If God says you can, the YOU CAN!

A Man's given dream is anything anyone can accomplish, in the contrary, a God's given dream is a dream that looks impossible to accomplish unless who'd is on your side.

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

I love this verse, specially to read that what God has for me, is better that ALL I ask together.
At the same time, I need to know that although His plans are perfect, I may not walk through them. I can not trust Him, and go in the opposite direction, or I may believe someone else's view more than God's. Every single dreamer has to be careful of dream assassins.
Those assassins could be sel-doubt, friends, family memeber's view, etc...
Protect your promises!!! How?...Spend time with God, he can unlock faith, and the best strategies that will bring forth the dream.

A promise from God is a given! He always comes true!!!!

Habbakkuk 2:2-4 
"2 Then the LORD replied:
   “Write down the revelation 
   and make it plain on tablets 
   so that a herald may run with it. 
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; 
   it speaks of the end 
   and will not prove false. 
Though it linger, wait for it; 
   it will certainly come 
   and will not delay.
 4 “See, the enemy is puffed up; 
   his desires are not upright— 
   but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness

Keep your focus in Jesus, the only one that can bring forth the promise. When the Israelites lost focus they started complaining and losing their track, some of them even started to worship idols. But only those that kept their eyes on God and the promise He had given them, were the ones that enjoy the huge grapes and the honey in the Promise land…so again!, spent time with God!

A God given vision- need supernatural power...bigger than you, and that it a blessing, because our dependence will be on Him and not on our own abilities.

Sometimes, we loose hope, we think God is in silence, while in truth, God is orchestrating things behind the escenes, while we are learning to trust Him, Believe Him, and to depend on Him.

If the Israelites didn't have to go through the desert, if Joseph didn't have to be a slave before being a master, if Jesus didn't walk as a human for 30-33 years before his purpose was fulfilled, then we wound be were we are now, they wouldn't be where they were, nobody appreciates high as much as someone that has low before.

If God took away our "desert times" we will never grow in Him, to be more like Him, he would be our Santa Claus, and we would be brats.

Jesus did not step in this world as a powerful master, as our Savior, he lived as a normal toddler, normal teen, and knowing it all, He had to submit to his not-know it all parents. Talk about hard times!
He could perform miracles, but His father said it is not time. He could do anything, and yet he was patiently waiting for his propose to be set by The Father.

Every promise of God has a birth.
But then it seams like every promise has a dismay/death time, 

And it is then when we have a wonderful situation ready to happen…
1. our faith can Grow, and decide to stay in his promises
2. God resurrects the dream and sanctify it
3. We praise God for what he did!

When you are in the death time…DONT GIVE UP!!!! the resurrection is just around the corner.

Joseph is a wonderful example, he kept his dream alive, although all the surroundings shouted he had failed, he was worth nothing, and the dream was a lie. But He kept the dream, he believed God, but he was bullied for his beliefs, but God was there all the way, and thanks to his desert times, he became the one able to save his family, and forgiven gentleman the we admire thousands of years latter.
Josheph was favored so we can start asking God to help us find favor with in all people that has anything to do with our promise.

"You have not because you ask not" james 4:2

When the dream/vision is real, the enemy knows the result of that blessing, so he will do anything to make you give up.
If he is not against you, then you are walking in the same direction than the enemy. No one bumps into people that go towards the same direction. 

When you are in God's presence? what is he saying?...hold on to what He says in the secret place.
What are you feeling? where is your faith supporting?
The presence of the Lord don't lie, because God doesn't lie. in the mist of worshiping God, the enemy has no words.

Be surrounded by other dreamers, people that will understand God's vision for your life and help you pray with you and for you.

As we learn in school: first come the teacher's lesson, then the test.
Well with God, we had our lesson, our dream, now is time for the test, so we can move to the next level.

Test: God does it so we can have more faith, more dependance on Him, grow and past to next level.
Temptation: Devil does it so we can give up our faith, our dependance on God, our dreams, and stay in same level or lose level(s).

Are you in the desert?
Praise God! Your blessing will be more tasty after you come out

What's your plan?

God has a plan For your life, and everyone around you, BUT, the devil also has a plan for you and for the world.
We all fit one plan or the other into our lives, unfortunately the absence of a plan or ignoring our call fits onto the Devil's plan.
We need to take very seriously our call, our time on Earth.
The devil is not against morality or doing good deeds, but against Jesus. In fact the less gap there is between "godless good people" and Christians, the better His plan works.
We are here to use good works, not only to bless others, but to magnify His name. We are here to love others, and by doing so to show the way to Who Love is. In all we do, his signature must be in.

Love your husband and kids today!

What a month this has been, it has only been few days into 2012, and I feel my heart has gone through so many different emotions. I have lost two friends, one dear friend from Church, and one that I went school with, both mothers, both young full of life. I have also seen two marriages been distroyed, one to infidelity, and the other one, hard to know the truth. But in all cases, it has made me realized that I need to love my kids and husband, to value their life, and our time together, a clean house is not as important as a full happy heart of a child. I am here, and I will love my family and make the best of each day. At the end, i hope no one will talk or think about my cleaning skills, but what I meant to them.

I do not know how much I have in this world, but I do know that TODAY I will enjoy life to the fullest, that TODAY, I will make sure that my family knows how much I love them, and how much they mean to me. That TODAY, I will make sure my kids, my husband and everyone around me, will see Christ in me.

Spiritual open adoption

Adoption is so dear to me for two different reasons, the first reason I want to talk about is the fact that, I have been blessed by the adoption of my son, who has made me a better person, and who has made me understand areas of my spiritual life that I did not get before.

Before he became my son (by the law) I dreamed of a perfect open adoption, I really liked his grandparents (I still do), I thought what a great opportunity for him to grow knowing them and feeling loved by them, and being my son. It sounded so perfect, so loving, so...naive.

As soon as he came to live with us, we realized he was raised in very different ways than our home, he was the authority, and he soon realized that he was now the soldier rather than the captan. He was part of the show, not the center of the show.

At the begging was hard, I can't deny it, but to our surprised he adapted very quick and happy, it actually look like he was enjoying the rules and the discipline, although many times would check if we really meant them.

But there was something that I started realizing, it was a change in him every time he spoke with his biological family, he would be more aggressive towards others, and way more clingy to me, saying "I love you mom" as many times as he could, hugging me as if it was our last day together, And when they visited him, the reaction would last a week or two.

At first I thought this may be, only, because it was too soon for him to realize that they were not taking him with them, but that he is with us, his for ever family.

As months pasted, he started to speak more and more, and say sentences like "I am your boy", "this is my home", "am I staying with you?", then I knew for sure he was afraid that this was just a momentary arrangement, that he was confused in where he really belong, and that open adoption was damaging his attachment and confidence of belonging to his new family.

I kept reassuring him that he was my son forever, that nothing could change that anymore. And he started to understand very well that. I started to investigate more about it, and found out that almost all of the kids in open adoption, whether they are two or twelve years old, experience the same re-actions. And that 80% of open adoptions end up closing them because it does damage the kid.

This has made me realize about "the spiritual open adoption", yes I was adopted too, by my Heavenly father, and yes, just like any other new believer I thought I could maintain an open adoption with my past, and soon realized that that doesn't work, for me to fully understand my new identity I need to stop my previous one, for me to be fully part of the Christian family, I need to be part of that family only, I needed to live by the new rules that my new father has for me. I want to be fully, not partially, be His daughter, to have the blessings of His family, but also, I want the responsibilities of my "spiritual last name", if I am going to be the King's daughter, I have to stop acting like some one else's daughter and keep his name on high.

Spiritual open adoption will only damage your relationship with your father, and will damage your view of who you really are now.

Your Heavenly father will always love you, but the confidence, the relationship could be compromised.

For my personal, and spiritual experience on adoption, I can say, let the past behind and belong fully to the new you in Christ Jesus, for whom you have received the spirt of Adoption.

May your new identity be fully after "your adoption", after Christ enter to rule your life, and never by who you were before Him in you.

The book of Job vs. The prosperity Gospel

I absolutely love to read the book of Job and realize the real heart of God when things around us do not make any sense (at least in our eyes)

Many Christians think that if we are in Him (Jesus), doing our job, and loving God as our number one then, we are in one kind of an exception to problems and if we do have any problem (health, money, etc) then immediately we must have done something wrong to deserve it.

As is if Grace was not sufficient to me...

I do believe that our actions do open doors, if I smoke... I can have cancer. If I steal, I can get cut. If i have sex, i can get pregnant, If I stop reading my Bible I can get lost.

But this is not the type off stuff we are talking about.

Job, according to the Bible, was a good man, a man that love God over everything, over everyone, including himself.

"...Job, that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" Job 1.1

The devil said to God that Job loved God only because of his blessings, and prosperity...

The truth is, and the book of Job probes this statement to be completely wrong in the life of Job, but in many occasions, because we have being falsely taught the prosperity Gospel that it is Ok for us too demand God to do as we wish, or for Him to allow only what WE think is best for us, and even think that it is ok to be angry with God when He has better plans that look different that my wishes.

Many even, have gone stray because of a problem, because who they thought God was.

When Job was tempted by the devil (allowed by God), Job did not cursed God, he was sad, desperate, but never left God's side.

And the best of all is at the end...

"job 42:1-5

Job had prayed to get to see His savior (19:27) and he did (42:5).

It was God's presence, during THE PROBLEMS, that gave Job a better revelation of who God is. Because of God, during job's must difficult times, he had a new understanding of forgiveness, and love, and must important got to know God in a personal level.

In response of this one revelation of God to him, he humbled himself and repent because he understood that he could not complain nor nag, nor question God, who is indeed GOD.

The book of Job is an amazing example of what to do when problems strike in our ways. It is not a resolution to unmerited pain to the justified Christian, because the solution to our pain is not in the resolution of the problem, but the Presence of the Lord in the mist of it.

The true Glory of God is reveled not by a rational theological thinking but by an encounter with our Councilor Loving God. And with Him, we can pass through anything, an see problems as a blessing towards knowing Him more, and growing until he restores not only our pain but our situation for a better glory. (42:12)

As for me and my house, in good times, in hard times, and in between, we will love and serve the Lord.

From the heart of a funeral

Yesterday was the celebration of Christen Life here on Earth, as people were remembering her, brought a word of two that symbolized her life. Every single one agree on two words: JOYFUL Christian. And indeed she was that.

As the night progressed, I kept thinking what are my words?, who am I to people around me?, what legacy am I living now?, and what legacy am I leaving after I am gone?. If people truly would speak the words that first come to mind when thinking of me, what would those words be?

Would they be words from the Fruit of the Spirit? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...)

Or would they be words of the flesh? (Anger, selfishness, greed, proud...)

What are my kids, my spiritual kids, and people around me taking out of my life?

I would love to think that it would be Christ in me, but is it?

So I decided to not cling in to who I was for others, or how I perceived my self until now, but truly think who I want to be from now on.

I want to be represented by this description/ words:

An Authentic loving Christian

A supportive wife

A joyful loving model-mother

A loyal friend

A non-sence loving neighbor

An evangelist (that cares and understands eternity better that this limited world)

A good Teacher of the Word.

I guess once I know who I want to be the rest of my life should be easier to become that...easy?, may be not, but having a purpose makes life more valuable, and worth living for, and trying with Jesus should make it possible.

What are your words now? Who does people really think you are?

Are "your words" (in the now) the words you want to leave behind as a legacy for your kids?

Life on Earth is short, don't waste it!!!

Eternal Life is only through Jesus Christ, not through your actions, not through religion, not through traditions, and certainly not through your family.

If you want to experience Abundant life here and in Eternity the only answer is Jesus.

If you want to be different, if the words that represent you are vain, but you truly want to represent words of life, then the answer is Jesus too.

I can only be who I want to be because Christ lives in me. And that is where I will start every day, making meaningful time with Him, for Jesus to give me the Grace to live each day, to represent Him through my day, my life.

As for me, I am done wasting my time... "Jesus, please be with me today"...

Kids are you ready for mom?...

Trust over loss

How hard is to put strong emotions aside to be able to see the way God sees things, but the moment we do, love, faith and trust are renew.

There is a moment in our lives that we are in a "Y" intersection and we need to decide whether:

1. we Trust God in what He chose to do, no matter if we agree, or like His perfect decision, or

2. We can decided to let our emotions control our faith, and walk away from God's plan. And, sadly, some may even walk away from God.

It is not wrong to be sad or even angry, in moments of loss, but what we do with those emotions is what matters...

In times of trouble, as almost in every day decision we make, we have a choice to believe Him, and Trust in his wisdom as He makes the decision around our life, or if we will be in control of our own future.

Yesterday, a very dear friend went to be with the Lord, she was just 29, has two precious children and a loving Husband. We prayed, and prayed, and prayed so more for her to be healed, the Church was united in faith for her healing, and Yet, our Lord decided to take her Home with Him.

Oh boy, did I cried. I miss her already, I miss her smile, I miss all the talks we could have had the next years, I got confused, I didn't understand God's decision, but I decided to summit my emotions, my confusion and my Trust to God, and in His divine mercy, He reveled to me some of Himself, and His grace to the ones we are left behind.

In the first chapter of the book of Ruth (from the Bible), we learned how first Naomi, then Ruth and Orpah became widows, at that point Orpah and Ruth had an option... a "Y" moment...to returned to what they believed 10 years before, to look and go back to their previous families, or to move forward with Naomi's God, with the new identity they got, continue to be part of God's people, or to let their emotions control them and go back and out of God's ultimate plan.

Orpah went back, but Ruth declare God to be her God, to trust in the mist of her pain, to keep moving even when she must have disagreed with God's decision, to not look back even when it seamed acceptable to do so.

Well in the mist of this verses I found myself, and just like Ruth, I will pick up myself (or must likely let Him pick me up), and decide to move forward, even if I don't understand, I know God sees Eternity, and I only see 80 years. He sees spiritual purposes, I see physical plans. So, I SURRENDER, so I can see through His eyes, I can bring my feelings to the feet of the cross, where I know I am understood and loved.

And I know that my God is a good God, a merciful Lord, that takes care of widows and orphans, as He did with Ruth, My God will be my friend's kids "Mom", My God will provide comfort for them and Her husband, and in a blink of an eye we will see her again in heaven, Until then, I am in peace to Know that God is in control and not me.

In loving memory of Christen Ringle.

New year...New focus

It is amazing how much though we put in to a new beginning every year during the month of January. Many of those thoughts are weight loss, new routines, and even dreams to accomplish.

As I was thinking of my new years resolutions, God place in my mind Lot's wife.

God was saving Lot and his family from their city's destruction, and gave them only two things to do:

1. Do not stop

2. Do not look back

Easy?, it sounds so easy, but doing it is another thing...

We are women, we worry for nothing, we think too much, we dream of the future, and review the past, and yet if we want to get to the place God has for us, not only to be safe, but happy, we need to start our year really knowing God has a good place for us, and we only require to go front, believe Him that we are going forward, and NEVER stop until we get to that promised place.

What does that mean for me?

Well, every time that God has a vision, a promise, a plan for us, He has his part, and ALSO, we have ours.

His part is to provide, ours is to walk towards it (his provision/promise), to believe Him when He says: "I will save you", "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and NOT to harm you" (Jer. 29:11).

Then, the only way to be able to have a "non stop" life is to NOT look back.

Lot's wife became a salt statue (Gen. 19.26). And the truth is, we are meant to be the salt of the world (Mat. 5:13), not a statue of salt that will never move.

What we do with the salt we are is entirely up to us. We can stay in the past and stop advancing, or we can use it to flavor our lives and others.

We can become a statue of unbelief, or a flavor of faith.

Each of us have a life purpose, but also, each of us have a 2012 purpose, the thing is are we going to advance and not look back? or are we becoming a statue of the past?

Past is not always a bad memory, or a failure, but it is still the past. I had an amazing life in Cincinnati, I love my friends from there, the ministry was the best, I miss every part of my life there, and Yet, God wants me to look forward and see how I am going to make his purpose here where I am now. I can not live with beautiful memories, I need to move forward to be able to be the salt and do what I am suppose to do this year. I am to trust God that my place is where I am now, and give my all to this present. I love to see what it is in front of me, and have hope in Jesus, and be hope in Jesus.

Then we have the worse type of past, the bad memories...those that come to attack our present and future, those memories that are against the plans of God for my life, those plans that can make me a statue of salt and STOP my vision, and God's will for my life, those memories that become a "take a coffee with the enemy" and listen to what it was instead of what it is, or what God has for me.

God has empower us to leave those past memories behind, and the question is not if we are able, but if we are willing to let them go, so we stop looking back, to be able to move forward to the best year yet to come...2012 a Year by the hand of our lovely Father. A year where our eyes are in what He has for me today.

Happy 2012!