Friday, July 28, 2006

Oh, what a beautiful scripture!!!

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

Oh wow! How beautiful is that! To think we are the sweet and wonderful aroma of Christ! How pleasing, how wonderful that must be to the Father!

I read that and I want to praise Him, I want to put all aside and fall down on my face and worship Him. I want the sweet aroma of Christ to envelope me, to seep into me. I want to please the Father. I want to praise Him with my heart made so pure and clean with the aroma of Christ flowing through me.

As I read this scripture the words flow into my heart like a gushing river, it revives me. It enlivens me. It excites me. It thrills me.

What could be more thrilling than to think of the sweet aroma of Christ surging through me and up to the Father. Oh how much He loves us and delights in us!!!!

My heartfelt prayer; Thank you God for creating me. Thank you for making me so I can know you and experience how WONDERFUL your love feels. To experience you, to experience your love is so fulfilling! You are awesome! You're everything I need and want.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

What about a little fantasy??

Does God know your fantasies?

Last night my husband and I were watching on MSNBC the show Headliners and Legends. They were highlighting serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and showed clips of an interview with him. They were interviewing his family and told the story of his life, starting even with his mother's pregnancy. At one point Jeffrey Dahmer was talking about his life before he killed his first victim. He said something very interesting that really got me to thinking. He said that before he took his first victim, he would fantasize about his acts. I won't go into details, but he lived out his crimes in his mind over and over again. Very specific fantasies, he lived in a sick and twisted fantasy world. Until one day he crossed over from fantasy to real life and carried out his crimes exactly how he imagined it in his mind over and over. Then he said once he crossed that line from fantasy to real life, he couldn't control his fantasies anymore and started living them out in real life again and again.

Now obviously this is an extreme case, but it got me to thinking what the Word says about fantasy and this is what I found.

Matthew 5:27-29 27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

There is a powerful connection between what's in our heart and who we are; who we will become and which path we will take in our life.

There was a time in my life when I felt very angry that God wanted ALL of my heart, even the hidden places. "Can't I have even a little privacy God?" "What's wrong with a little fantasy???" "It's not as if it hurts anybody."

Of course I'm not even talking about murderous fantasy, but what about simple stuff like reading a book or watching a movie and lusting after a character? Or even looking at a friend's spouse and seeing all these great qualities and wondering what it would be like if I were married to that person. I'm not even talking about sexual lust here, but thoughts like "wouldn't life be so easy if only........"

These thoughts are dangerous, they are poision. It causes something in the heart and in the mind to change. It starts pushing you in a direction that at first you might not even want to take.

This life here on earth is about a fight, we are fighting our flesh. Our flesh desires and wants what is evil, the things of this world. Naturally our flesh calls us, it desires to be stroked to be petted. James 1:15 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Now knowing this what do we do in this fight?? How can we possibly win?

That's what is SOOOOOOOOOOOO amazing about the Word!!! He tells us what to do!!!!

Philippians 4:7-9 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Leading Tuesday Bible Study

Today was the second Tuesday in a row I've lead the women's Bible Study group at my church. I'm helping to lead it with two other women. We are studying the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It's been very interesting, most of the women in this Bible study are very shy and quiet.

I'm not sure what they think of me when I go "off" on a part of the scripture, sometimes I hear the word read and the joy of the Lord comes all over me and I can't hold back my feelings. I start speaking and a tingle comes over me, I lose track of where I am and I go to another place.

The group has asked me to lead and close on all the prayers, they say I pray beautifully. Well, I don't know about that. I feel like I'm talking to my Father so I just open up and pour it out.

On another thought; last night I was praying and I felt I had a real breakthough. I have to admit that sometimes when I pray for my husband, I secretly wonder if he'll ever come to the Lord. I have a lot of doubts. I don't like that I doubt, but sometimes the work that needs done on his heart seems too great.

On Sunday the pastor said "Ask for anything from the Lord, but what do you really want?" The sermon was based on II Chronicles 1:7-13 7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." 8 Solomon answered God, "You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?" 11 God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have."

So this got me to thinking what I want to ask God for. What do I really want? As I was praying last night, I began to speak to my Father and since God is my Father I realized that if I asked for something with a pure heart that of course my Father wouldn't deny me!!! So with a sincere and pure heart I told my Father, that all I ask from Him is that he have mercy on my home and husband that He reveal Himself in a powerful and mighty way to my husband. No matter what else comes up in my life, if this is the one thing He gives me, it would be all I ask for. I don't ask for health, I don't ask for happiness. If all my life is hardship and pain that will be ok. I just ask He have mercy on my husband.

I know my Father heard me!!!! HE HEARD ME!! I don't doubt that, now I am waiting on Him! I know He will answer my prayer, I trust in Him and I will trust in His timing!!

Saturday, July 15, 2006

So I saw a dead BODY.....

It was the other day at the beach. My sister was in town and we took the kids to the beach, as we drove up and parked we saw lots of police cars and people standing around. We were in a part of town where no one speaks English so I didn't even bother asking what was going on.

We parked and got out and made our way to the shore and there right before our eyes was a dead MAN. It was such a shock to see a dead person right there in the sand.

I don't know the full story but apparently this man drown and scuba divers pulled him in. Now in Puerto Rico things are done differently, instead of bagging him up and taking him off in an ambulance or putting a sheet over him they just left him there. Police tape marked off the area and police were guarding him but I guess they were waiting for the officials. Why they can't cover DEAD people up like in the States I just don't understand. But anyway that's how they do it here.

Usually a sight like this wouldn't disturb me, but now I see things totally different. I couldn't get the image of this man out of my head. I wanted to weep and grieve for him. It shocked me to think of the significance of what I saw. This man, DEAD on the beach either just met his Maker or........in a second he was gone from this world. Water entered his lungs, he sunk to the ocean floor and in a second he was gone. GONE.

My heart grieved because more likely than not he didn't go to his MAKER. I know it's just ONE man, someone I didn't even know but it broke my heart to think that he might have passed without knowing his creators love. To think he might be separated FOREVER from the amazing love of God.

It stirred in my heart urgency. Those of us who know the TRUTH need to hurry. There are so many who need to know the truth, so many who need to be reached. I hope I never lose the urgency of sharing the Good News, time is so short!

Monday, July 10, 2006

TRUST IN ME

This is what God spoke to me last night as I was in bed and praying. I was praying away and just a going at what my problem was, I'd had a horrible evening with the kids and lost my temper.

My two year old wouldn't go to sleep and woke up my 7 month old. They share a room and it's difficult because somebody is always waking somebody else up. The 2 yo goes to bed late, she just won't turn off at times and wakes early so by bedtime I'm exhausted. I worry if I don't get them down quickly I won't have time to straighten the house or spend private time with my husband.

Anyway, so there I was praying away and clearly and suddenly the Lord spoke to me and said "Trust in me." So simple, so basic. I realized, you know that's really all there is to it. Will you trust in Him?

When am I going to learn to just trust in Him? Give it up to Him? Remain in Him? Let Him hold me. Let Him guide me.

Sometimes I get so caught up that I forget the simpleness of His love, of His ways.

Oh to trust in Him. There is such peace. He's in control of EVERY part of my life, it's time to be still, to be calm and rest in Him.

Another praise report!

This is an email I sent to my parents and my mom asked me share this on my blog so here it goes,

I can't believe the changes going on in my home! Last night Javier took us all to the mall with promises of buying Claudia a special princess balloon. He took us all to a candy shop and let Claudia pick out a huge balloon and special candy. Then we walked around and the balloon came undone from the top (the lady didn't tie the balloon tight enough.) Anyway you should have seen Claudia's face to see her balloon float to the ceiling at the mall. Can you believe Javier went into a store nearby and got a special long range hanger and got her balloon from the ceiling??? Then he tied it back on and we walked over to Macaroni Grill for dinner. We had the best time. He is being so loving and sweet to all of us, I feel like I'm floating on a cloud!

This story may seem so simple but this is what I've dreamed of, what I've wanted so much from him. I've never wanted expensive things, just simple things that show love and to see him being so sweet to our children and so loving to me is making my heart melt away!!!

Also during dinner at one point I made a comment "I wonder what my Grandpa is doing right now?" He commented back "oh, he's watching the Price is Right." I paused and then said "Javier!! My Grandpa died remember?" and he oh so casually responded "I know, I meant in heaven, he's watching Price is right." I nearly fell over! He said this with no sarcasm at all!!

These stories are small but they are miracles! For him to say that without venom is a miracle! God is changing his heart and God is using me! I'm showing him God's love. You see, God made me, a woman to being loving. It's what I was created to do, it's inside of me. I need to be shown love, I crave it. And God made Javier to need respect, that's how he sees love. When I show Javier respect, deep and true respect he responds by being loving! Wow! I guess women fear showing respect because they are afraid the husband will run all over them, they'll lose the ground they have. But it's just the opposite, the more respect you give, even when it's not deserved, the more love he'll show! Anyway just wanted to share that with you. To let you know your prayers are being answered!

I also have to comment that I can't believe how genius God's way is! It sounds kind of silly to say how genius He is, because of course He's genius. He made us, so of course He knows what we need. But I find it so amazing that God's plan leads to such blessings, such joy, such peace! If only everyone understood that!

Friday, July 07, 2006

Feeling so behind

Sometimes I feel like I'm being pulled in a million directions and no matter which way I go I can never do enough.

My 2 year has been sick for 12 days with a stomach bug, now I've got it and well if it's not one thing it's another!

But hey that's life!!!

With two little ones under my care life is BUSY!!! I wish I had more time to work on this blog, so many times I write blogs in my head but just can't find the time to get on here and post it.

From early in the morning until late at night somebody or something needs tending to.

I think I'm going to start posting TWO DAYS A WEEK. If I can do more I will but for now TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS will have new posts. This will be my goal.

In August my 2 year old starts back to preschool and I'll have more time then to post. Right now when I'm online she's wondering the house usually getting into trouble! Think of drawing on the walls and multi toilet flushes with lots of paper!

My heartfelt prayer; Thank you Lord for these little children you've given me. You have blessed me so richly with two beautiful and healthy babies. I enjoy them so much, they bring me such joy and laughter. Dear Lord, sometimes I feel so pulled in different directions, so many times I want to read your word yet somebody needs feeding or cleaning. I want you to be first in my life yet right now you've given me a responsibility that takes lots of time and patience. Help me Lord to remain faithful to what is important in this life. Give me strength Lord to do all you've called me to do. Thank you, in Jesus name amen!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Dinner with my husband!

The most exciting thing has happened!!

I got a chance to share some truths with my husband and his family! For my husband's birthday, my brother and sister-in-law took us two couples out to dinner at The Palm restaurant. We had a babysitter for the kids and we had the best time being together and chatting.

That afternoon I really prayed in the spirit for my husband. Praying in the spirit is really awesome because when you pray this way, you pray the will of God. See, sometimes we don't know exactly what to pray for so when we pray in the spirit, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf!

Well I was really burdened for my husband that afternoon and just gave it over to God and prayed up a storm. I was actually on my bike riding in Old San Juan and listening to my ipod when I felt compelled to turn the thing off and pray. So there I was riding along and praying out in the spirit! I'm sure that got some stares!! But I didn't notice, I was too busy praying!

Well that night an amazing chance came up to share some of my beliefs and I just opened up my heart and boldly told the truth. We had a great discussion, they asked several questions. A seed has been planted and I praise God for giving me the opening to bring up the topic.

One thing I shared was how happy I am now, how I've never been so in love with life. I've never felt more at peace, felt more joy than I have now. And you know what my husband replied to that???? He said "if that makes you happy and gives you peace, then that's good for you and I think that's great."

I almost fell over!!! He said this smiling!!!!!!!!! He's gone from wanting to divorce me because I read my Bible to thinking it's great!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!

Now I see why the scripture says a wife can win her husband over by her actions. As he sees how joyful and happy I am, he begins to wonder. He is responding to my actions, he is responding to love he feels pouring out of me! This is Christ's love, Christ's peace and joy!!!

Monday, July 03, 2006

Love and Respect

I'm reading this marriage book called Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Wow! I am blown away by the truths I'm reading!

My Aunt Janet, a pastor’s wife at Suncoast A/G in St. Pete gave it to me. It's a Focus on the Family book and it's about the love a woman most desires and the respect a man desperately needs.

This has to be one of the best books I've ever read. I'm reading it and going, "wow! that's why my husband does what he does!" and "oh, NOW I get why he said/did that!"

It's helping to open my eyes to my husband’s heart and suddenly I'm liking what I see! The Holy Spirit has been revealing these truths to me and really I've always deeply respected my husband and that's why we've gotten along so well in our marriage.

But I'll be honest, somewhere along the way I've forgotten some of the respect I used to have for my husband. Maybe being busy with two small children and the stress of living in a foreign country has something to do with it.

Regardless, God commands a wife to unconditionally RESPECT her husband. Not unconditionally LOVE her husband!! There is a big difference!! I said UNCONDITIONALLY RESPECT her husband wither he deserves it or not!

When I try respecting my husband, wither he deserves it or not, something amazing starts happening! He softens, he responds and he starts acting in the loving, caring way I most desire!

Want to know more??? Read Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. You won't be disappointed. It is Bible based, simple to follow and you'll immediately see results!