“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
Psalm 100:2 NIV
Joy in Music
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Category Archives: Rest in Him
Jesus Understands
The phone rang as soon I sat down in the living room’s cozy, leather couch. I glanced at my watch and had a random thought, “perfect timing! We can catch up…”
Her voice trembled as she called out my name in despair and fear.
I knew then, there was a family emergency.
My heart skipped a beat or two when I demanded the ‘bad news’ without much delay.
“He attempted suicide”, she declared.
After I gathered all relevant details and suggested a course of action, I was still in state of shock.
I prayed on behalf of the family and was reminded of His faithfulness. God would never leaves us nor forsake us. The Lord gives us the strength, comfort and peace in the midst of chaos and state of disbelief.
I silently prayed.
‘God, give him a glimpse of hope for the future. He has lost his way and is quite desperate in life; he does not even know you or any of your promises. Please, capture his tender heart now, embrace him with your loving arms, whisper in his ear ‘how much’ you love him, forgive him and lead him to salvation. You are a God of ‘many’ chances and your patience never runs out so rescue him from darkness this evening and show him a new way of life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen’
Jesus hears our prayers. He certainly understands our state of mind and heart.
How many of us have the strength to manage unexpected, disheartening news, tragedies or even sudden death of a loved one?
Personally, I am run-down at times.
There is no life apart from Jesus.
He is my living water, refuge and comforter in the storms of life.
Jesus is LIFE indeed.
“which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
Ephesians 1:23 NIV
Jesus understands all of our unfortunate circumstances and He is the One who can helps us get thru it one day at a time.
Apart from Jesus, there is no life!
There is time for Everything
In the book of Ecclesiastes, the truth reminds us of…
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”
It’s time to mourn indeed.
God hears our Prayers
As I hustled towards the double doors of Corporate building in despair, I prayed “Lord, I don’t want for GQ to suffer any longer…let him rest… Take him now if its your will”.
“Answer me when I call to you, My righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer” Psalm 4:1 NIV
The veterinarian had left me a voicemail by the time I unlocked my office door.
By then, I knew the Lord had seen my distress and had heard a piercing cry for His mercies.
Our last morning together. He was relaxed while I drank morning coffee and ate breakfast.
Florida Blessings
Hidden Bay
For over fifteen years, my folks lived across this Bay with a panoramic view of North Miami and Aventura.
Mom was vivacious for countless years.
Mom exercised regularly at a Gym and walked daily to a local park, cooked ‘arroz con leche’ often, traveled to Venezuela at least twice a year, played cards with girlfriends, was diligent in taking care of dad and was determined to overcome her Alzheimers.
“It’s a new day under the sun”,
I reminded myself as I drank coffee quietly near the pool and momentarily reflected how our lives have forever changed in less than sixteen months.
When dad captured his last breath of fresh air, and waltzed right into the presence of our Lord, family dynamics forever changed.
Mom’s health has deteriorated since then.
Mom gets easily fatigue today. She sleeps often throughout the day, is unable to recollect new information, gets confused at times, is reluctant to wear her dentures, needs supervision, is unable to drive a vehicle, isolates herself, suffers from bodily aches and pains, and disengages from the world often.
The bellyaching fact is mom will never remember how many days we recently embraced together.
As I hugged and kissed mom, I grasped how our lives will never be the same.
When I approached the counter of Delta airlines, my heart was filled with affliction and sorrow.
Because the Lord is near the broken-hearted, He comforted me as I headed towards the gate, D2.
The Lord reminded me of an inevitable reality,
“In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen. The shades are pulled down on the world. You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt. The hum of the household fades away. You are wakened now by bird-song. Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past. Even a stroll down the road has its terrors. Your hair turns apple-blossom white, Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body. Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest…”
Ecclesiastes 12:3-5 MSG
It’s a new day under the sun, indeed.
The Lord will never leave me nor forsake my beloved mom.
Our lives may have changed. Nevertheless, mom’s unconditional love will always prevail in my heart, and her fingerprints will forever dwell in my soul.
For: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: 101 Stories of Caregiving, Coping, and Compassion. Click the image below to purchase:
Refreshed Soul
Life altering circumstances transpired and I soon realized I had drifted away from God’s wisdom and unfailing love.
Did I shut the door?!
I was inconsistent with church attendance and Bible reading for a season in my life. I desperately needed His truth daily yet I had unintentionally drifted away from Him.
Life disappointments, busyness and overwhelming grief led to despair, discouragement and emotional pain.
I was in a desert with no living water!
One Sunday morning, Lord reminded me of His tender truth.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8 NIV
Daily Bible reading renews the mind, nourishes the soul and prepares us for combat and adversity.
The truth reminds us to meditate on scriptures day and night.
‘How do I get fit, Lord?’
He answered, ‘one day at a time’
In the mornings, I complete a lesson from bible study, spend time in prayer and highlight the blessings of the day in a gratitude journal.
(30-45 minutes)
In a 15 minutes break, I use S.O.A.P method when I select a Scripture verse.
S: Write a Scripture,
O: Write an observation,
A: How can I apply it in my personal life?
P: Write a prayer asking God for His will, guidance, and most importantly ask for wisdom.
I take advantage of the two ’15 minutes’ breaks at work.
At lunchtime, I read a Psalm or a Proverb for the day. It only takes another 15-20 minutes to read, reflect and pray over today’s lesson.
A 3-ring “Journaling” binder helps track the day.
Spend 15 minutes in an activity of your preference 3-4 times each day and
stay ‘refreshed’ all week.
I will never drift away from His wisdom much less ‘shut’ the door ever again.
Balancing Work and Rest!
Ecclesiastes 4:8 NIV
“There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless-
a miserable business!”
His plans will always prevail!
It’s Saturday morning already!
My husband is preparing a tasty omelet in the kitchen,
My sister is on her way back to Venezuela,
My second oldest boy is trying to settle down in his morning routine,
and,
I’ve got urgency to get ready for a brunch in less than an hour!
Living in the moment is strenuous when faced with life extinguishers, doubt and fear.
It starts with a benign question, ‘what if…?’
By the end of the thought, I have colorful, vivid images of a catastrophe.
It’s truly exhausting!
Strongholds can be debilitating without a doubt.
As I wrestled with life altering decisions, I finally grasped a reality.
There are no warranties in life.
In my most recent decision, I just wanted someone to reassure me about the future.
I wanted everyone to say, ‘it’s going to be alright…You won’t fail’
I even wished for a descriptive manual with clear instructions in ‘how to’ succeed at the task.
Guess what?!
No one can foretell the future much less can tell you if the decision you are about to make is the most favorable one.
When I kneel before Him in humility and most importantly with a surrendered heart, He always leads the way.
As soon as I surrendered this morning, He reminded me of one of his truths.
Just know, the Lord’s plans will always prevail.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
How peaceful does that sound?
It was comforting and reassuring!
Now, I’m ready for brunch.
Joy in the Lord is her strength
I was sitting next to a vibrant, young-looking 65 years old woman when I heard the nail technician ask a routine question, “would you like your eyebrows trimmed today?”.
Her gentle response was, “I no longer have eyebrows since I’m a cancer patient… I’m blessed though”
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Psalm 28:7 NIV
She was soft-spoken, gracious and well-mannered.
All I heard was, “Cancer… Blessed!”
Agh?
“How many of us feel blessed after six years battling with a rare form of cancer named ‘Leiomysarcoma’ on two different occasions? ” The cancer is now located in her lungs, kidneys and lymph-nodes .
I’m not convinced as of yet if I can ever bear 27 radiation treatments and still be blissful and undisturbed by a life altering event.
Her joy and strength were unshakable, her gratitude and optimism were palpable and her hope was in the Creator, the Alpha and the Omega. She had no doubts about His protection, unfailing compassion and never ending love.
She enjoys reading her Bible. She relies on His promises indeed.
Even though the white blood cell count is low and an infection may occur at any given time, she was grateful when she took the last chemo medication dosage.
She was even exhilarated by the trendy color of today’s manicure and genuinely smiled during our brief conversation.
She noted, “I’m truly content and in peace”. She gave me a firm hug on her way out.
Today’s perspective on ‘challenging work circumstances’ instantly changed!
I grasped the importance of the here and now, the value of good health and most importantly the ability to live every moment as if it would be our last!
Our days are numbered indeed so I hope and pray I never lose sight of what’s relevant in life.
Journaling a Bible verse or two! 