Most Valuable Lesson Learned

So I picked this blog topic before I even really knew what I was getting into. This will be cool; we'll be able to learn from each other. I began to think of certain life lessons God has taught me. He used some pretty great people too, friends family and strangers. Here we are: seek him first, quality of friends is better than quantity, treat others the way I would want to be treated, and so on. However, everything I was thinking of became better than the next until I realized the thing of upmost in importance in my life:

the love of God

I wish I could say it was a certain day I remember, but I dont. In fact, it has been many days I've encountered and days Ive had to reencounter. My whole life, I knew and trusted that God loved you. Its easy for me to believe that God loved everyone else and I always said he loved me too. But then when I truly thought about it...

God loves me personally!- not matter what I have done, and no matter how many more mistakes I will make, He loved before I was born. He knew I was a mess and He chose me!

Say that to yourself right now. Do you believe it? It brings it to a whole new level of God is Love. God is love but he is giving it to YOU! And He is right with you, wanting to show you how to live free!

For me, when I really think about it and really get how much He has done for me, sent His son to die for me, so that I could live forever with Him, its amazing and tears flow automatically.

I have to admit though, when I haven't spent time with Abba, its easy to forget how much he loves and is for me, nothing can be against us when were together! It would be the best to start everyday with that undefeatable thought. Truth is I can and you can. The best part is God is always there and my prayer for you and me today is that He will continually keep us at a place where we need and can't live without Him, that our lives would be wrecked until we come to him and see it through His eyes and His love.

Love you girls.

Heres some more thoughts on life's most valuable lessons by some awesome chicas...

Shelly and Emily

There's Christmas in July if your papi is Jesus!

So God is crazy awesome. He must have another, more sovereign sounding word for this but all my human ability can only come up with crazy awesome! God knows our hearts, our desires, our every need. What's more? That he even cares about our needless wants. My unnecessary wanna-get-its!

See, I have short prayer list of things I would like to have, things that sometimes I think would make my life easier. These are things I could go without, but look much cooler with! Stuff the budget doesn't always allow for like couches, a car, outdoor furniture, house, grill etc. True story, I have asked for all of those things and more at different times in my life and at random times God has brought them into my life. It is crazy to think about praying for something and almost forget you even used to pray for it and God gives it to you. I wanted a couch, I like to call a "small group couch"-- L sectional, for months and then my aunt moves into a house and her nice couch doesn't fit so she offers it to us. Totally God. I used to drive an orangsicle corisca car, you guys know the type. Needless to say, I hit up the prayer list for a diff one right away. Haha, but it wasn't until I was finally unashamed of my creamsicle that God layed a pt cruiser w/ leather, sun roof, the works (yups for free!) in our hands. These things dont always happen back to back, months or years can come in between but the timing is always perfect.

This summer, renting a house n all I thought it would be nice to have a few lawn chairs and a grill. Thought about buying a cheap camping one. I didn't want to spend the money on it, other things took priority, so I was on the look out for a blessing. A few weeks ago driving, I spotted my chairs in the trash. We actually ended up passing them up but I told God I knew he loved me and if he wanted me to have those chairs he could make it happen. Twenty mins later, my bro in law shows up at our house with them! God is the best. I almost gave up hope for grill coming this summer. Then My sis in law called and asked us if we wanted one that uncle Tim found scraping. I was pumped! Lord, I would have been happy with a tin can w/ a rack on top. To my surprise it was a Char-broiled stainless steel. It amazes me how much God can love us and care about details.



I've been asking God for crazy stuff for few years now. I'm trying to think back to when it all started and my memory keeps coming to the time I "asked" God for a husband. It went more like this "God, you know I want a man and you know I think I should have already been married at 18, but I decided that as long as I'm doing what you want , and you're doing what you want with me, I will be happy even if I never get married." Before that, God knew my deepest desire was to find the husband I knew he had for me. He also knew that I needed to want Him above that. Attitude and priorities played a big role in how much God was willing to bless me with. I finally came to a point where knew I needed God first above all else, and if He was number one, I would be happy and content with anything else that fell into my life.


Since then, I find it really cool to put in His hands things I want but would never let take His place in a million years. When I do that, it helps me to be perfectly content without it.

P.S. I married the best husband who couldn't be anymore perfect for me. Now come to think of it maybe I'm asking for the accessories to go along with it.

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matthew 6:33 MSG)

Take moments to spare...

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
Prov 31:10-12

Today marks a day four years ago Rachael passed away. I didn't know Raul and I didn't know her. Although, I was lucky to meet Raul about a year later and over the past few years I've come to know some pretty awesome things about her. To sum up it in a acro-short version...

R* Really great cook
A* Always leaning on God
C* Cheeky (sassy, that is...and Im not quite sure what Raul meant, but I know he thinks I take after her in this one)
H* Hottness
A* Allowed God to let things to happen for a reason
E* Ever forgiving--that on the level of Jesus! (Im serious.)
L* Lover of people, especially children -there isn't many pictures of her without a child, she was usually holding her nephews.

As I was reading today and asking God to lead me as I write this...I came across some awesome verses! Recently God has been showing me that I, his child, need to be living life in the spirit (not living selfishly, but allowing God to live in and through me). I struggle with this because I like to be in control. When I think of a selfless life, its easy to think of Rachael. Despite health issues and things she could have been angry at God for, she wasn't. In 1 Peter 4:19, the GWV states it, "Those who suffer because that is God's will for them, must entrust themselves to a faithful creator and continue to do what is good." Those of you who know Rachael, know the trying obstacles placed in her life. Even though I didn't know her personally, I have gained hope, perseverance, and strength through her story. I believe God does let things happen in our lives, things that seem unfair and things we don't deserve, but I also believe he gives them to specific people He knows are strong enough to handle them, people who will give back to Him everything He gave to them. Rachael understood this, entrusted herself to Him and lived a good life beyond the circumstances worthy to wreck a life. I look up to her, and I feel honored when I do something, and Raul comments that I'm just like her.
"And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God." (Romans 8:1) She lived on earth and lives in heaven a life in the spirit, out of her control, knowing God has her in His hands for a purpose, many purposes. I've learned from her to cherish every moment of every breath that God lets me have. My one of my fav scriptures to live by is 1 Peter 5:7... Live carefree, because God cares for you. Sometimes I forget and God reminds me of what I have and what He's given me.

It's crazy confusing sometimes, life and death, but Im so thankful I got to know her through Raul, very thankful for Raul, thankful for our son, Julian. And I know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

And I believe for Rachael, God knew his people in advance and chose them to become like His Son...and having chosen them, He called them to come to Him, and having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.

And for everyone...I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.