At this moment…

With the day to day of life, sometimes we don’t see the forest from the trees. I try to make a stop at least twice a year to evaluate my course. I see where I’ve been, what I’ve done and where I’m headed. I usually do those things on my birthday and at the end of the year. Fortunately for me they are six months apart giving me exactly a review within the same time frames

The last few months have been kind of slow in every sense. I’ve had low energy to do much, no major events have happened and I sit here grateful for that. My life has had enough rollercoaster episodes for what a quiet sense of peace, as strange as it feels, it’s been very welcome.

This time has allowed me to finally slow down and look at my projects in a different light. I needed to give some first steps but now it has been time to build the foundation, physically, emotionally and spiritually and without even noticing that’s what these last six months have been about. It has been about the journey of finding me and being newly defined in Christ instead of the world. It has been about being comfortable in my own skin and around others.

It has also been a push to come out of my shell. With fear and trembling I placed my name on this blog, it was about time you guys knew who was behind all the rambling. I even placed my picture for all to see. That’s Kristen Lamb’s fault, but I love her for it. I’ve joined a crazy world of writers in twitter called #myWANA, which stands for “We Are Not Alone”. It’s been an amazing experience to share the struggles and the victories of the journey.

I joined a grammar class that I didn’t finish. I plan to enroll in it again. I’m reading books in writing craft. I even found out there’s a manual for Christian writers. I want to be better, for God, for you and for me.

So as the candles dwindle in my cake, I don’t think I have a wish this year, because I’m happy with where I am, with who I am and with the things God is making happen in my life.

Blessings

WF: Resting in his peace

I don’t know about you, but on Fridays I feel tired. You start Monday with the energy to take on the week. Each week brings challenges of their own and when it all ends all you want is to rest and have some peace. You don’t want to hear about the bill  that is due, the report that needs to be finished, the double game that the children have over the weekend, the grocery shopping, the house cleaning or the car cleaning, all you want to do is rest.

In the times when routine is overwhelming, but also when life gives us unpleasant surprises we want the world to stop for just a minute to help us catch up.

He says in HIS Word in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”

Take five minutes which is the duration of this video to worship the Lord and rest in his peace.

Be blessed!

 

WF=Worship Friday

Time to stop playing church

I’m learning everyday more that being a churchgoer and being a disciple of Christ are very different things. It’s very easy to memorize scriptures and spit them out every time you open your mouth, dress a certain way, behave a certain way in front of people and go around church singing, throwing yourself in the floor when the spirit gets a hold of you. Is all of that real?

I’m not saying it’s not, but the Word of God says “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize the”(Matthew 7:15-16) That’s a self evaluation that we all have to do. Are we bearing fruit or are we playing church for our family and friends?

In the times when Jesus was on the earth the Pharisees were the religious people who lived to “obey the law” but not to commit to the Word of God. From what I’ve read, Jesus was not too fond of those people.

  • “ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” Matthew 3:7-8
  • “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:20

Jesus was all about love and compassion. Do we reflect that in our daily life? Are we like the priest who passed the man left half dead by the side of the road because we’re running late for church?

Worshiping God , spending time with him is the best thing to do, but it also goes along with the second commandment: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’(Matthew 22:39)

I just think that yes, Christianity is a lifestyle, but that is more than our behaviors, our friends, the activities we engaged, the way we dress, the music that we listen to. It’s our purpose and our mission! I think that sometimes we get lost in religiosity and separate ourselves from the real life of a Christian.

We talk about Paul, Peter and James, but are we willing to go to jail and die for the cause of Christ? Are you really involved in causes that save souls? Or do you think that they are too dangerous? For example:

But it doesn’t necessarily means only being or supporting an organization.

  • Do you call the police when you hear that couple again fighting where you know there’s domestic violence?
  • Do you intervene when you have knowledge that a child is being abused?
  • Do you raise your hand against an unethical decision at work?
  • Do you support products that promote programs on the different media sources that show things that degrade women, children or devalue Christian values?

So are we the real deal or are we like it says in Matthew 23:1-3 “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

Food for thought

Naty

WF: Through the eyes of God

Condemnation always shows us the ugly side of the things that we’ve done in life. Thank God for redemption.

Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus

Let’s Praise God on this Friday and remember why the sacrifice of the cross, that it was so that we wouldn’t be what we were, but to have the opportunity of a brand new life, new beginnings and unconditional love.

Blessings

WF:Worship Friday

WF: Lifting the name of God

At the end of the week, we feel weary, but what better way to renew our strength than praising He who gave us that energy to get through the week, no matter how good or challenging it was. We have a new weekend ahead to enjoy our family, to regroup our lives and and praise our Lord

Enjoy!

(PS: WF- Worship Friday)

Could Jeffrey Dahmer be in heaven?

Every time someone thinks of Jeffrey Dahmer the first thought is that of a serial killer. He raped, killed and kept the parts of some of his victims. He buried some of them. It was known that he killed around 17 men and boys.

I was looking into my usual crime stories and amazingly enough I had heard the name but didn’t know the story. To my surprised I read not only about the despicable disgusting things he did, but as I kept reading I found out something that it’s not talked about much.

While in jail, after being apprehended while his last potential victim was able to escape and alert authorities, Dahmer did something amazing… He gave his life to Christ.  Yes, my mouth dropped and I couldn’t believe it, he repented and got saved and accepted Jesus as his Lord and savior.  He even got baptized.

The bible says that in Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” and it also says in Isaiah 1:18 “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool”

Dahmer was attacked twice in jail, once coming out of a church service and later on while cleaning floors and that’s when he was killed. I think this is an inspirational story. I believe that in the eyes of God there are no sins bigger than other. A lie and a murder carry both the same weight; maybe not in our eyes, but in God’s eyes.  (1 John 3:4-5 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness)

If I follow the Word of God then yes, Jeffrey Dahmer could be in heaven. I can’t be certain as only God knew his heart.  We believe in a God that can forgive it all. Isn’t that great? If you have not raped and murder anyone,  guess what? if you repent, what you did can be forgiven. But there’s more, even if you have… if you repent you can be forgiven too. We all can.

I thought that was a deep concept to process and wanted to share. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings!!!

Worship Friday 5/20/11

In the last few days, I’ve continued to think about how we forget easily how to translate the love for one another. We tend to think of loving those who we like and be charitable with institutions at the most. I think is lack of sight of who is our “neighbor” the one that Mark 12:31 talks about.

This week I talked about inequality and how we judge people by race, ethnicity, social or economical status. But we forget something very important. We all are equal in the eyes of God. “Rich and poor have this in common:  The LORD is the Maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:2

That’s why I pray that God gives us a glimpse of his eyes and the way he sees us. That’s why I chose this song from Brandon Heath, “Give me your eyes” to worship the Lord today.

Enjoy!

The hair clip from hell!

Have you ever heard that we are affected by things, people and places? The results can be both negative and positive and sometimes without our conscious acknowledgement. We live our life day by day and our life gets transformed for good or bad and it’s not until we make a pause that we realize how far we’ve gone; either towards our purpose or away from it.

There’s a particular thing that was a symbol in my life for a long time without my conscious knowledge, it was a hair clip. Apparently when I was very angry I would pulled my hair up, others will say that it was very high, and that I placed the hair clip on the top of my head. It was an unconscious thing.

I use to be a manager, and I heard some of my employees pass by my cubicle and announce, “oh oh hair clip is on”. I never paid attention, I thought it was a joke, until one day someone who I was in a relationship with and I were having a phone conversation. It was more an argument. He got quiet and said. “I bet your hair is up” and when I touched my hair, he was right. This same individual had a fist fight with his brother. I was called by a neighbor who couldn’t pulled them apart. I asked to be placed on the phone with my boyfriend and announced that I was on my way. When I made it to his place the guys were in separate rooms, I talked to “my guy” and started asking questions about the fight, he kept staring at me in silence. Finally he said,” I’m not talking to you until your hair comes down” I started laughing and pulled the clip off. This was over five years ago.

Why a hair clip story? During the last five to six years God has been working on me. I’m not sure if I had an anger issue, it was more a legalistic spirit. Everything needed to be in a way (usually my way) and I was miserable. If things were not inside the mold I would not only be upset but angry.  As things started changing in me I started enjoying my life. I laugh more, I have less concerns and I’m way less affected by sudden changes in life.

When I stopped managing my life and surrendering it to the one that could actually do something about it I had less reasons to worry and less need to control. That gave me more time to enjoy life and do more of what I like: writing! I’m not going to say that I never get upset or angry anymore, but the clip went away from my life as I am not nearly as uptight as I used to be.

I laugh when people say how funny or laid back I am. If they only knew me then. But what about the hair clip you may ask? I have not used it in years. I realized this week how long God has brought me when I found it buried in a box.

Would you like to share things that God has changed in your life? Have you identified things, people or places that affect you positively or negatively? I would love to hear them!

Be blessed!!