interview of Crissy Moran played throughout. Crissy worked in the porn industry for 6 years and it was the result of a broken home and a desperate search for love. God saved Crissy. Her story is heartbreaking regardless. It was an emotional service to say the least as pastor Mark preached about abstaining from sexual sin... in any form. Some of us have ruined that a long time ago. But the truth is, it's never too late to have your heart cleaned by Jesus. I'll be posting the interview with Crissy on my facebook soon. Until then, check out www.marshill.com
links to check out:
Judah Love
Titus 3:3-5
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us in righteousness, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."
love that you are here with us.
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