Starting A New Journey

The other day I posted that I had received life changing news. Some of you know me in person. Lots of you I've never met. So unless you know me personally, you don’t know how short I am, or how far I am from being a size 0. So what is my life changing news? In order to get to that you need to know my story.

Most of you know I was born in Costa Rica but brought to the US when I was 9 months old. According to my parents when I was born I could not tolerate any kind of milk. You name it they tried it and I just kept throwing it up. My stomach would not hold anything down. So as I was slowly wasting away my grandmother suggested giving me diluted condensed milk. Well wouldn't you know it, it worked. Have you seen the nutrition facts on a can of condensed milk????? One cup has 982 calories, 27 grams of fat, 166 grams of carbohydrates, and 166 grams of sugar. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To this day I have the biggest sweet tooth ever and thus my life with obesity began.

Now in no way do I blame my parents for my weight problems. They did the best they could to try to keep me alive after trying all kinds of milk to no avail and desperation kicked in. Although growing up we were given pretty much anything we wanted to eat. Nutrition was not a factor back then. Being Hispanic meant food was involved in every situation. I remember the day I started my menstrual cycle. How did we celebrate? My mom bought me a Big Mac. NO joke!  I never knew what it was like to grow up poor and with nothing to eat. On the contrary there was always an over indulgent amount of food ranging from soda and burgers to filet de mignon and lobster. Sometimes so much we’d say, “Not lobster again.”  I know, I know, spoiled brats! I grew up loving food! I turned into an emotional eater and ever since I could remember I've been overweight.

I was always a chubby kid. My elementary and middle school years were not so bad. I really never got teased for my weight. At home though I did get labeled “La Gorda.” (The chubby or fat one). Now as Hispanics it’s used as an endearing nickname but words have power and so I grew up being "GORDA." Now once again I am not blaming anyone. I guess it was just a series of situations and factors of how I used food to cope with traumatic events growing up that don’t need to be mentioned here.  Being a teenager was the worst. At a time when one is so self-conscious being overweight is the last thing you want as a girl. I was so incredibly shy, painfully shy and so insecure. I hated high school with a passion. It was not something I look back on with fond memories.

At the age of 18 the dieting cycle started. Yo- yo dieting, I’m the queen of yo- yo dieting. I've been on every diet you can think of, from slim fast, to phen-phen  pills, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Atkins, Acu-pressure, rattlesnake pills (which cleared up my acne as a teen by the way), teas, protein shakes, you name it, this chunky chic tried it. Only once in my life did I actually look somewhat thin. I was around 22 yrs old, was doing the phen-phen pills, drinking these shakes and pretty much starving myself. I looked good, but ask me how long I stayed that way, not to mention mal-nourished? About a year and then the weight started creeping back up. At that time I met someone and got married. Ah marriage. That’s another story. That’s when my weight started getting out of control. Men, be careful what you say to women words have power as I've already mentioned. Words can sometimes hurt more than anything else. Women, make sure you know absolutely everything about the man you're thinking about marring before you say “I do!” Don’t be afraid to ask questions and dive into they’re past. Men you need to do the same thing too. Wow, if I would have known what I found out years later, or maybe even suspected but turned a blind eye to what I know now. Honey let me tell ya. Things would have been so much better. Single people don’t rush into anything. God is writing your love story and my future new one. So let Him do the picking for you.

During and after my pregnancy I gained a whole lot of weight. I am only 4 ft 10 and I ballooned up to 270 lbs. Huge for a shorty like me! That made marriage even worse. After a while I lost a lot of the weight, but never enough to a healthy skinny weight. Thus the above mentioned diets began. After six years of marriage I got divorced. My yo-yo dieting continued. Never quite being successful. At one point around two yrs ago I was doing a good job. I felt like I was going to make it, but never quite did. These past two yrs the weight has been really getting out of control along with my blood pressure and joint pain.

So what is my life changing news? After all of this rambling? I love to write. (I have an amazing friend overseas that can probably tell you how many times I’ve inundated his in-box with long messages). In order to tell you my news, bare with me a little bit more.

Ever since I could remember I have prayed for God to help me lose weight. Yes, I have griped and complained and have questioned God. Have you ever earnestly prayed for something, only to have your prayer seemingly unnoticed? We can understand why God won’t answer prayers for things that are selfish or immoral. But it’s often hard to understand why it seems like our heartfelt, well-intentioned, prayer has gone unanswered. I have learned that God wants to get the glory out of your story. Regardless to what we may think, God knows what is best for us in any given situation. He tells us in Proverbs 3:6 That in all of our ways to acknowledge Him, and He shall direct our paths. He does so because first of all He made us. The bible also says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. There is a reason to all of this which I still do not comprehend 100%, but I know God has everything planned out for my good.

One morning I woke up with really bad back pain. This continued for about four days. I had a routine doctor’s apt coming up that I was actually going to cancel but decided to go to because my back was bothering me so much. That day I did not see my regular doctor. I had been scheduled to see someone else. (God’s plan in action) I told the doctor about the pain and she looked at me and said, “Priscilla, it’s the weight. You are too overweight. I’m looking at your medical ID picture on the computer here and you don’t look the same. In the past year you've gained 40 lbs.” I had never been confronted about my weight by a doctor like she confronted me that day and gave it to me straight the way she did. She asked me then, “Have you ever considered bariatric surgery?” Considered it I had hoped and prayed for it for years! I tried bringing it up with my regular doctor previously and she shrugged it off and made it seem like something impossible for the insurance to cover. I told her that and she said, “You just have to know how to word the referral.” I cried in the office as I spoke with her. I said, “Finally, someone is listening to me.” Now, I know God had been listening to me all along. He always does. But we always want things how we want it and when we want it. We are such impatient creatures. But God loves us just the same. That day I felt as if God was looking down on me smiling saying, “See my daughter, I have everything under control. Everything from your future, to your weight.”

Now the next step was praying that the insurance approved the referral. Bariatric surgery is not cheap! It can cost up to $35,000. Ouch! Maybe some of you might have that laying around in your bank account, but I don’t. Not yet. I have to reiterate that Bariatric surgery is in no means an easy way out for losing weight. It’s a tool for people like me that for years (I’m 44) have been desperately trying to lose weight, have failed and have acquired some medical issues because of it along the way. It is not for everyone. I prayed really hard that night. I said, “Lord if this is your will, then please have my insurance approve the referral and have them pay for everything.” I expected several weeks to go by as we all know referrals take forever. In just four days I got a call from my doctor’s office saying the referral was approved.  JUST FOUR DAYS! I jumped up and down, gave a big hallelujah shout and praised the Lord with a smile from ear to ear. Thus all the preliminary testing began. My insurance has paid for everything. Let me tell you, there is a lot of testing from physical to psychological, to support groups and seminars.

So I bet you've guessed what my life changing news was the other day. I finally got the call for a surgery date. On February 6 I will have bariatric surgery. The one I am having done is The Gastric Sleeve. Once again I cried that day. I was so overwhelmed with joy and all sorts of emotions. I have prayed about this and said. “Lord at any time if this is not your will stop the process.” At the last seminar I went to I found out that my surgeon Dr. Dada (cute huh) is 100% Christian. Wow! I have seen God’s hand on this every step of the way. Join me on my journey by keeping me in prayer as my weight loss begins. Hopefully soon I will be brave enough to post before and after pictures. Love you all!

¿QUÉ ES EL PERDÓN?

Definición Clásica de Perdón: Olvidar la falta que ha cometido otra persona contra ella o contra otros y no guardarle rencor ni castigarla por ella, o no tener en cuenta una deuda o una obligación que otra tiene con ella.

Perdonar significa en realidad dejar suelto, liberar.

• Perdonar no significa olvidar la ofensa sino dejar ir al que nos ofendió.

• Significa dejar de recriminar a la otra persona. El que perdona no exige venganza o castigo por lo sufrido.

Sabemos que Dios es el que perdona nuestros pecados

Salmo 103:3-4

"Él es quien perdona todas tus iniquidades, El que sana todas tus dolencias; El que rescata del hoyo tu vida; El que te corona de favores y misericordias."

1 Juan 1:9

“Si confesamos nuestros pecados, él es fiel y justo para perdonar nuestros pecados, y limpiarnos de toda maldad.”

Así como Dios nos perdona a nosotros su palabra nos ensena que tenemos que ser como El y perdonar a nuestros semejantes.

Efesios 4:32

“Antes sed benignos unos con otros, misericordiosos, perdonándoos unos a otros, como Dios también os perdonó a vosotros en Cristo.”

Colosenses 3:13

“Soportándoos unos a otros, y perdonándoos unos a otros si alguno tuviere queja contra otro. De la manera que Cristo os perdonó, así también hacedlo vosotros.”

Al rehusar perdonar a otros te lleva a la amargura y tristeza. Lo que estas personas no entienden es que ellas mismas son las que sufren más. No son libres, sino esclavos del odios y la búsqueda de la venganza. No pueden estar en paz y su amargura afecta sus relaciones con otros y con Dios mismo. No importa si la otra persona merece el perdón. Es un mandato bíblico perdonar. Solo así uno puede vivir libre.

Colosenses 3:13

“Soportándoos unos a otros, y perdonándoos unos a otros si alguno tuviere queja contra otro. De la manera que Cristo os perdonó, así también hacedlo vosotros.”

DIOS NOS HACE UN LLAMADO AL PERDÓN

Efesios 4:32.

"Antes sed benignos unos con otros, misericordiosos, perdonándoos unos a otros, como Dios también os perdonó a vosotros en Cristo."

La Biblia nos manda a perdonar, ¿Por qué?, pues porque es lo que Dios ha hecho con nosotros toda la vida y es lo que Él quiere que nosotros hagamos con los demás.

Alguien puede decir: ¿Cómo voy a perdonar lo que me hicieron, si lo que me hicieron fue algo demasiado malo?, hasta la fecha no he conocido a un justo padecer tanto y aun así perdonar como lo hizo nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

Lo que a ti te hayan hecho jamás será comparable con lo que Jesús padeció, siendo el único JUSTO sobre la faz de la tierra, fue maltratado y murió por los injustos.

A veces nosotros sentimos que somos víctimas de algo injusto y quizá sea cierto, pero si alguien que realmente era Justo al cien por ciento, ese era Jesús, sin embargo fue tratado como el peor de los criminales, azotado, escupido, maltratado, crucificado, con una lanza traspasando su costado, pero aun en su lecho de muerte dijo: “Poco después, Jesús dijo: «¡Padre, perdona a toda esta gente! ¡Ellos no saben lo que hacen!» Mientras los soldados hacían un sorteo para ver quién de ellos se quedaría con la ropa de Jesús”. Lucas 23:34 (Traducción en lenguaje actual)

El perdón es un arma de doble acción, por un lado te libera de la amargura y por otra libera a la otra de culpa.

Imaginarme ese episodio de Jesús siendo castigado sin merecerlo y maltratado peor que un criminal, me da cierto coraje, pero al leer sus frases en esa cruz, no puedo más que pensar que aun y con todo lo injusto de su trato y su muerte, Él tenía un corazón perdonador.

Si había alguien con solvencia para enseñarnos a perdonar, ese era Jesús, y de hecho lo enseño en muchas ocasiones, porque para Él, el perdón era muy importante.

Quizá a ti te hayan hecho algo terrible, quizá estés pasando un mal momento porque una persona que amabas o querías y de las cual pensaste que nunca te iba a fallar, te fallo. Ahora quizá te sientes defraudado, por una parte con rabia contra esa persona y por otra parte con coraje por haber confiado en él o ella, pero aun en medio de todos los sentimientos encontrados que tengas, debes de entender que DIOS QUIERE QUE PERDONES.

Es increíble pensar en perdonar a aquel que tanto daño nos ha hecho, pero eso es lo que Dios nos manda a hacer. Parece muy difícil de asimilar para nuestra mente humana, que alguien que haya hecho eso que te hicieron merezca perdón, pero la verdad es: ¿Quiénes somos nosotros para no perdonar?, Si Jesús habiendo sufrido el peor escarnio de todos, aun en su estado y a pocos minutos de su muerte perdono a TODOS, ¿Por qué nosotros no lo podemos hacer?

Tú tienes la capacidad de perdonar, no me digas que no, no pienses que no, al contrario, tu eres hechura de Dios y por lo tanto tienes la capacidad de perdonar. Si Jesús supiera que nos es imposible perdonar, jamás nos hubiera mandado a perdonar. Pero como Él sabía que tú y yo teníamos la capacidad (aunque sea oculta) de perdona, entonces, por esa razón nos motivo a hacerlo y Él se puso como ejemplo vivo que si se podía.

Amados, pensemos en esto, reflexionemos en lo que Dios quiere para nosotros. Tú muy bien sabes que no perdonar te esta enfermando, tu muy bien sabes que ese rencor u odio anidado en tu corazón te está perjudicando, ¿Por qué te niegas a perdonar?, el resentimiento, el orgullo y todo lo contrario al fruto del Espíritu Santo en tu vida están poco a poco carcomiendo tu vida espiritual y sin darte cuenta o sin quererlo reconocer te están llevando al fracaso.

Es hora de liberarte de esos sentimientos negativos que en nada ayudan a tu crecimiento espiritual, es momento de reconocer que a pesar que nos cuesta perdonar, TENEMOS QUE HACERLO.

He Gets Me!

Have you ever heard someone use the expression He/she "gets me." What do they mean by that anyway? What do they get, and how did they get it? OK, so I'm being sarcastic. We all need someone who "GETS US", who understand us. Who knows all our little quirks and secrets and still thinks the world of us. I think it's human nature, to want to be understood completely, not just halfway but in every which way without always having to explain ourselves. 
Psalms 139:1-6  says:
¹ O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
 ² You know my sitting down and my rising up;
         You understand my thought afar off.
 ³ You comprehend my path and my lying down,
         And are acquainted with all my ways.
 ⁴ For there is not a word on my tongue,
         But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
 ⁵ You have hedged me behind and before,
         And laid Your hand upon me.
 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
         It is high, I cannot attain it.
God "GETS ME." He knows that I can be moody, childish, totally insecure in more ways than I care to acknowledge. That I feel things deeply, sometimes too deeply, that I can be too sensitive at times and cry at the drop of a hat. That I trust too easily and fall head over heels too quickly. He understands that I believe that dreams do come true and that hope is the last thing that is lost. He even knows that I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Doritos in the middle and doesn't even think it's gross. The Psalmist says in verse 3 "You comprehend my path" The Hebrew word translated "comprehend" suggests that He actually sees the formation of the words in our tongues before we begin to speak them (v. 4). 
Yes, I would love to have someone here on earth to tell me they "get me." After all I am human. But I don't have to go searching for someone to understand me when God knows me perfectly well. I don't have to worry about being misunderstood when I speak too Him, or even worry that He is going to say, there she goes crying her eyes out again. On the contrary, He loves it when I come before Him and bare my soul completely. He even wipes my tears and kisses my forehead. He knows all my wants and needs and never fails to meet them in His perfect timing. He even knows when I am about to blow it and mess up.  And He sits back lets me do my thing and when I go running to Him, He receives me with open loving arms.
Now getting back to the being human thing, well God understands that as well. He knows that we all need companionship. That as humans we all need hugs and caresses now and then. Someone who understands us. A soul mate that we can be ourselves with. So, as I wait for that someone, I take comfort in knowing that God totally, completely, 100% "GETS ME."

We Are Family!

It's sad when you ask someone how their family is doing and they say "I don't know I haven't talked to them in a while." I don't know about any of you, but if a couple of days go by and I haven't heard from my siblings either they call me or I call them. We might not be overly lovey dovey, but we are close. We know each others likes and dislikes.
Like I know that when my brother eats soup he has to put the rice in the bowl first then pour the soup over it or he won't eat it. I know my sister likes to drink coffee out of Andrew's mug when she comes over and she always likes to take a bite out of whatever your eating. I know my dad is an extremely picky eater and doesn't eat any thing with a cream sauce. And he loves dainty fancy cookies. I know my mom likes her food to be simple but elegant and that she loves pasta. I know that all my nieces and nephew are chocolateaholics!!!! And of course there is my super hero, WWE loving rock n roll son. I know Slash is his favorite guitar player, that Triple H is his favorite wrestler and that practically every morning he eats waffles with Nutella for breakfast. I'm even still very close to my ex husband.
So my question is what's wrong with today's families? Why do kids wait a month to call their parents? Why don't parent's know what their kid's dreams, aspirations and deepest fears are? When did people stop calling each other just to say I love you? Why don't family's have sit down dinners anymore?
Nobody's family is perfect! We are going to disagree from time to time. You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?
God created the family as a way to show His love and care. The family unit is God’s idea. The way a Christian family lives is a reflection of the God who lives in them. Family matters! We need to show the love and grace of God to those closest to us. The apostle John asked, “How can you say you love God whom you have not seen, if you do not love your brother (your family member) whom you have seen?
We have all been called to be ministers. We are to minister one another in love, understanding and devotion. That starts with our own family. It's not what you have in life that matters, but who you have.

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WRITE YOUR OWN PSALM

One of the most popular books, if not the most popular and well known book of the Bible is the book of Psalms. The word psalm comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, a song sung to a harp, originally derived from psallein, to play on a stringed instrument. The Book of Psalms consists of 150 of these lyrical poems, and is one of the greatest collections of songs, prayers and poetry.

Many times as I am reading the Psalms, I feel as though I can hear the psalmist's desperate cry in the midst of despair or his praise towards God who has been his Sheppard. It is as if I can hear him pouring out his soul as he confesses his faults and sins in shame, but at the same time, I can also feel his uttermost joy as he receives God’s gracious forgiveness. Other times as I read the book of Psalms, I feel as though I am on a journey that leads me through valleys and peaks of deep experiences and emotion that guides me to the praise of our Creator, Sheppard, High Tower, Comforter, and King.  The list goes on.

The book of Psalms can be divided into a variety of categories or themes:

Royal Psalms: The Royal Psalms deal with the spiritual role of kings in the worship of God.

Zion Psalms

The Zion Psalms focus on Jerusalem using its endearing name Zion.

Penitential or Repentance Psalms

The Penitential or Repentance Psalms are those in which the psalmist confesses sin to the Lord, asks for forgiveness, and then praises the Lord for the renewed relationship, which God's forgiveness provides.

Wisdom or Teaching Psalms

Wisdom or Teaching Psalms (also referred to as Didactic Psalms) focus on some of the same issues, which we find in the Book of Proverbs. These Psalms present a sharp contrast between the righteous and the wicked. They address God's blessings and coursings and often focus on righteous living.

Praise Psalms

These Psalms sings praises to God and his wonderful works.

Hallel Psalms

Psalms 113 to 118 are known as HALLEL Psalms. These psalms were (and are) recited during the Bible's three great festival periods (Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles). They are also recited on the new moon and during Hanukkah. Psalms 113-115 were sung at Jerusalem's temple during the slaying of the animals for sacrifice to God. These Psalms are a remarkable celebration of the great acts of the Lord in delivering His people from Egypt. They point forward to the deliverance that would come through the Savior of man, Jesus Christ.

Songs or Psalms of Ascents

Psalms of Ascents or pilgrimage Psalms, Psalms 120 to 134, is thought to have been sung by people as they approached the Temple in Jerusalem.

Lament / Complaint Psalms

The largest and last category of Psalms is referred to as lament, complaint or pleas for help Psalms.

In lament or complaint Psalms, we read strong, deep, emotional words of many sufferers. These are words written by real people in very difficult, painful situations. As I read verses such as, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" of Psalm 22, "Hear me when I call, O God" from Psalm 4 and "Give ear to my words, O LORD" from Psalm 5.

God does not expect us to remain emotionless or stoic as we go through the Valley of Shadow of Death. He wants us to CRY OUT to Him. He knows that as humans we feel and go through deep intense emotions when we are in despair. It is with this deep emotion that we need to CRY Out to God when we do not know what to do or where to go.

God wants us to write our own Psalm. You do not have to be a poet, musician, or even a minister. Anyone who has gone through despair and has known what it is like to feel God’s precious hand guiding them through moments of pain and anguish, has seen God’s glory working in that situation, and felt his presence, has a Psalm in their heart. Whether it is a Royal Psalm, a Penitential Psalm,Repentance Psalm,Praise Psalm or even a Lament Psalm God wants to hear it. God wants to hear more than just a quick soft prayer. He wants us to pour out our heart and soul. He wants our words to be filled with real, authentic intense emotion and sincerity. It is not the tone of voice that makes the difference; it is the desperation of the heart.  God’s Word tells us in Psalms 34:17: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.”  

God’s ear is open and attentive to your Psalm. He understands and is concerned. He is willing and able to lift you up from the deepest pit of despair. Many say, well God known what is in my heart. I do not need to say it. Crying out to God, expressing our Psalm to Him is our way of showing God that we are aware that we need Him. It is recognizing that without Him we are nothing. We show our humility when we cry out to God.  James 4:10 tells us; “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” The word used here for lift in the Greek is Hupsoo that means to raise to the very summit of opulence and prosperity, to exalt, to raise to dignity, honor and happiness.

My Psalm I wrote today:

Lord as a baby cries out for his mother’s milk, so I cry out to you. Nourish me with your word. Satisfy this hunger deep in my soul for thee. For only you alone can fill me with your presence.  One word from you can satisfy my soul and strengthen me so that I can move forward.

FACING LIONS

Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. "Keep calm" the first explorer whispered. "Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run." "Sure," replied his companion. "You've read the book, and I've read the book. But has the lion read the book?"
When we experience excessive stress, whether from internal worry or external circumstance a bodily reaction is triggered, called the "fight or flight" response. Originally discovered by the great Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm. This response actually corresponds to an area of our brain called the hypothalamus, which when stimulated initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical release that prepares our body for running or fighting. 
Our world is filled with many lions. Many times when we come face to face with those lions, as humans we start to feel a sense of fear. Our "flight or fight" response starts to kick in and the first thing we want to do is head for the hills. Fear can paralyze us and prevent us from moving forward to where God wants to takes us in our spiritual and natural life. God's word tell us in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." The Greek word for spirit used here is Pneuma. This word means:the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul,the vital principal by which the body is animated, the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, and decides.
In other words the way we respond, confront, make decisions to situations in our lives should not be done in fear, because fear is not of God. But what happened then to flight or fight?  Flight or fight has to do with immediate physical danger. There are times in our lives when our disposition, our feelings tell us to flee when we should be fighting. It is interesting that medically speaking Pneuma is an appendix (word part) for air and lungs.
Your lungs bring fresh oxygen into your body and remove the carbon dioxide and other waste gases that your body's doesn't need. Too much carbon dioxide can poison the blood cells. Although some forms of fear are necessary for survival, fear in regards to our future or in the midst of trials can poison our spiritual growth. 2 Timothy tells us that God has given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. In other words God has given us the ability to rid ourselves things that can poison our faith such as fear. For those of us who have received Christ Jesus as our personal Savior, His Spirit comes and takes up residency in us and, literally, the soundness of His mind overtakes us. We don’t have to go it alone, and we should not go it alone. It’s in our weakness that God gives us strength, but we must realize that we’re not qualified by what we have or do, but by the spirit of God inside of us.
What are you fearing at this moment. What lion are you facing? Financial fear, fear of your future, fear of starting a new job, illness, a new home, marriage etc.. God has given you a spirit of love. 1 John 4:18 (New International Version), ¹⁸ "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." God has given you a spirit of power. The word power in Greek in Dunamis which mean (miraculous) power, might, strength, physical power, force, ability, efficacy, energy, plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. What ever you are facing right now,  a new job or career, illness, financial struggles, problems in your marriage, what ever it may be. God will give you the ability, efficiency, strength, energy to excel and to face it victoriously,  because greater is He that is in you that he that is in the world. Even if you are facing the uncertainty of your future,  you can face it with out fear because God is already there. God has also given you a sound mind.  This phrase is taken from the Greek word sophroneo, which is a compound word combining sodzo and phroneo. The Greek word sodzo means to be saved or delivered. It suggests something that is delivered, rescued, revived, salvaged, and protected and now safe and secure. This suggests that the word sodzo could actually depict a person who was on the verge of death but then was revived and resuscitated because new life was breathed into him.

The second part of the phrase “sound mind” comes from the Greek word phroneo, which carries the idea of a person’s intelligence or total frame of thinking — including his rationale, logic, and emotions. The word phroneo refers to every part of the human mind, including all the processes that are engaged in making the mind function and come to conclusions.
When the words sodzo and phroneo are compounded into one word, they form the word sophroneo, which pictures a mind that has been delivered, rescued, revived, salvaged, and protected and is now safe and secure. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ.

There is an old hym that says, Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, All fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives. God is in control of your future, God is in control of your finances, God is in control of you marriage, God is in control of area aspect of your life. Because of that you, we can face the future boldly, with confidence, and without fear.

KEEP IT PUSHIN!

In keeping in theme with my last blog.  I remember that when I was in college I had a teacher that would use the saying "Keep It Pushin." It means to keep moving, forget about it and move on. Life has many trial, ups and downs and sometimes heartache. Many times it is hard to keep it pushin!
God's word tells us in Colossians 1:11-12 (New King James Version)
11 "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."  The word STRENGTHENED in Greek is DUNAMOO, which means to be made strong, to confirm and to capacitate. God knows that we are week by nature. That is why we are exhorted to be strengthened. Sometimes we say to ourselves, but I have gone through so much heartache and pain. I feel like I just can't keep it pushin. 
The Bible tells us about a man named Jacob. A man who was used to getting his way through lies and deceit. He was used to doing things his own way. He had struggled with his brother Esau and with Laban. But finally, Jacob's past had caught up with him. He found himself fleeing from Esau. In Genesis 32:1-33:11 we find him struggling with someone else. This was no ordinary someone. Now he was struggling with God.
There has been times in my life that I have found myself struggling with God when I don't get my own way. When I find myself in the midst of another trial. I tend to get discouraged. I find myself wanting to complain and not move forward. There are times when I just don't want to KEEP IT PUSHIN! When I find myself struggling there is only one thing that can help me and that is to have an encounter with God just like Jacob. 
During Jacobs struggle, The Angel of the Lord touched his thigh, which was immediately out of joint. I can only imagine that at that moment Jacob was exhausted and in great pain. But even in the midst of his struggle, in the midst of exhaustion and pain, Jacob KEPT IT PUSHIN. You see Jacob was tired of doing things his own way. He knew that God had a blessing for him.

At that moment Jacob's determination and his desire to go for more of what God had for him, strengthened him with all might. Even though he was exhausted, in pain in fear of what his brother would do if he found him, Jacob KEPT IT PUSHIN.

God has more for you. More than you can ever dream. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (King James Version) ^9"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. God has treasures hidden for you."  He has hidden them, not so that you cannot find them. But they have been hidden so that no one can steal what belongs to you. He wants to reveal them to you through His Holy Spirit.  We cannot let life's trials hold us back. Even in the midst of struggles, exhaustion and pain we need to KEEP IT PUSHIN.

We have to have the complete conviction that God has so much more for our lives. In order to obtain those hidden treasures we need to have an encounter with God. We need to seek Him in prayer and say to God, I know you have so much more for me. I know you have treasures hidden for me. Therefore I will never give up, I will never let you go Lord, I will hold on to your promises. I WILL KEEP IT PUSHIN!