Her tribute...

Guys,

Heather's last post "Tribute to you" is a must read. Check it out!!!

Rejection...

How many times do we suffer unbearably, because somebody does not give us what we think they ought to give us, when really they have no perception at all that we even need that?
How many times do we feel rejected by those around us, just because they don't respond to a situation the same way we would?
How many times do we hurt, feeling unloved, when those around us are only trying to love on us to the best of their abilities, but our blinded eyes cannot see this and our wounded hearts cannot feet it?

I've started listening to a series called "The root of rejection" by Joyce Meyer, and it's so sad to hear how many people around us are affected by this. It's even sadder to have to admit that I'm one of them. This is one of the enemy's favorite attack against God's people. Great, however, it is to know that we do not need to continue to live life this way. Great is to know that we serve a powerful God who wants us to live life victoriously and in His Word we find the medicine to our wounded hearts.
Our responsibility? To do our best we can to get to emotional freedom by studying the Word, reading helpful books, listening to series such as this one and trusting God with our hearts.
God's responsibility? To do the rest...nothing is impossible for Him, remember?

Until we meet again....

Today was the day when one of my Grandmothers graduated. She was my Mother's Step Mom. Something God helped me see this past week, was the way in which my Grandpa and her loved each other. I mean, I obviously knew they loved each other, but I hadn't really seen how much until the other day. I went to visit her at the hospital and I walked into the ICU area with my Grandpa, since we got to the hospital at the same time. As he walked towards her, she stared at him and then I was engaged. He leaned over and kissed her on her lips with such tenderness, asked her how she was feeling, she said she was OK. He stared at her and then put his hand inside his pocked and took out a piece of candy. He cut it in half with his teeth and took a piece of it and placed it on her mouth. She looked at him and ate it, as if this was something that he did all the time. The whole scene seemed so sweet, it made my heart melt. My Grandparents loved each other so much after over 70 years of being together...that's beautiful!

I'm glad I was there, I'm glad my Grandpa had a woman who loved him so much that she could overcome the challenges that came their way...and those were many. I'm glad to know that they were so happy together and so close. I'm also glad to know that they will one day meet again in Heaven and maybe angels will witness their love as the candy scene repeats itself.

Goodbye Abuela...until we meet again.

Some pics of Promissa's last event in Boston...

Hey Guys! These are images from our last trip to Boston. We were part of an event from the city of Boston. This event was honoring the baseball player David Ortiz (Big Papi), from the Red Sox. Sorry to have taken so long, but I was waiting to receive the pictures. I just got them...

Getting it all started at the cocktail hour...

Singing Happy Birthday to David Ortiz from the Red Sox...

He liked it.....

We were amazed to see God's grace at work everywhere we went. Looking forward to the next adventure. Thank you all so much for always keeping us in your prayers.

Promissa

Living life the "Ikea" way...

So I've never been too big on reading instructions. When putting anything together, I would just go for it. I would open the box, grab the instruction's manual and put it aside and then I would just try to figure out how to assemble. As you would imagine, many times I would end up very frustrated, not being able to accomplish my task and by that time too mentally tired to even think about reading any type of instructions. I would waste time, energy and effort and would accomplish nothing but a headache. This is why I would normally avoid having to put anything together...I just don't like reading instructions! It's such a drag!

Well, this week Ikea taught me a lesson. Helping out at Church for the set change this week, guess what happened...I was asked to put together a lamp that seemed like quite a challenge. Some had already tried to put it together, but it seemed like no one could quite get it right. Obviously, I saw this as a challenge and decided to go for it. Now, since I already knew how things usually end up when I don't read the instructions, this time I took the piece of paper, opened it and read it carefully. What a sense of accomplishment when I saw the lamp all put together...by ME!!! Mind you, I had no headache once I was done... The next day, yesterday, I put together a set of 2 stools and 1 table. Later on I put together another table. All very easy tasks, why? Because I read the instructions. I allowed those who made the products instruct me on how to put them together.

This might mean nothing to you all, but to me it means a lot. It made me think of my life and the many times I've tried to live it my way...not following God's instructions. Sometimes reading them, but not wanting to follow, because it seems as such a drag or sometimes not even reading them at all. I would just think "I got this, I know how" and then I would end up frustrated, tired, disappointed and with a headache...many times, with a heartache.

Ikea taught me that if I let God guide me, if I carefully pay attention to His voice and to His word, I would succeed and would avoid many unnecessary setbacks. Ikea taught me that no one knows the product better than the one who made it, so who in a better position to guide on how to go about putting it together. Ikea taught me that if I stop trying to figure out my life on my own, and start paying close attention to God, my maker, and His steps to follow (whether those steps make sense to me or not) I will live a life of more accomplishments and less frustrations.

I encourage you to today to stop ignoring God's instructions and to start living life the "Ikea" way. I know I will....

I will rejoice!

I was reading Habakkuk chapter 3 this morning and the last 3 verses just stayed in my head.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vine,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

This is the best part

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to go on the heights.

Rejected or protected?

My Sister Milca met with a couple today. They are the pastors of one of the Churches where Promissa will minister in Boston this coming Sunday. The three of them met for hours, Milca sharing our vision and them sharing theirs. One of the things they shared was the testimony of how God had granted them a great blessing: acres and acres of land for them to build a huge building for their Church. The story impacted me in a very personal way. They shared that they were able to get this great amount of land for only $500,000 dollars, which is hard to believe for the Boston area. Then they went on explaining that the reason why all that land only cost them this much was because the land had been rejected. No one wanted it, no one was interested in it, no one found it appealing, including my Sister Milca to whom the couple showed the pictures of what the land looked like when they bought it. The land had been neglected by so many and that was great, because this people were the ones meant to have it. They did not reject it nor did they find that it wasn't what they wanted, instead, they saw what God had saved just for them. Everybody else needed to be blind, in order for them not to take this blessing away from the ones it was meant for.

As I heard the story tears started coming down my face. Could it be that many times we are like that land? This could be in any area of our lives or any situation. In my case, the area of relationships...the love department. How many times have I felt sorry for myself for not having that someone, "the one", that significant other. How many times, when I've been interested in someone, but the feeling is not reciprocal, have I wondered "why God, what's so wrong with me?" How many times have I felt rejected, unwanted, unappealing, just because the one I see as a great catch does not see the same in me or feel the same way about me? But could it be that all that time they only saw what God had allowed them to see? Could it be that those eyes were never supposed to see the jewel that I am, because they weren't the ones meant to? So, then It's not even that I'm not appealing or special, it's not even their fault that they can't see; it's just that they have not been the ones meant to see.

God knew the plans He had with this land, he kept it away from other people, He kept it safe for the right time and the right owners who would use it for the purpose which God had intended. God knows the plans that He's got for me. He has kept me away and safe from the wrong guys, from the wrong husband. He has blinded some guys who I wished had seen me, who I wished had loved me...all because He's saving me for the one who I was meant for. That one will value me and see me as the precious jewel that I am and not only that, but he will also love me.

Man, I've question God so many times. I have felt not good enough, not pretty, I have been upset about not being loved by the one I've loved, but should I be grateful instead? Grateful that the wrong guys have been blinded, so that one day the right guy can find me and then God's purpose can be fulfilled? Instead of feeling rejected, shouldn't I feel protected? Shouldn't I feel special...I should...I do.

Thank you God, for protecting me time and time again. Thank you from keeping me safe from the wrong guys. I pray that you keep on blinding them, until my Prince comes my way.