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"I am not sure why I stopped writing. Writing helped me look back at how God works in my life.  A lot has happened since my last post. God has moved in ways that our human mind cannot understand. I tend to see the negative in life more than the positive in life, that's my one big downfall; and because of my small group leader I learned it's because of my temperment. Now with God's help I can make the most of my downfall. The best thing in this valley is that it has increased my faith."


I wrote the above back in 2010 and wow have my views changed. I no longer have faith or trust in my faith. I don't see God's work in my life. I am the same angry, unhappy, and grumpy person I have always been. I keep reading about "God's will" an "God's timing" and I'm not sure what that means. There are so many people just like me and with little hope in sight for anything to change, I don't get it. I don't get all the biblical things I was taught since the day I was born, I don't get why so many people suffer if God created us for fellowship with Him. I don't get the evil that goes on in His creation, I don't get it. Was I blind before? Was I brainwashed? What's right or wrong? My mind can not understand.


I know I sound like I'm rambling, maybe I am. I am so confused about where I should be in life. I am confused about my walk in God and in my own life. Above I wrote about my temperament being the reason I am who I am but is that just an excuse. I can't make the most of my downfall because I don't see the light at the end of tunnel.


Marisol

Is it just me?

I don't know how I lost my faith. I wonder if God allowed it to happen to me or if I did because of the situations that have happened in my life. The minute the church turned it's back on me, I saw people for who they really are, human. I saw no "Christ's Love". There was no compassion. I saw the hypocrisy in all of us. Then from there I started to question everything I had been taught for the last 45 years. I have always been a rebel but when it came to God, I was loyal now not so much.

Today

I have "strayed" from the church and from God. I am not sure if strayed is the correct word. My views are not the same as they were five years ago. At times I miss the fellowship but I don't miss the hypocrisy and that includes me. I miss the worship and the prayer then I think worship and prayer wasn't for God it was for us and that's why I miss it.

Today I was surfing the web and I came across a church I used to attend and as I looked at their web page I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to go back. It was a selfish feeling because I wanted to go back for my sake and for God's sake and that is the one of the reasons I left the church. I feel that going to church is for our sake. It makes us feel good but not many people take that feeling outside those four walls.

Today for a little while I felt like God whispered in my ear and that was good.

Marisol

Church

It has been three years since I stepped inside a church and you know what, I don't miss it. I no longer see God as a lighting-throwing God as bible-fearing Christians do. Or as genie in a bottle as prosperity Christians see Him. Or even as hypocrites do, they are only "love thy neighbor" Christians as they enter and leave the church building. I see God a creator of this earth and everything on it. I see Him as light and our path to Him. I don't believe all the rules and policies religion makes us believe we have to follow in order to make it to heaven.

There are times in these past three years where I even feel I am an agnostic but only because since the day I was born I have been fed into these religious lies. I have been told that many of my actions will lead me to hell or heaven yet the people that are telling me about my actions also forgot about their own unrighteous acts. So where does that leave me? or them for that matter? If God truly wanted us to work on being perfect why would He allow the devil to tempt us and even torture us. After 42 years on this earth, after 42 years of believing what I was told to believe my mind cannot wrap itself around those religious beliefs anymore.

Please don't misunderstand me, I have not left all my thoughts about our great God behind me but instead I have a greater understanding of what I don't want to be when it comes to religion. My regret is that my eyes weren't opened sooner, sooner to teach my family the true love of Christ.

Marisol

My Girls

Someone once asked me, "What are you teaching your girls?" I hope that through all my bad, my girls will learn forgiveness. They will learn to hold on to commitments they have made. They will learn to put their own selfishness to the side and care for the other person. I hope that they will not be afraid to love the way Christ loves us.

I want them to know that when the pain has got a hold of their guts and there is no sign of it letting go that's when they will fight with God's power, fight for what God gave them, and never allow the enemy to win because the battle has already been won.

If they learned that walking away is not the answer then they've learned it all.

Marisol

Open Your Eyes

"Open your eyes, Shelby. Open  your eyes." a quote from M'Lynn-Steel Magnolias. Remember how frustrated and agonized she was trying to get her beloved daughter to open her eyes. I often think of that quote and wonder if God from above is shouting those words to us. "Open your EYES, Marisol! Open your eyes, Nicole! Open your eyes, Tatiana, Hector! Open your eyes, (insert your name)!"

Are our eyes really opened to God's truth? His word? Do we truly love our neighbor? Are we feeding His sheep? And the answer is no. I know I'm not. I want to but unintentionally I begin to make excuses why I haven't fed His sheep with the word and needs or loved His children. I wonder what our great and wonderful God thinks as He watches us go to church every Sunday and for some of us every Wednesday,Thursday, home bible study, or anytime the doors open. Do you think He's thinking, "man they have it all wrong." ? I do, I believe that's exactly what's he's thinking.

I worked for a church for over a year. In that year my week consisted of preparing for the coming Sunday. Every single week was meant for the preparation of the coming Sunday. I really thought we were doing a great thing, how wonderful of a job I had in preparing for the coming Sunday. But what was that coming Sunday all about? It was about the lights in the sanctuary, the right music, was the sermon going to move people to give more or  move people to bring more people, how many people would come to the altar, how many souls will the church save on Sunday, do we have enough bulletins, will the bulletins offend anyone, how members and visitors attended, or is everything clean. Wow, nothing in our preparation was for God's true glory. It was all about us. So I believe as I walked out of my church a few months ago, my eyes were opened. God in all his majesty wants us outside of the buildings we call churches feeding His sheep.

As I pray I feel that my first ministry is my home and my family. Beyond my front door there is a whole world of possibilities to help the kingdom grow. I urge you my friends, to seek Him in his word and in your prayer to what He would have you do to feed His sheep. And let's go do it!!

Marisol

Wrestlemania

God says, Rest in me, Lay your problems at my feet, and My yoke is easy; yet we make it difficult. Today I cried and cried, which hasn't been much different from other days. I have been told that I like to pout or feel like a victim, but that is not even close to how I feel. I want to laugh and give to others, yet my emotions keep me paralyzed.

Poke, poke is what I like to do to my hubby. I get him to wrestle me, because I'm so strong, lol. Yeah, before I know it I am pinned and can not move. It's not until I surrender that I can move. I do the same thing to myself, I poke and I get my emotions pinned until I cry out and surrender then Christ releases me and I can move again.                                                        

It's a daily surrender and it's a daily blessing to know that Christ can set me free.


Marisol

Adulterous Nation

Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. Ezekiel 6:9

Have you ever grieved this same pain or know someone who has? It’s a pain like no other pain. Does it make sense? No! Why someone would leave the person they are cleaved with for moments of pleasure, because they are truly only moments.

Over and over God calls His people adulterers, why? I never understood why He would choose to use that word, but that’s exactly what we are when we leave the precious place of holiness for the moments of sinful pleasure. We leave the Holy God who we are cleaved to for the slavery of the world and the pain of sin.
See, we, the Church, the followers of Jesus Christ, are His bride and we are one with Him. When we choose to follow the joys of world which are gossip, drinking, rage, envy, murder, sexual immorality, lying, meanness, drug-use, idolatry, and list goes on. He grieves and feels the pain of a loved one leaving their place of sanctification for the indulgence of the world.

In the book of Hosea, Hosea’s marriage and remarriage to the prostitute Gomer represents God’s love for His people, the adulterous nation. The good news is that God will not let you go. He will pour down forgiveness for the repentant heart. My friends, that is why Jesus died on the cross and rose again, for your safe return home.

Remember it’s never about religion, it’s always about relationship.



Marisol

Disappointment

“Wait till you have kids of your own”, how many of us have heard those words at least once in our lives. When I heard those words, I would think to myself, when I have kids I’m not going to do what my parents did to me, feeling like I was the one who was hurt.



In the last couple of years many of us suffered disappointment in our church, our church leaders, and our fellow church members How about the members of our family or our spouses? When we go to work a co-worker or supervisor might disappoint us. The media dwells on the disappointments of the movie stars, professional athletes, and politicians. There is disappointment always surrounding us.


Looking back on the words of my parents, what I didn’t realize was that I wasn’t the one hurt, I was the one causing the disappointment. So there is another aspect of disappointment, who have I disappointed? Who have I cause to feel discouragement? Who have I hurt?


"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (Exodus 20::4). This commandment is usually thought of as material statues or even ideals in our lives, but in truth we tend to make our fellow man our idols. Man will ALWAYS disappoint us, but God NEVER will. He says, “Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).


When we keep our eyes on Jesus and trust Him with our lives, our possessions, our emotions, our friends, and our families nothing will disappoint us; even when disappointments cross our paths we will overcome them through our faith in Christ. “Surely I am with you always,” (Matthew 28:20).


My prayer is for us to keep our eyes on Him and that we will be still and not only hear His voice, but that we are obedient to it.

Marisol

HE picked me!!

He picked you, too. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. II Peter 3:9. Wow, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17. Does that mean something to you? It totally blows my mind.


I woke up thinking today, why me? I'm nothing, I yell at my girls, I am stubborn, I am not the perfect wife, I ignore those who need me, I pout, I complain, I get lazy, I don't apply myself like I should and I struggle with obedience, all that doesn't matter to Him. He knows who I am, He created me. Jesus wants our heart, He wants our love, and He does want our obedience. As a parent, that's what I want from my girls. Why wouldn't God want the same thing from us? He is our Father. I have always told my girls "Don't tell me that you love and then disobey me." Has that statement brought me my own conviction towards my Lord. We hold our children to certain standard and then we fall short.

God knows we struggle with all that I mentioned above and even more. He wants us to run to Him and give Him our struggles. Again, isn't that what we want from our children? We want them to turn to us when they have troubles. We want them to reach out to us and lay their head on our shoulders. Friends, this is a picture of what our Father wants from us. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:7. He knows who I am and He still wants me, that's a big WOW.

There is true freedom in seeking the Lord, seek Him my friends. There is a true peace in seeking the Lord, seek Him my friends. There is forgiveness in seeking the Lord, seek Him my friends. There is no place like home in the arms of our Father, seek Him my loved ones.

Marisol

Cuz it's not easy.

One of my favorite Disney movie's is Pete's Dragon and today I had the lyrics from one of the songs in my head. I don't even know why. I can't remember the last time I saw that movie. Below are two stanzas from the song, "It's Not Easy".

"It's not easy
To find someone who cares
It's not easy
To find magic in pairs

Now that you have him
Hold him
Treasure him from day to day
It's so easy"

It's not easy to find someone who cares but we have someone who has cared for each and everyone one of us since before we were even born. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" (Jeremiah 1:5).  We have someone who will never leave us or forsake us. (Deut. 31:6, 31:8, Joshua 1:5,  Psalms 9:10, 27:10, Isaiah 41:17, 42:16, Hebrews 13:5) So why do we seek anyone else?

Yes, God created us to have fellowship, families, and love with one another but our first love should always be God. It's something difficult to understand. It's taken me my whole life to get to this place. Now that I have found my first love, I do want to shout it from the top of the mountains, "God loves us!!!!".

He loves us and our life will not be perfect because it, it will perfect because of HIM. Trials are tough. I was somewhat spoiled in my past trials. God always answered me quickly and trials never seemed to last very long, even when my Mom passed away. Now, it's another story. My trial is very painful and it's lasting longer than excepted. My daughter Nicole told me it's lasting longer because God wants to teach me patience which might be true. I don't know what God has in store for me, I do know that I have a different way of looking at HIM during my wait. I'm excited through my pain, I know that sounds strange, I'm excited to have found my love through this storm and I look forward to having God's plan in my life.

It really is easy to find magic in pairs, you and HIM.

Marisol

Hi My name is Noah.

Hi. My name is Noah and I'm building an ark. It will take me 10 years to complete and when I do it will begin to rain. No one believes me but my only job is to be obedient to my Lord.

Hi. My name is Marisol and I'm waiting on the Lord. I don't know how long it will take my Lord to fulfill His promises. Some doubt that I should be waiting but my only job is to be obedient to my Lord.

These words came to me as I sat throughout my day crying and moping. Many friends and family do not understand why I am waiting on the Lord. It's okay, like I have said before we are not a society who is accustomed to wait on anything especially on something they don't see. Today was not a good day, God promises new compassion every morning so I will thank my Lord for today and look forward to tomorrow.

Exodus 14:31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him.....

I will ask you all to pray for us and for yourselves. God has big plans for all of us who trust in Him. Ask Him to reveal to you His plans for you life. Sometimes we have to wait and it's tough but sometimes God will flood you with His promises right away. Either way trust Him like so many before us have trusted Him. It's not easy picking up our cross and following Jesus but in the end we will see His Glory.

What happened to all the people that ridiculed Noah...they drowned.

Marisol

Draw me close to YOU.

If you've been following me you have to know that my word is "Wow" and it's because God always "wows" me. For nine months I have diligently been listening to Christian talk radio, online, and tv. When the subject of trials, suffering, and tribulation are preached they mean more to me now. The one item all these sermons have in common is that trials always bring us closer to God. When everything is fine in our lives we don't pray as often, we don't seek God with desperation. So true and so sad.

This past week-end Tatiana was sick, so guess what? She and I spend Friday and Saturday together. She needed me to be near her. She needed to lay with her. She needed me comfort her and let her know it was all going to get better. If she wasn't sick she'd be out and about not even thinking of her Momma. It was a great week-end because since the storm started in our lives, Tati takes every opportunity not to be home. It took her feeling ill to want to be near me and I embraced it. God reminded me that this is exactly the way He holds us close when we need Him to comfort us. He allows trials and suffering to occur in our lives to draw us near.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

I recently read on my cousin's Facebook that she noticed the only time her one year daughter calls her Mommy is when she is hurt or sick. Even as children we lean on our parents in desperation and walk away when everything is fine and dandy.
Embrace your trials and allow God to embrace you.

Marisol

The Big Picture

God never ceases to amaze me, that's why I wake up everyday wanting more of Him. A few weeks ago, maybe I have no sense of time, Tati and I were going to Wal-Mart and the subject of parents knowing more came up. I explained to her that as parents we see the big picture. We know what's best because we've been there and God has trusted us to make decisions for our children. I remember feeling her frustration when I was her age. It seems like the minute we turn 13 and officially become teenagers something inside of us clicks and we go from sweeties to monsters in an instant. My Mom used to call me the rebel without a cause, I took it as a compliment with teen pride. Now I know it was not a compliment and it's far from God's will for our life.

The toughest lesson I've learned and continue to learn is that joy can come from suffering and trials. See, God sees the big picture. We don't always understand why God allows trials to happen in our lives. We need to learn to expect them and embrace them because trials always bring us closer to God, if we choose to turn to him.

The night after we got back from Wal-Mart the girls went to bed and I stayed up reading the bible and asking God for healing in my soul. I then remembered my words "You don't see the big picture, but I do", God was reminding me that He is my father and He sees the big picture that I don't yet see. Wow, God uses our own words to convict us.

Remember that if you are hurting, if your life feels like an earthquake just hit and you don't know where to start cleaning up, sit back and allow God to clean it up. He sees the passed the messy earthquake, He sees your life through His glory and soon you will see it too.

Marisol

It's Been Nine Months, but who's counting.

I want to thank each of you for your prayers, support, and encouragement. This has been the most difficult year of my life. I am only here because of God's grace. So many good things have already happened because of this storm and I praise God for them.


Time heals all wounds doesn't always feel true or it takes a whole of time, lol. Lately I have wanted to give up and totally walk away. Hector and I rarely talk and we are in limbo. I heard a sermon by Louie Giglio, he spoke about interruptions done by God and interruptions are the best place to be, so I will say I'm in a great place. It doesn't mean there won't be pain but the outcome will be worth the hurt. His example of a great interruption was the one of Mary. Can you imagine? She was soon to be wed and now finds out she is carrying a child. When Joseph finds out he wants to divorce her. The interruption of fleeing to Egypt, to a land that was not their own, feeling like outcasts while in their homeland babies are being killed because of their baby. Wow!! Major interruptions of what they imagined their life to be. It was the best interruption because her child was Jesus, our Savior.

This week has been difficult because as humans we want answers and we want them now. God tells us to wait and be still. He says to trust Him because He is in control. He says to rest in Him. So today after a major break down I turn to my dear friend. I tell her I'm tired and I am not sure why I'm waiting. She asked me "Why are you waiting?" I tell her because I want to be faithful to God. I want my family restored, my whole family restored, in-laws, cousins, and close friends. A quote from "Sweet Home Alabama", So I can kiss him anytime I want. I want to grow old with my husband. I want to see our girls graduate from high school and college together and I want my future grandchildren to have a grandparents home to visit, not two different homes. Then she reminds me, "Is that worth more than giving up? Is it worth waiting days, months, or even years for it to happen?"

Thank you Jesus for speaking through my friends and family. If I have to endure hurt for the end result to be glorious, YES it's worth waiting for. Just like the irritation of sand in a oyster becomes a pearl. I will endure irritation with God's help and your prayers.

With that said, please continue to pray for us. Please pray for endurance and peace while the wait. Please pray that we will open our hearts and ears to hear God's will for our lives. Please pray that God will not delay. Please pray that we find joy through fellowship with our Lord and Savior. Please pray that God will open doors for Hector and I to communicate. Please keep us in your daily prayers.

There is also so much to thank Him for. Relationships have been restored and relationships have been brought together through this trial. People are praying more and recommitting their relationship with God. God is good all the time.

Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Know that you are also in our prayers. Words cannot express our appreciation for your support and prayers in this season of our life.

Marisol

Jumping Jehosaphat

Why do we make believing in God's goodness so difficult? Or maybe it's only me. I have been so frustrated with myself lately. Jesus has been with me throughout my life and my being here blogging is a miracle in itself. I am sure it's true for many of you, too. We all have been through many events in our lives and wonder how we survived it physically or emotionally.

As I stated before I've been reading Chronicles. Last night I was reading II Chronicles 17 - 22. Jehoshaphat walked with Lord and the Lord established his kingdom. God protected Jehoshaphat and he became very powerful. Have you ever been in that place where you delight yourself in the Lord? His greatness takes over you and nothing can penetrate your love for Him. Well I shouldn't say nothing because one thing always breaks that bond, sin.

Let's shorten Jehoshaphat's name to JJ. In chapter 18 JJ hooks up with Ahab, king of Israel to go against Ramoth, big mistake. In the midst of this battle JJ cried out to the Lord and guess what, the Lord saved him. Wow...JJ goes against God and because JJ cried out God saves him. What an awesome God we serve. JJ brought the people back to the Lord. The people of Moab and Ammon rise against Judah. Because JJ sought the Lord, the Lord said "Don't be afraid for the battle is not yours but MINE."

When the soldiers of Judah arrived to the battle all the bodies were dead because God had set up an ambush and the Moabites and Ammonites destroyed each other. There was abundance in valuables and the people of Judah were able to retreat them all and they rejoiced. Do you think that was enough to keep loving God? To stay be His side? God blesses us everyday and it's not enough for us.

Towards the end of his reign, JJ allied once again with a wicked King, Ahaziah and the Lord destroyed his works. Why? Why would Jehoshaphat keep hooking up with the wicked kings when God blessed him abundantly? Does that sound like you? It sure sounds like me.

God pours down His grace every morning on all who believe in Him. What do we do with it? Do run to Him and praise Him? Do we run towards the wicked kings? It takes work to keep our eyes on God. This morning I prayed for God to deliver me from speaking negative through-out my day. I did pretty good till the evening, then Tati, my younger daughter, asked me, "Mom do you remember what you prayed for this morning?" Conviction.

God has always blessed my life even when I took it for granted. This year God has poured His blessings full force on our lives, but because of the storm that is surrounding us we don't see. I should say we don't choose to see it, to see HIM.

My prayer is for us to focus on God's goodness, His grace, His mercy, and His love. I pray that we will able to stay away from the wicked kings and keep our eyes on HIM and His greatness.

He loves you and He is waiting for YOU.

Marisol

I'll keep it short today.

Every time I get ready to open my bible I pray "Lord speak to me". Well, for the last two weeks I open up to II Chronicles and I think "I don't want to read this, I must have opened to the wrong the chapter". This morning I did the same thing and guess what, I opened up to II Chronicles, okay Lord I will read it. Oh my gosh, I started reading and it was all popping up at me. I started to take notes. I only got to chapter 15 but I can't wait till tonight to finish it.

God is so faithful to those to cry out to Him. I didn't read I Chronicles but I will. I really believe God knew I needed to read II Chronicles first. God's people turn away from the Lord and the Lord doesn't hold them back. He lets them go. When they get in trouble, they cry out to HIM and they humble themselves and God is FAITHFUL to save them, over and over again. Solomon in chapter 6 prays for his people for if they turn to sin for God to hear in heaven, and forgive the sins of Your servants.

II Chronicles15:2b The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

II Chronicles 15:7 7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

How can we not trust our lives to such a wonderful God? He loves us.

Marisol

I can.....

Okay, okay..I know Adam Sandler movies are not ones I should be quoting but here I go anyway. In the movie Big Daddy, Sonny (Adam Sandler) is a lazy law school graduate who ends up watching a young boy, Julian, and then decides to keep him. Towards the end of the movie CPS realizes that Sonny isn't the real father and they come to his home to take the Julian away. Julian shouts as they take him away, "But I can wipe my own butt...I can wipe my own butt!!" In Julian's head he blames himself for CPS coming. He feels as if he would have done all the things right this wouldn't be happening. Don't we all feel that way? If only I had not done that awful thing, said that lie, or had a bad attitude. If only.

Yesterday I was mowing the lawn only the second time I had done it in my whole life. As I was mowing Julian's words came to mind, "But I can mow my own lawn...I can mow my own lawn." I was feeling the anxiety a child feels when they do something wrong and then try to make up for it. I guess I am trying to make up for all the wrong things I have done by mowing the lawn, sounds silly huh?

The beauty of having Jesus as our savior is that we don't have to make up for any wrong doing, all we have to do is repent and move forward. Sounds easy enough, but we make it difficult.
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Acts 3:19. It's easy and Jesus longs to give us a new chance without anything else but repentance from the heart. We might suffer some consequences from our wrong actions, but God is there to make it all new again. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I need some rest, don't you?

Seek HIM, He is waiting for you.

Marisol

Wait for it.....

We spend one third of our life waiting. We wait in line at the groceries, we wait in traffic, we wait at the post office, and how about waiting at a doctor's office. "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" those are the words I hear. Seems simple enough, right. In a society where we wait for nothing it's nearly impossible to be still and wait, although it can be done.

As a kid I had the most fun while waiting, well while my parents waited. I remember waiting to cross the bridge from Juarez, while my parents were frustrated waiting, the kids had fun singing, counting cars, and eating ice cream from the bridge vendors. Moving forward 20 years to when my mother was first diagnosed with cancer we spent three weeks in the hospital waiting room and a lot of those moments were the best times we had as a family. We cried, we laughed, we fought, we held our children close, and we prayed together while we were waiting.

Waiting is obedience. There is a relief in waiting for the Lord because it takes off all the worry in us and places in the only place it should be, in our Father's hands. There is no place safer. I have learned more in the waiting periods than when I am in church, bible study, or everyday life. Waiting and being still causes us to look up, the only place we should be looking. It has made me look to the Word for peace and it makes me pray which in turn brings me closer to God. It places our trust in Him, Job prayed, "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come."

There is a reason God tells us to wait, there is power in waiting. Over and over God had his people wait on Him and every time they were saved. There is so much to learn from Job, he waited and endured faithfully and in the end "the LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first." Why is it that we are so impatient when it comes to waiting on God? If we knew we were going to get a million dollars and the only stipulation was to wait, would we wait? Of course we would, so why can't we be still and wait when God can offer us so much more than a million dollars? He offers us eternal life, peace, joy, and to supply all our needs.

Believe me it's not easy, we are human and in a society where we rush in the morning, rush to work, rush the kids to school, and then rush home at night; being still is something we have to learn. It's something we have to make into a habit. When we let go of the life we planned, when we let go of the circumstances around us, and we begin to accept the plan God has us waiting on for our lives we will be blessed. A good friend reminds me all the time, "We don't see the big picture but He does, so wait."
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20

Marisol

Life without TV

This was the first night after our TV went out. The girls decided to do extreme make overs, with mine being the most extreme. They named me Helga.

 

Greater things are yet to come: The Prayer

Aron Rolston " My tragedy was the greatest blessing of my life, to have been a part of a miracle is something I wouldn't give back to have my hand again." Aron Rolston is rock climber who had to amputate his own hand to survive. My reaction to his quote is wow...wow.

When I was fifteen years old, I attended a youth trip in Kansas. On the drive up there I sat in the front seat and while everyone slept I kept our youth pastor company. I don't remember any of the conversations but I do remember at 2:00 am we stopped to pray. My youth pastor was a friend of our family and he knew divorce ran rampant in our family.

I remember as if it was yesterday, he turned to me and said, "Marisol, I am going to pray for your marriage." I answered in a shout, "What, I'm not going get married!". He said, "I'm going to pray for your future marriage that you will be the one to break the chain of divorce in your family." I have told this story hundreds of times and each time I told it I felt protected. I am the second to youngest of five daughters in our family and I have been married the longest, 16 years. My younger sister comes in second within 10 months behind me, both our marriages have been hit hard this past year and I do believe it's a spiritual warfare. The enemy doesn't want to see that prayer come to pass, but God has already won the battle.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Beck Weathers is best known for the 1996 Everest disaster. During the climb he was left for dead, but survived with severe frost bite. He lost his right arm, his left hand, parts of his feet, and his nose was amputated and reconstructed. He is happier and more peaceful after his tragedy. "Would I love to have my hands back? Sure. Would I like to have my hands back enough to go back to who I was? No." quote from Beck Weathers. Another, wow!

Today God showed me the purpose that my youth pastor prayed for me on that dark highway. It was a prayer to protect my marriage from the trials of today. God wants us all to prosper and have hope for the future. I would like to thank my former youth pastor for being obedient that faithful night. I want to thank our Lord Jesus for this trial in our life, better things are yet to come.

If you are going through some trials or storms in your life, be still and trust God is working. Both these men should have been dead, but God had something better in store for their lives.

Marisol

Are you there God, it's me Mari?

Do you remember the book "Are you there God, it's me Margaret?" by Judy Blume. The character Margaret had constant communication with God. If I remember correctly Margaret was a pre-teen and throughout the book she mentions that her family is not religious but feels a connection with God. The last six months of my life a day doesn't go by without prayer; now my whole day is filled with prayer. When does prayer become conversation? When we realize that we don't have to come into His presence because we are always in His presence. As a child, prayer was the what we did at meal times and before bed. As a teenager and young adult my prayers were "get me out of this mess, God". As a mom and wife I wanted prayer to be more effective but I wasn't dedicated enough to grow in Christ. I know God was always besides me whether or not I spoke to Him, now my prayers are so much more.

There is a bible character that reminds of the fictional character Margaret, Enoch in Genesis 5:21-24. Enoch was dedicated to have a fellowship with God and walked with God for 365 years. His relationship was habitual and he pleased God. The bible doesn't explain why God took Enoch without experiencing death, I believe it was the faithful relationship Enoch had with God.

Matthew 22:36 -38 Tells us about the greatest commandment. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' "This is the first and greatest commandment.

Do we not long to be spend time with our spouse, our children, our friends, or our relatives? When there is a party or get together planned, does our heart fill with anticipation? At the dinner table, isn't the best when everyone is sharing and laughing? This is exactly how God feels about us. He longs with anticipation to spend time with us. He created us to have fellowship with Him.

How do we begin this relationship? Day by day, reading our bible daily, getting into the habit of speaking directly to our Father God, and asking Him to show us the best way to start this relationship. I know someone who texts God. I always picture Him next to me where ever I am. When I am driving alone I clear the front the seat for Jesus. When I go for walks He walks with me. I even talk to Him out loud. Begin first thing in the morning, start on your knees with thanking Him for a new day and new mercies and then go from there.

If I remember correctly I believe somewhere in the book Margaret gets upset with God and the last line of book reads, Are you still there God? It's me, Margaret. I know you're there God. I know you wouldn't have missed this for anything! Thank you God. Thanks an awful lot....

God is there for you, talk to Him.

Marisol

The Little Mermaid

We just finished watching The Little Mermaid....and wow! I'm sure many of you are familiar with this Disney movie. Ariel, the mermaid, falls in love with a human Prince. Her father finds out and gets so angry he destroys all of her human collections including a statue of the Prince. Ariel is devastated and she cries inconsolably. Ursula's sidekicks come to her. Isn't that just like the enemy, to approach us when we are most vulnerable, when we are hurting, when we are so sad, and when we are feeling desperate. "Poor unfortunate souls" sings the sea witch, Ursula.

Ursula first tempts and convinces Ariel to give up her voice for the chance to unite with the Prince. Although Ariel knows it's wrong, she accepts because Ursula dangles Ariel's wants in front of her eyes. Dangling our wants instead of our needs is how the enemy works in our lives, too. God will provide all our needs. Ariel signs the contract, the Prince has to kiss her before sunset on her third day on dry land. If she doesn't get that kiss she will belong to the witch. How naive?? Did Ariel really believe the witch was going to give her her heart's desire? It never crossed Ariel's mind that the Ursula would do everything in her power to prevent the kiss from happening. Wow...she really did become human.

Just when Ariel believes her dreams will be coming true here comes the sea witch in disguise and steals the Prince away. Ariel finds herself in trouble and turns to her father. She shouts to him that she is sorry. Her father gives up his throne to save his daughter. In the end the witch is destroyed by the unselfishness of Ariel and the Prince.

The enemy is always disguising himself in order to tempt us out of the blessings Jesus would love to give us. We humans don't realize that God gives so much more than the enemy could ever provide. Our Lord Jesus also gave up this throne to save us. When the sea witch dangles happiness, Jesus provides joy. Joy is everlasting, happiness is temporary. Which will you choose?

Marisol

You Lord.

Lord, we trust You.
I trust in You.
You are in control.
There is no one else that can come close to You.
Your power is magnificent.
Your love in unconditional.
You are merciful.
You are forgiving.
You are REAL.
You give peace.
You cry when we cry.
You laugh when we laugh.
You hurt when we hurt.
You know every hair on our head.
You hold every tear we shed.
You are the voice of Truth.
We should not be afraid, You are with us.
You are our hope.
You rescue us.
There is no condemnation in YOU.
You speak to us.
You listen to us.
You are wonderful.
You watch us as we sleep.
In the morning you give new mercies.
You are compassionate.

You are faithful.

You are strong.

Your love endures forever.

You are good all the time.
You never leave us nor forsake us.
There are not enough words to describe Your Glory.
We love you, LORD.

Marisol