What I love most about VBS is...

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

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 Crazy Idea

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.

Temptations

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.

Night of Joy 2010

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.

Relentless Christianity '10

"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.

Good News Monday

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.

Good News Monday

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

Good News Monday

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

An Invitation for the Ladies

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

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)

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

Good News Monday

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

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

"Good News Monday"

We all love to get good news and what a better way to start off the week than with "Good News Monday." Starting today I will be sharing some highlights from my pastor's sermon on my blog (who also happens to be my handsome husband).

This weekend Pastor Lucas continued his current study of the book of 1 John. His sermon, "It's All About the Attitude" was straight out of 1 John 2:7-8. The three main points that he made were:

1. Jesus showed us love in a whole new level.
2. Jesus challenged us to love differently.
3. Attitude of love starts in the mind.

Jesus showed us love in a whole new level
In these verses, John writes a new commandment to us which is really not so new. What is this commandment? Basically it is the commandment which can be found in Luke 10:27 which reads, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and , 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' " If it's not new, then why does John say it is a new commandment? Well, simply because in the Old Testament when this commandment was given (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus19:18), no one really modeled how to do these things. Lucas used an excellent illustration to demonstrate this. He said that when he was on the swim team in Brazil his swimming coach used to scream at the top of his lungs, "Faster! You are all so lazy!" Yet he never got into the water with them to show them how he wanted them to swim. He always stood outside screaming at them. Lucas always wondered if he himself knew how to swim (he never did find out). Jesus, on the other hand, is not like Lucas' former coach. "He is the type of guy that will jump into the pool with us." He came to show us how to love.

Jesus challenged us to love differently
As believers we don't just go to church, give our tithe and read our bible to cross it off our to do list. In Matthew 5 we are given a list of things that are considered sinful. Jesus does not only challenge us to resist the sin but asks us to avoid it completely. Pastor Lucas used the illustration of trying to cross the boundary line. Many times we think we can "flirt with temptation" by trying to see how far we can go without crossing over the line but the problem is that "Sin is not a line, sin is a vacuum cleaner which sucks you in." The closer you get to it, the easier it will be to get trapped.

Attitude of love starts in the mind.
We choose to love every day by what we meditate on. One way we do this is by living out 2 Corinthians 10:5. We take wrong thoughts captive to the Lord. Although some may say, "You are what you eat, the truth is that, "You are what you think."

So there you have it folks. Our first official "Good News Monday." I hope you enjoyed it.

Milestone in Ministry

This past Sunday my hubby a.k.a. Pastor Lucas got to baptize a very special young lady from our church. This young lady's name is Catalina and although she is only 12 years old, from the moment she stepped foot in Doral Baptist Church on that first day of VBS she has truly fallen in love with Christ. I see her passion and fervor in seeking Him and the way she has been able to share the joy she has in Christ with her friends.

Being able to witness this baptism was overwhelming for me not only because it was my hubby's first baptism but because Catalina means so much to us. Her heart is so pure and it is beautiful to see someone so young come to Christ and commit to living for Him.

Catalina, you may never know just how much you inspire and motivate me. It is people like you that give this thing that we do called church true purpose. I pray that the Lord will use you for great things. I see that He has already begun. Know that we are here for you and love you dearly.



Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
-Matthew 5:8

Why I do What I do

This past weekend has been anything but eventless. We have had the opportunity to participate in fun activites and hang out with cool people. The guys went to a Marlins vs. Mets baseball game while the ladies stayed in and had a party of their own at Doral Baptist Church's first "Women's Night In" complete with chocolate and makeovers. What else does a girl need?

On Saturday, we helped The Peralta Family load up the U-Haul and we had the privilege of sending them off with a prayer trusting that God will continue to provide for them. We also got to talk to two of the pre-teens from our church's youth group and give them a crash course on Christianity and what the bible says in regards to baptism.

And to think that the weekend isn't even over yet. If you are a committed Christian who serves at a local church then you know very well what I'm talking about. Sundays for us are the crème de la crème.

Needless to say the reason why I do what is 1.) God and 2.) People. (See picture below.)

I never could have imagined the fullness of life that I could experience only in Christ. And if you don't already know, I've got to tell you, "You don't know what you are missing out on."

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Galations 6:9-10

Men's Night Out/Women's Night In @ DBC

For the ladies

For the men

Doral Baptist Church
1900 NW 84 Ave
Doral, FL 33126

Are you coming?

Trip to New Orleans

This past week, my hubby and I, along with 9 other members from our church including our Senior Pastor and his family, embarked on a road trip to New Orleans. The reason we were going up to New Orleans was because our church's worship team would be ministering to the people attending the 2nd Annual Congress of Hispanic Southern Baptists (Segundo Congreso Hispano Bautista Del Sur) through the worship.

We left Tuesday morning at around 7:30 am and arrived at 10:30 pm in New Orleans. We checked into our rooms in NOBTS and immediately went to bed. At first, I was hesitant about not being able to sleep in the same room with my hubby (the girls stayed in the Spurgeon Building while the boys slept in the Dodd Building) but it turned out to be such a wonderful experience. And to top it off we were the only ones in the dormitory and got the one room with the bathroom inside the room.

On Wednesday morning, after preparing a homemade breakfast in our room, we drove down to the French Quarter and snapped a ton of great pictures. My hubby was fascinated with the mystery of the city and although the kids were party poopers (didn't want to try the gumbo or jambalaya) we had lots of fun.



On Thursday, Manuel, the worship leader from one of the local churches showed us around the "Big Easy". He took us to the Riverwalk and the French Quarter but this time we actually got a glimpse of the local musicians playing the good ole jazz music in the streets of New Orleans. It was a fun and hot day.

Our Friday was pretty much booked from 7:30 am - 10:00 pm with the activities at "La Confraternidad". I got to attend an awesome conference taught by the hysterical and extremely knowledgeable Dr. David Lema, Jr. (One interesting fact: Dr. David Lema was actually the pastor that was preaching at Resurrection Baptist Church the first day I visited the church. It was on this day over 9 years ago that I knew that the only thing that was missing in my life was Jesus.) What a blessing! Afterwards, we went to a local dining spot that served authentic po boys sandwiches, I opted for a patty melt instead (the idea of eating old bread didn't really appeal to me but the boys did seem to enjoy their sandwiches).



And on Saturday after dropping off Benji (aka Hermano Benjamin) at the airport we packed our bags and attended the last day of the conference. The guys played in the band with the worship team from the local church and then Dr. Raul Vasquez delivered an outstandig message that really spoke to my heart. I renewed my commitment to serving Christ. Oh and "La Fiesta de Hispanidad" was wonderful. In Luki's words, "I've never seen so much free food in my life."

Our week in New Orleans was awesome and although it was a 14 hour drive each way (a little longer on the way up) I feel blessed to have been able to participate. I am really looking forward to next year's conference but I will say that I am reconsidering the whole roadtrip idea. I think a short airplane trip will be a better option for all of us. Let the fundraising begin!

What Kind of Dirt Are You?

Pastor Lucas taught us using the parable in Luke 8:4-8 which talks about the four types of soil. The first type is the one that is scattered along the path and gets trampled on. These are the people that hear the word but like the good old saying goes, "In one ear and out the ear". These are te people that hear it but it doesn't really make much sense to them. The second type of soil is the type that falls on the rock and it has no moisture. These are the people that come to church when it's cool and fun. Pastor Lucas refers to these people that lack commitment and consistency as "Convenient Christians". The come to church as long as it's comfortable for them. The third type is the one in which the thorns choke it up. In other words, these people allow the worries and concerns of the world to steal the word that was planted in their hearts. And finally, the good soil is that which falls and produces a crop, a hundred times more than is sown.

We all fall into one category. Which kind of dirt are you?

It's obvious that our aim should be to be the "good soil". The next step is to dedicate ourselves to the following three things: 1). Preaching of the gospel, 2). Intercessory prayer and 3). Sacrificial love.

What does it mean to preach the gospel? Well, the gospel can be summed up in one sentence. Christ died, was buried, raised on the third day and appeared. Pretty simple, huh? This can be found here in 1 Cor. 15:3-5. Basically all of us need to be ready to share the hope that is in us. Why do we believe what we believe? The only way to know what our faith is based on is by studying and knowing the word of God.

Intercessory prayer is the next thing that we need. Intercessory prayer occurs when we pray for others. This is so important! Afterall, prayer has the power to change things including the hearts of others. We should pray so that others will have faith.

Sacrificial love is an art moms have mastered. They love us no matter how bad we've been. Sacrificial love is a little like that except it is only possible with God . 1 John 4:7-8 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." If we know God's love than we are able to love others even those that many times are unlovable.

If you're in the Doral area, join us next Sunday @ 11:00 am.

*Photograph courtesy of Flickr.