A Sustainable God

This past week, I took a workshop on sustainability.  The workshop helped me understand that small changes in our lifestyle can help sustain our environment.   The term "sustainability" simply means a balance of our resources and actions to ensure equality.  This means that if there is an increase in consumption we must equally conserve in order to reach a sustainable balance. 

During the workshop, I wondered how God was sustainable in our lives.  For every attack of the flesh and the enemy, God equally provides the doors and exits needed to reach a balance.  Ultimately, as Christians we must aim to achieve a sustainable balance in Spirit, emotions, and actions to ensure sustainability or "maturity" in Christ.  Sometimes, little changes in our attitudes and characters is all that is needed to maintain a healthy and balanced walk with God.  Today, aim to achieve sustainability in God and you will find the needed balance that you are desperately desiring. 

Money and Trust

This week, I learned an important lesson:  money is nothing without God's Hand in your life.  I have been working in a couple of side projects in hopes to transition into a new, more stable job.  I had been doing this work without any monetary compensation.  About a month ago, my collaborator indicated that he will try to help me get some monetary incentives for my efforts.  Suddenly, what was supposed to be a voluntary job to honor God and my profession became a monetary quest.  All I thought about was how much I can do so that I can get as much money as I could. But yesterday, a cold reality set it and I was informed by the administration that I am not entitled to any monetary compensation in exchange for any additional work that I do.  That was very frustrating!  I became upset and even toyed with the idea of leaving my job!

Luckily, I have a wonderful spouse that encouraged me and helped me put things into perspective. My spouse said, "You just have to take a chance, trust in God, and never put money in the mix."  As I thought about it, I realized my spouse was right!  What was I doing? The next day, I came upon Proverbs and a verse that talked about not toiling with wealth because once you do, it will fly away as easily as it got on your hands.  I asked God for forgiveness and have refocused my views on God's purpose and His Love.  If you are going through something similar today, remember that your God provides for you and that as long as you keep your eyes on Him, everything will be fine.  

Too Busy for God?

If there is one thing that I do not like about the East Coast is the busy lifestyle. Sure, things get done quicker and more efficiently but at what cost?  It is frustrating to feel so tired that you can't even answer an email from a friend or pick up the Bible and read.  At what point are we too busy for God?

Today, remember that no blessing in your life came from you.  They were all a gift from God who loves you and want to bring you prosperity.  The least you can do is give Him the time He is asking for.  Even if it is 5 minutes a day while you are running to do your errands, make it a point to keep God in your mind, heart, and Spirit.

Do not get suckered into life, its demands, and the tricks of the enemy to remove your intimate relationship with God.  Take a stand!  Be there for God!

Superhero

Last night, I went to see the midnight showing of the Avengers.  Man, what a great movie!  I won't ruin it for you but it is definitely a must watch movie.  We see characters that have the same insecurities as us that when prompted, rise up to the challenge. However, in real life, when a challenge arises we sometimes fail to tackle the problem head on for multiple reasons (fear, self-doubt, self-control). Whatever the reason, we need to realize that we have a super hero inside of us (the Holy Spirit) that is there to ignite the fire whenever situations strike. Remember that we have our shield (The Word) in times of trouble, similar to the Captain America shield in the movie: a strong, powerful, and reliable weapon against the enemy. Today, remember that you are capable of overcoming any obstacle, any challenge, and any struggle because we have our Superhero by our side, ever so vigilant, ever so ready.

Ignite the Fire!

Wow!  What a great service yesterday!  If you missed it, the youth group gave their testimony about their experience in the Acquire the Fire conference.  The excitement for God was contagious.  The youth went to the pew to jump up and down and celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Suddenly, other church members stood up and praised and danced for God.  I wish all sermons were that way!  We just can't be Sunday Christians and go back to our NORMAL behavior during the week.  As the youth pastor said, "Normal is Not Enough".  We cannot be normal when it comes to serving and praising God.  God uniquely chose us for a reason and we need to show Him everyday that His sacrifice was worth every penny.  Ignite the Fire!  Get up and praise!  Serve and Love Him without pretext and without fear! Don't be normal in Christ!

The Moving Target

Today, I had a day off.  I decided to go to the archery range in Rock Creek Park.  I am just learning how to handle a bow and arrow but already I am starting to appreciate the importance of poise, patience, and relaxation if you want to hit your target.  Similarly, when we are pursuing the goals that we would like to achieve in Christ, we need to remember to calm ourselves, to be happy with our progress and to simply be patient.  Not all goals are achieved in one day.  Sometimes those that take the longest are the ones we remember and appreciate the most.  Today, stay focused and your moving target in life will settle. 

The Talent Within

I was just speaking to a friend that just obtained her doctorate. It was a very difficult journey but she was able to complete it. I was moved when she wrote "Thank you for all your support!"

Sometimes, we like to know that people believe in us. Sometimes, we need that extra push to bring out the natural talents and spiritual gifts we are born with. What we sometimes don't realize is that while we are feeling like we cannot accomplish the tasks that God intends for us to do, we have a whole army of God cheering us on.

Don't allow your fears, anxieties, and negativity get in the way of God's plan for you. God gave you unique gifts and strengths that no one else has. Cater to your strengths, believe that the Holy Spirit will guide you every step of the way and only then will you see the man or woman of God, that He intended you to be.

Sister Mary

Today, our members found out that one of our sisters, Mary Rodriguez just came back home from surgery. In this special weekend, let's not forget the sacrifice that Jesus made for us in the cross. His resurrection represents the love and freedom that we have to pour our love and hearts into the lives of others. Let's join in prayer for the healing and well-being of Mary and her family. If you have time this weekend, pay her a visit. I am sure that her family will appreciate it greatly.

The Case of the Double Mind (Part 2)

Voices, thoughts, emotions: each of these are culprits that play a huge role in your double-mindness. James 1:2-8 speaks about perseverance in faith and being careful to not become double-minded. Whenever, we hear these voices, many times it is the enemy or sometimes ourselves that aim to discourage the paths that God has forged for our spiritual growth. It is through these "trials of fire" that our true character will shine. Voices may say many things but determination and perseverance of your faith and what the Word of God says requires trust, awareness of what is happening, and simple but blind hope in God's works. Do not allow your emotions and thoughts guide your ways. Choose to be stable and consistent in the Lord.

The Case of the Double Mind

It is a dark night and you are alone. Suddenly, you hear a voice (it is your voice) speaking near your ear. The conversation is upsetting yet convincing. It tells you that those looks from your co-workers earlier that day were directed towards you. The voice says that no one at work likes you, that everyone thinks you don't amount to anything, and that you will be alone and disrespected for the rest of your life. As a Christian you claim "In Jesus's Name, get away from me Satan!" In an instant, the voice stops but not for long... This time, new voices appear and all voices state that "no one loves you", "you are not good enough", "you are not pretty enough", "you are not smart enough", "you don't deserve God's forgiveness".

You become desperate, you begin to sweat and anxiousness creeps in. It is almost as if you are running out of air. You try to reach out to God but you are overwhelmed. What do you do? Who do you confide in? In this new blog series, we will be solving the case of the double mind.

Wounded Healer (Part 4)

Wounded healer...hurt and healer; wounded soldier....tired and strong. These oxymorons are a perfect example of the contradictory meaning to these words. At a glance, they don't make sense but as you look more deeply, the truth slowly unravels. Towards the process of healing, we need to know the truth. We can't simply pray about healing if we don't know what the Word says about healing.

If you are looking for a good resource about healing, read "Healing Promises" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. It is a small book with really powerful messages and testimonies about healing. Healing is not only physical; it contains an emotional, mental, and spiritual element as well. Another important resouce is your pastor. He/she are great resources and can help guide you in the right direction. Truth of the matter is that if you want healing in your life, you need gain wisdom about healing through the Word. Be proactive.

The Wounded Healer (Part 3)

In the last blog, we left with the notion that the first step for a wounded Christian to heal others is to attain stability. Stability in the Spirit is something that is very challenging to maintain, especially if you are not firmly planted in the Word. It means that whatever you bind on Earth, you will bind in the heavens (Matthew 18). Simply stated, it means that we need to speak positively about our lives despite our situation.

The best example that I can think of is from a friend in Georgia. This man owned a large church in Rhode Island for many years. Everything was going well. He met his wife-to-be. He had a large congregation and everything involving the church was in order. One day, God spoke to him and prompted him to move with his new wife and baby boy to Colorado. They knew no one there. So, he found a transfer and they moved. Once in Colorado, he found out that his job would be terminated at the end of the month. Imagine, you just moved cross-country, you are trying to find normality and stability and now you have to worry about money!

For a few months, he worked on and off through several temporary agencies, hoping to find a stable job. In the midst of all of this, he had a strong desire to plant a church. His wife and him invited his friends to attend church in a little hotel room he rented weekly. Week after week no one showed up. Yet, when you spoke to the man, he always praised the Lord for their blessings. Three years later and 4 more children later, God prompted him to move to Georgia. Upon receiving confirmation in His Spirit, he once again moved knowing no one. He is just settling into the state but his desire to start a church has not ended. He still hosts church in his home to his church members, his family. He always has a positive outlook about his church and speaks as if the church was already settled.

I am simply amazed at the level of stability and determination this man has to serve the Lord. Despite the uncertainties, his situation, and his economy, he strives to please God in any way he can and not only that, he speaks of his blessings openly. Therefore, to attain stability, we need to speak positively about our lives despite our situations.

We can all learn something from this man of God. Try it this week. When you feel tempted to complain, control your words and speak of the blessings you have in your life. Think of one thing that is positive during each day and keep tabs. You may find that your life is not as bad as it appears to yourself and to others.

The Wounded Healer (Part 2)

When a soldier is hurt in battle, the first thing doctors and nurses do is to place the affected area in a cast, bandage the wound, or place you in a bed to immobilize you and allow the body to heal. Whatever the wound, the first thing to do is keep you from moving.

As I began to ponder about this analogy, I received a revelation about wounded Christians. Many times, we feel our wound immobilizes us when in fact it helps provide us with stability. Think about it for a second. During times of hurt, we tend to either (a) keep the problem to ourselves or (b) seek God's help. If we keep the problem to ourselves, we have allowed the wound to immobilize us. That is we have placed a "cast" over our Spirit. However, if we seek God's help, we have asked Him to provide stable healing in our Spirit despite the cast being there.

Therefore, the first step to serve God despite our wounds is to work towards developing a stable spirit. But how can we develop spiritual stability? We will talk a bit more about this in the next blog. While you ponder about this, think about trying to answer this question: "Has there ever been a time in your life where you have had no control over your situation?"

The Wounded Healer (Part 1)

The world is hurting. Plain and simple. Life is getting more complicated, more demanding, and more and more people are being treated for stress-induced diseases than ever. Did you know that a 15 year old today have stress levels of a mid-life adult in the 1960's? That speaks volumes of the world that we are living in. As a consequence we are all wounded.

This becomes especially difficult to believers such as ourselves to confront. How can we as Christians heal others when we ourselves are wounded? In this blog, I hope to learn about what other Christians have to say. Let's hope that all those wounded warriors, will rise and pose healing solutions to others in pain.

Gifts=Love?

As the holidays near, I realize that many people get more and more stressed. I am sure many can relate: bills piling, more gifts to buy, and less time to enjoy. Why do we stress so much? I remember that growing up as a child, we didn't have the most expensive gifts or the most modern toys. We we just happy to spend time with each other and play with what little toys we had. Since when have gifts become synonymous with love?

Jesus talks about loving each other but never does He mention to buy gifts to each other to show love. In this holiday, remember what is important. Sometimes a heartfelt card, a batch of homemade cookies, or a simple "I love you" is enough to warm anyone's hearts. Let's not forget what is really important during the holidays.

I choose to believe in miracles

For over 20 years, I have prayed for my family. Many of them to this day are not saved. Days, months, and years have passed with the all too familiar words "What else could happen?" or "That's life". It is almost as if they expect the worse to happen. Maybe it is a cultural thing but ever since I was a kid, I was taught that problems were simply a part of everyday life. This is a good lesson to learn but an incomplete one, in my opinion. For every problem, we have a choice: we can choose to allow the problems to consume us or we can choose to use the power and authority that God has given us to rebuke them. It doesn't mean that the problem will disappear; it simply means that we have the authority to not allow the problem(s) to affect us in any way, shape, or form.

Recently, I have been led to go back to basics. I started to re-read "Believer's Authority" by Kenneth Hagin. It that book, Kenneth speaks about the authority we have in Christ and refers the reader to Ephesians Chapters 1-3. The author recommends that we read this day and night and to use it as part of our daily prayers. I had done this a few years ago, including in my prayers, my family members. After a while, however, I stopped. The daily prayer became a weekly prayer, then a monthly until eventually it got shelved along with the many items of my "to do list".

For about a year now, I have been under constant attack by the enemy, my flesh, and my mind. It has been quite a struggle for me. However, as I said in the past 2 blogs, you have to continue to serve God and praise Him "in spite of" your circumstances. About a month ago, I had the unique opportunity to talk to my sister. In our conversation, I asked her if she wanted to accept Jesus into her life. To my surprise, she said "Yes". We prayed together and the miracle happened: her salvation. During Thanksgiving weekend, my mother called and told me that she witnessed an event that can only be defined as a miracle. She told me that after the event, a Christian woman told her to believe that God can perform miracles. As she told me the story over the phone, she said "If it is in God's will, miracles can happen." I corrected her and told her that "Miracles do happen because it is God's will".

I firmly believe that the shackles and chain of oppression, sickness, and any other attack from the enemy are broken, if we speak in authority over them. I believe that we have authority in Christ to trample under our feet the serpent, to bind our souls (mind and flesh), and that God will always show us the miracle of His love through scripture, the church, and other people. I choose to believe in miracles. Do you believe in miracles?

The "If Onlys"

To continue from the last blog, I mentioned that in spite of your feelings and your flesh, you need to persevere in your walk with Christ. You may think "easier said than done." You may scoff at this and think that you just don't have time for Him.

Life, at times gets so overwhelming, that sadly our walk with Him diminishes. Lately, I have felt a strong hunger and desire to walk with God. I want to walk with God "in spite of" and not through the "if onlys". Let me explain myself. When life's demands increase, we think "if only I had the time to serve God" or "if only I had my bills in order and working overtime becomes a thing of the past" or "if only I was single and without kids, I would be in church 24-7." Recently, I spoke to a good friend of mine and mother of 5. She spoke to me about how she manages her time with God "in spite of" all her responsibilities. When she showers, she plays gospel music. While she cooks, she turns on the TV to hear the word of God, while she drives to the grocery store, she plays CDs with the message of God. Before her children go to bed, she prays for them. While she performs her daily duties, she is in constant communication and in meditation of His Word.

Wow! This is a life of "in spite of". I just realized that I can still walk with God "in spite of" our problems, our lives, and our feelings. Joshua 1:8 says "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (NIV)
I am not going to give up on God and I exhort you to do the same. Make your walk with Him happen "in spite of" and not on the sidelines of the "if onlys".

The follow-up

It has been a while since I have written a blog. Maybe because I was discouraged that few have read it or maybe because of the overwhelming, sometimes choking events of life. All I know is that I have a need to write. To write my thoughts, my struggles, and my discoveries as I progress as a Christian, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and human being.

I realize now that we have many roles in our lives. Sometimes those roles engulf our lives and don't allow us to fully enjoy the wonderful things that God has provided. Last weekend I was in a women's conference and although it was a wonderful experience, I was very burdened. I recall meeting another woman from church and seeing in her eyes a deep seeded tiredness that I could relate to. Being a professional mom is not easy. Being a reliable, professional mom is even harder. There are so many commitments that I need to follow through and so many tasks that I need to finish. Consequently, I have experienced incredible remorse. I miss my family. I miss hugging my baby. I miss my husband. And most of all, I miss having time with God. The last statement rings so true to my heart that at times, I wonder if everything we fight for is really helping us know God on a deeper level.

Last week I found out that there is a big possibility that my father has cancer. What hurts me the most from this announcement is that I didn't hear this from him. He refuses to tell my siblings and I about his situation. This is hard for me because I want to have to opportunity to talk to him about God's healing power but I can't do that if he won't talk to me. As a result, I have felt alone and without an avenue to express my sorrow and frustration.

A few minutes ago, I received a comment to one of my blogs from last year. As I began reading my past blogs, I was reminded that despite all the changes in my life (Joshua 1:9), that God has been with me at all times. I know that He is a healer and that His purposes are greater than my own. Ephesians 1:11 says that "In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." I know God has a plan. Even if I don't see it. Even if it doesn't feel right. God knows the desires of my heart and He knows the desires of yours.

I guess deep in my gut, I know everything will work out for His glory. I just need to tell myself in these hard times to be strong in Him, to carry His joy even when my flesh and soul mourns. I can only imagine what Paul must have felt writing and encouraging so many people with his letters. I wonder if the same people that received healing from his writings reciprocated to Paul. I assume that the numbers did not match. But Paul had Jesus by His side to sustain him, to lift him up in times of trouble, and to encourage him whenever it seemed there was no solution. And thanks to Jesus's sacrifice, so do we.

God: My Healer, My Helper (Part 3-Final)

We moved thanks to the help of many friends and 3 weeks later, I had my regular appointment with the OBGYN. During that appointment, I found out that I was going to have a girl. Can you believe it? A baby girl. Although I did not know the sex of the baby at the time, one of the things I was praying for was for the baby’s health. That afternoon, the doctor said, “Well, it seems that the lumps in your baby’s brain are dissolving. That is a good sign.” I said, “What? Wait a minute. What is going on?” She said that in my last appointment, the technicians had noticed some lumps forming in the baby’s brain. They did not tell me anything because they did not want to worry me. Then she added, “These things happen to some women. Usually, they go away in time. And in this case, it seems like they are going away.” At home, I cried in gratitude. Although this may be normal in the baby’s development, I still got worried. After all, this is my first child and I don’t know about these things. Then, I realized that God has been keeping His promise. He is watching over my baby’s health! Holy is His mercy!

This past weekend, two friends came for a visit. They had mentioned that they were coming to bring some gifts for the baby. That Friday, in spite of having a really draining weekend (emotionally, physically), I awaited for them. To my surprise, the gifts were huge. In a nut shell, I received practically the entire components to the baby’s room, at no cost to us. This experience helped me learn that God always provides. God is so amazing!

A few days ago, I stumbled upon Psalms 30:2. In it David says to the Lord, ”O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” Usually, I would have interpreted this as physical healing but this verse spoke to me and reminded me in what ways has God healed me in the past couple of months. He has healed me from stress, anxiety, worry, and doubt. In addition, even when I did not see what was lying ahead (apartments, baby’s health), God was taking care of it. He healed all the cracks that were in my life. And although, there are still many uncertainties in what lies ahead, somehow, based on what has happened in these past months, I know that God has got it covered. Thank God that we can cast all our worries upon Him. I am so grateful to Him and what He has done.

I hope that my experience can reassure you that no matter how many problems or uncertainties you have in your life, that God has it covered. God Bless You!

God: My Healer, My Helper (Part 2)

Along with the decision of keeping the baby, came the decision of having a responsible life. Now, we had to move to a bigger apartment, we couldn’t delve into the additional expenses we used to have. And our jobs, well, we had to pretty much “suck a lemon” and deal with it. We are still unhappy with our jobs but now, money is essential for the baby so we are not in the position to complain. I cried at this realization: “I am giving up my dreams and dream-job for my child.” This may not be something that is critical for others, but it was for me. I had worked really hard at school to have the “luxury” of looking for a job I liked. Now, I don’t have that privilege. Our first priority was to seek a bigger apartment or townhome. We did an extensive search for about a month and a half and had found a really nice townhome that we wanted. We liked the area, the price was a bit higher but was do-able. We even got pre-approved to rent the townhome. However, as we were doing budget and considering the costs of having a child, we realized that this price was not reasonable for our family. So, we asked the owners if they were willing to take the price down. For 2 weeks, we received no answer. Anyone, could safely assume that the owners hesitated on our request.

We decided that maybe we should start the search again, in case the owner’s answer was “No.” We began searching. Day in and day out for another 2 weeks, we looked at apartments. However, none of them were available. I was begin to get anxious. I was dealing with a stressful working environment (let’s just say that my pregnancy was not well received by everyone) and the realization that in less than 3 weeks we would be homeless. I cried and asked God to help but everywhere I went, another door closed. Door after door, I got more and more anxious. Finally, I broke down. I said to God, “All right, you win. I have tried everything in my power and I can’t find anything. I give up.” That same day, I decided to call my sister. She found an announcement for an apartment available only for that day. I went and a few hours later, I signed the lease to our new apartment! Glory be to God!