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So I had to borrow this picture and repost it :) …
Although he looks really dirty he also looks so happy…after all this time praying and waiting to be able to help Jhonny and his family we are finally seeing this project come close to an end. I am so proud of him for not giving up, even thou it wasn’t easy and people told him to stop, to give up, to tell the family they couldn’t be helped, he believed in His heart God wanted to help this boy and His family.
Thank you for listening to God, I know Jhonny’s family is thankful for your persistence. And we are so thankful to everyone who prayed, believed and gave so that this family could have their house.
Without those donations nothing could have been done…and also a great thank you to Chris Brank for his great video :) and his help!
But thank you Ad for loving people, for trusting and obeying God and for not giving up…
I am proud of you…if Keilah could talk I bet she would say so too… :)

Here is to a lifetime of helping people together, of loving them, of listening and obeying God…

What are you going to do?

What a surprise …I couldn’t fall asleep…my mind kept racing thru endless thoughts…all these things I’ve heard and read today, and yesterday…news, movements, lives…

Don’t even know how to put it into words myself… All I kept thinking is what are you going to do?

I’ll try to explain myself…in case you haven’t heard of the End it movement or the 27 million people in slavery today (or simply everything that goes on in the news!) …well you need to hear.
Please, don’t get me wrong…we can’t all do it all but we can’t simply do nothing…sitting back and watching it play out…well its just as bad.
Sometimes we think all these great things started out just like that, big. But don’t you know that everything starts out small? At the risk of sounding cliche…one person can make all the difference…and you and I need to know that. We can’t keep waiting for someone else to do something, all change begins with me and you…any collective change has to come from individuals…we all not just a mass of people, we, as individuals are the beginning of change.

What am I saying? Well, for starters we need to stop being so ok with it all…so desensitized, yes, the world we live in can make us cold and indifferent… That is not a choice.
You can’t just look at the things happening and feel unaffected, indifferent…that can’t happen anymore.

We need to start a revolution.
What do I mean? Well, you need to change… Yes, you…and me too.
You need to show the difference in your lifestyle. You need to be the difference, you need to be the change. Yes it is possible. No, it won’t that easy but it will be worth it and it will work. A single act of kindness could change a entire life.

You don’t have to follow the rules around you.
What do I mean? Well, you don’t have to be like everyone else. If everyone’s normal is: lying, cheating, indifference, selfishness, etc….
That doesn’t have to be you. Will it seems harder at times? Yes, but truth and honesty always win. It may not seem that way at times but they will win.

Don’t let this world drag you around, you my friend can make all the difference.

Slavery, murder, child abuse, cheating, bullying, lying, you name it…. Can be stopped , but it takes a brave few to stand for what is right.
It all starts with the one…

Will you be one?

So lately every time I look at my little girl and hubby an immense sense of gratitude invades me…

I can’t help but feeling like my heart is going to burst with happiness…I know it may sound so corny but its the honest truth… I won’t say that marriage is a piece of cake or parenting for that matter…there are truly really tough days, no lie…but despite those, and even in those, I feel ridiculously blessed.

God has been so good to me, so good.

When I made the decision 3 years ago to marry this man (legally haha…the religious one was 4 months later…) I had no idea what I was getting myself into…marriage in itself is an adventure and a challenge and add the pressure of living by faith and having a kid…the road hasn’t been that smooth but I made a decision that I will never regret.

I chose to love him no matter what, even in the days when I don’t “feel” like it, because if I am learning anything at all, is that Love is truly a decision not a feeling.

I can honestly say had it not been because of God…well we truly wouldn’t be here, but we are and I can say that God has been good, faithful, and merciful to us.


Don’t waste your life, your time, it goes by so fast!!!! I blinked and I am 3 years married, with a little girl about to turn 2! its crazy… make this life count, its the only one we got… chose to love, to forgive, to give, to serve, to let go and Let GOD be God. Forget about yourself, this life isn’t about making ourselves happy its about others, and in giving ourselves away we will find joy beyond any passing happiness.

we have no guarantee of tomorrow…none at all…it may be too late… chose right today.

Las cosas buenas viene a aquellos que saben esperar…

No te ha pasado que has pausado a pensar un momento y te has dado cuenta que la vida pasa aun mas rapido de lo que te podias imaginar? Abriste y cerraste los ojos y derrepente era noviembre y otro año se te escapaba? Que mi bebita ya no esta tan bebita, y que todo ha cambiado tanto y ya ni te acuerdas cuando todo paso?

Pues me paso a mi…que derrepente mire a mi alrededor y estaba casada, con una hija, tan ocupada que aveces me era dificil recordar el porque de tanta ocupacion.

Corriendo de aqui y para alla, y en medio de la rutina la vida se escapa y uno no la puede detener. Y la pregunta ya no es cuanto tiempo me queda si no, que estoy haciendo con el tiempo que me queda?Que quiza me acostumbre a mi vida y a mi rutina y deje de soñar como antes, y deje de que lo que tengo que hacer ahora me hiciera casi olvidar que mi vida no se termina aqui, que todavia queda mucho mas por conquistar, por ver, por hacer, por recorrer, por soñar.

Pero es dificil o no? todos los dias ahi que trabajar , ahi que comer, ahi que limpiar, ahi que cuidar, ahi que hacer lo que se tiene que hacer…y en eso nos olvidamos de vivir, de respirar…y aun aveces de descansar.

y entonces en mi pausa, su Voz me recordo, que esto recien es el comienzo y que aun queda mucho mas por venir. Que uno no puede dejar que la rutina y el cansancion del hoy, ahogue los sueños dados por Dios para el mañana. Que el tiempo de preparacion es evidencia de que algo esta por venir…y que nunca ahi que dejar de prepararse porque El siempre tiene algo por venir. Que no debo dejar de cantar, de soñar, de estudiar, de crecer …porque uno aprende algo nuevo cada dia…

Que no se trata de que lo recuerden a uno, si no de hacer algo que deje huella en la vida de las personas y que viva mucho mas alla de uno mismo.

Que la vida con Dios esta llena de nuevos comienzos, de sueños, de realidades, de esperanza, de amor, de fuerza y de poder. Que no se tiene que vivir la vida ordinariamente, si no que con El, todo es extraordinario.

Y que ahi que vivir siempre listos, y siempre alertas porque uno nunca sabe cuando las cosas pueden suceder…que nos encuentren listos para entrar en la batalla, en nuestra tierra prometida, en nuestros sueños, en nuestro mañana.

Y que Dios siempre es fiel…y con El nunca ahi tiempo perdido…aunque paresca que se demora…su tiempo siempre es Perfecto.

Y las cosas buenas les viene a aquellos que saben esperar…EN EL.

Habacuc 2:3

Aunque la visión tarda en cumplirse,
se cumplirá a su tiempo, no fallará.
Aunque tarde, espérala,
porque sin duda vendrá, no tardará.

 I ran across this quote and I thought it was a good thing to share…

So true yet so difficult to live out huh?… how many of us have lived or still live on reputation?… not that anyone would accept it anyways right…
isn’t that the point of it all…what people think of you? what if they knew …this or that…
Well…who cares…so what if they knew? Shouldn’t it be a bigger concern that we care to hide and conceal our flaws in order to be someone who we really aren’t
instead of actually letting God change our heart…character… and life?
but that is just crazy huh?… sounds silly but isn’t that how so many of us have lived…or still do for that matter?

Some people would rather die before allowing others to help them…before looking vulnerable…before putting down the mask…
but what can anyone really do? judge you? because you sin differently than them? judge you because you aren’t perfect?… yeah…
I think we should be more concerned with what God thinks of us…and how we stand before Him…
Why hide who you are? why live pretending? why lie?… haven’t you heard that everything eventually comes out?… you should want that to be something good for you…
not bad.

We should practice what we preach…we tell other to be honest, yet we live a with a mask on, putting on a show for others to see and approve of who we are
… we tell others to love…yet we cannot even love ourselves…we tell others to be themselves…yet…well…do I even need to finish that one…
While others might fall for our tv show happy appearance God sees it all…He knows it all…and if He does then whats the point of pretending for others?… promotion comes from God, honor that comes from lies isn’t worth a thing, and anything based on faulty character will ultimately not last very long…
I saw something on Instagram the other day and even thou some might find it kinda offensive I thought it was quite funny and fitting…
it was one of those e-cards that read something like :

WE ALL KNOW YOU ARE ONE “I LOVE MY LIFE” STATUS SHORT OF a MENTAL BREAKDOWN

and isn’t that the truth…hey I’m not saying there are people our there that aren’t honest…but how many just say or do things like that
because they are trying to cover up or make up for something that really isn’t there…?
and so…why is it that I care? because I don’t like being lied to…it bothers me to see people being lied to and tricked…
it angers me when people get hurt and discouraged by the rather contradicting life of people that pretend to have it all together…
but then show a complete lack of character
and respect outside of “important people’s” radars?
Let’s be honest here…I am…
We of all people should be honest, open, show ourselves as we truly are…why make people think that we are perfect and make them feel awful because they are not?
why put on a show about our family, our finances, our status, our lives…how long can show truly last? wouldn’t you rather be free to be real? to be yourself? to grow? to change?
to help others that would see you as real and approachable?
Trying to climb up the ladder by pretending to be someone…or trying not to lose your “status” by doing that…is rather destructive…
think of it like this… if you are young and unmarried you won’t be able to keep up the facade once you find some one to marry you…don’t you think pretending 24/7 will get rather hard?
and old?… if you are married your spouse will be affected…if you have kids then they will also be affected… do know the damage a “fake” parent can do to a child…
especially when it comes to church and God?…if you are a leader eventually those who follow you will see and will be hurt… but if you had just been honest…if you had just come clean
if we lived transparent, honest, real lives we would save ourselves such unnecessary sorrow and pain…
Don’t waste your time…spend it on working on things that really matter…like your character…your relationship with God…fall in love with Him…let him change you….
because the truth is no matter how hard you try…who you REAllY are will come in every are of your life…and you can never get away from yourself…

 And the truth is…if you have good character you will in the end have a good reputation…

In my head…

These were inside my head today…

1. be honest…pretending gets you nowhere…in the end the truth always comes out…let that be a good thing for you not something to be afraid of…

2. Don’t put others down to make yourself “look” better…that doesn’t work…it only makes you look worse…

3. don’t treat people differently…everyone is important, everyone deserves a chance, everyone should receive “special” treatment…not just those people you think could benefit you in the future…or those with a “higher” status…those things don’t matter to God…

4. Keep it simple…Jesus was simple…He was real…He was humble…be like Him. Don’t copy people…don’t pretend to be someone you are not… you can only keep appearances up for so long…

5. If you have time for church, work, ministry, but you don’t have time for your family…your priorities are all wrong… don’t be a light outside and darkness in your own house…

6. Be a good friend…don’t expect to have them…if you are not a one as well. If someone is in need, don’t hesitate to help, or at least call…

7.don’t talk behind people’s backs…if you have something to say then say it to them…if you won’t then don’t say anything at all…and just give it to God.

8. remember the important things in life…God, family, helping others… don’t get caught up in the things that won’t last forever…

9. Don’t help someone expecting something in return…also, don’t help with a bad attitude…making them feel bad could be just as bad as not helping…

10. forget about yourself….love God…Love people…and keep walking…

You have to remember…

And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life. Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, “Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.” Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before. And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (Joshua 4:1-3, 5-7, 9, 11, 14-18, 20-24 NKJV)

Has it ever happened to you that find yourself being very similar to these Israelites? I guess after all we are all pretty much the same…we are human. Has it happened that you have seen God awesomeness in your life and then you have later doubted and forgotten all HE has done for you? I’m sure it has…because it has happened to me…
And so I re-read this verse after it hunting me all day yesterday…i finally came to it and I once again began to remember…how important it is not to forget God’s doing in your life. Because if your life is anything like mine things don’t seem to get easier and calmer…its all seems to get harder and busier…and I find myself in this “rut”-like routine and only wanting to make it to tomorrow almost in a hopelessness kinda feel. And I seem to talk to myself a lot more asking am I gonna make it this time? Well, according to my personal history yes, yes I will. And that is why its so important to set up a memorial, a constant thing that brings back into the forefront of your mind all the things God has gotten thru this far…because it may be encouraging to hear someone else’s story but there is nothing like knowing that God has not only done it for others but He has come thru for you and He will this time too.
That’s why I love this story in Joshua, God was so practical…He made them prepare themselves so they would never forget…or not have an excuse to anyways! And not only that but so that they could tell their children and future generations about God’s faithfulness in their lives.
I don’t want to forget, but I do sometimes because life gets scary at times, and things overwhelm me…but I want to always remember how good He has been to me and all He has brought me thru…so I have to find myself my own 12stones and never let myself forget….
So next time you feel like you can’t go on…or wonder how you will make it…remember all He has done for you.

….Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV)

This little beauty turned a year old today…I still remember a year ago just going to the doctor for my check up…I went home till days later plus a  baby in my arms. I still remember the mixed feelings…I was terrified…ecstatic…elated…so happy…and so ready to meet my little girl…and after I heard her first cry my world was never the same. This past year has been the most rewarding adventure, a year of learning and of growing. This little girl has taught me love beyond words, and the real meaning of putting others first…I couldn’t be more thankful for her.

I thank God for a year of seeing his miraculous hand upon her life, for a year of protection, provision, love, laughter, joy…and I can’t wait to see what is coming next….I love you Keilah Samanta…you are the most amazing little girl…and you will forever be my princess…

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