Birthday Surprise. It's Kim!

Hey! Today's post comes from the very lively and enthusiastic Kim. If you need someone to get things done, she is your go to girl. Charisma, charm, and ambition best describe her. Praying you may be blessed, encouraged and equipped through this lovely birthday surprise! Go on, read!
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[photo credit]

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I will love you for you have loved  /  I will forgive as You forgive  /  Your love prevails  /  You fill my life with hope again. -Love Knows No End, Hillsong Live

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How great that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us despite of who we are. His son died for us and paid a debt which was not His own. I call this: Priceless Cause. Priceless, in that a debt was paid in a way that repayment could never be sufficient. His cause is humanity, His creation. 

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"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

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God's love for us is never failing. His love is limitless. And though His is more than we could ever as for, our hearts are never fully satisfied in Him. 

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"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

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One way of guarding our hearts is by loving others as Christ has loved us. At times it will be easy to love other. But Christ calls us to be doers of His Word; this includes loving all, even the unlovable (regardless of their condition). 

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We should live to seek the broken and the lost. Through love we can help mend them to be the individuals God has created them to be. We too have been called to a priceless cause. 

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"I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." Ezekiel 34:16

Saturday's story

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:12-13

These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:17

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

Let brotherly love continue. Hebrews 13:1

Above all things have fervent love for one another, 

for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

Dear friends, you are about to watch Saturday's story. A real story that brings all of the above verses to life. I pray that you may understand how love can change everything. God's love is powerful and He wants to manifest it to the world through you and me. 

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 1 Peter 2:17

Your act of love can be the game changer for someone today. 

*shout out to Shessy Pacheco soon to be Moreno! 

Lyrical Friday - Tear Down The Walls

As a Christian, it the desire of my heart to see all my loved ones walking in the ways of the Lord. I want for them to experience peace, love and joy. I want them to know the power of Christ in their lives and to share in the grace that has been so abundantly given to me. I want so much for them, yet they refuse it.

Out of all the unsaved people that I know, there is one in particular that has brought me to my knees year after year praying for His salvation. We will call him Bob. Being the straight forward gal that I am and battling years of foot in mouth disease, I thought it wise and prudent to always point out to Bob all his shortcomings and his faults. I thought that in doing so I was right. After all, in order to HELP Bob see his need of a savior, I needed to point out the sin in his life. Wrong! This is a common mistakes that Christians make unconsciously.

God graciously opened my eyes to error of my ways and used this song by Hillsong United to lead me in the way of His love. He helped me understand that I am not to play the role of the Holy Spirit in Bob's life, or any one else for that matter. He revealed to me that Bob was aware of his own shortcomings and unhappiness and I didn't need to keep reminding him of them (kicking the horse while its already dead). Faithful as God is, He forgave me for my mishandling of this situation and He tore down the walls in my heart. He has sown the fruits of His Spirit in my life and given me a new tactic: let love tear down the walls, not your condemnation.

Beloved reader, it is my prayer for you this day that you be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. May all the fruits of His precious Spirit be sown in your life and bear much fruit, good fruit, fruitful fruit. Heavenly Father I pray that the out pour of Your Holy Spirit be evident in their out pour of Your fruits from their lives to all others. May Your love tear down the walls in their lives and tear down the walls of all those around them who do not know You, Jesus, as their Lord and Savior. And when they don't see evidence of their love transforming their lives, let hope and faith arise, for they do not need to see it to believe it. Your Name is glorious. Your love is changing us, calling us, to worship in spirit and in truth, as all creation returns to You. It is in your name Father, Son and Holy Spirit that I pray. Amen. 
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Tear Down The Walls, Hillsong United

Flames from James

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. 
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If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. 

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So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? James 4:11-12

Lyrical Friday - Lover of Ashes

Behold, I will allure her, will bring her into t
he the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the valley of trouble into a gateway of hope. She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. Hosea 2:14-15 
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Do not look upon me because I am dark— the sun has darkened my skin. My brother’s were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept. Song of Solomon 1:6 
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You are altogether beautiful, my love, and there is no spot in you. Song of Solomon 4:7 
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Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through Christ. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. Colossians 1:22 
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There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

God has called you His own, His prized possession, the apple of His eye, His beloved. He loves you, all of You! And though you may think you are not worth it, God says you are. Though you may see yourself as junk, a pile of useless ashes, God sees you in His glorious splendor. He is a lover of ashes and can make all things new! Ask God to help you see yourself not through the lenses of this world, but through the lenses of Heaven.

Lover of Ashes, JJ Heller


Simple voice talk to me in simple words
Gentle wind come sing to me the songs that I know
Come to me and hold my heart inside of me
Come and see
Come and see in me

Oh lover of ashes
Be patient with me
My filthy complexion is all that I see
But up from these ashes a beauty will rise
The pride of her father
Though humble in size

Perfect love
Fill my soul with melody
Perfect words of perfect peace
I will breathe, I will sing
I will breathe, I will sing

a bit broken and anxious

Hi Friends.
So happy to be writing to you. I pray that you may be found resting, hoping and rejoicing in God's Word.

My heart is heavy, a bit broken and anxious- all for righteousness sake. The lack of love and compassion among Christians is sad. There seems to be more judgment than grace. I by no means intend on pointing a finger and not have three pointing back at me, I fall short too.






God is Holy.
God is Perfection.
God is Blameless & Spotless.
God is Creator, Maker, Author & Giver.
God is Beauty.
God is Light.
God is Life.
God is Deliver.
God is Liberator.
God is Freedom.
God is Father.
God is Spirit.
God is Son.
God is Just.
God is Judge.
God is Hope.
God is Love.
God is Mercy.
God is Grace.
God is Forgiving.
God is Compassionate.
God is Relentless.
God is what we are not.

I encourage you to be as Christ-like as you can be.
May we be known not for what we are against, but for what we believe. We aren't here to point out someone's sins (believe me they are very well aware of them) but rather, we are here to point them to Jesus. Let's not continue oppressing the hopeless or weak with our so-called "Christianity" and self-righteousness. On the contrary, let's abide continually with the Lord Jesus, so that the fruits of His Holy Spirit may be sown in us and flow through us to those who are poor in spirit. May the Love we have placed our faith in, be the Lord that transcends all sin.
Read this awesome testimony, click HERE.

What God has cleansed you must not call unclean. Acts 10:15

a chair experience with Ruth

Years back a wonderful friend shared with me something very personal... of course I'm going to share it with you! It's too good to keep to myself. My beloved friend had a submission problem. As hard as she tried to submit to her husband and respect him, she just couldn't. She would throw tantrums, argue, talk back, do the opposite of what he desired and well... you know how that goes. Both were strong willed and bumped heads all day long. But something began to change with the help of a chair. Yes, a chair.

You see, my Friend took for herself a child size chair that belonged to one of her children and kept it in her small closet. Every time she disagreed with her husband on any matter or was in a heated argument she would go to her closet, sit on the small chair and talk to God. It was in those chair moments that she would vent, she would pray, she would cry. Most important, it was in those chair moments that God revealed to her the condition of her heart, he would speak correction, redirection, comfort and hope to her. Her marriage began to be transformed by these chair experiences with God. Ever since she shared this with me, I go to God for chair moments. Not in the darkness of a closet but wherever, whenever.

Today I want to share a chair experience with you and with Ruth. I pray that the Lord would reveal the condition of our heart. May He speak correction, redirection, comfort and hope.

Ruth 1:16-17 “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

Let's break this down (click one verses):
"Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go"
Are you willing to cling to Jesus and follow Him wherever He may go? Are you willing to leave family, friends, career, possessions, pleasures to follow Jesus? [Luke9:23]

"wherever you live, I will live"
Have you chosen to make your home the center of God's will for your life, or is your home the center of your will for your life? Are you content where God has you? [Matthew 6:33]

"Your people will be my people"
Are God's people your people? Do you love all of God's people, or only the ones you choose to love? [John13:35 Romans 12:9-21]

"your God will be my God"
Is God, Lord over all and every area of your life? Or are your own god? Are your possessions/career/education your gods? Has someone taken the place of God in your life? Are you willing to give up these gods? [Hosea 2:14-23 Matthew 6:19-21]

"Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried"
Are you willing to die to yourself as Christ died to himself for you? [Galatians 2:20]

"May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Are you fully committed to God? Have you ever made a lasting commitment to God? [Psalm 56:12-13]

Thus, many have a value and affection for Christ, yet come short of salvation by him, because they will not forsake other things for him. They love him, yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better. -Matthew Henry

Let us not love anything more than we love Jesus. Just as Ruth clung to Naomi and vowed, may we cling to our Lord and say: I will not leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and You will be my God. As you have died, I will die, and there I will be buried. As You have risen, so will I rise with you. May You punish me severely if I allow anything to separate us!

Lyrical Friday - Love Song

Hi dear friends. Happy Friday. Our song for this week comes from one of my favorite Christian bands: Third Day. Today's song is a very special one to me. I don't know about you but when I ponder and truly meditate on God's love for me, I can't grasp it. His love is infinite, He is limitless and divine... My love is conditional, I am limited and rubbish. But God does not see junk when He sees us. In Christ, God sees us as we will be, not as we are! He has done everything to be with me. He has done everything to be with you.

My prayer is that these lyrics will echo to you His love for days, years and eternity to come. "May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." Ephesians 3:18

“You asked for a loving God: you have one. The great spirit you so lightly invoked, the ‘lord of terrible aspect,’ is present: not a senile benevolence that drowsily wishes you to be happy in your own way, not the cold philanthropy of a conscientious magistrate, nor the care of a host who feels responsible for the comfort of his guest...s, but the consuming fire Himself, the Love that made the worlds, persistent as the artist’s love for his work and despotic as a man’s love for a dog, provident and venerable as a father’s love for a child, jealous, inexorable, exacting as love between sexes.” - C. S. Lewis

Love Song, Thrid Day


I've heard it said that a man would climb a mountain
Just to be with the one he loves.
How many times has he broken that promise
It has never been done.
I've never climbed the highest mountain,
But I walked the hill of Calvary.

Just to be with you, I will do anything
There's no price I would not pay no
Just to be with you, I would give everything
I would give my life away.

I've heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
All of those dreams are an empty motion.
It can never be done.
I've never swam the deepest ocean,
But I walked upon the raging sea.

I know that you don't understand
the fullness of My love.
How I died upon the cross for your sins.
And I know that you don't realize
how much that I give you
But I promise, I would do it all again.

Loving the Unlovely

Hola.
I've been quite sick these past few days. Slowly recovering from a nasty virus.
I wish I had great insight to share with you or even a wonderful story. But I don't. This virus had me shut down. So dear friends, this post comes not from me but from Nichol Naranjo from She Ministries.

Loving the Unlovely
Written by: Nichol Naranjo

Growing up I had two women in my life that filled the role of the grandmother I didn't have. I'm thankful for them both, and learned many things simply by watching them.

One of these women was very dominant, opinionated, independent, and unstoppable. By many, she would be considered a "strong" woman. She lived a life of hurt and heartache, and sought to please no one. Her opinions could be heard a mile away.

The second woman I grew up with was quite the opposite. She was quiet, kind, the most selfless woman I know. She lived to serve others. By many, she would be considered a "weak" woman. She also lived a life of hurt and heartache, sharing her home with an abusive husband.

The difference in these two women is that the latter loved God so much that all she could do was love, even her cruel husband.

As a little girl, I thought of the gentle, quiet-spirited one as a woman of weakness. It frustrated me that she loved and served her husband when he could be so mean. He didn't notice her servant's heart. But God did. It wasn't until I became an adult that I realized the woman of quiet words yet loud actions of love was actually the stronger of the two. You see, she drew her strength from the Lord and she died to herself daily. Her husband later asked her forgiveness on his death bed and accepted Christ. She loved him till the very end. Today, her face still radiates His love, joy, and peace.

She lived out 1 Peter 3:1-4: And because of that today, her children call her blessed.

To: All // From: Paul

Owe no one anything except to love one another,  

for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

my heart cries out

"My heart cries out over Moab..." Isaiah 15:5

Hi my Friend.

As I have shared with you a few post back, I am reading the book of Isaiah. Yesterday as I read this verse, I paused and meditated on them. “My heart cries out for Moab…” The intensity of these words provoked me to search my own heart and question myself. Do I cry out for those whom I despise? When someone I am not particularly fond of is hurting, do I cry out for them? Or even with them? Am I allowing compassion, long suffering and kindness to have its way in me and through me?

In our lives there will be people who will curse the name of the Lord; will you cry out for them? There may be people in your life today who you disagree with their lifestyle; will you cry out for them? Jesus himself said that we will be hated and persecuted; will you cry out for those who hate and persecute you? You may have been hurt in the past (that person will be judged before the throne of God for that) and wounded deeply; will you cry out to God for that person?

This morning I read Romans 12:14-15:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

I love this scripture, especially the part that encourages us to mourn with those who mourn. This weekend God vividly painted a beautiful picture of this verse. Saturday was a day of chaos for my family. As I was at church one of my friends called out my name. I turned around and as a soon as I saw her I began to sob uncontrollably. As I walked towards her, it was as if I was walking into the arms of Jesus. [Here comes the beautiful picture] She held me as I cried and I she was crying with me. I could not understand why she was crying. It wasn’t her family that was going through a storm of trials. This verse came to mind, “mourn with those who mourn.” Jesus may I be a woman who mourns with those who mourn.

“My heart cries out for Moab…”
Is there someone around you that is going through a trial, a loss, a time of confusion or is simply being broken before the Lord… cry with them, pray with them and may the God of comfort speak words of life through you.

I pray that we would be a people who are compassionate, abounding in love and crying out for everyone- enemies included.

college & career group

Flee also youthful lusts;

but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace

with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22

As I have shared with you all a few days ago, the Lord has been answering prayers, doing new things and He has me in the middle of it all. I will share a little bit of that today. A month ago I met at a local Starbucks with friends, acquaintances and strangers. We all shared our testimonies and then headed to my home for a lovely time of worship. That night a lot of things began to make sense and fall into place. It was as if God was finally removing the blindfold and I was able to see why He had me waiting on blind faith.

For quite some time I (along with many others) had been praying for a College & Career group (C&C) to start at my home church. Mainly my prayer was for God to rise up godly men with the calling and anointing for this ministry need. It took sometime, but God answered. That night at Starbucks I was filled with joy to see the fervent love and zeal that these men have for my Jesus. That night my prayer changed to praise with thanksgiving.

I had been praying waiting (for what seemed like eternity) on God’s call to rise and spring forth. He promised a road in the wilderness and a river in the desert. Up until the Starbucks night I thought the Lord was going to send me out to do long term mission’s work but I didn’t have peace and felt the Lord telling me not now. That night I prayed for God to confirm to me if C&C is where He wanted me until He called me out to a new adventure. Immediately He spoke and confirmed.

So let’s fast forward now a month later… The guys that God has called to this ministry are the real deal- prayer warriors; saturated in the Holy Spirit and gleaning in God’s word daily… they love God and love people. As I taste and see the Lord’s goodness I am truly humbled by His faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:22 has taken a new meaning. I am a witness to a group of young men and young women who hunger and thirst for more of God’s Word. Week after week more people come, to the point that we have outgrown my home.

My heart is overwhelmed and excited with all that the Lord is doing through four people who are head over heels in love with God. I am stoked for what He has yet to do. We have amazing Pastors that are so helpful, loving, patient and encouraging. I have to be honest with you, when I take a step back and look at the people He has chosen for this task I can’t help but laugh, mostly at myself! He definitely chooses the foolish things of this world, lol- that’s how we know that this is not by our strength, by wit or charm but ONLY by His precious, glorious, holy and majestic Spirit.

Keep us in prayer and as the days, weeks, months roll by I will keep you posted.

These aren't current pictures.

my friends that call on the Lord out of pure hearts :-)

Busted

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. -Acts 10:28

Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism." -Acts 10:34

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. -Acts 10:44

Hello my lovely readers.
The Lord has me reading the book of Acts. It's a great book, filled with little treasures. I refer to this book as a Jewelry Shop, so many valuables are found in it. In chapter 10, I came across a very precious stone. In a summary (though I really wish you would read it for yourself), in a vision God tells Peter to not call unclean that which He has made clean (verse 15). God leads Peter, in a very cool way, to Caesarea. It is there that through Peter the Gentiles hear the good news and recieve the Holy Spirit too.

As I read this precious jewel of a story I heard a sweet voice name a specific person to my heart, we'll call her Jenna.

"Lord why do you bring her up?" I asked Him.
He answered, "I have made her clean, why do you contiue to treat her as if
she was unclean?"

BUSTED!!! I felt like curling up in a ball, in a desperate attemp to hide from the Lord. It had never hit me that I was being judgemental and bitter towards someone whom I considered to be unworthy, unclean and dirty. I had failed the Lord once again. I was confronted with my sin and asked the Lord for boldness and courage to picked up the phone and call Jenna. During that phone call I opened up, confessed and asked for her forgiveness. I was so broken. She was loving, forgiving, humble and meek. The Lord did restore our relationship.

So, who is your Jenna? Is there someone in your life whom you have labeled unclean? Or have you labeled a stranger as unworthy? Christ died for all, equally. Peter in this chapter makes mention that God shows no partiality, so why should we? That lady that really gets to your nerves needs to be shown grace, mercy and love. The individual that hurt you so deeply needs to see Christ vivdly through you. The lady in the corner, she needs to know that God does care for her. That other religion and culture is dying because we are too angry or scared to approach them, and love them courageously. Whether it be the tattoo covered person, the homeless, the lady in the grocery line, the guy who just hit your car or your friendly neighbor, they all need to know Jesus. I know that some people make it real hard to love them, trust me I know, but I also know that we can do all things through Christ who strenthens us (Philippians 1:6). And as for that stranger that you feel you can't approach, 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that He [God] has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power (yeah!), love (I recieve it!) and a sound mind (I need it!).

I challenge you, to not call unclean that which God died to make clean. Be quick to love. Be quick to talk about Jesus. And if you are holding a grudge, set yourself free by forgiving that person and if led by the Lord ask that person to forgive you too. Remember the Gentiles of Caesarea, who came to salvation because Peter chose to look beyond the earthly.
Who can you love today?
Who can you share Jesus with?