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WOW Women of Wisdom  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects" Acts 28:5Luke the doctor is the author of this particular book. He tells us of his travels with Paul. They had come to a town called Malta, where the islanders showed them hospitality. Paul decided to chip in and help with the fire; after all, he was cold and soaked from the sea ride in. However, when he went to add some sticks to the fire a snake came out of the heat, bit him and held on. Then as the scripture says, "Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects" The islanders were waiting for him to swell up and die, but when they saw he did not they thought he was a god, soon would they find out he walked with God. Today I am telling you, you need to shake off the snake. God is a God of word, of purpose and when he pours something into you, trust that you have the power to shake it off. God had a vision with Paul and he has a vision with you. Let's identify the various poisonous snakes: There will be the bites of jealousy. There will be someone who will be jealous of your walk and you will feel bad and feel tempted to get out of his or her way solely because you do not want to ruffle anyone's feathers. Get up and brush it off. If God called you there, keep walking. Remember they are not jealous of you, they are jealous that God chose you and you obeyed. Let God deal with them. There is the bite of ungratefulness. There will be moments where you will go over and beyond the call to help someone and watch them walk away, ahead, without looking back and saying, "thank you". Remember Joseph in the book of Genesis when he was in jail and helps the two men out who had dreams, all he asked was that they remember him. They forgot him. Parents will watch their kids leave home and feel forgotten. Shake it off, God called you into their life to teach them, you fulfilled your purpose and God himself will show how proud he is of you and reward you as he rewarded Joseph. The snakes of life bite us, not necessarily because we did something wrong, if you recall Paul was following God's will going to this island. Many of you are diligently trying to walk in God's will and its sad to say but some people are waiting for you to swell up and die. They are waiting for you to fail. They are waiting for you to fall into depression. They are waiting for failure. But like Paul, you can stand up and shake it off. See Paul couldn't die, God said he had to go to Rome, there was a word from God that needed to be completed. So a bite was not going to kill him. And so it will be with you, the bite will not kill you. If God called you to it, he will pull you through it. If storms hit you will find that the rough winds will carry you. And if the serpent bites you will know that it wont kill you, it wont block you, it wont cause you to swell, you like Paul will get up and shake it off. To God be all the Glory. RAISE YOUR HAND WITH ME.... NOW SHAKE IT OFF!
"For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again"
Everyday, someone loses their job, is diagnosed with an illness, suffers a horrible heart aching break up, is disappointed by a loved one, and is betrayed by someone they trust, did not make the team, or made the team they did not want to be on. Life is full of things that try to knock us over. It is easy to get discouraged and lose the motivation to move forward, but you have to remember it is just a temporary set back. Life can be painful at times but it gets better when we realize that we can choose to stand up. And even better, when we realize that in our weakness the spirit of God strengthens us. Just when you think, life cannot get any worse a gust of spirit filled wind blows through the window giving you the power to stand up and go for round two. The blow of life brings forth complaints, and tears, but the rise that comes through the spirit of God is enough to make it all worthwhile. Remember who you are in Christ. There is nothing God cannot do, he can do the impossible, but he is holding you accountable to do what you can do. Rise! No blow of life, no illness, no obstacle, no disappointment, and no person can keep you from the destiny God planned for you. God will turn every stumbling block to stepping-stones, every suffering moment into a molding of character and you will move forward in the victory that God has in store for you! So what you were knocked down, you are not knocked out. Rise! To God be all the glory!  Did you say your GRACE?
WOW By Sister Teresa Farnell June 2010 "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6 kjv
Happy Mothers Day! May 2010 Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother." 1 Kings 3:27 I love the story of the WISE RULING of King Solomon. Incase you don't know the story, I suggest you read it. It's an inspiring story for all mothers. Your probably wondering why I feel it's an inspiring story. There is a point in the story where the women bring their argument to King Solomon and he has to determine who the mother is. Today, you can get a DNA or paternity test to determine who the child belongs to. However such technology wasn't around back then. As the story goes the King decides to cut the baby in half to give each mother a share, and one woman pleads for the other women to keep him if it spares his life. The scripture says, "the woman who's son was alive" But I have to wonder if she was the biological mother of the child. Let me explain why. My grandmother was an exceptional woman. I recall the times I sat on the kitchen floor and watched her cook. And when my dad, her son, walked in the room; no words could explain the glow and love on her face. A few years ago she passed away of cancer and my father cried for months. He was an only child, although he had many brothers and sisters. You are probably confused. See my father was adopted. My grandmother for some reason could not have children, but that didn't stop her from being mother. Years later my fathers biological mother presented herself and I have to admit I felt as if I was betraying my grandmother if I called her "Abuela" which means grandma in Spanish. Yes, she is my biological grandmother, but the one I love and admire with the title of "Abuela" was Abuela Marta, the woman who raised my father with love. There are a few women I know that for various reasons beyond their control have not had children, and they remind me of her. Biological mothers play an amazing role, but so do mothers of influence. I had no blood connection to this woman yet she inspires me till today, and I share her story with her great grandchildren and her name is in my family tree. When Jesus was preaching he was informed that his mother and brothers were outside waiting for him. I don't believe he meant any disrespect to his mother but took the opportunity to teach. He questioned "who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" pointing to his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers" (Matthew 12:48-49) Those who do the will of the Father are family, and every woman who influences another in His name is a Mother of Influence. Happy Mothers day. "BEHOLD I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW" April 2010
I'm currently reading a book on Spiritual Leadership and there is this one chapter where they speak of certain leaders through out history, good and bad. As I traveled through the pages it was if the words tugged on my heart. One of the leaders the author spoke of was Martin Luther King Jr. Apparently his father was abusive and when his grandmother died he was so distraught he threw himself from a second story window in a suicide attempt. Abraham Lincoln was so estranged from his father he refused to go to his funeral. Eleanor Roosevelt was from a family of alcoholism, child molestation and abuse. There were many stories, but the highlight of it all was summed up eloquently by the author, so I will quote him. " So many of history's great leaders suffered major failures, crises, and disappointments in their development as leaders that these traumas almost seem prerequisites to leadership success" No experience, good or bad, is ever wasted. God uses it all. The harmful past molded the characters of our great leaders, only God could do something like that. Do you feel that your past is holding you back from moving forward? No it isn't it is molding you. Do you feel your past has tarnished your image? No you are made in the image of God. I know its hard to get over your past so here are some points.
INSTEAD, TRUST THE ONE WHO PROMISED TO "MAKE ALL THINGS NEW", AND MOVE FORWARD. All of us have things we'd like to change of ourselves, but when God created us He said, "It was very good" (Gen 1:31) Start seeing you as God see's you.
What is it worth? March 1, 2010 “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me
cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 Want to know God? Want to have a deep meaningful relationship with God? I bet all have said yes, but I wonder if any have considered the cost or effort. When I travel through Biblical times and admire the faith of those who set a framework for us, I wonder to myself if I will rise to the challenge if faced with trial. So again I ask, want to know God? Want to have a deep meaningful relationship? Yes- I do, now its time to consider the cost. Abraham was asked to give up his pride and joy, his son, and he was willing. Moses could’ve
stayed in Egypt, the lap of luxury; instead he traveled the desert leading a group of people that for me seemed more of a
head ache than grateful. Daniel had such great faith that he defied a king, at the cost of being thrown in the lion’s
den. Three young men were willing to be thrown into the burning furnace, whether God rescued them or not, because of their
faith. David stood before a giant declaring he was going to hold the head of the giant that day. He didn’t tremble;
he went in charging at the giant, that’s like watching a Chihuahua chase a Pit-bull. Then my all time favorite, Esther.
Esther risked her life to go before the king with such faith that she said, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther
4:16) It was in the toughest acts of faith that these people got the closest to God and found deeper purpose and meaning. You know the saying, “Does happiness taste as sweet if we do not experience sadness?” “Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster
on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.” (Jeremiah 45:5)
A tough pill to swallow huh? However, I do love how God ends with a promise…go I will let you escape with your life. I don’t bring this up to discourage anyone. Nor scare anyone away, but I have to speak the truth on the matter. Following Christ is not easy. You will make tough choices. You will stand alone in tough choices. You will not be understood by most and at times you will not agree with God, but He knows best. However it’s in these silent moments where we feel we stand alone and misunderstood that demonstrate true courage. I don’t want to be lost in the world confused with other faces, that’s hiding, that’s being a coward. I want the faith to rise up to the challenge. Turn my church inside out and the world upside down. To raise my hand as Isaiah once did saying, “send me”. We can either
watch others dreams or be the dreamer that changes the world. You might have given up on your dreams, but God has not given
up on your dreams, he instilled them in you. I like the way Watchman Nee said
it, "I have never met a soul who has set out to satisfy the Lord, and has not been satisfied himself." And to tie
it with Augustine’s well-known quote, “You have made us for yourself and our
hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.” Want to get closer; closeness, finds purpose,
rest, satisfaction amongst a long list of blessings. I say it’s worth it. To God be all the Glory! The Valley of Dry Bones February 1, 2010 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' " Ezekiel 37 Take a walk with me into the Valley of Dry Bones. Just imagine the sound of the wind rattling the bones that carry no life. Everywhere you look; representation of death. Look to the right-dry bones; look left- dry bones. No laughing, no talking, no pitter patter of little feet. Nothing! Just dry bones. Some of you are probably thinking; this is now not then. Every corner you're looking it seems that hope is at a lost. Only God can examine the depths of your heart to find the secret place that holds the valley of dry bones. You might have lost hope and accepted death in certain areas of your life. Some of you are saying, "It is what it is" and accepting failure, loss, depression, torment, trauma, pain. Some of you have taken your seat amongst the dry bones, others watch, loosing hope in just the sight. Some have seen the dry bones of their loved ones. What are you telling your problem? Are you approaching God in your prayers with your problem or are you approaching your problem and telling it who your' God is. This scripture is for you. The LORD spoke to Ezekiel and said, "Prophesy to these bones and say..." and when he did what he was told, before his very eyes, tendons and flesh grew. God has power, and his glory is WOW... The children of Israel said, 11 ...Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off." The children of Israel had accepted their death. But my God, your' God, our good God put his spirit in them and settled them in their own land. You may feel hope is gone, but God is saying "Prophecy" activate the word in your life. You think its over, but God is telling you "I will bring you back". Even in the Valley of Dry bones He can spring life. Its not over, he wants to hand you LIFE. If you're reading this today, it's a divine setup, you're not going to be locked, caged, and imprisoned nor are you going to sit back and watch someone else accept defeat.... God is going to lift you up and give you new life. "Prophesy!" He is going to bring you to Israel; your promise your purpose. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' To God be all the GLORY! Devotional inspired by the sermon given by God to Pastor William Gonzalez of Iglesia Bautista Emanuel Church in Bpt, CT
Do I have any worth? January 2010 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139: 14 I haven't been feeling very worthy lately, so I spent some time reflecting on my children and this very true story came to mind. While in the department store, a few years ago, sifting through the clothing racks my head was deep in thought of the new opportunity that was knocking at my door, a job interview. I wanted to make a good impression and I wanted to look professional, and at the time I didn't care how much it was going to cost me. Me... the picky person that I am, had the look envisioned in my head it was just a matter of time before I found it. I was on a mission and excitement overwhelmed me. About twenty minutes in the store I found a blouse that wasn't quite my color so I held it up and said, "Uli how do you think mommy will look in this?" and wouldn't you know it, no response. I looked down and he was gone. I tried not to panic at first and walked through the isles of the toy section hoping to find him; he wasn't there. It didn't take long for my heart to race faster than my legs as I ran down the isles of the department store screaming his name. I didn't care who heard me, or what people thought of me. Every possibility of the worst was shooting through my mind. I was on the verge of a breakdown when I suddenly looked down and saw two feet poking out from the bottom of the clothing rack. When I separated the clothing, there he was with his hands over his mouth trying to contain himself from laughing while he hid from me. He was playing hiding go seek. All of a sudden nothing else mattered and everything had lost its importance. No price is too high for a parent to pay to redeem her child. No energy too great, no effort too demanding. A parent will go to great length to find her offspring, to find her heart that walks the earth in a small package. So will God. He brought me back to that moment, and then reminded me of how much I reflected His image in that moment. God's greatest creation is not the majestic mysterious space we explore, or the wonders of the caverns that carry jewels and diamonds. It's not the blue berry shaped world that spins in space in perfect order. It's you and I; we are his greatest possessions. I don't think we will ever fully grasp the passion that God has for you and I; we are wonderfully made by His loving hands and His passion is for us. Suddenly I feel worth something, I hope and pray you know how much you're worth as well. To God be all the Glory! Tis the Season! December 2009 Its Christmas time! The very day after Thanksgiving I put up my Christmas tree. It was such a perfect day. The kids didn't argue and I took pictures and videos of them acting silly around the tree. And as a proud parent I shared the pictures and people wanted to know why we are so happy?Can't say that I blame them. The layoffs that were introduced a couple of months ago are going into effect this month. I had one friend call me up crying that she blurted out profanity on a company conference call when they told her that her last day was Christmas Eve. I have another friend who has been searching for the past three months and not a glimpse of hope or promise. Tis the Season for joy and celebration during the time without a paycheck or a sudden all time peak in expenses. Ugh! How can anyone really celebrate? Have you ever read the story of the Philippians jailer in the book of Acts? While the jailer slept there was an earthquake that shook the jail and opened the doors to where the prisoners were. "The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself." Acts 16:27 He was as good as dead in his eyes. For a brief second he woke up and saw the prison doors wide open and thought they all got away and it was only a matter of time before they would execute him for failing to do his job, in fear of the death that he thought awaited him he drew his sword. Can you relate? Have you lost hope? Does it seem like all is at a loss? Did you wake up to a world where the ground trembled and the doors to your nightmares have opened? The story continues. Seconds before the Jailer could pierce himself, one of the prisoners stepped out and asked him not to kill himself that no one left, all the prisoners were there. The Jailer, badly shaken, recognized the man who spoke. It was Paul, who was wrongfully accused and placed in prison for no reason, yet he was happy. If you read the story Paul and Silas were beaten then thrown in jail and were singing before the earth quake. The Jailer already knew what it felt like to feel dead inside, and here was an opportune moment. Just seconds before the jailer tasted his death, what better moment to put the value of life in perspective. This time he was going to do it right and wanted what he knew Paul had, so he ran to his feet and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." It never fails that when people give up, that's when hope is arriving at the door, and they miss it. Take Romeo and Juliet for example, they jumped too soon to conclusions. Don't jump to conclusions it's not the end, don't miss out on hope. And there is a way to be happy, just follow the jailer's example and take hold of your joy this glorious season. It's going to be ok. To God be all the Glory! How do we respond to the attacks? November WOW
16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves Matthew 10:16 There are a few things we need to grasp here when reading this scripture. 1. There is something we need to understand
2. There is something we need to identify
3. There are something's we need to Remember.
4. Now we must integrate this knowledge in our walk.
WOW! FATHER DO YOU HEAR ME? October 1, 2009 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear
me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer." Psalm 66: 18-19 Isn't it strange how we desire to receive answers from our prayers no matter what. Even though we fail to realize that God does not hear a sinner's prayer. We think grace and mercy take care of our faults ...it does. What is grace and mercy? It is no more than the divine love and unmerited favor from God. This is not something we earned or deserved. It is our heavenly Father's gift to us through the blood of Jesus Christ. The writer of psalm 66 needed God to hear his prayer, but he knew that there was a condition that he had to be in order for God to actually hear him. Therefore, the writer searched his heart to see if he was entertaining or acting on any wickedness or sin. Sometimes Christians take it for granted that God will always hear them. Grace and mercy are attributes of God's character and cannot be set apart from Him. Therefore, God's grace and mercy is revealed when we recognize our sins and confess them. We must have a clear line for us to connect with God. His grace and mercy can only operate through repentance and turning from our wicked ways. Here is a scenario: The telephone gives us an opportunity to hear others from all over the world, but when problems arises in the communication lines, it is difficult to call on or be heard by the person on the receiving line. Therefore, most of the time we would check with the telephone company to find out the problem, so the receiver can hear us. Now if the problem in the lines does not clear, you cannot call or receive communication through those lines. Listen;
when we pay attention to sin and act on it, we cause static between our communications with the Father. He can no longer receive
our prayers, so we have to clear the lines immediately by searching our hearts for any unconfessed sin. It doesn't matter
if you have been saved a few months or many years, sin blocks the communication airways to the Father. Now you may be wondering
to yourself, "Did God really hear me?" Only you can answer that. Unconfessed sin blocks the airway for our prayers
to be heard by God. You may say to yourself "I haven't sinned?" If you have entertained any wickedness or sin in
your life, even evil company and communication causes our prayers to be blocked from our Father's ears. A clear airway not
only open our Father's ears, but also, open the pathway for heaven and earth to listen to our heavenly Father. WOW!
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste," believe it or not...but it is true. The mind is the battle ground for the soul. Therefore, we must desire to have our mind purified. Most of our battles of spirit and flesh start with the mind. Last month we talked about fasting and making ourselves receptive to the Grace of God. It is through fasting that we began to offer our will to God, control the passions of our flesh; and purify our inner mind and heart. A wasted mind entertains fleshly passions and desires, which leads to habitual behavior and anxiety. It is the inner mind, heart and spirit (Soul) that knows that God exists. We can see God only with our inner mind, communicate with God by prayer, and hear God; this inner mind is called "nous" in Greek. "Nous" means the principle divine reason; inner mind. The divine reasoning comes from our creator "God". Only through divine reasoning we can truly know the purpose and will of God. This level of reasoning can be obtained through the purification process, which includes fasting, but not set apart from meditating, reading the word, prayer and obedience. Our passions cloud the nous. In order to see, hear and know God we have to allow cleansing of the mind. When I think of cleansing the mind, I think about driving a car in stormy weather, the wind hitting the windshield, the fog blocking my view and anxiety attacking my decision. Then a battle starts in my mind; should I go on or should I pull over. The best thing for me to do is to pull over and wait for all the destractions to mild down, so I can see clearly. Our mind does the same thing. If we try to make decisions without allowing the battles of our mind to clear up, then we are destining to be hit by a tragedy. The nous is the battle ground of our passions and desires. Satan is well aware of our constant battles, therefore we must covet the purification process. When Adam was created his mind functioned fine. He walked in the garden with God, and he knew Him, but as soon as he looked toward the ability to understand with his intellect, he walked away from God. His mind became clouded and focuses on his flesh. His own will overshadowed God's will. His mind became clouded. The more we look away from God, to our own way of thinking, the more we will have battles with our passions and desires. So, through fasting we begin to lift the veil to uncover our clouded mind. There will be a struggle because the "flesh" wars against the "spirit, but at the same time a healing of the nous is taking place. In the struggle we are redirecting the passions and desires toward Christ, only then can they be properly used. In our fasting we're seeking to redirect the passionate aspects of the soul away from things of this world and more so toward God. This is called "transformation".Transformation takes place when the mind is being renewed, therefore be careful what you entertain in your mind, because it is in the battles of the mind that determines what resides in our hearts and what resides in our hearts determines the destiny of our soul. WOW! When it Rain it Pours August 1, 2009 "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5) Have you ever heard the saying when it rains it pours? I am sure at one point or another the words spewed from your lips with such discontent, that you gained sympathy from all who heard it. Car needs fixing, house is falling apart, kids are dealing with heartache, finances are a problem, people are walking out on you, and feelings are spiraling: depression, loss, anxiety, loneliness, and weakness and more. If you know the feeling, you are not alone. Too much is going on and at times, I feel like I am backed up against a wall. At least standing in the middle of the room, I can stand on my two feet and throw a jab or two back at my enemy, but up against the wall anxiety kicks in. Yet, this is what I know: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 Backed up against the wall this is what I acknowledge, that my God is great and has not forsaken me. I will praise and exalt him in this storm. See when I stood in the middle of the room, I could throw a jab or two, but up against the wall, where I think all is at a loss, that's when I get on my knees and turn to my God. This is where my arrogance is broken: "I can't do it". This is where my pride is swallowed: "I need you God". This is where his Glory is revealed: "I am weak". This is where my path becomes straight, because its not me, but He who shines through me. Today if you feel this is you, if you're backed up against the wall, join me in prayer. Get on your knees and pray, and cry a battle cry, for today we may weep, but joy comes in the morning. See! When it rains, it does pour. Its healing rain! It is just like pouring alcohol on an open wound, it hurts but it flushes out all the harmful bacteria. Get ready for a new and improved you! God is here and he is working in you! Lord we praise you, we adore you almighty God! I ask Lord that you bless my brothers and sisters in this time of trial, provide in their time of need, and pour down your healing rain. Let the flood gates of heaven open and pour down like rain. In Jesus name we pray, Amen! To God be all the Glory!  Trying vs. Training July 1, 2009 Monthly Devotional "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 Take a moment and imagine there was a knock at your door and when you opened it, there was a team of scientist and news reporters snapping pictures ready to print the headline in tomorrow's paper, "The next Olympic Star". Then the scientists walk over and say, "We pulled your birth records and studied your DNA, and you have what it takes to win the next Olympic race". When I was asked this question I said, "I guess I could try, but reality is all the trying in the world will not make me win this race, regardless of the DNA structure of a winner, I will have to train and prepare myself for the race. If I get up there now, I am just going to fall over out of breath in only a quarter of half the lap. I'm not ready". This is how it is in our spiritual life. We are taught
repeatedly as Christians that we need to be Christ-like. However, not all the trying in the world is going to help, it requires
training. That is why Paul writes about running the good race, and he tells Timothy to train. "Have nothing to do with
godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly" 1 Timothy 4:7 The bible says we are all conquerors, however how many of us are ready. I do not even want to ask, how many are trying without the training. My son is on his eighth year of baseball and spends a lot of my money at the batting cage. He amazes me when he makes contact with a ball pitched at 85 mph. However, he pointed out an interesting point to me one day when he got out of the cage not taking any pride in the hits. He said, "Mom I don't get any points or recognition in the batting cage, it's on the field with the pressure of the world watching you, where I will get an agents attention". This is why he disciplines himself with the daily workouts, all his reading material is on baseball, and he surrounds himself with people who have the same passion. There is a lesson to learn from this teenager. Discipline is not a restriction it is an aid to freedom. Track stars get the glory of the gold with discipline. A ball player smiles at his homerun because of the discipline. Now imagine if you disciplined yourself in training. Let us embrace this summer sun with training. The best start to your training; read your bible. To God be all the Glory! June 1, 2009 Discipline He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. Proverbs 5:23 It's real easy to indulge. You know what's really hard, dieting! Everyday I'm counting calories, running with my daughter at the park 2-3 miles, and my supermarket shopping goals are to avoid taking the kids with me, and stay away from the junk food. But it's worth it. When I stick to it, I feel disciplined. But in all honesty, it's an ongoing battle for me because I love to eat. At one time, shortly after I had my son I found it really difficult to exercise will power let alone exercise. I put on a lot of weight, and didn't have the strength to even go shopping because it depressed me that things didn't look right or didn't come in my size. Then I met the plus size dept that got trendier as time went by, so why loose the weight? Then I met woman my size that were recruiting for the "hate thin woman" club. And they made me feel good about myself. I felt like I was starting a new breed of woman. They even pointed out the pressure's woman face to stay thin to keep up with what society says is beautiful. But was it healthy to stay overweight? No Kind of like our spiritual life. It's real easy to indulge, and once you indulge and put on the extra pounds (guilt) you look for what makes you feel good about yourself. Then you join the clubs that make your guilt your crown of honor. Does it make it right? It's a temporary acceptance into a fallen world and at the end of the day you find yourself somewhere you don't want to be. I currently have a group of friends who meet with me two to three times a week to go for a jog in the park. Some run, some jog, some walk, some cry the entire time. But regardless they are there trying. It's hilarious to see someone start then when they quit, the following week they come back and say, "I had results, and can I come with you guys again". The result is freedom from the chains of their self perception. Some gain confidence, some just love the company of someone encouraging them; some really are motivated and pleased that they recruit others. Doesn't that sound like when we start our walk with Christ? Life is like dieting, it's easy to
indulge in sinful pleasures, because they feel good for the moment, but in the end your mind, body and spirit are carrying
too much weight for it to handle. Discipline is not a restriction; it's an aid to freedom. An obstacle is what you see when
you take your eyes off the goal. Stay focused and run the good race. To God be all the Glory! God
got mail May 2009 "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10 I love to sit and look and find the links that weave us all together like a blanket. And it’s our acts that link us together in one shape or form. It could be a woman singing, that sends a message to the heart of someone suffering. It could be the man who shares his testimony that offers a hopeless soul, hope through his message. It could be the sister who offers a home cooked meal to a stranger as her message. It could be the smile of a passer by, that makes your heart smile at the thought that this world is not all bad, another message. And the sender of the gift has no idea the impact they made on the recipients end. Did you ever get a text message that spoke to you? Or a forwarded email that gave you the encouragement you needed all at the right time? Those who hit send or forward on that electronic mail are sending a message that links us to our creator. They play their role in doing what they do best. One day I came home to find my screen door was fixed. No note or hints to whom may have fixed it. I found out months later that one of the retired men in our church fixed it. But that day, for me it was a message from God. In the midst of my worries in the many things I needed to fix God’s grace was administered through, Angel who’s gift is fixing things. God used Angel to answer my prayer and show His grace. Think for a second how many times you didn’t act. Could we have been an obstacle in someone’s answer? Each one of us has a gift. How are you using your gift? If you sing, and the only one that hears you is the shower than you’re not administering God’s grace. If you’re good at computers but you only work on your own, again not administering. You don’t have to be a pastor, evangelist, prophet, or theologian to administer God’s grace. All you have to do is be the best of who you are with the gift God gave you. You may think of yourself as insignificant but in reality you play a much larger role to the Grand weaver’s blanket. It’s through these acts that weave a warm blanket of love for those who live in a cold world. You’re simply the messenger. I don’t know about you but if I send mail and it’s not delivered and it’s important, not only am I angry but the recipient of my mailing is negatively impacted. Are you catching it? It’s important to deliver God’s mail. Be His love letter that’s how we blanket the world with love. To God be all the Glory! Zaibel Martinez/Communicatiors Director Brush
it off and Get up and walk
April 2009 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” Proverbs 11:2
Thank God my hands and arms were on my side and joined me in crawling to dry land. I have to say, although funny I didn’t like loosing control of “walking”. By the time I got to my desk, I had tears in my eyes more for frustration than pain. I know it sounds ridiculous but I was really angry at my feet. I felt they betrayed me and if I could I would replace them for making me victim to my enemy, black ice. But these are my only feet. Reflecting on my lack of control of my own feet, I can’t help but wonder how God feels about his? The church is representation of the Body of Christ, Christ being the head and “us” we represent various parts. And to my knowledge the church was perfect till we walked into it. So with that said I wonder how many times, the head made an intention to walk and the feet did not cooperate because they had fallen victim to the trap. I can tell you that when falling I worried about who was watching. That was my pride; I didn’t want to look like a fool. But I remember reading something CS Lewis once said, “Pride is the cancer that will rob us of our common sense”. This I can laugh at, but when it comes to my slips, falls, with scrapes and bruises in life, which I know was shameful, that’s not easy to laugh at. Pride doesn’t make it better, it makes it worse. So you fell down. No need to justify the fall, bring others down with you, or hide it. Everything done in the dark comes to the light anyway, so might as well be transparent. We all fall short of the glory, we all fall down, and we all struggle with various degrees of pride. And above all, we all need to take a lesson of humility. It’s not meant to break you, it’s meant to challenge you. Take you to the next level. Listen, if you went to God and he forgave you, under what authority does any other person have to tell you differently. Where were they when he created all? So tell yourself, like you tell a kid who fell down, “You can’t sit there forever, brush it off, get up and walk!” To God be all the Glory! Zaibel Martinez/Communications Director
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