30 Hour Famine

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply,

‘Truly I tell you,

whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:35-40

Hi beloved Friends.
Uth Nation (youth group I serve at) is joining with 30 Hour Famine and raising money to feed those starving and without hope. Our youth group will be feeding the kids in Haiti.

"Students around the world loving God and fighting hunger. It’s that simple. Every year, thousands of students unite to do the 30 Hour Famine. They learn about hunger - and then they do something about it. They raise funds. They experience hunger for themselves. Best of all? They help save lives."

The best part is that you can help!
Here are the easy to follow instructions:
1. Go to http://www.30hourfamine.org/
2. For more information before giving, go to the About (on the top left hand corner) or click here.
3. To make a donation of any amount go to Donate (on the top right hand corner) or click here.
    > click: Search for a student or group (Orange button) or click here.
    > Search me as : First name: Raquel // Last name: Rodriguez // group name: Uth Nation
4. Once you've clicked on my name a new page will open (this one) and on the bottom right hand corner it will say: Make a gift! <-----that's where you want to go.
5. From then on I'll let the Spirit of God lead you as you give, to the least of these.
    > A detailed description will be found on this page, explaining how each gift amount will bless these kids.

For the remainder of February and March we will be raising funds. It doesn't just stop there. 30 Hour Famine organizes exactly what its name is, a 30 hour fast. Our youth group will be hosting a lock-in at church for the kids in youth who have collected a minimum of $30. That night will include: educating the kids on famine/poverty/hunger, devotion time, games and more. We will be starving for food. So please, prayerfully consider joining this great cause.

Thank you for you help and spread the word!

Lyrical Friday - Cannons

Hi Friends.
After praying this morning for a Lyrical Friday song, this song began to play in my mind. So much so, that I have not been able to sing any other. God definitely wants you to listen to the lyrics, meditate on them and worship Him. Phil Wickham is one of my favorite worshippers. I was blessed to hear Phil live this past January. Cannons is up there in my favorites written by him.

Praying that as you sit and take in these lyrics, that your heart would be humbled before the majesty of our Lord. May you break forth in song and praise our Lord.

Cannons, Phil Wickham

hey there

This has been a busy week for me.
Very quickly, in the 30 minutes I have of lunch I wanted to bring a little encouragement and homework to you.

It seems as if I've been studying the book of Isaiah since the day I was born (OK, so I exaggerate). It's taken me quite some time. The Lord has spoken love, conviction and hope into my life through this long journey in the fields of Isaiah. This week I read a verse in chapter 63 that moved me.

In all their affliction He was afflicted,

and the Angel of His Presence saved them;

in His love and in His pity He redeemed them;

and He bore them and carried them

all the days of old. (verse 9)

Studying God's word verse by verse is great. You gain so much wisdom, truth and revelation. Any who, as I studied this one verse I broke down. God, creator of Heaven and Earth, is afflicted with our affliction. But such affliction is not what you and I would in other words call suffering. The affliction found is this verse is the affliction caused by continual (persistent, ceaseless, frequent and around-the-clock) rebellion.

Forgive me Lord for feeding my flesh and grieving you.
It makes me sick to my stomach to know that I, one of God's favored child, could cause Him such pain. Made me stop and reflect on my walk. Is their a continual sin in my life causing God to be afflicted? Holy Spirit reveal any wicked way within me and lead me in the way of everlasting.

But I praise Him as well. Oh to know the love of Christ, that in the midst of our disgusting sin, He saves us, loves us and redeems us. His love never fails. 

Now for Homework.
I spoke with the sweetest elderly lady today. Her name is Cheryl.
She is sick with bronchitis and overwhelmed with some family issues.
She is need of our prayers. Please pray for her.

That's all from me today. God bless you my friends.

greetings from Sunny South Florida this week. 

Lyrical Friday - Day and Night

Hi friends.
This past December Sarah Kelly led worship for our Ladies Christmas breakfast for church. She is anointed! Even before she began to worship, the Holy Spirit fell upon that room in a real and powerful way. All she had said at that point was that she loved being with God's girls. Yea, I began to cry at that point. Between worship songs Sarah shared bits and pieces of her story. Birthed during one of her darkest times was this song: Day and Night. I pray that El Roi, the God you sees you, may minister hope, peace and comfort as He did to Sarah when she wrote these lyrics.

Day and Night, Sarah Kelly

Flames from James

If any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God,
who gives to all liberally and without reproach,
and it will be given to him. James 1:5

morning bliss

Hi Friends.
This morning I woke up rather early to drive my cousin to school. After dropping her off, I drove to a near by Starbucks with my Bible and Elisabeth Elliot... OK, she wasn't in the car with me but two of her books were.

As I read through my daily reading, I happened upon Isaiah 66:13: "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you..." We have the God of all comforts on our side. The Lord, God Almighty, will comfort you. I pray that you may find hope, peace and comfort in this wonderful verse.

Something about me that you need to know: I love people watching, it's not as bad as stalking- I watch, I don't follow, lol. Just a few feet away from me sat a father and daughter. They were lovely. They talked, laughed and even sat in silence. You didn't have to be Captain Obvious to notice that they both enjoyed each others presence. As they talked, they never took their eyes off each other. It was beautiful.

I was reminded that our Father God enjoys conversation with me... and it's not a one way, it's a two way.
God enjoys listening to me. God enjoys listening to you!
God enjoys speaking to me. God enjoys speaking to you!
God enjoys fellowship with me. God enjoys fellowship with you!


The creepy-peeping-tomasa in me couldn't hold back and I took a picture of them:

I tried real hard to catch them laughing. Oh well...

his name is Rudy.

We were about 12 people driving south bound from Merrit Island to Miami.

Someone, I don't know who, made an executive decision to get off at West Palm Beach and stop for food.

When we arrived at Chillis everyone else went in. But I sat outside on a bench talking on my phone. As soon as my conversation ended, I looked up and a very petite man was standing before me.

"Excuse, do you speak Spanish?" he asked in a very broken English.
"Si Señor." I replied.
"Pordone la molestia. Necesito tomar el auto bus y no tengo un $1.50. Seria posible que me regalara esa cantidad?" (Translation: Sorry to bother you. I need to ride the bus but don't have a $1.50. Would it be possible that you could give me that amount?) He asked me. His eyes looked weary.

A beautiful dialogue continued on in Spanish.

His name is Rudy.
He isn't married.
Has no children.
He works the field.
Probably lives in a space to small to call a walk in closet.
He was in the shopping center that day soliciting work in the parking lot, willing to do odd jobs to make ends meet.

Among the things we talked about, Rudy shared with me that due to the cold front that South Florida has been experiencing, He has lost his job as a field worker. The crops have gone to waste, and with this loss, the peace and hope of many migrant workers. He shared with me the struggles that most of His friends, who do have a wife and family, are going through. He looked away from me, and said that He was most likely going to lose the place He slept at.

For those of you who don't know me, If I see the slightest crack to speak to someone about my God, I will drive a freight train through that door. I called for my friend Ramon who was sitting inside Chillis. And so the glorious Gospel went out. It was beautiful as we talked with Him. I sat back and prayed for the Holy Spirit to speak through Ramon. He sure did. Rudy prayed with us and asked Jesus into His life.

While Ramon was talking, Rudy listening and I sat on the bench praying, God prompted my heart to collect money. I sent a text to my friends and they put money together. Not just that, one of the guys had a brown paper bag carrying a sandwich, an apple, a bag of chips and a bottle of water. How we had that bag of food is another great story. I will never forget how his eyes watered up as I handed him the paper bag. "Lo que hay aqui no viene de nosotros, es un regalo de Dios." (What's inside this bag does is not from us, but it is a gift from God.) I told him.

Rudy thought his need was only for a $1.50 and He found more than that.
He is now a brother in the Lord.
He now knows His Savior.
He now knows that He is not forgotten.
He now knows that God is his provider.
He now knows that God is intimately acquainted with all his ways, all his needs and worries

Please keep Rudy in prayer.
Unfortunately, He didn't have a phone or cell phone to follow up with Him.
He was also too embarrassed to give us the address to mail Him a Bible.
But Ramon did give Rudy his number. I pray He calls Ramon soon.

10:10 new life & Lyrical Friday

Happy Friday!

Today I will conclude the John 10:10 "mini-series" with a Lyrical Friday mix.

If youi want to catch up just click on: 1, 2 or 3.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

As I shared before, this verse is quite common to me. Let put it in shopping terms, it's that store that you know of, you've seen it, you may even know people who shop there. But because you yourself have never gone inside and checked it out, its "whatever" to you. So one happy day, you decide to check it out. All of a sudden you ask yourself, "Why haven't I been here before?!?!?" The store is absoultely amazing. Well my friends, that has been my experience with this verse.

God has been speaking to me many things.
I have both believed and fed myself lies. These lies have robbed me from living the abudnant life.
Lies that I am not worth it.
Lies that I am not wanted.
Lies that I am good for nothing.
Lies that the Lord doesn't want me.
Lies that I am stupid.
Lies that I am foolish.
Lies, lies, lies.
Jesus has come to give me life. He is the way, the truth and the life.

The thoughts of past mistakes and regrets come to mind and guilt resurfaces. If I dwell on the guilt, it kills the abundant life.
Guilt of not speaking up
Guilt of something said
Guilt of not defending myself.
Guilt of not defending someone
Guilt of not having done something
Guilt of having done something
Guilt, guilt, guilt.
Jesus has come to give me life. There is therefore no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.

Fear has played a major role in destroying the abundant life that God has for me.
Fear of failure.
Fear of returning to old habits.
Fear of rejection.
Fear of the unkown.
Fear of inadequacy.
Fear of disappointing the Lord
Fear of being made whole.
Fear, fear, fear.
Jesus has come to give me life. Perfect love cast out fear.

Don't be fooled, for I am not. The life Jesus offers is all things lovely BUT it's not an easy one. Luke 9:23, "If anyone desires to come after me after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross daily and follow me. Deny myself? A cross? Say what!? Yes my friends, the Christian walk is a life of daily sacrificing but when compared to riches and glories found in the life Jesus offers, this world, my desires are dim and of little worth. Lord, I am yours to take. I want to live the abundant life you have for me. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ in me.


My one word for 2011 is Life.
I ready to live the abundant life.
The past will not be an anchor in my life but rather a spring board.
Letting go of the past and moving forward into all God has for me.
I am only one person, but I can do something, great things, mighty things, all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. 


Lyrical Friday- Jimmy Needham, Yours to Take