Fasting
20 Jan 2011 4 Comments
in Church, Life Tags: Church, fasting, Life, new year
Wow, it’s been about 18 months since I’ve last blogged. It’s nice to come back. Starting fresh, it’s a new year and I have committed to not create such a chasm between posts. As I stated, it is a new year and as we all know resolutions are made and by March, most resolutions have been placed on the shelf, forgotten until the end of the year comes around and then the resolutions begin to get dusted off the shelf to find life for a couple of weeks again.
With the beginning of the year, I decided resolutions are not for me. I decided I needed to change my whole frame of thinking, not just create a list of those things that I should do and then if they don’t happen, well, there’s always next year. I’m tired of running in the hamster wheel, it’s time to come off of the wheel and start living, instead of shelving some great list I had at the beginning of the year.
That being said, the greatest step I’ve taken to begin 2011 is to participate in a fast that we are doing at church. This fast is focusing on growing closer to God and discovering His will in our lives. There are many facets as to how this fast blesses everyone involved, but for me, personally, I am praying for God’s presence to be in every aspect of my life. I want to ooze the spirit of Christ in all that I do. I want the entirety of my existance to dwell in Christ, to live for Him and not just know of Him, but to become more like Him.
I wait in great expectation for what will transpire as the days of the fast continue and the renewal that I will experience personally and for the awesome blessing that will happen at our church as a result of our fast.
This will be a great year!
Renewal
15 Jul 2009 3 Comments
Heart In Repair
When decisions that alter the course of your life have to be made, it can cause such a rift in your soul, but what I have learned through this experience is that God’s presence is greater defined and if you’re silent long enough, He speaks loud enough to let you know that He surrounds you with the peace and understanding you so desperately ache for. In all my human antics, I realize that I falter from day to day, but the decisions that have transpired in the last few months have turned me into a more vital, faithful, and bold person and more importantly, Christ-follower.
This is a season in my life that I am finally finding closure to. It has been met with its series of heartaches and transgressions, but in the process I have found what it means to listen to the heartbeat of God rather than my wants.
I am favored highly by my savior and I am blessed beyond measure because of His love. I am overjoyed that through the fire, He has shown me what it is to shine as pure gold. I have also experienced that through supreme obedience comes the ultimate blessing. If you think about it, that’s all God really asks of us – obedience, and frankly, that is not asking much.
Happy Birthday, Biki Boo
27 Apr 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: birthday, blessing, Family, niece
Elizabeth
Today, our family celebrates my niece, Elizabeth’s, 8th birthday. Elizabeth is the heart of our family. She is the little one who is extremely sentimental and has a passion for animals. She and I share this love so most of our conversations verge on sharing different animal facts with one another. Elizabeth is very thoughtful and she loves her siblings. She is the most shy and quiet in her family, but once she gets talking, she can go forever. I love listening to her animal stories and how much she loves school. Elizabeth is growing to be a very beautiful, intelligent, and even more loving young lady. I am so proud of her and blessed that I have her as my niece. I love her tremendously and there is not one thing I would not do for her. I pray that God continue to bless her life and that she continue to seek Him and His will for her life. I know God is going to do the extraordinary through her. Biki Boo, I love you and Happy Birthday.
What Are You Waiting For?
09 Apr 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Church, easter, Life, sunday
www.cornerstonechurchrgv.com
Easter is this Sunday and there is no greater time for you to connect to a church or for you to invite your friends and family to attend church with you. At Cornerstone, we will be having 3 Easter services. They will be at 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.
I am challenging you to bring everyone you know to be part of this incredible day! Don’t put it off any longer, this could be the day your life changes forever. Check us out at http://www.cornerstonechurchrgv.com for location and more information on Cornerstone Church.
The Power of Friendship
06 Apr 2009 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Church, Cornerstone, friendship, my girls, small groups
My Girls
The young women you see in the photo are the young women I have become very close to. I met them through church and closer through our C-Team. C-Teams are our small groups at Cornerstone Church. I have forged a friendship with each one of them and I have been blessed beyond measure because of them. I am quite older than they are, but I see in them a desire to know God intimately and the desire to live their lives as best they can. They are each talented in their own right. This small group is consisted of an artist, a singer, a graphic designer, an athlete, but most importantly they are all Christ-followers. What I find so ironic, is that most of my close friendships are always with guys. That is just how I prefer my friendships, but it has been wonderful to have these young women in my life. Because I am older, I am able to mentor and advise them on various events going on in their lives. What I find the most valuable is that we get to spend time together and just have wonderful conversations. We laugh together, we cry, we console one another, we pray for each other and we share with one another our joys and sorrows – in short, we are there for one another. Taking a step back and looking at the bond I share with my girls, I realize the importance of small groups and the vital role they play in church and in our lives; had it not been for our C-Team, I don’t think we would be as close as we are and I can’t imagine not having each one of these lovely ladies in my life. To my Lisa, Lee, Stephanie, and Nini…I love you girls and I pray this for you everyday.
“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” ‘
Numbers 6:24-26
Happy Birthday, Trey!
30 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: birthday, Family, nephew, trey
My gorgeous nephew, Trey
Today my wonderful nephew celebrated his 2nd year on this Earth. I cannot believe how time flies nor how much I have witnessed him grow. He exemplifies the true meaning of what it means to be a boy. He has this unsurpassed form of energy that if bottled, would have everyone moving at the speed of light. He loves to get dirty and is discovering the things he loves. Trey is very inquisitive about music and at such an early age, loves to play the guitar. He loves his grandfather and wants to mimic everything he does. It is quite amusing to see such a small guy try to play the role of his older counterpart. Trey is the 4th child of my brother and sister-in-law and the only boy. To say he is spoiled would be an understatement. I, as his aunt, take every opportunity to spoil him and I am head over heels in love with him. He brings me joy and his smile lights up a room. I know he is only 2 years old, but I pray that the Lord would guide him and protect him all the days of his life and that Trey, as he continues to grow, would know how much he is loved and adored by me and the rest of our family. Happy Birthday, baby Trey. I love you!
It’s Almost Time
26 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: author, house on mango street, sandra cisneros, writer
I can’t wait. The day is almost here that I will be able to meet my favorite author (again), Sandra Cisneros. She will be descending on the Valley on Saturday for a Community Day scheduled at UTPA. I am looking forward to listening to her words and hopefully being able to converse with her yet again. She is a phenomenal writer and I am continually inspired by the masterpieces she shares with the world. Her prose, poetry, and narratives are prolific and I greatly admire her talent. She has been influential in my writing and someday I hope to conjour up the nerve to share my thoughts as she so freely does.
Stripped
17 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Church, Cornerstone, leadership, meeting
Today’s leadership team meeting was powerful. I am not sure that is even the appropriate word, but its the one that is stewing in my brain.
The Leadership Team of Cornerstone Church gathers every week. Every week is different, but our meetings tend to consist of the same components. We always celebrate wins from our Sunday services and we correct what needs correcting. I look forward to our meetings because it always gives our staff time to come together and pray for one another and to encourage each other. What is also great about these meetings are all the leadership lessons we take from them. Loui does a great job of preparing and sharing with our team. Today’s meeting was powerful in that we basically stripped everything we talk about and held on to the focus of why we do church and that is JESUS! We are very much aware that if we remove everything that we do to function as a church, we would still have Jesus and that is what truly matters. As a staff, we are desperate for Jesus to show us HIS presence so that the impossible can be done. Without God, nothing can be achieved no matter how hard we work or pray. If God is not present, there really is no reason. I thank God for allowing me the privilege of being part of the Cornerstone Leadership Team and for partnering with some amazing people who make up our staff. Loui has been used amazingly by God to lead his staff and church and I hope he knows how much his staff “has his back” and that we will charge hell with waterpistols with him as our leader.
New Kids On The Block
14 Mar 2009 3 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: childhood, concert, New Kids, NKOTB
Well the concert was all the things I imagined and more. There were four of us that went to the concert. It was me, my sister, my cousin Michelle, and my cousin Maritza. We have loved NKOTB since we were 11. 22 years ago we formed an allegiance and a love for these 5 guys from Boston. Maritza and I fell in love with the brothers in the group, Jon and Jordan. We would spend weekends and summers pouring over pictures in magazines and watching every video of theirs, back in the day everything we watched was on VCR, so we would play, rewind, slow frame and gush over their gorgeous faces splattered across the screen. Maritza and I were NKOTB freaks and today, well some things just remain the same. Here we are after the concert lost in la la land.
Elated that we were able to see our guys.
Well, back to the concert. It did not disappoint. We met each of the guys. Jordan is simply breathtaking. We were like little girls again, thrilled that we were in the same room with them. We had floor seats, 6th row center to be exact. We hung on every word they sang and had the thrill of experiencing them live once again. At the end of the show, my cousin and I got a bit teary-eyed that our childhood was making its exit and that this day would never come again. Actually, we are keeping our fingers crossed for a summer tour. Let the countdown begin. Here are some pics from the concert, actually, its mostly Jordan.
Putting the crowd in a frenzy.
Jordan was singing to me.
waving to the crowd.
He never stopped singing to me.
This is one of my favorite pics.
Fantastic Four
10 Mar 2009 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: babysitting, Family, fun, nephew, nieces
I got to play “mom” this weekend. I spent the weekend taking care of my beautiful nieces and adorable nephew while their parents were out of town. We had a blast – we always do. We played outside, we jumped off the furniture, we had tickle wars, we ate pizza and ice cream, we danced, we sang, we laughed, we went to the park, we got messy with popsicles, we had so much fun. Here are some pics of our fun-filled weekend.
It looks like she's levitating...she was already in mid-jump.
They attacked me for a photo op.
Taking a break from running around.
This was the only pic I could get of her, she'd rather watch tv.
Trying not to get tickled...
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