Craig and I spent our first Christmas together. It was a nice day. We didn't do that much, but we went to visit my in-laws and stayed there. In the afternoon Andy stopped by and we had a few hours with her too. It was a blessed Christmas Day! Thank you Jesus
I am SO thankful with the LORD for giving me such a blessing; it was a blessing to me to be able to spend Christmas with the man I love. This time at the same country and state, even at the same house. Glory be to God for all His wonders.
We went to Church on Christmas Eve; our very first candle light service together and as we were holding hands and praising the LORD, tears were running down my face; they were tears of joy. I was SO happy we were together and I was just thanking God for that moment.
A few months back I couldn't see a happy Christmas coming for us; to be honest, there were times I didn't even see Christmas coming. It was SO hard when both of us were sick, taking turns to go to hospitals and doctors appointments, that some days I didn't have any hope or strength left. But what a wonderful God we serve!!! He has given me strength and hope when I had none. He has been closer when I have felt lonely. He is been faithful with all His promises and He has always been here, with me. Glory to Him forever and ever!
"For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Get out of the boat and walk
Sometimes in life we face storms where we can clearly see the help coming from God, and some other times we may think that He doesn't care any more. It could be that we are in the middle of a storm because we disobeyed God, or it could be that He sent us through it so we can learn to trust Him more.
Mathew 14:22-36 tells us the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Verse 22 says, "Jesus made the disciples get into the boat". They were not going because they wanted to, but because Jesus was telling them to do so. They were obeying the Lord, but this time they were going alone and a storm awaited them.
We read in Matthew 8:23-17 a different kind of storm where Jesus was in the boat with them, but this time He was out of the boat!
After the disciples were gone, Jesus went to pray and about three or six in the morning, (the fourth watch of the night) He went to meet them walking on the water. The boat was already like three or three and a half miles away (John 6:19), and when the disciples saw someone coming, they were terrified and thought that it was a ghost, but Jesus told them to take courage and not to be afraid because it was Him.
I am not sure what storm you are facing right now and I am not sure if you are seeing Jesus or a ghost; I am not sure how far have you gone, or for how long have you been on it, but Jesus can meet you wherever you are at right now.
Following the Bible story, Peter had a great faith when he said: " Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water"(verse 28) and, what was the Lord's answer? - "Come" (verse 29). Jesus wasn't saying "If you want to, you can come" He didn't say "let's way for the storm to pass and then you can come", He was saying: "Come", "get out of the boat and walk"
There is times in life when we think that Jesus isn't close, but when we see Him, we asked Him for something and then the question that comes to our minds is: Is that really you telling me to do so? Then the Lord tells us that is Him, He gives us peace about something, but... to let the boat, to let the place that we think is more secure in the middle of the storm, is the step that we don't want to take. Could be because we are afraid, or maybe because we don't trust that it's the Lord, but it takes a real person of faith to leave the boat and walk on the water!
Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, but he saw the wind and he was afraid that he began to sink (verse 30). As Peter, we take our eyes off Christ and start to look around, to a point where we are terrified to keep walking and want to stop. At list Peter recognized that he was sinking and cried out to Jesus for help. Do we? When we took our eyes off Christ and start looking around, do we really asked the Lord for help when we are sinking? Or do we wait until we are drowning?
Immediately, Jesus helped Peter and not only that; they walked on the water together, right there in the middle of the storm, Jesus answered Peter's cry for help and after helping him, the Lord walked with him.
Jesus asked Peter, "Why did you doubt? The word-translated doubt carries the meaning of "standing uncertainly at two ways. When we don't look at Christ but have our eyes in more than one way, we get confused and don't know what to do.
It was after Jesus got back to the boat with Peter that the wind died down (Verse 32) and it is only until we let Jesus to come to our storm and take control, that we can see the land ahead of us, and the sun shining again after the rain.
The disciples who were in the boat worshiped Jesus saying: "Truly, you are the son of God" (verse 33). What a difference with their question in the other scene (Matthew 8:23- 27) when Jesus calmed the storm and they asked: " What kind of man is this?" Now, they declare who Jesus is.
We need to let other people to see who Jesus is at the beginning, during and after our storm, because He doesn't change. But those who today asked, how do you do that? What kind of person is helping you out with all of this trouble? Are those who someday are going to say...It's because of Jesus, the Son of God!
In the book of acts the disciples won 5.000 people (Acts 4:4) and the storm of persecution began. No doubt Peter and the other disciples recalled their storm experiences with the LORD and took courage.
I have been on a storm, long one (according to me) in the past months of my life and being honest, there has been times when I could clearly see the Lord helping me and holding me, but there were times where I couldn't even see a ghost. The storm I am passing by is the one who is making me walk on the water with my dream of serving God and going to missions. I don’t see it coming, all I see when I look around is nothing, but what a difference when I look to Christ knowing that His plans are perfect for my life, that He will give me the best and that there is nothing impossible for Him! As Peter, I started to walk by faith and sometimes I have failed and sunk, but I recognized that I need Jesus, that without Him I can’t keep walking and yes, it’s Jesus who holds me and walks with me right now. As the disciples remembered their storms, I look at other experiences with the Lord and take courage when I remember that some time ago I saw Him coming in the storm, that He saw me through it all and that we walked together.
When we have faith and trust God but don’t do anything, we can never have the experience of walking with Him on the water.
I don’t know about you, but I want God to look at me and tell me: “Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21) and not to say to me: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)
It’s true that if we step out in faith we risk failure. But only by stepping out we will personally experience Christ's power!
Resources: The Bible, The Holy Spirit, Believer's Study Bible, The Bible Exposition Commentary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, The Bible reader's companion.
Mathew 14:22-36 tells us the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Verse 22 says, "Jesus made the disciples get into the boat". They were not going because they wanted to, but because Jesus was telling them to do so. They were obeying the Lord, but this time they were going alone and a storm awaited them.
We read in Matthew 8:23-17 a different kind of storm where Jesus was in the boat with them, but this time He was out of the boat!
After the disciples were gone, Jesus went to pray and about three or six in the morning, (the fourth watch of the night) He went to meet them walking on the water. The boat was already like three or three and a half miles away (John 6:19), and when the disciples saw someone coming, they were terrified and thought that it was a ghost, but Jesus told them to take courage and not to be afraid because it was Him.
I am not sure what storm you are facing right now and I am not sure if you are seeing Jesus or a ghost; I am not sure how far have you gone, or for how long have you been on it, but Jesus can meet you wherever you are at right now.
Following the Bible story, Peter had a great faith when he said: " Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water"(verse 28) and, what was the Lord's answer? - "Come" (verse 29). Jesus wasn't saying "If you want to, you can come" He didn't say "let's way for the storm to pass and then you can come", He was saying: "Come", "get out of the boat and walk"
There is times in life when we think that Jesus isn't close, but when we see Him, we asked Him for something and then the question that comes to our minds is: Is that really you telling me to do so? Then the Lord tells us that is Him, He gives us peace about something, but... to let the boat, to let the place that we think is more secure in the middle of the storm, is the step that we don't want to take. Could be because we are afraid, or maybe because we don't trust that it's the Lord, but it takes a real person of faith to leave the boat and walk on the water!
Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, but he saw the wind and he was afraid that he began to sink (verse 30). As Peter, we take our eyes off Christ and start to look around, to a point where we are terrified to keep walking and want to stop. At list Peter recognized that he was sinking and cried out to Jesus for help. Do we? When we took our eyes off Christ and start looking around, do we really asked the Lord for help when we are sinking? Or do we wait until we are drowning?
Immediately, Jesus helped Peter and not only that; they walked on the water together, right there in the middle of the storm, Jesus answered Peter's cry for help and after helping him, the Lord walked with him.
Jesus asked Peter, "Why did you doubt? The word-translated doubt carries the meaning of "standing uncertainly at two ways. When we don't look at Christ but have our eyes in more than one way, we get confused and don't know what to do.
It was after Jesus got back to the boat with Peter that the wind died down (Verse 32) and it is only until we let Jesus to come to our storm and take control, that we can see the land ahead of us, and the sun shining again after the rain.
The disciples who were in the boat worshiped Jesus saying: "Truly, you are the son of God" (verse 33). What a difference with their question in the other scene (Matthew 8:23- 27) when Jesus calmed the storm and they asked: " What kind of man is this?" Now, they declare who Jesus is.
We need to let other people to see who Jesus is at the beginning, during and after our storm, because He doesn't change. But those who today asked, how do you do that? What kind of person is helping you out with all of this trouble? Are those who someday are going to say...It's because of Jesus, the Son of God!
In the book of acts the disciples won 5.000 people (Acts 4:4) and the storm of persecution began. No doubt Peter and the other disciples recalled their storm experiences with the LORD and took courage.
I have been on a storm, long one (according to me) in the past months of my life and being honest, there has been times when I could clearly see the Lord helping me and holding me, but there were times where I couldn't even see a ghost. The storm I am passing by is the one who is making me walk on the water with my dream of serving God and going to missions. I don’t see it coming, all I see when I look around is nothing, but what a difference when I look to Christ knowing that His plans are perfect for my life, that He will give me the best and that there is nothing impossible for Him! As Peter, I started to walk by faith and sometimes I have failed and sunk, but I recognized that I need Jesus, that without Him I can’t keep walking and yes, it’s Jesus who holds me and walks with me right now. As the disciples remembered their storms, I look at other experiences with the Lord and take courage when I remember that some time ago I saw Him coming in the storm, that He saw me through it all and that we walked together.
When we have faith and trust God but don’t do anything, we can never have the experience of walking with Him on the water.
I don’t know about you, but I want God to look at me and tell me: “Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21) and not to say to me: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)
It’s true that if we step out in faith we risk failure. But only by stepping out we will personally experience Christ's power!
Resources: The Bible, The Holy Spirit, Believer's Study Bible, The Bible Exposition Commentary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, The Bible reader's companion.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
What to write...
Finally after six months of rain it seems like Craig and I can see a little bit of sun shining over our lives again. It may always have been shining and we couldn't see it, but now I think we both do.
Craig had another surgery last Thursday and thank God he came home the same day; in pain and lot of pain killers, but he is at home. Praise God! Since last Thursday we haven't been able to sleep very good; he needs to eat before taking medicine every four hours and I have a little problem: If I woke up for something, even If I go back to bed the next day I feel that I didn't sleep good at all.
The good part is that being home with the man you love is just amazing! I hate seeing him in pain but I love the fact that this time, for the very first time this year, what the doctors said actually happened. They told us it was going to be an out patient surgery and it was!!!! Hallelujah!!!!
You probably don't understand why I said so, but after hearing the same thing over and over again and staying four days or longer in different hospitals, I had lost hope that this time it would happen. Craig, in the other hand, was totally sure that he would come home. I guess this time I didn't feel the peace of our Heavenly Father, but my husband did and I am so glad enjoying my days with him.
We don't do that much...Watching tv, listening to some worship or Christmas music, having a cup of tea and enjoying our days at home.
I am truly thankful that Craig is at home and that he's getting better. Still praying for a speedy recovery and hoping for the pain to go away so he can move freely around the house, but knowing for sure that God is in control, that even though I didn't want to talk to Him last week, He was always talking to me.
What a great LORD we serve, even in the middle of the storm, through the last six months of our lives we could see His glory. Every day I keep on hearing: "Believe... because only if you believe, you'll see my glory" Thank you Jesus!!!
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 100:5)
Craig had another surgery last Thursday and thank God he came home the same day; in pain and lot of pain killers, but he is at home. Praise God! Since last Thursday we haven't been able to sleep very good; he needs to eat before taking medicine every four hours and I have a little problem: If I woke up for something, even If I go back to bed the next day I feel that I didn't sleep good at all.
The good part is that being home with the man you love is just amazing! I hate seeing him in pain but I love the fact that this time, for the very first time this year, what the doctors said actually happened. They told us it was going to be an out patient surgery and it was!!!! Hallelujah!!!!
You probably don't understand why I said so, but after hearing the same thing over and over again and staying four days or longer in different hospitals, I had lost hope that this time it would happen. Craig, in the other hand, was totally sure that he would come home. I guess this time I didn't feel the peace of our Heavenly Father, but my husband did and I am so glad enjoying my days with him.
We don't do that much...Watching tv, listening to some worship or Christmas music, having a cup of tea and enjoying our days at home.
I am truly thankful that Craig is at home and that he's getting better. Still praying for a speedy recovery and hoping for the pain to go away so he can move freely around the house, but knowing for sure that God is in control, that even though I didn't want to talk to Him last week, He was always talking to me.
What a great LORD we serve, even in the middle of the storm, through the last six months of our lives we could see His glory. Every day I keep on hearing: "Believe... because only if you believe, you'll see my glory" Thank you Jesus!!!
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 100:5)
Friday, December 4, 2009
Praying
I haven't been able to sleep very good in the last few days. I feel tired and really sleepy. I thought that it was because of my thyroid levels; after the surgery on October 15th I was feeling ok, not great but doing good, except a few weeks ago. I got results from some blood work and my levels are fine. The endocrinologist did change the prescription a little bit because for the radiation next month the levels need to be a little high. The good news is that is not for the thyroid levels, they're fine.
As I talked to Craig, he told me that I've been sleeping too much and we started talking about it because it must be for a reason. If it's not the thyroid, it has to be for something else. After Craig listened to me for a while he said to me: "You haven't been praying"-"Yes I have"-I answered right away and then Craig told me "You haven't been praying the way you used to. I can see the difference". Since when does praying or not praying makes a different in my life? I am not sure because no one ever before confronted me with such a great truth. He was right. Unbelievable! I was not spending as much time with God as I used to and I didn't even realize what was going on. I was asking myself whether I was upset with God or not and during the last nights I've had dreams that I am talking to the LORD but woke up rebuking Satan. This may not make sense to you, well, it doesn't make sense to me at all.
Maybe God wants to spend more time with me that in my dreams all that I do is to talk to Him and maybe the enemy is trying to take me away from His presence that I woke up rebuking him. I am not sure about the reason but I am totally sure that I need to go back to spending my time as much as possible with my Savior and LORD.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 says: "pray continually" and that's why I have to do. I need to go back and pray as my husband said..."The way I used to"
Thank you LORD for never leaving me and for such a great man you gave me for a husband who is not afraid of telling me the truth. May you forgive me!
As I talked to Craig, he told me that I've been sleeping too much and we started talking about it because it must be for a reason. If it's not the thyroid, it has to be for something else. After Craig listened to me for a while he said to me: "You haven't been praying"-"Yes I have"-I answered right away and then Craig told me "You haven't been praying the way you used to. I can see the difference". Since when does praying or not praying makes a different in my life? I am not sure because no one ever before confronted me with such a great truth. He was right. Unbelievable! I was not spending as much time with God as I used to and I didn't even realize what was going on. I was asking myself whether I was upset with God or not and during the last nights I've had dreams that I am talking to the LORD but woke up rebuking Satan. This may not make sense to you, well, it doesn't make sense to me at all.
Maybe God wants to spend more time with me that in my dreams all that I do is to talk to Him and maybe the enemy is trying to take me away from His presence that I woke up rebuking him. I am not sure about the reason but I am totally sure that I need to go back to spending my time as much as possible with my Savior and LORD.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 says: "pray continually" and that's why I have to do. I need to go back and pray as my husband said..."The way I used to"
Thank you LORD for never leaving me and for such a great man you gave me for a husband who is not afraid of telling me the truth. May you forgive me!
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