birthday surprise! It's Priscilla.

Happy Tuesday!
Summer of 2007 I had the privilege of traveling oversees, where I met Priscilla. It was so refreshing and sweet to meet a kindred spirit so far from home. As you will read a little more, from Priscilla herself, her upbringing is reflected in her life today: she loves the word of God, she loves God and she loves His people. How can you go wrong with that combo?! Friends, you will be blessed and encouraged by this post!

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A Huge Leap of Faith

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A little over four years ago, I began a relationship with a man who would turn my whole life upside down. I prayed, the Lord gave me peace, and I took a leap of faith. A leap that would change my life completely.

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A little background on myself, I grew up in a Christian home in Palestine, got saved when I was four, and have seen the hand of Lord work miraculously in my life since as far back as I can remember. I have God fearing parents who taught me and my brothers the Word of God. My Dad is a Pastor and he and my Mom taught us to put all our trust in the Lord and to live by faith. 

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Pedro and I were a just a few months away from getting married and we had no place to live. People kept asking me, “So, where are you going to live when you get married, Miami, Bethlehem, Jerusalem?” My answer was a simple “Don’t know, not worried.” My friends and extended family thought I was insane! Not only was I marrying a Dominican from America but I also had no idea where I was going to live. 

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Three months before getting married, I visited Miami to meet Pedro’s family and to visit the church that he attended and worked at. Before I came to Miami I asked the Lord to give me wisdom and to fill my heart with love or hate towards the church I was visiting and towards the place I would potentially call home. I also asked for peace and clarity, I didn’t want to have an ounce of doubt in my mind. I visited CCk and absolutely fell in love! I called my parents right away and told them how awesome the church was, how people are so friendly, how Hispanic culture is very similar to Arab culture, and that I would most likely fit right in. 

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I went back to Bethlehem and it was full on wedding planning mode from then, still not sure of where we would live but I knew that no matter where the Lord wanted us to be, I had peace, perfect peace and no matter what I was ready to take a leap of faith. At this point, it was either me leaving my family and moving or Pedro leaving his family and moving.

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Two months before we got married, I received a text from Pedro letting me know that after much praying our post marriage location had been decided and that we were moving to Miami. I knew I had to obey my future husband who the Lord placed in my life. So many emotions, so many thoughts ran through my mind at this point. I had two months to enjoy my family, plan a wedding, and pack. It hurt! I knew I was going to be loved, I knew I had a good church, and I knew that Pedro’s family would take me in as their own but it still hurt. I told my parents the news about the move and they were devastated but knew that God had a plan for me. A few weeks later my Dad had a heart attack, I blamed myself, I had broken his heart. His only daughter was moving to the other side of the world. 

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I was feeling bittersweet as my Daddy walked me down the aisle on my wedding day, my heart was aching but it was also overjoyed. It ached because I knew I was leaving my friends, my family and my life behind. Overjoyed because I was marrying the perfect man for me, starting a new life, making new friends, and gaining a family. After only being married for two weeks, my two bags were packed, I had said my goodbye’s and I was on a plane with my new husband to Miami- my mission field. 

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We’ve now been married for a little over 3 years and I serve at the best church on the planet with the greatest kids in the world. The ministry that the Lord placed me in, the one He had planned for me, is so rewarding and just to think that I could have missed out on all of it if I hadn’t taken that leap of faith, the leap that changed my life. It took me a few months to fully adjust to my new home and to get over my homesickness but now I don’t see myself anywhere else other than here, well until the Lord tells us to move again. Until then, I enjoy living in the perfect will of God; my Dad always says, “The best place to be, is where the Lord wants you to be” and this is so true.

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I encourage you to take a leap of faith at least once in your life, a leap so great, your life will change for the better. Dive in head first and trust that the Lord, the God that made you, has everything under control and His plans are better than yours, I did and I don’t regret it one bit!

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“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you and give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

birthday surprise! It's Marilyn.

Happy Monday! 
Today's post comes from Marilyn. In short, Marilyn is an anointed worship leader, fabulous cosmetologist, and a wonderful example of godliness. Yup, she's a diamond in the ruff and I am blessed to call her friend. May the Lord bless you and speak wisdom into your life through one of my favorite passages and this encouraging post. 

It’s never to late!

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 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

This passage is known to many as "one of the most beautiful statements of commitment in History".  It is known as such not only because it was said from Ruth to Naomi (widowed and had lost her sons, one being Ruth's husband), but also because Ruth made this commitment to God. She spoke this covenant at a time where anyone else would have thrown the towel in. After much hardship and tragedy in her life, Ruth was left with nothing but her bitter mother-in-law and a sister-in-law who decided to go back to the land of Moab, which was her home.

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I think most, if not all of us, know the story of Naomi and Ruth, which, as I mentioned previously, had lost their spouses. Ruth followed Naomi to Bethlehem where she met Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's husband and a man of great wealth. Boaz found favor in Ruth and was able to redeem Ruth as his wife after receiving a property settlement that Naomi had sold. Only after a relative who was next in line to possess the property chose to not redeem it because it required marrying Ruth. Long story short, Ruth and Boaz married and conceived Obed who was the father of Jesse, who was the Father of David, who was one of the greatest kings of Israel, writer of the Psalms, etc.

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While going through this story and asking God for guidance in this post, one thing became evident to me: It's Never Too Late, everything is In God's Time! In looking back to the things we've gone through, we notice that we may have grown sad or bitter. It may be the very thing we are going through at this moment that causes us to panic, because there's a burden that has come along with it and doesn't allow us to leave this situation completely in God's hands. The good news is that the same God that was with Naomi and Ruth in their "desert time" is here with us, ready to give the best of what He has prepared for us, His children. All He asks is that we believe in our hearts and minds as stated in Jeremiah 29:11-13

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For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

I emphasize on this point today because sometimes we only put those "burdens" in a back burner. We try to move on in life, even to the point of “doing things for God” without having completely surrendered. We see those same things brought to our "attention" again in the most random moments that cause us to lose focus on what's most important in life: our constant devotion to God, who brings us all the things that will EVER matter in life,  
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But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

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Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this. Psalm 37:4-5

In reading verses 16 & 17 of Ruth 1, I can almost imagine Ruth wiping her tears and taking a deep breath knowing that she had to let go of all that she once knew. She made a choice to put all her trust and faith in God as she spoke those words out loud! There's nothing too hard for God, AT ALL. I encourage you to take some quiet time to meditate and empty yourself wholly to God. In that complete intimacy He will fill you with all that He has. As you go day by day living proactively for Him you will never need look back in regret and instead look forward with a cheerful heart.

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birthday surprise! It's Melissa.

Happy Friday! 

Today's guest writer is a wonderful woman by the name of Melissa. She is lovely, graceful, and radiates the glory of God. From observing Melissa's life, anyone can see that she is madly in love with Jesus <--- that is her best quality. Without further ado, read on, be blessed, be encouraged and be that lily among thorns. 

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Sticks and Stones – a Lesson in Meekness

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One of my all-time favorite movies is You’ve Got Mail. There’s one specific scene that is engrained in my memory because I identify with it so well. Meg Ryan, who is justified in her dislike for Tom Hanks, insults him in a most poetic way. With a stunned look on her face she tells him, “I just had a breakthrough, and I have you to thank for it. For the first time in my life, when confronted with a horrible, insensitive person, I knew exactly what I wanted to say and I said it.” I think everyone can identify with that feeling of satisfaction in having the last word, or getting your point across even if it was a little harsh. We go through that battle within our conscience of trying to defend ourselves by claiming we were simply speaking the truth. I’ll be honest, that game has gotten me in trouble more than once.

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Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. That’s a pretty bold statement, and rightfully so.  Words can make or break a person; they can aid in determining whether he or she will become another statistic or a transformed life. As children we learn that ridiculous adage, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Anyone who survived the 5^th grade has probably realized that the old “sticks and stones” bit is nothing more than a vain repetition with which we try to conceal the pain caused by someone else’s words.

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Matthew 5 is one of the most famous passages in all of scripture – Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes have been drilled in my head from an early age – “Blessed are the… for they shall…”. I’m embarrassed to admit that it wasn’t until the past few years that I actually decided to look up what the word “meek” meant. I had heard it hundreds of times and never given it much thought. My study bible clarified that the word does not denote weakness, but rather controlled strength – as in holding back when you could do something. Meekness also requires wisdom and humility. “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” Proverbs 17:27

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James 1:26 alludes to meekness; it reads, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” So when we’re faced with the choice to hold back or open the floodgates of brutal honesty and emotional blabber , unless we learn to control ourselves, our religion is useless. Next time you’re in the heat of an argument, or you just can’t wait to give someone a piece of your mind, turn your eyes upon Jesus, the ultimate example of meekness and humility. Remember we must try to see them through His eyes and allow that to filter our words.

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Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6

birthday surprise! It's Cindy.

Hi Friends!
I pray and hope that the birthday series has been a great blessing to you. This week I have been so encouraged by all the wonderful and wise words we have received. Today will be no different. Cindy is my younger cousin/ little sister/ friend / fellow youth leader / and at times, my daughter. The Lord has done a remarkable work in her life. With great joy, I share this post with you. God bless you.

Most of my life I lived in fear. Fear of people, fear of failure, fear of being alone- the list would go on and on. It got to the point that I would do what I feared in order to seem that nothing was wrong (I feared showing my emotions as well). All of these irrational fears that kept me from living my life were nothing compared to the rational fear that I had of losing someone that I loved. This rational fear became reality when my Mother passed away in Spring 2010, the end of my junior year in High School. 

Prior to my Mother passing away, I remember worrying about my grades, worrying about the score that I would get on my SATs, whether I would get into a good college… It all seemed so important at that time. I grew up believing that that was all that life was about: going to school, achieving a degree, getting a good job, and then starting a family. It took losing my mom to realize that there was more to life than just being successful. It took losing my mom to realize that I had a choice to have a bigger purpose in life- to follow God and the plans that He has for me. 

I gave my life completely to God three months after she passed away. I knew I couldn’t handle life and all the things going on at home on my own anymore. I realized that God would be by my side to help me get through it, as long as I put my trust in Him. Not everything has been peachy since then but God has not failed to give me support in any of the trials that I have gone through. God has been faithful to guide me along the path that He has set before me and helped me to build my trust in Him, even though it was very hard for me to trust anyone else. 

I’m sure that you can relate to me in some way. Is there any fear that you have had for a long time that you have not been able to deal with on your own? I want to tell you that you don’t have to. You have a God that is way bigger than you, a God that already knows where your life is leading, and He will be there for you as long as you give Him the chance to be.

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“Cast your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.”

 1 Peter 5:7

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-7

birthday surprise! It's Anelle.

Happy Wednesday to you. 

Are you in for a treat or what! Last year, I asked my sister, Anelle, to be the closer for the birthday surprise series (read her post here) but this year she is one of our starters. My sister in three words is: wise, intelligent and God-fearing. So you know she has got a good word for us today. I am confident that God will bless you!

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“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27
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“Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor which I have always been eager to do.” Galatians 2:10
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“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25
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“If you continually give, you will continually have.” Fortune Cookie from Pei Wei
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I was going to write about circumcision. I was. On Sunday, I found this really great passage in Galatians 5 about freedom in Christ and about how anyone who tries to take us away from our freedom should go circumcise himself. It’s classic stuff. I was very excited about it. I was so excited that I decided to write about it for this blog, and I was going to share it in my teachers’ devotion at work, too. But, God had other plans. At school, I ended up reading from Psalm 25, and here I get to talk to you about a sort of project that God has undertaken in my life for the past year or so: Becoming a Generous Person.

When I say generous, I’m not talking just about giving to the needy. For whatever reason, I’ve always had a heart for the poor and for the orphaned. My issue is being generous with everyone else.  As we tried to figure out what I could write about (beside circumcision), my sister, Raquel, said, “don’t be afraid to be vulnerable” which didn’t make sense to me since generosity isn’t one of those things that you only talk about in same-gender meetings. I said that I could talk about what we’re doing in my class with World Vision. She pointed out that being generous isn’t just about sharing your stuff; being generous is also about sharing your time, sharing your gifts, sharing your space, sharing your service.  That hit home. I have a hard time sharing myself with others. As a sanguine-melancholic, I love people, but I love them at my convenience. Lately God has been pushing my limits in this area. He’s put me in a number of situations this past week alone where I have had to step out of my comfort zone and share my gasoline, my Saturday morning, my Tuesday afternoon, my Sunday night. He’s made me be generous with my affection, with my beauty sleep (!), with my money, with my ears, and every time He has paid me back. He’s paid me back with free coffee, free sushi, free ice-cream (free food is my love language), and with companionship. He’s allowed me to bond with people that I would have otherwise overlooked. He has given me His peace and His presence.

It’s my prayer that God may continue to stretch me in this area. What about you? Where do you stand when it comes to generosity? 

birthday surprise! It's Yesenia.

Happy Tuesday! 

I am so excited to introduce to you Yesenia. It's wonderful how you can know someone for a few months yet feel as if you have known them a lifetime... that is my relationship with her, kindred spirits. The Lord has built a beautiful friendship/sisterhood between us. I pray that you may be blessed abundantly with her post today. 

First  class forever

Whenever waiting in line we know how impatient we can become and start staring around in search for something that might entertain us. Never once did I think I would find myself being amused by a stamp while waiting at the post office. There wasn’t any special or cool design to this stamp that would make it stand out, in all actuality it was quite plain and dull.  But what caught my eye is that on the side of this stamp the word first class forever was written. My first thought when reading that was, “ I've never even flown first class.” 

As I continued to ponder on this little stamp, the sudden realization hit me that I've been missing the opportunity to fly first class, but not on a plane. You see, when you get on a plane the sole purpose is to get to a destination. Sometimes, the ride will consist of some turbulence along the way, leaving you a bit shaken and even afraid to ride a plane again. Though some of us have landing places we would like to travel to, the truth is, we all have a final destination. Reading that stamp made me realize that I have been given the opportunities to ride “first class” and I have missed out because I sold myself short and settled. In my relationship with God I have been guilty of settling for “economy seats,” if it meant that I’d still get to the grand destination called Heaven. 

Our God wants was it best for us; He doesn't want us to just get by. Life in itself isn't easy, because even those who ride “first class” will feel the turbulence. I rather get to my destination riding “first class “and living out Gods purpose then ever settling for “economy” in order to avoid discomfort. God will call us to do radical things that we can’t understand and He will take us out of our comfort zone, because His plans are bigger than ours. So next time God calls you to do something, step out on faith and let Him take control of the plane, and remember that God has given you “first class” and it may come with turbulence, but don't fear because you have the best captain ever.

 (Even the guy who landed the plane on the Hudson River ain"t got nothing on my God  )

birthday surprise! It's Sammantha.

Hi Dear Friends. 

Today's post comes from a very special woman. When I first met Samm (with two m's), her family was fairly new to our church. Her Parents were a bit hesitant when they arrived to youth group with their two young girls. It was a breeze of fresh air to meet a family who feared the Lord as the Word commands us to. As time flew by, I had the amazing opportunity of getting to know Sammantha and Corinne as dear friends and prayer sisters. I know that you will be blessed by her story and the message God has spoken through her. 

Aloha from Hawai'i!

Some of you may know me; I know a lot of you may not. My name is Samm, and I love Jesus.

Not much of an intro right? Well, if you think about it, that's a lot of information. From that statement, you and I could build an eternal bond. I'll tell you more about myself so you get where I'm coming from.

I just turned 20, I'm a semester away from getting my associates, and I live on the island of Oahu in Hawai'i. My dad is in the coast guard, so I'm a military brat. And yes, I'm still living in my parents’ house. One more thing, as a military family, we have only had to move once. From Homestead Florida, to Honolulu Hawai'i last year (and my dads been in the military for 20).

            

If you know anything about the military, you know that no move in 19 years is odd. God had a reason for that. You see, I was born and raised in a Christian family, but I didn't truly start walking with Jesus until about 3 years ago, when He moved us from a dead church to CCK. There I grew by leaps and bounds.

            Raquel took me under her wings and showed me what a godly woman looks like, as did Belkis, Michi, Dasha, Maky and dozens of others. These were a type of woman I had never seen before. They taught me how to read my bible, how to pray, how to encourage, how to love my sisters and myself.

            God also introduced me to Pastor Jose and Pastor Pedro. He put in my path Alex, Monica, Christina, Steven, Chris, Chris, Carrot Top, Jasmine, Pinito, Tiffany, Becca, Joey and a hundred others. They lifted me up, taught me what godly friends are supposed to be. They are my family. And whether they hear from me often or not, I'm always praying for them.

            If you ask them or the ladies who I consider my mentors, they'll simply point to Jesus. And they'll be 100% right; it was all Him. Feeding me, clothing me. Arming me. He taught me how to use my sword and to put on my helmet (Eph6:17).

            I don't know if you've ever moved before, but if you have and it’s been far enough away, you know what it's like to start over. That alien feeling could last anywhere from a week to a month or three. I'm not trying to belittle anyone's experiences; I understand that my life compared to others' has been cake. I just want to share what God has asked me to.

            So, my first move, and it's to another state, wait, past several time zones and half of an ocean, in a different hemisphere. And that's exactly how it felt.

            When I said my goodbyes and got on that plane, I couldn't help myself. I was angry at God. I thought "You took me from that dead place, to a home that’s alive. I felt you there, every time I walked in through the doors. You were in the congregation, in the greeters and volunteers; you were in the worship, the leaders and the pastors. You were there and I felt you. You showed me what I could be; like those godly women. You showed me how much I could love those people that aren't even physically related to me. What are You doing?! You're tearing me from them! I don't want to leave! Who cares if I'm going to 'paradise,' I want to stay where I feel You, where I feel loved."

            Can you imagine my audacity? How could I, a mere human, berate the Most High God? I was angry. I was hurt. Mostly, I felt so alone.

            I walked onto this island with the mentality of "This will never be my home." I thought, "The believers back in Florida aren't here, how am I going to survive?" At first, I was so happy that I could text and facebook people I missed. But eventually I learned to loath technology. It could tell me what was going on back home, but I couldn't be apart of it. My body was on Oahu, but my mind, spirit and strength was back in Miami.

            5 months. That's how long it took to look forward. It only took 3 to find the church He wanted us to be at, but my eyes were closed. Funny thing is that Pastor Jose specifically told us not to keep our eyes on the past. He quoted the scripture that says someone who takes to the plow but looks back is not worthy of the kingdom of God. I remember thinking about that, but I ignored what God was trying to tell me. I guess my ears were closed too. Then God had mercy on me, and He opened my eyes. I don't know when, it happened slowly, but I began to see what God had given me.

            The New Year rang in with a new resolution. My mom put her foot down. She said we were going to attend church regularly, and more than that, we were going to get involved. God really softened my heart after that. He showed me that I could love my family back in CCK, but I had more family here, just waiting to love me too.

            If I had the time and the space, I would tell you about Pastor Waxer and Pastor Mike. I would talk about Jesse and Aimee, Troy, Luc, Pattie, Rachel, Carolyn, Joshua, Nolan, Paka, Christina, Mario, Tori, Sirayha, Ryan, Vince, Jeff, Tanner and many, many more. These are your brothers and sisters, and they love Jesus. Being a Christian means that even though you only have your love for Jesus in common, that's all you need.

            Joshua 1:9 is my life verse, and has been long before my move. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." I am a living witness to this promise. He's everywhere you are, whether you feel Him or not. I moved 4,853.29 miles away, and God is still with me.

Just like you only knew about Jesus before experiencing Him, I knew in my head that 1, I have many brothers and sisters around the world and 2, that Jesus is everywhere. I didn't know these facts in my heart before moving, and I am so glad that God proved these facts true to me.

I hope you realize that though God taught me to use my sword and my helmet in a time of peace and growth, it took a storm so He could teach me how to use my shield. I picked up my faith at CCK, where I was comfortable and safe. But I had learned to exercise and use my faith when my world came crashing down.

If you don't get anything from my running on, please remember that God loves you and wants the best for you, which includes teaching you to use your shield in battle, which He has already won by the way.

My name is Samm, and I love Jesus.

birthday surprise series

For the next two weeks we will be celebrating big! 

Every post will be a birthday surprise, coming to you from a special guest. These wonderful ladies have prayed, as I have, and will be speaking to you a special message from the heart of God to you. Praying many blessings for you. May the Spirit of the living God speak comfort, wonder, truth, life, joy and peace to you.