Month: August 2011

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This weekend has been a bit of an emotional weekend. Fundraiser planning, Guatemala June team reunion party, church, life. So many things reminding me of how much I want to be in Guatemala now and also how much I am going to truly miss my family here!

Yesterday morning, we finalized the details of our second fundraiser, a Dinner and Silent auction at Bascom’s Chop House on November 3. We want this to be a great time to share what we hope to be doing in Guatemala, along with sharing what my trips have been like in the past and just some time to spend with people who support and encourage us. (Please RSVP by October 31st.)

Then, later in the day, we had a reunion party for those who went on the Guatemala mission trips in May and June. We ate, exchanged pictures and stories, saw a video compilation of pictures and video footage and shared what is going on currently in our lives. It was such a great reminder of how much I do love Guatemala. It was also wonderful to be around people who also have experienced it with me and can share in my love for Guatemala and its people!

Later in the evening and today, reminded me of how dear my friends are! They have become my family; my sisters and brothers! People I can confide in when things aren’t going so well or when things are simply wonderful! People I can cry with during the worship service, or share a laugh over a meal or yogurt! They are my home and what I will miss the most!

It is often said that the people are the “church”; not a building. This weekend, I discovered that the cheesy saying “home is where the heart is” is really true…it’s with my friends; my sisters and my brothers!

Easy button? No, thanks!

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Today, I was reminded of some awesome things:

God is Sovereign. I had heard that word before, but I had to look it up to “refresh my memory”. (Hee Hee!)

Just in case you need your memory refreshed, too…
Sovereign is defined by Merriam Webster as – a: one possessing or held to possess supreme political power or sovereignty. b: one that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere. c: an acknowledged leader.

The study I was doing reminded me that in God’s “possession of supreme power”, He still cares for us, intimately. Jude 24 describes God as “him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy”. So, in ALL His power, He still cares enough to keep you from stumbling and THEN presents you without fault and with great joy! How awesome is that? (I love the “with great joy” part, it shows me He gets excited about us!)

And then, I was reminded of another awesome thing…

Why have pizza when you can have meatloaf and scalloped potatoes? : Since I am not “actively” working, I have limited funds, so instead of buying pizza, I had to cook.

The Lord reminded me, that He could easily hand me something, but if I just put a little effort, I could have something so much better which is what He wants for us. In addition, He wants us to be able to enjoy the preparation time, so we can enjoy the meal later. Yes, if I had ordered pizza, I still wouldn’t be hungry right now, but if I wait just a little longer, I will be able to have a feast!

Not only does this God have Sovereignty, He actually knows a little about cooking! 😉

I’m gonna go eat…

Target on my forehead…

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Ever feel like the enemy is using you as his shooting target? Well, he is, but like one of my favorite songs says “you can fire, but you got no bullets“. He puts a target on our forehead and we get scared because he may have a bullet this time. Wrong!!

I saw a Beth Moore clip today where she reminds us how if we are in Christ, we can be struck down, but we will never be destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). That is a promise we have in Christ and we have to continually claim that victory!

So many times we focus on the bad, on the past, on the who we were, but we need to focus on the good, the future, the Whose we are! We need focus on the Cross and remove ALL pride from our lives…

Side note: Pride isn’t always thinking highly of yourself, it can also be when you think bad of yourself. It’s basically thinking of yourself…which ever direction you choose to take it.

By removing all pride, our focus is turned from us to Christ and that is where we always need to be focused. And by turning to Him, we remind the enemy he’s got nothing on us!

When the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!! (Revelation 20:10)

Daughter first…Mother second!

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We often look at being a parent as our first job. We seek to do everything we can to make their lives more comfortable, better than what we had. This is all good, but what happens when you are trying to make their life better and neglect what made your life “not that good”?

I want to be the best mother for Jake, but the only way I can do that is by being the best daughter of the King! I need to seek His will for my life ABOVE ALL and then all other things will follow. I need to heal the wounds of my childhood and my past and then I can love Jake as the Father loves me!

I, unfortunately, got this concept a little later on, but I am Blessed for it because now I can grow with my son and he can see a transformation that ONLY God can make! If you are not yet blessed with children, take this season to take inventory of your life and see what it is the Lord needs to heal. If you already have children, what a great living testimony you can be for your child(ren)…and possibly just the encouragement they need to seek the Lord in their own life!

Praise or drown…

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I choose to praise…

Another day that is lost
A moment that I’ve cost
But I can feel Your arms of hope and grace

I’m holding on so dear
A promise You are near
Your loving kindness never fails

So take this selfish heart of mine
I want to give it all
I’ve wasted too much time
And melt away everything that’s not of You

I want to know You more
So much deeper than I do
Completely unrestrained

I’ll give my life away, every single day
A price to small for what You gave
I’m desperate for You
Shape my heart into the very image of what I’m to be

I’ll give my life away, every single day
A price so small for what You gave

Another day that is lost
A moment that I’ve cost
But I can feel Your arms of hope and grace

Unrestrained: Jeremy Camp

Oh, Lord, help my unbelief!

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Sometimes, we get to a point where we think we are doing so well and we do our best not to boast or be prideful in that growth, but it somehow creeps in. Then the Lord, in His faithfulness, allows something to remind us that although we have grown, there is still so much farther to go.

The past couple of days, I find myself relating to Paul when he says in Romans 7:15,  “I don’t understand what I do. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate to do.” I look at decisions I’ve made this week, that I thought were God-led, just to find out they were not and feel disappointed. And although, the Lord knows my heart and knows I had all the right intentions, those whom I’ve hurt may not. So, my lesson for this week: sometimes, our growing pains don’t only cause us pain…and sometimes “I’m sorry” just isn’t enough!

Side note: This blog has become more like a journal for me. I want to be an open book. I am a woman who wants, with all her heart, to TRUST the Lord in EVERYTHING! But I still struggle…I want to be able to believe that once “I delight in Him, He will give me the desires of heart” (Psalm 37:4). “Oh, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

I should’ve protected you…

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How many times have we said that? How many times have we wanted to spare our children or our siblings from pain? Whether it be our daughter running off with that guy or our younger sibling being abused without us knowing, we want to protect…we should’ve protected them.

Paul says to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians, chapter 2 verses 5 and 6 (emphasis mine) “For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort”. We are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so we can receive comfort through Christ. This passage tells me 3 things:

1. Not only is the Lord allowing us to suffer, He is in it with us!!

2. We physically have to walk through Christ in order to be comforted. (I picture a huge waterfall we jump in the middle of and just get drenched!)

3. Lastly, all of our suffering and comforting is to walk with others who have suffered and need the same comfort we received!

All of this may not be all that comforting if you are in the midst of your loved one’s suffering and all you want to do is pick them up and run, but know the Lord has a bigger plan! And your job may not be to protect or to save them from the suffering, but leading them or encouraging them to go the Father…even if it’s taking your little sister to church with you! 😉

ALL GLORY TO HIM who works everything out SO Perfectly!!

Building a Legacy…I hope!

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Originally posted on jennifersanabria.com on August 17, 2010. How awesome to see where I was a year ago today!

I just finished Ruth: Love, Loss and Legacy by Kelly Minter. It was an amazing study and I had so many great moments where God was revealing Himself to me. It’s message addressed the question “do we trust God enough to follow Him?”

One of the most memorable lessons came on Session 3, Day 2. It spoke about humility and how “nothing prepares us for enormous blessings and impact like a season of humbling.” Kelly wrote how we should “be encouraged that humbling seasons are for our ultimate benefit, though they are painful and, well, humbling.”

In June of this year, my painful and humbling season began. I felt led by the Lord to quit my job and pursue a career in nursing. I felt His arms wrapped around me telling me it would all be okay. The peace was so overwhelming, I jumped off the cliff and straight into His arms.

When I jumped, I assumed He would catch me and then put me down to go off and “do for myself”…I have not “done for myself” since my last day of work. I have not had the means to pay for a single bill myself, but, by His grace, He has provided. I have learned to push my pride and shame to the side and get to know my Jehovah Jireh because He has truly become my Provider. No words can articulate how real the peace that surpasses all understanding is!

The path I am walking is difficult and not many understand why a single mother would choose to take it, but I have seen a glimpse of what He has for me on this path and I am excited to find out more.

The Kelly Minter’s study on Ruth, not only showed me how to praise God during this season, but how He promises not only to bless me for my obedience, but those who will come after me as He did for Ruth.

What a GREAT and MIGHTY God we serve!

Swallowing my Pride…

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I can be very prideful and asking for help is sometimes quite hard for me to do. I often don’t want to impose on anyone or make anyone feel obligated to have to help me, so I often don’t ask, but this is one of the times, I need to ask because it isn’t for me. Well, technically, it is… 🙂

I, along, with some awesome people am planning fundraisers. One of the fundraising ideas is a nice dinner with a silent auction. We are working on the venue, but really need items for the silent auction. This is where it gets hard for me…if you own a business, or know of someone who owns a business that is willing to donate their services and/or product for a silent auction, I would greatly appreciate you considering donating or asking on my behalf.

If you cannot help with the silent auction, but have ideas on other fundraisers and are willing to help out, please let me know.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, encouragement and help!!! I, honestly, could not do it all myself.

P.S. We just received Jake’s passport today!!! YAY!!

 

Are you talking to me?

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Ever think something big was going to happen in your life only to have the thought leave your mind because “there is no way anything important could ever happen to you“?

Well, let me tell you, something big can and will happen in your life. There you go again, thinking I am not talking to you, well I am! I will tell you how I know…

  1. The Lord spoke it and nothing He does is small: Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
  2. We just have to ask the Lord to reveal them to us: Jeremiah 29:12 – Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
  3. After we ask, we have to seek Him and His purpose excitedly (not anxiously): Jeremiah 29:13 – You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Now, that I hopefully convinced you there is a plan for your life and it’s big, let me tell you something else I have learned the hard way, I guess so you wouldn’t have to…

The big thing you’re thinking is going to happen? Not it, sorry! You know how I know? Because anything that the Lord does in your life has nothing to do with you or your abilities. It has everything to do with Him and His works through you. That is why it’s BIG!!!  

I can be honest and say I heard that voice that said something big was going to happen. I can also be honest and say the first nor hundredth thought in my head was to move to Guatemala, but it’s looks like it’s happening.

So, I encourage you…yes, you…to believe Him at His word, ask and seek Him, and be prepared to say yes…no matter what it is cause I can assure you, it will be Awesome!!!