Newsflash!

Yes, my friends, it is official - drum roll please...I am totally irrevocably crazy en la cabeza (in the head). After many tests, proddings and appointments (my own appointments this time)...drum roll please...the tests show "NOTHING-NOTHING-NOTHING". Don't get me wrong, I am thankful, but when you physically feel the way I do, you would expect something. But no, to no surprise of mine, it all came back fine. Go home, Leticia, and live a wonderful life!!!

Discouragement...

This morning it is dark and cloudy outside. In fact, right now it's raining. As I sit in my very warm and cozy home I can't help but feel this awful dark cloud over me. Yes, I love the Lord. Yes, I am an extremely blessed person, yet this "feeling". I thought, "to be like Enoch. To take a long walk and then be no-more." Job felt discouraged and thought, "why was I even born". Elijah thought, "okay I'm done, take me to heaven". (I'm paraphrasing you know.) And of course, the Lord reminds me of that Scripture that says, "why are you downcast, o my soul, hope in God." It's all in my-big-head...yet, the "feelings". Can I just go to sleep...can it all be done...

The Lord is so awesome...He hears even my faintest sigh...

Daniel 9:23 "...you are greatly beloved..."

Daniel 10:11 "...O Daniel, man greatly beloved..."

Daniel 10:17-19 "...As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me." Then again, the one having the likeness of a man TOUCHED ME AND STRENGTHENED ME." And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!" So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my Lord speak, for you have strengthened me."

So, yes, He will strengthen me...He will uphold me with His righteous right hand. To be in His presence is much better, but to remain is needful. I walk this walk and sometimes I barely crawl. Thanks be to God who alone is worthy, who alone strengthens these feeble hands to do His work. And yes, I still believe that the SON still shines behind all these dark-ominous-clouds.

Sunday at Church

Glory To God

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, WHO ONLY DOES WONDROUS THINGS! (Psalm 72:18). Allow me to boast in the LORD...in June of 1993 I asked the Lord Jesus Christ into my heart. He became my Lord, my Savior, my King. Back then all I knew is that I was once blind and now I saw; I was once lost and now I was found. All I could do was to bow before this King who chose me, who called me by name and who took a piece of trash and gave it (me) meaning and purpose. This King who redeemed me by His precious blood and who imputed to me His righteousness and clothed me with beautiful white garments and made me white as snow hasn't stopped there. This was more than enough for me. If I would have gone to heaven then, it would have been enough. Yet He has done and will continue to do many, many more "wondrous things".

Let us fast forward to today and wow!!! Today I sat in church (spanish church at that, a story in itself). I sat there and once again meditated in how great My God is. Truly what is impossible with men with God isn't, for there is nothing impossible for the Lord. One of my nephews led worship, his wife sang, my daughter played the keyboard in the worship team, another nephew taught us the Word of God from the pulpit, in the pews sat one of my nieces with her entire family, another niece and her boyfriend, my brother and his wife sat at another place, my hubby is serving...I could keep going on and on and on. In Psalm 27:13 it says, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." I for one have SEEN "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." And since I know that My Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, I know that his wondrous works don't end here. He is going to continue to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all I could ask and pray. Praise be to God who alone does wondrous things!!!

Thanksgiving 2007

Thanksgiving Day was here and gone. Shopping, cooking, dishes (where do all the dishes come from???), etc., all a thing of the past. I thank the Lord for all that He did and He continues to do. He continues to mold and shape me. He continues to show me that I am to teach and share the things that He has taught and shared with me through others. So once again we gathered together at my nieces and nephews home. We chopped and peeled and stirred. Once again everyone was very happy with the results. This year the Lord added to our family. The Sanchez Family and Luis, all brothers and sisters from our church. I believe we all had a good time. My nephew, Jose, shared from God's Word and some shared from their heart. Soooooo, Thanksgiving 2007 is but a memory. At the end we all just sat there, we couldn't move because we all ate too much.

Happy Thanksgiving - Enjoy!

"My Utmost For His Highest - ...To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful, nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth to your life at all - the ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God. These are all things our Lord did. He did them as the Son of God, and He said, "A disciple is not above his teacher..." (Matthew 10:24)"

On this Thanksgiving Day when, it seems, all we do is eat, the Lord had to remind me to "enjoy the eating and drinking". Don't be so serious and uptight. Don't want everything perfect (according to Leti). Relax...Enjoy...Laugh! Today is what we have and we should enjoy it. So many changes have occurred in my life and the life of my family that we need to take each opportunity to enjoy each other.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. Job 8:21

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Psalm 126:2-3

So let us rejoice for truly the Lord has done great things!!!

God is Able

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 -- Try as we might, we cannot change another person's heart. Only God can. God alone is our hope, our very present hope in the time of need and trouble. When will we learn to simply do what God says: to pray and not faint, to persist and not quit, to wait upon Him until He brings it to pass? --- Kay Arthur

Yes, when will I learn to trust? A trust that is unchanging, unshakable regardless of what comes my way. God is so faithful and is always giving me His Unchanging Word to stabilize me. And so often He simply reminds me of what He has already told me, as if to say, "remember I already gave you a promise about this. Don't fear, it's all going to work out for good." He gently calms me and embraces me and fills my heart with hope...hope that doesn't disappoint. I'm like the disciples when Jesus said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." While on their way a "great windstorm arose". And of course the disciples accused Jesus, "...do You not care that we are perishing?" So often, Jesus gives us His Word/Promise, but on our way we are hit by a storm/onslaught/bumps and we start doubting, wondering, questioning. Does the Lord understand? How much longer? It's getting worse!, etc. Yet, Jesus has never moved. He hasn't changed. He is still on the throne. In this same story Jesus tells the disciples (after calming the storm), "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

O God I believe, help my unbelief!!! "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)" So may I "pray and not faint, persist and not quit, wait upon Him until He brings it to pass".

Hope That Doesn't Dissapoint

I read the following on my Kay Arthur Desk Devotional:

"THE SON SETS YOU FREE. (So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36) For years Jack and I cried out to God for our oldest son, Tom. I did all I could to turn him around. Finally in 1991 God said, "Be still, Kay, and know that I am God." I was now to be quiet - no more talking, persuading, pleading, debating. To be still means to cease striving. What intimacy this brings - what utter dependence. Then, in 1992, God did what only God can do - He set our 37-year-old son free. And my, how he loves out Lord and His Word!"

And so as my heart aches, the Lord gives me exactly what I needed to hear. And the Lord fills my heart with hope, once again. As I walk this road, I am so thankful for men and women that have used their pen to share with others their hurts, pains, struggles and yes, their victories. The Word of God is full of such men and women. And there are many a devotional/book that have such encouragement. I am thankful for I know that I am not the first to walk this difficult road, and saddened to say that I won't be the last. But once again, the Spirit of the Living God, reminds me that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD, TO THOSE THAT LOVE GOD AND THAT ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. Lord Jesus lift up my crushed and weary soul...I love you!!!

Caregivers Gathering