who is Jesus?

This whole "modern Christianity" thing is an oxymoron. I think it's good to be modern to relate to your generation and have practical Biblical application, but when your "modernizing" of the faith begins to undermine Jesus as God, then it becomes destructive. Some people make Christianity a trend or fad. They sell shirts saying "Jesus is my homeboy." To those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus as Saviour, that's a bit offensive. Secondly, I've heard "Jesus is your best boyfriend." Boyfriend? What about with guys, then who does Jesus become? Jesus is NOT a romantic figure. Yes, we fall in love with Him and He gives us perfect love, but equating Him with the loose term "boyfriend" is desensitizing. WE are the BRIDE of Christ. Our covenant with Him is serious, with marriage (NOT puppy love) being an earthly example. And thirdly, Jesus is now a corporation. Many entities make money off of retail or events by stamping the "Christian" label or being affiliated with something else for the wrong reasons. They have lots of Christian "merch" that conforms to the patterns of the world to make people want to buy it. They even sell a "Christian" revolver.... what is that?? The kingdom of God needs financial support, and tithing is essential, but when your heart motive in living out the faith is to get money or to sell things, your heart is in the wrong place. We are here for souls.

So to clear all this up, let me just say: JESUS IS GOD.

He is the only One. The Great I Am. He is God. He is more than just the "son of God", in an earthly sense as we interpret that phrase in English. His sonship role (as manifested in the flesh) was for us - to save us and be our Redeemer on the cross. In the new Heaven and new Earth, He will be seated on the Throne - the ONE THRONE. (Revelation 4:2) We worship Jesus, we pray to Jesus, Jesus is God. His name is the name that is above EVERY name. John 1:1 says in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was WITH God, and the Word WAS God, and verse 14 states that this Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Therefore, if that Word was God and is God, and that Word became flesh, than that Word is Jesus. So, Jesus is God. There are people who need to stop underminining the divinty of Christ and get back to the Bible. Colossians 2:9 says "For in Him [Jesus] all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." ...ALL THE FULNESS! In the name of Jesus, there is POWER, there is STRENGTH, there is HOPE, there is JOY, there is PEACE. He is the Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Alpha, the Omega, the FIRST, the LAST, the beginning and the end! He gets ALL the glory, because HE IS GOD.

There is one body and one Spirit... one hope; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6) In Him [Jesus] we live and move and have our being. Everything is to Him, for Him, by Him, and through Him. He is the only way, the only Truth, and the only Life.

You don't need a "homeboy", you don't need another fad, another trend, another T-shirt, or a "boyfriend". What you need is a Saviour. A Redeemer. A Messiah. A God who saves you, loves you, guides you, and gives you blessings abundantly. A God of grace and mercy. Without having Jesus, you have nothing. He is everything. When you realize, accept, trust, obey, and live out this fact -- Jesus is God -- it will revolutionize your life.

I have the best husband

my husband is so wonderful. he is so sweet, yet so strong. he leads me and guides me, always protects me and respects me. he gives me the best love, the sweetest kisses, the most relaxing massages anytime I ask, and always encourages me in everything I do. I am so blessed. He is truly my best friend, my soul-mate, the man of my dreams. I love you Ramses Mazon!

oh how he loves us

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.


click to listen/watch

I AM MARRIED!!!

I have been married for two weeks and five days, and I absolutely love it! Married life is so wonderful - I married my best friend, my perfect man, my passion, my dream - I feel so blessed.

It's truly amazing to enter into a covenant with someone and with God. It's a Biblical, holy experience. I can't explain the peace Ramses and I have with each other. It's so liberating. I love having a man I can depend on always, lean on unconditionally, love completely, give to fully, and trust to lead and guide me through every path in life.

It has been such a humbling experience with all the love and support shown our way. Thank you to everyone who helped make our big day so special. God has been so good to us and we are so grateful!

I love, love, love being Mrs. Mazon! What a special gift marriage truly is. What joy and comfort! I adore my husband, and couldn't be married to a better man.

Life is good! :)

as old as you feel

Lately I've been hearing the phrase, "You're only as old as you feel." Not said towards me, but hearing others say it to each other.

I don't understand this saying. Sometimes, I honestly feel like I'm 65. Does this mean I am 65? I thought this saying was to make you feel better about yourself in a younger sense? I find it confusing. Just thought I'd blurb.

What does it really mean to "love" God?

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." - Jesus (John 14:15)

Many people have been telling me lately, "I am a Christian. I love God, but I drink excessively/go to clubs/smoke marijuana/live with my boyfriend, _________ (fill in the blank with questionable activity)."

Okay. I have a problem with this. And I don't think it's just me, I believe GOD has a problem with this. He said so Himself. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." The same is true for anything in your life that takes place ahead of God. You can't have two masters. You either serve one or the other. This is the case when it comes to true Christianity. For those who say statements like the one quoted above - something isn't right. I don't think those two sentences can co-exist. You either have a conviction in your life of the sin and are dealing with, realizing it, repenting of it, and therefore truly love the Lord. OR your love towards God is not genuine, and therefore you do as you please, without remorse. In this situation, something's gotta give.

Christianity is based on relationship with God. So let's make an earthly representation of this relationship, i.e. a marriage. It's like saying, "I love my husband, but I cheat on him." Or, "I love my wife, but I am physically abusive to her." ...It doesn't even have to be that extreme, as people sometimes say, "My sin isn't really that bad, I'm still a 'good' person." Okay, "I love my husband, but I yell at him a lot and call him names." Or, "I love my wife, but I watch a little pornography here and there." Are not all these things harmful to the relationship? If you really, truly love someone, don't you want to do all you can to please them and bring you closer? The same attitude and lifestyle should be for those who really love Jesus.

Paul tells us, "Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible—but not everything is constructive." (1 Cor. 10:23) This should be our mind-set.

I think it becomes worse when people say, "Well I am not convicted of getting drunk/sleeping with my boyfriend/smoking cigarettes/cussing/ __________ (fill in the blank)." Well, of course you're not. If you don't WANT to be convicted of something--you won't be. Simple as that. It's not hard to ignore the conviction of the Spirit. People do it all the time. God will never force you to obey Him. He is seeking true worshipers. (John 4) Those who truly love God, and therefore are desiring a closer relationship with Him, should then think, "Here I am, Lord. Use me as You want. I am a willing vessel. Show me how to become more like You, convicting me in the areas of my life that need to change or become better. Mold me, make me, renew me, restore me." As the Psalmist says, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139)

Our focus should be on how far from sin we can go = how close to God we can get. Not how much we can get away with, or how close to the line we can go. That's not true love. No one would want a relationship like that. He is our Creator, and as Christians - the most important relationship in our lives. It should be treated as such - with sincerity, integrity, honesty, and truth.

Christianity is not about what's in it for us, but about what we can give. Jesus showed us this in His time here on earth. And it's not just our own lives that are affected by obedience, but those around us. Paul warns us not be stumbling block to others. (Romans 14) True love involves sacrifice. We shouldn't mind the sacrifices we make for our weaker brothers and sisters. We're all growing.

Loving God is when we can genuinely say, "Lord, I am Yours. What you want of me, I will give. I will serve you. I want to be like you. Change my heart, transform my mind, whatever it takes - because this is worth it to me. I want to obey You, not out of convenience, but out of true love."

cake.

Our wedding cake is phenomenal. We picked it out last night. It's made totally, 100% from scratch with real, whole ingredients. We're attempting to feed over 700 people with a 3-tier and 12 sheet cakes. We have banana, strawberry, marble, red velvet, white, german chocolate, and this flavor called "lady baltimore" - cherries, nuts, and coconut filling. It's going to be intense. Those of you on a diet should probably avoid our reception. ;-)

the power of the Holy Ghost.

I am never shocked at the power of the Holy Ghost. The ability of God to make manifest His presence amongst His people and to touch us, move us, break us, and renew us. It's the best place to be in the world. Thank you Lord, for your gift of the Holy Spirit, for the baptism in the Spirit, for the gift of being close to you and feeling you near. There's nothing sweeter.

sweet Holy Spirit
sweet heavenly dove
stay right here with us
filling us with Your love
and for these blessings
we lift our hearts in praise
without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived
when we shall leave this place

100 Things

For any of you who are bored, or even a little bit interested, here are 100 true/embarrassing/strange/interesting facts about me:


1.) I played soccer since age 4 until late freshmen year in college.

2.) The only other country I've ever been to is Mexico, and I absolutely loved it. I want to travel the world throughout my lifetime.

3.) I would be totally okay with being a missionary. Just picking up and going. I'm tempted almost everyday. I definitely want to spend more time in mission work at some point in my life.

4.) I have moved 9 times with my family, and 18 times total in my life.

5.) I played my first keyboard when I was 3 at preschool class. The teacher said I would sit in the corner and play the whole time. She told my mom to put me in music lessons. She did, and I haven't stopped playing the piano since.

6.) I play the guitar. Only the basics. But I like it.

7.) The first time I drove a car, I was 10 years old and my Dad would let me sit on his lap and steer the wheel. :)

8.) I am allergic to milk, gluten, and peanuts. Of the things I can't eat, I miss ice cream the most.

9.) I have a major case of "GERMAPHOBIA". I am a germ freak. Seriously. I hate, hate, hate germs. So much I have to wash all my dishes twice and still wipe them down before I use them. Every time I do my dishes, I have to clean my entire kitchen. I can't eat or go to bed without washing my hands. I sometimes think I can even "feel" germs crawling on me. I totally inherited this from my mother. And it's just the tip of the iceburg.

10.) I have never been in TRUE love until I met Ramses Mazon. He is the most amazing, perfect man for me. I couldn't have dreamed of a better guy. I am so blessed. Love you, babe. <3>

11.) I went to public school until 7th grade, I was home-schooled in middle school, and graduated from a private, Christian high school.

12.) I speak Spanish. And it's not just because my boyfriend is Latino. I spoke it even before I met him, okay. ;)

13.) Water is my favorite beverage. And it's pretty much all I drink. I hate soda.

14.) Too much sugar makes me instantly sick. Even the sight or smell of cakes, cookies, pastries can make me nauseas. I hate icing, candy, or anything too sweet. But oddly enough, I LOVE dark chocolate.

15.) The women in my family are ridiculous, but wonderfully fabulous. We all have this weird, mischievous, carefree sense of humor. And we don't care what other people think about it. We're seriously known to terrorize the cities of Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinatti, New Salisbury, Oxford, and West Lafayette. :)

16.) I've been told my whole life that I wear all my emotions written on my face. This gets me in trouble sometimes. ;)

17.) I love to laugh. Literally, I laugh almost all the time. At anything, and everything. Even in really serious situations, sometimes I laugh just to ease the tension. I feel that if you can't laugh at life, you'll go insane.

18.) I was born in Atlanta, GA. And so was my sister, Chandler. We are the only two of my immediate family born out of the state. We're the peaches. :)

19.) My Dad is of the strongest, most determined and hardworking men I know. I love and respect him so much. My mother is the perfect homemaker. She is such a classy, lovely, persevering woman. My parents have been married for almost 25 years and I am forever grateful for the example of a happy, Godly marriage they have set for me and my sisters and brother.

20.) Something I am learning lately about myself is that I am very, very stubborn. Or "stubbornly nice", as my friends say. When I set my mind to something, I get it done. And if I can't find a way, I make a way.

21.) I say what I mean and I mean what I say. I am a very "black-and-white" person. My yes is yes and my no is no. You don't ever have to wonder how I really feel about something. I say it like it is. I've learned that honesty, although not always liked, is appreciated.

22.) Emotionally, I am pretty stable. I can be calm and collected through almost any situation. This is a learned habit. Yet, I can be kind of nuerotic if someone makes me open up that giant can of worms. Then I'm like a crazy bomb that just explodes in a mess of screaming, nonsense, tears, and hyperventilation. As my roommate so nicely puts it, "There's just this crazy inside of us that sometimes has to come out." So true.

23.) I still have a giant kid inside of my heart. I enjoy Veggie Tales, Dora the Explorer, and making silly faces with the kids I babysit. I love becoming their "big best friend." Playing with them and learning from the way they look at the world brings me a lot of joy. And it's a big stress reliever. That's why I love being a nanny.

24.) I was a gymnast for 6 years. I loved it until I had an incident where I almost broke my neck. Then my parents made me quit. Also, I admit I used to be a cheerleader from when I was a little girl until my Sophomore year of high school. Then I chose the exciting, but ridiculously insane sport of diving. I guess I couldn't get away from the whole jumping, flipping, flying thing. :)

25.) I also ran track for about 5 years. I started out as a mile runner in 7th grade, but quickly learned I hated long distance. I switched to sprinting and found my love for speed. In high school, I trained pretty seriously and really enjoyed the competitiveness and racing of the sport. The 100m dash was my favorite event.

26.) I am NOT a feminist. I have no problem admitting that women can't drive. We really can't. And although we are equal to men, we are NOT the same!

27.) Speaking of driving, my need for speed has gotten me in trouble a few times. I've had to take Defensive Driving class twice. But I swear the second time was not my fault!

28.) One day, I will drive a Lexus.

29.) I believe in the value and order of family. I believe it was instituted by God for a purpose and after Him and His church, is the next most important thing. Regardless of how other members of mine feel, I will always, ALWAYS fight for my family.

30.) The power of music is one of the most Divine revelations on earth.

31.) I don't believe in "ADHD", "ADD", etc. It's another way for drug companies to make money by fixing a problem parents created themselves. These "disorders" are simply a result from over-sugared, over-stimualted, over-caffeinated kids in this generation.

32.) I also think that the diseases that doctors diagnose people with after someone becomes really obese are all easy-way-out excuses. They label all of their normal obesity symptoms as "fibromylagia" or "diabetes". Lose weight, and your diseases will "magically" disappear! It's amazing.

33.) Apparently, I can offend people.

34.) I am a major nerd when it comes to school and I love it.

35.) I prefer to be colder when I go to bed and when I sleep, but I want to be warm when I wake up.

36.) I hate indoor lights and fluorescent lights. During the day, I prefer just natural light. And at night, it HAS to be dark. I don't mind noise, but I can't stand lights - any little bit of light bothers me. Since my eyes are such a light color, they are very photosensitive and too much light gives me headaches.

37.) I love to randomly run really, really fast. Especially in open fields, or down long hallways. It's a very freeing adrenaline rush. It's as close as we can naturally get to flying.

38.) I love to dance. I have been trained in all different kinds and styles of dancing. My favorite is any form of ballroom dancing. Of course I don't think it's really appropriate anymore with anyone but your significant other, but when I'm alone in my house and I crank up the music, it's one heck of a dance party.

39.) Growing up, I was a pretty rebellious kid. SHOCKER. Ha!

40.) I used to ride horses when I was younger. I had a white horse named Pigeon, but she died. So I then got a brown quarter horse named J.J. Then my parents made me choose between that and soccer, and I chose soccer. I haven't been riding in years, but I love it and want to do it again.

41.) My Dad is a cancer survivor. I admire him so much.

42.) My mom was a cheerleader and swimmer for most of her life. My dad played every sport imagineable, up to semi-professional soccer. All the kids in my family were born athletes.

43.) My littlest sister Annabelle looks exactly like me, only dark. She has really dark skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. She's my "mini-me".

44.) Every person in my immediate family has a different color of eyes.

45.) I like to pop and crack almost every joint in my body. It bothers my boyfriend. But it feels so good.

46.) I have my Series 6 and Series 63 license which allow me to sell Mutual Funds and Fixed Annuities in the state of Indiana, as well as retirement planning and financial portfolio reviews. I also have my Life Insurance license and worked in banking for two and a half years.

47.) I use to work for Starbucks and it was one of my most favorite jobs ever. Free lattes and food all the time, seriously amazing.

48.) I have a love-hate relationship with coffee. I'll get really addicted for about three or four months until I have so much it makes me sick. Then I quit for another three or four months and eventually start the cycle up again.

49.) I have this weird thing about breathing in polluted air. I cough and feel like I can't breathe. For example, when I spray my hairspray, I hold my breath and spray it in one room. Then I run out of the room and into an open hallway to catch my breath. If I feel like my bedroom is too stuffy I will open my window, even in the winter.

50.) I am the oldest child so I have this natural maternal nature. I also have a natural bossy nature, which I am working on.

51.) I am currently a nursing student in the RN program at Ivy Tech. I LOVE it. I am so excited about being a nurse. My goal is to get my Master's and be a Nurse Practitioner or Physician's Assistant. My ultimate dream would be to become a doctor, but we'll see about that.

52.) I used to be a music scholarship student at Indiana Wesleyan University. I really disliked the school, so I left after my first year of music school.

53.) God spoke to me last summer and made a direct way, through miracles, for me to go to nursing school.

54.) I LOVE to ride my bike.

55.) I love the ocean. Just simply standing in the tidal waves, I can sense a strong presence of God through His creation.

56.) My favorite color is blue. But my favorite color "scheme" is red, black, and white. It's so classic.

57.) I am an old soul.

58.) I've had every single color of hair at one point in my life. But I will never, ever color my hair again.

59.) I once had dread locks, I once had corn-rows, and I once had extensions. I had phases.

60.) I don't hate anybody. Their is power and peace in forgiveness.

61.) I truly try to love everyone. Life is too precious, and too short to not show everyone a smile, give them a hug, and let them know you love them.

62.) I would do anything in the entire world, anything at all, for any of my family members or friends.

63.) I'm a really compassionate person.

64.) I love sunny days and stormy nights.

65.) Even though I'm grown up, the summer still gives me a youthful, exciting, and free feeling.

66.) I'm a major control freak. I get anxious if I'm not organized, on-time, scheduled, or planned out.

67.) I hate medicine. I refuse to take medicine unless it's life threatening or the pain is over-bearing.

68.) I have a major fear of trains. I will never ride one. I'm also scared of bridges. I hate driving over them.

69.) I am addicted to my cell phone. I always have it with me and I text constantly.

70.) My life is: go, go, go crash. go, go go, crash. go, go, go crash.

71.) I am fidgety and constantly have to be doing something. I can't stay still. Multi-tasking is fun and easy for me. I have to multi-task.

72.) I never forget my blessings. I am so blessed, always. Regardless of any circumstances, God is good.

73.) I almost joined the National Guard in 2007.

74.) My church is filled with the very best friends I've ever had. My spiritual family has shown me God's great love and I am forever thankful.

75.) I'm kinda hyper.

76.) I almost moved to New York last year.

77.) I don't really like Indiana, but I know I'll stay here because of my family and church.

78.) I'm a city girl. I love the city. The country makes me nervous. One of my favorite cities is Chicago.

79.) I've always wanted to be a rockstar.

80.) I used to do a lot of acting growing up. I took acting lessons and did a few plays in the city, and show choirs with my school.

81.) I'm abidextrous.

82.) I absolutely love the Theatre.

83.) I only ever wear high heels. I am too short to wear flats, unless they're boots.

84.) I'm a health freak, yet ironically I am a huge insomniac.

85.) It takes me a while to wake up in the morning, usually a couple of hours. I don't like to talk to anyone in the morning. I don't like noise or light. Only breakfast.

86.) I like old, french style homes with hard-wood floors, big stair cases, lots of windows and a huge veranda.

87.) I always have too much going on in my life. I have a hard time saying no to the millions of things I want to do. This isn't ever good for me, but I never care. I will find a way to do it all and I refuse to fail at anything.

88.) Animated children movies crack me up.

89.) I'm a numbers freak. I love math. I'm always counting, calculating, budgeting, etc.

90.) I love playing board games. Card games are fun, too... especially Uchre.

91.) Whenever I'm sick, I diagnose myself. And I'm usually right.

92.) I love to draw, paint, and sketch. My mother is an excellent artist and went to art school.

93.) I really enjoy doing crafts and making creative things.

94.) I love meeting new people and creating new frienships. It's nice when people know your name and know your face. I think everyone has something to learn from everyone else.

95.) I have a spontaneous spark. I like to just get in my car and drive somewhere. Or get people together and road trip. Take a vacation. Just do something crazy, dangerous, exciting... I like the thrill.

96.) I want to learn more languages.

97.) I have no respect for hypocrites to Jesus' name, liars, fake people, gossip-starters, and those that always take the easy way out. I don't care what you've done, where you've came from, your background, heritage, or anything else... just BE REAL.

98.) I want to go to IBC and get a Theology degree when I finish nursing school.

99.) I've been through a lot in my life. Without God's mercy and grace, I would be dead. But I can now see how He orchestrated every detail to bring glory to Himself and to save me and bring me where I am today. Without these struggles, I wouldn't have the ministry I have now set before me or the heart I have to serve the Lord. Because of what He has done for me, I am strong and grateful. I am completely satisfied with the sacrificial Christian life, and praise God everyday for His love towards me.

100.) Most importantly, I love Jesus. And when I say love, I mean I live, breathe, believe, teach, practice the Christian walk of faith. More specifically, I am Apostolic. I'm so grateful for God's gift of salvation and His Spirit and Truth that He has revealed to me. I love being a part of His kingdom work and am humbled everyday by His goodness and faithfulness to me. Nothing can compare to the deep, deep love of Jesus. He is my everything.

Long time, no blog.

I'm sorry it's been a long time since I've had the chance to blog on here. (I don't really know who I am saying sorry, too because I doubt that many people read this.) Never-the-less, I am going to blog today.

A quick update - life has been crazy busy. I left the bank and God blessed me with an even better job. I'll be a nanny for a little boy in Carmel who is the most well-behaved child. It's a perfect fit for me. On top of that, I'll be making MORE money than I was at the bank. GOD IS GOOD!

School has been a lot of work. This semester I am full-time and it's a bit overwhelming. My grades are staying strong so far, and I am still loving nursing school. I can't wait to graduate.

Ramses and I are doing great. He is so wonderful. Things get sweeter everyday and our love gets stronger as we continue to put trust in God and seek His will in everything we do. Talks about marriage are definitely surfacing, but nothing is official yet. He's been getting closer with my family and friends, and they love him too which really means a lot to me. Ministry is going well, but we have been facing some tribulations. Our cell group continues to grow pretty quickly, and we may be asked to start our own group here soon. The adolescents are getting a little rowdy, so next month we are having special teaching for the girls and boys separately. I've been asked to teach the girls, which I am excited about. This is my first full-time teaching responsibility, so I'm heavily preparing to handle God's word with integrity and truth. Music ministry is still where our hearts lie and we continue to see rapid growth in this area of serving the Lord. We will be leading a few YA worship services at English church as well as continuing to play and sing for Spanish church. We love being able to glorify God with His gift of music.

I am definitely non-stop on-the-go here lately, but trying to be productive. Regardless of how busy I get, I have to remember Jesus as my first priority, my first love. Without Him, I couldn't do anything. With Him, I can do all things.

You might be an Apostolic if...

1. If you were saved after midnight.
2. If you've ever been hit in the eyes by a flying bobby pin.
3. If you judge a service by how many hairpins you find in the floor. ("Wow, we had a 15 hairpin service!")
4. If the aisles at your church are not a safe place to be.
5. If you've ever sang the same chorus 89 times in a row.
6. If you've ever stood up and sat down more than 30 times in one service.
7. If your pastor takes off his watch at the start of a sermon....and it means nothing.
8. If there are footprints on the tops of the pews.
9. If a special singer forgets the words and someone says,"Bless him Lord".
10.If you've ever knelt at an altar and received therapeutic massage.



:) but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Wrestling.

Sometimes in life when we're down & things are rough... we're not fighting against the devil, temptations, evils, or ever our own human natures... sometimes we are wrestling with God Himself. We push back and try to loosen ourselves from His grip when we pass through waters, fires, trials, & tribulations. But if you're His child, He won't let you go. He refuses to let you go. He wants to use us to do His work & to bring souls into the Kingdom. This greater purpose is why God will never let you go. Regardless of your situation, sin, or circumstance... you cling to Jesus and submit to Him and He WILL lift you up.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching?
As if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child,
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands, at my side
They swallowed the grave, on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
And I, I love you
And I want you to know
That I, I'll love you

i love this

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Psalm 37

ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONGS EVER WRITTEN....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwWmvfbcRew

En medio del dolor
en medio de la afliccion
me das paz y me ensenas amor
todo lo que perdi
lo restaura el Senor en mi
me das las fuerzas para seguir

Devuelveme el gozo de tu salvacion
y tu espiritu noble me sustente
te necesito Dios sin ti no soy nada
te necesito Dios dame un nuevo corazon


Absolutely beautiful. Let me know if you want a translation!

a woman of strength

A strong woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…
But a woman of strength builds relationships to keep her soul in shape

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything…
But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the better of her…
But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…
A woman of strength realises life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings, and capitalises on them.

A strong woman wears a look of confidence on her face…
But a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

my One, true love

Toma mi corazón, es Tuyo.

Toma mi corazón, es Tuyo.
    
Mi vida ofrezco ante Tu Altar,

En amor y santidad.

Toma mi corazón, es Tuyo.


Take my heart, O Lord, it's Yours.

Take my heart, O Lord, it's Yours.

I offer up my life before Your altar,

In love and holiness.

Take my heart, O Lord it's Yours.

This is my prayer; my petition. To give myself fully to the Lord, for He is the lover of my soul. Jesus is my first, truest love. He is all that we need.

I love you Jesus,

I worship and adore You.

Just want to tell You,

That I love You, more than anything.


Jesus, yo Te amo.

Te doy mi alabanza y Te adoro.

Solo quiero decir,

Que Te amo, mas que mi vida.

Te amo, mas que mi vida.

Te amo, mas que mi vida.

Te amo mas que mi vida, mas.

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is crazy with its twists and turns,
as every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow-
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Mascara?

"Mascara?", my boss asked me this morning. "Hillary, you have such beautiful eyes, I remember when I first met you and you always had make-up on and your eyes were like 'woah!' and now you look like...like a little girl. Put some mascara on. You look like crap today."

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time my boss has criticized me for not wearing make-up or not wearing pants. See, we are no longer allowed to have space heaters at work because they could "start a fire" so complaining about being cold, my boss simply said, "Why don't you try wearing pants for once?" And apparently, now wearing no make-up makes me "unprofessional".

Okay so I just have something to say to this -- I DON'T CARE! I am not living just to be "professional" (although I believe I always am), nor am I living to please men (and apparently my boss) with dark-rimmed eyes and provocative eyelashes. What I am striving for is holiness -- a beauty I have, just the way God created me.

Okay, the bottom line - why do I need to add to God's creation? Why do I need to "paint" over my face? Let's talk about where make-up started -- with the Egyptians that were enslaved. Marked with ink as ownership to their masters. The prostitutes painted their eyes and lips to seduce men. Until the 1960's, anyone woman that wore make-up was considered to be a harlot. Make-up is exactly as it says -- to "make up", cover up, hide, disguise, mask. Make-up is used to make a woman look more sexual - wide eyes, full blushed lips, and flushed cheeks.

So, boss, excuse me for not wanting my face to look seductive in front of the hundreds of old men that sit in front of me in my office each week. I am there to work! I am there working as an Apostolic Pentecostal woman who is passionate about her holiness unto the Lord.

Sure, it would be much easier to cover up the zits, brighten up my cheeks on a tired day, paint my eyes to draw attention. But who am I really trying to please? As the apostle Paul asks -- men or God? There is no man worth giving up my holiness standards for. I never will. I am a living sacrifice to God, holy and pleasing to Him. I am a temple of His Holy Spirit. Inwardly AND outwardly, His Spirit manifests itself. I am His; He calls me beautiful. And that's all the matters. That's it.

My boss knows full well what principles I hold to in my life so it's almost offensive... it frustrates me, makes me angry... so upsetting that I must blog about it here because I've just had it! And I don't believe I am alone in this. I think a lot of girls are tempted to please the world with their appearance, especially if you've got someone in your everyday life bringing you down to do so. But let me encourage you girls from the word of God:

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.' " (1 Peter 1:14-16)

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:2-4)

Sisters, we have an incorruptible beauty. We are of high worth in God's sight. That is the greatest compliment of all.

I Will Never Be The Same

You found me in the garden
I was crying over Your grave
It sounded like music when You spoke my name

I know You came for the pretty and the plain
I hear You calling out my name
I know You came for the sinner and the saint
And I will never be the same

The first time that You saw me
I was wrestling demons on my own
You gave me my freedom
And I will never be, never be alone

Hallelujah, I will never be the same
Hallelujah, amen
Hallelujah, I will never be the same
I will never be the same
Hallelujah!

Liberation Theology

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness overcometh it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

John 1:1-16