New blog!

Due to technical reasons, we have changed our blog to:

Gillespie-journey.blogspot.com

Hope to see you over there!

Great reminder!!

‎"Our conduct has a direct influence on how people think about the gospel. The world doesn't judge us by our theology; the world judges us by our behavior. People don't necessarily want to know what we believe about the Bible. They want to see if what we believe makes a difference in our lives. Our actions either bring honor to God or misrepresent His truth." Carolyn Mahaney

Funny Faces

In our home we laugh a lot!  While Jason is a godly man and an outstanding leader, he is also very funny!  These are a few funny faces that we've made this summer.  What wonderful memories we make while having a blast together!   

These were taken at Disney.  We had just rode Pirates of the Caribbean and walked into a shop!  While we didn't buy anything we had a blast playing with all the cool accessories and toys.  

Jason is a cool pirate! 

Watch out, she has a sword!!

Arr!! She is a cutie without her 2 front teeth!

<3

Anna Clair is scary!

Emma Grace loves to pretend.  She had a blast dressing up and talking like a pirate. 

I loved this picture of the girls shooting targets at Disney.  Anna Clair's face is adorable!

I couldn't leave Noah out of this post!  He isn't into making silly faces!

My sister bought my kids this ball thing.  Well, one of them busted and Jason, being silly, used it as a hat.  Of course, we all joined in and had a great laugh!! 

Alison took this at a restaurant!  Now you know why my girls love to make silly faces.  They get it from Daddy :)  I love it!! 

I think they'd pass for backwoods rednecks! 

We are blessed to have such a funny Daddy!

Thoughts from Emma Grace

 Emma Grace completed 1st grade this year and during the year she kept a "My Thoughts Journal".  She gave it to us as a gift at the end of the school year.  Jason and I enjoyed reading her journal.  This is how it works.... The teacher gives them a page with a box at the top for them to draw a picture.  In the middle the teacher has a sentence for them to complete.  Here are some of Emma Grace's thoughts throughout her first grade year....


I'd like to meet God because.... there will be no sadness or sickness in heaven.
If I had three wishes, I would wish for... To be a princess so I would not have to clean my room, a dog and braces.
The person I most admire... is God because he is mighty and powerful.
Today I'm thinking about... getting married.  It is so hard to choose.  I'm thinking about going to heaven!!
(Oh my, what 1st grade girls think about... getting married and going to heaven! This is too funny!) 
I want to learn more about... God because he loves me and does not sin!
If the dinosaurs were alive today... I would scream and run!!!!
I feel afraid when... I am not afraid because God is with me.
I don't understand why... I don't understand why my dad can do a handstand!
I'd like to visit ... I'd like to visit my mammow because she loves me and gives me everything I want.
Today I'm thinking about.... how to get a job because I want to get money!!
I know that I am special because.. I'm special because God made me and I'm proud of it!  I like it that way.
My most embarrassing moment was... when I burped in front of the class really loud.  It was gross.
I wonder why... I wonder why I can not do a cart wheel but my Dad can do a hand stand!
The perfect day would be... The day that we never ran out of gatorade! (She drew a picture of a Gatorade Station!)
I know a lot about.... LOVE! Because I get loved all the time!! (How sweet!!)

AWARDS DAY AT SCCS!!

Emma Grace  made the A honor roll and earned the Christian Character award!!  We are so proud of our sweet Emma Grace!!

Noah made the B honor roll and earned the Diligence award!  We are also very proud of our precious Noah!!

Treating Others Gently

  We receive daily devotionals from Jerry Bridges.  Each day we are emailed a great devotional from his book, Holiness Day by Day.  Today's message was such an encouragement that I felt the need to share with my friends and family.       

Treating Others Gently

Today's Scripture: Matthew 11:29
"Learn from me, for I am gentle."
Read it online at the Bible Gateway: (NIV) (NASB) (KJV) (The Message)

A profile of gentleness as it should appear in our lives will first include actively seeking to make others feel at ease, or "restful," in our presence. We should not be so strongly opinionated or dogmatic that others are afraid to express their opinions in our presence. Instead, we should be sensitive to others' opinions and ideas. We should also avoid displaying our commitment to Christian discipleship in such a way as to make others feel guilty, taking care not to break the bruised reed of the hurting Christian or snuff out the smoldering wick of the immature Christian.

Second, gentleness will demonstrate respect for the personal dignity of the other person. Where necessary, it will seek to change a wrong opinion or attitude by persuasion and kindness, not by domination or intimidation. It will studiously avoid coercion by threatening, either directly or indirectly (as Paul, for example, avoided it in his appeal to the Corinthians).

Gentleness will also avoid blunt and abrupt speech, instead seeking to answer everyone with sensitivity and respect, ready to show consideration toward all. Gentle Christians do not feel they have the liberty to "say what I think and let the chips fall where they may." Instead they're sensitive to the reactions and feelings of others. When gentle Christians find it necessary to wound with words, they also seek to bind up those wounds with words of consolation and encouragement.

Finally, gentle Christians will not degrade or belittle or gossip about the brother or sister who falls into some sin. Instead they will grieve for him or her and pray for that person's repentance. If it's appropriate to become personally involved, they'll seek to restore the person gently (Galatians 6:1), aware that they too are subject to temptation.

Visit the The Navigators' Devotional Ministry website for more devotional resources.

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New Family Picture

I thought it would be fun to change our family picture!  This was taken right before Jason left the Tupelo Fire Department 4 years ago and headed west to California!!  My 3 blessings are much younger.  We've all grown up so much in the past 4 years.   

Grandparents Day at SCCS

Our kids attend a wonderful Christian school, Santa Clarita Christian School.  Each year the school has Grandparents Day and since our grandparents live in Mississippi we have honorary grandparents.  Mr. & Mrs. Bob White came to celebrate with our kids this year.  We love this family and consider them spiritual grandparents to our kids!

Ms. Teri, Anna Clair and Mr. Bob 

Noah was thrilled that Mr. White could come and be his Granddad for the day.  Afterward he took Noah to Ihop for lunch! 

Mr. Bob's name tag :) 

Emma Grace and Ms. Teri

Ms. Teri took Emma Grace to tea at the Tea Gardens!  She had a great time!

They had such a great time that they would like Mr. & Mrs. White to be their grandparents next year as well.  

Lizards, snakes and roly-polies

My kids love to be outside.  They love living in southern California and enjoying the great outdoors just about everyday year round!  Our back yard is full of lizards and bugs.  My kids always try to catch them but haven't been successful until this week.  Emma Grace caught a lizard!!

She really wanted to keep him!  

Anna Clair's turn to hold the lizard.

Cute!

Emma Grace being oh so careful with her lizard! 

Last week we had planned to visit the zoo but our plans changed.  So, after dinner one night Daddy took us to Pet Smart to look at the animals!  Kinda like the zoo :)  Emma Grace and Anna Clair held a snake!  I couldn't believe my little girls wanted to hold a snake!

She is so brave!

Amazing ;) 

The kids often catch lady bugs or roly-polies!  Emma Grace and Anna Clair thought it would be fun to put this guy on their face! 

How funny!! Maybe they need a dog...

Guess Who...

As I was uploading pictures from the camera, I came across these...

 

Yes, it's Anna Banana ;)  She loves taking pictures!!

 Here is a few she took of herself :)

I just love it that she took pictures of her baby's.  Just like a mommy!  She also took pictures of her brother and sister. I think Emma Grace and Noah would be embarrassed if I posted them. :)

Our last year......

It's been busy, busy, busy....
So, lets catch up...

In December the Lord answered our prayers and provided a bigger home for our family!!  We had lived in a 2 bedroom/2 bath 900sq ft duplex for 3 1/2 years.  It was the house the Lord provided when we first arrived in California.  We loved that little house but it was too small.  Jason and I had a bedroom and the 3 kids shared the other bedroom.  Jason made an office/study in the garage.  As Noah was getting older (He is 10yrs old!!) it was apparent that we needed to pray for a bigger home and for him to have his own room.  It's hard enough sharing a room but with 2 little sisters it was very difficult.  I will post the entire story of the Lord's work in answering this prayer request later.  We also celebrated CHRISTMAS!!

 Our old home on Leticia Dr

Our new home on Estaban Drive

In January we began our last year at TMS and my 10yr old computer was at deaths door.  Noah and Emma Grace went back to school for the spring semester.

In February we celebrated Jason, Noah, Alison (my sweet sister), Rob (Ali's husband/my brother), and Claude's (my stepfather) birthdays!!  Noah turned 10yrs old!!  He is double digits and we look back and wonder where the last 10yrs went!  It has flown by too quickly!!

Noah just a few days old

 

Noah is 4 1/2 yrs old and Emma Grace is 2ish :)

 Noah is 6yrs old

 Noah 10yrs old !!

Jason turned 35yrs old!!  Of course, we had a party for Jason.  It was a sweet time with our friends - who we consider family!!

We also celebrated our 1yr bible study anniversary. A year ago Jason, the kids and I went door to door in our neighborhood inviting everyone to come and learn about the Bible.  It has grown over the last year and we love teaching God's word in our home.  The Lord provided a partnership in the Bible Study by raising up another TMS student to co-teach with Jason.  We love Nathan and Natasha!!  Another praise for having a bigger home!!!  We also attended our last TMS Banquet.  We were blessed to hear Jerry Bridges speak!

February is when the germs invaded our little kids and we've passed around a terrible cold/sinus funk/cough and fever.  So far the infected have been Anna Clair, Emma Grace and now me.  This is the second day of antibiotics and cough medicine - I pray that I am much better tomorrow.

The Lord also graciously provided a new computer for me!!!  I'm very thankful!!

It's March and we hosted a wonderful family from Tupelo, Mississippi!!  They attended the Shepherds Conference here at our church, Grace Community Church.  While the guys attended the conference during the day the girls all went out to play :)  We went to Disneyland, Hollywood/LA Farmers Market, the American Girls Store and The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and last but not least we attended a night session of the Shepherds Conference.   

     The Waters Family 

This is our last year at The Master's Seminary.  I've been warned that it will pass by quickly and be a very busy time.  It's proving to be true!  It's already March!!! While it is passing by quickly we are very excited to move forward into full time ministry.  No, we have no idea where we are headed.  Yes, a few opportunity have opened up but at this point we have no direction as of yet.  It is a privilege to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and we desire to be faithful where ever he calls us.  I can't wait for Jason to be my pastor!  I have an advantage in that I see him at home and he is a genuine man who love the Lord Jesus Christ and His people! 

Now that I have a new computer - I hope to keep all 4 of my faithful friends who read my blog updated :)
For now please pray for our family as we seek direction for future ministry and that we are able to enjoy our last year at TMS and beautiful California.