My KA DNA – Leesa Bellesi

It has been 15 days since my last post due to “computer photo adding issues” and then was sick for, going on, two weeks now.  But as you will see this cough and cold did not hold me back from having a full birth month.  My family party was a blast, Tea Party with Camy, Baseball games with Caeden, Emily’s 1st B-day, Beach House stay by Danny, Suzanne, Emmy and Jake from Lakepoint Church in Rockwall, TX, Visit by Jason, Betsy and Jackie Castro, Lunch with my Homies… Lysa, Terry and Claudine, Spa B-Day with my Girls… Brookie and Talie…. one of the best days of my life… really, a day uninterrupted with my girls… yipee! Denny and I enjoyed watching friends Jerry and Brenda Wilkinson’s son Keith win the National Championship for USC’s Basketball team…. how cool was that! Fellow worship leaders with Danny Gokey at his church made a visit.  Destiny and Yadi drove 39 hours and stayed with us in Lake Forest… precious girls!  Great prayer time, Balboa Island Frozen Banana’s (my fav), Montage Resort visit, Josh Griffin (Youth guy at Saddleback Church) meeting at the Refinery, waved goodbye and sent them to stay with Diana Carreno so they could hang with Danny in LA.  They made so many new friends and went so many new places… back on the road again… be safe girls.  They will be back for the WELL DONE Awards and do back up… awesome.  So here are the pics to follow the words.

Today is my 54th Birthday… I feel like I did when I got married at 19… so how is it possible that they keep trying to send me an AARP card… I just tear them up… denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.

My parents are here and we will be having a great family meal together later, but it is what I did this morning that made my birthday.  I woke up at 4:00 am which was really 3:00 am due to day light savings time and once I was fully awake I did my devotions (below).  Even on a Sunday, when I knew I would be going to church.  You know some times I would slide on Sundays thinking church balanced it all out… do you do that too?  But God wants quiet time with us.  Alone time with us.  We  always hear it the other way around.  But actually He desires our full attention so He can whisper things to us and we can actually hear them.  You just never know what life is going to swing your way, but ever since I have been consistent with my devotions first thing in the morning I have been able to withstand better the unexpected side swipes that come my way.  Which, in every day, there are quite a few for all of us.  Life is a gift and so fun when lived on purpose and “On Assignment”!

Day by Day with Billy Graham for March 8th 2009

1 John 2:15 (TLB)

“Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God…”

There are certain elements of daily life which are not sinful in themselves but which have a tendency to lead to sin if they are abused.  Abuse literally means “extreme use” and in so many instances, overuse of things lawful becomes sin.  Ambition is an essential part of character, but it must be fixed on lawful objects and exercised in proper proportion.  Thought about the necessities of life and taking care of one’s family is absolutely essential; but this can generate into anxiety, and then, as Christ reminded us, the cares of this life choke the spiritual seed in the heart.  Making of money is essential for daily living; but money-making is apt to degenerate into money-loving, and then the deceitfulness of riches enters and spoils our spiritual life.  Much so-called worldliness in Christian circles is misunderstood.  You cannot confine it to a particular rank, walk or circumstances of life, and say that one person is spiritual and another is unspiritual.  Worldliness is actually a spirit, an atmosphere, an influence permeating the whole of life and human society, and it needs to be guarded against constantly and strenuously.

Thanks Billy…

If you haven’t voted for Chris Sligh for GMA’s New Artist of the Year  you still can at: www.gospelmusicchannel.com

Did you know Chris wrote Rascal Flatt’s new song “Here Comes Goodbye”?

It’s climbing the charts, in 11th place today.  The album does not come out until April 7th, but  ”Here Comes Goodbye” is playing now… listen to it here:                                               Rascal Flatts on MySpace Music – Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

Chris wrote an original song for our ministry’s Annual WELL DONE Awards entitled “Are You Pleased”.  Hear it on his Album “Running Back To You”, check it out at:  www.chrissligh.com   See Chris perform at www.welldoneawards.com

Occasionally, like I promised, I will quote from my daily devotional:

“Day by Day” with Billy Graham.  Every day I read a scripture with his commentary and it helps me as a believer to put on the armor of God.  If I don’t do it first thing I get busy and before long I am watching TV, checking emails and drowning in the troubles of  this world.  When I do it first it gives me a whole different perspective of my day.

This was my reading for today March 6th:

Romans 10:8-13

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming; “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” For  there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

“The heart is  the blood-pump of the body.  It is also used metaphorically when we speak of affections and feelings.  Since it is the central organ of the body and one of the most vital, the Bible speaks of it as the wellspring of life.  Hence, it is used synonymously with “life.”  When the Bible says, “give me thine heart,” it doesn’t mean that we are to cut out our actual hearts and give them to God.  It means that we are to give Him our lives, our all.  When we come to Christ, we are not only to give intellectual assent with historic Jesus, but if we have “saving faith” our belief must involve our whole being.  When we believe with all our hearts, the will, the emotions, and the intellect are surrendered to Christ.”

May you enjoy today as a true gift to be lived “On Assignment” for Him.

Denny and I spent last Friday night with the McPhee’s enjoying the music of Katharine McPhee’s Sister Adriana.  Her big night was at the Gardenia Room in Hollywood, CA.  Adriana looked beautiful and was amazing being joined by her Mom, Peisha McPhee for two songs. Great Mom and Daughter harmonies!  Adriana really connects with her audience and is sassy and funny.  We really enjoyed her performance.  Loved it… Adriana!  If you’re in the Big Apple she has two more performances at the Metropolitan Room Wednesday and Thursday, March 4th and 5th.  Heads up… Kat has a guest star role on NYC CSI April 15th.  You won’t want to miss it!