A Cup of Indy - a blogful of Life, Love, and Worship

Our Home Away from Home

2012-02-04T07:37:00.002-05:00

After an unplanned yet very much needed blogging break, I am happy to announce that I'm back with great news to share. We kicked off my birthday month by becoming members of Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville.

Initially, the chances of finding a church we loved as much as Doral Baptist Church appeared very bleak. Good thing we didn't leave it up to chance. God has been so gracious with us. He has been orchestrating every single step we have taken here in Louisville, graciously guiding us one step at a time and lovingly leading us by the hand.

Enjoy the pictures of the newest "Cliftonites" who in true Lucas and Indy fashion, "closed" the church that evening. Unfortunately for us there were no photographers around to take our picture but that didn't stop us from snapping a few shots to commemorate the occasion.

Happy to call Clifton home.

"There ain't a cloud in the sky"

2011-12-26T17:23:00.000-05:00

The Christmas presents have been opened, wrapping paper and bows have been thrown in the trash, left overs abound but if you're in South Florida, that is virtually the only sign of winter in sight. No snow, sleet, frost, and definitely no dreaming of a White Christmas.

Lucas and I have been blessed to spend another Christmas with my family in our "hometown" but in just a few days the vacation will be over and we will head back to the harsh and bitter cold weather of Kentucky. We will be swapping the sunscreen, bathing suits and towels for boots, scarfs, and coats. Our face-to-face interactions with my family will be limited to Skype dates. CrossFit WODs in the middle of the day with my favorite coach, Larissa and the girls (Jen and JBerg) will cease to exist. Rich conversations with long time friends and our church family will be long gone. Yet, we trust that God is up to something greater than anything we can see or feel today. And it is precisely now that the biblical definition of faith is put into practice.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen

-Hebrews 11:1

"There ain't a cloud in the sky."

Better When We're Together

2011-12-18T05:38:00.006-05:00

Yesterday Lucas and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. I happily sang the lyrics to Jack Johnson's song with a smile on my face, "It's always better when we're together." It really is better when we're together. I couldn't imagine being on this adventure with anyone else. Te amo tanto, tanto, tanto meu Brasileiro.

Happy IRON anniversary handsome!

Countdowns and Home

2011-11-19T05:45:00.001-05:00

Lately I have been living my life from countdown to countdown. As a matter of fact, my mom and sister are only 3 days away from arriving in Louisville where they will be spending Thanksgiving with us. It will be their first time in Kentucky and I am really looking forward to showing them our new home. Yet I can't help but wonder whether I have really accepted that Louisville is home.

As I was driving home from work yesterday in the middle of rush hour, I realized that our Florida tag is a dead giveaway as to why I drive with so much caution or randomly and unintentionally cut someone off so as not to miss my exit. It feels that U-turns have become a part of my regular driving routine when going somewhere new. All this to say that my heart is still in Miami. I long for the heat of my hometown even if it does come with humidity. I long to hear others speaking my native language, Spanish. I long to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek and not feel awkward about it. But more than Miami itself and the beautiful diversity of Hispanics that can be found there, my heart yearns to be close to my family and friends.

Yet, I understand that God has a purpose in sending us here where Lucas is preparing for full-time ministry. I feel like this is also a training ground for me and I am making the most of this opportunity even if countdowns help me get by on the most difficult days. I can't promise that I will ever say that Kentucky is home. I understand that it is for now but all I can think about is that cliché, "Home is where the heart is." Maybe someday my heart will follow me to Kentucky but right now I am content to think that someday I will be basking in the Miami sun and relishing every minute of it even if it means an unwanted re-introduction to rude drivers and frustrating traffic jams.

Te extraño Miami.

A Happy Heart

2011-10-12T07:33:00.001-04:00

On this day, six years ago, the day I dreamed about since I was a little girl would finally play itself out before my very eyes when my then boyfriend, Lucas, asked me to his wife. I never imagined marriage would be so abundant but God never ceases to remind me of His faithfulness through His word, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than ALL we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20

Photo Credit: UDS

Happy 6th 'Engagement' Anniversary meu brasileiro. Those Portuguese speaking energy balls are not here yet but life couldn't be more complete than it is by your side. Whether I am shopping at Nordstrom's Rack or at the local consignment store, I have realized that I need very little in life to be content. With you and God by my side, I have all I need and want.

Te amo tanto, tanto, tanto y te amo para siempre.

Lovin' Louisville: St. James Court Art Festival

2011-10-05T07:20:00.001-04:00

Lucas with his nieces, Gabi and Lulu. Gotta love Lulu's collared dress aka Lucas' shirt. ;)

We were FREEZING!

I love these girls.

Lulu 'fighting' with her tio for the Kettlecorn.

Priceless.

Consider the Cost

2011-09-26T22:20:00.001-04:00

Living here in Louisville has been a true blessing for us but it has also come with a steep price tag. What has itcost us to leave everything in Miami behind to move to Louisville? Simply put, it has cost us more than we ever anticipated. Why? Because the cost is not measured in dollars but in those invaluable things, like family and friends that were left behind, which certainly cannot be assigned a numerical value to. We have traded all that we knew and loved for our number one love, Jesus Christ.

And this is precisely what He calls us to do and expects of us. In Luke 13:26-27, Jesus empathically states,“If you want to be my disciple. You must hate everyone else by comparison—yourfather and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your ownlife. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross andfollow me, you cannot be my disciples. “

It may sound a bit radical but the truth is that Jesus will not and cannot settle for second place; it’s allor nothing. And I have a feeling thatthis season in our life is just a taste of what lies ahead for us. I know that being called to serve Him is a huge privilege, one which I do not take lightly. I recognize that attached to this great privilege is the high cost I am asked to pay. The cost that I am only beginning to understand now. Yet a cost that when I think of all He's done for me, I can't help but consider what a low cost it is to pay to follow Him.

Our Cottage Getaway in Pictures

2011-09-19T20:53:00.001-04:00

Our cottage.

Look closely. We stayed in Cottage #13. Talk about scary.

Re-enacting a scene from a scary movie. I'm the helpless girl.

My hubby on the grill. We had some chicken wings, skirt steak, and Argentine sausage.

Before our kayaking adventure.

The lake where we went kayaking.

Lucas getting ready to go kayaking.

Here I am attempting to kayak. I admit that I wasn't very good at paddling. It took me a while to get the hang of it.

Lucas looked like a pro.

Feeling accomplished after our first kayaking session. 1.5 hours of paddling = quite a work-out.

"Don't be a T-U-M-B-L-E-W-E-E-D."

A cute farmhouse we saw on our way from the distillery to the cottage.

Driving by a farm with a whole lot of cows. Now this is what we call grass-fed cows.

Lovin' Louisville: Farmer's Market

2011-08-28T07:22:00.007-04:00

Here in Kentucky visiting The Farmer's Market is THE thing to do on Saturday mornings. If you're in the mood for some fresh omelets prepared with free range chicken eggs, they've got it. If you want fresh brewed coffee, they've got it. If you're looking for some grass-fed beef, chicken, meat and bacon, they've got it. Beautiful flower arrangements made on the spot, check. Fresh squeezed lavendar lemonade, check, check. Anything and everything you find here is, well FRESH.

The reason we love The Farmer's Market so much is that we get to handpick our produce and meat for the week which makes it pretty easy to eat the Paleo way. Although I'm not exactly sure how The Farmer's Market will function in a couple of months when it starts to cool down here. I have a feeling that the cold weather won't be much of a factor for the Kentuckians. I can't promise this Miami girl will brave the weather right away but come berry season, I will definitely hit The Farmer's Market again just to find some organic berries. It just might be worth the chill. We'll see.

The Farmer's Market at Beargrass Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Almeida's at the Farmer's Market on 8/20/11

I loved this sign. "Happy cows and pigs make great meat!"

These apples still have the leaves. How cute is that?

Lucas picking some colorful peppers.

I love this farmer's hat. It reads, "Kentucky Proud."

I promise that the basil really smelled THAT good and it tasted even better. Lucas prepared some delicious pesto sauce with this baby.

If you look closely you will find a Mennonite woman. I thought she was Amish but my brother-in-law said the Amish probably wouldn't travel to the city.

Live entertainment. I think it was some type of Bluegrass country music.

This is where we get our skirt steak for BBQ's which are known as Cook-Outs here in Kentucky.

See you next Saturday.

Lovin' Louisville: Making Friends

2011-08-20T06:42:00.008-04:00

Having Dinner with The Smiths at Tumbleweed on the River.

One of the coolest things about living on campus at Southern Baptist Theological Semianry (SBTS) is meeting new, young couples that are so much like us. Mark and Melissa are originally from Ohio. Mark is studying to be a pastor and Melissa is a teacher.

Last night we went on our first double date. We exchanged our thoughts on ministry, discussed our backgrounds and shared our future aspirations with each other. There was much wisdom to be gained from this young couple. It's exciting to see how God will continue to build this friendship He has orchestrated.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
-Proverbs 27:17

The Seminarian's First Day

2011-08-16T12:00:00.012-04:00

You know the joy a mother feels on the first day of school when she gets to send her children off to school? Every year, as an elementary school teacher, I am privileged enough to somehow participate in this marvel. The intricate intersection between parent and child letting go of each other to face something new. The point in which a parent chooses to hand his/her child over to another adult for the sake of their child, knowing that something good will come of it.

To some degree, I was able to experience that same emotion today as I saw the most important person in my life set off on his first day as a seminary student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. The sole purpose of our move from Miami in which we left everything we knew and loved behind to pursue God's call is finally coming to fruition.

Lucas,

The joy I feel in my heart seeing you begin your journey as a seminarian in SBTS is indescribeable. Sheer blissfulness is what I sense as I see the infectious smile on your face, the spark in your eyes and that ambition you possess. I am completely and utterly humbled with God's goodness. I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity, the opportunity to see you chasing after God's will no matter the cost. I am thrilled to be a part of this adventure. May the Lord continue to speak to your heart and use you for His mighty purposes. I will gladly follow you wherever He leads, 'til the ends of the Earth. Te amo tanto meu Brasileiro.

Your linda,
Indi

Just outside our door and the Seminarian is ready to meet his destiny at SBTS.

The place where his two loves meet: God and music.

Heading off to one of his classes; he can hardly contain the excitement.

I hope your first day was simply amazing my love. I am so proud of you.

Airing out my Dirty Laundry

2011-08-13T07:12:00.008-04:00

Our new washer and dryer duo with our first load of dirty laundry.

If you know anything about me and husband, then you probably already know that we come from humble beginnings. For the first five and a half years of our marriage we rented a small one bedroom apartment in "Little Havana" just minutes away from the church where we met and from my first teaching job. We had everything we needed except two very key appliances: a washer and dryer. Unfortunately we didn't realize how essential owning a washer and dryer was until we were met with our weekly date nights at the laundromat. Sometimes, I went on my own and believe me I was no exemplary follower of Philippians 2:14 which exhorts us to, "Do everything without complaining or arguing." I dreaded the laundromat, I dreaded being vigilant over the dryer to make sure that I would get to it before someone else, I dreaded laying all of our clothes on a folding table and unraveling our precious undergarments in front of complete strangers. It was humiliating to say the very least. However, God saw it fitting for me to teach me a lesson or two on humility.

As I sit here writing to the ever so pleasant sounds of our High Efficiency dryer tumbling in the background, I can't help but smile. God may not have given me what I thought I wanted when I wanted it. He gave me what He knew I needed when I needed it. Five and a half years ago, he knew that more than needing a washer and dryer, my character could benefit from some fine tuning. It may have taken a long time to finally get our washer and dryer but it was so worth the wait.

Running Away from God

2011-08-11T03:50:00.007-04:00

God woke me up this morning at 3:30 am. I confidently attest that it was Him who awoke me because I know that He speaks to me through restlessness. There are few things that irk me more than not being able to sleep yet I know that He uses sleepless nights to get my undivided attention.

Even after I know what God wants from me (my undivided attention), I am not always willing to give it to Him. I choose to avoid Him for several reasons. One, spending time in His presence takes work. It's not as easy as closing my eyes and reciting a prayer. No, I must resolve to invest time with Him. Communication is a two way street and it's not about how much talking I can do, but how willing I am to listen. Secondly, spending time with Him changes me. If you've ever had a bad habit, you will know how hard they are to break. Psychologists call the incapability to change resistance. We resist change because we are comfortable with our routines. It is easier to revert to old habits than begin to form new ones. However, when I grant Him the access, when I welcome Him, He will never leave me the same. He will pull and stretch me until He has transformed me into that woman He intends for me to be. Lastly, I flee from Him because I think I can do it on my own. Getting down on my knees and surrendering completely is in a sense reminiscent of waving a white flag in defeat. However, if Paul could admit it then so can I, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Likewise, Jonah reached a point in his life in which he realized he could no longer run away from God. He recognized that God would go through any lengths to get his attention and He did sending a big fish to swallow him whole. At that very moment, there was no denying the facts, God not only wanted his attention but He had it. Today, like God had Jonah's attention, God has mine.

Settling In

2011-08-08T16:06:00.010-04:00

Our first week in Louisville, Kentucky has been pretty phenomenal. I can't begin to describe how good it has been to sit back and watch God put all of the pieces together little by little. The people have simply been amazing. They have been so friendly and welcoming. Traffic is non-existent or at least we have yet to deal with it. Everything we need is located within a fifteen mile radius and it feels great not to spend hours on end trying to get from Point A to Point B.

We are still praying about finding a church to call home while away from "home." There are lots to choose from here and we have received invitations from practically everyone we've met but we are trying to take it slow and find "the one." We want to allow God to pick the place where He wants us to grow and serve Him.

Words escape me when I try to articulate what I feel living here. If I had to pick one word then I'd probably choose right. It just feels right to be here. I may be taking my words back come winter but for right now, there is no other place I'd want to be.

Enjoying some Menchie's fro yo with my sister-in-law and our nieces. This place opened up the week we moved to Louisville. Talk about perfect timing! God knew we were coming. ;)

Goodbye for Now, Miami

2011-07-31T06:37:00.026-04:00

This post is long overdue. I had been putting it off because quite simply I had no idea how to say goodbye to those I love so dearly back home. However, I will attempt to do so now.

Miami holds a very special place in my heart. It is the place where I have been privileged to call home for the past thirty one years, the place where I met my husband and the place where God rescued me.

Back in August of 2010, my husband felt God nudge him about pursuing his seminary education full-time. He had been studying in Miami for about six months prior to that. However, he realized that God was calling him to step back from the ministry and dedicate himself fully to his studies. It didn't make perfect sense at first. For one, neither one of us had a job and we certainly didn't know where we would live. Secondly, both of us flee from the cold. We are Latins and love the Miami heat (both the climate and the warmth of the Hispanic community). Yet we were comforted in the midst of the process knowing that we had our family's unconditional support. Additionally, our church agreed that the timing was right for us to leave for some time as long as we promised to return after seminary and continue ministering at Doral Baptist Church.

All the signs were pointing us towards Louisville, Kentucky. Lucas' entire family lived there and it would be the first time since we've been married that they would all be together in the same city, no longer separated by a 1,000 plus miles. We had absolutely nothing holding us back in Miami except, of course, our hearts. However, when God calls you, He only gives you two options: 1. Obey and 2. Disobey. We chose the former.

Lucas has always said that the best place to be is in the center of God's will. We feel without a shadow of a doubt that we are in this place now. As difficult as it was to say goodbye to those we love, we did it out of obedience. It may have been full of tears but it was also full of immeasurable peace knowing that God would continue to prove His faithfulness to us, our family, and friends. Slowly we have seen all of the pieces of His puzzle fall into place. It has been said, that all good things come to an end, but we agree that this is just the beginning. ;)

To our family back home:

We are so grateful for a beautiful little tool called Skype in which we get to chat with you almost every day. Thank you for the support you have given us in the months leading up to the move and the day of the actual move. I don't see how we could've done it without you. God has truly blessed us with an amazing family who not only enable us but also encourage us to serve Him through their love in action.

To our church family:

Three years ago when we first met most of you, we had no idea you would actually become a part of our extended family. Words are incapable alone of describing what a special place each and everyone of you hold in our hearts. Just know that the reason why we are here is because we want to come back to Doral Baptist Church better equipped to serve and minister to you. Thank you for allowing us to take advantage of this opportunity.

To our friends:
My husband said it best, "you can replace almost anything but you can't replace friends." As we start cultivating new friendships here we know that we will never be able to replace you, nor would we ever want to. We will continue to pray for you even while we are away.

To our Crossfit Box, VIDA:
It has been a true privilege getting to know you these past 7 months and although our time was brief, it was life-changing. We will undoubtedly find a new box here but nothing will be like VIDA. We treasure our time spent with you. Most of you may never know this, but we pray for you often. It is our desire that you would not only find Him but fall in love with your maker.

What I love most about VBS is...

2011-07-16T08:03:00.010-04:00

the opportunity that I have to share Christ's love with those that mean the world to me. Vivian was my second grade student during the 2009-2010 school year. Never in a million years would I have imagined that God would give me the opportunity to invite my former student to participate in our church's Vacation Bible School program. However, this year He allowed my dreams to come true.

Vivi, I started praying for you the summer of 2009 even before the first day of school. I knew the moment that I met you that you were a very special girl. Never forget that I love you dearly but there is someone out there that loves you more than I do and that is Jesus Christ.

Gracias Olguita por confiar en nosotros con tu tesoro. Ustedes verdaderamente son la razon que nosotros le sirvimos a Dios. Te quieremos mucho y nunca dejaremos de orar por tu familia hermosa.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

Be Careful What You Pray For

2011-07-08T07:42:00.009-04:00

On more than one occasion you have probably heard this phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." However, today I would like to say to you, "Be careful what you pray for."

Case in point. On Monday, June 20th, I shared my prayer petition with the ladies. I mentioned that since I was on vacation my desire was to invest my time in others, study His word and know Him better. I didn't want this summer to go by the wayside. I wanted it to yield returns and I was determined to pour my life into the lives of others.

The thing is that when I expressed my desire, leading the women's small group was the furthest thing from my mind. I mistakenly thought that I could do what I felt most comfortable doing. I wanted to relate to non-believers in my everyday experiences and casually reach out to them. Sure, I could continue to invite them to church and share the gospel with them. However, never in a million years would I imagine my friend, Paulita, asking me to take over the women's small group while she prepared to give birth to her second daugher.

If I can be perfectly frank, teaching women that have sons and daughters my age and have been a part of the church much longer than I have even been a believer was just a tad bit intimidating. I would no longer be able to hide behind my bible on Monday nights, free to comment only whenever I wanted to share something that wasn't too personal. No, now God was begging me to be completely transparent. I wasn't expected to sit by idly participating when it was convenient, I was now going to be challenging the ladies by asking and answering the difficult questions.

Yet the day that my friend asked me to take over, I felt complete peace. At that very moment, I realized that in only one week, God had answered my prayer and the prayers of the ladies in my small group. The dreams I had were small in comparison to His. God was calling me out of my comfort zone reassuring me by whispering, "Indy, you are not going to do this. I will do this through you. You will do this in my power."

God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we want, expect or even within our timeframe. And I am infinitely grateful for that. My God is a God that dreams bigger than I do, gives me more than I ask for, and loves me enough to believe in me when I doubt.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." - Ephesians 3:20

At my friend Paulita's baby shower with some of the ladies from the women's small group.

A Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-06T07:49:00.016-04:00

This year our Fourth of July was nothing short of stellar. We ate to our heart's content, spent quality time with our family and watched a pretty amazing fireworks show. What more could I ask for?

Hope your Fourth of July was just as blessed.

Photo credits to my beautiful and talented sisters, Shaina and Danielle.

Happy birthday Lucas!

2011-07-01T09:34:00.007-04:00

Twenty nine years ago today God blessed a family in Brazil with a precious baby boy. Today I celebrate this man's life. I celebrate the life of my husband and best friend, the man who has taught me what it means to live a life spent serving the one who humbly came to serve us.

Happy birthday Lucas Moura de Almeida. I truly and wholeheartedly believe that when God created you, He must've been thinking of me. ;) My prayer today is that the Lord would continue to use you to share His love with others and that He would continue equipping you to lead others into a genuine relationship with Him. As your wife, I pray that through His strength, I would enable you to continue pursuing your first love, Jesus Christ, all the days of your life. I love you.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

-James 1:17

Marriage: Dive In

2011-06-22T06:02:00.011-04:00

Just recently, a group of seven ladies got through talking about everything from marriage to parenting. The thing that most struck a chord with me was when we were making some observations about our husbands and one of the ladies very wisely pointed out that although they have their flaws what matters most is that they are strong where we are weak. In essence, they complement us.

The truth is that marriage is hard work. Day in and day out it requires commitment, unyielding determination and selfless love in order for the relationship to thrive. It begs that you overlook offenses, give incessantly and heeds you not to place all of your expectations on one person.

As goofy and silly (please see picture above) as my hubby may be at times, I couldn't agree more with my friend's statement. My husband is my absolute perfect complement. He brings out the best in this Type-A, perfectionist, planned and obsessively organized woman. He is care-free, easy going, friendly, optimistic, spontaneous and tons of fun to be around. He is strong where I am weak. He is the man that God has chosen to teach me what life is really all about, someone who would love me in the good, the bad and the ugly.

I don't know where you stand in your marriage at this point but I would like to encourage you to remember that in marriage, like in surfing, there will be high and low tides. Decide today to ride the waves whether they are flat and comfortable or choppy and messy. Remember that the flat waves allow the surfer to rest and prepare for the big waves. However, the real fun starts when the winds at sea are strong and the waves are at their highest. Right before a hurricane, you may find real surfers out on the beach. They are risking it all to get a good surf because they know the waves will be the most fun to ride then. Likewise, in marriage, learn to use the wind (trials, adversities, difficulties) to your advantage and dive in.

Summer Reading: Devotional Classics

2011-06-15T07:37:00.007-04:00

As I've said in the past, "Being a teacher has its perks." One of them being the summer in which school's out and we're free to lounge poolside sipping on virgin piña coladas. Oh, the picture of an almost perfect day. And by almost perfect, I simply mean that it would be perfect if I had my husband by my side and of course, a good book.

You will know this if you are a teacher, but just because we're on vacation doesn't mean we no longer have responsibilities. Even while on summer vacation the drudgery that comes along with making the bed, doing laundry and washing dishes follows. Thankfully though, there is just a little more time to do everything.

And with that excess time comes a great danger. The temptation to dwindle away the days in those things that may very well be fun but perhaps offer little sustenance in the long haul. For that reason, I have asked the Lord to help me use my time wisely this summer. At the end of August I want to be able to look back and see exactly where I invested my time and not regret wasting a single second.

With that prayer, came the opportunity for growth. Just yesterday I picked up another one of my hubby's books. This one he purchased at the suggestion of one of his professors. It is titled, Devotional Classics and is edited by Richard J. Foster whose book, Celebration of Discipline, I credit to helping change my life. I thought it particularly fascinating that even seminary students are encouraged to read a devotional. I don't know if I'm the only one, but having 66 books in the bible to choose from can represent a challenge for me on more than one occasion. "Where should I start today? How many verses or chapters should I read? What book has to do with what I am feeling right now? Which character in the bible could I best relate to at this very moment in my life?" Those are just a few of the questions I ask myself when grabbing my hardcover NLT Women's Devotional Bible in my hand. However, after Day 2, I am convinced that picking up my hubby's seminary devotional is almost as if I had discovered gold during the California Gold Rush. I'm relishing in the words of these great men of the faith and waiting expectantly on what the Lord will do in me.

"Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God's overriding goveranance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring." - Dallas Willard

Awkward Silence

2011-05-26T05:43:00.009-04:00

I like to take a break from my activities mid-week and seek God's face. This past week was no different. However, I decided to include an element which had not been present before. I decided to listen to God. No bible, no writing, just me and my eyes shut waiting for Him to speak into my heart.

It's actually not a very foreign concept; it is one of the Spiritual Disciplines I read about in Richard J. Foster's great Christian classic, Celebration of Discipline. Yet I dare say that this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected spiritual disciplines. We are so accustomed to living in a world with noise around us. When we wake up in the morning, we are awoken by the sound of the alarm, the water running as we brush our teeth, the coffee machine screeching as it begins to brews. What I've described are probably only the first five ten minutes of the average person's day. The truth is that noise is all around us and it is almost impossible to shut it out. Unless of course, you are intentional about it. Yet even once the noise on the outside is shut out, the one on the inside remains. It is the busyness in our heads that reminds us, "Did you reply to that email?," "Have you made that follow-up appointment to go over the results of the lab work with your doctor?," and so forth. On and on our list of seemingly endless "Things to Do" goes on and along with it goes our sense of inner tranquility as it is dragged into a world of chaos and turmoil. Yet we've become so accustomed to it that we are no longer aware of it.

Yesterday as I sat in my classroom during my break, I set a timer for five minutes, tucked my head into my arms, closed my eyes and attempted to sit in silence. My goal was to clear my thoughts completely and allow the Lord to speak to me. Needless to say, I failed miserably. There was no way I could successfully shut out the world's demands to tune into God.

When my five minutes were up, I realized just how much I needed to continue pursuing this spiritual discipline. God didn't answer my prayers but he did reveal to me how much I have overlooked the spiritual discipline of silence.

There may be not much said about it today. However, if we are study Jesus' life we find that the art of listening was one he not only practiced but mastered. In Matthew 14:23 we read, "After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone." Again in Mark 1:35, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." In Luke 5:16 we read, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." There are no shortage of examples on how Jesus sought the Father through prayer and intentionally practiced silence and solitude. He valued his time alone with the Father and knew it was the source of his strength. He knew that without it he would not be as effective in ministering to others and he certainly made it a point to nurture this discipline.

I, too, will press on. I will continue to seek His face. I will allow Him to refresh my soul through the silence. The words spoken by Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10b have become my own, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Friendly Competition

2011-05-23T20:07:00.014-04:00

Photo credit: Roger Arguello

These past five months as I've embraced the world of CrossFit I've consumed a hearty helping of "friendly competition". I have also learned a few things about the sport of competing. First off, competition can indeed be good. If used at the right time and in the right way, it has the power to propel us as athletes to reach heights we thought were insurmountable. With a little determination and perseverance we can accomplish almost anything we set out to do. However, the downside is that, as with everything in life, extremes can be dangerous. There is a time and a place for competition. Competition is necessary when titles are involved such as in the NBA play-offs yet they should not be carried over from the sports world into real life.

My eyes were opened to a stark reality this past weekend. At the Women's Masquerade Night, our pastor's wife shared with us the importance of recognizing that we are not here to compete with one another but rather to complement each other. We minister to those that we come into contact with on a daily basis and when we're busy trying to measure who has the cutest outfit or whose kids are better behaved, we render ourselves 100% ineffective. Insecurities are what cause us to become competitive. We feel like we've got something to prove and we base our security entirely on the outcome of our performance, appearance, intelligence, and _______ (you fill in the blank). If we are to be successful in God's eyes, than the focus must shift from ourselves to others. This is the Christ-like attitude we must seek to emulate. The one that says, "If I come in second, it doesn't matter. I care more about you than I care about winning."

If Only _____

2011-05-21T08:43:00.006-04:00

Not once, but twice this week alone I have felt God reaching out to me through others. He was saying to me, "Indy, stop thinking if only ____ and enjoy today." Indy, didn't you already learn that? Hasn't this journey through barrenness taught you to be content with what you have and stop longing for what is to come? Well, the truth is that I thought I had learned that lesson but God thought otherwise.

I'm a dreamer. I dream about where I will be a year from today, in five years and even ten years down the road. I dream of some day becoming a mother, raising my family in Brazil, vacationing to Italy, pursuing a degree in biblical counseling, completing a missions trip, adopting a child, writing a book, and on and on my list goes. Some dreams have been there since childhood, others God has slowly placed in my heart through my experiences in life. Regardless of the dream, one thing is certain, I must enjoy the stage of life God has put me in today. Then and only then will I be able to truly appreciate wherever God puts me tomorrow whether He fulfills those dreams or not. My life is in His hands and God will do as He pleases. All I can do is choose to respond the right way.

“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind? Whatever he wants to do, he does. So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny."

-Job 23:10-14

A Look Back on My One-Word Goal

2011-05-07T04:53:00.019-04:00

Self- control: Trading the tiramisu for Paleo brownies. ;)

As you may recall this past year I decided to forgo the traditional New Year's Resolutions and opted for a one-word goal instead. My word was none other than self-control.

As I have learned these past five months self-control has many aspects and it is more than simply managing our outward attitudes or those potential outbursts of anger. Self-control encompasses a broader spectrum of ideas than we usually consider. It refers to how one handles any range of emotions from the inside be it our response to threat, disciplining our minds and bodies and so forth.

Here's how I've been fairing so far:

Self-control in relationships. By nature I have always despised injustices. I go out of my way to make sure that life is fair when I have the power and control to do so. However, I have realized that God does not ask me to defend myself, he simply asks that I trust Him to do so. God is my defender and as such He has instilled a desire in me not to seek to amend wrongs done to me but rather turn to Him and allow him to amend it in His time. With him on my side, it's easy to trust that vengeance is the Lord's. I have also been able to forgive wrongs immediately rather than linger with an unforgiving heart allowing them to take up roots of bitterness. Although I don't always feel like forgiving, I do it out of obedience. It is like love. We may not always feel like we love someone but we make the choice every day to act on our commitment and not on our emotions.

The following verses have been encouraging me greatly:

Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.

-2 Chronicles 20:15 b

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

-Romans 12:19

Self-control with my words. Ever since I can remember I have had this "need" to vent with others. The problem with this even though my intentions are not inherently wicked or evil is that when I have a conflict with Person A and I share with Persons B, C, and D how I was wronged I am guilty of gossiping and slandering that person with my words. My role as a woman of God is to speak directly to the person (if and when necessary) or just hand it over to the Lord in prayer and forget about it. I don't need to go on "venting" until I feel better about myself. I can't expect others to play my psychologist; I must trust in my divine healer and counselor. My conviction has been so strong as of lately that my prayer has been to the Lord like the one found in Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, o LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."

Self-control with my time. The secret to having enough time to do that which we deem important is to spend time with the creator of Heaven and Earth. If I may quote Dr. Charles Stanley, he states simply, "Prayer is life's greatest timesaver." In order to have enough time to do what God requests of us, our priorities must be aligned. When we seek God, he reveals his will to us and molds us to desire that which is pleasing to Him.

In my own life, I have been having a consistent time with the Lord. When I first began working-out at 6:30 am before work, I confess that my time with the Lord was one of the first things to go. After working out and feeling the massive amounts of endorphins giving me that loving feeling, there was little need to seek God. Rather than seek Him on a daily basis, I resorted to dedicating one entire morning before work to Him. On the days that I WODDED (perform the Work Out of the Day), it would suffice to say a quick prayer and do a speedy devotional whenever I could squeeze it in during the day. The problem with that was that I didn't have on my spiritual armor in the morning. I wasn't properly equipped to face the demands of the day. After much prayer, I have seen how the Lord has worked in my life. He has been waking me up in the wee hours to seek His face bright and early. He has also given me a thirst for His word. I spend more time in His word than I ever have. I recognize that without his instructions, I am lost.

Self-control in fitness and health. Back in December of 2010, three co-workers and myself embarked on a new journey to physical fitness. Today it is known as CrossFit. It is the "box" I go to four - five times a week to complete grueling work-outs that push my body to the limit. I hope you will understand when I say that "CrossFit has changed my life." I recognize that God created it for my pleasure and enjoyment. Rather than worshiping that which he created, I worship Him for giving me this opportunity to find something I absolutely love to do which yields countless benefits. As if that weren't good enough, I get to share this hobby with my hubby. He has recently joined in on all the fun and has become a CrossFitter.

In addition to CrossFitting, I have started the Paleo lifestyle. From February to March I was going strong and noticed some positive changes in the way I felt. The story now is a bit different. I've somehow relapsed and resorted to increasing my sugar intake once again, eating the occasional slice of bread and consuming dairy products more avidly (especially cheese). However, a look on my eating habits back in January of this year will prove that I was on a downhill slope to developing diabetes and other chronic illnesses. I was ignorant about dieting and how essential it was for my well-being. After all, isn't my body the temple of God. I want to be as effective for Him while on this Earth then I must be diligent and care for it.

If I could sum it all up with one verse, I would choose 1 Timothy 3:11, "In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do."

Lord, I thank you for these past five months. I thank you for the way in which you have been molding me, for the power that I have found in your word. Thank you for being so patient, loving and kind with me. You reveal to me that which is not constructive and give me the option to change. You don't force me to do anything. As my loving Father, I am confident that you have the best for me and I choose to obey. I desire to be the woman that you have purposed for me since the very beginning. A woman that exercises self-control in all she does. Many times I have failed. A few times I have succeeded. Despite it all, I am grateful that you have not left me to do this on my own. Thank you for your hand that picks mine up and guides me gently along the best way I should go. May we never cease to do this together. For Your honor and glory.

In Jesus' Name,

AMEN

Marrying a Giver

2011-04-26T19:29:00.005-04:00

In the very core of who Indira is you will find a greedy and self-centered woman. Someone who likes to give on her terms but would much rather be on the receiving end. But just what happens when a frugal person meets and marries a generous man?

My husband has no attachment to money whatsoever. It makes him happy to be able to give it away. His money, his time, his clothes. You name it. It's yours. I cannot recall the last time he told me not to spend money on myself (of course, I'm very frugal even with myself) or on others. However, when it's his turn to spend and I'm the one that has to extend a bit of grace, I am more like the spending police, keeping track of every last penny that was spent. I want to pull the brakes immediately. I am the one placing the limitations on how we spend our money and how much we can give away.

It's funny though because from the very beginning of our marriage I have seen my husband give to others. I remember pulling up to a gas station and someone just so happened to ask Lucas for money. I was inside the car but the next thing I knew, he was walking into the gasoline station to buy him something to eat. I also remember the day we were driving back home after lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and him giving away our leftovers. The only thing I kept thinking was, "Please don't give away our tiramisu cheesecake." He didn't. ;) And yet another time, I distinctly remember him giving a young married couple at church free reign to our credit card so that we could help them fill up their fridge and stock up their pantry.

It has never really stopped. Just recently it happened yet again. My husband decided to give. I didn't necessarily agree or disagree. However, I admit that I wasn't thrilled about the idea but I went with it. I allowed him to do what God had called him to do. On the following day, we received news that we would be saving some money. God touched someone else's heart to bless us.

I believe that the reason why we've been so blessed is because the man I married has never allowed me to focus on myself. He has taught me how to give with a cheerful heart. We have been blessed to bless others. I have seen God's promises come alive in our life, "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25).

Today as I am tempted to be cheap with others, God reminds me, "Share your cup of water and I will fill it up." I'm thankful that God has used my husband to teach me a thing or two about giving and I'm assured that we will never out give God.

The Beauty of Baptisms

2011-04-24T19:40:00.013-04:00

On Sunday morning, Resurrection Sunday, we had a joint Easter service where 144 guests and members alike were present. It's amazing to think that just a little over two years ago our church was just getting started with but a few faithful followers. Ministering in a young and growing church has taught us not to place an emphasis on numbers (quantity) but rather on the individuals and their spiritual growth (quality). We have seen countless come to Christ and transform their lives radically. We have seen families pour their lives into our church for the sake of Christ helping to fulfill the Great Commission. My heart cannot help but rejoice as I look back on the images that will forever be engrained in my mind of the 11 who took the step to get baptized on Easter Sunday making the public profession of faith to follow, live, and die for Christ. Baptism symbolizes that they have died to their own sinful nature and are now resurrected with Christ.

All this to say that ministry as challenging and demanding as it may be always yields more in returns than what we invest. The utter sense of fulfillment cannot be contained in mere words. Witnessing a young believer come to Christ as the first in his family, a mother and children's prayers answered as their father takes the step to get baptized, and a young woman in uncontrollable tears feeling unworthy of being called a Christian because she recognizes that she is so far from who she wants to be yet has come such a long way from the life she used to lead. Those are but a few of the testimonies of those that were baptized this weekend. As unique and distinct as our own fingerprints yet all beautiful reminders that God's word never returns empty. In due time, the seed planted will bear fruit, much fruit.

A new believer and mother setting the example for her daughter and husband by getting baptized.

Nicole getting baptized on the same day as her mother.

Yet another mother getting baptized before her daughter helping to set the example.

A father getting baptized and reclaiming the worthy position assigned by God as his family's spiritual leader.

A mother taking the step to get baptized as she watched her children grow in the Lord and serve Him tirelessly.

A niece watching her aunt get baptized after years of praying for her with her cousins.

A father getting baptized and consequently a family receiving an answer to their prayers.

The indescribable joy on a wife's face witnessing her husband getting baptized.

My husband reflecting on the beauty of baptism.

Mario being the first in his family to get baptized.

Alejandra faithfully taking the step of obedience to get baptized.

Our church family ready to witness the beauty of baptisms.

Rebecca getting baptized on the same day as her mother.

Alex getting baptized after being introduced to Christ through his girlfriend.

Giving Thanks in Everything

2011-04-09T07:14:00.004-04:00

As it turns out God actually wants us to thank him for the good as well as the bad. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are exhorted, "In everything, give thanks." Rather than tell us, you should give thanks for the blessings and times of joy, he commands us to give thanks in EVERYTHING. In the good times, give thanks. In the bad times, give thanks. Did you recently lose your job, foreclose on your home, total your car? GIVE THANKS!

That makes no sense. Why would a good God want us to thank him when things don't go as planned? Why would he want me to thank Him when I am hurting and alone? How could he expect me to have the strength to thank Him when He allowed this to happen? He doesn't know how I feel? The truth is that He does know. Do you realize that when he sent his son to die on that cross for us, he took upon himself all of our sins and infirmities? He nailed them to the cross for you and for me while we were still his enemies. Romans 5:8 puts it this way, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

I admit that as of very recently it had become increasingly difficult to give thanks. I found that I was much more prone to identify areas of discontentment and thus focused on those things that I did not enjoy or like to do rather than simply obey what God wanted of me. Yet he always has a way of reminding me ever so gently, "Indy, do everything without complaining (Philippians 2:14). Do it as if you were doing it for me (Colossians 3:23)."

I don't know where you stand at this very moment but I would like to encourage you to thank God for the trials in your life. Thank Him for the pain and the suffering. Know that He can be trusted and He is good on His word.

¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

-Romans 5:1-10

Marriage: A Savannah Getaway

2011-04-02T18:25:00.015-04:00

When we were just newlyweds, our pastor at the time, Pastor Carbo and his wife shared one of my all time favorite marriage tips ever. They encouraged us to make it a point to getaway as a couple every three months or so. I am so grateful for that gold nugget they shared with us. Getaways never get old and I always look forward to the time spent with my husband.

However, if you're involved in ministry then, you know how challenging it can be to plan a vacation. Missing church on a Sunday is a no-no especially when like my husband everything that he has worked so diligently for culminates on this one day alone. Getaways (at least on the weekends) can easily and quickly take a backseat to ministry. Lucky for me, my husband is a man who knows his priorities and makes every effort to create balance between ministry and marriage.

This year for the first time since we've been married, Spring Break did not coincide with the week of our Easter festivities. Therefore, we decided to take advantage and plan a little getaway. My hubby took me to a magical little town in Georgia a.k.a. Savannah. Our time there was refreshing. We enjoyed good food, rest and relaxation, beautiful weather and quality time together.

Day #1

Our first day in Savannah. These stairs were located near The Savannah Riverfront.

Dinner inside The Olde Pink House. Thanks again for the recommendation Justin and Maricruz!

A close up of our dessert.

Sitting outside after dinner on the picnic benches just outside the restaurant.

Day #2The line to go inside Mrs. Wilkes'. We waited an hour and a half and as you can see we were in good company.

Sitting at the table with some locals and good ole' Southern food. Notice the smile on my hubby's face.

My favorite part was being asked to take our own plates, utensils, and cup to the dish washer. Here is Lucas being a good boy.

After our lunch at Mrs. Wilkes'. It was definitely worth the wait. Thanks for the recommendation Ari and Ivette!

Enjoying some good music on The RiverFront. This is a picture of a local band playing some original Irish songs.

My hubby and I on our last day in Savannah.

I'm so grateful for my husband. He is a man that I admire deeply. He serves the Lord relentlessly but always shows me that I am second only to God. He is truly an answer to my prayers.

Discipline = Giving Up the Good and Better for the Best

2011-03-25T06:33:00.012-04:00

As I was looking through my prayer journal, I came across this entry:

February 21, 2011

I want to be a woman after your own heart and you know my struggles. My struggle to fit in, to feel accepted and loved. You know the war I wager day after day to remain steadfast in you. Many days I fail terribly, others I feel invincible. All I ask is for consistence. I want to consistently grow in my desire to know and serve you.

This is where I am at this point in my life; desiring to be more consistent in all areas of my life. In my walk with Christ, as a wife, as a leader in our church and so forth. Yet I have found that my number one enemy begins with the letter d and it is called distractions. I am distracted by social media, namely Facebook, in which the minutes quickly turn to hours and are forever lost in cyber world yielding no significant value. Then there is my all time favorite: CrossFit. Unlike Facebook there is much value in seeking to live a healthier life and stay physically fit. However discipline is not about pursuing that which is good. Discipline is about giving up the good and the better for the best. And what is the best from God's perspective? Only that which we will be able to take with us to eternity.

Read what Paul says about it in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul encourages us "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Both of these passages exhort me to fix my gaze on Jesus and the things of eternal value, forsaking all others. I am to relentlessly pursue my Maker and His kingdom while counting everything else as secondary. In the words of the wise King Solomon, "everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

So how can one leave that which is good and better for the best? Discipline is something that will be awarded and consequently holds much value before God. Yet we must be willing to pay the prize to achieve it. Like any athlete who competes and goes into strict training we must be willing to train ourselves and submit to God's will for our life whether it feels good or not. It is not something that happens overnight, just as an Olympic athlete will never win a gold medal without training hard and working diligently for it. Likewise following Christ requires much work on our behalf. We are to identify and remove all distractions so that we can better focus on our goal. It is only after one submits to Christ and finds joy in Him alone that Christ will grant us our heart's desires. He will be able to do so because our desires will be aligned with His will. Then and only then will Psalm 37:4 hold true: "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

Free to Love

2011-03-15T07:26:00.007-04:00

If you've spent a little bit of time with me, then you will probably know that one of my favorite past times in the world is hanging out with my girl friends at a local Starbucks. I don't know exactly what it is about sitting with a cup of overpriced Joe while trying to catch up with a dear friend that makes the experience what it is and that is nothing less than remarkable. However, I'm willing to bet that no matter how good that Caramel Frapuccino is it's about the time spent with the person at the other end of the coffee table.

Yet I realize that one doesn't have to go to Starbucks to be involved in a meaningful conversation and nurture a relationship, be it with a spouse or good friend. What one actually needs is to invest time and be intentional about caring. In Philippians 2:3-4 the bible would put it this way, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others about yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

It seems pretty obvious, doesn't it? Yet how many times can we say that the things we do haven't been driven by our own selfish desires? How many times have we sacrificed of our precious time to sit there with a friend going through a crisis or simply needing someone to listen? How many times have we really practiced what we preach?

I don't know about you but for me I realize that in my own relationship with my husband my love for him can be conditional. If you make me feel good, then I will love you. Naturally it's hard for me to put my own desires second to his. Yet I realize that when I do, it is then and only then, that my real needs are met. I have freed him from meeting my expectations and have given him room to love me the way he knows how to love me. More importantly though, I have decided to love him, serve him, place him above my own needs and by doing so have resembled Christ who being God didn't come to this world to be served but to serve (See Matthew 20:26-28).

Returning to my First Love

2011-03-11T08:54:00.003-05:00

I am increasingly astonished at my ability to be given to any kind of addiction and I don't say that with a single ounce of pride. When I decided to go on a Facebook Fast, I knew that I desperately needed to do it but what I failed to see was that it would not solve all my problems. Little did I know that one addiction would be cured while another was slowly brewing.

While on the Facebook Fast, I dove head first into my workout regimen with the encouragement and motivation from what I now consider the greatest workout buddies on the face of the earth, The D630 Squad. Three, four, and five days a week before work, I would put on my tights, tighten my laces and head straight for the box for a much anticipated WOD (workout of the day). Slowly and subtly, the time I had previously spent with God in prayer was replaced by the sounds of my coaches, Val, Larissa and Gio pushing me to keep going and stack on more weight. After my workout, I had released so much of those little endorphins that pretty much put me on an exercise induced high all day while my need for and dependance on God slowly dissipated. Although I would read my bible and seek God out regularly, He was no longer my first love. I had managed to replace my relationship with Him with CrossFitting and my new Paleo friendly lifestyle.

These things, in and of themselves can be rather lofty goals yet they cannot and should never replace our total surrender and dependance on Christ. Exercising and eating right gave me energy and helped stabilize my moods. These things were very necessary; yet the problem remained that in my heart, God was no longer my primary focus. In my pursuit of physical fitness and health, I completely lost sight of my spiritual dependance on Jesus. The Workout of the Day had replaced my bible reading and prayer time.

This admission is pretty difficult to make considering that I am a pastor's wife. However, in this life, God has not called any of us, whether we are the pastor's wife or not, to live as passive Christians. He has called us to live a life radically surrendered to Him and His call. Does that mean that we have to give up things that we love? Absolutely not. The key is to worship the creator and not the creation.

I am at this very moment sitting in our hotel room on this spiritual retreat that God has allowed me to go on. No CrossFit, no Paleo, just me and God this morning. My heart can't help but break as I am enveloped with God's unfailing love for me. He is so patient with me. He accepts me just as I am yet never stops challenging me to grow as His daughter. Today I am returning to my first love (Revelations 2:2-5).

Fight For Air Climb 2011

2011-02-21T02:23:00.007-05:00

As you may have already heard I joined the CrossFit family in December of 2010. One of the things I love most about CrossFit is that they're always challenging us to grow as athletes. On April 16, I will be participating in the American Lung Association's Fight for Air Climb along with the IAMCrossFit Firebreathers (gotta love our team's name). We will be climbing 55 floors to the top of the Wachovia Building in Downtown Miami. Yup, you read it right. We're climbing 55 floors all the way to the top. Just thinking about it is making my legs hurt but I'm excited about being a part of this event in which we will help bring clean air to those who struggle to breathe daily whether it is due to asthma, lung cancer or emphysema. Will you help support this great cause? You can make an online donation here (Remember, they're tax-deductible). Thanks for your support!

A special thank you to my sister and brother-in-law, Mike and Deby, who have made the first donation. =)

Update: Since posting this blog I have received two more donations. One from my mother-in-law and another from a high school friend and fellow cheerleader, Sandy Ortiz. Thanks guys!!!

A Valentine's Day Challenge: Loving the Unloveable

2011-02-14T06:46:00.011-05:00

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays probably because I'm a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. However I know for others this is one of the worst days ever which just magnifies the inescapable loneliness they may be facing. Regardless of your situation, I would like to ask that you read this with open eyes, ears and a willing heart to understand what a true definition of love in today's world looks like.

Yesterday my husband preached an uncommon message about Valentine's Day. In it, he reminded us how easy it truly is to love those people that we like. I barely have to make an effort to love my husband or my family. However, the true measure of a believer lies in their ability to love the unloveable. I had one such encounter last Friday with the manager of our building. I gently approached her about an incident that was repeatedly occurring which I felt was unfair. Basically there is someone who parks right in front of our door step every day between 7:30 - 7:45 am to drop off her daughter. The problem with this lies in the fact that she is extremely boisterous in the morning and I can hear everything from my apartment. When I am not home and am on my way back from an early morning WOD at CrossFit she makes it impossible for me to get into my parking space because she is literally blocking me in. Needless to say it is not only uncomfortable but oftentimes very annoying to have to put up with it.

In any case, the manager apparently sees no problem with it or has no desire to reach a resolution. She has single-handedly decided to completely disregard my request to find another spot to park/stop her car. Although there is a large sign that reads "No Parking" she has rationalized her way out of following her own rule by saying, "It doesn't say no stopping; you can stop for five minutes."

There are few things in life that bother me more than inconsistency and injustice so this ranks pretty high on my list of pet peeves. Yet the fact remains that there is nothing I can do about it besides maybe call "Help Me Howard" (Oh, and I have contemplated it) and surrender this to God in prayer. My inclination is to hold a grudge against, not only the manager, but the lady that carelessly and inconsiderately parks her car illegally every day to drop off her daughter at the expense of my peace. Yet, I was reminded this weekend by my husband's message that God has called me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me.

So on this Valentine's Day I have chosen out of obedience to God to forgive her. Like Jesus exclaimed on that cross when bearing my sins, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." I ask that you would intervene divinely in this woman's heart, Father God, and drive her to a genuine encounter with you. That she would like Paul, be blinded by the light of your presence and fall on her face and hear you calling her (Acts 9:2-6).

And of course no Valentine's Day would be complete without this:

Lucas,

There are so many things that I love about you. I love your smile and way you make me feel when I am around you. I love your "Hakuna Matata" philosophy of life yet how seriously you have always taken your responsibilities at church. I love how you have never liked to read until you started seminary and now no one can stop you from devouring your commentaries. I love how you can pick up your guitar and transport yourself into another world where nothing in life matters. I love how unshakeable your confidence is and how you could care less to match but like to look good because you know how much it means to me. I love how much you know about everything and how you can engage anyone in a conversation. I love how you make a big deal of the things that matter to me. I love how nothing is ever more important than listening to me when I just need you to listen to me. I love the way you love me. I hope you know that I love you more than I ever thought possible. Thank you for picking me as your wife. I am eternally indebted to God for the husband He has blessed me with. Eu te amo cada dia mais.

Your linda,

Indi

This is the video my hubby used to introduce his sermon on Sunday. Enjoy it!

Book Review: Radical

2011-02-10T15:32:00.011-05:00

I obsess over reading. I truly do. I prefer reading non-fiction books that will help to strengthen my faith over what others consider the greatest classics (that's why I haven't finished The Catcher in the Rye yet, but I will). I rarely ever read one book at a time. I have a couple of books sitting on my night stand, magazines and more books in a basket inside the restroom, and a bookshelf full of books that I've already read, are on my "To Read" list or belong to my hubby's seminary collection. So imagine my sense of sheer joy when I found out about a month ago from my fellow blogging friend, Melody, that I could read books for free. I immediately jumped on the Blogging for Book s bandwagon and placed my first order for David Platt's Radical.

I must say that this was not another Christian self-help book and it certainly wasn't another feel good about yourself book. Immediately I found myself immersed in not only the message Platt was trying to convey but I was keenly aware of my great depravity. Basically Radical is about taking back our faith from the American dream. He says that we have become so consumed with materialism that we rarely live like Christ commanded us to, storing up our treasures in heaven. Rather we spend our short lifespan on this earth focused on ourselves.

The key is realizing--and believing--that this world is not your home. If you and I ever hope to free our lives from wordly desires, wordly thinking, wordly pleasures, wordly dreams, wordly ideals, wordly values, wordly ambitions, and wordly acclaim, then we must focus our lives on another world. Though you and I live in the United States of America now, we must fix our attention on "a better country--a heavenly one." Though you and I find ourselves surrounded by the lure of temporary pleasure, we must fasten our affections on the one who promises eternal treasure that will never spoil or fade. If your life or my life is going to count on earth, we must start by concentrating on heaven. For then, and only then, will you and I be free to take radical risk, knowing that what awaits us is a radical reward (Platt, 179).

Platt places a great emphasis on the need that, we as Christians have, to do what Christ has called us to do in the scriptures. Yet we know so little of it and have a distorted view of Christianity that caters to our needs and wants, not a genuine desire to serve God no matter the cost. He goes on to say that we take some verses at face value like Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Yes, that promise applies to me! Yet other verses like the one found in Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" we can easily disregard by justifying and rationalizing, "That's not my calling." I'm not pointing the finger, trust me, I'm just as guilty as you are of this.

One thing I realized while reading this book was this: "If all of us professing to be Christians lived like Christ calls us to live in His world then others would not think we were radical." All of us would be doing exactly what God called us to do and therefore there would be nothing extremist or crazy about it. Yet so many of us, myself included, have epically failed. We have failed to love our neighbor as ourselves, we have failed to share God's saving message, we have simply failed to live this life like if it didn't matter whether we died tomorrow because our true reward would be in heaven. We have truly been ensnared by the elusive American Dream; the closer you are to achieving it, the more you realize how discontent you truly are. In the words of the wisest man that ever lived on earth, "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14) Will we be reminded of this today and begin to live life on this earth as if the only thing that mattered was what's to come in eternity? Let's make His name known.

The Way God Spoke to Me Six Years Later

2011-02-05T06:44:00.009-05:00

I have a prayer journal, both at home and at school, where I write my prayers to God. It's like a dialogue journal in which I write to him and wait for him to respond to me be it through his word or through a nudge in my heart. I like to do this for a couple of reasons: 1.) I find that when I am writing it is easier to remain focused and 2.) I can always go back to see how the Lord has answered my prayers and worked in my heart.

This week, as I was dialoguing with God in my journal, I heard in the recess of my heart, "I make everything beautiful in my time." I recognized those words immediately and grabbed my bible and turned to the book of Ecclesiastes. Although I did not know exactly where to find the verse, it sounded very familiar to another verse that I had committed to memory, "There's a time for everything." Sure enough upon opening my bible, there it was and not only was it highlighted but it was dated, 1/16/05.

Almost instantaneously I understood why over six years ago that verse had spoken to my heart. You see when Lucas and I started dating back in December of 2004, my boyfriend quickly and subtly took God's place in my heart. Instead of worshiping my creator, I worshipped what he had created, my boyfriend. Exactly a month into our relationship, I felt God telling me, "Indy, I want you to let go of him like I asked Abraham to do with his son." And so we broke up. I was hurt, he was hurt but the decision was not mine alone. As a matter of fact until this day I kid about the fact that he dumped me. All kidding aside, back then we both understood that it was the right thing. It was during that transition that I sought the Lord out with all of my heart. I spent time fasting, in prayer, and in His word. I was broken hearted and turning to him was the only way to alleviate some of the pain. Yet I could not understand why he would give me a glimpse of what it meant to be in a relationship with a godly man and then in what felt like an instant, take it all away from me.

Obviously Lucas and I eventually did become boyfriend and girlfriend again, got engaged and are now married. God asked me to temporarily give him up. He was testing my heart and wanted to show me how a man had wrongly been put up on a pedestal. He showed me how that place was reserved for the Lord alone. It was an unforgettable lesson on keeping my priorities in order that every so often I continue to make sure I have not misaligned. God first and then all else follows.

So why is this verse still so relevant for me? How can it still speak to me six years later? Well, I have mentioned in the past that I had a strong desire to be a mother and I have also shared how for whatever reason God has asked me to wait. Although I understood it in my mind, it took my heart a while to catch up to what God had asked of me and surrender that desire completely to Him. So on that particular morning I was telling God something that quite frankly I never thought I'd say. I was being brutally honest with Him and with myself for that matter and I realized that I wasn't really ready to be a mother. I wasn't willing to sacrifice everything I have now (my time, my energy or even my resources) to put someone else before my own needs. I did not want to spend my days caring for a baby and dealing with sleepless nights. What I really wanted was to spend time on me. I wanted to enjoy my husband a little longer before the children came. I almost felt guilty for expressing what was on my heart but with an almost instant affirmation, God whispered to my heart, "I make everything beautiful in my time." Had he really spoken to my heart? I had to find that verse with my very own eyes, I had to see the evidence that it was the truth. I opened my bible and there it was in plain print highlighted and dated, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Wow. So after almost three years of praying and waiting for a child, I finally understood. God. Makes. Everything. Beautiful. In. HIS. Time. At that very moment, it was crystal clear before my eyes, God's timing is perfect. There is indeed a time for everything but it's not my time, it's His. However there is a second part to the verse. "He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom What God has done from beginning to end." You see the temporal things this world has to offer, even those that are good, were never meant to perfectly satisfy us. We were created and yearn for something greater that we will only obtain after death in heaven next to our creator. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary puts it this way, "God accomplishes His purposes in His time, but it will not be until we enter eternity that we will begin to comprehend His total plan." In addition to knowing that God has a time for everything and does indeed make things beautiful in His time, we also know that as noble as our dreams are, we will never get the big picture until we are walking face to face with our Lord. At that time, he will reveal to us great mysteries that we were incapable of understanding while living life on this earth.

I don't know what it is in your life that you have been waiting on God to answer. You may not understand why he is allowing you to go through this hardship, this trial. It's just not fair. Your father was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and you are praying for him to be healed, your husband has an unhealthy addiction and you are trusting God to intervene, your children are far from the Lord and you want them to turn back to Jesus. Perhaps God is asking you to wait on Him today. He has not asked you to give up on your dreams but wants to remind you that in His time, all things are beautiful. Are you willing to surrender your future to Him? Will you surrender ALL? Rest assured that God does indeed make everything beautiful in HIS time. I guarantee that waiting on Him will be well worth it.

Our youth group visiting our former and one of the greatest Sunday school teachers we have ever had, Nidia and her hubby, Agusto with the youth group. It was during our "break-up". My husband-to-be was sitting beneath me in the black polo. =)

Coming Soon: Facebook Fast

2011-01-26T15:57:00.011-05:00

They say it takes about 30 days to make a habit and with a new year before us what a great way to begin incorporating some positive, healthy changes. Since my 2011 word of the year is self-control I couldn't think of a better time to take advantage of a 30 Day Facebook Fast than now. Why you may ask? Well, simply put I feel like I am being robbed of one of the most precious commodities God has given me, time. I am certainly not investing it as wisely as I could be when I spend excessive amounts of time socializing in Cyber World.

So in less than 48 hours I will embark on the journey of what I like to call Social Media Deprivation along with 11 other Facebook friends. Many of which have innocently accepted a challenge that will inevitably be life changing. Solo deo gloria. To Him be the glory.

Lord, I pray for all of those friends that have publicly accepted this 30 Day Facebook Fast challenge. I am sure that not all of them signed up with the same intentions but I pray that in the midst of this you would make yourself known to each and every one of them in a tangible way. I pray that they would be able to find you with their whole heart. Lord, use this time to draw us to you and you alone. Bring us back to our first love.

In Jesus' Name,

AMEN

1 Corinthians 9:27

"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

2011 Word of the Year

2010-12-31T08:14:00.009-05:00

As is custom I like to spend some time reflecting on the year that is coming to an end and setting some new goals for the upcoming year. This year will be a little different though. Rather than setting New Years Resolutions I have decided to follow suit and set a one-word goal for 2011. I got the idea here. (Thanks Sandra!)

The way it works is that one spends time in prayer and together with God's help and perhaps time spent speaking to someone wise who knows you well, select a word that you would like to focus on in the upcoming year. It's generally a word that you do not plan to perfect but would certainly like to invest time growing and learning how to be a better at it.

For me it is pretty clear that I would like to concentrate on self-control. I realize that it is an area that I am lacking in my life. Whether it comes to my emotions, attitudes or actions there is definitely room for improvement. Self-control applies to time spent on social networks (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Blogger), as well as my tone of voice when I am slightly irritated, and even in the every day decisions I make in life.

This morning I looked up in our concordance a few verses that mention "self-control" and I was a little disappointed that there were not many listed. Perhaps I need to get better acquainted with our concordance. I did however, take the time to write the two that did apply to me and have committed not only to memorizing these verses but consciously applying them in my daily walk with Christ.

The first verse can be found in Galatians 5:22-26 and it reads, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The second passage of scripture is 2 Peter 1:3-9 which states, ³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

I don't feel the pressure of making and following through with resolutions this year and I am loving it. This will undoubtedly free me up to focus on a specific area in my life that will not only benefit me but those around me as well. It will serve to enrich my relationships, nurture my ministry and prepare me for motherhood.

2010 has been a good year but I am ready to welcome 2011. I know God has so much more in store for me and I am excited to begin walking this journey following Him.

Happy New Year!

My favorite dessert in the whole wide world. A perfect picture of my need for self-control. ;)

Image courtesy of my lovely sister, Danielle.

A Crazy Idea

2010-12-29T08:11:00.014-05:00

This past Monday Lucas and I decided to get on with a very much needed "Winter Cleaning." Since we have a small one bedroom apartment, our closet space is very limited and we can't afford to save lots of stuff. Although I am very much a packrat and like to hold on to things because I justify, "We never know when we will need it," my husband managed to convince me that we could give away a few things. After all who needs more than 3 sets of bed sheets? Due in part to the cold temperatures and God working in his heart, he immediately knew that there were others who could make good use of our blankets and sheets right away.

Not so coincidentally that evening we received a text from Marianella letting us know that she was in the neighborhood with her boyfriend, Still and wanted to know if it was okay to stop by. Nothing better for us than having some good friends over for an impromptu dinner date. I asked my husband if he wanted to put the blankets away and I think that's when it hit him that we could go together to drop off the blankets. I admit that although it was a good idea, it was a bit crazy to drive to Downtown on such a cold and dark night to give out a few spare blankets. Little did I know that what I was about to witness with my bare eyes would change my life.

Still led us around the area in which over 20 homeless men and women could be found sleeping on top of cardboard boxes, bundled up inside layers of sheets and comforters and one or two that were cozily tucked away in their sleeping bags. However there was one truth behind that didn't take much observation for us to realize about each person sleeping on the streets. Regardless of the choices they had made in life or the circumstances that forced them onto the streets, they needed help.

On this particular night we only had two thick comforters to give away and half a dozen blankets. It broke our heart to see just how many people were out in the street braving the cold temperatures on their own. It wasn't long until we ran into an everyday hero. Her name I am not so sure of but she was an average looking lady probably in her early forties who drove all the way from Ft. Lauderdale to Downtown Miami to feed the homeless warm homemade soup. This was not a one time occurrence for her, she said that she tries to go every day to feed them. It was at that very moment that we could not deny the undeniable: we had to do something about it too.

We used our Facebook statuses to get the word out and request donations of used blankets and the respond was overwhelming. People wanted to help they just didn't know how. We had friends donate anything from used sweaters, to sweat pants, t-shirts and blankets. While others agreed to let us borrow their pots so that we could prepare a warm soup. Nella prepared her first chicken soup made from scratch and Lucas made a yummy tomato soup and another cheesy mushroom soup using borrowed jumbo pots from one of our favorite cooks, Anita. Still served as the donation collection picker-upper driving to a couple of houses to pick up the blankets. This time we had a new friend who wanted to embark on this journey with us and countless others backing us up through verbal commitments expressing their desire to help.

Honestly I don't know how we will be able to keep this up week after week but I think all of us agree that we can no longer sleep comfortably at night knowing that there are so many out there without the bare essentials. It was a reality check for me in which God clearly showed me how blessed I am. Never is one more aware of how blessed he/she is until one sees the needs of others from up close.

I personally got to talk to a charismatic man affectionately referred to as 'The Hillbilly' who non-chantly said he liked drugs and that was his reason for being on the streets. He said, "It was my choice, I know." He is probably not much older than I am and he told me he has been on the streets for six years. Although I was baffled by his words and the lifestyle he had chosen to continue an addiction, I couldn't help but feel compassion for this man who owned up to his mistakes and refused to make excuses for himself. I briefly mentioned that the only way we could change was with Jesus' help. I wish I could have said more. I wish I could've done more. At this point all I know is that I will be praying for Donnie (that's his real name) and asking the Lord to perform a miracle in which God's name will be exalted. It is my desire to see Donnie rehabilitated for the glory of God. That His life's story would lead others to God's feet.

I don't believe everyone has been called to go out in the streets at night and feed the homeless. However, do believe that God clearly cares about this case and he expects each of us to do our part. I can't tell you what God would have you do but I wish I could show you some of the images which are forever engrained in our hearts, the reality that can no longer be minimized in our minds, and the great need that these people, men and women very much like you and I have. It's like that story of the boy throwing in the starfish back into the sea. He admits that he can't save all of them but he attempts to save one at a time despite the discouragement and lack of unbelief he receives from others. I wish all of us could have that same attitude. Rather than being complacent with our mediocre Christianity I wish we could really live out that Crazy Love that Francis Chan so passionately speaks of in his book. A type of love that sounds crazy to the masses but is focused on others and not merely on meeting one's own needs and fulfilling our religious duties. The kind of love that God has called us to have for others and the fervor that drives us to care for those things that break God's heart.

We may not be able to eradicate world hunger, clothe all of those that are needy or provide shelter for them but surely we can do something about it. We can help feed one more person. We can provide hope to someone who thought life was not worth living. We can share our smile and encourage someone not to give up. We can give up some of our time and invest it in eternity. Then one day we will be able to have a conversation with God similar to this one found in Matthew 25:35-40, "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me." (emphasis mine)

I pray that your heart will break for the things that break God's heart and that you will have the courage to do something crazy about it.

A Christmas Virtue: Receiving a Gift

2010-12-25T14:20:00.010-05:00

Did you know that receiving a gift is in itself a gift that we give to our gift giver? I know it sounds complicated but take a second to read that statement over. Simply put, the way we embrace the gift someone has given us is a gift that we are able to give the giver as they enjoy our smile, our sincere expression of joy, and our words of gratitude.

I am proud to say that this year I graciously accepted every single gift I received with love and thankfulness. It wasn't always this way. However this year I did things a little differently and made a concerted effort to thank the gift giver and enjoy the thoughtfulness whether I liked the gift or not. What helped me was the prompting I received from the Holy Spirit to pray before opening my gifts. This enabled me to be thankful for everything I received simply because someone took the time to think of me, spend their time at a store, invest their energy wrapping a gift for me, and selflessly share with me a portion of their resources that perhaps they could've used on themselves. That sounds like more than enough to give thanks.

My gifts this year were all amazing. I thank God for the generosity my mom demonstrates year after year in that her joy comes from giving to us. I hope to someday be that kind of a giver. My husband also gave me some pretty wonderful presents. However my favorite gift was not an actual gift at all. Instead it was how he listened to my cues and went for the things that I really wanted like the work-out attire he carefully picked out for me and the time he spent in finding gifts that he knew would be just right for me.

On a scale of 1 - 10 how do you fair you did in receiving your gifts? Maybe there was a major disappointment, maybe someone lost a job this year and was not able to financially give you what they would've liked or perhaps you feel like what they got it all wrong and gave you a gift that doesn't suit you. May I suggest that you thank them publicly and when the time is right consider speaking to them privately to reach a resolution. However keep in mind that the most important thing is not that we receive everything that was on our wish list this year but rather that we were able to make those that took their time and invested in us feel like it was well worth it. It's not so much about the actual gift as it is about the attitude of our heart that makes all the difference.

Here I am receiving one of the gifts my husband lovingly picked out for me.

My husband's smile after receiving his new guitar pedal from his Secret Santa, Vito.

Here is one of my favorite expressions this Christmas: the face of shock Danielle had when she unwrapped her new camera.

Once reality set in, she couldn't help but cry tears of joy.

Here is our new photographer enjoying her new gift.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

All I Want for Christmas

2010-12-24T06:05:00.006-05:00

How many of us can say that we have everything we want for Christmas? Probably a handful of people and I guarantee that they are in the minority. Unfortunately with Christmas come the long wish lists and endless opportunities to fill the void with anything we can get our hands on. The only problem is that those material things bring temporary joy that will surely dissipate before the credit card statement is paid off.

The truth of the matter is that we live and are part of one of the most consumer driven, materialistic societies with an unquenchable desire for more. Have you ever sat down and wondered what God thinks of us running around the time formerly known as Christmastime from store to store in search of the perfect gift? Is he pleased when the one day we should be commemorating the greatest gift we could have ever received, Jesus Christ, is marginalized into an unoffensive greeting at the checkout counter, "Happy Holidays."

I can pretty confidently say that he thinks we've missed the target. Rather than focusing on the precious gift of eternal life we have in Christ, we are running around in search of something to fill our insatiable hunger for the ugly four letter word: MORE. I want more clothes, I want more gadgets, I want more _____ (you fill in the blank).

I am embarrassed to admit that I am no different from everyone else. I too, get impatient waiting in long lines, am terribly irritated by the traffic Christmas brings to Miami and am appalled at how short our attention span has dwindled away and rather than enjoy God's greatest gift we are restlessly looking for more. With our actions, I too say, "It's not enough. I want more."

This Christmas I want to be able to truly reflect on the greatest gift I received almost 10 years ago, the gift of salvation. I want my heart to break for those who are literally perishing and share the good news with them. I want the Lord to invade every part of my life until I am burdened to live an unselfishly devoted life to Christ by serving others rather than looking for others to serve me. After all the greatest man to ever walk this earth did not make a majestic entrance, he was born in a manger and came to serve. May His life serve as an example to all of us today.

Dear God,

Forgive me for the many times that I have made Christmas about me when it's all about you. Show me how I can share your perfect gift with others. Maybe it's with a smile, a hug or maybe there is something that I can willingly give up for another family. Lord, it is truly my desire to honor you with my life but it is so easy to get distracted and consumed with the things of this world. May I feel a huge dissatisfaction with anything this world has to offer. May my heart, soul, and mind shout in expectant adoration, "Give me more of You. You are all I want."

In Jesus' name,

AMEN

You can read about the birth of Jesus here.

Half a Decade

2010-12-18T12:36:00.009-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated our fifth Wedding Anniversary or as I like to call it, our "Half a Decade" anniversary. The day was a close to perfect as could be.

Here's the proof:

I prepared breakfast for my hubby. This is the handmade card I made for him with my sister's help. Thanks for helping me create the perfect card Tati!

Anniversary lunch at Fogo de Chao...I've had rodizio before but this one was out of this world.

That little green card was my best friend during lunch. I got to eat picanha to my heart's content.

Our first Cirque de Soleil-Kooza

Lucas,

I never knew just what type of ride I was getting on five years ago when we exchanged vows in front of our family and friends at Resurrection Baptist Church. I knew that I loved the person you were, I had a deep admiration for you (specifically your devotion to the Lord), and wanted to spend the rest of my life getting to know you. There is not a day that goes by in which I question whether I married the right person. The truth is that you are the only man for me. I know of no one else capable of loving me the way you love me even when I am "insoportable". Thank you for taking me as I am, believing in me and never giving up on me. Your love compels me to be a better woman, wife, daughter and someday mother. I am humbled to be your wife and honored that I get to see firsthand the work that the Lord is doing in your life. Te amo meu brasileiro. Happy Anniversary!

Your linda,

Indi

Spiritual Disciplines: Confession

2010-12-12T07:14:00.011-05:00

It's been over a month since I've made time to pour out my heart before God via my blog. Don't get me wrong, I pour out my heart to God all the time. Just me and God. However many times being able to share what I've learned along the way with others and get it down on paper (or my blog for that matter) is what truly seals the deal. I can no longer make excuses for continuing to act in a destructive way or have the same old patterns of thinking once it is out in the open.

I recently started reading a book my father-in-law gave my husband titled Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster. In it, the author speaks of some of the "spiritual disciplines" Christians follow such as praying, fasting, studying, and worshiping. Some of these so called spiritual disciplines are oftentimes overlooked while others are done almost with a subtle legalism. Nonetheless the spiritual disciplines when practiced serve to enrich our relationship with our other believers and more importantly, our heavenly father.

At this point in time, I find that I could certainly make use of one of the disciplines Foster emphasizes in his book, the discipline of confession. You see I've always been pretty bad at this. Then again, I'm not such a bad person. I don't steal, lie, or cheat. I love my husband, I serve at my church, I share Christ's love with everyone I met (or at least I try to). Yet in the depths of my heart can be found some pretty nasty sin. Although it may not be as blatant as murder or adultery, God can see it and He does not want me to continue to cling to it.

I'm not quite ready to share with the entire blogosphere (or Facebook for that matter since my posts are linked to my FB profile) what it is that God has been showing me but I will say that it is an ugly beast that rears its head more often than I'd care to admit. Richard Foster puts it this way, ‎"If we only had a tinge of the sense of revulsion that God feels toward sin, we would be moved to holier living." I believe that I'm at that point where I am so disgusted by it that I genuinely want to rid myself of it and be free.

I will share some of the practical steps that Foster records in this chapter on confession. First he says that as we confess our sins, we must confess concrete sins. Those are not only the sins that others can see but are definite and include the sins of the heart such as anger, pride, envy, etc. After we confess our sin, sorrow must follow. He describes sorrow as not only an emotion but "an abhorrence at having committed the sin, a deep regret at having offended the heart of the Father." Lastly, there must be a determination in us to avoid the sin altogether. At this point we can ask God to give us a desire to live in a holy manner and hate unholy living. In addition, once we confess although we will experience sorrow in the beginning, at the end we should feel joy. "Confession begins in sorrow, but it ends in joy." This is because once we acknowledge our sin, we receive God's forgiveness and are free to change.

Of course, confession is not something that can be done with anyone. We should seek to find wise and Godly people to confess to. One way to find the right person is to ask God in prayer to lead you to that person. Also be sure to observe the person for evidence of having a genuine and intimate relationship with Jesus themselves. According to Foster he believes people who possess the following characteristics would be ideal persons one could confess to: spiritual maturity, wisdom, compassion, good common sense, the ability to keep a confidence and a wholesome sense of humor.

I have said this in the past and I will say it again, "This book has changed my life". It's not the profound truths I have read on the pages of this book but more so how God has worked in my heart to help me to overcome my sense of complacency with my comfortable Christianity and strive to become a woman wholeheartedly committed to knowing, loving, and serving the Lord. I pray that I would never feel comfortable with my level of Christianity but that I would continually be challenged to grow in my pursuit of my Savior.

"You've Got Something Stuck Between Your Teeth."

2010-11-10T22:09:00.009-05:00

If this phrase, "You've got something stuck between your teeth" sounds familiar to you then you know all too well how embarrassing it can be when someone tells you that you've been talking to others and no one has told you that all along you had been making a fool of yourself. However if we are to consider who the people that tell us such things are, most of the time we will find that it is those that care too much for us to allow us to continue to look like a fool.

Recently this happened with me and a friend. As it turns out, I felt that there were some areas in which we were not being upfront and completely honest with each other. We avoided the issue at hand and began to make assumptions about how the other felt. Rather than approaching her with love and maturity to work out the issue, my pride got in the way and I allowed it to sit there day after day, week after week and sadly month after month. It eventually hindered the close friendship we once shared and threatened to destroy other relationships as well.

In my arrogance, I thought I knew exactly what was bothering her. I thought for sure that there was something wrong with her. To my surprise, she confronted me as best as she knew how about some changes she had noticed in me. I cautiously listened not only to her words but to her tone and the motive behind what she was sharing. I admit that initially, I was reluctant to see some of the areas that needed to be changed in me. I subtly tried to justify in my mind why her perspective of me could have changed so drastically. However I quickly realized that at that very moment I had a choice to make. I could choose to continue making excuses for myself or take it with a grain of salt and grow from it. Although it felt as if she was picking at my scab and I was afraid of the scar it could potentially leave behind, I knew the band-aid needed to come off. My wound needed to heal.

Today I am able to look back at that conversation we had over a nice, hot cup of coffee and an iced green tea lemonade and see how beneficial it was for us to talk candidly with each other. I appreciate her honesty with me and although it may have stung a bit, it has helped me to learn and grow from it. After we had that conversation, I have seen how it has strengthened our relationship because I chose to make necessary changes. I now understand why Solomon wrote these words in Proverbs 27:6, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

I am thanking God for the life of my friend who loved me enough to share the truth even though she knew it could hurt me. I pray that others would always feel free to be themselves and not feel like they have to walk on eggshells around me as to not to hurt my feelings. It may take me a lifetime to learn how to do this but with God's help it's possible.

Romance: It's Not a Comedy Part II

2010-11-08T05:57:00.008-05:00

Imagine eating a candy with the wrapper. Pretty tasteless, isn’t it? Why would anyone want to eat candy without removing the wrapper first? Well, yesterday we learned that many times that is how we treat relationships when we skip steps and try to get ahead of God. We simply cannot enjoy the full benefits of what that relationship has to offer when we do things our way with little regard for what God has to say about it.

Lucas made the following four points about marriage based on Genesis 2:23-25.

1. 1. Unity - Once you are married, it is no longer about "I" but it is now about "us". He said there were benefits to marriage such as it being good for your finances, providing physical comfort to the couple, making it easier to defend each other, and so forth. However great these things are in and of themselves, our marriage is still susceptible to outside interference. If we are to have a strong marriage, it must be centered around Christ. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Paul outlines the benefits of marriage and goes on to say that a cord of three strings is not easily broken. It is as we grow together towards Christ that we are better able to love one another and consequently our relationship with our spouse is strengthened.

2. 2. Priority - When we are married, our relationship with our spouse is our priority and we should go to great lengths to preserve this relationship. He shared Hebrews 13:4 which says that "the marriage bed should be kept undefiled." In other words, nothing should come between a husband and wife. From the very beginning, Lucas and I decided to set radical boundaries. We made a commitment to never be alone with someone of the opposite sex and agreed that he would never counsel a woman alone. We wanted to make sure to close all doors to temptation because we knew how subtly they can sneak in to destroy a marriage.

3. 3. Intimacy – Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and without cure, who can understand it?” If we are to look back at the many times we "fell in love" when we were younger, it is evident that our emotions were quite unstable and misleading. In Song of Solomon 2:7 we are cautioned not to arouse or awaken love until it so desires; there is a time for everything. That is why it is important to save sex until after marriage. God created this gift for married couples as a gift and a glue to hold a marriage together. When we follow God's instructions for sex it comes without guilt before, during and after sex.

4. Sincerity - The bible says that Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame. It was so funny when Lucas said that it was easy not to be embarrassed considering how perfect they were (no love handles or cellulite…ha!). However the concept of feeling no shame did not end there. They had no secrets from each other unlike the infamous Chilean miner who had two families. I don’t know about you but in my relationship with my husband, he is probably the one person who knows more about me than anyone else. He knows things that I would be terribly hesitant to share with others because they are embarrassing however I know that I can trust him. We have taken vows before God to stick with each other for better and for worse.

The truth is all of us carry something shameful from our past with us. Things that if others found it, we would cringe. However, it is with Christ that the old things pass away and all things are made new. Christ is the one that offers "redemption for your past, forgiveness for your present, and purpose for your future". I can relate so much to those words because I think they describe my walk with God to the tee.

I I don't know where you stand today but I pray that God would begin the transforming work in your life as you wholeheartedly pursue the one who has been waiting patiently for you to return to Him.

Next week Lucas will be addressing “The Fall of Man”. If you’re in the Miami area and would like to join us feel free to send me a message or check out our church’s website here.

Temptations

2010-11-07T17:25:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday a group of 20 ladies from all walks of life came together at Matheson Hammocks Park to spend some time worshiping the Lord, praying, learning what God's word says about temptations and sharing our own personal struggles.

We had such a great time and I'm encouraged to see how many women are truly desiring to honor God in their relationships.

The beautiful ladies that joined us for our women's ministry event this Saturday.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Romance: It's Not a Comedy Part I

2010-10-27T18:20:00.009-04:00

My husband preached a powerful message this weekend on dating. It was the first in a series of three titled "Romance: It's not a comedy". What does dating have to do with anything? Aren't you married Indy? How could this possibly apply to you? Well, I'll tell you something, I don't know how but it had EVERYTHING to do with me and where I am in life right now. As I have shared with you in the past, my husband and I are walking the journey of infertility right now. For the past 2 and a half years we have "tried" to start our own family but for whatever reason God has asked us to wait.

Waiting is not a new concept though, God actually asked Adam in Genesis 2:18-22 to wait. God knew Adam had a need for a companion yet he chose not to fulfill his need immediately. The bible says that no "suitable helper" was found for him. However, rather than have him sit around until his wife came along, God wanted him to get to business. He gave him a mission which was to name the animals. Pretty funny when you think about it now, huh? Doesn't seem like a very difficult task, does it? No doubt, God was perfectly capable of doing it on His own but then why would he choose to give the task to Adam? Perhaps he wanted to see if Adam was going to be faithful or maybe God just wanted to keep him busy while he waited. The truth is I don't know; only God knows why he does what He does. If I were to understand everything he did than I wouldn't need God. (I stole this from my hubby. Thanks, Luki!)

When I think about my own life, I realize God has placed a very real desire in my heart. That desire is none other than to be a mother. However He has also asked me to be faithful to Him. Like my husband said, "Could you imagine if Adam decided to take matters into his own hands and try to meet his own need? He might have settled for marrying an animal." I don't know about you but I certainly don't want to get ahead of God and settle for anything less than His best. I know (although I may not always feel it) that what He has in store for me is the best.

Can you relate? Have you been waiting on God to answer your prayer? Be encouraged my friend, remember that He knows your needs, he hasn't forgotten you and he will meet all of your needs.

Point Them to Christ

2010-10-20T06:16:00.008-04:00

Just when you think you've got it all figured out, God throws a curve ball your way. Monday night I had a rough time staying asleep; God woke me up at 3:30 am. There is no doubt in my mind that it was Him calling out to me in an attempt to have my undivided attention.

So what's been on my mind lately is sin. Not necessarily my sin but just sin in general. That stuff which we do that hurts God. Those things that as hard as we try to break free seem to have a hold on us. Whether it is in our thought process or actions, it is there. No one is exempt from it. It is simply a part of the depraved human condition. Blame it on Adam, blame it on Eve, it doesn't matter who you blame it on, we are all guilty of it and will not begin to change until we can recognize it.

As we grow in our relationship with Christ, subtle things which may not have bothered us in the past begin to irk us. For me, there was actually something that upset me (righteous indignation), it made me restless and broke my heart. However there is a huge difference when we are disgusted by our own sin and that of others. It's easy to fall into the self-righteous trap. How could _____ do such a thing? Don't they see how wrong that is? When will they change? We can become impatient and want to stop hanging out with those whom do not see eye to eye with us. However that is in direct contrast to what Jesus did and desires that we as Christians do. After all, wasn't he the one hanging out with the tax collectors and the nonbelievers? When everyone was pointing fingers at the adulteress woman, didn't he tell her, "Go and sin no more." (See John 8:1-11)

But why is it that it is so hard for us to be like Christ? Patient, loving, kind, gentle, and forgiving. I don't know why we so easily forget where we ourselves came from. When I look back at my life B.C. (before Christ), I literally want to shout with joy what David penned in Psalm 40:2, "he rescued me from the miry clay and set my feet upon the rock".

I was speaking to my mother-in-law whom is a very godly woman that I deeply admire and as she listened to me via Skype chat (unfortunately the distance prevents us from seeing each other in person) she shared some insights with me. She helped me see that at times, we try to do the job of the Holy Spirit and that does more harm than good. The bottom line is that we are called to be loving and patient. God never calls us to do His job. He may cause us to feel uneasy but we are never called to point fingers at them or demand that they change. Rather we are to love them like Christ loved us.

Today I am grateful that He never gave up on me and my prayer for those that are struggling with giving something up to follow Christ is that they would know that nothing in this world is worth holding on to if it will mean losing Him.

*This is the passage in the bible that God pointed me to on Monday morning. It was the first thought on my mind when I woke up after my conversation with my mother-in-law.

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. ¹³Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Image of Mary Magdalene at Christ's feet from the movie, The Passion of Christ

Second Best Gift

2010-10-12T09:46:00.007-04:00

"Five years ago today, the man of my dreams asked me to be his wife. 'Til this day, saying yes to him remains the second best decision of my life, second only to saying yes to Christ. I love you Lucas Almeida." This is what my Facebook status reads today. I feel so incredibly blessed to be standing beside such an amazing and godly man who has challenged me to grow in my pursuit of God. I prayed for so long that God would give me a godly man, a man that loved God more than he loved me. And of course, God not only answered my prayer but he went above and beyond when he gave me my husband.

Our relationship is by no means perfect but it is certainly great. There is no doubt in my mind that it is because at the center of our relationship, Christ can be found. I don't know what would be of my life if I had said yes to the wrong person. I am convinced that the man God has placed by my side has helped me become the woman I am today. I am eternally grateful for his life and will never stop praising God for blessing me when he gave me my husband.

Happy "engagement" anniversary handsome. The Portuguese speaking energy balls are not here yet but I trust that God's plans are perfect and in His timing, he will answer our prayers.

I love you today more than I did when I said I do and I can't imagine my love for your growing but without a shadow of a doubt, I know it is inevitable as we continue to grow in our walk with Christ. I continue to pray that our marriage would emulate the love that Christ had for us and that we would be able to lead many to His feet. Eu te amo!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..."
-James 1:13a

Looking forward to a lifetime walking by his side.

Night of Joy 2010

2010-09-13T06:11:00.020-04:00

This past weekend our church's youth group took a trip to Orlando to attend Night of Joy 2010. We walked incessantly at the Magic Kingdom, climbed up seemingly endless stairs at Blizzard Beach, stuffed our faces to our heart's content at the Golden Corral, "fist pumped" or way through the rides, and praised God with some pretty spectacular bands. I know I've said this before but it can't be said enough, "My church family rocks!"

Enjoy some of the pictures I took with my camera.

Cata and Nicole on the way to NOJ

Wearing the super cool t-shirts Josh designed for us.

It's a Small World was closed hence the pouting lips.

The girls at the Race Track

The "fist pumpers" courtesy of Lucas

Part of my church family on the bus.

In front of the castle

Look at those faces. Every one is pooped out (This was after Blizzard Beach).

With our Senior Pastor, Pastor Carbonell.

While we waited in line.

Lucas and Mario

The guys on Space Mountain

Kevin spinning us as fast as he could on the Teacups.

Josh and Stefi, our Night of Joy event planners. Great job, guys! Shall we start fundraising for Rock the Universe?

NOJ 2010 was amazing...ready for 2011?

A special thanks to Josh and Stefi for planning NOJ 2010. You guys did a great job and made the trip unforgettable for everyone. Thank you.

"When Godly People Do UnGodly Things"

2010-09-02T17:23:00.006-04:00

We concluded our women's small group this summer by wrapping up our second Beth Moore bible study. Initially when I completed the first couple of studies, I confess that I was not impressed. I was actually disappointed because in my opinion it paled in comparison to our previous study, Esther. This felt like another Christian self-help book which I was all too familiar with. However when I attended our first women's small group to discuss the week's study, God proved how wrong I had been.

I have heard people say that when God heals you, sometimes you will have moments of flashbacks that show up unexpectedly, coming out of nowhere. For the first time in my life, during this study, I experienced that. I was going about my business cleaning the kitchen floor when out of nowhere God took me back and helped me relive a childhood memory. At that very moment, I began to weep. It wasn't that it hurt me rather that I had never given myself the opportunity to mourn over that lose in my life. I also realized that there were unsuspecting people whom I had not forgiven. That very day I chose to forgive.

On our very last day, our small group leader, Paulita, asked us to sum up what we had learned. One word resoundingly stood out above all others, SANCTIFICATION. Going through this bible study, God opened up my eyes to my own sinful nature. My tendency to compare myself to others and judge them without seeing my own shortcomings, my complacency living a life of "semi-holiness" such as watching movies with less than stellar messages or overindulging in a guilty pleasure such as spending too much of my time on social networks justifying it in the name of ministry. However he didn't stop by showing me my own depravity but has given me a strong sense of loathe in which I detest those things which are displeasing to God because I have seen how destructive they are and how they hinder my walk with Him.

I am nowhere near the end of the sanctification journey but I am more aware of what God has asked of me as a Christian woman and my heart beats rapidly for this ministry (women's ministry). I do not know to what capacity the Lord can or will use me but I know that "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." (Corinthians 1:27) That is me.

I feel the Lord has been working in my life to begin a new women's small group for women to help restore and heal them. It is titled "Making Peace with Your Past" and I am excited about beginning and seeing God work in the lives of countless women through this bible study. I admit though that I feel a bit overwhelmed with the amount of commitment this will require from me, as well as those the Lord is going to bring. At times I question whether any of us will have that amount of maturity or self-discipline. However I am reminded that nothing is impossible for God.

If you would like to take on this challenge, please let me know. I've been praying for you.

Here are most of the ladies from our women's small group at our breakfast. (This is actually a picture of a picture so please pardon the glare).

The Couch

2010-09-01T18:52:00.006-04:00

Lucas and I made it a point not to buy any furniture for our apartment until we bought our first place. We figured that if we got too comfortable renting then we would never be able to get out and make the big leap to become homeowners. We also didn't want to lug around tons of new furniture and risk getting it scratched in the move. So fast forward almost five years and the only furniture we have ever bought was our dining room set. However, that all changed this past Saturday when we purchased a couch.

You see for so long, I have been trying to live in the future. Waiting for lots of firsts with my husband that have yet to come. I realized that I wasn't fully enjoying the right now because I was so focused on tomorrow and what I thought I had to have (the house, the baby) that I neglected to live in the present. Purchasing this couch and bringing it home has showed me things I never thought were possible. For the first time in a very long time, I finally feel like our apartment is "home". I had made up my mind long ago that I would not bother spending time, putting effort or investing money purchasing furniture and decorating our place. I thought I was being strong but in reality, it was harmful. I wasted so many days not being able to enjoy my home because I refused to allow myself to enjoy the apartment God had blessed us with.

Maybe you can relate with me. Perhaps you too have lived in the future or worse, have failed to move on from the past. May I encourage you with God's word, "THIS is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Our new L couch. It's the coolest sofa bed I've ever seen.

Happy Birthday Debs!

2010-08-31T09:31:00.007-04:00

Today is a very important day for me as it is this very day 28 years ago that the Lord decided to bless me with a little sister. She is an incredibly gifted, wise, intelligent, gorgeous and God fearing women that I am proud to call my sister. One funny thing about our relationship though is that even though Deby is 2 years and a half younger than I am, she has in a way been like a big sister to me. She has been the one I have been able to count on her for advice, to lift me up when I am down and call for fashion tips. One of the things I most admire about my sister is that she has always been a leader and has never been afraid what people think of her. I also know for a fact that my sister is a woman on a mission from the Lord. Currently she is pursuing her Masters in Accounting while holding down a full-time job and being a wife (not an easy feat by any measure) but one I know she will gracefully accomplish.

Deby, I think you already know but just in case I don't say it enough, I am blessed to be able to call you my sister. You have always been an incredible support for me, the strong shoulders that I cried on (literally) and one of the first I always turn to. Today I give God all the praise for molding your character into that of a loving wife, sister, daughter and friend. You are truly a model worthy of imitating. I pray that the Lord would continue to guide you and burden your heart with the ministry that He has specifically called and equipped you to do. I pray for your marriage and I am grateful for the man that God has blessed you with. He is the big brother I never had; a man which we love and admire greatly. I also ask the Lord to show you just how much you have enriched our family's life and those that have had the privilege of meeting you. I love you with all my heart, Debs. Happy Birthday little "big" sis!

Deby is in the red dress next to our mom and her husband, Mike. Isn't she stunning?

Summer in Brazil

2010-08-25T11:51:00.018-04:00

As you may already know my husband was born and raised in Brazil. This past summer we had the opportunity to spend two weeks in Brazil with his family. I love, love, love going to Brazil. I love the language, the people, the food, the music...I love everything about Brazil. Although I am Cuban, I always say that my heart is Brazilian.

Enjoy the pictures from our vacation/family reunion.

Here I am in my hubby's hometown of Salvador, Bahia.

In Praia de Flamengo where we stayed a few days in Lucas' parents beach condo.

At Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM) in Bahia.

My sister-in-law with her beautiful daughters, my nieces. =) (Juju, the baby was sleeping in grandma's arms.)

At the Farol da Barra.

Next to Elevador La Cerda

Meeting my good friend and prima, Rute. She flew in from another state in Brazil so that we could finally meet. =)

Lucas, his sister, and dad preparing to worship God through a special song at Igregia Bautista de Garcia's 100th Anniversary celebration. Lucas' father and grandfather were both pastors of the church.

Celebrating Father's Day in Brazil.

Having dinner with Lucas' cousin, Danilo and his fiancée, Bruna.

The Plank

2010-07-25T07:27:00.012-04:00

I am very good at finding the negative in things. I could very confidently attest to the fact that pessimism is an art form that I have mastered. Needless to say it is a destructive habit which I am earnestly trying to rid myself of. As embarrassed as I am to admit this, I know that it is something that others may also be struggling with otherwise God would not have felt the need to remind us of it through his word. And therefore, I believe the rewards of being genuine and authentic with you far outweigh concealing my flaws or the need to protect my image as a Christian, pastor's wife, or even a youth leader.

Last night I was pouring my heart out to God. I asked Him to help me change. You see I don't want to be this way any longer. Indira wants to be made new. I want to be transformed, renewed and conformed to the image of Christ. And just how does one get there? Knowing who God is and what He is capable of is a good first step.

You see it is very easy to find the "speck of dust" in someone else's eye especially if you are anything like me. I say that I am observant but the truth of the matter is that I have the tendency to be very judgmental of others. I will constantly put myself side by side to someone to see how I fair next to them and vice-versa. The problem with that is that, at times, I come out winning and other times they come out winning. But regardless of who wins, it should never be my goal to be like anyone other than Christ. He is the only one I should imitate and strive to be like.

In Matthew 7:1-5 we are exhorted to remove the plank from our own eye before we can see the speck in someone's eye. This verse speaks to me in several ways. For one, God knows that we would have the predisposition to judge others and therefore he heeds us not to judge others unless we want to be judged. I don't know about you but I certainly don't like it when others speak ill of me or point out my flaws. Yet it's so easy to cast the first stone and kill someone with our words, our looks or even our thoughts. Moreover, we can't be critical of others because we have our own deficits and weaknesses. God doesn't want our eyes to be so consumed with someone else's flaws as to make ourselves feel better about our own shortcomings that we forget where our goal is. No, he wants us to continually fix our eyes on Jesus and seek to imitate Him. Paul puts it this way in Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Finally, some of us need to heal from past wounds and forgive those that may have harmed us whether it was intentional or accidental. Once we have done that, then and only then, will we be able to view the world and others correctly. Until then our perspective of everything around us will inevitably be misconstrued and distorted from the reality. Consequently this will render us ineffective for ministry.

This is not a task that I plan to take lightly. I see the importance of eliminating myself of this mentality and I desire more than anything to be usable to the Lord. At this point I am willing to do whatever God asks of me so that I can be the woman He has destined for me to become.

Dear God,

For a perfectionist like myself, I admit that just as easy as it is to self-diagnose my problems I am just as readily able to pinpoint them in others. I realize that this is an unhealthy habit that I have cultivated for the past 30 years of my life. It has the potential to destroy relationships that I am not willing to lose because of this. I no longer wish to indulge in this lifestyle. Lord, help me to renew my thinking and align it with your word. Show me scriptures I can use to arm myself when I am feeling weak and tempted to sin with my thoughts, actions, or words against others.

Thank you for being a patient and loving God who does not scream at me to change but takes me by the hand and ever so gently whispers, "Follow me, my child. I will help you change." I love you, Lord and I truly want to be effective in your hands. Remove all that is hindering me from being a better wife, friend, daughter, sister, leader, mentor and someday mother. I earnestly believe that when I have learned how to accept everyone with their flaws and all (including myself) and stop trying to change those around me that I will not only be content but used greatly by you.

I also pray for those who are reading this and can in one way or another relate to what I have expressed. I pray that they would allow you to take them by the hand and begin the transforming work as well.

In Jesus' Name,
AMEN

Relentless Christianity '10

2010-07-23T20:26:00.020-04:00

"Relentless Christianity" was the name of our first youth camp with Doral Baptist Church. It was a time in which the teens were exhorted from Paul's words found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 to "run in such a way as to get the prize." Some experienced "church" for the first time, others had a genuine encounter with the Lord but all were able to witness God's love for them while there.

I've been to camp before so I was expecting to have a good time, but I never imagined just how much of a blessing this particular time at camp would be. I was able to experience camp from a totally new perspective. I was now back as one of the leaders. Quite humbling if you ask me when just six years prior, I attended my very first youth camp.

I do indeed consider it a great privilege that God has entrusted us with the spiritual lives of so many young people. Being able to love on and be loved by such a great group of teens and young adults is truly overwhelming for me.

I pray that what the kids experienced at camp, would not end there. I pray that they would continue to pursue God and live out a "Relentless Christianity" until death.

The girls' room at camp

Getting to know each other

With my husband

Our church band rocking out!

The special guest preacher and a good friend of my husband's, Rey de Armas.

One of the fun games we played.

Good times hanging out in the pool

Erick and Catalina

Our youth leaders

With a very special young lady we met at camp. One of the reasons we do what we do.

Two more reasons we do what we do.

At the "Awards Ceremony"

2010 was awesome. We'll keep pursuing Him relentlessly and we'll be ready for whatever God has in store for us in 2011.

The Debut: 28 Years Ago

2010-07-01T17:11:00.005-04:00

On July 1^st, 1982, Lucas Moura de Almeida made his debut into the world. The following day Brazil defeated Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals 3 to 1. Quite an entrance for a Brazilian, if you ask me. Really it was the only way he’d have it. ;)

Lucas,

I never thought it was possible to love someone as much as I love you today. Yet I realize that my love for you is not something that will ever cease to grow. You make it so easy to love you. Whether it is your ability to make me smile and find the bright side of things, the confidence you instill in me or your selfless nature that models Christ's love for me. One thing is certain. You have forever changed my life.

Thank you so much for loving me, for taking the good with the bad, and for never trying to change who I am. I don’t know where I’d be without you but I know that I wouldn’t change where I am today with you for anything in this world.

Te amo muito meu Brasileiro. Feliz Aniversario! Happy Birthday!

The Birthday boy with his custom made cupcake. Thank you Danielle!

Good News Monday

2010-05-24T08:28:00.013-04:00

I usually give a recap of my hubby's sermon on Mondays but this week I want to share how his message, "What's In It for Me?" spoke to me.

Lucas said one thing that has not left my mind. Basically in life we are going to experience frustration and pain. Being a Christian does not make us exempt from disappointments and hardships however it is through difficulties that our relationship with Him grows radically. As we seek Him fervently to answer our prayers and guide us, we learn more about His character and are able to develop one that resembles His more.

If I look back at my life, I see many times that I have felt that I was going through something that was more than I could handle. One way has been our inability to become parents. We have been desiring to have our own children for quite some time now and for reasons that I am beginning to understand, God has asked us to wait. Something that seemed unfair, unreasonable and cruel . Why would God not grant me the one desire that my husband and I have? Why won't He allow us to be parents when we have so much to offer, when our entire lives are devoted to His service?

Well, I don't have all the answers but I do know that for whatever reason, God has said "not now." And I have gradually come to accept that. I know that one day, God will allow us to be parents however He deems is fitting for us (biological children or adoption or even foster care). However, I do trust that He has the BEST for us. And His best is not necessarily my idea of what is best.

I can say that through this journey God has strengthened my relationship with Him, has molded my character into that of a women who resembles Christ more and loves Him genuinely, has enabled me to heal some past wounds, has strengthened our marriage and has given us more freedom to serve Him in the church.

When I weigh the list of what God has been able to show me through this waiting period against what I feel I may have missed out on, it becomes more apparent that it has definitely been worth it. I am convinced that when He does decide to bless us with a child, there is no doubt that our baby will be loved so much more because we earnestly prayed and waited for him.

It is very likely that what you have or are experiencing is completely different from what I described. Perhaps you have been praying and waiting for a husband, or you want to go to college and due to your legal status are unable to attend school so your educational plans are on hold. Maybe you are praying for an unsaved husband. I don't know where you are at but I can assure you that whenever God asks you to wait, He wants to draw you closer to Him and He will carry you through the hardships.

We don't have to wait until God gives us what we think we want, need, or deserve to thank Him. We can do it right now. We can praise Him in the midst of the difficulty, thanking Him for developing our faith and being confident that His will is the best for us.

Happy Birthday, Meli!

2010-05-20T08:39:00.014-04:00

Today, May 20th, one of my best friends in the whole wide world is celebrating her birthday. Her name is Melissa Dorceant and she is a wife, daughter, sister, friend, teacher, follower of Christ and soon-to-be mother. Melissa is a woman who loves the Lord deeply and whom I have had the privilege of seeing grow into the God fearing woman she is today. I am so proud of her for choosing to follow the Lord with her whole heart, soul, and mind and am incredibly grateful that the Lord has chosen to bless her with a wonderful husband.

Our friendship is one that almost expands two decades and one I know will stand the test of time. On her special day, there is nothing else I can do but praise the Lord for what He has done.

Dear Lord,

I thank you for the life of my friend, Meli. I thank you for the beautiful, strong woman you have created her to be. I thank you for what you alone have been able to do in her life, the life of a woman completely surrendered to you. I pray that you would continue to bless her life, marriage and the baby in her womb. May you use her to bring countless lives to their knees in adoration of you.

In Jesus Name,

AMEN

A special note for my friend:

Meli, distance, time and responsibilities separate us physically but I want you to know that you will forever hold a special place in my heart. I am filled with awe, wonder and an immense amount of gratitude towards our heavenly Father when I see how He alone has worked wonders in your life. I am reminded of a particular verse found in Proverbs 16:3 that says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." You are a living testament that God's promises are true and real and He is a faithful God. I am humbled to have such an amazing woman for a friend. I love you!

Happy 29th Birthday!

Enjoy your first with your husband. I know next year a very special baby girl will be joining in your celebration.

The day of Meli's baptism.

Meli and I (My 28th Birthday)

Meli and I on the happiest day of her life.

This picture speaks more than words.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

-2 Corinthians 5:17

Good News Monday

2010-05-17T07:48:00.010-04:00

Yesterday's sermon "Deceivers in the Church" was based out of 1 John 2:18-27. Lucas used the following three points:

Deceivers leave the Christian fellowship.

At times God may call us to leave to another church but this is not what PL was referring to when he said that deceivers leave the Christian faith. The church is not a temple but it is the people who are part of the body of Christ. So whether you congregate at the local church down the street or the mega church, you are still part of the "church." What PL was actually referring to were those who turn away from God completely. They isolate themselves from the church and begin living in the world. 1 John 2:19 clearly states, "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. Those people were actually never believers. 1 John 2:17 says, "For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."

In Matthew 7:15-20 we are told, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that doe snot bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. In other words, someone may look, walk and talk like a Christian but we are not to take their word for it but measure their actions against their claims. Are they really bearing the good fruit?

Deceivers deny the Christian faith.

False teachers infiltrating into the church taught a doctrine that denied the humanity of Jesus Christ. These people were gnostics whom believed that the flesh and spirit were two distinct entities. The flesh being all bad and the spirit being all good. Therefore they denied Jesus. They refused to accept that Jesus came in the form of man because in their minds they could not fathom a good God possessing flesh which was all bad. Lucas's response to their thinking was simple. He said, "We have a big problem when God fits in our mind."

Deceivers mislead the Christian faithful.
Deceivers teach an unbiblical doctrine that amongst other things tells us that we can be our own god and have no need for the one true God. This is not so. We were all created to have an intimate relationship with our creator. However, many times it will mean that we will sacrifice certain things in our life in our pursuit of God. Perhaps we will have to give up some unhealthy relationships, give of our time, and even give away some of our money to those who may need it. However, in the end we will be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." I couldn't imagine striving to say anything else at the end of my life. How about you?

¹⁸Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ²¹I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. ²²Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

²⁴See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

-1 John 2:18-27

Speaking the Truth with Love

2010-05-13T06:30:00.012-04:00

Isn't it funny that when we put on perfume those around us can smell it better than we can? Long after we forget the name of the fragrance we are wearing, others are still attracted to the scent. Oddly enough, sin can be like perfume. Others can smell the "scent" better than we can. In other words, many times we can may be committing a sin and be completely oblivious to it yet others will pick up on it immediately.

Yesterday someone who cares about me reminded me of something I had done incorrectly. Basically, I responded to someone using a very demanding tone. Unbeknownst to me, this person had taken offense to my attitude. Consequently, I hurt her feelings and even her perception of who I really am. My dear friend who confronted me, didn't keep silent though. She approached me in private and gave me sound advice at the most opportune time. I was so grateful because she approached in love. She was living out Galatians 6:1 which says, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. "

I appreciate the way she spoke to me. It would have been easier for her to completely disregard the entire scenario. However she chose to do what was best for me. She edified me with her words and gave me the opportunity to learn and grow from my mistake. In turn, my respect and admiration for her grew almost instantaneously because of her response to the situation. I was also able to make the decision to be intentional in working hard to change this flaw with God's help. It is truly my desire to live out the Golden Rule and treat others the way I want to be treated.

My relationship with the person who was offended has been restored. Even though she was initially hurt by my action, she was able to see past that offense and give me a second chance. Thank God for second chances!

Lord,

Forgive me for the many times I seek my own good at the expense of others. Show me how to truly live out the Golden Rule and treat others as I want to be treated. Help me take time out from my busyness to invest in the lives of others. Help align my priorities to yours. Thank you for my friend who was able to love me in deed and action. And thank you that although we may mess up, you have a way of working things out for us.

In Jesus' name,
AMEN

If you would like to learn a little more about confronting others with love, I encourage you to visit my new blog friend, Jana's blog here. She has posted some handy tips to use when we need to confront someone and how to respond when we are on the receiving end. Go ahead and CLAP (Gotta check out her blog to know what I'm talking about).

Quote Worthy: It's My Turn

2010-05-11T05:48:00.007-04:00

It has been said that "behind every great man, there is a great woman" and this is indeed the case in the life of Billy Graham. Ruth Graham was a woman who possessed an incredible amount of wisdom, patience, and understanding. It is evident not only through the pages of this book, It's My Turn, but through the fruit of her labor which lives on today through her husband's ministry, her children and grandchildren.

It's My Turn is not your average book for more than one reason. First of all, Ruth was not your average woman. She lived an extraordinary life and had a unique calling. Secondly, this book is filled with truths she shares candidly from her heart. Most of which she learned through time, experience and undoubtedly, an intimate relationship with the Lord.

I encourage any woman who has a husband in the ministry to read this book. Here are just a few of my favorite quotes.

"A Christian wife's responsibility balances delicately between knowing when to submit and when to outwit. Adapting to our husband never implies the annihilation of our creativity, rather the blossoming of it."

"Since the Christian's Point of Reference is the Bible, it's a happy couple who look there for guidance."

"Since every man is different, needs will vary. So it is up to the wife to study her own husband to discover how she can best meet those needs. "

"It is a foolish woman who expects her husband to be to her that which only Jesus Christ Himself can be: always ready to forgive, totally understanding, unendingly patient, invariably tender and loving, unfailing in every area, anticipating every need, and making more than adequate provision. Such expectations put a man under an impossible strain."

"Those who abandon ship the first time it enters a storm miss the calm beyond. And the tougher the storms weathered together, the deeper and stronger real love grows."

"Love is not only the "union of two good forgivers' but also the 'union of two good appreciators.'

"Worship and worry cannot live in the same heart: they are mutually exclusive."

"Buildings fall into decay and eventually disappear. The transformed life goes on forever."

Learning in the Midst of a Lonely Place

2010-05-03T07:44:00.017-04:00

In lieu of "Good News Monday," today I will share one of the heavy burdens the Lord has placed on my heart. I feel compelled to share these insights with you and I hope you will join me in this journey of self-discovery. As you may already know, I am a pastor's wife and quite proud of it. However being a pastor's wife as great a privilege as it is, has it's downside. It is also a very lonely place. Someone once said that everybody knows the pastor's wife but nobody really knows the pastor's wife. This is so true. Although everyone knows who I am and knows my husband, few really know me.

If I am perfectly honest with you, I will have to admit that this is the toughest position I have ever been in. I love how my husband serves the Lord with his whole heart and even before we were married, I prayed for a man that would be committed to Christ first and foremost. Yet at times I find that I resent the church and activities that we are doing because I have to share my husband. It feels almost as if I have to compete with the church for my husband's attention. Don't get me wrong, Lucas is a great husband but I think the problem lies within me. I expect him to meet all of my needs and by doing so, I am giving him the place that is specifically reserved and designated for God alone. Ultimately, God is the only one capable of meeting my every single need.

I also find myself doing lots of things for my husband like preparing his PowerPoint presentation, printing the Sunday morning bulletin, setting up the projector and so forth. I want to make sure he is ready to preach and smoothen his transition from worship leader to pastor as much as possible. Yet many times, I question how much of this I do for God and how much I do for my husband. It's a fine line to walk and I believe there must be a clear distinction between the two but I find myself wavering back and forth between the two all too often.

I don't know what these discoveries imply. I don't even know where I stand in my relationship with the Lord at this very moment. One thing I do know. As tough as this is, I would not want it any other way because this is God's will for us. If my husband has been called to serve the Lord to this capacity then I will follow as best as I know how. I will strive to be a gracious contributor and not a greedy competitor in the story God is using us to write together.

Nobody really goes to school to learn how to be a pastor's wife. Basically it is something one learns along the way, primarily through experiences, prayer and a close relationship with the Lord. If you are a pastor's wife, I'd love to hear from you. Do you struggle like I do or have you ever? What did you find that helped you?

Dear Lord,
I know the enemy wants to destroy the family and so many times I feel like he targets the wife through her emotions. I am sorry for the times in which I could have done right yet allowed my feelings to get in the way and erred. Please forgive me. I ask that you would use even this to strengthen my relationship with you. I pray for all of the pastor's wives out there. I pray that on a day like today, that they would know the impact that they have, the significant role they play in their church and how much you want to use them for your kingdom. Lord, help me and any of my sister's in Christ struggling with this depend on you alone to meet all of our needs.

In Jesus' name,
AMEN

"A wise woman builds her home but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands." Proverbs 14:1

Good News Monday

2010-04-26T17:30:00.010-04:00

This Sunday was a very special Sunday at Doral Baptist Church. Lucas' parents sat in on our English service for the very first time to listen to their son preach. My heart was overjoyed that they would be able to catch a glimpse of the godly son they raised and the wonderful work the Lord has been doing through him in Miami. I know that he is the man he is today because of the exemplary role they played in his life and for that I am eternally grateful.

PL's sermon was titled "Is it Worth it?" and it was based out of 1 John 2:15-17. The three main points PL made were:

1. Hate what God hates.
We are called to live in this world but not necessarily to love it. We love the people that live in it but not the sin that this culture has become so "tolerant" of. We love oikouménē (Greek word for the world) and do not love "kosmos" (Greek for the world that is controlled by Satan). In Matthew 6:24, Jesus tells us that we can't serve two masters; we can only be devoted to one. And look at what God has to say about those of us that choose to be friends with the world in James 4:4. "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

2. Avoid what's not from God.
PL shared another one of his great childhood stories with us. He told us about the time his family stayed in a hotel which came with a complimentary breakfast. He was downstairs and he saw this small round ball which looked like a "brigadeiro" (Brazilian treat) and he couldn't help himself. He grabbed it and swallowed it only to find out that it was actually a ball of butter. YUCK! Could you imagine how he felt? He was expecting to eat something sweet and ended up eating a huge chunk of butter. PL said that just like that glistening butter ball, Satan uses those same ploys to ensnare us. He makes sin look so good that we don't even bother to think of the consequences. We think about how good it's going to feel, how much we deserve it or how happy it will make us. This is not a new trick, Satan has been employing these same techniques since the beginning of time. (Please read Genesis 3:6). He uses the world and the things in it (i.e. sex outside of marriage, eating habits, comparisons, etc.) to lure us in but in the end, his traps are just like that ball of butter. All they are capable of doing is leaving us worse off than we were before we caved into the temptation.

3. Hold on tight, you're not home yet.
This was my favorite point. So many times, we think to ourselves, "How come I don't get recognition for all that I do and others who may not be doing something as worthwhile receive all the glory?" Well, it's quite simple, we're not home, yet. It doesn't matter that you don't get the recognition that you deserve here, you will get it before God almighty. I don't know about you, but that makes it worth it for me. AS PL said, "If you make this your home, you might miss your next home." Don't become so consumed in what you want to get from this temporary place that you miss what God has in store for you in eternity.

And like PL asked us, I now ask you:

1. What is in your life that is taking the place of God?
2. Is it worth it?

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
- 1 John 2:15-17

Doral Baptist Church

Surprising the Graduate

2010-04-25T18:00:00.009-04:00

For the past month or so, Lucas' mother and I have been collaborating, exchanging e-mails and phone calls in the attempt to surprise this very important man in our lives. The very important man being none other than my husband and her son, Lucas Almeida.

You see, Lucas will be graduating this Tuesday and knowing how much it would mean for him to be able to share the special ocassion with his parents, I decided to secretly invite them to attend his commencement ceremony. They accepted the invitation and arrived this past Saturday. They actually drove down all the way from Kentucky (talk about love) to arrive promptly at 6:30 pm. At that time, I snuck outside and showed them into the house. Lucas was in his room preparing his sermon for Sunday when he heard a knock on the bedroom door. His parents opened the door and he froze. As excited as he was to have them here, he was in shock. We got him good! It's a shame that I don't have any pictures but I can say that the look on his face was priceless.

I'm so proud of my husband. He actually completed his Bachelors in July of last year. He didn't really have plans to walk because he was so busy at that time but God had a way of working things out and although it was a little later than we anticipated, Lucas will be walking. His parents are now here and will be celebrating the big day with us. God's timing is always perfect.

Congratulations, Luki. It brings me so much joy to be able to make you happy. I love you forever.

An Invitation for the Ladies

2010-04-20T06:50:00.006-04:00

Yesterday in my Good News Monday post, I made mention to my life verse. Can you guess what it is? Well, it is found in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. and it says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. We have all had our fair share of loss, disappointment and failures in life. Some of us more than others. Yet God's plan with our pain is the same for us all. His number one goal is to drive us into a relationship with Him, if we don't already have one and to strengthen our faith if we do. Then, he desires to heal us so that we would be able to use that pain for someone else's gain. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

With that said, I would like to let you know that I have been praying for you and would like to invite you to our first Women's Ministry Picnic at Doral Baptist Church. Ladies, this invitation is for you only. Come as you are and allow the Lord to begin the healing process in your life. Don't forget to bring your picnic blanket and bible (if you own one). Complimentary lunch will be served. Hope to see you there!

Good News Monday

2010-04-19T07:14:00.009-04:00

Yesterday PL's message titled "Where do I stand in this family?" really rocked. His sermon was based out of 1 John 2:12-14.

In order to know where we stand in the family of God, there are two things we need to know:

1.Know if you belong to this family
If you've already accepted Jesus as your savior then you are in Phase 1. You are learning about God. The next phase is Phase 2. That's where I am; applying all of the knowledge I have gained. And in the last Phase, Phase 3 you are mentoring others and leading them in a closer walk with God. The interesting thing about it is that the only time you are in only one phase is in Phase 1. Once you get into Phase 2, you will still continue to learn about God and when you get to Phase 3 you will be learning about God and hopefully still applying the knowledge you've accumulated.

I love my hubby's preaching style. His stories are always so vivid and never fail to make me laugh. Believe it or not, just like everyone else, I learn a lot about my pastor while sitting there listening to his sermon. He told us about the one time he showed up to play at a concert with an empty violin case. He and his mom had to take a taxi home to pick up the violin. At that moment, he was worried he would miss out on performing with the rest of his friends. PL said, "Faith is your violin. God is preparing a concert and you don't want to miss it."

2. Know your role in the family
Everyone has a role in the family of God and it's really important that as believers we know exactly what our role is. If we sit in church Sunday after Sunday and all we do is receive the word of God and don't do anything with it, we become spiritually obese. We are taking in too much and not giving out enough.

One way to know what your role is by learning your shape. SHAPE is an acronym for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences. Spiritual gifts are those we receive once we accept Jesus as our savior. These are given to us to build up the body of Christ not for us to keep hidden without sharing nor so that we may become conceited but they are given to us for the benefit of others. They are listed in Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

Heart is short for our passion. It's about what you love to do. Abilities are those things we are naturally good at or have acquired a special skill to do. Personality goes into play when learning how to serve in the church simply because it is at the core of who you are. Are you shy and introverted or are you a center of attention kind of person who is energized when around others? And lastly are the experiences. Those things that you have lived through which make you who you are today. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 we are told that God is the father of compassion and comfort who comforts us in our troubles so that we can then comfort others. God NEVER lets your pain go to waste. And if you will allow him to use your past for his glory, you will see that it will have no power over you to hurt you and that in the end it was worth it.

However, it's not enough that we merely know our role in the family, we also have to be willing to act on our role in the family. In James 2:17 we are told, "Faith without works is dead." In other words, if you say you believe and don't do anything about it, then how valid is your faith? Do you really believe?

I loved this week's sermon but I gotta say that I am really pumped about next week's study. I will let you know why next week. ;)

¹²I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
¹³I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
¹⁴I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
-1 John 2:12-14

Good News Monday (on a Tuesday)

2010-04-13T21:10:00.005-04:00

This past weekend my hubby, PL's (Pastor Lucas) message was titled "How to Impress God". He used the parable of the widow's offering found in the book of Luke.

In the Jewish religion, it is considered almost a curse to be a female. So much so that Jewish men wake up every day and the first words out of their mouth to God are, "Thank you that I am not a woman". Well, the lady in this parable was not only at a disadvantage because of her sex but she was also poor and a widow. She didn't have much to offer yet she didn't measure the cost of giving. She willingly gave out of her poverty while the others gave out of their wealth. It didn't affect them to give because they had plenty. But the widow, when she gave, the bible says that she put in all she had to live on. PL elaborated that the words "live on" come from the Greek word "bios" which means life. The widow didn't only give her money. She gave her life. Her likelihood for survival was placed in the offering to God as if she was saying, "I am nothing without you. Here I am, here is all I have, use me."

I can't imagine the amount of faith or love that this requires but this is exactly what God desires from us. He doesn't simply need us to come to church, read our bible occasionally or give an offering every now and then. He wants our all. He wants our heart, our time, our money (not because he needs it). He wants everything.

And then PL said that God does not get impressed with just anything and he certainly doesn't get impressed with: 1. Who you say you are 2. What you can do or 3. What you have. I loved it when he said that God will take empty hands and do much with them. The things that really impress God are trust, faithfulness, and love.

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
-Luke 21:1-4

My Struggle with Modesty

2010-04-04T08:53:00.013-04:00

The trend while I was in high school was always, "If you've got it, flaunt it." Once I became a Christian and started walking with the Lord, I realized that this was one area which I struggled with and wasn't willing to give control to God so easily. I enjoyed making a statement with my outfits and was certain that my best features needed to be accentuated and exhibited for all to see. Needless to say, I would wear mini-skirts and tops that revealed a bit too much cleavage. I was used to getting "that" type of attention from men and in my naiveté had no idea the effect it had on how others viewed me and the impure thoughts I triggered in them.

Today, even as a pastor's wife I struggle with modesty. This battle is not over and I realize that it never will be. In Ephesians 4:22-24 we are explicitly told, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." You see once I was saved, I didn't immediately leave my old life in the past. I carried some of my bad habits into church and subconsciously welcomed them in my new found relationship with the Lord. Every day I had to make a conscious choice to honor Him and not be enticed by my own selfish desires (i.e. the desire to look good and inadvertently call the wrong type of attention). I remember daily who I am today. I am the daughter of the living God, a woman who fears the Lord, a wife who wants to respect her husband and lead a life that would honor Him. A want to be a woman who makes a kingdom difference, bringing women to the Lord's feet and helping them find the restoration I found in Him alone.

I don't take the privilege I have of being a pastor's wife lightly. I consider it a blessing that comes with many responsibilities. And one of those is that others are looking up to me to set the example. When I look around, I see so many that are in that stage that I found myself in when I first came to Christ. They are struggling with letting go of their own desires to please the Lord. My empathy for them allows me to be patient as others were with me.

One of my favorite verses is found in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 and it says, "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. ²Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. I try to measure my choices in life be it a very simple decision such as the movie I watch or the t.v. show I tune in to to the bigger decisions, who will I allow into my inner circle of friends. Believe it or not, honoring God starts with the little things. If I can't be faithful to Him with the little, I cannot be trusted with the big things.

I don't know where your struggle is. Perhaps it is your lack of faith or maybe you are involved in a relationship you know God does not approve of. May I encourage you to be honest with yourself and with God. Is there anything in your heart that needs to be turned over to him today? I don't see a better time to come before His presence with a broken heart in complete surrender than on this beautiful resurrection Sunday. Remember that He conquered the grave for you and me.

Good News Monday

2010-03-22T14:29:00.008-04:00

This weekend Pastor Lucas took a little break from our study of 1 John to set the scene for Easter. His sermon was out of Luke 23:13-25 in which the people choose to let go of Barabbas, the murderer, and crucify Jesus.

Many times we are like the people who chose Barabbas over Jesus. So why do we choose Barabbas?

Lack of wisdom
Spinach or chocolate? This was the illustration Pastor Lucas used on Sunday morning. He passed around a bag of Spinach and asked us to take some. Some people did (I certainly didn't). Yes, we all know that spinach is good for us but it isn't really appetizing. The second time around, Lucas offered us chocolate and almost everyone made sure to take one. We know chocolate has very little nutritional value however we still wanted it. It tastes good and temporarily satisfies our craving. How many times does this happen in our own spiritual life when we choose to log into Facebook rather than spend time in the word.

Lack of faith
Another reason we choose Barabbas is because we lack faith. We give God a deadline to answer our prayers and when we don't hear back from him, we decide to stop praying or take things into our own hands.

Can you imagine how Noah felt when God told him to build the arc? Lucas pointed out that before the flood it had never even rained and not only that but Noah waited over 100 years for rain. Noah's faith was persistent and patient. In my drive thru, fast food, immediate gratification lifestyle waiting two years for God to answer a prayer has felt like an eternity. It wasn't until I was sitting in the second row this past Sunday afternoon listening to the words from my husband's mouth, that I really understood faith.

So why did God choose Barabbas? Well, because we are all like Barabbas. The bible says in Romans 3:23 that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No matter how good we've been we can never be good enough.

Around Passover, as was custom, the Romans would release one prisoner. On this particular day, the person that was next to Jesus was Barabbas and he was the one the people chose to set free. Interestingly enough Barabbas in Aramaic can be translated to "Son of the Father". Bar (son) + Abba (Father) = Son of the Father. It was no coincidence that God chose Barabbas. Jesus paid the penalty so that Barabbas (you and me) could be called sons and daughters of God.

Good News Monday

2010-03-15T13:18:00.009-04:00

I have got to admit that when Pastor Lucas first told us he was going to preach out of that one book in the bible (1 John) I wasn't too excited about the idea. But now I understand why he did it.

1 John is known as the book of love and although it appears to be a bit redundant, I assure you that it is for good reason. God wants to stress his point so that we will get it. He tells us over and over how we ought to love.

Pastor Lucas continued his sermon straight out of 1 John this Sunday titled "Setting the Example." He told us that we set the example of love out of:

1. Commitment
2. Convenience
3. Compassion

Commitment
Contract vs. Covenant
When people buy cars and houses, they sign a contract. In a sense, a contract is like a form of insurance that protects you in the event that the other party fails to follow through with the agreement. However, in marriage we learn how to live out love based on actions. We do things because we want to demonstrate to our spouse that we love them which does not necessarily mean we will always enjoy doing them ( i.e. Lucas throwing out the trash for me). I guess for me it's cooking dinner (which I don't do often but when I do it, I try to make it special).

Convenience
It is convenient for us to love because when we love, we abide by the laws. And what are the laws? Well, the most important one in the bible is quite simple and can be found in Galatians 5:14 "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Pastor Lucas brought up a great point. He said that we are not told to love others more than we love ourselves because if we did then they would be our idols and that kind of love is reserved for one person only, God.

Compassion
Everyone knows what John 3:16 says but how many of us know what 1 John 3:16 says? Here it is: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." In other words, 1 John 3:16 tells us that we ought to put love into practice. Have you ever met someone that actually did this? We did! Her name was Andrea and she was our "tour guide and chauffeur" in Brazil. I say that with much love and appreciation towards her. You see, Andrea was Lucas' mother's friend. She had never met us before but she knew that we would be in town and had no means to get around in the city so she arranged to take her vacation to cater to our needs. Andrea didn't have to do that but she did it out of compassion. She wanted to serve us.

My favorite quote from Pastor Lucas was "Love demands that we give up our rights to love others." Whether you are married, a parent or in a relationship you will know this to be true. There is no better way to show that we love than we put our own desires second to those of the ones we love.

Central Verse
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But however hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
-1 John 2:9-11

A "Wicked" Thank You

2010-03-14T12:48:00.007-04:00

My family is the epitome of selfless giving. Last night my sister, Deby, prepared a special girls only night. We went out for dinner at Fleming's Prime Steak House and Wine Bar to catch the 5 for 6 'til 7 special (What an unbelievably delicious steal!) and then made our way down to the Adrienne Arsht Center to see "Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz." It was her birthday gift to our little sister, Danielle, and what a thougthful gift it was.

Lucas and I don't make an abundance of money and lead a very simple life. Although all of our needs are met many times we have desires (I much more so than Lucas) to be able to do things which we simply cannot afford on a teacher and pastor's salary (i.e. going to a musical). Those are the times in which my family comes in; always looking for ways in which they can serve us. They invite us to "fancy schmanzy" dinners and pick up the tab, pay for the rentals on vacations and much more. The Lunns give from their hearts without measuring the cost.

I know I am really blessed and I thank God for the way he uses my family to show me how much he loves us. And although many times I feel embarrassed to accept it, I know I need to humbly accept, enjoy the treat and thank God for using them to bless us.

I don't think we will ever be able to repay them for all that they have given us but I know our God will.

Mike and Deby,

Thank you once again for giving selflessly. I know you work hard for everything you have. You are disciplined in your saving and the way you spend what the Lord has blessed you with. Thank you for choosing to invest in your family and giving us what otherwise many times we could not do on our own. Thank you for constantly looking for opportunities in which to share with us and bless us. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you and are truly privileged to be a part of a family that loves us not only in word, but in action.

We love you!

"May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
Ruth 2:12

Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman

2010-03-09T19:38:00.009-05:00

I'm super excited about this bible study! I am finally participating in my first Beth Moore study titled "Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman." Before I signed up to participate I figured I would order the book from Liza and do it if and only if it was convenient. However Liza is so persistent that she made sure to follow-up with me. She called me last week to encourage me to begin doing my lessons. She also told me that it was a difficult study and would require a lot of self-discipline on my part. I am not going to lie, as she was speaking to me, in my mind all I was thinking of were the excuses I could use to get out of it (I'm too busy, I have homework to do, I need some time for myself, etc.). But God wouldn't let me bail out that easily and in my heart I knew that this was my opportunity, the opportunity I had been longing for without even knowing it.

So on Sunday evening, I began my first lesson. After about a good thirty minutes, studying the book, recording my responses and going back and forth in my bible for references, I was hooked. I'm already on Day 3 of this study and although we haven't actually had our first small group yet (that takes place this Thursday) I can tell that God has already begun doing great things through this.

For one, when I got up this morning, for the first time in a very long time, the first thing on my mind was not Facebook. I know, this is embarrassing for me to admit but I confess, I'm still addicted to Facebook. Things changed overnight somehow and when I got up, God was the first thing on my mind. I wanted and felt like I needed to spend time with Him. I was anxious to get right to business and not because I wanted to scratch it off my to do list but because I knew that it really was beneficial for me. And not like a vegetable beneficial where it's good for you but doesn't really taste so good. Nope, this is completely different. It's not only good for me but it's delicious.

I'm so glad that I accepted this challenge (and I say it is a challenge because it really is considering that I already host another women's small group, am taking two graduate courses, work full-time and actively support my hubby's ministry all the while starting my own ministry at Doral Baptist Church). I know that God is going to use this time invested in this study to strengthen my faith and relationship with Him. Will you join me on my journey? Whether you chose to pray with me or are motivated to purchase the book and start your own small group, may I encourage you to go for it. In the words of Beth Moore, "our status is infinitely higher as a servant in God's kingdom than a ruler in ours."