Get Up, Dust Off and Re-apply Lipstick!

Lipstick Girls - 5 Years and Signing Out...For Now

2011-08-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ladies,

With the Lipstick Girls nearing its 5th year, I am coming to a place of re-evaluating my life priorities. With the desire to continue to honor God in all that I do, this would include being as effective in reaching people for His kingdom as possible. You know my heart for single moms and that hasn’t changed. God planted my desire years back to help amazing women like each of you. While my desire hasn’t changed, I believe the direction God is taking me in the ministry is. Many of you know my heart for worship and what God continues to use me with thru gifts of music (songwriting and singing) and I believe He is ready to move me on to dig deeper into that ministry and move forward with it.

With that said, being mom, wife, full time worker, homemaker, etc., etc, it does take re-assessing my life/my schedule and most of all, God’s will for me moving forward (I know you can each relate). I would love more than anything to continue ALL that I am doing, but it would truly be a disservice to all involved (including my first ministry, my family) if I can only give little bits here and there. It’s like I’ve always told you, no matter what you do, do it in the will of God and be sure to EXHAUST ALL EFFORT…meaning: no matter what you do, do it with the joy of the Lord, with no regrets and do it 110%!

And with that my sweet sisters, I am closing out this chapter of my life with the Lipstick Girls - - for the time being anyway (just typing that out is heartbreaking : ( Although far be it from me to tell God where I will be down the road. But for now, I know it’s time for a hiatus and to re-focus on new things. Change is good. It’s not easy, but if we never do it, we always remain the same; never changing, never learning, never growing. It’s important we always be in a state of perpetual motion, otherwise, we continue to live in the past. The future is where new opportunities, blessings and friendships are born. I want some! ; ) And as my sweet hubby would say…”WANT MORE!” I don’t think we could ever have too much of God.

You have all been such an inspiration to me, eachother and others - and I have been blessed beyond words to have been a part of such an incredible ministry. The growth and the healing, the secrets and laughter shared, precious friendships and generosity beyond compare…the lives forever changed will never be forgotten. “…My cup runneth over.” Psalm 23:5 (KJV) - - that is the simplest and best way I have to describe just how much each of you have touched my life, so thank you.

Although the Lipstick Girls will no longer meet in a formal setting, I want to encourage each of you to continue to build upon the relationships you have formed together through this group and of course…I am not going anywhere! As always, there is an open invitation to meet with me anytime over java, walk, bike, hike…kite ; ) Not to mention the incredible conference opportunities we have throughout the year. I’m still here for you and I absoluuuuutely love you all to pieces. Meanwhile, if you are not already a part of a Neighborhood (small/Bible study group thru your church), by all means, FIND ONE! It is important to create a ‘church family’ connection so that you do have others looking out for you and vice versa (for those of you attending CCV, ask about the new T Groups – may be an avenue to continue meeting with other single mamas). Like I said, I’m not going anywhere and we are still family – but just as I am moving forward, I want to encourage each of you to do the same.

Great things are coming! You are blessed. Your children are blessed and most important of all GOD LOVES YOU IMMENSELY – have faith in Him thru love and obedience and the rest is truly a sweet ride ; ) “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed”…Proverbs 31:25-28

Lastly, I would love more than anything for you all to be a part of this wonderful worship ministry path God is leading me down. If you would like to remain on my mailing list, I would be happy to keep you in the loop for upcoming projects/events.

So this is not goodbye by any means, just a re-route….I plan to see you around – can’t get rid of me that easy ; )

In closing, there is never a better way to open/close any conversation than with the Word of our amazing, almighty, indescribable Father…11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

Believe it! I love ya ladies.
As always, be blessed, but more importantly…BE A BLESSING!

If you want to reach me, you know where to find me - thanks again for a fantastic 5 year ride!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Aqueela Says "You Are Valued and Loved!"

2011-07-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!

Pictured here is our lovely guest of honor from our last meeting, Ms. Aqueela Maddox. If you missed her talk on being Loved and Valued, well...YOU MISSED OUT! Aqueela had us laughing pretty much the whole time, but we also came out with such a great message and it was so refreshing to be blessed by such an incredible lady of God. Below are just a few highlights ...READ UP, but more importantly...APPLY IT and BE BLESSED! ; )

- Knowing your value does not make you conceited. (Psalm 139:14)
- You are royalty! Co-heirs with Jesus! (Romans 8:17)
- There are just some things you 'Can't Want' - if it's not in God's will, do EVERYTHING to JUST SAY NO! e.g. Spending what you don't have, eating what you don't need and dating who you definitely don't need! (Psalm 19:14)
- NO GOOD THING COMES FROM THE FLESH! Rely on GOD for direction, do NOT play with temptation! (Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 23)
- You are custom designed. God made you beautiful, every part of you is unique. "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. Song of Solomon 4:7
- Don't date the assignment! Just because a guy is nice or feeds you compliments doesn't mean he is for you to date!
- Confidence in the Lord enables you to be effective in the Kingdom - you can reach more for Him.
- Partner up! Have a good, Godly friend you can be open with, be accountable to and vice-versa. (Deuteronomy 32:30)
- Love your sister as yourself (Mark 12:31)
- Stay connected with God! Our direction, updates and information descends from HIM! (John 15:5-8) Go to church regularly, join a Bible Study and KEEP GOING TO THE LIPSTICK GIRLS! ; )

YOU ARE VALUED - YOU ARE LOVED - YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! DON'T FORGET IT!

Congrats to Jess for winning the Sonic drawing - have some cool treats with your girls ; ) Meanwhile, wishing you all a fab 2nd half of the summer with your youngn's - stay cool - stay connected with your Fridge Note friends and call me anytime for some one-to-one!

As always...be blessed, but more importantly...BE A BLESSING!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Special Guest Coming THIS Friday, July 8th!

2011-07-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

LG’s!
Pictured are just some of our lovely LG’s from our Q2 Family Get Together at the Pavia Pool ; ) Speaking of pools and keeping cool…hope you and yours had a fanTAStic 4th of July weekend! ; ) What a great time to reflect and truly appreciate our freedom here in this country - - PRAISE GOD! For in Him is our TRUE freedom ; )

Speaking of FREEDOM - - there is nothing more freeing than that of being a WOMAN OF GOD!

Please Join Us THIS Friday, July 8th to meet our Special Guest Speaker, Ms. Aqueela Maddox! Aqueela is a devoted single mother of two (for the past 4 years). God got a hold of Aqueela at the young age of 9 and has continued to show Himself in her life ever since…using EVERY experience for HIS Glory. She moved to Phoenix 6 years ago and is a serving member at Fountain of Life House of Worship in Phoenix. Aqueela is passionate about people and loving them as GOD loves – ever reflecting and demonstrating His love in everyday routines, be it in small or grand ways.

Aqueela will be sharing with us on being…”VALUED & LOVED!”
Come celebrate a joyous occasion...YOU! Hear the glorious things the LORD says about you as you fellowship with other Women of God. Learn Christian principals/tips to apply to everyday life on valuing you, being royalty, dating & more! Gifts for all who come! Ages 16+ encouraged! Bring your friend, neighbor, sister, mother, daughter, single, married…whatever! Every woman will appreciate this inspiring message!

Look forward to seeing you this Friday, July 8th at 7pm at CCV, Surprise (Building A). As always, please RSVP with number of children you will be bringing so we can plan for sufficient coverage.

Thanks and remember, be blessed but more importantly…BE A BLESSING!
Love much and much love,
Dee.

Mother's Day & Arthritis Walk Event

2011-05-09T08:34:00.001-07:00

[Click on pic to enlarge]

Mother’s Day Message for YOU:

To my absolute favorite mamas in the whole, wide world…

Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day. I did! With as many kids as we have, I had the joy of celebrating ALL weekend, thus the late wishes, but you know my heart and well wishes were with you! I know in a previous Mother’s Day post, I shared a poem with you I had written when I was a single mom. This round, I wanted to pull some of my personal favorite, inspirational quotes to share. Enjoy : )

“I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” Abraham Lincoln

“Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.” Author Unknown

“How happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy, and it will go well for you...May the Lord bless you from Zion, so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life, and will see your children's children.” Psalms 128:1-2, 5-6

Above are pics of our 2nd Quarter Community/Volunteer event at the Phoenix Zoo for the Arthritis Walk. It was an absolutely beautiful day and for a great cause (helping over 50 million people)! Wish more of you could have joined us. As we only do community/volunteer events quarterly (and we will always select ones to include our kids and that are free), please try and make these a priority. What a wonderful way to thank God for all the blessings in our own lives! Not to mention, God expects us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and we have plenty of opportunities to do so and multiply our effectiveness by banding together! “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.” Luke 12:48. Look for our next one in the summer timeframe.

Allright ladies, at our next meeting, we will be picking up on our Beth Moore study, “Get Out of That Pit.” Be sure to read up on chapters 2 and 3 so we can have some GREAT discussion! This is such a powerful book - if you don’t already have one, get it! Amazon.com – search used books, it’s cheap and delivered straight to your front door (trust me, I’m a book worm addict : ) And as always, if you are just unable to do so at this time, PLEASE let me know and we will take care of it – done deal!

Absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see you all again this Friday, the 13th (Parkway/now CCV Surprise, bldg A). PLEASE give me a heads up if you plan to bring your kiddos so we have sufficient childcare coverage.

Love ya ladies. Until Friday, be blessed, but more importantly…BE A BLESSING! If you need to chat beforehand, you know where to find me!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Happy Easter 2011 LG's!

2011-04-24T19:23:00.001-07:00

LG’s!
HAPPY EASTER! ; ) - Click pic to enlarge

What a blessed day for us as believers – the WHOLE reason for our faith - - CHRIST IS RISEN! Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...”(NIV)

While eggs, jelly beans and chocolate bunnies are all the rage this time of year…don’t forget, the absolute BEST gift you can give your children this holiday is the gift of sharing the story of Christ risen (the TRUE reason for this season ; )
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (NIV)

Allright ladies, enjoy this day with friends and/or family and as with all other holidays, DO NOT SPEND IT ALONE! Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (NLT)

Until our next meeting on Friday, May 13th…be blessed, but more importantly BE A BLESSING. And if you are up for some one-to-one time with me: e.g. hike, bike, chat, java…your call, I’m here for YOU and you know where to find me! ; )

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Q1 LG Family Picnic Par-te'!

2011-03-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

LG's!

Spring is here and what an absolutely beautiful day to celebrate at the park, marking our 1st Quarter Family Get Together (click on pics to enlarge) - more pics below.

Frisbee, kickball, basketball, wagon rides and subs n' eats galore! For those of you who want that fab oriental salad (thx Deb!) - look for it in your email!

Don't forget, if you haven't already, to get ahold of the Get Out of That Pit book by Beth Moore - LINK to Amazon to check out (only $4 shipped straight to your mailbox!). Please read thru chapter 2 and be ready to share and discuss at our next meeting on...

FRIDAY, MARCH 25th at 7pm at Parkway (CCV Surprise)

Until then, as always, be blessed, but more importantly...BE A BLESSING!

Love much and much love,

dee.

Why So ANGRY?! Joyce Speaks in Phoenix

2011-02-28T09:07:00.001-08:00

LG's!
Can you believe spring is right around the corner? Time flies when we're having fun! Speaking of FUN - pictured are some of us who made it out to the Joyce Meyer's conference (click pic to enlarge). It was absolutely fanTAStic and inspiring as always - - LOVE Joyce! ; ) I'd like to encourage you to listen to any of her lessons by going to her web site (link on right side of page). Meanwhile, here are few highlights/notes I took from her conference:

STRIFE: Bickering, arguing, heated disagreement - usually involves an angry undercurrent. Strife is extremely dangerous - it destroys every kind of relationship. Strife is like poison - if it is not stopped, it will spread from person to person.

UNITY = ANOINTING = POWER
Don't be a phony with bitterness and resentment in your heart.
We must bring obedience to a whole new level!

Few Pointers:
1) Do whatever you can to KEEP STRIFE OUT OF YOUR LIFE!
2) Do what you do with EXCELLENCE - do the very best you can with what you have
3) Be a person of INTEGRITY - do what you say you are going to do

Having grace is not an excuse to live a sloppy life. If you have a problem, ask God for the grace to work through it, then use the Bible to read up on the scriptures pertaining to your particular situation (topical study). Use the Bible like MEDICINE - study/take what you are struggling with/have pain about.

ANGER
Don't be mad at God. He is the ONLY ONE who can help you! We don't have to always understand why we are going thru what we are, we just have to BELIEVE and TRUST GOD to get us through it - have faith without wavering. Don't be mad/stay mad at self or others. Children of God should not be caught up in this angry world.

Have a humility of mind. We need to see every person as valuable. He loves everyone (non believers alike) and doesn't want us mistreating anyone. We try and control other people through our anger sometimes. If something doesn't go our way and upsets us, it causes strife.

Do yourself a favor and get rid of PRIDE! FORGIVE: Quickly, Frequently, and Thoroughly!

Side Note: Pastor Don Wilson spoke at Parkway this weekend and said 95% OF ALL DEPRESSION IS A RESULT OF BURIED ANGER. Find the source and deal with it!

Do NOT miss the anointing and blessings of God and having your prayers heard because you are offended by someone else and hold bitterness/anger. If you love God, OBEY Him! We should respond to God's love for us with OBEDIENCE!

Have the mindset: "I think I'm right, but I may be wrong." Just because someone tries to give you offense, you don't have to take it! Think: "I am very difficult to offend." Remember; God will bless you when you DO WHAT'S RIGHT, even/especially if other's don't. We are not promised to not get hurt. Don't live life; bitter, angry resentful. Feelings of heaviness/burden can be offensive to the Holy Spirit. Be determined that if anyone can have a peaceful life, YOU CAN!

Whoever is the MOST SPIRITUALLY MATURE will be the FIRST to APOLOGIZE/MAKE THINGS RIGHT (even if not your fault). BE A MAKER AND MAINTAINER OF PEACE! This does NOT mean to lay down and take it! Sometimes we must CONFRONT in love and STAND OUR GROUND! Especially if it is contradictory to God's Word.

Troubled people are the sandpaper in our life - God uses them to smooth the 'stuff' out of us ; ) - - what satan means for bad, God uses for our good. There are those with pride that cannot and will not apologize - not our worry - God will deal with them - you worry about yourself and what God wants from you! Come to value PEACE more than any other thing in life. It is worth a little bit of humility to maintain your peace.

WHERE THERE IS PEACE, THERE IS POWER - and we ALL need the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT to break EVERY yolk of BONDAGE in our lives!

Jesus is the ultimate example - He is the Prince of Peace. Others may hurt us, but they will not devastate us. We may fall down, but we don't have to STAY down. Don't wait for circumstances to determine happiness, adjust and adapt. Remember, selfish people don't consider the interest of others. When problem people in your life won't change, adjust and adapt your attitude to make it work. Be ALL things to ALL people.

People are dying and going to hell everyday - DON'T FRET OVER THE PETTY STUFF! God is a just God, He will deal with those in your life who constantly bring YOU strife (He probably already is if they are so miserable they can focus on nothing else ; )

And that's all I got ladies! Other than.....

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! (Refer to emails for details of each event)
- March 11 at 7pm (NO LG MTG!) – Rock & Worship Roadshow $10 at door/US Airways
- March 13 - LG Family Picnic - Fellas Invited!
- March 25 - LG Meeting Resumes - Beth Moore Study/Chapter 2

Read up on 'Get Out of That Pit' - - Chapter 2 (Beth Moore)! Remember, we do NOT meet again for our regularly scheduled meetings until March 25th but DO join us for the Rock & Worship Roadshow and the Family Picnic! (Details in emails).

Until then and as always, remember to be blessed, but more importantly...BE A BLESSING.

Love much and much love,
dee.

A Valentine's Message for YOU...

2011-02-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

Who will love me for me?
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me?
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love, what love really means.

How often we feel abandoned, lost and alone. Listening to our own voice and looking at our circumstances, it's an easy conclusion to come to. But take a moment to think and realize that God coordinated events to have you born at the exact day and time you were born on. He arranged the unique characteristics of your DNA so that you would look exactly like you look like.

No matter what you do, you can't disappoint God, He knows you way too well. In spite of what you may think, God loves you very much. So much so in fact that He gave His only son to die for you so that you wouldn't be separated from Him for eternity. That makes you very special, especially in His eyes.

My precious child
I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew -
(J.J. and Dave Heller)

When you have times of doubt, and they will come, remind yourself of what God thinks about you. "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with unfailing kindness" - Jeremiah 31:3

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" - I John 3:1.

The gift of eternal life is a gift from your Heavenly Father who is crazy in love with you, and His love exceeds all others. You are made for so much more than all of this, You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His.

~ Message from a friend now past onto you my friends ; )
Be blessed, but more importantly be a blessing.

Happy Valentines Day my sweet sisters...

Love much and much love,
dee.

The Pits!

2011-02-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Get a load of these LG beauties! ; ) - - Double click pic to enlarge

What 'fun' we had at our last meeting huh? ; ) Cancelled guest speaker...technical difficulties with back up video...crazed kids! My guess is satan is not too fond of us diggin' into this 'Get Out of That Pit' study - what think?! Hey, aint no thang! It's all good and WE WILL PREVAIL! ; ) Also, special shout out to our new guests: Toni, Mindi and the Deb's x 2! Welcome ladies - hope we didn't scare you off!

Speaking of scary ; ) I have a little 'pre-meeting' assignment for those of you who already have your books. For those of you who don't, check out Amazon.com for CHEAP, USED 'Get Out of That Pit' books - shipped straight to your front door (maybe even by Friday)! If you absolutely cannot afford one...no excuses, let me know and we will take care of it!

So pull out your books, READ CHAPTER 1 and grab your journal and jot down these personal application questions (and your own answers of course), to share at our NEXT Meeting THIS Friday, Feb. 11th at 7pm at Parkway!

1) From what you've learned in this chapter, would you say you're now - or have been - in a pit? Describe how that feels - or felt at the time.

2) Have you ever been - or are you now - a "mobile pit dweller"? If so, what was/is the nature of your mobile pit, and where did/do you take it?

3) "The closet confinement of a pit exhausts us with the endless echo of self-absorption." Do you resonate with this statement? If so, why?

4) "Some of us recognize our pits, not only by the degree of our badness, but by the degree of our boredom." Reflect on the "degree of boredom" in your own life and whether or not it's an indication that you may be in a pit.

5) What hope do the words of Psalm 40 offer to you personally in terms of the pit you may be in?

Psalm 40:1-3 says..."I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."

* * MARK YOUR CALENDARS! (Refer to emails for details) * *

Feb 12 – Pre-Pride Day/Volunteer at Parkway
Feb 14 at 7pm – Valentines Day at Paradise Bakery
Feb 24-26 - FREE! JOYCE MEYER/No LG Mtg!
March 11 at 7pm – LG Meeting (Get Out of That Pit!)
March 13 - LG Family Picnic - Fellas Invited

And that's all I got ladies - - SEE YOU FRIDAY! Bring a friend for your extra entry in the Starbucks drawing - - and it's NOT TOO LATE to contact your Fridge Note Friend for an extra entry this week as well!

Until then, be blessed, but more importantly, BE A BLESSING!

Love much and much love,
dee.

Time to GET REAL in 2011!

2011-01-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

LG's!

Welcome to the New Year! What a great kick off meeting we had. First off, would like to welcome newcomers: Natalie, Lori and Sheree and welcome back to Raquel as well!

So we're talking about getting real in the new year. And it's unanimous...none of us want to leave 2011 the same way we came in. So where to begin? Prosperity, success, TRUE joy...it's all possible, but how?

So glad you asked! It begins by loving God for WHO He is and not for WHAT He can give you! It begins by being RADICALLY OBEDIENT! Obeying God out of LOVE, not because you "have to." It's about being FEARLESS! LETTING GO! It's about FREEDOM! Freedom from all that oppresses you, freedom to keep you from going around that stinkin' mountain ONE MORE TIME - - like our forefathers, the Israelites, taking 40 years for what should have been an 11 day journey to the Promise Land! We don't have to wait to get to heaven to have that 'Promise Land' experience, right here on earth - - ENDLESS peace, love, joy, prosperity, success...

Want some? Of COURSE you do! Who wouldn't want to leave 2011 differently and BETTER than you came into it? With that said, get out your pens and pads and WRITE THIS DOWN - - Get out on Amazon.com or wherever else you can find Beth Moore's book, "Get Out of That Pit." This is guaranteed to take us on a fine journey to discovering how to get past ourselves, our issues, our strongholds, ONCE AND FOR ALL! Whether you've been pushed into your pit, 'accidentally' fallen in or have done a full fledged leap...it's all good. By the GRACE OF GOD, it's all workable. Let's learn together how to overcome, how to have victory over all that has ever gotten us to that dark, pitiful place.

Meanwhile, few important dates for you to keep in mind and begin planning for:

Jan 28 at 7pm - Special Guest Speaker at LG Meeting! Bring a Friend!
Feb 10 at 7pm - FREE! Dr. David Jeremiah/Jobing.com
Feb 11 at 7pm – LG Meeting
Feb 12 – Pre-Pride Day/Volunteer with Parkway - Bring the Kids!
Feb 24-26 - FREE! JOYCE MEYER/No LG Mtg! - Plan to Caravan Friday
March 13 - LG Family Picnic - Fellas Invited!

Look for specific details on each event via separate email.

Last but not least, as always ladies, CONTACT YOUR FRIDGE NOTE FRIEND!

And of course, our verse for the week..."You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hand and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. 10…and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 30:8-10

Allright, 'nuf said ; ) Go out, be a blessing, be blessed.

Love much and much love,

Dee.

'The Secret' Revealed THIS FRIDAY!

2011-01-11T12:10:00.001-08:00

It's a new year LG's! Tired of the same old results you've always gotten? Already fallen through on your new years resolutions? Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Would you like to learn the 'not so secret' of being prosperous and successful - - GUARANTEED?!

Then let's get this par-te' started! Don't miss our 2011 Kick Off Meeting THIS Friday, January 14th at 7pm in bldg A at Parkway.

Please RSVP for childcare so we have sufficient coverage. Healthy and NOT so healthy treats will be provided ; ) Bring a friend and see you then!

Christmas Wish for You...

2010-12-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

[Click Christmas collage to enlarge]

...“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

I love these scriptures. Not only does it announce the birth of our Lord, but it tells us to NOT BE AFRAID and promises us GREAT JOY.

As single moms, I know many of you are facing these fears head on, especially this time of the year. There is a need for jobs, new homes, good health, better behaved children, better behaved ex's, and even the wish for someone to love again. One of my favorite scriptures with regards to conquering fear is: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified Bible). I really love the Amplified version with the word 'well-balanced.' I personally believe it is key to pulling this whole thing called 'life' together. When we can find balance, then we can find that joy Jesus promises us.

So for this Christmas, I wish all m' LG girls lots of BALANCE, thus JOY. This year has brought about many changes for all of you and I have once again been privileged to be a part of your lives. The new year will bring about more changes...and for the better - - BELIEVE IT!

Speaking of BALANCE, what a great topic to kick the year off with huh? Join us for our first kick off meeting of 2011 on Friday, January, 14th - same bat time, same bat place.

Until then m' sweets - - here's wishing you a VERY blessed Christmas and Hopeful New Year for you and yours. Good things are a comin'! If we haven't connected recently for some one-to-one chat, give me a buzz for some java talk, hike, kids playtime, whatever. And MOST IMPORTANTLY - if you DO NOT HAVE PLANS FOR CHRISTMAS - I need to hear from you - there is no need to spend Christmas alone when you have so many LG sisters that love ya!

Be blessed, be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
dee.

Happy Thanksgiving LG's

2010-11-25T09:24:00.001-08:00

Lipstick Girls,

Wishing you and yours a Happy and peaceful Thanksgiving with the traditions you love and new memories yet to be made. Be sure to teach your children what this day is really about and give thanks to our Heavenly Father through prayer.

Meanwhile, I came across part of a touching poem I thought I'd share. Enjoy and hope to see you all tomorrow at the 'After Thanksgiving Get Together' at the Pavia's Friday, Nov. 26 (see email for details)!

How great and how small I feel within the grand scope of it all. In silent prayer, I take a moment to give thanks for this new day. For all that I am and for this life that I have been granted. For family and good friends and for my birth in this free land. ~ Sherry Gail Heim

Be blessed, but more importantly, be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
Dee

Disco Divas & FREEDOM!

2010-11-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

LG's!

Trunk R' Treat...what a night! (click image to enlarge) Thanks to all of you who made it out and brought your little ones to par-te' together and represent Parkway. We had a great turnout (over 5,000 people) so THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU! Hopefully it opened up the door to welcome new folks to our church and more importantly, to meet Jesus!

Special shout out to Amy for visiting us at our last LG meeting and a PRAISE for JoAnne's successful surgery!

So our new topic of discussion 'miraculously' aligns with Parkway's message right now (God is cool that way ; ) ...FREEDOM! We are talking about freedom from all that keeps us down, keeps us in the cycle of sin, keeps us circling that same ole mountain again and again - oppression, depression, regression. Bottom line; God is the answer. And the answers can be found in His Word. Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

We went on to discuss excerpts from Sheila Walsh' book, 'Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God'. 'There are many different reasons we feel a sense of shame, but how we then behave seems very much the same. If we believe there is something deep inside of us that others would reject, we hold ourselves back or simply vote ourselves out of life. This can lead to depression, addictions, bitterness and despair. This is not the life Christ died to give you! We become used to living as we have lived for so long that it can be hard at times to vocalize what we feel.'

So if you have yet to join us for this great new study, check out our upcoming dates:

Nov 12 LG Meeting 7pm at Parkway and Warm Clothes Collection
Nov 26 Post-Thanksgiving DESSERT n' DANCE Party!
Dec 10 LG Christmas Party n' Gift Exchange
Volunteer Opportunity - TBD

And that's all I got ladies. PLEASE don't forget to contact your Fridge Note Friend, meet up over coffee or lunch, pray for them - let's keep each other accountable! And don't forget...I'm here for you too. You know how to reach me.

Until our next meeting - - be blessed, but more importantly...BE A BLESSING!

Love much and much love,

Dee.

DBack Nite & Amazing 'Grace' Is Here!

2010-09-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

LG's!

Check out the latest pics from Faith & Family Night (Diamondbacks game/Jeremy Camp concert). Of course it was an absolute blast (click pic to enlarge). So, this month celebrates "4" years since the start of the Lipstick Girls! WOW! AMAZING! And what an incredible four years it has been, thanks to all of you! We will be planning a HUGE celebration sometime over the next couple of months - thinkin' dance par-te', favorite foods, bling bling...the whole shebang. More details on that forthcoming.

Meanwhile, for those of you who made it to our last meeting, we finally wrapped our last study of 'Sex is not the problem, Lust is' so we are now moving onto a new one - - To be announced! For those of you who jumped in on that study late and never received a book, I have some handy and would be happy to pass along at your request, so let me know. Speaking of books, thanks again to those of you who donated your gently used books so we can bless the ladies at one of the womens prisons here in town. And it's not too late to donate - bring what you can to the next meeting.

As usual, plenty going on in the month ahead, so be sure to MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Below is a high level schedule of what to expect - - look for further details in email messages.

- Oct 8 - Next LG Meeting at PCC/Bldg A
- Oct 10 - Family 'Party in the Park' 2-5pm
- Oct 17 - Volunteer Opp. at Max Lucado/Concert Event

- Oct 19 thru Nov 9 PCC Women Workshops 7pm @ Tuesday
- 10/22 - LG Mtg & Old Costumes Exchange
- 10/29 - Trunk R' Treat (LG's = Disco Divas!)

Last but not least, I promised a pic of little 'Grace' Gracelynn Serenity, daughter of Jaymie and Christian - born September 14 at 6lbs, 9oz and 20". Feel free to 'oooh' and 'aaaah' ; ) She's absolutely perfect. Congrats you two!

And that's a wrap my sweet sistas!
As always, be blessed but more importantly, be a blessing. You know where to find me if you need some one-to-one chit chat - - holla!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

It's a Wrap! And Hike by Moonlight...

2010-09-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

LG's!
What a beautiful night for a hike! For those of you who made it out for our first guided tour/moonlight hike, click on the pic to enlarge and see your moments digitized ; ) It was a GREAT time so it is unanimous, we will be doing it again! For those who couldn't make it, be sure to join us next time.

Speaking of time...the time has come to put a wrap/tie a nice little bow on our 'Sex is not the Problem, Lust is' study. PLEASE finish reading (short read) chapters 8 thru 10 so we can discuss and finalize at our next meeting. THEN we can move onto our next study. Drum roll please......

You'll have to come to the next meeting to find out! So, here are upcoming dates:

Fri, 9/10 7pm LG Meeting
Fri, 9/24 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Faith & Family Night (Christian Concert to Follow – Tickets $15)
10/1 and 10/2 Women of Faith Conference (Volunteer and attend for FREE/Save $100!)
TBD - Volunteer Project!

Look for further details on each in your emails!

Okay ladies, until we meet again, I will leave you with this scripture:

"...Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching" Heb. 10:25

Call your Fridge Note Friends - Don't spend Labor Day alone! If you do not have plans on Monday, betta holla!

Be blessed, but most of all, be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
dee.

Here Comes ANOTHER Bride!

2010-08-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Congrats to another one of our LG's on her recent nuptials! Ms. Donna (lovely lady in white ; ) married James on August 14. Fellow LG Jaymie was the lovely bridesmaid (click to enlarge pic). We wish you many years of happiness and bliss!

Okay, so back to business...first off, welcome to newcomer Ms. Amy! Also congrats to Ms. Cheri for winning the Starbucks drawing - ENJOY! And we can't forget - - WELCOME BACK CHRISSEY! San Diego couldn't hold a candle to us I guess ; )

Alright, so a few highlights from our last meeting...topic: Sex is not the Problem, Lust is / Chapter 7 Half a Poison Won't Kill You. We discussed the dangers of media, not only on ourselves but for our children.

- No matter where you are, what you do, someone is watching. If you claim to be a Christian - walk it!

- Sometimes we are more concerned with what others think of us than what God thinks - He is ALWAYS watching!

- Do you base your media habits off others / the world? God / Bible should be your foundation.

- Media shapes the values we live for / convinces us to love lust and sin. 'Television and film stir up feeling and emotions that bypass our minds and go straight for our affections. The incredible power of media is that it can make something evil look good or exciting without appearing to make any argument at all!'

- 'It doesn't matter what something is rated, or how popular it is, or how seemingly innocent it appears. If it hardens your heart toward God, if it obscures your awareness of the ugliness of sin and the holiness of God, if it takes the edge off your spiritual hunger, then it's sin.

Famous evangelist John Wesley's mother wrote him this letter when he asked her to give him a full description of sin:

'Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself.'

Alright ladies, few more housekeeping items before I close....important dates coming up!

Fri, 8/20 7pm Friday Nite Live (Parkway Women)
Fri, 8/27 NO REG. LG MTG! Family Moonlight Hike instead!
Fri, 9/10 7pm LG Meeting
Fri, 9/24 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Faith & Family Night (Christian Concert to Follow – Tickets $15)
10/1 and 10/2 Women of Faith Conference (Volunteer and attend for FREE/Save $100!)

Look for further details on each in your emails!

Last but not least, the following scripture was listed on your Fridge Notes... 'Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil.' 1 Thess. 5:21-22. Which reminds me, CONTACT YOUR FRIDGE NOTE FRIEND! We need each other ladies - - keeping each other accountable - - keeping it REAL! ; )

Until next time, as always....be blessed, but more importantly, be a blessing. Contact me for some one to one over java or lunch anytime!

Love much and much love,

dee.

The "M" Word & Upcoming Events

2010-07-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!
Just droppin' in with the latest. Check out pics from our last mini bash (click to enlarge). Thanks to all who came and we will plan our next one for the Fall soon!

Special welcome to guests at our last meeting; Debbie, Kelsey and Kristen - - welcome ladies! Congrats to Ms. Kandi for winning the Starbucks drawing. And last but not least, we will miss our Michelle, as she moves back to her home town. Hoping she starts the Northeast chapter of the Lipstick Girls!

So, few highlights from our discussion on the "M" word from our 'Sex is not the Problem, Lust is' study:

- God is interested in our behavior, but even more interested in our motivations.
- Lust is a serious sin and sexual self-gratification can be an expression of a lustful heart.
- People who are 'addicted' to pornography aren't so much addicted to lurid material as they are addicted to self-centeredness.
- The reason this very private act matters to God is not because it involves our anatomy, but because it involves our hearts. And God is passionately committed to our hearts belonging completely to Him (see Deuteronomy 6:5).
- If you want to break free from a pattern of self-gratification, the first step is to renew your understanding of sex. You must embrace a God-centered and selfless attitude towards it.
- Marriage and sex are inseparable in God's design. You can't have one without the other. Heb. 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
- Marriage is the combining of a man and woman at every level - not just sexually but emotionally, spiritually, and in every other way. In God's plan, sexual union was never meant to be separated from this total union. When we attempt to experience sex apart from this union, we're disrespecting and dishonoring marriage, and ultimately God.

Remember:
- God wants us to live in joy and freedom. The cycle of defeat and enslavement sets us up to expect and cave in to sin in other areas of our life. 2Pet 2:19 'For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.'
- God wants us to learn to control our bodies in holiness and honor. (1 Thess. 4:3-6)
- God wants husbands and wives to delight in sexual intimacy within marriage without shame.

Practical Help:
- Identify times you are most tempted.
- Memorize key scriptures to help you.
- Get busy doing something else! Call a friend (accountability)
- Be disciplined about your alone time.
- Get rid of any material that may trigger temptation (certain books, movies, toys!)
- Do good works - focus on others.

And that's all I got ladies - other than upcoming dates to mark on your calendars:

- Fri, 8/13 7pm Next LG Meeting

- Fri, 8/20 7pm Friday Nite Live (Parkway Women)

- Fri, 9/24 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Faith & Family Night/includes concert ($15@)

- 10/1 and 10/2 Women of Faith Conference (Volunteer on line/go for FREE!)

As always girls - get out there, be blessed, more importantly, be a blessing!
I'm here if you need me, you know how to reach me.

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Blessings Are Born

2010-07-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world Miss Kloe (left) and Lil Blake (right)! Congrats to LG sisters Kandi and Donna on the birth of their little angels this past week (within the same week!). Special thanks to all of you who have been there for support in one way or another (visiting, providing meals, encouragement, etc.). While Blake has gone home with mama, little Kloe remains at Good Samaritan since she entered the world a bit early and still has some growin to do! Please keep your prayers up for our little princess.

For those of you who missed our last meeting, we discussed chapt 5 of 'Sex is not the problem...,' specifically on the difference between guys and girls. Good stuff as always! Bottom line, guys are obviously more visual than women. As women who desire to walk as Christ-like as possible, we must remember that all men, dateable or not, are sons of our God as well and we should look at them in that light always - being respectful of our thoughts and actions, and vice versa. We should think twice about our dress and make sure we have the right intentions, and not intentions to make this lust thing any harder for them. As our pastor would say, "Come on ladies, give us a break, cover some of that up!'

A great verse to meditate on this week; No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Cor. 10:13 ESV

And that's all I got ladies. Couple reminders...by now you would have seen the invitation for the BBQ/Potluck/Swim Party we are inviting all single parents (daddy's included) to this coming weekend. See your email for details.

Our next meeting will be Friday, July 23rd. Congrats to Ms. Brittany for winning the Starbucks drawing last meeting! And welcome to the LG's JoAnn! Call your Fridge Note Friends and if you didn't get one, email me and I will HOOK YOU UP! Remember to be in the Word DAILY, accountable to your friends regularly and praying always.

Until then ladies, as always....be blessed, be a blessing,
Love much and much love,

dee.

Your Customized Plan! It's Summertime...

2010-06-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

LG's!

The heat is proof....it's SUMMERTIME! Speakin' of heat...how about our meeting last night? I was so pumped up from our discussions, didn't want to wait too long for the follow up. GREAT CONVO-SA-CION!

So we wrapped up chapter 4 in 'Sex is not the Problem..' study (you know the type A in me is doing backflips). Few bullets from that:

- 'Every woman's vulnerabilities to temptation are unique to her.' (e.g. sundaes, the Twilight fella and men in general ; )
- 'Each of us needs to think through the various times, places, and sources that contribute most strongly to sexual temptation.' (e.g. certain movies, music, toys, beer breath ; )
- We each need to establish a specific, customized plan, focusing in on one battle at a time.

So in starting your custom plan, 'the truth is that we can't deal with everything at once....Choose a specific item from your list to make your focus. Take it to God in prayer. Repent of your apathy toward sin and determine what obedience would look like. Then seek to be faithful in that area. Take it seriously. Pray about it. Fight the little battles. Flee temptation. As God gives you grace to change in that area, you can move on to another area.'

HOMEWORK!
'Write a paraphrase of James 1:21-22, inserting the specifics of your unique battle where appropriate.' Be sure to hound your Fridge Note friend on this (in love of course) - - accountability girls, ACCOUNTABILITY! ; )

Remember that as LG sisters, not only do we laugh and hang together, but we pray for and hold eachother accountable (there's that word again), in love. DO NOT DO THIS ALONE!!! As our pastor likes to say...'satan will eat your lunch!' There is absolutely NO REASON to ever go it alone when God has so graciously blessed each and every one of us with amazing sisters in Christ - - remember what I said last night...'We are His princesses, linked arm in arm, fighting the good fight, TOGETHER!' Believe it ladies, God's evidence of love for each of us is ALL around...start by looking into the eyes of those beautiful children of yours - there is absolutely no denying it.

Allright, last but not least my friends, we talked once again about the power of SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD OUT LOUD! It is a spiritual battle everyday and satan does not take time off - so neither should we! God says to meditate on His Word DAY AND NIGHT. Our verse for the week (also on your Fridge Notes) is 'But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.' Romans 13:14

I love ya girls, from the bottom of my heart. Like I said last night, I do this for no other reason than the simple fact that God has done so much (too much for me at times ; ), that I have nothing but overflow to try and pour back into each of you in any way I can. It is absolutely the very least I can do. Remember, God uses our pain, our tears, and experiences for the future benefit of (testimony for) others. I am forever grateful to our KING for pulling me through my single mom days, and now even my married days ; )...so I want to be here for each of you - LET me be here for you.

And vice-versa! I am blessed just as much, if not more by knowing each of you, and your struggles, and your life and your hurts and your joys. You bless me tremendously, so thank you as well. Meanwhile, please call me ANYtime - - we can meet and chat, cry and laugh, your pick. I am sincerely honored to be your friend and am blessed beyond belief to have such amazing sisters in Christ.

Have a fab week lovelies and until our next meeting, you know where to find me. I know it's hot, but get out there this summer - be blessed and above all else, be a blessing to others. Oh, and CONGRATS TO DEB for winning the Sonic drawing - Enjoy some cool treats with your youngn's!

Love much and much love,
Dee

Yo yo LG's....WASSUP?!

2010-06-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

Perfect title to go with m' pic yes? ; ) HELLO LADIES! How we holdin' out this summer? I've heard from many of you and once again, so proud of our girls pulling together this week to help the unfortunate family in need that lost everything. All items will be delivered to them by this Saturday so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! (....for once again, being the hands and feet of Jesus).

So just a few things...hope you have been able to read and complete your workbooks in Chapter 4 for 'Sex is not the Problem, Lust is'. Would like to wrap up this study as soon as possible so we can move onto the next because we are movin' on and movin' UP sistas! ; )

Just a quick thought from my own studies and journaling this week in relation to our current study; Check out bilcornelius.com, specifically on 'Sex in the City', some good stuff with regards to singletons and dating. '#1 Takeaway = Don't date around!' If you date around too much, it means you are setting low standards for yourself...no need to date the guy if you already know he does not hit on the Godly qualities you desire - - PERIOD!

Even though the kids are out of school and I'm sure time alone is even more limited than before, I hope and pray that each of you are still making it a priority to carve out that special time to dig in the Word regularly for yourselves, journaling your prayers and thoughts so God can speak to you in His own special way. If you are in any sort of studying rut, give me a ring...I have LOTS of resources available to help you in your 'Christly' endeavors ; )

Lastly, I want to encourage each of you to join the Friday Night Live event at Parkway tomorrow night at 7pm - - a great way to connect with your other sisters at the church. There is no childcare but it would certainly be worth it if you could make it.

Our next meeting will be Friday, June 25th - - absolutely cannot wait! Also, we will be planning a family get together before summer's up to include some single papas ; ) Look for those details in upcoming communications.

Kay gurleez, until next time...as always, be blessed, be a blessing. You know where to find me. I've had the pleasure of already meeting up with a few of you so far this summer and I'm always open for some chit chat, java, lunch, loungin' by the pool, or ice creeeeaaaam - your pick! Holla!

Love much and much love,

Dee.

Forgiven in FULL & Family Potluck

2010-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!

Happy beginning of summer ; ) Hope you and your youngn's are keeping cool and more importantly, having fun! There are plenty of free or cheap things to do this summer if you check with the city recreation and event departments.

A little excerpt from chapt. 3 of 'Sex is not the Problem, Lust is'....'Justification is a finished work. We don't have to hold our breath wondering what God thinks of us. When you turn from your sin in repentance and through faith in Jesus ask for forgiveness, God forgives you. Period. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise..... Yes, there is guilt within. But Jesus has made an end of all my sin! Don't let this truth get away from you. Focus on this reality. Don't doubt your forgiveness. When you feel condemned and separated from God, you're more likely to turn back to lust for comfort, and that's certainly not what God wants you to do. Don't let anything distract you from the rock-solid reality that when God forgives, you're truly forgiven.

What a great message, and a wonderful reminder to all believers. God is good. He forgives. He is our only judge. Again, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You know who you are in Christ - - believe it!

Okay my sweets, just a reminder on upcoming LG activities:

Fri, June 11th 6pm Family Potluck Party at Donna's (see email for details)
Fri, June 18th Friday Night Live at Parkway (Parkway Women - details in PCC link)
Fri, June 25th 7pm Next Lipstick Girl Meeting at Parkway

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing to your LG sisters and others. You know how to reach me - I'm here for you as ALWAYS!

Love much and much love,
Dee

THANK YOU!

2010-06-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Short and simple....

Thanks to Tammie and Deb for hosting our last meeting in my absence. Thanks to each of you for your prayers through my surgery and recovery. Thanks and praise to our God Almighty for getting me through it all.

'My God is healing me

Jesus' Blood covers me

The Holy Spirit Intercedes for me

His Angels watch over me

My friends and family tend to me'

I am blessed beyond belief and grateful for each and every one of you...always.

Love much and much love,

Dee.

Protect Me!

2010-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Need a little protection?

Ladies, as you know, the enemy's main job is to steal, kill and destroy. Are you feeling like you are being 'attacked' lately? I know I am in an extra mode of praying for protection over my own family right now. Don't be discouraged! You see, when God is ready to move you to the next level with Him, you MUST be prepared and armor up! Satan wants no part of God promoting you or moving you forward for the ultimate glory of His kingdom and helping to add numbers to heaven! That's what it's all about at the end of the day right?

So watching Joyce this morning, couple notes I took away that you can meditate on along with me if you so wish:

Read John 17:11-12 - speaks of keeping 'safe' in the knowledge of God
Joyce says, when we get up in the morning, when we are armed with the Word and promises of God, and knowing who we ARE in God, it should make hell shake!!!! I love that! There is so much power to being a Christian, especially a Christian woman! Act like it ladies!!! ; )

Secondly, remember to SPEAK THE WORD OUT LOUD! Did you know that angels hearken to the Word of God? That means, if you repeat scripture out loud, thru word or song, angels surround you? That is protection if I've ever heard it! Do so for you, do so for your children!

Lastly, read up in Luke 10:19 - God gives us POWER! NOTHING shall harm us! Again, so amazing our God is. He is our ultimate provider, protector. HE LOVES US! HE LOVES YOU! BELIEVE IT! LIVE IT!

I love ya ladies. Have a blessed rest of the week and I cannot wait to see you all THIS Friday night for our next meeting! I PLAN TO BE THERE!

Until then, as always, be blessed...be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
Dee

Happy Mother's Day LG's

2010-05-07T23:41:00.001-07:00

LG's...
Just wanted to take a moment to wish my favorite mamas in the whole wide world a Happy Mothers Day. I wrote a little something in honor of each of you. It's my own little story from being a single mom, so I know you can each relate. You can even replace the 'he' with a 'she' where applicable ; )

Hugs and blessings to you and yours this very special holiday. May you have the 'perfect' day ; )

Perfect
by Dee Pavia

The day he was born, I counted every perfect toe and finger
That first day of motherhood in my mind forever lingers
Could anything else be more perfect, anything be more real
So sweetly overwhelming...unconditional love revealed

And the dreams and the hopes, and all the sleepless nights
Wondering now that daddy's gone, how could I make it right
Surely this was not a part of my perfect little plan
Plans for the perfect little family, to raise my perfect little man

But as I watch my baby grow, watch the joy, watch the pain
Broken toys and broken hearts, each triumphant just the same
I see in him the promise of God's Word come to life
There is no greater hope than knowing God can make it...perfectly right.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Thanks Molly and Thanks All!

2010-04-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's,
just a quick update on the latest. Special thanks to Tammie and Deb for hosting our last meeting in my absence (and yes, I missed m' gurlz) - - and to Andrea for giving up her LG spot for the night to assist with childcare. You are all SO appreciated! ; )

In addition, extra thanks to special guest speaker, Ms. Molly Malone, "Parkway's Financial Guru". I know the ladies that attended were blessed by her knowledge and wisdom and grateful for the chance to get their money questions answered! If you were unable to attend, just let me know, and I'll be happy to connect you with Molly personally for follow-up.

Scripture of the week: Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Prov. 3:9-10NIV

...or the 'Dee-lation' ; )...Give to God ALL that He asks; in obedience and out of love, and He will MORE than bless you back in ALL that you do.

Congrats to Donna for winning the Bad A** Gift card this week! Naughty name, yes, but great coffee ; ) They even have a drive thru AND sugar-free whip! Enjoy sista! ; )

Dates to Remember:

Fri, 5/14 Next LG Meeting
Fri, 5/21 Parkway Women Friday Night Live
Sun, 5/23 Volunteering at Greg's House
TBD Rescheduling Family Picnic (cancelled from 4/25)
Not enough RSVP's for 'Dream Dinners' Girls Night so send your suggestions for future Girls Night Ideas

And that's all I got ladies. Thanks to those of you who have stepped up to help out where you can during this time. You are a blessing and I love you! I am so proud to be a part of a group of strong, incredible women with love, selflessness, generosity, integrity and commitment! You are what makes the Lipstick Girls what it is and I am so privileged to be a part of it.

Meanwhile, I'm still here - willing to connect for one to one time, chat over phone...your choice! You know how to reach me. Please contact your Fridge Note Friends and if you don't have one this week, call or email or meet ANY of your LG friends anyway! Bless each other sometime over the next couple of weeks!

Until next time...
Love much and much love,
Dee.

Happy Easter LG's!

2010-04-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Check out our lovely LG's posin' with their Bags, Bangles n' Boots selections from our last get together. Any remaining items will be donated to Chicks Clothing Closet so thanks ladies! And special thanks to Rose (pictured) for hookin' us up with that amazing choco-banana Easter cake as well.

So we wrapped up chapter 2 in our 'Sex is not the problem, Lust is' study. Just a couple highlights from that:

'God says 'not...even a hint' because you can't give in to lust's demands and hope to pacify it. It ALWAYS grows. And as it does, lust will rob you of your ability to enjoy true, godly pleasure. You can't bargain with lust and come out a winner.' (Read 1 Thes. 4:7-8, Psalm 51:4-5)

If you haven't already started, dig into Chapter 3, as well as the workbook and be prepared to share at our next meeting! This is a great study ladies, one that helps keep us accountable to eachother. So speaking of which...we made a slight change to how we connect with our Fridge Note Friends over the next couple of weeks. Instead of the normal phone call or email, I am asking you to take it one step further, nurturing our friendships/creating new ones, by MEETING your FNF out and about somewhere (e.g. over coffee, lunch, walk...your choice). Not only will this be a fun time for you, but I have promised a special gift to each of you who actually participate in this - - yes, it's all about the bribe ; )

Few dates to tuck under your belt:

Sat, 4/9 Next LG Meeting
Sat, 4/10 Rock & Worship Roadshow, US Airways
Sun, 5/23 2nd Quarterly Volunteer Opp. at Greg's House
TBD Family Picnic
TBD Girls Day/Night Out (Looking at Dream Dinner Event)

And ONE MORE EVENT ADDED AS OF TODAY! You know I don't like our single mamas to ever spend a holiday alone, so for those of you who do not have plans (or would just like to join us anyway) - - LG sister Erin has graciously offered up her lovely abode to host an 'Easter Dessert n' Java Potluck' get together THIS Easter Sunday, April 4th at 3pm! See details in separate email!

Last but not least, I just have to give kudos to all m' girls who have so selflessly given of themselves recently to visit and pray for sick friends, help eachother with moves and rides and..and...and!!! At the end of the day, that's what this group is all about - - friendship and growing together in the Lord. I am so incredibly proud of each of you and so honored to be your friend. Please continue to encourage, check in on, and pray for eachother.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

If you are looking for free events for your children over the Easter weekend, I know Radiant Church, as well as the City of Surprise Stadium will have events on Saturday so check out their web sites for that info.

Meanwhile, PLEASE be sure to share the true meaning of Easter with your children. Easter bunnies, candy and hunting are fun but we must be sure to keep the true meaning alive - - Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, dying on the cross for ALL of our sins! There is no greater joy in any other holiday or thing this world can offer than that! I have personally lived most of parenting life, clinging to this promise...Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 What an incredible promise by an incredible God. For raising our children up to be like Christ, is the best gift any parent could ever give their child. The world will offer money, power and prestige, all of which fade and do not last, but God offers our children ultimate joy in Him and best of all...eternity!

Until next time, remember ladies....be blessed, be a blessing.

Love much and much love, HAPPY EASTER!

Dee

Bags, Bangles and Boots! AND Congrats Jen!

2010-03-19T10:39:00.001-07:00

Here comes the lovely bride! Congrats to our LG alumni member, Jennifer Jones on her recent nuptials to Allen. We wish you both the very best!

Special thanks to Ms. Cynthia for graciously hosting the last LG meeting so I could attend my son's Battle of the Band competition, which by the way, his band won! Whoo hoo! Yes, mama's braggin : )

Cynthia led the group to continue on the discussion in our new study, in chapter 1. Please read up on chapter 2, complete your workbooks and be prepared for yet another great discussion at our next meeting on March 26th. And to add a little bit of fun, we are going to do our annual 'Bags. Bangles n' Boot's Exchange so pull together your gently used purses, costume jewelry and shoes and let's do some FREE 'shoppin' ladies ; )

Couple of important dates to mark on your calendar:

Fri, March 26th 7pm at PCC - Next LG Meeting & Bags, Bangles n' Boots Exchange
Sat, April 10th 6pm at U.S. Airways - Rock & Worship Roadshow $10 at door
Sun, May 23rd Volunteer Opp. at 'Greg's House'

And that's it for now ladies! Don't forget to call your Fridge Note Friends (if you need one..holla!). Congrats to Deb for winning the last Starbucks drawing! I will leave you with the scripture from our Fridge Notes....

'For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.' 1 Thes. 4:7
Read up ladies! The Word is your ARMOR! Call your friends! They keep you accountable! Be vigilant in prayer - that is where miracles are born ; )

Call or email me for some one to one time....over coffee, lunch, walk, hike, bike, or at the park, you name it, we'll do it!

Until next time m' sweets...be blessed, be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
Dee

Special Thanks and Joyce Rocks!

2010-02-23T16:06:00.001-08:00

First of all, thanks go out to Raven, Laura, Christi, Nanette and Donna for assisting a disabled friend with house cleaning for our first quarter volunteer opportunity. In addition, special thanks to Deb for connecting us with Greg and to all for bringing extra hands as well! What a beautiful lesson for our kids - to teach them humility, love, compassion and selflessness. Bless you all!
Pictured here are the group of us that went to see Joyce Meyer at her recent conference here in Phoenix. It was amazing as always. Just a few takeaways from that. The whole message was on 'Being Thankful'.

- An ungrateful attitude saddens and grieves God.
- Be thankful, expecting victory and you can have victory every time.
- God promises us a secret place to be hidden in Him while we are here.
- God does have a promise land for you - a place of victory!
- It's NOT your enemies that cause grief - it's your attitude!
- Say to your enemies "You cannot defeat me, because God is on MY side!"
- Romans 8:28 All things work together for our good...
- Appreciate your trials - they help us grow up, mature, and develop Godly character.
- The more we need God, the more we experience His realness and power!
- Do yourself a favor and get a good attitude! BE POSITIVE AND THANKFUL!
- What do you have in your life that you complain about now, but PRAYED for at one time to receive?!
- We have NOTHING to complain about - complaining is sin! The Israelites complained/grumbled and wandered in the desert for 40 years!
- We think we deserve more when in reality, in our sinful nature, we deserve NOTHING. Be grateful Jesus died so we can have eternity.
- Humility is hardest of virtues to come by because of our pride. Be thankful and give thanks - this is the will of God.
- This is God's battle, not ours - - take position, bow down, worship the Lord, see the deliverance of the Lord!
- Give thanks to God for everything ALWAYS - for He is good - His mercy endures FOREVER!

Alright ladies, that should tie you over until this Friday! Looking forward to our next meeting. Be sure to have your first chapter read and first section of workbook completed as well. Contact your Fridge Note Friend for an extra entry in our drawing! Can't wait...see you this Friday, 26th!

Be blessed...be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
Dee

Message for m' Sweets & Important Dates!

2010-02-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day LG's!

Wanted to thank those of you who made it out to our Valentine Get Together at Cheesecake Factory - it was absolutely Dee-Lish! ; ) Special thanks to Tammie as well for inviting fellow singletons from Palm Valley...it was a FAB time! (Click to enlarge pic)

For those of you who couldn't make it - wishing you a sweet Valentines. Just a quick follow up from our meeting Friday, where we kicked off our new study..."Sex is not the problem, lust is," by Joshua Harris....good stuff! Everyone is in agreement this is a long needed and very welcomed new topic for our group.

Books and study guides were handed out (complimentary from Parkway) at the meeting, so if you are in need, you can pick up at the next meeting or from me anytime. Before I forget...special welcome to our first time visitors, Tara and Laura and welcome back Nanette...we've missed you!

Special thanks also to Missy and Donna for donating this week's drawing gifts (from Blessings Unlimited and Avon). Jaymie and Debra were the lucky recipients of some lovely gifts!

Last but not least, I would like to share that beautiful poem I mentioned my hubby and I sharing during our anniversary this week up north. To us, it is just confirmation of how much God must truly love us to design that someone special for each and every one of us. Sometimes we have to go through our own stubborn wills (or others) and detours before we find the 'One' God meant for us all along. But when we do His will and stay the course, we ultimately end up with all that God meant for marriage to be - - to be YOLKED with another believer (Read 2 Cor. 6:14). There is no marriage in the world stronger than that born of a strong faith in God. It bonds you tighter than anything the world could ever offer. For when you love a believer, the Holy Spirit resides in them too - there is no other earthly relationship, other than our children, that could draw us so physically close to God.

In a nutshell, I truly believe, if God could bless me in the way He has with my incredible husband and 'abundant' family, then He 'MORE than' can do so for each of you (Read Gen. 27:28). I am a firm believer in that! Your blessing awaits....your man awaits (only if you so desire of course ; ) Enjoy the poem....hugs and Happy Valentines! Just don't ever forget...there is but ONE man who will NEVER forsake you NOR leave you and loves you EVERYday, JUST the way you are...our heavenly Father. Know HIM first and the rest will fall into place.

My Lover, My Friend by Gladis and Gordon DePree
In knowing and loving you - Deeply - I have become a part of the ground-spring of love,
Which is God.
Sometimes I realize I have looked at you so often, I hardly see you.
You are more a feeling than a face, a feeling of what you mean to me,
What you share with me, What you do for me...
But I must remember you have your own face, Are your own person.
And to that person I owe all the gentleness and respect and sense of wonder, I owe God.
For you are God come closer to me, Than in any other face.

Allright LG's...signing out...until our next meeting on Feb. 26th, keep these additional dates/events in mind:

Fri, Feb 19th Joyce Meyers Conference - 10am (or if interested in evening session, let me know)
Sun, Feb 21st - Volunteer Opportunity helping to clean home/yard for a disabled friend in need (older children can help as well). Remember ladies, we are blessed - we need to be the hands and feet of Christ to bless others (Read Psalm 70:5).

...and that's it! Until next time...

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Hot Topic!

2010-01-19T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hey..hey...hey!
Where m' girls at? ; )

Just droppin' in to give you quick update on the going-ons for the Lipstick Girls in the month to come. For those of you who missed our 2010 kick-off meeting, once again, virtual spankings to you all! It was actually a GREAT time and VERY interesting conversation! Our next study will on "Sex is not the problem, Lust is," by Joshua Harris. Like I said, interesting conversation ; ) The best part of all, Parkway will be sponsoring us for the books and study guides, so there will be NO cost to you! Hoping to have those resources by our next meeting.

Congrats to Kandi for winning the pedicure drawing. We'll want to check out those lovelies when we see you next. Of course we will continue to have these wonderful drawings at each of our meetings throughout the year, so if you have any services or products you'd like to donate to this fun part of our meeting, do tell ; ) You are also welcome to personally solicit any friends you know of who may have some 'sweeeeet' service or product they'd like to donate a drawing item for, which will also provide free advertising for them!

Important Dates to Notate:
January 22 at 7pm Next LG Meeting at Parkway
February 12 at 7pm Another LG Meeting at Parkway!
February 14 at 3pm Dessert n' Java Valentine Get Together
February 19 at 7pm Joyce Meyer Conference
I am still working on our first quarter volunteer/family get together opportunity. Look for further detail on that, as well as the items listed above in your LG emails.

Meanwhile, I will close with the scripture chosen for our last LG Fridge Note: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God’s holy people. Eph 5:3

....and I re-iterate, good conversation! Can't wait to dig into our next study. It is a great topic - a relevant topic - a serious topic....and as women of God, it is absolutely imperative that we be open and honest about the subject of sex and how it fits into God's plan for single moms. You won't want to miss it! See you on the 22nd ladies!

Lastly, since we will continue with our accountability process (Fridge Note Friend) - - this serves as a reminder to those of you who were at the meeting, to contact yours! For those that weren't, simply email me and I'll connect you with one. This is a very important part of what our group is actually about - connecting/building lasting friendships, so don't sell yourself short girls. And no worries about how to start the conversation, I have some 'fun' icebreakers questions for you ; )

As always, if we haven't met yet for our 1 to 1 time, or if it's been awhile, or even last week, I don't care! Just contact me and we will get together over coffee, lunch, walk, hike, bike, whatever...I'm here for YOU and I LUVS it!

Until next time...be blessed, be a blessing.
Love much and much love,
Dee.

2009-12-31T09:18:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Wishes LG's!

As you can see from our photo montage (click on pic to enlarge view), what a year it has been indeed my sistas! We were blessed with some wonderful guest speakers this year, opportunities to sponsor some great causes, and help those in need, as well as helping eachother - - not to mention all the fun family get togethers and beautiful friendships that came out of it all! I am excited to see what God does with the Lipstick Girls in 2010. You won't want to miss out on our first meeting of the year, Friday, January 8th at 7pm. We will put plans in motion to include 'hot topics' for the year, as well as new ideas for volunteering and family get togethers. I absolutely canNOT wait!

Meanwhile, here's wishing you and yours an INCREDIBLE start to the New Year. Remember, begin your year with God and the rest will fall into place!

...And the best way I can personally think of to kick off the New Year - - with the POWER OF HIS WORD! Might as well do it up big, if we're gonna do it at all - - armor up ladies! Remember to be the kind of girl that when you wake up in the morning, the devil says..'Oh NO! She's UP!' Please take time to read, journal, meditate on the following on the first day of this amazing new year!

Forget the Past!
Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

Learn from Past Mistakes
Hebrews 12:10-11
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (NIV)

Wait on the Lord

Psalm 37:7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. (NLT)

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (NASB)

And one of my personal favorites...Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Be blessed...be a blessing.

Love much and much love,
Dee

Merry Christmas '2009' Lipstick Girls!

2009-12-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas LG's!

Pictured is the group of us that went to the convalescent home to visit some sweet elderly folk. For those of you that couldn't make it, we sang Christmas carols and the kids passed out their homemade cards and some special goodies too. Although many were bed ridden or turning in for the night, it was still so neat to see the occasional smile and claps and singing along with us at times. Thanks to all of you who participated and special thanks to RAVEN for bringing extra carolers! They were great! Also to Ms. Cynthia for helping to coordinate and connect us with these lovely peeps.

The dinner/play at Tammie's church was specTACular and absolutely SCRumptious as well...however, I forgot my camera to share any photos from that. Tammie played the 'Spirit of Christmas Future', I believe, and what a fanTAStic job she did indeed! ; ) We have SUCH the talented group of mamas in our group! I am proud! Anyhoo...we will have plenty more opps. in the new year to continue to go to fun events like this together, as well as our volunteer ones (being the hands and feet of Christ).

Just wanted to take this time to remind each of you that although it is down to the 'last minute frenzy' of Christmas prep, please keep in mind that this season is in fact about our Father and ALL He has done for US, sending His only Son to mark this special occasion. (..."the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23). Find peace and rest in that first and foremost my sweet sistas. Be a light wherever you go (like standing in those long, stinkin' lines ; ). BE A BLESSING! Do NOT lose your temper and use naughty fingers (i.e. in traffic).

All kidding aside...you get my drift ; ) I know you're all angels like you fearless leader here ; ) HA! See you in 2010 m' sweets! Our first meeting of the year will resume on Friday, January 8th. Can't Wait! Lots of exciting new things (and topics) to look forward to in the New Year

Meanwhile, you know where to find me if you need me. Many blessings to you and yours, now and all year through!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Oh So SWEET! And December Plans...

2009-11-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving my sweet LG sistas! I know I got to see some of you at our 'After TGiving Dessert Party' Friday night, but for those of you I didn't...hope you had a blessed one with your loved ones. I came across something in my reading time this morning that I thought was so incredibly appropriate for this time of year. It's titled 'Joy'.

Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. One gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen. This I tell my sisters. This I tell you. ~ Mother Theresa

Isn't that beautiful? I just love it. My favorite part is 'Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.' Although this time of year may bring about old memories and maybe even longings or regrets, remember, don't let it steal your joy. As Christians, we have a greater joy than what goes on in THIS life. Christ died so we would have the greatest joy of all...with HIM in ETERNITY! There is NOTHING greater or better or SWEETER than that!

Mother Theresa was just the epitome of God's love (and continues to be obviously). Such an incredible woman who just radiated love and care and concern. I want to encourage you to read 2Cor 9:6-15. Whenever you feel down about your circumstances, read these scriptures and put your focus back where it belongs...on God and serving His people. You'll see very quickly that what we deem as worry and fret, quickly disintegrates when our hearts are filled with compassion for others and THEIR needs and hurts.

I heard someone say recently..."it's so important to help people this time of year." I'm so glad as Christians we are not in the mode of only helping people out during this time of year but all through the year. And remember ladies, no matter if you are low on funds or time, etc., there are ALWAYS ways to help others. And the Lipstick Girls have plenty of opportunities all year long to do just that. If you haven't been able to join us yet on one of our visits to the homeless or elderly or hungry, then JUST DO IT! NO EXCUSES! I always try and plan our projects so you can bring your little ones as well - - teaching them the value of giving and God's love most of all.

Last but not least, there will not be any regular LG meetings in December. Instead, we will be going to a Christmas dinner play together on Friday, December 11th. Your kids can come too! Contact me for further details if you haven't already signed up! We are also planning a Christmas party so keep your eyes peeled for those details as well!

Okay ladies, if we haven't had our one-to-one time together over coffee, lunch, bike, hike, walk, park, whatever.....CALL ME!

Be blessed....be a blessing.

Love much and much love,

Dee

Give Me PEACE! & TGiving n' Christmas Plans for LG's

2009-11-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

LG Mamas!

Wanted to do a little follow up from our last meeting. We were blessed to have Ms. Oli Rodriguez (pictured right) come share with us about 'peace thru hard times'. It was a great time and lots of information to share! But before I get started...special shout out to our first time visitors Sherri and Odilia! Welcome ladies!

Donna was the lucky recipient of the drawing in which Oli gave away a beautiful journal.

Oli began by sharing her personal testimony of trials and many tribulations! What a story! You will have to contact her if you missed it to get the full scoop! She is an amazing lady with some incredibly good life lessons to share. She started with James 1:2 where it says to consider it pure joy when we go through trials. Matthew 6:25 is another favorite of Oli's where it says 'Do not worry!' God is ALWAYS on time and GOD IS IN CONTROL!

Some tips from Oli with regards to 'allowing' God to be in control:

1) Read the Word every day - it feeds your spirit, gives you wisdom

2) Personalize the scripture (with your name) when you read it

3) Start every day with prayer - make a gratitude list - do with your kids

4) Get a good devotional (recommended In touch by Charles Stanley)

5) Listen to good messages - they give you peace

6) Listen to good Christian music

7) GIVE! Doesn't have to be financially, can give your time

8) Think Positive! (The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale - also check out simpletruths.com

Say to yourself regularly... "God is with me, helping me, guiding me, and visualize His presence."

God doesn't want us to look at our circumstances, He wants us to look at HIM!

Last but not least ladies, don't forget that our next meeting will actually be an 'After Thanksgiving Dessert Night' at my place. Same time, 7pm on Friday, 11/27 and you are welcome to bring your kids! I will send out location details via separate email.

In December, our regularly scheduled meeting of Fri, 12/11 will actually be Girls Night Out to go to a dinner/theatre for Christmas Play at LG sister Tammie's church. Please let me know ASAP if you are interested as Tammie will need to reserve your seat. The earlier, the better! (like this week!). Tickets are ONLY $10@ (this includes dinner). You are welcome to bring your children as well (tickets for children also $10@).

ALSO...VERY IMPORTANT....I do not want ANY of you spending the holidays alone or without gifts for your children. Two of our LG's have offered to host TGiving for any LG's and their kids this year, so let me know if you're interested. Also, if you are in financial need for gifts this Christmas, please let me know ASAP as well so we can hook you up! Our LG's will NOT go without, that is a promise ; )

Until next time...be blessed, be a blessing, love much and....

Much love,

Dee

Guest Speaker Coming Friday!

2009-11-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

Lipstick Girls!
Wanted to give you a heads up that we will have a special guest speaker THIS Friday, the 13th/7pm at our next LG Meeting. Ms. Oli Rodriguez (pictured above) will be joining us. I had the privilege of meeting Oli over 15 years ago now at a corporate Bible Study when I worked in down town Phoenix. We have kept in touch ever since and she has been very instrumental in helping to connect our single moms with job opportunities during her stint as a recruiter. Oli is currently a marketing manager in corporate America.

Oli became a born-again Christian over 25 years ago and has been a single mom for nearly 14 years, (raising two children who are now young adults in their twenties). Oli will be be speaking on 'Peace Through the Hard Times', as she has personally experienced peace through some very difficult times in her life, due to God’s Word and realizing that no matter what….God is always in control!

Don't miss out on this inspirational story and fab time once again with yo sistas!

Can't wait! Do try and RSVP ahead of time for childcare so we can have a decent headcount for prep. Lastly, a pic (thanks to Cynthia!) below from the American Diabetes Association event attended by some of the LG's last month.

See you Friday girlfriends!

Love much and much love, Dee.

That's a Spicy Meata-balla!

2009-10-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN LIPSTICK GIRLS!

XOXOXO GRAYSON ITALIANO!

Look for updates this week.....

Sweet blessings to you and yours - - be safe this weekend.

Red Flags Everywhere and HOMEWORK!

2009-10-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!

Just checkin' in with the latest. In our last meeting, we welcomed new guest and hopefully newcomer, Regina (Cheri's sis), who was also the lucky recipient of the Starbucks Gift Card drawing - 2 for 2! ; )

In addition, we talked about none other than RED FLAGS. In our current study (Smart Girls Think Twice by Jan Silvious), we touched on the obvious caution and danger signs that can help us foresee DANGER (i.e. bad boys and/or situations! ; ). So what are the top 10 red flags you can't afford to ignore? I'll share the first 3 here, more to come in our subsequent updates.

Read on...

1) ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES! i.e. Don't look to other sources to fulfill God's role in your life - seek Him first! Read Exodus 20:3.

2) BE CAREFUL TO WHOM AND WHAT YOU COZY UP TO! 'Take a look around. You and I are surrounded by things GOD has created. Children are a gift from God, but they are NOT God. Friends and lovers are created by God, but they are NOT God. Houses and land spring forth from the creativity of God, but they are NOT God. ALL things wonderful that bring joy to our lives are blessings from God, but they are NOT God.' Read Romans 1.

3) ONE NAME IS ABOVE ALL OTHERS! 'The names of God and Jesus are set apart in our lives. To be cavalier about how we use those names is to be careless about God. Yet casual use has become such a habit for most people that they don't even hear what they're saying.' Read Exodus 20:7.

'To ignore red flags and foolishly declare, "oh, that will never happen" is to put yourself and possibly those you love in danger. But smart girls know that red flags serve a valuable purpose. They are not there to keep you from having a good time or from moving forward with what you want to do; red flags serve as reminders to think carefully before you proceed....sometimes the flags signal a detour that will still end up in the same destination; sometimes they advise you to stop and wait for a better time and sometimes they caution you that moving ahead will cause you peril. In every case, when you're willing to heed them and to think twice about what they reveal, red flags can protect you from unnecessary pain and frustration.

And that's it in a nutshell - - as for your HOMEWORK...I would ask each of you, prior to our next meeting on Friday, October 23rd, to review the first three flags and mostly the scriptures in reference to them. Please take time to journal your thoughts, especially what God is speaking personally to you and be ready to share with your LG sisters at that time. It is important we continue to grow and learn together in God's Word ladies, and hold each other accountable to it.

Speaking of accountability, DON'T FORGET TO CONTACT YOUR FRIDGE NOTE FRIEND! This is only effective, if YOU make it work! You will be blessed beyond belief with new friendships and support if you begin/continue building through this process. If you do NOT have one, shoot me a note, and I'll be happy to connect you.

Last but not least, a few upcoming dates of importance:

Friday, October 9th - LG's Girls Night Out (Diabetes Fund Raiser Event) - - not too late to join, although pre-sold tickets of $20 MUST be purchased by Monday night, otherwise it will be $30 at the door. And remember, this will be replacing our regularly scheduled meeting night, so do NOT show up at Parkway this Friday night.

Saturday, October 17th - Parkway Womens Breakfast - Free at church but no childcare.

November 8th - Walk to End Domestic Violence - Bring the kids! Friends! Family!

Refer to emails for details or contact me directly - you know where to find me! Have we had our one-to-one girl time chat yet? If not, let me know as well, so we can meet over java, lunch, your pick!

Have an absolutely blessed week my sweet sistas ; )

Love much and much love,

Dee

Good Choice..Bad Choice and LG's go PINK!

2009-09-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hey, Hey Hey! Check out our sweet 'summer birthday' girls, Maryjane, Karen and Jaymie - - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMAS! They received what else...Lipstick!

Special welcome to our newbies: Nanette, Erin, Julia and Jenni! We hope you'll be joining us again soon.

So...good choice, bad choice; thus is the latest topic of our continued study based on the book 'Smart Girls Think Twice'. Just a few highlights for those of you who missed (once again, virtual spankings to you all! ; ) You missed a GREAT time! ; )

'God gave you your desires and abilities, so anytime you feel a gnawing doubt about a situation, give it that second look. God may be speaking to you about a better choice for your time and attention.' Read Phil. 2:13

Secondly, 'Smart girls intentionally seek out people who clearly are making good choices'. Great advice in Prov. 13:20 - I encourage you to look it up! YES! HOMEWORK! ACCOUNTABILITY! LOVE IT GIRLS! LOVE IT! ; )

Lastly, 'We will sometimes face choices for which the consequences cannot be fully predicted.' At this point, ALWAYS choose to do the 'right' thing...ALWAYS. Remember, 'even though we cannot always see the consequences that await us, we have a God who not only lives in our present but dwells in our future'. THANK GOD! For there is absolutely no hope in our future without him - agreed LG's? ; )

In closing, we have at LEAST a zillion new things going on. I am giving you this last opportunity to submit your personal testimonies so we can finalize our first draft of the LG book we are looking to get published - - end of September ladies, let's do this! Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Diabetes Walk on 9/26 (refer to previous email to sign up on Tammie's team or send me a note and I'll forward). Womens breakfast at Parkway is 9/19 at 9am, no childcare but free eats n' company ; ) 10/2 & 3 is Women of Faith conference and 11/8 is Walk to End Domestic Violence. There is also a group of us already committed and who have started training for the PF Changs Half Marathon in January, in support of Project Street Light. If interested, PLEASE let me know. We have great connections and resources for this on training, nutrition and buddying up.

I know this is a lot to take in but us LG's got a lot goin on!!! We'll discuss more at next meeting, which, BY THE WAY...is THIS FRIDAY, 9/11 at 7pm at PCC. PLEASE RSVP with number of bambinos you will be bringing so we can give sweet Missy and Katie an idea of headcount. And it is not too late to call your LG friend and get an extra entry in the drawing! (Congrats to Donna by the way for winning the Sonic card at the last meeting...good eats ; ) BRING A FRIEND!

Ooh...one last thing - thanks to all of you who have already placed your first ever LG T-Shirt order! I am going to be collecting $10@ from you at the meeting and it is still not too late for those of you who have yet to order! We are goin with the PINK theme...LG's, what else ; ) Great opportunity to wear to the many events we go to together, 'spreading the love and the word' about our amazing group and even more...AMAZING GOD!

Can't wait to see you all!
Much love and love much,

Dee.

Ah...Sweet Justification!

2009-08-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hola mi bonita chiquitas! ; ) I am trying to get in the mode of helping our two 16 year olds out in Spanish class, so please humor me (as I took 3 years of it in school myself and NADA...el gone-o from el braino). You know with each child born, more brain cells are sucked out from us, right? So you know what that means for ME!!! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Ah....JUSTIFICATION! The sweet, sweet smell....and we are so stinkin' good at it, aren't we? Trying to come up with excuses or reasons for our current or past behaviors or choices. This is the perfect sedge way into our current study topic of 'consequences' from the book 'Smart Girls Think Twice'. For those of you that have missed either of our last two meetings, let me attempt to bring you up to date...

This book is all about 'when and how to think twice so that you can make smart choices and live in that confident zone of security in which you are content with your decisions. A Smart Girl doesn't have to second-guess herself, nor does she live with regrets for what might have been.'

The book of Proverbs is full of references to 'chakam', the Hebrew word that means 'an intelligent attitude toward the experiences of life'. I encourage you to read Proverbs 2:2-11 to gain a better understanding of how you too can have the quality of walking through life in confidence with each choice you make!

Few steps to beginning this 'good choice' journey:

1) Stop - and examine the situation first!

2) Look - and concentrate on identifying the underlying issue

3) Listen - keep your ears open for helpful insights

4) Look again - recognize the safety in thinking twice!

Lastly, remember that 'every choice carries a consequence. For better or worse, each choice is the unavoidable consequence of its predecessor.' Gary Ryan Blair

If you would like to get your own copy of 'Smart Girls Think Twice' by Jan Silvious, you can find it just about anywhere - check for discounted/used copies available on line (i.e. Amazon.com). And as always, if you are strapped financially at this time, let me know as well and I will hook you up! Don't ever feel weird about that - we are family! We do for each other!

Before I forget...welcome to our newest potential members...Katrina, Donna, Jaymie and Brittany! We hope you lovelies will be joining us again soon!

Our next meeting will be Friday, August 28th and we have a volunteer opportunity THIS Tuesday 18th. Be on the lookout for a separate email on that if you are interested. Remember, more than anything, we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, and regardless of our situations, God has blessed us tremendously, so we should always be in a position of blessing back!

Until our next meeting, as always...you know where to find me. If we haven't connected for some one-to-one girl chat, holla back!

Love much and much love,

Dee.

SMART GIRLS & Important Dates!

2009-07-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

My favorite ladies!

Check out this beautiful painting done by our very own LG, Ms. Karen. We definitely have some serious talent in our group! Speaking of talent...where are my writers for our LG book I'm hoping to have compiled by year end?! We need to get a move on girls. If you would like your personal testimony shared in this incredible story book, you will need to submit to me PRONTO! I would really like to have an overall roughdraft by summer's end and we are JUST about there (thanks to those who have submitted thus far)! So zip your file and shoot my way. Can't wait to read all your stories and get this baby published!

Allright, so...last meeting....first of all, welcome to our first time guest, Kelley! Congrats to Ms. Brenda for winning a fabulous Starbucks gift card. As for the study, we agreed to do our next round based on the book 'Smart Girls Think Twice' by Jan Silvious. It is about making wise choices when it counts. The back cover reads: What was I thinking? Why does this keep happening to me? Where do I go from here? If you have ever found yourself asking questions like these, you're not alone. Smart Girls choose to think smart. it's not a matter of IQ. It's a matter of the heart, a willingness to take that extra look at choices that will affect their lives.

You don't need to purchase the book for our meetings, but I would highly recommend it. Check out Amazon.com for any used ones. I purchased mine at Berean but I'm sure you can find it just about anywhere. As always, if you are in a financial bind right now but would like one, don't be shy - let me know!

We shared in our last meeting the choices each of us have made that have somewhat dictated the outcome of our lives and how we played a significant part in that. I love that we have such a real, honest, and transparent group - thank you ladies. I've said it before and I'll continue to say..the LG's is what YOU make it. YOU ROCK and together, in Him, we can do ANYTHING!

Last but not least....few important dates I want you to log on your calendars..NOW!

9/18 Diamondbacks/Mercy Me/Fireworks Show (Faith & Family Night) $10pp - - I will send email when tickets are available for purchase (there will not be regular LG meeting this night)
10/2 & 3 Women of Faith Conference - Can attend for free if volunteer - click this link for more info.... http://www.womenoffaith.com/volunteer/positions.asp

And of course we meet THIS coming Friday, the 24th at 7pm. PLEASE let me know if you plan to bring any young'ns so we can give sweet Missy a heads up on headcount. Don't forget to call/email your Fridge Note Friend if you haven't yet (extra entry in the drawing this week!).

I'll close with our scripture for the week...'Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.' Proverbs 2:11

Until Friday...can't wait! See you there!
Much love and love much,

Dee

Be Aggressive and Bold and WELCOME JAKE!

2009-06-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hey hey hey LG's!
Happy Monday to ya! Thanks to all who showed to our last meeting and helped to welcome little Jacob Allen (pictured here/photo by our own Alee Svensson) into the Lipstick Family ; ) Congrats again Michelle, we are so proud of you! He is absolutely beautiful and perfect as can be. Would also like to welcome our first time visitors, Renae and Kandi! Congrats to Ms. Sherri for winning our Sonic drawing...hope you and your little fella enjoy some nice, cool summer treats (suggestion; banana splits da bomb ; ).

Okay, so for those of you who missed out - virtual spankings to you all! We were blessed once again to watch another of Joyce's FABulous videos, 'Be Agressive and Bold.' Just a few highlights from that lesson:

- Relationships, NOT performance are what's important to God.

- Forget what lies behind and press forward!

- The #1 tool satan uses on us is FEAR! Fear stops progress.

- Fight the devil with the WORD! Rehearse what GOD says, don't repeat what the devil says (negative thoughts in your head).

- Stop worrying about what people think!

- Be truthful - stop hiding things - BE REAL! Get honest with God and people.

- Stop being afraid of making mistakes and making more out of things than they really are.

- Stop praying with the word 'just', i.e. 'Lord, if you would JUST answer this one little prayer'...BE BOLD!

- God is not a God of 'barely get by' but a God of 'MORE THAN ENOUGH!'

- You can be pitiful or POWERFUL but you can't be both!

- God chooses the weak and foolish to confound the wise.

- Faith is BOLD, ASSURANCE...CONFIDENCE!

- Ask God for anything - if He doesn't want you to have it, you won't! (You have not because you ask not).

- Don't give up too easily and too quick!

And that's a wrap. Since I wasn't able to hand out fridge notes, look for your accountability partner to contact via email and CONTACT them! It only works if you make it work ladies ; ) We need eachother. We need God. Let's do this together and enjoy the friends God has blessed you with!

Until we meet again, enjoy the summer with your munchkins - be on the lookout for details on our next pool/potluck party and volunteer opps - provide any resources/ideas you may have on that as well - - always open to suggestions.

You know where to find me. If we haven't hooked up over 'one to one' coffee, lunch, walk, run, swim, hike, playground, ANYTHING, then CALL ME! It's time! ; )

Have a great week girlies and until we meet again on Friday, July 10th....have a BLESSED ONE! I'll close with the scripture that is in relation to Joyce's message: 'In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear). Ephesians 3:12

Love much and much love,
Dee

Summer Time! Congrats Baby Mama Michelle!

2009-06-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!

First and most importantly, congrats go out to LG sister, Michelle, our beautiful baby mama who gave birth to little Jacob on June 4th! Please look for details via email in regards to setting Michelle and her family up with meals this next week. I'll be sure to post little Jacob's pic as soon as I can.

Meanwhile, special thanks to those of you who made it out to our BBQ/Swim party this past weekend - missed those of you who couldn't! I'm still working on uploading those photos to share with you as well (thanks Deb!).

At our last meeting we wrapped up discussions on 'Happiness in 7 areas of your life,' that our last featured guest speaker, Diane Santiago shared with us. In summary, we looked at areas in our life that make us feel healthy emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. These areas include; social, health & wellness, family, intellectual, spiritual, financial and career. Please refer back to the email I sent regarding this to complete your own personal profile and feel free to contact me to discuss for any personal follow up.

Hopefully you are all off to a nice summer with your kiddos. Just a few reminders for upcoming dates: Our next meeting is Friday, June 26th. Please RSVP with your childcare needs. Also, the Parkway's Womens Breakfast is THIS Saturday, 20th at 9am (no childcare available), but FREE delicious breakfast and great learnings! (Refer to Parkway/PCC link to the right of this page for location).

In addition, the following media was suggested by your LG sisters....the book, "Sink Reflections" and Brandon Heath's CD "Give Me Your Eyes" (thanks ladies).

In closing, while I understand summertime can also bring more busyness, with the children home from school, I cannot stress enough the importance of staying in the Word, studying, praying, journaling, and allowing God to continue to speak to you, directing and guiding you through life. He can only do this if you are available to hear Him. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

To read more on 'listening to God', click onto this link... http://delveintojesus.com/Devotionals.aspx?id=12&time=966&message=saved

....and be sure to stay connected with your LG sistas for support and accountability as our 'summer' kids can sometimes drive us absolutely batty! ; ) Hang out, kick it by the pool or even venture out on family trips together. Enjoy the friendships God has blessed you with! Until we meet again, you know where to find me. I'm here for you. We can walk, talk, run, hike, eat, meet, or just java it up!!! Your choice...just let me know.

Love much and much love,
Dee

Happy Mothers Day Lovelies!

2009-05-10T21:35:00.001-07:00

Hey sweet thangs! I could not forget my favorite girls on this wonderful day and I truly hope yours was wonderful as each of you are so incredibly deserving. God bless you and yours this Mothers Day and for many more to come.

Until we meet again on Friday, May 22nd....I will leave you with this oh so sweet poem shared by Ms. Brenda. It's so simple but oh so true.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,
and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Now don't forget to be the kind of girl that when you wake up each morning, the devil says...."Oh no!! She's up!!

Have a GREAT week my LG sisters. You know how to reach me between now and the 22nd! Hope to hear from you.

Love much and much love,
Dee

7 Happy Areas and MORE FREE STUFF!

2009-04-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!
Wanted to drop a line to first of all, welcome Jen and Karen to our group. In addition, Karen was the lucky recipient of the Starbucks drawing, so congrats on that as well!

For those of you who weren't able to make our last meeting, we welcomed Guest Speaker, Life Coach, Diane Santiago who shared great tips and stories in regards to BEING CONFIDENT! For those of you who attended, please remember to complete the handout she distributed (Happiness in 7 Areas: Personal Profile), so that we can do a follow-up at our next meeting, (on Friday, April 24th). For those of you who weren't able to attend, you can can STILL review the presentation deck, as well as COMPLETE YOUR PERSONAL PROFILE on happiness from the attachments I will include in a separate email - - so please be sure to do that prior to. Last but NOT least....lots of great FREEBIES for you and your kiddos:

1) THIS Sunday, April 19th from 4-6pm at Parkway is Spring Fling for the kids - FREE bouncies, games and more! Invite a friend!

2) Need help around the house? Contact the Parkway Fix-It Club at brian.trenholm@earthlink.net for more info.

3) Need some FREE summer clothes? Contact theclothingshop@parkway.cc or 623-875-9000 ext. 152

4) Join me at the 2009 Arthritis Walk on Saturday, May 2 from 7-9am at the Phoenix Zoo! Have FREE access to Zoo that day if you participate. To participate, check out: http://www.phoenixarthritiswalk.kintera.org/

It's a great set up - you can create your own web page and collect donations straight from there, very simple and for a wonderful cause AND good exercise and fun for you AND your kids! Hope you can join me ; )

Any questions or you want to connect over coffee or Mickey D's.....you know how to reach me! Be blessed today...and be a blessing ; )

Dee

2009-04-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hoppy Easter LG's!

Our little Grayson bunny wanted to wish you and yours a happy one! (Photo by our very own Alee Svensson). Of course the greatest Easter wish of all would be that each and every one of you would remember that Christ is truly the reason for this season. While Easter bunnies, egg hunts and beautiful lillies are great, Christ is the greatest gift of all.

May you be blessed by Him today and always.

Could You Use Some Self-Confidence?

2009-04-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

Then you won't want to miss our next Lipstick Girl Meeting THIS Friday, the 10th at 7pm at Parkway. We will welcome back special guest speaker, Diane Santiago, Certified Life Coach, VP in Finance at American Express, board member for the American Diabetes Association, and most importantly, our dear LG friend ; ) Diane (pictured center in green striped shirt) will share her perspective on self-confidence, particularly as it pertains to;

- Understanding what confidence looks and feels like
- Understanding why we have lack of confidence
- Tools and techniques to increase self-confidence

Not only is Diane a fabulous speaker, but absolutely beautiful inside and out. You will have the chance to speak with her one on one so do not miss out!

As always, free childcare (just let me know how many you plan to bring so we can have an estimate for Missy). Free refreshments and FUN! Can't wait....I've missed you girls. Bring a friend - doesn't have to be a single mom, just of the female persuasion ; )

See you Friday!!! Many blessings this week until then....

Dee

Money Talk, Joyce in Town & March Schedule

2009-03-07T06:22:00.001-08:00

LG's! Just droppin' in to update you on the latest. First off, special thanks to our guest speaker, financial 'guru' as our pastor has referred to her, Ms. Molly Malone (click pic to enlarge). As you know, Molly was kind enough to come and share information around finances and budgeting at our last meeting. I understand she had handouts and tools to share from that perspective. If you were not able to make the meeting and would like to connect with Molly, just let me know. Special thanks to LG sister Ms. Tammie for being the hostess with the mostest in my absence.

Speaking of which, thanks to all of you for your prayers for little Grayson last Friday. Surgery went smooth as butta ; ) The kid is absolutely amazing and wasn't phased one bit by the whole debacle! Never acted like he had surgery....so again, THANK YOU!

And speaking of prayers...since I am on the prayer team at Parkway, I wanted to personally invite each of you on Wednesday evenings (7-8pm) to come join us to pray for others or to receive prayer yourself. I'm convinced prayer is absolutely, unequivocally one of the most important foundational aspects of the Christian life and I strongly encourage you, if you don't already have that open relationship with God to....GO AND GET SOME! ; ) You certainly don't have to come to God with educated/eloquent speech, just talk to Him. He already knows you, no need to impress Him, or those around you for that matter. Remember, God says wisdom of the world is foolish - it's Godly wisdom that He desires for us to have (reference 1 Cor 3:18).

Lastly, the Joyce Meyers conference Friday night was sensational as always! Cynthia, Alee, myself, along with 7 other sweet girlfriends ever so gracefully (and movie-star like ; ) descended upon Phx First for the second night of Joyce's conference.

Some highlights to share from that:

Form good habits!

1st Put God first in your life - what if we gave God time like we tithe (10%)? How much time would that be in a 24hr period? (reading, prayer, listening to teachings, music, etc.) Do not try to fit God into YOUR schedule, fit YOUR schedule into GOD's SCHEDULE.
2nd Do not put the love of money or things ahead of God. God blesses us with much, so we can turn around and bless others. Don't be so busy with your 'stuff' you have no time for God. God will always give back WAY more than we give Him. He just asks for our obedience to it.
3rd Make peace with others. Don't be angry and unforgiving of others then try to worship God.

Lastly, COUNT THE COST....God will sharpen, sand, break us so we are useable to Him. He will humble us when necessary and help us to remember where we came from so when He prospers us to move forward, we do not end up going back! Remember those crazy Israelites and JUST SAY NO!

Allright ladies, be on the lookout for details this week regarding our normal meeting days in March, as we will be doing off-site activities instead.

Have an incredible weekend - you know how to get ahold of me should you need ANYTHING at all. I love ya's. Remember always to LOVE MUCH!

Much love,
Dee

Passion! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

2009-02-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Lipstick Girls!

What's shakin'? The mamas that showed up for our last meeting were blessed to have their youngn's make them some beautiful Valentine cards (thanks Missy!). Click pic to enlarge.

So...PASSION! Who wouldn't want some? Of course, this isn't the passion you might be thinking of ; )

In our last meeting, we read a brief part of Joyce Meyer's book "I Dare You". I'll share a bit of that now....'Life without purpose and passion is a life not worth living. We all need a reason to get up everyday and we need to find the passion - the spark that keeps us motivated and moving. We need to be enthusiastic! We need to be able to celebrate each day of our lives, no matter the circumstances.'

So as we did our roundtable, and the ladies shared their own personal 'passions' or desires, (should money and time and life issues, not be an obstacle), it was quite interesting to see that although God has given us each different desires and talents, He did create us in a way to use all those things for HIS glory. In the end, it really is the best life that God has planned for us - EACH of us, thus, the BEST way to use our PASSION.

I encourage you to find this book in the library or even purchase on line (Joyce's link to right of this page).

In addition, DON'T FORGET THE FREE JOYCE MEYERS CONFERENCE IS COMING UP - NEXT WEEKEND! A group of us is already planning to go Friday night, the 6th. If you want to jump on the band wagon - you won't regret it! It is an amazing conference with top of the line Christian artists playing music to start and Joyce's great sense of humor and amazing wisdom to boot.

Lastly, I am forwarding you many great FREE stuff, Cheap stuff, and FUN stuff via email, so be on the lookout for that (kid events, job opps, stuff for sale, etc.)

DON'T FORGET - -OUR NEXT MEETING IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7PM AT PARKWAY and we have a SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER (SURPRISE TOPIC, YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS)! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL BE BRINGING YOUR KIDS SO WE CAN GIVE MISSY A HEADS UP....THANKS, GOD BLESS AND SEE YOU FRIDAY!

Love much and much love,

Dee

Valentine Message

2009-02-14T06:47:00.001-08:00

Hey beautiful mamas ; )

My little ladies man wanted to wish you all a fabulous Valentines Day! Remember too, what I always say....the one man out there that will never let you down....our Heavenly Father. He loves you, He wants the best for you and He will never leave you ~ the Ultimate Valentine.

Many blessings today and always...

XOXOXO,

Dee

LG's First Family Event!

2009-01-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

Hey LG's!

Special thanks to those of you who shared in a beautiful day at the park on Saturday. There was plenty of scrumptious food and fun to be had by all! (double click on pic to enlarge view)

Our next meeting will be Friday, February 13th. Be on the lookout for details on that meeting and meanwhile, please remember to contact your Fridge Note Friend and if you need one because you missed our last meeting, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to hook you up!

Remember, not only do great relationships and accountability come out of the Fridge Note process, but....BONUS! - - you get extra entries in our drawings! Whoo hoo ; ) Starbucks, nails, hair, who could ask for more? ; ) Also, don't forget, I'm here for you, call me to chat or meet up for coffee, lunch, walk, run, hike anytime.

Love you chickadees.
Until next time and as always....God bless!

Dee

HOPE OF SEEING CHANGE...

2009-01-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

Hey LG's!

Just a little follow up to last week's meeting. First off, welcome to our lovely guests; Marcella, Michelle, Andrea and Mary! We hope you'll be joining us again sometime soon. Also, congrats to Alisha for being the proud winner of the Starbucks card drawing! ; )

For those of you that didn't make it, we had the privilege of watching yet another one of Joyce's FABulous videos....'Hope of Seeing Change'. Here are my top 10 picks to highlight;

Keep a good attitude...if you hope for a lot, even if you get half...it's all good!

The devil is a LIAR! He wants you to believe things won't change if they're going bad, and he wants you to believe it won't last if it's going good.

Hope is REFUSING to give up! Don't let disappointments from your past destroy your future!

Think about your attitude - could you have a better one, as oppose to STINKIN' THINKIN!

Anything can change, except God Himself.

You should do at least one thing everyday that helps to keep your dream alive.

Even if you get rid of a problem, you're bound to get another one - learn to be CONTENT.

It's not our circumstances that steal our joy - it's our attitude in the circumstances.

Get your mind off it! Don't Talk about what the devil does, talk about what GOD is going to do!

God has not given us gifts to serve the enemy, He's given us gifts to serve Him.

Remember, Joyce is coming to town - FREE at Phoenix First Assembly March 5th - 7th...let's plan to go as a group on Friday night or Saturday morning - - let me know what works best for you girls.

Lastly...our first family event of the year is a genuine, old-fashioned picnic THIS Saturday, the 31st. For details, refer to the email and sign up sheet I sent out. It's not too late to sign up! Hope to see you and your loved ones there.

Until then....much love and love much! ALWAYS!

Dee

Yeeeee Haaaaaw! It's that time again!

2009-01-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

Howdy Mamas! It's that time again! Join your sista Lipstick Girls for yet another FABulous time at our next meeting THIS Friday, the 23rd at 7pm SHARP at Parkway! It's not too late to contact your Fridge Note Friend for yet another entry in the drawing. This week's drawing will be for movie passes and I will even offer up free childcare so you can go enjoy it with a friend - whoo hoo! ; )

Can't wait to see you ladies. Please let me know how many of you will be bringin' your youngn's so we can make sure we have sufficient coverage. Thank you.

See you Friday...yippee kayaaaa!

Dee

Hot Stuff for the LG's in '09!

2009-01-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Hey, hey hey LG's!!!

Great kick off meeting Friday! (Note; pic is from our LG Christmas Party - thx Deb!). Also thanks once again to Brenda for being the hostess with the mostest ; ) So good to see all of you after an extended holiday break.

Special shout out to Jerrie's guest, Karla - - WELCOME! And we can't forget...CONGRATS to Brenda who is now engaged to Scott! Many blessings to you both in the years ahead.

We finally closed out our Battlefield of the Mind study (thanks Joyce!) so a couple of highlights from that; We discussed how we can be stubborn and rebellious, how we can recycle the same sin and how that 'thorn' keeps us humble and constantly on our knees before God. We also discussed how God wants obedience, not necessarily sacrifice (Read 1 Samuel 15:22, 23). And bottom line, the whole preface of the book really summarizes down to this statement; Bring every thought into captivity to Christ (Read 2 Cor. 10:4, 5). Joyce says...'People living in the vanity of their own mind not only destroy themselves, but far too often, they bring destruction to others around them.' Always remember ladies, our thought life transfers to our actions and our actions (and choices), as mothers will ALWAYS affect our children. That said, if not for anything else...do it #1 for your love and respect and OBEDIENCE to God and #2 for your children, for they are our future and we want a Godly one!

In addition, we brainstormed on some 'hot' topics we would like covered in 2009 (to include guest speakers and visitors). Topics such as; dating, budgeting, loneliness, domestic violence, co-dependence, self-esteem, time management, and self-defense were all hot on the list. If you did not make the meeting or did, but have more ideas, just send my way.

We also discussed various opportunities for volunteer activities (that could include our children) such as; visiting the elderly, Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith, and Walks to support health initiatives. We will update our resource listing, as well as our LG contact list.

Last but not least and maybe the most exciting 'hot stuff'' item this year...the LG's will be looking to compile our stories (testimonies) to share in a book to hopefully get published by year end! That is a HUGE goal and one I KNOW we can achieve together! Let's start simple.....send me an email of your story (best to zip for condensing), and we'll go from there! Let's shoot for initial drafts by end of February. No need to worry about spelling, grammar. We have editors, so you are good to go!

Meanwhile....look for our first quarterly calendar, to include fun activities with our kids and eachother! Remember ladies, this group IS YOU! And you will get out of it what you put in.....a lifetime of friends, support and encouragement. Let's make this the best LG year (#3) yet!

Love much and much love,
Dee

Happy 2009 New Year Lipstick Girls!

2009-01-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

The Pavia family is wishing you all of God's best blessings in 2009! We trust you had a beautiful Christmas, as we did, with it being our first with little Grayson ; )

So....some new ideas for 2009 and would love to get your input. Just a little teaser; family hikes, family volunteer activities, and the LG's will be looking to compile our very own book for publishing!

Learn more about all these exciting new endeavors for the LG's in the new year at our next meeting THIS Friday, Jan. 9th at 7pm at Parkway Church! Bring a friend and SEE YOU THEN! Looking forward to sharing in all of God's plans for the LG's in 2009!

Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

LG Christmas Party Details!

2008-12-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Hey girls!
Slight change of plans - - Instead of meeting at the church this Friday, the 12th at 7pm for the LG Christmas Party, Brenda has graciously offered to hold it at her house for a more personable and festive experience! Double click on pic to enlarge and view last year's Christmas Party.

Please bring the kids, a chick friend if you'd like (doesn't have to be a single mom), a treat to share and one wrapped adult gift to exchange for no less than $5 but no more than $10. There are plenty of cute things out there in that price range. Check your email for Brenda's address or call me.

Last but not least...PLEASE RSVP so we know approx. how many to expect. Thanks and Baby Grayson and I can't wait to see you there!

2008-11-26T07:41:00.001-08:00

Hey sweet girls ; )
One final note before Thanksgiving tomorrow.....wishing you and yours an absolutely scrumptious day! Remember, it's not too late - - if you don't have Thanksgiving plans, please let me know by tonight so we can get you connected.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with this beautiful story - maybe something to share with your families over Thanksgiving dinner ; ) Many blessings to you and yours this holiday season.

Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said,
Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.'

Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.'

Finally the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.'

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said,'This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, 'and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the Woodsmen said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said'Peace' and the Storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to
a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust inHim, God will give you great gifts.
Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Special Announcement: He's here!

2008-11-11T17:17:00.000-08:00

Hi LG's!

As promised, here are a few pics of our latest endeavor ; )

Little Grayson made his entrance into the world a month early but is doing phenomenal!

He is a strong, feisty little fella (his dad claims it's because he's Italian ; )

Thank you for your well wishes and prayers this week.

Please plan to meet at Parkway this Friday, Nov. 14th at 7pm for our next meeting. Invite a friend - free childcare as always...Have a great rest of the week until then.

Much love and love much,

Dee.

Happy Anniversary....Let's Par-te!

2008-10-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

My favorite ladies....
first off, HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY LG'S!

It's been an amazing year filled with plenty of get togethers, volunteer opps, new friendships and seeking God - - who could ask for more! A special thanks to each and every one of you for your love, dedication and support to this group. I hope it has brought you as much joy as it has me! Looking forward to what the LG's have in store for 2009!

1) Raven is having her Halloween Party tonight - BRING THE KIDS! Refer to the email with attachment she already sent out. If you can't locate it, call or email me for details.

2) Life Journal Classic for $6 (multiple colors) that is currently being used at Parkway can be found here... http://resources.enewhope.org/store/index.php?cPath=25&osCsid=80c1741df8cd025f2b4c494511bd349b

3) Our dear friend Missy, who is now helping with childcare during our meetings has a really neat web site she'd like you to check out and even forward onto friends and loved ones if you have a chance - - great stuff! http://missy.blessingsdirect.com/Pages/Story.aspx

4) We studied chapter 17 in Battlefield of the Mind last night - great read - if you didn't make the meeting or would like to dig in a bit more, go for it! Our Fridge Note scripture is 'Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you...1 Peter 5:6-7

5) Specific prayer requests going out in separate email - if you did not make the meeting and would like to be added, please call or email me as well.

6) Last but not least, LG sista Sheri is planning our next Girls Night Out! If you have any ideas, pass them along - looking forward to some serious FUN!

7) Congrats to Ms. Alee for winning the Starbucks Card drawing last night and if you need a FABULOUS photographer, she's your gal!

That's it girls - have a safe and wonderful weekend!
Love much and much love,
Dee

Wilderness Mentality & Let's Celebrate!

2008-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!

Just droppin' a follow up note from our last meeting and to remind you of our next meeting, this Friday 24th at Parkway, where we will celebrate our Two Year Anniversary! Be sure to invite a friend and enter yet another FABulous drawing! ; )

Working our way through Joyce's Battlefield of the Mind, we get to chapter 16 on Wilderness Mentality (referencing when the Israelites roamed the desert or wilderness for 40 years)... Some key points:

You may have had a miserable past, you may even be in current circumstances that are very negative and depressing. You may be facing situations that are so bad it seems you have no real reason to hope. But I say to you boldly, your future is not determined by your past or your present!

Get a new mindset. Believe that with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27); With man some things may be impossible, but we serve a God that created everything we see out of nothing. Hebrews 11:3. Give Him your nothingness and watch Him go to work. All He needs is your faith in Him. He needs for you to believe and He will do the rest.

Allright girls....blessings to you and yours and can't wait to see you this Friday! Until then, love much and much love,

Dee.

Overcomin' the "Big D" and Pics!

2008-09-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!
Wanted to share a few pics from our last get together, as well as the ADA (Diabetes) Walk. Also pictured is our lovely birthday girl, Debra (holding her cake). HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEB!

Two meetings ago we picked up in Chapter 15, The Mind of Christ (from Joyce's Battlefield of the Mind). Here are some things to do to help overcome depression:

1) Identify the nature and cause of the problem
2) Recognize that depression steals life and light
3) Remember the good times
4) Praise the Lord in the midst of the problem
5) Ask for God's help
6) Listen to the Lord
7) Pray for deliverance
8) Seek God's wisdom, knowledge and leadership

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the mornings, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to you. Psalm 143:8

This was the scripture shared in our Fridge Notes - - remember to contact your Fridge Note Friend and if you don't have one, let me know and I'll get one for ya! Until our next meeting on Friday, October 10th....

Hugs to you and yours!
Love much and much love,
Dee

Meet Diane! Lean on God...

2008-08-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

Hola mi LG chiquitas! ; )
First off - welcome to our first time guest...Ms. Jerrie!

For those of you who missed out on our fabulous guest speaker...well...YOU MISSED OUT! Mrs. Diane Santiago (lovely brunette in green striped shirt, just left of center - double click on pic above for larger view), VP of ERAS at American Express, as well as a member of the Board of Directors at the American Diabetes Association and most importantly, dear friend...graced us with her 'beautiful inside and out' presence at our last LG meeting. Diane is married (for 17 years now) with the sweetest twin 13 year old daughters. She is from Chicago, then Ft. Lauderdale and in Arizona since married.

She started by sharing her amazing testimony of faith in regards to her husband being miraculously healed from a life threatening ailment (complication from diabetes). Information she shared from that conversation is listed below.

voll machine
http://www.biomeridian.com/voll.htm

rife machine
http://www.energetic-medicine.net/Rife.html

Book: Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About by Kevin Trudeau
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Cures-They-Dont-About/dp/097559950X

In addition, Diane's experience as an executive coach (helping executives transition during a career/job change), led her to share the 'Brain Walk' exercise with us. Basically, it is a way to channel the more creative side of our brains (right side), in comparison to the more analytical (overthinking) left side - to try and go more with our subconscience/what our gut is telling us, as oppose to too much analyzing. It was very interesting and for those of you who missed out - I will bring handouts to the next meeting to share with you.

So the moral of the story....Diane concluded with "If we learn to lean on God - He will get us through ANYTHING." That is a fabulous conclusion!
If you would like to reach Diane, she informed me that she does check her personal emails about once a week. Contact her at diane_santiago@msn.com

Last but not least - - be on the lookout for the opportunity to walk with Diane and I (if baby boy Pavia willing ; ) in the upcoming annual ADA Walk (Diabetes) on Sept. 27th. You can even bring the kids! I will be sure to pass along sign up information and we can count on that as our next volunteer opportunity for yet another great cause! Go Team LG's!

Allright ladies, until our next meeting on September 12th....you know where to find me. I'm up for coffee, lunch or phone chat anytime!

Love much and much love,
Dee.

It's My Party & I'll Cry If I Want To...Lord, Spanketh Mine Enemies!

2008-08-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

Where m' girls at?! Ever feel like this poor kid on the left here? Especially when it comes to thine enemies?!

There are many times in our lives unfortunately where/when we will have to deal with some real party poopers and it seems their goal is what else; to make us miserable! And I won't repeat that age old adage about hurt people just hurt people because it just gives an excuse for those that hurt us right?

What we should really be concerned about is...how does God expect us to respond to such treatment by the bullying, envious, critical, selfish, judgemental....'enemies' in our lives.

I can't recall the program I was watching this week, but basically the pastor mentioned how much energy is taken up when we allow opposition to get to our soul. Even if it doesn't show in our behavior necessarily on the outside, it is happening inside. All of that energy then takes away from where God intends for us to ultimately live; in peace and with plenty of spiritual, physical and mental energy. It is then no coincidence that things dry up in us when that precious energy is taken away, more aptly said...given away, since it is essentially in our realm of control in the first place.

Instead, we should redirect our energy towards prayer and blessing others. When we try and love our enemies, we not only maintain our testimony as being followers of Christ, but we hold our spiritual ground. Simply put, we don't get knocked off course just because of the spirit/mind set (behavior) of our enemies - we stand firm in honoring God. Matt 5:44 tells us to bless our enemies/do good/pray for them....that we may be children of our father. Revenge is never fulfilling. It is only momentary fleshly satisfaction - and then it is gone, as quickly as it came.

There is power to loving our enemies and truly the only reason we need to, is because Jesus tells us to. Besides, He also promises to redeem us through His own judgement - there is no better judge. If we do not give Him room to work, how can He protect His people? Noone messes with God's people, He promises to see to that.

So how's that for getting over the pity party? ; ) I love you girls - - absolutely cannot wait to see you all THIS FRIDAY NIGHT at 7pm! Remember, we only meet twice a month ladies - PLEASE make it a priority to be there so we can enjoy and learn from one another. I do have a special surprise for EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU but I will not reveal it until 7pm Friday night so DON'T MISS IT!!! ; )

Until then and as always....

Love much and much love,
Dee.

Passive No More!

2008-08-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hi LG's!

Wanted to kick off by first welcoming our first time visitors from our last meeting - WELCOME TO....Leslie, Alisha, Jill and Maria!

Also wanted to send out a special thanks to the LG's that participated in the PJ party for the Homeless Women last Saturday - THANK YOU...Raven and Cynthia! The three of us, along with my sweet baby sister Dalonna and friend Melissa and other gals from PCC, helped to pass out new PJ's and flip flops, painted nails, passed out goodies and got to meet the many beautiful women in need at the Phoenix Homeless Shelter. I'd like to continue to encourage each of you to set time aside whenever we do have planned volunteer opportunities to give back and bless others, as God continues to bless each of us.

Quick recap from our last lesson from Joyce's Battlefield of the Mind - Chapter 14...A Passive Mind; 'So many believers are emotionally ruled that an absence of feeling is all that is needed to stop them from doing what they have been taught to do. They praise if they feel like it, give if they feel like it, keep their word if they feel like it - and if they don't feel like it, they don't. The place we give satan is often empty space. An empty, passive mind can easily be filled with all kinds of wrong thoughts.'

'There is a a dynamic principle shown throughout God's Word, and no person will ever walk in victory unless she understands and operates in it: right action follows right thinking. YOU WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR UNTIL YOU CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS.'

Finally, the scripture shared in the Fridge Notes this week is; Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind...Romans 12:2

Be sure to call your Fridge Note Friend and if you need one - let me know or simply choose one yourself (preferably one you haven't contacted before) from our contact list. If you need a copy of our contact list, let me know!

God bless - have a great week and looking forward to seeing you all this Friday, Aug 8th when we will do the PJ and popcorn thang whilst we watch Chonda Pierce's 'Stayin' Alive..Laughin' video! More details to follow via email.....can't wait!

Until then....

Love much and much love,

Dee

Girls Night and It's A Boy!

2008-07-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

To all my sweet, sweet sisters!

I don't mean to steal the spotlight on this one, but the first message of the day is VERY important. Our beautiful bouncing little angel / BABY BOY PAVIA is en route! ; ) 5 months and counting ~ healthy and active as can be! PRAISE GOD! ; )

I know some of you have been praying as you are aware of some difficulties we had on our return flight from NY last week but all is good - so thank you my little prayer warriors ; )

Special thanks to Ms. Raven for hosting what I hear was a specTACULAR get together while we were gone (see pic). I only wish I was there! Lastly, just thought I'd share a little somethin' a dear friend sent - it's a beautiful read and you know how much I love to read...

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4.

Spread the Word and give thanks to the Lord for He is good!
It's not WHAT you have in your life, but Whom you have in your life that counts...

I ASKED GOD

I asked for a flower, He gave me a garden.
I asked for a tree, He gave me a forest.
I asked for a river, He gave me an ocean.
I asked for a friend, He gave me "YOU."

Can't wait to see you all NEXT Friday, 25th for our next meeting and we still have plenty of open spots for 'Girls Night Out' on Sat, 26th to help pamper the women at the homeless shelter in Phoenix. Figure we can meet up for a nice dinner out first, then be on our way to bless others as God has so richly blessed us - remember, we are the hands and feet of Christ - let's allow Him to use us to help others.

God bless ladies - contact your Fridge Note Friends and call me ANYtime! I love hearing from you, praying, laughing, crying - I'm here for you.

Love much and much love,
Dee

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL!

2008-07-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Sistas!

Is it summertime or what? I love this pic we took of our boys on a recent trip so thought I'd share. Hoping you and your youngn's are finding some reprieve in a nice, cool place somewhere or at least a garden hose ; ) For those of you that missed out on our last meeting, although our special guest speaker had to cancel, we still had a grand time and watched yet another outstanding video by our dear friend and mentor, Ms. Joyce Meyers!

Before I roll into the highlights, wanted to recognize and welcome our first time visitors Letty and Tammara - WELCOME LADIES! And the welcome is two-fold for Letty as she was also the lucky drawing recipient of a body massage by my dear friend Nikki - CONGRATS!

So back to the video and BEING BOLD! Quick 'top 5' recap.....

1) Don't be afraid to make mistakes - our performance may not always be great but that's not what the Lord is concerned about anyway. He is more concerned with our RELATIONSHIPS, not so much PERFORMANCE.

2) The number one tool satan uses with us is fear (afraid of being judged, afraid we're not doing what God wants us to, etc.) - fear just stops progress.

3) Fight the devil with the WORD - don't repeat his lies - repeat God's - war against it and say to yourself "God is with me - I WILL NOT FEAR!"

4) Don't shrink back when feeling rejected - go instead to God daring and boldly, without fear and let Him lift you up.

5) Don't worry about asking God for anything - He is the God of more than enough - You have not because you ask not.

And I'll end with the scripture that is on the Fridge Notes this week; "In whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear)." Ephesians 3:12. Ladies, let's be accountable and don't forget to CONTACT OUR FRIDGE NOTE FRIENDS! If you were absent and did not get one - check out our updated contact list (sending via email) and just go for it. It's so important we keep our relationships up, especially since we only meet twice a month.

Have a wonderful and blessed day/week my friends. Look for opportunities at church to help out in a ministry or for a great cause. Continue to draw close to God daily thru reading, journaling, worshiping, laughing, praying and sharing. Stay cool and enjoy your kids this summer! Use this time to help draw them closer to God as well thru books and camps, even fun activities like Bible games, video games - - they're out there! ; )

Much love as always... Dee

All About Alee! ; )

2008-06-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hey LG's!
I promised you a pic of our lovely bride Alee at her recent wedding so here it is - and yes, that is her studly new hubby behind her ; ) CONGRATS AGAIN MRS. SVENNSON - WE LOVE YOU!

Now a recap for those of you who didn't make our last meeting....back to the Battlefield of the Mind book by Joyce Meyers - - movin' into chapter 14 A Judgemental, Critical and Suspicious mind.

Joyce's final words in that chapter summarize it nicely; Our thoughts are silent words that only we and the Lord hear, but those words affect our inner 'woman', our health, our joy and our attitude. The things we think on often come out of our mouth. And, sad to say, sometimes they make us look foolish. Judgement, criticism and suspicion never bring joy. Jesus said that He came in order that we might have and enjoy life (John 10:10). Begin to operate in the mind of Christ, and you will step into a whole new realm of living.

Our Fridge Note scripture for the week is "The mind of the wise instructs 'her' mouth and adds learning and persuasiveness to her lips. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body." Proverbs 16:23, 24. Don't forget to contact your Fridge Note Friend! If you need one, let me know as well. I will be sending out an updated contact list soon so you don't even have to wait around to hear from me the next time you want to give one of your fella LG's a call. Congrats to Christy for winning the Paradise Bakery Gift Card drawing!

Lastly, join me in wishing our June birthday girls a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday to Ms. Maryjane, PJ and Raven! Enjoy girlfriends - - may this be the most blessed year yet!

Over and out my sweet sistas....stay cool in this heat and enjoy your kids this summer. Call to catch up anytime!

Love much,
Dee.

2008-05-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Ladies!

Just a reminder for our meeting tomorrow night, Friday 23rd at 7pm at PCC! Since we've had so many gift donations as of late, we will be doing another raffle so you don't want to miss out! And congrats once again to Ms. Raven for winning the Massage Drawing at our last meeting! Hopefully you chicas remembered to contact your Fridge Note Friend for another entry in the next drawing.

In addition, wanted to be sure to welcome our newest visitors...Michelle, Cynthia, Jennifer and Sherri! Welcome to the family girls!

So, for those of you who missed our last meeting (spank, spank!), we watched an incredible video by an inspiring young man named Nick Vujicic (http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/). Couple takeaways I thought were very meaningful; 'When God gives you a dream, He makes it possible for that dream to come to pass - He equips us with all that we need.' Also, 'the first two letters of IMPOSSIBLE are I M. Simply said, ANYTHING is possible with the GREAT I AM (GOD!).'

Last but certainly not least....CONGRATS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BRIDE, ALI (NOW MRS. SVENSON ; ) I'll be sure to include pics in the next message for you all to see! Until tomorrow night...have a GREAT Friday! See you then!

Much love,

Dee

REMINDER & Tammie n' the Mayor!

2008-05-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Ladies!

Check out fellow LG Tammie hammin' it up with Mayor Phil Gordon at the recent Domestic Violence 5K Walk in downtown Phx! It was a great time. Hopefully more of you can join us next year!

So....this is your friendly reminder that the LG's meet TOMORROW, Friday, the 9th at 7pm SHARP at Parkway. I'm expecting a couple of newbies so please make it a priority to attend so we can all welcome them! Also, time for another big drawing; your choice for massage, hair or restaurant! See you then!

Loaded House & No Wavering Allowed!

2008-04-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

LG's!
How m' girls? ; ) Talk about a loaded house last Friday - WOW! So nice to see so many of you show up on the same day! Anyhoo..hopefully you've each been able to enjoy some of this beautiful weather with your lil peeps.

For those of you who didn't make our last meeting, just a little briefing on what you missed. We were back in the Battlefield of the Mind book, chapter 11 on A Doubtful and Unbelieving Mind. Something that caught my eye that we don't talk about much and that is the spirit world. If we could see the battle that actually takes place each and everyday, I think we would be shocked, speechless. There is a battle for our souls always. The one thing in relation to doubt is how we follow up with what we say - - almost like self-fulfilled prophecy. If we believe in God's Word and promise to us, then we shouldn't doubt. Now satan and his demons may try hard to whisper those crazy thoughts in our heads, but that's why it is absolutely IMPERATIVE that we are in the Word, EVERY single day and especially when we are fighting against such powerful things in our thought life. The Word is our weapon - in fact the ONLY weapon we have to fight satan with, so USE it! Have those specific scriptures ready to SAY out loud and drive them away!

Well that's all I got girls besides to remind you once again to CALL YOUR FRIDGE NOTE FRIEND!!! How about a few icebreaker questions:

1) If money were no object - what would you be doing with your life today?
2) If you would not gain one ounce - what major food binge would you go on?
3) If you could meet ANYone living in the world today, who and why?

There, that's a starter for ya. And if you didn't make the meeting and don't have a Fridge Note Friend, let me know - I'll hook you up! Remember, it's extra entries in our monthly drawings! The next drawing will be for an absolutely gorgeous gift basket - you WANT this girls! ; )

Allright, have a great week and until we meet again THIS Friday, 25th, 7pm at PCC - - bring a friend!

Love much,
Dee.

Here Comes The Bride! AND Be Radical!

2008-04-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here's to Alee! Alee is our beauuuuuutiful Bride to Be (pictured in the center between Erica and I). We had a great time at her lovely bridal shower Saturday afternoon. You'll have to ask her about her edible candles ; )

Anyhoo....I know I'm a bit behind the eight ball on our page update, however, I have absolutely no good excuse to use so ; ) .....

For those of you who missed our last meeting, first of all, we wished Ms. Laura a happy birthday! In addition, we watched a continuation of the Joyce Meyers video, 'Destiny'. Joyce talked about being a radical giver - giving to the hurting. For those of you that attend Parkway, you know this has been something Trent has been talking about as well, as of late. Few highlights from the video:

Give on purpose - don't wait to 'feel' like giving (that feeling may never come!)
Refuse to get to the point to only do for someone what YOU'RE going to get out of it
Greed will steal your life - steal your joy
Make it your purpose to put a smile on somebody else's face
Help hurt people - - make it a goal to change lives for the better
Start where you are, with what you have - God blesses us with bigger things when we are faithful with the little things first
We should be channels, not collection stations
Pray to God how to be a blessing - ask for wisdom, discernment, open doors, clarity
Don't walk away from God's tests - you could be walking away from your destiny
In the end, it's not about the 'stuff' - - God is interested in our hearts

And that's all I got girls other than...THIS Friday, April 11th - Parkway, 7pm - - BE THERE! Don't want to miss our next drawing for yet another FABULOUS body massage!

Cannot wait to catch up with all of you. Until then - God bless, take good care of you and yours. Continue to pray for your Lipstick sisters and call and email eachother! Alot going on - remember, you CAN be a blessing RIGHT NOW - - no need to wait for our meetings!

Much love,

Dee

The Ultimate Gift

2008-03-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

The ultimate gift...today and always. LG's, wishing your and yours all the blessings in the world this Easter.

God bless and much love, Dee.

Oh So Pretty! and Mi Vida Loca!

2008-03-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

Lipstick Girls!

Check out Ms. Kristi at the recent Parkway Women's Breakfast. She was actually tasked with applying make-up on that poor, defenseless soul (Diana) in a contest. The trick was, she couldn't look at her to see what she was doing. It was QUITE entertaining to say the least ; ) The message that day was basically about being God-Controlled vs. Self-Controlled. Many times we just need to let Him take the reigns ladies, otherwise we don't always end up lookin' so hot!

Anyhoo...for those of you that missed our last LG meeting - - spankin's to you all! YOU MISSED OUT! We welcomed Wendy to our group (WELCOME WENDY!) and Ms. Cynthia was the lucky recipient of that fanTASTic body massage drawing we had. Don't worry though, we have a few more left to raffle off. As for the message, we were blessed to watch a DVD that I actually received for FREE, along with other ones to share with you lovely ladies by a gentlemen who saw me getting ready to purchase them for all of you at the Joyce Meyers conference. He literally walked right up to me and opened a bag, had me drop my items in and handed it back to me saying "PAID IN FULL". When I told him, "Do you have any idea who these are for?" He simply responded, "no, but God does" and he walked away. Isn't that amazing? God is ALWAYS taking care of us and looking out for us. He loves you girls IMMENSELY, as do I.

So back to the DVD - - the message was about DESTINY. Bottom line - - we ALL have one. Joyce mentioned the only way we can live without regrets in life (while trying to discover our destiny) is to make the right choices. We make the right choices by following God, period. Remember too, that nothing God tells us to do is too hard, for He equips us with exactly what we need, to do the task at hand. Discipline is a very important piece to this as it is absolutely VITAL. The choices we make through discipline could be life or death to us. CHOOSE LIFE! In Deuteronomy 30:19 it says...Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!

So we see that our choices in life affect way more than just us as individuals - and this scripture refers specifically to our children. If we can't do it for ourselves, at least for them right? Ultimately it would be to do it out of obedience, to show our love for God and all He has, and continues to bless each and every one of us with.

Stay tuned for more DVD's at our upcoming meetings. We are also looking to start getting some phenomenal women guest speakers in to share their stories and their hearts with you. I am VERY excited about that!

Until then my sweets....God bless, good night and love, love, LOVE like crazy! We all got plenty o' that!

Your sista,
Dee.

Joyce-O-Rama!!!! It's NOT too late!

2008-02-28T21:57:00.000-08:00

Lipstick Girls!

OH MY GOSH!!!! I feel like this chick looks right now! If you are not Brenda, Viviana or Maryjane (as they came!), you really MUST try and do whatever you can to get to at least ONE of the rest of the Joyce Meyers conference presentations this weekend (at Phx First Assembly off Cave Creek, just south of Greenway). The four of us, along with a few other friends attended the kick off session and all I can say is WOW!!! Seriously! And I know the other gals echo my sentiments....talk about POWERFUL messages and incredible worship thru amazing music and the emotions of joy and laughing your head off and awe and everything in between - I mean REALLY!!! Have I gotten the message across yet? Call any one of these gals and they will tell you...YOU ARE MISSING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And you had over a MONTH TO PLAN!!! AND IT'S FREE!!!! The theme is 'being cool, calm and collected'. Don't allow satan to talk you oughta this one - we could ALL use that!

Enough guilt trip ; ) I really just want to try and encourage you, even if you think it's too late in the game, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GET TOTALLY BLESSED!!!! TRUST ME!!! Sessions start again tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10, but you should try and arrive by 8 so you are guaranteed a seat. Then again tomorrow night at 7pm, but again, want to arrive by 5pm (since it's free, first come, first serve and they open the doors 2 hours prior to). Last session is Saturday morning at 10am only (arrive 8am). And then she's gone!!! We are so privileged to have her come to Phoenix, you really need to take advantage of this! Have I been clear enough yet, or as Trent would say...'clear as mud?' ; )

Kay girls...I gotta get some shut eye, but I just couldn't do it without getting this message to you first. You'd think Joyce paid me to do this huh? Ah, a girl can dream ; )

Speakin' of dreamin, good night!
Love ya's sweet peas!!!!
Dee

I R CORNFUSED!

2008-02-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Girlfriends!

How the heck are ya? ; ) I feel like diggin' into my Okie roots today and talkin' with a little Okie accent. Those of you who know me well enough, know how much I like to 'pick an accent for the day' and roll with it ; ) Today, it is Okie and in going with the message....I R CORNFUSED!!!

Now before I go on m' litttle mamacitas, I want to ask you to do something I normally don't request in these on line messages - - either print this out or grab your Bibles AND your journals as you read and dive in a little deeper today. I've included a bit more scripture than normal, to reiterate Joyce's study, so I'd really like to encourage you to take this time to let God speak to you personally. That's what it's all about. We open up the door to God and He kicks it open and knocks our socks off! (or heels....or flip flops) - in a good way!

In our latest 'Battlefield of the Mind' study, Joyce talked about a confused mind. Last lesson was on wandering/wondering minds so it's easy to see how confusion is a close relative. Let me encourage you to look up James 1:5-8 as these are EXCELLENT scriptures that help us understand how to overcome wondering, doubt and confusion and to receive what we need from God.

Remember too, that too much reasoning leads to confusion. In 1 Cor. 2:14 God tells us very clearly not to reason with the mind so much as just obeying in the Spirit.

How do we do this, you say? By being doer's of the Word! (James 1:22). When God speaks, we are to mobilize, not rationalize! Prov. 3:5 reminds us to TRUST GOD, NOT human reason. The human mind likes logic and order and reason, however, we can try and fit anything into something and still end up with NOTHING, or being completely wrong and out of God's will.

So resolve to know nothing but Christ, as it says in 1 Cor. 2:1-2. Simply put, in many instances, the less we know, the happier we are! Sometimes we find out so much, it makes us quite miserable, yes? ; ) We certainly don't want to have zero peace of mind and get physically worn out from overthinking or reasoning. Remember, reasoning can be an addiction. It is not a normal condition in which God wants our mind to reside. We want to be VICTORIOUS and the believer who intends to win the war that is fought on the battlefield of the mind!

So battle up girls! It's a journey, it's a fight, regardless...we have eachother and most importantly, our amazing God. It's on!!!! ; )

By the way - before I forget - - PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS...Ms. Teenah, Terri, Heather, Raven, Latoya, Krista and Denise! Be enouraged to invite others - we are a growin' and God certainly has enough blessings for all.

Until this Friday...please don't forget to call your Fridge Note Friend, if you haven't already (that's automatic extra entries in the drawing, as the next one will be for a full body massage!) Hello! I just may have to enter that one myself!

Love much and a fine how-d-doo to you n' yers - - last of the Okie talk, promise!

Dee.

The Best Valentine

2008-02-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

My beloved is mine, and I am His. Song of Solomon 2:16

Dearest beautiful woman,

You are mine, I chose you. I've given everything to have a relationship with you. You are my passion and desire.

Believe Me when I tell you that. My love is better than life. In my eyes, you are beautiful in every way. you have ravished My heart. Come to Me and know love. Dwell with Me; abide in Me.

Let Me be your all and come alive to the rich pleasure found in the sacred romance I created you to have with Me.

Eternally Yours,

The Lover of your soul

I Wander...I Wonder

2008-01-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

Ladies!

'Tis I..your fearless, IMPERFECT leader! HA! Yes, even in the most formal looking picture I could find of myself - - the crazy hair still gives me away ; ) I am indeed a continual work in progress! I'm told my pic should be posted on here somewhere so here, the one time, here it is!

Anyhoo...I know we just met but I am so psyched from our meeting that there is no way I am getting to sleep tonight so I am going to catch everyone up, especially those unable to make tonight's meeting..

So by the title, you see we discussed wandering, wondering minds (from Joyce Meyers Battlefield of the Mind). And by the way, a special welcome to our newest LG members...Christi, Alee, and Kelly - - WELCOME LADIES!

The main topic of discussion tonight of course is how we literally need to train or DISCIPLINE our minds to concentrate, focus. It's so easy, (being women, not to mention, single moms), to be multi-tasking, even when we're physically doing absolutely nothing! satan can even try to work us while we're sitting in church! He is the master of confusion and distraction, don't be fooled!

So how do we overcome, how do we focus and hear God's word? First we need to realize WHY we may have a hard time focusing. Sometimes it could actually be attributed to something physical/health-wise. Fatigue, not enough vitamins, too much stress, etc. can all contribute to fading concentration. But it could be entirely a spiritual thing or battle as well. Again, if satan can't get you one way, he'll meet you on YOUR battleground. As Christians, many times that would mean while we are actually seeking God, say in church, during Bible reading time, etc. We need to be aware when that is actually happening and pray against it - stand up under it - put your foot down!

Ecc. 5:1 says 'Keep your foot (give your mind to what you are doing)'.....

THEN...we must actually BELIEVE once we have prayed and asked God to help us in this area. Claim it, believe it has already happened and God will honor your faith, everytime.

Stay strong girls! Be in those devotionals and journal every single day and just WATCH God at work - you can't HELP but be BLESSED - truly!

Love much and have the most incredible week!
And remember, the offer always stands - call me ANYtime, day or night. I haven't slept since I gave birth 21 years ago and I don't expect that to change anytime soon!

God bless!
Dee

P.S. Don't forget to contact your 'Fridge Note' friend sometime over the next two weeks, before our next meeting!

Resolutions...schmolutions!

2008-01-01T18:45:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR LIPSTICK GIRLS! I hope this message finds each and every one of you fully recovered from the holiday rush and hope your Christmas was most blessed! Even more so now, I am wishing you and yours MANY MORE BLESSINGS in 2008!!!

So with that said....what New Years Resolutions have you already set for yourself? Outside of the typical, lose weight, get organized, find more balanced time, etc., etc....have you thought of the ONE thing that could encompass ALL of these?

I want to encourage you to MAKE GOD FIRST in the new year and all these other things shall come to pass. God has been speaking to me personally about the Fruits of the Spirit, particularly that of self control. In Gal. 5:22, we are told the fruit of the Spirit consist of; LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF CONTROL. Wouldn't it be great to have ALL these Godly qualities. Well, you CAN!

Keith and I were able to kick off our New Year, not only with some phenomenal friends, but also together, alone, as we sought God's plans for us in the new year ahead (thru prayer and reading together). If you haven't taken a 'stroll'/hike up the White Tanks (practically in Surprise's backyard), I highly recommend it! And I am more than happy to join any one of you, anytime for it, just call! It was so serene and beautiful - a little chilly but again, a great time to seek quiet as Trent (our pastor at PCC) has spoken of recently, so you can HEAR GOD'S VOICE. It's very hard to hear Him thru all the everyday noise and chaos.

If I can give you one piece of advice for the New Year m' dears....it would be to make God FIRST by making time FOR Him. I know this is not anything new I don't normally share, but it is a friendly reminder ; ) Carve out time EVERY day, thru reading, journaling, watching a program, listening to worship music, and with the new year, even fasting. That is so very important, and not a topic that is discussed very often. If you would like some information on the many types there are, let me know.

In addition, when we give God the FIRST of everything we have, He is our GAUGE for the rest. He will bless you beyond belief. He has done it for me in my life EVERY SINGLE TIME, without fail. Believe it ladies. 2008 will be a miraculous year - all you have to do is FOLLOW Him and BELIEVE!

Love you all so much and can't wait for our next meeting on Friday, Jan 11th! Try and encourage another single mom you may know to join us because 2008 will be like no other for the LG's - - I promise you that!

God bless girlies!

Dee.

Merry Christmas Lipstick Girls!

2007-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

What an amazingly blessed year it has been LG's! I can't tell you how thrilled I am with our new 'family' in just a little over a year. You are each such amazing women and I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of your lives! The Christmas par-te was a BLAST! Thanks for all who participated and for those that couldn't make it, WE MISSED YOU AND WISH YOU A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!

Just a quick note, as I was doing my devotionals this morning, wanted to share with you a few thoughts as we continue through this holiday season. I know it can be a lonely time for single moms, or anyone for that matter, however, remember what this season is really about - Jesus. And that would be representative of God's love for us. Jesus - our only hope for relationship and eternity with God. There truly is no greater gift.

So of you find yourself being lonely (#1 pick up that phone and call an LG friend!) and too, remember John 15:11 says...'my joy remain in you...that your joy might be FULL'. True joy comes from knowing that God loves YOU! This is where our faith steps in - do we believe God's Word when He tells us this and do we truly believe the greatest love and gift of all was shown in sacrificing His only Son for US? There is no greater proof. Don't believe anything else satan tries to throw at you. Remember, he has stolen enough. JUST SAY NO and believe what GOD has promised and shown instead. He is faithful. He will provide for you this season and comfort you as well. Count your blessings!

I love you ladies and wish for you all God's best in the new year to come. We will continue with our 'Battlefield of the Mind' study in January. Meanwhile - - MANY, MANY blessings to each and every one of you and your children and loved ones - stay near to HIM.

God bless - Merry Christmas and much love always,
Dee.

Turkeys and Thorns

2007-11-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING LG'S!

Is it holiday time already?! The year has flown and not only have the turkeys gotten fat for our tables, but we have grown spiritually and that is REALLY something to be thankful for ; ) So speaking of growing spiritually......the Beth Moore Conference was absolutely fantabulous! I know Tammie, Jen, Deb, Brenda and myself all had the privilege of attending this year so I wanted to share a few tidbits from that experience with the rest of m' gals ; )

We've talked in the past of how God can gather up all of our broken pieces and put them back together to use for His good...Beth shared a similar message in that our lives are compiled of many different pieces to a puzzle - - a puzzle being puzzling...meaning, we can't understand why certain things have happened along the way, when they are in and of themselves...but when we allow God to bring all those pieces together - they form a magnificent picture of the life He had planned for us. And once this puzzle is together, again, it can be used for good...and for ministering to others, giving them the same hope God gave us.

The title of my entry is Turkey and Thorns. The turkey part I'm sure you figured out by now, but what about the thorns. Everyone has a 'thorn' so to speak in life. Could be a situation, an addiction, a person...whatever your thorn is, it's a painful reminder of something you fight to pull out on a regular basis. But there are two reasons you may have this 'thorn'. One, it does not come out because we choose not to pull it out - we choose not to walk away in God's strength and instead wallow in pity and even comfort, no matter how bad it may be for us. Secondly, the thorn may exist because it is actually God's way of showing us humility. Be it not for any pain in our lives #1 we would be in heaven, which we are not...and #2 we would never have a reason to go before God on our knees, ever. Remember the scripture..'rejoice in your sufferings'

Just a little something to think about. And lastly, sometimes God will use someone in your life to torment you in order to rid you of that same issue that you carry yourself. Things that make you go....HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMM.

'Kay dolls....that's all I got for today. Other than of course wishing you and yours the most wonderful, safe and thankful THANKSGIVING EVER!

I love ya's.

Dee

The Lipstick girls turn ONE!!!! Our First Anniversary!

2007-11-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

Girlfriends!
By golly it's been a busy month (as evidenced by our photo montage)! I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for all that you do and all that you bring to this FABulous group! ; ) The Lipstick Girls celebrated it's 1st year anniversary in October - WOW!

A big thanks out to Chrissey and MaryJane for helping out at Other Mothers for the clothing collection for Chicks Closet. That was our first planned volunteer event and we plan to offer help with that the first Saturday of every month moving forward. On the flip side, this also opens up the door for FREE CHILDRENS CLOTHING to anyone in our group. Remember, part of our mantra is 'serving God and others'. We are all so blessed to be alive and breathing and have healthy kids and EACHOTHER - - it's important that we give back when we can.

Also special thanks to Brenda, Cynthia and Debra for their lovely decorating and costume making abilities! Trunk R Treat at PCC was a huge success and I'm happy to say that the LG's represented! Way to go gals!

I will leave all you lovelies with this final thought - - in reading John 19 today...came across the verse (11) where Jesus tells Pilate 'You have no power over me...'. I found this to be very impactful as it should be a reminder to us that no matter how others treat us or have treated us in the past - we have the power to control whether or not to let those situations manifest in our lives (give them the power to control our minds or not). We are reminded again and again to FORGIVE and MOVE ON...better yet...get up, dust off, and re-apply that lipstick! For in the end, we answer to noone but our heavenly father - and so shall they.

I love ya ladies. Be sure to be in those Battlefield of the Mind devotionals and be journaling daily. God awaits! It's us who busy ourselves too much sometimes to notice. Let's kick off the 2nd year of the Lipstick Girls with a serious BANG! ; )

Many blessings to you and yours...always.
Love,
Dee

Bustin' at the Seams!

2007-09-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

No...I'm not talking about fittin' in those favorite jeans, I'm talking about all the newbies we have been so blessed to have joined the Lipstick Girls this past month! I'd like to extend an official, in writing welcome to; Cynthia, Brenda, Katie, Stacy, and Maryjane! WELCOME GIRLS! I hope you are as happy to join as we are to have you!

In addition, wanted to let Alisha and PJ know we have missed you and hope your work schedules allow you to join us again soon. And to Denise and Mary - our 'potential newbies' ; ) - - hope your schedules allow you to join us soon as well.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS....our next family get together will be the first Sunday of October, the 7th - - look for details in email message. ALSO - need some ideas for our quarterly girls day/night out! Send me your ideas via email and we will compile and VOTE on these at our next meeting! We need some girl time!

For those of you that have been with the Lipstick Girls for a time now, you know my constant 'prodding', shall we call it ; ) - - to you to consistently and purposefully spend time with the Lord. And not just ANYtime, but I have encouraged you to make the Lord FIRST in your day (in morning, through the Word, song, prayer, etc.), so that He is ultimately the foundation for your day, as well as the STANDARD. How nice to have God be the 'gauge' so to speak that you measure everything else up to throughout your walk. Sounds like being a Christian maybe? ; )

That's why I've insisted on 'upping the ante', encouraging each one of you to dig into those devotionals, making time for them, making time to journal, so that ultimately, you are 'reserving' those moments just for God. He has so many blessing for us women, the possibilities are absolutely endless! Believe it! I so want you all to be blessed. That is my heart. With that said...

Please be diligent and obedient to God's Word by making it a point to;

1) Attend our twice a month meetings regularly, as well as your church for group fellowship

2) Contact your assigned LG friend each week for personal fellowship
3) Complete 8 devotionals in two week period (and read your Bible - that's a given ; ), prior to the next meeting to seek and hear from God
4) Journal your thoughts in relation to these devotionals to track God's work in your life
5) Last, and certainly not least...PRAY!!! - - to seek, praise, thank and honor Him ALWAYS

As I mentioned in our last meeting, satan never likes it when something great is coming down the pike...you know he is a master thief and deceiver. Don't allow Him to take the blessings you are sure to receive from this study. Like I said, I truly believe it to be life changing - so BE PREPARED my friends! God isn't finished with us yet! Not by a long shot ; )

Meanwhile...You know how to reach me - - day or night, I am here and I LOVE YA!

God bless girlies... Until Friday, 28th - - think LIPSTICK!!! Get up, dust off and get 'er done! ; )

Big hug, little hug, big kiss, little kiss ; ) That's for you Nacho Libre fans
Dee

This Friday, Sept. 14th - 7pm - BE THERE!

2007-09-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

LG's!

Just a reminder to have your Battlefield of the Mind Devotionals in hand for our next meeting at PCC this Friday, Sept. 14th at 7pm SHARP!

It's also time for our monthly pedicure drawing! Bring a friend this month and get TWO extra entries in the drawing - whoo hoo! ; )

Please let me know if you'll be bringin' your youngn's so we have plenty of childcare coverage. Thanks much - have an absolutely FABulous week until then!

Dee.

Farewell Ms. Carolyn and Time to Shop Girlies!

2007-08-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Would you look at this beauty queen! ; ) We will miss you so much Carolyn! Please keep in touch with us and for those of you that did not get to say goodbye at my place, and would like to contact Carolyn - let me know. We wish you the best m' dear and may many blessings come your way and the Lord watch over you and yours always. Better come see us next time you're in town missy! And when you're ready to start the Cali Lipstick Girls Chapter, holla! We love ya sister - always.

'Kay LG's, back to business ; ) From Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind....

Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger, and feelings of condemnation...all these are attacks on the mind. If you suffer from negative thoughts, take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions win these all-important battles - - and she can help you, too.

Ladies!!! Since I have talked about it from day one, we are finally going to get the opportunity to go thru Joyce's book that I truly believe is a life changer. Attached is the link to Amazon.com, where you can purchase both the book and the devotional - new or used. Used, you can get the book as low as $6.96 and the devotional for as little as $2.99. If you are strapped for finances right now, no worries, let me know and we will take care of it.

I will ask that you have these in hand for our next meeting on Friday, September 14th - - so you have time to order. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-9162782-7385661?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=battlefield+of+the+mind&Go.x=13&Go.y=7

Also, please RSVP for the 14th so we can plan childcare accordingly. I love ya girls and wish you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. Continue to pray for one another and keep in touch with your LG's!

Until the 14th - - many, many blessings - hugs n' kisses too!

Dee

U 2 CAN BE EXCELLENT!

2007-08-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

LG's!

Settling in to the new back to school schedule? I know it's probably been very hectic but I wanted to take this time to remind you to KEEP GOD FIRST and all the rest will fall into place. Give Him that time first thing in the morning, to get you off on the right foot and keep talking AND listening to Him throughout the day - He will surely guide and protect you and your children's paths ; ) Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Psalm 119:35.

CONGRATS TO CHRISSEY FOR HER FIRST DAY ON THE JOB! She wanted to thank you all for your prayers - off to a great start!

So quick recap on our last lesson. Again, I want to encourage you to take notes and write down the Bible references so you can look them up yourself and have God minister to you personally about BEING A PERSON OF EXCELLENCE! Based on Joyce Meyer's recent article in Enjoying Everyday Life..... Joyce talks about the lazy person, the middleman and the person of excellence. Of the three choices, laziness is the most destructive (reference Proverbs 24:30, 31). The lazy person only does what he/she feels like doing, wants everything to be easy, is usually unhappy, filled with jealousy and resentment - sometimes passive instead of active - wishing instead of doing.

Although many people struggle with laziness, most probably suffer with the 'middle of the road' mentality. Mediocre means average, uncertain, settling, never going the extra mile. - somewhat careless.

A person who is excellent on the other hand, is one who exceeds the status quo - does more than expected of - will do what is right, even when noone else is around (reference Col. 3:23,24). Excellence should be in all we do; our conversation, our dress, our home and the way we treat someone - being excellent employees. The fact is, we do not serve an average God and since we are called to be Christ-like, we need not be average either! Excellence is not perfection but it does mean that we CHOOSE to be EXCELLENT in SPIRIT!

Whatever you pursue in life is what you are going to receive. So...learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value (recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences). When you do, you will reap the rewards of excellence!

As always ladies - - have an absolutely, outrageously blessed day/week/until we meet again, on Friday, August 24th! REMEMBER - - PRIORITIES!!!! ; ) Ms. Caroline will be saying her goodbyes : ( so you definitely don't want to miss out - - ALSO, PEDICURE DRAWING TIME!

Love much,

Dee

Have No Fear!

2007-08-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

Would you look at this lovely mug shot?! ; ) Remember this girls?! Pictured are (from L-R)...PJ, Brenda, Alisha (and her girls) and Debra.

So ladies....apologies about having to re-schedule our monthly BBQ/Swim party. The weather just did not cooperate but no biggie. We will definitely look to reschedule that SOON! It's always great to get all our families together for nothing but pure FUN! ; )

Little recap from our last meeting. Ms. Cynthia is our newest member (be sure to welcome her ladies) and also the lucky recipient of this month's Pedicure drawing - - LUCKY! Have fun Cynthia! We'll expect to check out those toes this Friday! Speaking of which ladies - please confirm attendance for this coming Friday, 10th so we have proper childcare support - that would be FAB!

Meanwhile.....for those of you that missed out - last lesson was on 'Winning the Bout with Fear and Doubt', based off of Joyce Meyer's August edition of Enjoying Everyday Life. There are places God wants to take you - beyond what you have known. And the only way to get there is by believing, in spite of how amazing it may seem or how much resistance the enemy sends your way. You and I must be aware that the enemy wants to keep us from fulfilling God's plans for our lives. One of the main ways he tries to keep you and I from accomplishing great things for God is by attacking us with spirits of fear and doubt.

We talked of the story of Abraham and Sarah and how 'no unbelief or distrust made Abraham concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God' (Romans 4:19,20). SO important to remember during times of waiting and hoping that we give God ALL the praise and glory that He deserves.

Another good example of faith in the face of overwhelming natural circumstances is Jairus. In Mark 5:22-43 we read the story of Jairus. When he came to ask Jesus to heal his daughter, the first thing he did was prostrate himself on the ground at Jesus' feet. Like Abraham, he humbled himself and worshipped. When the enemy sees us humbled before God, he knows he's in trouble. As we forsake fear and doubt and look to the Lord, satan trembles because he knows that God will move on our behalf.

But ladies, like I always say..don't take my word for it, or even Joyce's (as much as I love her ; ). God has created a Bible that you can read and understand all for yourself. Don't miss out! Look up the stories above for yourself and allow God the time He deserves from you and the opportunity to teach you straight from His heart. I encourage you today and always to continue to grow in Him, strengthen yourself DAILY in His word, and stay connected with your Lipstick friends as we encourage and build up one another so we in turn can help others! ; ) God has so blessed each and every one of us. It really is the very least we can do.

Have an absolutely, totally and completely outrageously blessed day m' sistas!
Love much,
Dee

The LG's Step Back in Time - - 80's Ladies!

2007-07-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Ms. Caroline and Ms. Cynthia (pictured left with Chuck Norris and John McEnroe ; ) were "dancin' queens" for the night at CCV's 80's party last week.

This was actually the first of our quarterly 'Girls Night Out' events that we have planned. We will be taking suggestions and voting on the next venue - - so far country line dancing is in the running! We'll be looking to do our next night out sometime in the Sept/Oct timeframe.
Meanwhile.....long time no meeting!!!

And by the way, special thanks out to Viviana and Laura for hosting a get together couple weeks back, in my absence. I'm so glad you are all able to connect and build upon your friendships outside of our regularly scheduled meetings - that's what it's all about!

So.......this is your friendly reminder....THIS FRIDAY, 27TH at 7pm at PCC - - Lipstick Girls Meeting AND time for that monthly pedicure drawing! Don't miss out! Until Friday ladies...have an outrageously blessed rest of the week! RSVP for Friday so we know what is needed for childcare.

Thanks and love much,
Dee

2007-06-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Chicks, Chickadees, Ugly Ducks & Swans

2007-06-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ladies!

It's that time again - first Sunday of the month - and sweet little purple-bowed Gigi is inviting each of you to meet up for BBQ/swim at our place ; ) This Sunday, July 1st from 4-6pm bring the kids, swimsuits and a side dish to share. I will provide the burgers, dogs and beverages. Let's have some fun dippin our feet in the pool while the kids splash us ; ) Whoo hoo! Chick & little chickadees party only (not even Keith will be there!) - - so invite another single mom friend and let's have some fun!

In addition, few side notes from our last meeting for those of you that missed...

Referencing our 'I'm Not Wonder Woman But God Made Me Wonderful' book (by Sheila Walsh): Altering My View. Look up Luke 8:46-47 and how Jesus healed the woman with the blood issues because she touched Him even in a crowd and even against all society laws at that time. To Jesus this woman was worthy, this woman was beautiful, even though to the world, she was very unlovely, unclean. God wants us to come to that realization - - no matter the world's views and idealism, God created woman and God loves woman, as He does man, in God's eyes, we are all beautiful swans - - no ugly ducklings here.

So just a little homework gals and sincerely take the time to read the story in Luke referenced above, as well as taking a look in the mirror: If you were asked to describe yourself, what words would you use? When you look in a mirror, what do you see reflected back at you? Where are the places in your heart and soul that bleed? Are you willing to reach out to Jesus and touch Him?

Closet Prayer: Father God, When I look in my mirror, I see so many things that are wrong. I see ugliness outside, and I carry woundedness inside. I ask You to give me the grace and strength to reach out and touch the edge of Jesus' garment. In His name, Amen.

I love ya girls and wish you an absolutely outrageously blessed week, as always! Please lift up your Lipstick sisters in prayer as we are in need of financial blessings, good health and emotional strength to get through all of life's little mountains right now. Remember though, they are but mountains and we need not keep going around them over and over, just BLAST YOUR WAY THROUGH with Jesus leading the way! ; ) Get up, dust off and re-apply that lipstick!!! DO IT!

God bless and many kisses,

Dee

Fear Not!

2007-06-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies!

Wanted to check in before we head off to Cali. with the troop. Pictured left are our four youngest on a beach jaunt last summer. Just a quick recap from our last lesson - - we missed those of you that couldn't make it!

FEAR: What's holding you back?

Sometimes we're afraid of 'what if's' (i.e. child getting hurt, car breaking down, parent dying, never loving again). Sometimes we fear not being enough - not having what it takes. It's in the story of Moses trying to convince the Israelites to leave their bondage that we learn how to deal with fear by trusting God to give us the courage and equip us to do what he wants us to go through. Remember we discussed in a previous lesson going THRU the mountain. God will give us the tools, we just have to ask.

Many times it's really just a matter of showing up, remember, that first step of faith, stepping out of the boat, one initial step...and God will always meet you part way. We discussed the story of Jesus feeding the masses with small loaves and fish and how all He asks of us is to gather all our bits and pieces, our brokenness and simply bring them to Him so He can use them and multiply the blessings, not only for us, but for others. That is our life testimony girls. Use it!

Fear can certainly be born out of real experiences but it's through these experiences that we learn and grow and again, use them as our testimony to help others going through the same pain and obstacles. Lastly, fear can come out of just plain feeling helpless or fear of losing control.

Whatever the reason, go to God with it. Our worry will not change our future, it will only rob us of our joy in the present.

Take a moment to say this prayer (from I'm Not Wonder Woman book by Sheila Walsh)

Father, I confess that at times, I am overwhelmed by fear. Sometimes I don't even understand where it is coming from. Teach me to bring my fears to you.

Kay doll faces - - I'm outa here! Try to catch a little R&R but I WILL see you next Friday, the 22nd at our next Lipstick Meeting! ; )

Have a great week and a blessed week and enjoy your kids this summer!

Love ya much....

Dee.

Come one...come all! Pedicure Time!

2007-05-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

Girlfriends!

This Friday, May 25th - - 7pm at PCC - - BE THERE! Time for our monthly pedicure drawing and we've got a great lesson ahead. Bring a friend and get an extra slip in the drawing. Call your Fridge Note friend and get ANOTHER slip in the drawing! It's just that easy!

Also...let me know if you plan to bring your kids so we are staffed accordingly. Until then, let me leave you with a little somethin' sweet Joyce taught me this week whilst I was puttin' on my mascara, gettin' ready for work...

Do all that God has called you to do. God has put a desire in everyone to do certain things REALLY well, ALL the time - - and it's when we all join together with these various gifts that we accomplish so much more than we could ever do on our own, seeing with our own eyes how God MEANT for the 'body' to work - - TOGETHER! Together we are strong! Together we can do ANYTHING! Refuse to live in fear and step out and DO BOLD THINGS! Fear is not from God. He created us to be CONFIDENT women.

So GET OUT THERE GIRLS! BE BOLD! BE CONFIDENT! BE FAITHFUL! MAKE HIM PROUD!

God bless and have an absolutely fabulously OUTRAGEOUS week!

I love ya - - too much!

Dee

Stop Lookin' in the Rear View - Your Future Starts Today!

2007-05-01T19:55:00.001-07:00

Ladies!

Welcome to this edition of LG news (yes, inquiring minds want to know)! For those of you who missed our meeting on Friday, just a recap of the going ons...

Ms. Tammie won this month's pedicure drawing (and quite timely as she recently celebrated a birthday!).

We watched a DVD of Joyce Meyer titled, 'Your Future Starts Today'. Excellent video and we will be watching more of it at our next meeting.

Joyce starts off by saying your mess can become your ministry! Meaning, any bad life experiences and/or choices can all be used by God for good. What satan meant for destruction, God restores fully and then some. (Romans 8...'all things work together for the good). It may be the one thing you despise about yourself the most that God ultimately uses for His will in the end.

Stop thinking God is not bigger than your past! Ecc. 7:8 talks about..'better is the end than the beginning'... You can't go into your future dragging your past with you! LET IT GO! No more rear view mirrors! Stop thinking about it - stop talking about it - and JUST LIVE!

The story of Jesus feeding the masses on small amounts of fish and bread is symbolic of what He wants to do in our lives - - take all the brokenness, all the fragments that we gather together and bring them willingly to Him and allow Him to use it ALL - multiply it to not only bless us, but so many others (our life testimony).

Stop thinking CAN'T / WON'T / DON'T! And just DO! Jacob said in the Bible 'I will not let you go until you bless me!' What an empowering statement! We should all realize the power God has given us in his Holy Spirit and actually USE IT to our advantage! Stand firm on God's promises and watch Him follow through - TRUST Him to.

MAKE THE TIME this week to meditate on our Lipstick Fridge Note scripture of the week; Ephesians 2:10....we are God's handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined for us, that we should walk in them.

Read it, pray about it and pray for your Lipstick friends as well - many issues dealing with teens, jobs, finances, and health.

Until next time ladies...have an ABSOLUTELY, OUTRAGEOUSLY BLESSED WEEK!

Love much and always,

Dee

Sticks and Stones (What Voice?)

2007-04-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our birthday girl Laura! For those of you who missed our meeting on Fri, 13th, we surprised her with a cake. We missed wishing Tammie a happy birthday as well, so next meeting Tam! The kids clothing exchange was a success! Thanks to those of you for bringing and sharing. Hopefully you all went home with a lil somethin-somethin as well ; ) We'll plan our 'ladies & teens' clothing exchange this summer, so start collecting!

Little recap on our last lesson...We started with the creation of Eve and how all was perfect and beautiful, just as God meant it to be from the beginning - - that is, until Eve chose to listen to the wrong voice (as oppose to the voice of God). Eve opened that door of shame to satan by listening to his voice (something she 'thought' she needed). How many of us have listened to the wrong voice, including satan's over time? What voices have we opened that door of shame to? What voices have shaped our view of ourselves?

As we discussed, voices come in many forms. Could have been a cruel childhood classmate who made fun of your weight (or in my case, hairy legs!). Could have been an ex-husband who deemed you unworthy, unlovely. Could have even been satan himself, telling you God doesn't love you or you wouldn't be in the situation you are now.

Whatever the voice, whatever the source, anything that is opposed to God's view of you, is a lie. It is deception. It is untruth. You must not allow people's opinions of you to determine your worth. Remember, people who feel worthless will try to find something wrong with you so they can feel better about themselves. This is their problem, not yours.

So what does God say...Prov. 31:29-30 Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

This scripture alone shows the insignificance of outward appearances, those voices we allow to hurt our feelings, instead of what we should be focused on - - and that's our love for God. Our worth comes from Him and noone else. Let Him be enough. He wants to be enough. He IS enough!

Until this Friday ladies....have a WONDERFUL, absolutely BLESSED WEEK! I will share a Joyce Meyers DVD that I purchased from the conference - - good stuff!

kiss. kiss....

Dee

Friday, the 13th - OH NO!!!

2007-04-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

Hi ladies!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Alisha and her beautiful little bunnies did (pictured here)!

This is a reminder that we meet this Friday, April 13th at 7pm at PCC once again. And I don't want to hear ANY excuses about it being Friday the 13th! Fear nothing but GOD (okay, and me if you don't show up!) ; )

Can't wait to see you. Forward this link to any single mom friends you may know as well.

God bless and have a FAB day! ; )
kiss, kiss.
Dee

FUN IN THE SUN!

2007-03-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ladies...
grab your kids, pets, fishing poles and/or bread to feed the ducks! Time to meet up for our first Surprise Park adventure! Join the Lipstick Girls this Sunday, April 1st at 3pm by the lake (Bullard, just north of Greenway). Time to bask in the sun and enjoy this phenomenal weather with your friends!

Bingo was a blast (even if we didn't come CLOSE to winning ; ) Let it go Chrissey! ; ) The next Lipstick meeting at PCC will be Friday, April 13th. In addition, I am hoping you will all want to join me in seeing Joyce Meyers all day on Saturday, April 21st at Phx First Assembly. If you are interested, let me know so we are sure to meet at the same time (EARLY) to secure a seat - as they go QUICK and it's first come, first serve. We may have to grab some Starbucks early and 'camp out' an hour or two beforehand if need be!

Look for your Fridge Note Friend in the next email. Till then and until Sunday at the park - - hope to see you there! Please continue to lift one another up in prayer and have a blessed rest of the week.

Much love,
Dee

Who's First? ...and MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

2007-03-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ladies!
It was great hangin out with our "Triple P theme"! (PJ's, pillows, & pedicure!). Special thanks to Ms. Laura for her incredible acting abilities and congrats to Ms. Carolyn for winning the pedicure drawing ; ) If you haven't already had the pleasure to personally welcome Ms. Mary (remember, 'All Hail Mary' for birthing and now RAISING five kids?!) That is a phenomenol feat in itself. We are happy to have her!

So, in short (yeh right, you're thinking ; ) just a reminder to our lesson - - We can stay pretty busy but not fruitful, meaning, not getting a whole lot of what God had planned for us to accomplish, because we try too much in our own flesh to do what WE THINK needs to be done. When we spin our wheels, we are easily frustrated, thus causing that trickle down effect to not only our children, but others around us. PRIORITIES LADIES! GOD FIRST then everything else falls into place ; ) . Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Allright, so look for your 'Fridge Note Friend' you'll be assigned to in upcoming e-mail. Meanwhile, take note of these VERY IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES! Mark your calendars! Plan ahead and get those sitters where necessary!

Friday, March 23rd 7-9pm (but arrive 6:45!) - - BINGO NIGHT at PCC. Instead of our regularly planned LG Meeting, we will be joining the other ladies from PCC in BINGO, same place, same free childcare! PRIZES! And a chance for us to just have some good ole' fashioned fun!
Sunday, April 1st at 3pm - - Bring the kiddos and meet at Surprise park, just north of Greenway, off Bullard (between lake and play area) for some fun with your LG friends and their children too!
Sunday, April 8th - EASTER! If you don't already have plans, you are personally invited to attend any one of the services at Parkway Christian Church (PCC link to right of our page here)
Friday, April 13th - - Children's Spring Clothing Exchange during our regularly scheduled LG meeting! Start collecting all those great spring clothes that no longer fit your young'ns so we can SWAP! From babies to teens, we can use them all! We'll spend last 1/2 hr sifting and 'shopping'.
April 19th-21st - - JOYCE MEYERS CONFERENCE! And it's FREE! Ladies, you know this woman is my hero! We've used so much of her material in our study, I think it's due time you all got to see her in person! She will be at Phx First Assembly and we definitely need to pick one night or day out of the 3 she will be here and go as a group - you will be blessed! So, just a heads up, try and secure your childcare arrangements NOW! The conference is free of charge. Let me know if you have a preference for Thursday or Friday night or Saturday day. I'm taking votes!
August 17th-19th - - Womens Retreat (PCC) at Bison Ranch - - again, secure your childcare now! Logistics/costs to come.

God bless girlies - have an absolutely wonderful week!
kiss. kiss.
Dee

Next Meeting Friday, March 9th - - PJ's, Pillows & Pedicure?!

2007-03-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

Hola Chiquitas!
It's time to let your hair down!

You don't want to miss this week's get together (Friday, 3/9)! While we have a great lesson planned, we will be doing so in a more 'relaxed' manner this week ; ) Slip on your sweats or favorite pair of pj's, grab a big, fat pillow (preferably one to sit on) and join us at our meeting place at PCC (link to right of this page)!

We'll have plenty of time for intros, our lesson, interactive chit chat, plenty of laughs, realness and of course last but not least, prayer! As always, free childcare and refreshments will be provided.

We start at 7pm sharp - - be there or be square! It's also time for our pedicure drawing so you definitely don't want to miss that!

Any questions, shoot me an email at singlemoms4christ@yahoo.com.
'Till Friday girls....

Much love,
Dee.

MOVE IT and GO THROUGH IT!

2007-02-27T18:18:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday, hump day and how appropriate since we've been talking about getting around the big 'hump' or mountain - that mountain represented by burden or sin in our life that keeps us from God's promises (just like the Israelites trying to get to the Promised Land). It took the Israelites 40 years but it doesn't have to take us that long! That's why I titled this entry as MOVE IT! And not just go around it, only to end up back on the other side where you started, but GO THROUGH IT!

To recap the lesson from Friday (and welcome to Ms. Brenda and Ms. Kim by the way ; ) 'God did not save us from sin to leave us with the shame and wounds of our past. He brought us out to bring us into the freedom, liberty, and prosperity of Christ - into the good plan He has for our lives.' Joyce Meyers referencing Deut. 6:23

The first thing God wants to do in us is change us from being 'self-dependent' to being 'God dependent'. The second thing He wants to teach us is to be led by faith, not by our feelings! We need to be DETERMINED to endure all the way through and not give up no matter how we feel. Remember the story of the disciples fishing all night and because Jesus told them to cast the net even though they didn't 'feel' like it or that it would do any good, they did it anyway and were blessed even more than they ever imagined. God is waiting to bless you and I too! BELIEVE IT!

And remember, God will sometimes allow us to be in a place of need and have problems because need DRIVES us to seek Him. The process of learning to depend on God and walk in faith is often painful to our flesh but the worst thing we can do during times of transition is to QUIT! Remember ladies, we've learned all too well the choices of our past not only affect us, but our children and those around us as well. Learn to wait and listen for God and then proceed forward before making those major AND minor life decisions. For every decision, there will be a consequence or blessing - - choose God's way and GET THE BLESSING!

In Joyce's own words, please SAY THIS OUT LOUD!: "I'm on my way. I am not going to quit. I am not going to give up. No matter how I feel, I'm pressing through - depending upon God and believing His Word. And I know when I get there, it's going to be GOOD!!!"

I love you ladies and genuinely wish you all the best the Lord has to offer. It's there for the taking and it really is so simple....pray, wait, listen, then walk it - - straight thru the mountain, not over, not around, work your way through, better yet, EXPLODE your way through, with God as your stick of DYNAMITE! Now there's a picture ; )

Love ya much....have a blessed week and be looking in your next email for the 'fridge note' friend you'll be assigned to before our next meeting.

Speaking of which - - our next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 9th! See you then!
Much love,
Dee

Happiness...to be or not to be

2007-02-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

LG's - - where my girls at?! Hope you've all had a productive and absolutely FAB week! If not, you better pick up that phone and tell me ALL about it! Now that you're winding down your busy week though, thought I'd drop you a 'few' (ha...not really a part of my vocabulary as you know) lines or two as a follow-up to our last meeting.

CHOICES - In previous weeks, we've discussed obedience, forgiveness and most recently happiness....all choices.

You know one of my favorite reminders to you all is from John 10:10 satan steals, kills and destroys but Jesus came that we would have life to the full! As single moms, most of us divorced, we know first hand what satan is capable of taking from us. But Jesus says there is another option. We discussed life to the 'full' as being happy, joyful, containing as much as possible, complete, at peace, ample, to the greatest degree, increased, and simply put THE BEST! What an awesome offer! I vote we take that route ; )

So what else does the big man upstairs say about true happiness - doesn't seem so easy to find, especially when you're a single mom, runnin' on empty many times. Giving, helping and serving are the 'keys', map or ticket to happiness. Throughout the scriptures, God gives us MANY an example of helping and serving others, He did it Himself. God says over and over when we bless others, INCLUDING our enemies, we too are blessed, and in abundance! (back to that 'full' word again).

Helping others is also good in a physical manner - it boosts our endorphines, lifts our spirits and in turn promotes good health and a long, happy life! 'So who do I help,' you might ask? SEEK opportunities EVERYWHERE you go to help others. As single moms, it's not always possible to help people in ways that you are limited with time and/or finances, however, there are many other options to choose from, such as; offering up childcare, making a dish, sending a card, making a call, sometimes just a hug and most beneficial (I personally believe)....PRAY for people. It is truly the greatest gift of all and doesn't require a dime and very little time.

So slow down girls....or you just might miss an opportunity to help someone in need. Yes, not only can we find the answer to true joy, but each one of us can have such a powerful impact on another's life and that is most precious beyond all compare!

YOU ARE VALUED - YOU ARE LOVED - YOU ARE BLESSED! Now get out there girls and 'getter done!'

Much Love,

Dee

Happy Valentines Ladies...

2007-02-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

Girlfriends!

Just wanted to remind you especially today...regardless of if you have a special guy in your life right now or not, you are loved by the ULTIMATE MAN! He will never leave nor forsake you. What an amazing promise for all women, married or not. You are the apple of his eye, beautiful beyond compare - - don't ever forget it.

Have an absolutely outrageously blessed day m' dears ; )

Much love,

Dee