Stay the Course

It was the Saturday before Independence Day and my husband and I made plans to meet at a lake with family at 4 p.m. We wanted to enjoy the summer day and the outdoors. That morning it started raining and the forecast didn’t look promising. We started texting back and forth discussing if we should change our plans.

We came up with plan A, B, and C. We finally decided to meet at our house at 4 p.m. and if the weather got better, we would go outside to the deck or to a lake. The rain continued… until 2 p.m. The sun came out. After all the texts back and forth, we decided to keep our original plans to meet at one of the ten thousand lakes we have in Minnesota.

 While reflecting on all the time we spent worrying about the weather and changing plans, I got a revelation… Sometimes when God gives us direction to do something and we choose to do it in faith, we must stay the course regardless of circumstances. At the same time, we must be willing to change plans as God directs us.

 Often God gives us direction in a specific area of our lives. Accepting God’s direction and agreeing to follow through takes faith and effort. Because it is easier to not follow through, often at the first sign of trouble or feeling uncomfortable, we start doubting if we heard from God, if we should come up with our own plans, or if we should even cancel the entire idea. While it’s good to remain flexible for God to show us a new way of following His direction, sometimes it’s much better to simply stay the course. Just because circumstances around us change or new problems arise, doesn’t mean God won’t come through for us.

 I will leave you with this Scripture to encourage you to stay the course when you know you heard God’s direction in your life regardless of the circumstances around you.

 Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Happy Easter!

It’s Easter again! Where will you be? What does it really mean to you as a Christian? During Easter, we remember the horrible death of Jesus Christ on the cross and the reason why He went through such an experience: for each one of us! But it was all part of God’s plan to send His only Son to die for all our sins so our relationship with the Father could be restored and, as a result, we could live with God for eternity in heaven. During Easter we, most importantly, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. He didn’t just die and ended the book of His story. No, that was the end of that chapter. God raised Jesus from the dead as proof of His supernatural power and to put an end to death. All motivated by His love for us!

Jesus lives! And He offers the gift of eternal life to each of us—for FREE! All we have to do is accept the gift. How do we accept this amazing gift? By admitting that we are sinners in need of a Savior and accepting Jesus as our only Savior. I will leave you with the Scriptures that explain the simple message of salvation. I encourage you to say “yes” to Jesus and enjoy the blessings of walking your life’s journey with Him!

John 3:16-17 (NLT) Why God sent Jesus:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) Why Jesus endured the cross:

Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Romans 10:9-10 How we get saved and accept the gift of salvation:

For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Happy Easter!

A Beautiful Thing Can Be Deceiving

Two beautiful, mature trees stood in our backyard. They looked healthy on the outside for many years. But we started noticing that birds and squirrels were making it their home. We noticed holes in several places, so we asked the tree experts. They confirmed the trees were sick and had to go. It took us a couple of years to decide it was time to cut the trees as they were now a threat to fall on our deck and damage our house.

The day came when the “tree guys” started cutting all the branches, one at a time starting from the top down. Until it was time to cut the big trunks which was easier to cut than they thought… One was completely hallowed and the other one was rotted on the inside. They said the trees were in big danger of falling in the next windstorm that would come our way.

As I saw the majestic trees coming down, I expressed my sadness to God and said, “Lord, why did we have to get rid of these beautiful trees that provided shade to us and beauty to our backyard—in addition to costing a ton of money?” The Lord gently responded in my heart, “Sometimes you need to get rid of obstacles that are right in front of you and that look beautiful, in order to see the grand view in front of you. My plans for what lies ahead are so much bigger than what you see up close.”

What an amazing revelation. A beautiful thing can be deceiving! I wiped my tears and praised God for the “new view” of my backyard which expands over an acre beyond our deck. We have nature that we cannot touch by city ordinance. We have a pond, all kinds of trees, deer, turtles, geese, ducks, herrings, birds of all types, one owl, and even an eagle visits us occasionally. What a gift to have this view in the middle of the suburbs.

As I write this message for you, I’m enjoying my new expanded and grandiose view. I’m in awe of God’s creation and what He’s done for me in my life. During this season, we know that even though everything looks dead on the outside, life is about to spring out. Pretty soon, life will come out of the trees, flowers will bloom, and the smell of a new Spring will be evident.

I wonder, what kinds of obstacles are in my life that prevent me from seeing God’s full plan for my life? I will ask God to show me. And I encourage you to do the same. I will leave you with one of my favorite scriptures:

Isaiah 55:8-11 (NLT)

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

 It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Are You a Prayer Warrior?

Are you a prayer warrior? The other day, I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a posting from a friend who had lost a loved one. I quickly responded as other as others did and typed, “I’m sorry for your loss. I will pray for you and your family.” And kept scrolling down the page… I then stopped and asked myself the question: “Am I really praying for this person? Am I going to remember to pray later?” I immediately stopped and prayed for that person in that very moment because I realized I was going to forget later.

We often tell people we will pray for them but do we really? We may have good intentions but, in reality, we forget or simply say what everyone else is saying because seldom we find the right words to express our sincere sympathy for those who have lost one or are going through a rough time in their lives. Below are three things I now do to ensure I keep my word and pray as promised. After all, those reading our messages are counting on our prayers to get them through their journey.

Make a list.

I started a written list of every person who has asked me for prayer. I write their name, who asked me for prayer, and what I’m praying for. I now have two pages of people I’m praying for daily! When a prayer is answered, I check it off and praise God! If not, then I keep them on my list until I am released.

Do pray.

With a list at hand, I then pray every day for each person, by name. I ask God to help them, heal them, give them grace, strengthen them, or whatever else I have in my heart to ask God for that person. When we intercede for others, God listens. He always does. And He always answers—even if it’s not in our time. He answers in His time.

Tell them you’re praying.

Telling others you’re praying for them accomplishes three things: 1) You are keeping yourself accountable for praying; 2) You encourage those who need the prayers; and 3) You are acknowledging to God that you need Him. Every time I tell a friend, relative, or even a customer that I prayed for them or for their loved one or their job (whatever the subject is) they immediately respond and tell me, “I needed this today!” or “Thank you for your prayers. They do help!”

Prayer is a weapon that God gave us to fight the good fight. Most of the time, it’s the only weapon we have! In God’s army, I want to be a prayer warrior! Dictionary.com describes the word warrior as “a person engaged or experienced in warfare; soldier, a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness.” Each word here is an important word. We must be engaged in prayer like a soldier is in battle. We must get experienced in praying by doing it daily. We must not give up and pray with vigor, courage, and aggressiveness—never giving up on praying nor believing. We are living in times when we need to pray day and night. Every day is a new battle, and we are God’s soldiers until Jesus returns…

I will leave you with a question and two Scriptures: Are you a prayer warrior?

Exodos 3:15 (NLT)

The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is his name!

Judges 4:14 (NLT)

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.

Understanding the Mystery of Salvation

In reflecting about the amazing gift of salvation, I read scriptures in Romans that explain God’s perfect plan to save us all. Let me attempt to explain it in a simple way as I understand it. God chose the Jews as His chosen people. Why? Because He created all people and He decided to choose the Jews. We don’t question God’s choices.

God’s Chosen People

If we go back to the beginning when humanity rejected God, He then came up with a plan to save us by sending His only Son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus came with only one mission—to save human beings and restore our relationship back to God. John 14:6 states that, Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Jesus came into the Jewish family as a Jew. But He was rejected by most of His own people. Romans 11:5 says that “not all the Jews have turned away from God. A few are being saved as a result of God’s kindness in choosing them.” Later in Romans 11:7 the Scripture tells us that “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see and closed their ears so they do not hear.” The reason this happened is because God found a way for the rest of humanity (outside the Jewish people) to get saved. “His purpose was to make salvation available to the Gentiles, and then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves.” (Romans 11:11) In other words, “The Jews’ rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world.” (v. 12).

The Olive Tree

God makes the analogy of the Olive tree as “Abraham’s tree” where Jesus is the root, and the Jews are the branches. However, the Jews who rejected Jesus are like branches that were broken off. Then God allowed us, the Gentiles, to be grafted into the Olive tree. As explained in verses 16-17, “For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you, Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God’s rich nourishment of his special olive tree.”

So, we are in! Thank you, God! But we are warned to not be proudful of this privilege because if God was willing to break off His own branches, He won’t spare us either. Now, how do we stay attached to the tree and connected to the root? How do we make sure we are not broken off? The answer is in our hands. We continue to trust God and, in His kindness (v. 22).

God’s Plan of Salvation Is a Mystery

This entire plan of salvation is a mystery. In the end, God’s plan is for the Jews to return to Him and to save as many human beings as possible. But each person must choose God too. Romans 11:25 tells us that, “Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved.” I wondered, what is the “complete number of Gentiles”? It’s as many as possible. It’s as many as will answer “yes” to the call. Lastly, v. 31 says, “But someday they, too, will share in God’s mercy.” “They” means the Jews.

What a wonderful, amazing, and loving plan this is for all of us. What a promise God gave us and what a merciful God we serve. He could have chosen not to save us and not even give us the opportunity. I am forever grateful that He chose to save us and opened a door to spend eternity with Him.

I encourage you to reflect in the bigger masterplan of God’s salvation for all of us. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior, today is your day. You will never regret being a follower of Jesus.

A Lesson in Humility – Merry Christmas!

The King of the Universe, our Lord Jesus Christ, was born in a manger—a lesson in humility. From the moment Jesus arrived on earth, He demonstrated what being humble really means.

Back in 2021, I contracted the COVID-19 corona virus. As you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus this month, I would like to share the lessons I learned from this experience that are timeless:

• Humility: It takes humility to accept that it can happen to you and that you are not exempt from this disease. Proverbs 11:2 says that “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

• Vulnerability: Being vulnerable with others is what makes you human and that’s how people relate to you better.

• Transparency: There is no reason to cover up that you got infected with the virus. People need to know if they were exposed to you while you were contagious.

• Survival: You do have to embrace a survival attitude and be purposed to overcome this disease.

• Persistence: Be persistent and ask medical questions until you are satisfied. Be persistent also to take care of yourself from day one. Listen to your body.

• It’s okay to be human: We have no choice, right? We are human beings, and our bodies are fragile and vulnerable to the things of the world. But we can stay in shape and do everything in our power to stay healthy.

• Empathy: The best thing you can do these days when people share their life experiences is to empathize with them and listen to their stories—especially if they lost a loved one.

• Compassion: Lastly, being compassionate with others goes a long way when people are going through hardship.

As we enter the time of year to remember the “why” you’re here, stay focused on Jesus. He is the ultimate example of all the traits explained above. Jesus displayed humility throughout his life and taught us how to imitate Him in our journey.

Be encouraged and stay positive. Ask God for wisdom in making all your decisions concerning your personal health and choices. I will leave you with this special scripture from Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with new hope and joy!

"Mimi, Let's Play!"

“Mimi, let’s play!” are the sweet words I hear repeatedly when my grandson Henry is over. When was the last time you played with a child? Most of us don’t really remember playing with others when we were younger than five years old. It is known that humans don’t remember the first three years of their lives because that part of the brain has not yet developed.

As adults we forget the beautiful thing it is to simply play. When we play, our brains get refreshed and renewed. We learn and explore other areas of our brain. We get outside our daily routine of work and worries. I’m not a scientist but I do know what it does to me when I play. Playing with my grandson invigorates me, refreshes my mind, and relaxes me. I truly “sleep like a baby,” as we say. When my grandson goes home for the day, I don’t know who’s more tired—him or me! But the next day I am super productive, my mind feels rejuvenated, and I’m in a positive mood.

The other activity we do a lot is laugh! We laugh uncontrollably on the floor for the silliest things. Henry thinks I’m hilarious and I think he’s just as funny, so we celebrate our funny faces and our silliness. As my husband says, we wind each other up! Every time we laugh, we are creating lasting memories of love in our hearts. Even if children don’t remember exactly what we did, they will remember the feeling of happiness they felt when we’re together.

The other day my husband and I were out for a walk with Henry, and we realized he won’t remember these walks… but we will! Then we also realized that because of technology, we can physically record these precious moments. When we later share those special moments with our grandchildren, they will cement these memories in their minds and in their hearts. What a blessing!

When was the last time you played and laughed so hard you got tears of joy? If you can’t remember, I encourage you to visit friends with little children and get to know them. If you are a parent of young children, play, play, and play some more. These years are precious and truly fly by. If you are a grandparent, I encourage you to get to know your grandchildren. Spend one-on-one time with each one as well as time playing together. You may feel physically exhausted from playing at the end of the day. But your mind will be renewed and refreshed like never before.

There is enough pain in the world and around us. Enjoy the precious moments God sends your way each time you have the opportunity to play and laugh!

I will leave you with an encouraging Scripture today:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Life Today: Stormy, Yet There Is Hope!

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.

Psalm 65:5 (NLT)

My brother captured this phenomenal image from the skies of Naples, Florida and shared it with our family as he reflected: “Life today: Stormy, yet there is hope.” I immediately was inspired to write about this profound statement.

When we stop to see what is going on around the world, we may agree that we, as a humankind, are going through a global storm—the pandemic. Simultaneously, there are many countries that are experiencing the aftermath of catastrophic floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, volcano eruptions, riots, protests, terrorism, increased crime, and the list goes on. The world is getting darker. But, as the picture shows us, there is light beyond the storm. There is always hope!

God speaks to us in many ways. Sometimes He speaks to us through an amazing horizon like this scenery. Other times His Word tells us what to do and hope for. Yet other times, He speaks to us through another believer. In every instance, He is continually reminding us that He has not left us. He is right here with us—in the storm, through the storm, and after the storm. It is important that we don’t ignore the storm. We must recognize the storm for what it is. Sometimes we bring the storm to ourselves because our actions have consequences. Other times, we live through the storms that someone else brought to us because they are in our lives. And then there are the storms that come just because we live in a lost world where bad things do happen to good people.

Yes, there is always hope. But the hope is not in riches, in science, technology, nor a president, nor a country… Our only source of hope is Jesus! It is so simple yet so hard to accept and comprehend that “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3:16). The message of salvation, the message of hope must be told.

Our common mission as Christians is to share the Gospel with the world. One way is to share the Word of God with others. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace.” We plant the seeds of the Word of God, and He ensures it produces fruit in that person’s life.

I know many believers who are living through horrible, unthinkable storms right now. Yet they are hanging on to the little ray of light that comes from knowing Jesus Christ personally. They have the revelation that God will get them through it, despite the deep pain they feel while walking in the valley of darkness. The Lord promised us that He will be with us during our tribulations and reminded us that He overcame the world.

I will leave you with Scriptures that encourage us to put our hope in the Lord:

Job 11:18 Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Psalm 25:5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

Psalm 31:24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Psalm 33:20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 33:22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Psalm 39:7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

Psalm 119:116 Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed.

Be encouraged, Jesus told us in John 16:33:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Back to School… Back to Normal?

It’s time for children to go back to school… Does that mean back to normal? Not necessarily. Life as we knew it is no longer the reality. Summer of 2021 represents probably one of the most special summers we’ve had in a long time. Why? Because after surviving the global Pandemic, riots across America, and massive world uncertainty, we realized how important it is to be with our family. Back to the basics—the family unit!

Now that most workers across the globe had a taste of working from home, many workers do not want to go back to the office. The main reason found from surveys is the flexibility and the time gained from not traveling back and forth to the office. For many people, their priorities changed. Instead of focusing solely on their careers, some workers—especially parents of young children—shifted their priority to raising their children. In fact, home schooling increased significantly in America after the Pandemic. The National Home Education Research Institute shows an increase from 2.5 million children home schooled in Spring 2019 to 4.5 to 5 million children home schooled in Spring of 2021. According to their research, “The homeschool population had been growing at an estimated 2% to 8% per annum over the past several years, but it grew drastically from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021.”

Most importantly, after seeing the number of people who died due to the pandemic, many of us also realized that our days on earth are counted. We simply do not know how many more days we have to live. Therefore, we must live our lives as if today was our last day on this planet.

So what do you do when you know your days are numbered? You make each day count! Instead of focusing on all the negative reasons of why we’re not going back to “normal,” let’s focus on what to do to make our days count going forward:

Tell the people you love that you love them! Even if we think they already know. Why do we think that it’s awkward to tell them? Human beings need to hear and be reminded that they are loved. The words “I love you” are powerful and they penetrate the heart. They bring hope.

Spend quality time with those you love. Time is our most valuable possession, and nothing tells another person that you care than spending quality time with them. Set aside time with those you love.

Serve others. Again, when we spend our time serving others in whatever capacity you are able to do based on your talents and skills, we are telling others that they matter to us.

Spend time with God, your Father. Being a Christian is not a religion. It’s having a relationship with God, the Father, Jesus, God’s Son, and the Holy Spirit—the revealer God gave us to communicate with Him. Don’t be afraid to pursue a love relationship with your creator. He is right there waiting for you to reach out so He can pour out His love on you and bring you blessings.

As summer comes to an end and we enter the new season, I encourage you to be aware of your days and make the best of each one.

Honoring Our Dads

This month I want to honor our dads since we celebrate Father’s Day in June. Summer is upon us and it’s a time to get together with family. This year will be a special year to gather since many people haven’t met with family in over a year due to the Pandemic. To honor dads, I thought it would be a great idea to send you off on a mission so you can answer this question: What do you know about your grandfather, great grandfather, or your great-great grandfather? I only know a little bit about my grandfathers and nothing about the previous generations. In the next few weeks, I encourage you to learn something about all of them. You will be amazed at what you will find out.

When I started writing my first book fifteen years ago and told my dad about it, he told me for the first time that my grandpa was also an author and that he had published about fifteen books in Nicaragua! I never knew that until then. And just a few weeks ago I found out that my mother’s ancestors (both paternal and maternal) went to Nicaragua from Andalucia, Spain. I didn’t know that either.

I never had grandfathers because my mom’s dad passed away when she was born so my mom never had a dad. My father’s dad passed away when I was born so I never met him either. Now that my husband is a grandfather, I see how much I missed as a child from never having grandfathers in my life. But I’m glad I’ve had my dad.

If your dad is no longer with you, I encourage you to honor his memory and do something this month that he would have enjoyed doing with you. If you still have your dad, reach out and spend quality time with him this month. If your dad lives far away and it’s not possible to see each other in person, then maybe you can meet virtually as we have been doing. The point is to reach out intentionally and to appreciate your dad.

My dad is now 94 and he lives in Nicaragua with my mom, so I don’t see him often, but we talk almost every day and right now I’m helping him publish his first book! It is a collection of paintings, some of which he’s painted in the last year, and thoughts that he likes from various authors. My dad is a composer and an attorney, and he has been successful at both the artistic side as well as in his profession. He just recently took on painting! I am proud of my dad!

Lastly, if you’ve never had a father or if your dad has been absent in your life, you have your heavenly Father who will always love you and be there for you…He is the “Father to the fatherless…” (Psalm 68:5).

To all of you who are fathers, thank you for all your hard work. Thank you for loving your family and for working hard to get ahead so your children can have bigger opportunities and a better future.

Happy Father’s Day!

Easter Message

Each year during Easter weekend, I read a portion of the book, The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel. I read specifically Chapter 11 “The Medical Evidence” where pages 194 through 200 describe exactly how Jesus died on the cross by crucifixion. In his book, the author, a journalist who described himself as a skeptic, set out in a journey to prove the evidence for Jesus. In this chapter, he focuses on the physical evidence of the death of Jesus on the cross.

Although I never doubted that Jesus died on the cross and that He indeed rose again from the dead, many people don’t believe the “story.” If you have any kind of doubt about the death and resurrection of Jesus, I urge you to read this book. I read these pages of the book each year to remind me of the horrible death and torture, along with humiliation, that Jesus endured—for me!

Although I will never ever be able to repay Jesus for what He did for me, I am willing to share Him with the world. It is the least I can do to thank Him for the amazing gift of salvation. I have the “free ticket to eternity with Him in heaven”! And I want you to have it too. It’s actually very simple. I’ll leave you with three scriptures: Isaiah 53 describes what He went through on the cross, John 3:16-17 tells us about the gift of love from God to us, and Romans 10:8-13 tells us how easy it is to accept the free gift of salvation.

Isaiah 53 The Crucifixion

Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

John 3:16-17 The Gift of Love

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 10: 8-13 Salvation is for Everyone

8 Salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is the message we preach—is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen and is real!

Rain Brings Life

On gloomy days, it’s hard to remember that rain brings life. Each year at the end of the winter and beginning of spring, I watch my backyard in awe as I see all the trees and grass and plants start to grow miniature little buds that represent new life. In the winter, everything appears dead, but nature only goes to sleep and holds life inside of it until the right time, everything wakes up. Spring is the time to bloom and grow again!

Without the rain none of that would happen. There is no life without water from the sky. Rain brings life and with it comes new hope, new beginnings, new growth. In our lives, we can experience a winter season where everything seems to go dark and gloom surrounds us. But it is during those times that God works in our hearts to prepare us for the spring. In order for rain to come, the clouds have to form in the sky which in turn cover the light from the sun. Similarly, when we allow God to work in our hearts during our darkest times, we ready ourselves to receive the growth and new beginnings that come with the sunlight and after the rain.

Below are scriptures that remind us of God’s promises about the rain:

Leviticus 26:4 I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit.

Deuteronomy 11:14 …then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil.

If you are going through a tough season in your life, share it with a friend and open you heart to God’s healing. I will leave you with a friendship poem from my book The Friendship Book: Because You Matter to Me:

Friends know when you hurt.

Open up and let them in.

They will help you heal.

Your Perspective Changes When You Find Your Purpose

Your perspective changes when you see a situation through different lenses. I was looking at my beautiful backyard through the sliding door to the deck and suddenly noticed there were a conglomeration of little fingerprints. I immediately thought to go get the window cleaner and get rid of them. Then I stopped to think about it and decided to leave them there for a while longer… You see, I could either think the window was completely dirty and let it bother me or I could cherish the thought that my two-year-old grandson was at our house and left his little fingerprints on my window… Wow! What a change of perspective when I saw it through the eyes of loving grandma.

Today is my dad’s 94th birthday and I wish I could be with him to give him a special hug, but he is 3,000 miles away in Nicaragua. This morning I thought to myself, will I make it to 94? How will I feel physically? I already don’t enjoy seeing my body getting old and hate the thought of being that old. But on the other hand, what a blessing it has been to have my dad all these years. So, I can either think that aging is a bad thing or I can be thankful for each day that I’m alive and hope that I make it to my 90’s as healthy as my dad has been. My perspective on aging changed.

This week I was feeling overwhelmed with the volume of work I had to complete and found myself not wanting to work so much. On one hand, I know I need to keep my life in balance so work doesn’t overtake my life. But on the other hand, how wonderful that God has sent me so much work in a time when so many people don’t have jobs! Once again, my perspective changed.

In all these situations what helped me change perspectives is that I found my purpose in life. It is crucial for you to find your purpose in life because it is the fire that encourages you to help others. Purpose is what gives you the passion to work hard, love others sincerely, and be intentional about everything you do in your life. When you find your purpose, your perspective changes completely on how you look at every aspect of your life.

If you want to find your purpose, my book, The Fire Within: Connect Your Gifts with Your Calling can help you. Don’t give up asking God why you are here and He will reveal it to you!

My Word for 2021 is HOPE

My word for 2021 is HOPE. We are living in troubled times where confusion, uncertainty, and chaos has become the normal. The New Year typically brings new expectations, excitement, and most importantly, a renewed sense of hope. A hope that this year “things will be better.” This year “I hope to get this or that done.” This year “I’ll get my dream job” and this year I will “travel to my dream places” and so on.

But I don’t hope for any of those things... My hope is not in a man nor woman, a president, a country, or a government. My hope is solely in God, my Father. He has rescued me from a deadly earthquake when I was six years old, protected me through a two-year revolution when I was 12-13 years old, gave my family favor during exile in Dominican Republic, protected my family again from a destructive hurricane when I was still 13, and gave us the opportunity to come to America—the land of opportunity and hope!

America is still the land of opportunity. But sadly, I don’t consider America to be the land of hope anymore… I am witnessing the same violence, terrorism, and lack of peace as my country of origin, Nicaragua. Things that “only happen in those countries” are now happening right here in our backyard. Therefore, I choose to put my trust and hope in the Lord.

Do you want to help the poor? Feed them and clothe them. But also bring them the Gospel of truth where true hope is found.

Do you want to help a person suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts? Give them love, a listening ear, and share the Good News of the Gospel which is their only hope to live in freedom.

Do you want to help the sick? Pray for them, spend time with them, and bring them hope by sharing about the healing power of God’s forgiveness. Spiritual healing is eternal. Physical healing is temporary.

Hope sustains us to get through tribulations. Faith in God gives us freedom. Believing in the true message of Salvation reconciles us with our Father. Prayer gets us closer to God and allows us to experience Him. Love God and love others.

Therefore, for 2021, I hope for unity, restoration, reconciliation, forgiveness, honesty, truthfulness, healing, and peace among the people. I encourage you to put your hope in Jesus—the only ONE who gave His life so you can have eternal life.

This month, since I’m sharing about HOPE, I thought it would be appropriate to share about one of my favorite nonprofit organizations that helps the poor around the world: HOPE International.

HOPE International’s mission is to invest in the dreams of the world’s underserved communities as we proclaim and live the Gospel. HOPE works in 16 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. We provide discipleship, training, savings services, and loans for underserved men and women, equipping them to better provide for their families and grow in all areas of life. Beyond material change, we long to see God transform lives holistically—through spiritual, personal, and social change.

I went on a sight trip with HOPE International to the Dominican Republic and I saw first-hand how they help the poorest of the poor to start their own small business while, at the same time, teaching them business practices and bringing the real HOPE by introducing them to God.

I will leave you with one of the poems I wrote in The Friendship Book:

Believe in your friends.

Pray for your friends.

Love your friends.

Hope with your friends.

That is what friendship is about.

Top 10 Lessons Learned in 2020

Top 10 Lessons Learned in 2020. As we entered the new decade—2020—we were looking forward to new adventures in our lives, new jobs, new places to visit around the world, celebrating big accomplishments and special birthdays with our loved ones. But all our dreams and plans for 2020 were shuttered in a matter of days. We now have a choice to make: We feel sorry for ourselves pondering on everything we lost this year. Or we choose to see the positive experiences and lessons learned throughout this year as we lived through the COVID-19 Pandemic, the riots in many of our cities, and an unforgettable presidential election process.

Let’s choose to see the positive and reflect on everything we learned this year. Below are the top 10 lessons learned in 2020:

Resiliency. One of the biggest lessons we learned is to be resilient. Businesses had to change the old way of doing things from one day to the next. Employees had to learn to work from home with the pets and children around and without having the proper equipment or office setup. As we continue to live through the Pandemic, we are now more prepared to pivot on a moment’s notice. If something doesn’t work out, that’s ok, we move to the next option. This new or polished skill of resiliency will serve us well for the rest of our lives.

Creativity. We had to become more creative at everything we do on a daily basis—from how we buy groceries to how we stock food in our houses—especially how to creatively buy more toilet paper! Event planners created new ways to do their conferences using various systems. Speakers had to adapt to whatever system the event planners had to offer and attendees had to learn to “unmute.”

Compassion. As we observed how the world changed around us and how much suffering people were facing, most of us felt compassion for strangers. This global Pandemic opened our eyes to the see the entire world as one humanity. This virus attacked everyone and is not respecter of persons regardless of background, age, political views, religion, or culture. Yes, there are specific groups of people who are more vulnerable to dying but the virus doesn’t know that. It attacked wherever there was an open door to move into.

Empathy. We became more empathetic for people who are more vulnerable to the virus or if they live with a person who is at higher risk. We empathized with parents of young children who had to work while trying to help their children with schoolwork.

Resourceful. Companies took their retired computers from the closets and put them to work again. These systems may not be the fastest, but they worked okay for employees to be able to continue serving customers from home. At the personal level, many people made masks not only for their own families but gave them away to others in need.

Technology. Everyone had to up their game using technology. People who refused to use technology now were forced to do their banking on their phones, call their grandchildren on FaceTime, Google Duo, WhatsApp, or Zoom. Businesses that were waiting on the edges to upgrade systems or use new technologies were forced to invest in technology now or be out of business completely. Digital payments are now the new way of paying each other or purchasing goods. Also, because of technology, several vaccines are coming out in a record time to help humanity fight and end this Pandemic.

Generosity. Even though nonprofit organizations that help people were not able to meet in person to raise funds, they used creativity, technology, and resourcefulness to attract donors to their causes. People became more generous in the effort to help other human beings in need.

Efficiency. Businesses became more efficient in their processes. What before took twenty steps to complete, now may only take ten steps. Unnecessary steps and approvals had to be removed from the process in order to expedite service to customers and simply to survive as a business. Business leaders had to trust their employees and empower them with more authority to complete tasks while still complying with regulations that apply to their industries.

Prioritize. We learned to prioritize our activities based on importance and risk exposure. We chose to continue some commitments and drop the less important ones. What’s most important in our lives surfaced to the top of the list. All the other superficial activities went by the wayside.

Faith. Most importantly, this year was a time to seek God—for some people for the first time in their lives. Despite the terrible circumstances we all went through this year, God has always been there waiting for us to ask for help and to invite Him into our lives. Faith is what sustains us through tribulations.

So, you see, in the midst of a global Pandemic we can come out ahead. Yes, we lost a lot and some of us lost loved ones to the disease which is the highest price to pay. Yet we can still move forward and learn lessons that will carry us through the rest of our lives. From all the lessons we learned listed above, the most important to remember is faith. I will leave you with this Scripture that sums it all up:

John 16:33 (KJV)

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Do You Know the Truth?

Do You Know the Truth? Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks. It’s also a day when we eat a LOT of food, right? Well, today I decided to spend extra time in prayer thanking God. I also decided to eat a LOT of spiritual food—the Word of God. Here is the formula God revealed to me during my study:

Jesus = Truth = Freedom

You want to know the foundation for this incredible formula? Let me take you through the promises I read today from the Bible (NLT):

John 8:12 Jesus told the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8:31-32, 34 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… What do you mean ‘set free’? Jesus replied, I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin.”

John 14:1-6 “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one can come to the Father except through me.”

John 9:4 All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.

So here is my personal prayer today:

Jesus, I know you. Therefore, I know the Father who is my God, the one who sent you. Therefore, I know the truth and the truth sets me free from sin. And when everything is ready where you are in your Father’s house, you will come and get me and I will always be where you are, in heaven, with you for eternity. In the meantime, I must quickly carry out the tasks assigned to me by the Father, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. You are the light of the world. You light my world and show me the way until you return.

Amen

I encourage you to spend extra time today feasting in the Word of God! The Word is the true food that will satisfy your spirit. When everything looks dark and hopeless… Jesus is alive! He will restore your spirit and fill you with His love.

Thanksgiving Amid Uncertainty and a Global Pandemic

Thanksgiving Amid Uncertainty and a Global Pandemic. 2020 will go in the history books as “the year to pause and reflect” among other descriptors. Many of us who are used to run on the treadmill of life with no rest were forced to abruptly stop. Some of us were literally thrown off the treadmill and we were not ready for the impact. Others found themselves slowing down to a complete stop. Yet others experienced the treadmill speeding up to the point of unsustainable speeds.

Who are you in this picture? How has the COVID-19 Pandemic affected your personal and professional life? Most importantly, how has the Pandemic affected your spiritual life? Depending on your circumstances described above, if you found yourself suddenly on the floor, hurt, and disoriented because you either lost your job or someone you love died from the virus, did you ask others for help? Did you go to God for help and comfort?

If you found yourself “slowly slowing down,” your business deals consistently going away and not booking new business while, at the same time, your kids’ school closed and now you have to play teacher. Did you pivot your business? Have you found new ways to bring income to your home? How are you coping mentally? How are your children doing with the “distance learning” or “in-person learning” during this time?

Lastly, if you are in the third category and your treadmill of life sped up to an unsustainable pace (like doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients or bankers doing Paycheck Protection Program loans), were you able to slow down eventually? Or did your body give in, you let go of the handles and flew off the treadmill? Were you able to establish boundaries to say, “No more, I cannot handle any more.”?

My personal experience was a mixture of slowing down to zero traveling and, on the other hand, increased work to stay on top of the community banking industry. All my in-person speaking engagements were rescheduled from the spring and summer to now the fall. But God provided more consulting work when speaking was non-existent back in May. Overall, I have had some balanced days and some completely crazy days. But the best blessing throughout these past months is that my husband and I spend quality time at least once a week with our grandson. This is priceless and I thank God for this privilege daily.

Your responses to the questions above will vary based on your unique circumstances and your personal relationship with God. However, regardless of your situation, the entire world experienced the effects of the 2020 Pandemic in more than one way. Another way this year will go into history is as “the year that everything happened” and will never be forgotten. But you can prevail and continue life with God’s help.

The big question I ask myself and I ask you is: In the midst of uncertainty and during this Pandemic, have you used the additional time you’ve had to reflect on your relationship with God? Have you stopped to thank God despite the circumstances?

Thanking God during tribulation seems absolutely absurd and goes against our human nature. However, that’s exactly what we must do to obtain the grace, equipping, wisdom, and strength to get through adversity. When we thank God regardless of the circumstances we’re living through, He listens to us and He provides everything we need to get us through.

I encourage you to push through, believe in God, ask Him to help you through this tribulation and He will. Ask Him for wisdom and discernment as to what to do next, how to handle your children’s education, and to give you strength for each day. My hope is that this Pandemic has brought you closer to God and that your spiritual life will flourish because of this tribulation… I will leave you with these promises from the Scriptures:

John 16:33 (KJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 116:1 (NLT)

I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications.

Psalm 116:17 (NLT)

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the Lord.

Philippians 4:11 (NLT)

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I Will Vote and I Will Pray…

I Will Vote and I Will Pray. This is the last weekend we have to research and make our final decision as to who to vote for on Election Day 2020 or you may already be decided. I LOVE America and I want what’s best for our country and for all of us. Therefore, I will exercise my right to vote. But then, regardless of who the new leader is for the next four years, I will pray for the President of the United States of America. Because that’s what the Bible tells us to do.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NLT)

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

It pains me to hear of how many relationships have been broken because of differences of political opinions or worldviews. We are walking on eggshells trying not to offend others. We keep looking for the answer to our problems—individually, as a country, and as a world—when the answer is right in front of us. God tells us to LOVE one another. We can only find unity in God. There is no other way. He is the only equalizer of human beings because He created each of us in His image. It’s so simple when we look at it from God’s perspective.

Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Matthew 32:36-40 (NLT)

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Because of the extreme uncertainty that surrounds us these days due to the ongoing Pandemic, elections, economy, natural disasters, and civil unrest, I was experiencing anxiety during these times. But then I made a decision… I decided to trust God. I will vote and then leave it all in God’s hands. He knows why things happen and He WILL take care of me and of all of us who choose to put their trust in Him. I don’t depend on a man or woman, or a country, or a system. I depend on God alone!

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Therefore, I choose to put my trust in God who is my only source for everything I need. I encourage you to read the entire Psalm 91 and will leave you today with the last verses:

Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT)

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Exercise your right to vote on November 3rd, thank God that you have that right, and then trust God with your life.

God bless you and may God bless our beautiful country of America!

Give God Your First Minutes… Instead of Your Leftovers

Give God Your First Minutes… Instead of Your Leftovers. My “new normal” now consists of one day a week with my grandson, spending daily devotions morning time with God and extended time on Saturdays, and reading my Bible more often than ever. I want to read the Bible even more and I’ll continue to increase my time in the Word and in God’s presence, learning about God and getting to know Him personally. I’m also learning to experience God on a daily basis and in a more intimate way. Spending quality time with God and having the extra bonus time with my husband and grandson (21-months as of the time of this writing) is the biggest blessing that resulted from this Pandemic. I LOVE my new normal!

I typically read two books at the same time: one on leadership development and one on spiritual development. One of the books I’m currently reading, Soul Care in African American Practice, by Barbara Peacock, mentions a prayer practice called ACTS which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. You start by worshiping God, then you confess your sins and ask Him for forgiveness, you then move to thank Him for everything He’s done in your life, and you conclude with asking all your prayer requests.

I am starting to use this practice to stay focused on God and not allow my mind to wonder during my sacred time with my creator. Barbara also encourages us to “give God your attention, He will give you direction.” Right now, we need His divine direction and wisdom more than ever. In a time of such uncertainty, He knows the way. We don’t.

There are many ways to connect with God and we each need to find the best way that works for us. God will connect with us in any way we prefer because He’s adaptable and omniscient. Prayer, Scripture, Worship are all avenues to connecting with God. How do you connect with God?

Before the Pandemic started, I had decided to spend more time with God, alone. Even if I give him a few minutes—sometimes I only have ONE minute. But I always kneel before Him each morning before I start my day, consistently. Simply to love Him, worship Him, thank Him for one more day of good health, and to ask Him for my list of people who need prayer.

Every time, without exception, when I give of my time to God—even if it’s only one minute—He multiplies my time and I get everything done. You see, our number one excuse to not pray is our lack of time. But if we give God our “first minutes” of each day, He will ensure we get the rest done. Whenever I decide to “pray later” and wait until I get to bed, I’m too tired and it simply doesn’t happen. I cannot allow myself to give God my leftovers anymore…

I encourage you to give God your first minutes and not the leftovers. He will reward you beyond what you can imagine! I will leave you with these powerful Scriptures:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.