The joy of giving

Imagine for a moment that you are sitting on the grass beside a big group of people listening to Jesus’ teaching.  You don’t want to miss one word of the stories He is telling and you are trying to understand the meaning behind them.  Imagine what would go through your mind as you hear Him say: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44) or “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Luke 6:29) Words like these challenged people back then and they are still challenging us every day.  They are the opposite of what seems “fair” and “right”.  Another teaching that is really difficult to grasp is related to giving, and God knew it, to the point that He didn’t only command us to give, but He challenged us to do it and see the results: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this,’ Says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi3:10) God is challenging us to give and He has told us what will happen once we do it, but still we are hesitant. Why is it so hard to give?

Have you ever heard the same concept or teaching from different sources at the same time?  It is as if God is trying to get your attention and doesn’t want you to miss what He is telling you. In the past weeks God is pressing in my heart the notion that we are always sacrificing something, but sometimes we just don’t realize it.  At church a competitive swimmer mentioned that many times he didn’t feel like getting up early in the morning to train, and he knew he could sleep a little longer but that would mean he would be sacrificing his goals and dreams to succeed in swimming.  Every morning he would choose to sacrifice his flesh which wanted to sleep and he would get up and train.  We are always making choices about what to do with our resources such as: time, money, and talents.  In some cases, what we choose to do with them will have eternal significance and will make a difference while in other instances some choices will feel good for a little while and that is all the benefit we will get. Giving is difficult because it matters; it has the power to make a difference in people’s lives.

Like everything, giving gets easier the more we do it, to the point where it could become a habit.  And once we are open to the Holy Spirit’s promptings showing us how to bless others, He provides us with opportunities.  We seem to have exactly what others need. God has made us to be channels not mere recipients; therefore, His blessings are meant to flow through us.  We are not supposed to store them, they are meant to touch all the people around us. Not only is giving a great joy, opportunity, honor, and responsibility, but it is also something that comes back to us.  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38) When we give, we receive more than we could ever imagine.  The more we give, the fuller our life becomes.  

We need to see giving as an opportunity.  We give because we have been given and because our giving makes a difference right now when it is needed.

Imagine again that while you are listening to Jesus speak, He looks directly at you and reminds you that it doesn’t matter if you give a lot or a little, what really matters is your attitude when giving… what will your answer be to His challenge?

By Manuelita

Traveling light

Every time we come back from a trip, even a short one, I have the longing to clean my house and give things away. I know it may sound weird, but I guess after being away for a while I realize that there are certain things that I don’t need.  Not too long ago we moved into a small apartment and  realized how great it is to only keep what adds to our life; it feels good to simplify.  Sometimes without realizing it we end up having too many things. Unnecessary stuff not only takes up space, but it also takes our precious time as we organize, sort and clean.   Advertising bombards us with the message that getting more stuff will give us more opportunities and will make us happier, and many times we fall into that trap only to feel unsatisfied no matter how many things we get. 

We are in a culture that invites us to accumulate stuff.  Things are not bad, but placing too much importance on them makes us forget what really matters in life, such as relationships and special moments.

Many have compared life to a journey, so the question is: how can we travel light?   

- Get rid of unnecessary weight: The first thing we need to travel light is to get rid of things that are weighting us down.  It may sound obvious but it may not be as easy as it sounds because we have been carrying some of those things for such a long time that we don’t even realize it.  We may think they are a part of us that we can’t let go, or we don’t even think they are the problem. Heavy feelings tend to hide and come up when we least expect them.  They create strongholds that we think are part of our personality, or feelings we seemingly can’t do anything about.  But we can, and we need to.  “…you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:8-10) 

- Be practical: Don’t you love how practical Jesus is? While He was on earth He liked to use what was at hand to do amazing things. He turned water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-11). He fed more than five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. (Matthew 14:17-20). He made mud mixing His saliva with the earth from the ground to give sight to a blind man. (John 9:6)  These are just some examples of many instances in which Jesus was trying to teach us that to do great things we don’t necessarily need a lot, just God because we don’t make things happen, He does. Everything we have: our things, money, connections, education, or talents are useless without God.  We may do great things, but will they have the impact God had planned? Will they leave a legacy? Will they change lives and touch souls? God guides, we obey, and He uses what He gave us to make things happen. 

- Take what you need: Many times we don’t know what our journey will require, so we may take more than we need, which may distract us and slow us down.  But when we go first to God, He tells us exactly what to take and what not to take:  “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority… He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.” (Luke 9:1;3) God wants us to trust Him and to be certain that He will provide exactly what we need and He will do it in very exciting ways. God loves to delight us and to surprise us.  He uses those “Impossible” situations to show us His love and power and to strengthen our faith. 

Our things don’t have power, our God does. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” 1 Timothy 6:7

By Manuelita

In the presence of my Savior

“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me.  Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.”  Oceans by Hillsong

The other day during service we sang Oceans by Hillsong. I love that song, it leaves me in awe of God’s power and His desire to take us deeper.  I love how He wants to lead us out of our comfort zones so we can witness His power, His glory, His faithfulness.  He wants us to live extraordinary lives and use us in extraordinary ways because He is God and He can do it. But many times we are afraid to take that leap of faith and we miss out.  I want to trust without borders; I want to go deeper and let God be in control so my faith can grow stronger each day.   As we sang this song, the phrase “in the presence of my Savior” kept coming back to me.  I heard it  through the whole service.

In the presence of my Savior is the only way my faith can be stronger, it is the only way for there to be no limit to my trust, and it is the only way to live the life God intends for me to live.  In His presence I am all that He wants me to be.

I started thinking… “What does it mean to be in the presence of my Savior?  Is it my quiet time in the morning as soon as I wake up? Is it the time I spend at church? Is it when I gather with friends for a prayer meeting?”  Yes, all those are times in His presence, but if we think those are the only times we are in God’s presence we are missing out.  For me, being in God’s presence is living each moment of my life in Him. It is everyday life God’s way, in His love, in His joy, and in His peace.  Can you imagine what our lives would be like if we always remembered this?

Does this mean that we just talk and think about God and leave our responsibilities to the side? Of course not, we live our life God’s way.

We hear about living in the present and enjoying the now and we want to achieve that, but it is hard because we feel overwhelmed with problems.  We have so much to do and so little time that our now is plagued with worry, rush and multitasking which steals the joy of just savoring the moment.  When we focus on God and decide that we are going to live in His presence, we enjoy each moment as we should.  We don’t worry because we know worry doesn’t help at all.  “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27) we don’t try to do too much at the same time because we know “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:6) We don’t fret about the past because we know God is doing something new “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

This moment is precious.  This heartbeat, the breath I just took and the sentence I just wrote.   I am here right now and I am in the presence of my Savior.  What could be better than that?

Every now that we enjoy becomes a memory that later we will cherish.  The people around me, the experiences I am living, and the situations I am going through all have a purpose if I let God guide me and trust Him completely. He will use my now to build my eternity. 

Life is too valuable to be distracted from our present thinking about past regrets or wishing certain phases would go by faster.   It is what it is and with God it is amazing.

By Manuelita

A Masterpiece

When visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, most people will wait in a long line just to get a glimpse of Leonardo Da Vinci’s renowned artwork “La Mona Lisa”.  This painting is worth millions, but you can easily get a print at the gift shop for a few dollars and see it as often as you want.  A print is not the original; a copy is not worth the same.  Each of us is a masterpiece, a valuable work of art. But sometimes it seems that we ignore this fact and prefer to be replicas.

“When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘if I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’” (John 21:21-22)  In this verse we can clearly see how Jesus dislikes comparisons.  Jesus had just told Peter the kind of death he was going to have to glorify God, but Peter also wanted to know how John would die.  Sometimes when I start looking around, I wonder why others get certain opportunities and I don’t. I imagine God telling me: “What is that to you?  You must follow me.” I love it because it keeps me focused and reminds me not to compare.  God is very personal, He has a custom-made plan for each of us; therefore, we don’t need to be looking around at what other people are doing.  The plan God has for my life is perfect for me, even if at times I may not see it that way.

But it is hard not to compare. We have been taught from a young age to notice what others are doing and try to do the same or better.  When my children were small, l used to have several friends who had children the same age and often I would compare my children to theirs. I wouldn’t do it intentionally, but somehow if I noticed that their child could already spell I would come home and start practicing spelling with my children.  If my neighbor’s child could recite all the states and capitals, I would get flashcards to start teaching them to my babies. I had letters in the refrigerator for them to practice, and everything in our house was labeled at their level so they would start reading faster. I just wanted to make sure I was doing all I needed to do, yet sometimes I felt I wasn’t being a good enough mom.  I finally silenced my fears long enough to be able to hear God’s voice telling me that I was precious the way I was, more than “good enough”.  When I finally received this truth I felt a heavy weight lifted from my shoulders.  I felt I could finally be myself.  No need to pretend that I had it all together, or that my children were perfectly behaved little angels who could read, write and recite all types of information. I didn’t have to worry that I wouldn’t fit in; I wasn’t supposed to.  I can be happy, imperfections and all.  I feel accepted and loved no matter what and I finally appreciate how amazing it is to be unique. 

 How do we silence that voice that keeps telling us that we are not good enough when compared to others?

- Renew your mind:  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)   Don’t you love the word “renew”? It makes me think of a sea of possibilities; to let go of the bad and embrace the new.  It makes me feel like there is a fresh start each morning, each hour, each minute if I need it.  The opportunity to renew our mind is there, but we have to take it; we have to make the decision and put in the effort.  It is up to us to renew our mind by what we allow in it and what we decide to take out. 

- Know you are unique:  “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) I am unique. God has designated a special mission just for me and He gave me everything I need to complete it; I will glorify Him as I do.  I am me; no one can feel the way I do or see things exactly as I do and that is beautiful. Why would I want to fit in when I am supposed to stand out?    

- Enjoy being you:  “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)  Why don’t we celebrate more?  We have so many things to be joyful about, like the fact that we are precious in God’s eyes, that we have a purpose or that we are heading toward eternity to live by God’s side.  So much to celebrate!

Who are you comparing yourself to? What is stopping you from being all that God has made you to be and from living the joyful life God has promised? 

By Manuelita

I am awesome

Wonderful things are going to happen today!  Have you ever said this while looking in the mirror?  Have you ever expressed it out loud so your own voice will remind you who you are and all the good things in store for you?  I think we are often our worst critic; we look at ourselves and immediately find our faults. For some reason, we are hesitant to complement ourselves, thinking it may be inappropriate, unnecessary, or downright silly.  

The enemy doesn’t waste any opportunity to lie to us and to remind us of all the negative things we have done in the past. That is one of the reasons we need to speak out loud who we are in Christ, but it is not the only one.  Speaking the truth is powerful and we need to do it often.

We really are amazing!  I may not know who you are, what you look like, what you have accomplished in life so far, but I already know you are someone very special with a purpose and an amazing future.  There is nothing you could tell me that would make me doubt this.  Why?  Because The Bible says: “For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”   (Ephesians 2:10)  We are a masterpiece!  Isn’t that lovely?  But even better, we are God’s masterpiece!

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines Masterpiece as a work done with extraordinary skill; especially: a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement.  Everything in us has been given by our creator for a purpose.  This includes our physical features, our abilities, our talents, and our personalities.  Nothing was left to chance; we are beautiful in every way because we belong to Him. 

God said, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.  Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” (Jeremiah 1:5) We should read this until we know it by heart because each word in this verse is an indication of God’s love for us.   

The verb “to know” in the Bible has a much deeper meaning than the use we give it today.  It is the word used to describe a very intimate relationship.  “Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain… Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch… Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth.”  (Genesis 4:1,17,25)  This word shows the strong connection between two people.  It doesn’t refer to having knowledge of something or being acquainted with someone.  When God says He knows us; He really means it, better than anyone else and better than we know ourselves.

We have been in God’s mind and heart from the beginning of time; before your parents met and conceived you, God already knew you.  He had big plans for your life before you cried your first tear and as a newborn baby God already had appointed you spokesman to the world.  What an honor!

Why is it so hard to see ourselves as we have been created? Why do we magnify our negative aspects instead of concentrating and improving the positive ones?  Where are we getting our standards on how we are supposed to look and feel? Friends? Neighbors? Entertainment and media?  We need to get our standards from God and how He sees us. 

Have you heard a little voice inside telling you that you don’t have to be like everyone else to fit in, to feel satisfied, and to be happy?  Listen carefully… “How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful!”. (Song of Songs 1:15)  

Listen to what God is telling you… “For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… Others died that you might live.  I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you.  Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”  (Isaiah 43:3-5)  When we start soaking in that love we begin to understand our relationship with God and see ourselves in a new light.  Things look different when we know who we are and who we belong to.   

In the middle of life’s storms and our less than perfect behavior, it is easy to forget how wonderful we are, that is why it is important to remember how God sees us and to agree with Him so He can mold us and change us; “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” (Jeremiah 18:6)

God wants us to know that “you are a chosen people.  You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession.”  (1 Peter 2:9)  

We are not awesome because we are good, beautiful, rich or talented; we are awesome because God created us in His image, because His Son died for us and because His Holy Spirit lives in us.  

By Manuelita