Teach us how to pray, oh Lord! – Part One

Passage: Luke 11:1-13

Key verse: “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” (NKJV)

A story is told about the great English Christian Poet and Philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge on his biography: It was shortly before Coleridge’s death and he was talking to his biographer about the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11. He said: I have no difficulty as to forgiveness (…) Neither do I find or reckon the most solemn faith in God as a real object the most arduous act of the reason or will. Oh, no, my dear, it is to pray – to pray as God would have us: this is what at times makes me turn cold to my soul. Believe me, to pray with all your heart and strength, with the reason and will, to believe vividly that God will listen to your voice through Christ, and verily do the thing He pleases thereupon – this is the last, the greatest achievement of the Christian’s warfare on earth. Teach us to pray, oh, Lord! 

I have been reciting the Lord’s Prayer for as long as I can remember. Having been raised in a Catholic school, it was part of each morning’s ritual. When I became a believer, I remember thinking: “Why would the Lord teach us such a simple prayer?”. No big words, no long sentences. It seemed to me as if the Lord’s Prayer was simply not fancy enough. Then I studied it closer. And as I started peeling the layers off what was under the simple words He taught us and as I went on reading the parable in verses 5-13, I realized that this simple Prayer reveals the essence of our relationship with God: our worship, His forgiveness, His provision, His protection, His faithfulness and our trust. In this passage, Jesus presents this prayer as a brief but comprehensive summary of the desires of a true disciple of Christ.

The prayer has six petitions. Notice that the first three are devoted to the growth of God’s kingdom and His glory:

“Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done.

On earth, as it is in Heaven.” (NKJV)

The Lord’s Prayer points us to the essence of what we should seek in our prayer life:

1) That His Kingdom’s glory and progress on earth be the first focus of our lives:

The fact that the prayer starts by praising God and continues with petitions for the progress of His kingdom is very significant in many ways. It rebukes our selfishness and frames our minds and hearts to make our first and deepest request that God's kingdom be advanced and His name glorified. Furthermore, it validates what God spelled out on the first three commandments of the Mosaic Law: God is to be the main focus of our lives, His will and progress of His kingdom our first desire. Another important fact is that when we say "Hollowed be Thy name” that should change our minds as to how we even say the name of God and how we react to the profanities that are used around us when referring to our Creator.

Furthermore, when we ask that His will be done, we get positioned to accept God’s will for our lives, no matter at what cost. His paths many times lead us to trials, but if we see our lives as key pieces in His kingdom around us, we will totally change the way we see our trials. Can you count the times that you have gone through trials, just to realize, months or years later, that you have been positioned to help someone who is facing exactly what you went through? How could you be equipped to reach out had you not walked in their shoes? How could your testimony be really effective?

2) Provide for the needs of our body and soul:

" Give us day by day our daily bread"

Not only should we ask God for our daily provision, but we should also request His divine favor in spiritual matters. Some authors believe that the Lord was speaking Aramaic in this sermon, and if so, the word daily should mean the daily spiritual favor that we should request of the Lord:

“Hawvlan lachma d’sunganan yaomana” (Give us this day our daily bread - Aramaic), asks not only for bread in the physical sense, but also for what we need to thrive spiritually. In Aramaic, the work “bread” (lachma) is related to the word “wisdom” (hochma).

Regardless of whether it means the physical or the spiritual realm, the point is, we are to request of the Lord every day that He would give us materially and spiritually His provision for our body and soul.

3) Unforgiving is unforgiven.

“And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.”

Forgiveness of our sins is one of the main reasons we first come to Christ. We realized our sinful nature and understood why He went to Calvary. We then confessed our sin and happily accepted His gift of forgiveness, the ultimate reason for which we obtained eternal life. However, how many times do we forget, while saying our prayers, that God's forgiveness does not exclude us from the obligation to forgive others? We go on our merry ways, our sins forgiven, and many times withholding forgiveness from those who hurt us. We therefore hurt the heart of He who paid the ultimate sacrifice that we receive complete forgiveness. What right do we have to withhold forgiveness when He forgave us all? How can the Lord hear our prayers if we are holding grudges in our hearts? I know the answer:  He cannot. We may fool ourselves that the Lord is near, listening and blessing when our hearts are dark with unforgiveness and bitterness. But we should not make that mistake: He is not near; His ear is not open, until we realize the sin of unforgiveness that haunts us, set the person free in our hearts and make the wrong, right.

Make no mistake: the Lord will not dwell in darkness, and an unforgiving spirit is one that denies the very reason we have His favor in the first place. Forgive as you have been forgiven.

4) Keep our feet from falling, oh Lord!

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

We are all going to be tempted by Satan. He’s been around for much longer than any of us have. He knows all men’s ways and He knows exactly how to get to us. The fact that the Lord emphasizes in His prayer that we are to ask Him to keep us from evil should give us encouragement. We are NOT alone! I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

If there is anything in our lives that has the potential to become a stronghold for Satan, we need to lay it down. We need to willingly walk in the opposite direction of any door leading to the path that will make us fall. Whatever our weaknesses, we should never underestimate either our enemy or our flesh. We cannot defeat them alone. The Lord has promised He would help us keep our feet from falling and He instructs us to ask Him to do so. However, we should shun any path that leads us into where we know we will fall. For how can we ask God “Lead us not” there, when we deliberately walk into it?

The Lord’s Prayer is quite simple, but its purpose is not shallow. Its meaning when carefully studied opens the door to a sincere and fruitful prayer life.  Its content covers each one of the steps for a close relationship with God. Should we follow the Lord’s instructions, we should indeed accomplish the ultimate goal of the Christian life on earth – to glorify Our Heavenly Father. And in the process, as we hear from the One who created us, we should indeed have the abundant life that He promised us (John 10:10).

Dear Lord, I thank you that you walked on this earth as such a loving and caring Teacher. You taught us how to live, You showed us your power, Your love and you taught us how to pray. Thank you that you made it so simple to know how to have true communion with You through prayer. Teach me to pray, oh, Lord, in a way that my spirit and Yours are as one and that my life may glorify You more each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Busy Bees

Passage: Luke 10:38-42

Key verses:

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (V.41, 42) (NASB)

I am running around the house with my Bluetooth on my ear, talking to my mom on the other side of the hemisphere, while putting some clothes in the washing machine. It’s 6:00 pm and I just got home from a full day at the office. I have two demanding little children who need homework to be checked, booboos to be kissed, hugs to be received and stories to tell. I have dinner cooking and my mom really wants to see the girls on Skype. I have to sit down and pray that today the technology will be on my side and that I don’t have to dial 10 times before we connect. Finally, voila! When mom shows up on the screen, I’m really supposed to have a smile on my face while hoping that my dinner is not burning.

Does that sound familiar?

We live such fast-paced lives that we tend to have a distorted view of what our real priorities should be. The craziness of our schedules does not seem to spare any room for quality time, whether we are stay-at-home moms, working moms or even if we don’t have a husband or children yet. And this seems to take an all-new meaning at this time of the year. Christmas – as the song goes: “the most wonderful time of the year…”

There’s a real danger in getting too busy. Not only can it affect our priorities regarding our family, but it can affect the most important aspect of our lives: our relationship to God.

That is exactly what Jesus was talking about when he admonished Martha regarding her busyness.

You know the story… Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, hearing His teaching. Martha was busy with the housework and therefore she thought that Mary’s style of service was inferior to hers. She was so concentrated on her service that she did not realize that she was actually neglecting her Guest. While Martha was DOING, Mary was WORSHIPPING.

You see, Jesus was not telling Martha that she did not have to be concerned about her housework. He was urging her to set priorities. Unfortunately, even when it comes to our work for God’s kingdom, we can reach a point where our service degenerates into mere busywork that is no longer a devotion to God. We can get to a point that we are so involved serving at church that our time spent developing a relationship with the One we actually serve is not a priority anymore.

That is when Jesus looks at us and says: “Martha, Martha… you need to stop. You need to choose that which cannot be taken away from you. You need to choose knowing Me first. I will teach you where to go, what to do and when you need to say “NO”. Stop and listen. Sit at My feet.”

Now, in practical terms, how do we do that? The laundry is not going to jump in the washing machine by itself and you can’t feed your children MacDonald’s every day. I wish I could spend my day taking care of my children and writing things about God, but that is not possible right now. I have to work. So, I have to make time. And only I can make time.

Here are some things that have helped me:

1)   Wake up really early. For some of us who are not morning people this is a hard thing to do. But I have found that if I wait to read my Bible and pray later in the day, I just don’t. The biggest bonus, though, it that by putting God first in your day, you set the tone for a successful one. He energizes you when you are tired and promises to guide you through your day. Psalms 119:105 says “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”

2)   Find an accountability partner. In my case, it’s my husband. He is an early bird and wakes me up every morning. When I get downstairs, my Bibles are already on the table, waiting for me. He’s there studying his Bible too. When I was single, I had a girl friend who would call me at a certain time and we would pray together. We would then hang up and read our Bibles.

3)   Pray without ceasing. Although I love to be in a silent place to pray, I have decided that God hears me and talks to me on the freeway as well. People probably think I’m crazy some days, but I really don’t care. We have a good time. I talk to Him in traffic, when I’m cooking or putting that load of laundry in the washing machine.

4)   Pray before committing to service. Don’t just get busy. Pray before saying yes. God does not expect you to do everything people ask you to. You need to know when GOD is calling you to serve Him.

5)   Use small breaks in your schedule to learn about God. Take some days of the week and use your lunch hour to read your Bible and pray. While your children are at piano lessons or taking a nap, grab a good Christian book to read.

6)   Turn off the TV. There is nothing wrong with watching TV, although I have to say, there is very little out there that is worth any of your time. However, if you say you don’t have time to spend with God but you don’t miss one episode of Grey’s Anatomy, we have a problem. Grey’s Anatomy should be, like, 20th in your priority list.  

If we make it a priority to seat at Jesus’ feet and listen, He will guide us in what to do. Our service will never be meaningless and empty and we should have real joy in whatever we are doing for Him. He will energize us and will be the wind beneath our wings when we are too tired to go on. And best of all, by prioritizing our relationship with the Lord, we will be exactly where He wants us to be: right in the center of His will.

Dear Father, I’m choosing to sit at your feet before I start serving. I’m choosing to listen to your voice before I take another commitment in Your name. Show me when I need to say “no” and when to say “yes”. Help me prioritize my life, putting You first, then my family, then my service to You. I thank you because I know You will show me the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

“Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim And he said, " I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, 'I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? “ Judges 2:1-3

I remember just the other day, my 4 year-old disobeyed me. Again. When I confronted her about it, she said: “I’m sorry, mommy. I’ll never do it again”. If my memory does not fail me, I heard that same phrase about, uh… 2 days before. Of course, my first thought was: “Yeah, never is tomorrow”, but I held my tongue. I get amused of how, not matter how old we are, the fabric of our behavior tends to be the same: one of disobedience. I cringe at the fact that I have to repeat myself one hundred times to my little children regarding what they should and shouldn’t do. I get upset that they just don’t seem to get it. And then God, in His amazing longsuffering and grace, holds up a mirror to my face: “Hello, there! Are you any different?”

The story of the people of Israel is amazing: God delivered them out of bondage through an amazing sequence of miracles: the plagues in Egypt, parting the Red Sea, providing the manna in the desert, victorious wars against much more powerful enemies, the surprising fall of the walls of Jericho. Yet, they continuously doubted, compromised and disobeyed.

And so is our story: just like Israel, God has delivered us over and over again. He has been Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, Jehovah Rafa, our Healer, our Strong Tower in times of trouble. Can you look back in your life and count the numerous times that He showed up and delivered you? I certainly can. And yet, at the same time, when we are facing trials, many of us have a hard time acting on the belief that He will show up again. Our tendency is to take matters into our own hands, thus not realizing that we are indeed building altars to the gods of self-indulgence: our timing, our things, and our plans. I can’t help but imagine God saying: “what is this you have done?”

Just like for Israel, the awesome covenant that God made with us requires only two things from us: to love Him and obey Him. All our good works and church activities together cannot make up for not fulfilling our part in the Covenant He made with us:

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

When God gives us an instruction, we are never to second-guess Him. He says, “Give this up!” – we are not to ask why or rationalize why on earth it makes no sense to do or not do what He is instructing. As children, we should say: “Yes, Lord.” That’s what I so hope my children will eventually learn to do: simply obey. No excuses or questioning. Period.

“ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths”. Proverbs 3:5-6

There is a place in our walk with God where the rubber meets the road. It’s the place where our worship songs are not just a feel-good moment - they become our hearts’ songs. It’s the place where my Bible is indeed the Living Word, and instead of complaining and taking matters into my own hands or trying to figure a way out of my trial, I write anchor Bible verses on post-it notes so I can remind myself of the God of the Covenant: My Maker, Savior, Deliverer, Provider, Strong Tower, Healer. My Daddy, Abba Father.

The place where the rubber meets the road is where my faith surpasses my reasoning. It’s where my obedience does not always make sense and it will not always be popular. It’s where my obedience may mean I lose possessions, positions and friends.

The place where the rubber meets the road is where when God says “Do it”, I get up and start moving. And when He says: “Be still”. I sit back down and remind myself He is God (Psalm 46:10). The place where the rubber meets the road is where my faith is tested and where my rough edges are sanded. It’s the place that I get on my knees more often. It’s where I feel His presence more real than ever. It’s where I grow the most and it’s where I get closer to Him. It’s the exact place where God wants me to be.

What are the trials that you are currently facing? Are you so busy trying to get out of the place of your trial, that you will miss the blessings God has for you if you withstand the tribulation with Him? Do you realize that God may just be waiting for you to be still, to worship Him for who He is in spite of your circumstances and trust Him?

May we remember today that God’s part on His covenant will never change. He has eternal blessings, provision and protection for all His children. May we remember today that ultimately, all He requires from us is love and obedience. Period.

Dear Lord, I worship You today for who You are. I praise You because the Covenant You made with me in Christ Jesus will never change. I pray You forgive me for the times I try to take matters into my own hands and step out of Your will. I pray You will strengthen my faith and open my spiritual eyes, just as You did to Elisha’s servant, that I may see the chariots of fire lined up to fight my battles for me. I thank You for the strength that You give me when I reach out to You. I pray that You will teach me to be still and not move until you tell me to, even if it’s very uncomfortable. Guide me and teach me to obey You, that I may keep my part in the Covenant that You made with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Call to Righteousness

 “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there. I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her fertile fields and boundless forests, and it was not there. I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her public school system and her institutions of learning, and it was not there. I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good America will cease to be great.”

This famous quotation was used in a sermon on Labor Day weekend in September 1922 by reverend John McDowell in New York City. It is not known for sure where he got the quote; however the sentence “America is great because she is good” has been attributed by many American Presidents to a French political thinker, Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859). Being a foreigner myself, I find it absolutely possible that someone who was born and lived in a different country would have written this quote.

I love these United States. I became an American in September 2005 and I am so very proud to call this country home. I visited Washington D.C. a couple of years ago and saw with my own eyes something that has been discredited by the media and our government: America’s foundation IS based on Judeo-Christian principles. I saw bible verses in monuments. I saw God all over our History. America is great because it has been blessed by Almighty God. And He has blessed America because America was righteous before His eyes.

I’m evidently not talking about individual behavior. Unrighteousness is present in any society. Sin has been in this world since the fall and will be prevalent until Jesus establishes His kingdom. I’m talking about the very foundation of this country, its founding laws and Constitution.  

We have been changing our laws for four decades now in order to “accommodate” our sin. Since Row vs. Wade in 1973, it is estimated that over 50 million babies have been aborted. We have made violation of God’s commandments a non-issue. You can probably check the “violation of each one of the Ten Commandments” box within less than a day of watching our TV shows.  We don’t flinch when people around us curse. We laugh at funny jokes on movies, even though the Lord’s name was placed in between the lines.  But what bothers me the most is not that all of this is happening around us. It always has. What bothers me is that the Christian people are blending with society. We’re no longer salt like we used to be. In the name of whatever it may be, whether it is trend, fun, acceptance, friendship, being cool, “love”, we have allowed ourselves and our children to watch and participate in things that are totally against God and His Word. We have desensitized our hearts to things that God hates.  And we have become lukewarm to His truth…

I have watched people get up and leave church because the pastor candidly pointed out that our government has taken unrighteous stands in critical issues, not based on his opinion, but rather based on facts regarding individual politicians’ records.  Because of personal preference, we have elected officials who support, point by point, everything that God is against. We have not spoken out and very often we have silenced because we are afraid of what individual groups will accuse us of. Or, worse yet, we have silenced because we have forgotten who we are in first place: not Americans, but children of God.

There is hope.

“If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 

Note that God is not talking to all nations. He is talking to HIS people. He is talking to you and me. We are America’s lighthouse. God is America’s hope and we are His representatives. We are His prayer warriors. We vote.

My challenge is that we will start sifting everything that we allow in our minds and our lives through God’s grid: Does it glorify Him? Does it honor Him and His Word?

And finally, my prayer is that when we vote in November, we vote with our God-given conscience. It is simply wrong to separate our Christian values from our ballot. We do not have to blend with society. We should never blend. Salt does not blend – it seasons. Light does not blend with darkness – it puts an end to it!

May we hear the 2 Chronicles 7:14 call:

1)   Repent from our sins;

2)   Turn from whatever does not glorify Him;

3)   Pray!!!!

Dear Lord, thank You that You did not leave me alone. Thank You that You have left your Word and your Spirit to guide me in every decision I make. Help me to be strong and courageous to stand up for Your Truth in each and every situation I face. Sensitize my spirit so I don’t allow the world to contaminate my thinking and my actions. Show me how to be light and salt in this world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Miracle Babies

 “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Jeremiah 29:11 (Amplified Bible)


Babies are miracles from God.

While all babies are indeed a miracle, some of us mothers understand this in a deeper level. I’m talking to women who have faced or are facing infertility, miscarriages, difficult pregnancies and medically impossible conceptions.

I don’t pretend to understand the longings of a woman who could not conceive. My story is different. I was told by numerous doctors that I would not be able to get pregnant due to the existence of an infertility “perfect storm” inside my body. Between high levels of a certain hormone and serious endometriosis, my womb was just “not able to hold an embryo”. That’s what the highly educated told me. My fiancé and I were ready for that before we even got married. So, my doctor could not explain it when I found myself pregnant soon after my husband and I decided we were going to try to get pregnant anyway. For reasons I will never know, I did not have to walk through the valley that some of my friends have walked through or are facing. Although both my conceptions were “medically impossible”, the Lord of the universe knew better and had a different plan. My babies are miracle babies.

Then I ponder my older sister’s story. She was abandoned as a nine-month old baby in my mom’s aunt’s house. My mom was only fifteen years-old when she fell in love with Ana. A love story unfolded as mom promised my sister that whenever she got married, she would adopt her. So, dad proposed, knowing that when they came back from their honeymoon, they would have a nine year old daughter waiting for them. My sister is a miracle baby.

Then there is the struggle that my friend went through with infertility, painful treatments and miscarriages. She and her husband did not know that God had planned all along that they were going to adopt a beautiful little girl on the other side of the country and change her life and their lives forever. In my friend’s own words, their daughter could not be any more perfect. She’s everything they have ever dreamed for in a child. And my friend’s comment on what all she learned in her valley is sobering: “it’s not about pregnancy, it’s about motherhood”.  My friend’s daughter is a miracle baby.

Then there is the story of another dear friend, who had a horrible pregnancy, where she could not eat anything without getting very sick, lost weight instead of gaining. We all were praying for her and her baby for nine months. She wasn’t sure they would make it. And now I see this handsome six year old All Star baseball player, running around our house playing with our girls. That boy is a miracle baby.

Through the valleys that so many women face with similar issues and watching the outcome in every situation, Isaiah 55 becomes personal to each of us: "as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts".
We must remember to trust God for the outcome of our lives. We must trust God for our miracle babies in His time. Mostly, we must trust with all our hearts that God is working all things together for our ultimate good. All things. (Romans 8:28)

Unlike Sarah - BELIEVE against all odds

Like Hannah - PRAY without ceasing.

Like Mary - TRUST that nothing is too big for God.

And if God so leads you... Like Pharaoh's daughter, EXTEND your hand to change someone's destiny.

Reflections for today:

For Mothers to be: Regardless of the valley that each of you are going through regarding motherhood, regardless of how and when God gives you your miracle baby, regardless of how long you have to wait or how much it hurts, you must remember that He is molding your character and increasing your faith through your pain and as you wait. I promise you will look back and thank God for the wait. Because you will fall in love with the little person God will give you in His time, whether he or she comes out of your womb or someone else’s.

Prayer:Lord, help me learn how to trust you with all my heart. Help me to see through my pain and through your eyes as I wait upon you. I thank you God for the child you will give me. I trust you will direct my thoughts as you show me the way I should go. Mold me to be more like Jesus as I prepare and wait for my miracle baby. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
For Mothers: Whenever our children disappoint us or irritate us, I challenge each one of us to go back to the day they were born and remember the love, the acceptance and the realization of the miracle that was given to us. Remember the grace and love that was poured into our lives. Extend grace, love and acceptance.

Prayer:Lord, help me be the mother you have called me to be. Help me remember today that my children are a gift from you and help me be forgiving, gracious, patient, joyful. Help me be a mother who will reflect Jesus’ sacrificial love to my children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He Led Me Into The Wilderness

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness" Luke 4:1

I’m in the process of doing what I call a “dissection study” of the Gospel of Luke. I love to take my time peeling off the layers of what the Bible says to find “hidden treasures” in the scriptures. Because the Bible is the Living Word, we know that we can read the same passage over and over again and, all of a sudden, something new is found in a familiar passage. That happened yesterday morning as I was reading Luke 4 – “Satan tempts Christ in the wilderness.”

Jesus was LED by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. (v.1)

Back up six years in my life. 2004 was a very good year. My husband Steve, who had been unemployed for quite some time, had found a good job. Our sweet then 2 year-old daughter was filling our lives with joy and I had a good job. But I longed to go back to being self employed and be able to have a more flexible schedule with my baby. Before moving to America, my only work experience had been as a business owner, so I missed the freedoms that I had being self-employed. So, in September 2004, we were offered an impossibly good opportunity to own our own business. We knew better than to just jump into it without prayer, therefore, for three months we prayed, asked our friends to pray, fasted and waited. I am so glad that I have all of this journey recorded in a prayer journal as God started giving us answers. So in November 2004, much to many of our friends and family’s “are you nuts” stares and comments, we bought the business, fully aware that we were being directed by God.

Fast-forward eight months and you will see me crying my eyes out at my best friend’s house (as she laughs out loud like a crazy woman): I’m pregnant! Our youngest daughter was on the way. God DOES have a sense of humor. After spending time in prayer, we decided to put the business up for sale. And three months later, we find a buyer for the business (that's a miracle in itself!). It seems like everything went pretty well, doesn’t it? Not so. Five years later, we are still trying to recover from the financial disaster.

Did I ever question God? Oh, ask me if there was one single month since then when I have not. Here are some pearls: “But Lord, you told us to do this.” “Lord, see right here in my journal: where you told me that was the way we should go??” “You mean I have to go back to working full-time, God?”

Until now… The scales of my eyes fall out as I see it: He LED me to the wilderness. I did not fall there because I disobeyed. I needed to be there.

Jesus was led to the wilderness to get prepared for His ministry. He was led to the wilderness to be strengthened for the task ahead of Him. He was led to the wilderness to be tempted to quit and to come out stronger than ever, ready to start His ministry in Galilee that would change the world forever. WOW!

So here you go: Thank you God for the wilderness!! I said it. I mean it. This is what I learned that I would never have learnt on the mountain top:

·         In the wilderness, God has been equipping me. I have dug more than ever into His Word. I know verses that I did not know before to quote back to the devil when he attacks me. I’ve got a much better handle on my sword (Eph 6:17).

·         In the wilderness, God has not always delivered me the way I thought He should, but He has always provided a way. Like the lady who bought our business. Had that not happened, with a little baby coming and now on only one income, we could probably have lost everything we have ever worked for.  

·         In the wilderness, God taught me discipline. Financial discipline mostly, in this case. See, when satan told Jesus to turn the stones into bread, he was trying to get Jesus to seek comfort at the sacrifice of His discipline. My stones were credit cards… “oh, just charge it if you don’t have the money”. I’m here to tell you stones can be anything that satan tries to manipulate you into doing or buying to make your wilderness a bit more comfortable.

·         In the wilderness, I’ve learned to worship God for whom He is. Not for the gifts He gives me. Simply for Being.

·         In the wilderness, “my God has been supplying all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). We haven’t missed a meal. My husband and I are stronger as a couple than ever and our kids are happy and healthy.

·         In the wilderness, God has taught me genuine contentment. I get tickled over simple blessings now, because I learned to value the things that really matter.

So, my friends, I bless God for my wilderness. And I challenge you to do the same. That may just be the beginning of our deliverance.

If you are not in the wilderness, remember satan’s tactics are still undermining you every step of the way. We need to be constantly on guard against the devil’s attacks. He will meet us in the wilderness, the valleys and the mountaintops. I pray you are aware of where you are more susceptible to temptation and prepare to withstand it by meditating in God’s Word and by praying without ceasing.

And don’t forget, whether in the wilderness or the mountaintop; keep on praising and serving God. After all, He is right there with you.

Waiting to Soar

Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.


The end of the chapter 40 of the book of Isaiah is a fresh air of hope and strength. The weary will be strengthened, the tired will run. It seems as a no-brainer for any Christian to follow. Wait on the Lord and you will soar. He will guide you to new heights. He will strengthen your weak muscles. 

I don't know about you, but I find it so hard to stand still. My ever busy mind and body charge me to go, to do, to be the one who makes it happen. I did not know this until I met my Savior at 25, but the hardest thing to give up was the one thing He absolutely required of me: the driver's seat of my life. I stumbled and fell and still stumble and fall with this one simple task God gave me from the very beginning. "Stand still and KNOW that I am God" Psalm 46:10. Wait.

We all have read Isaiah 40:31 before. We've seen it on bumper stickers, on picture frames. The truth of its content resounds in our ever impatient 21st century Christian lives. But as you go back to the beginning of the chapter, you will see that the Author did not challenge you to wait before laying down the foundation for our trust in Him. He fills this passage with solid reasons for which we must learn to wait.

1) We are His children - He has chosen out of love alone to redeem us to Himself through His Son's sacrifice. As the loving Father that He is, He will always watch over us. (v.2)

2) Men are like grass - and grass withers and falls when the breath of God brows on them (v.6-7). Therefore we should not fear what people may do to us. Do not get ahead of God by fear of what men may or may not do to you.

3) He tends His flock like a shepherd (v.11) - Like a loving Father, He will care for you, provide for you and lead you gently in the way you should go. However, if you watch a shepherd lead his sheep, you will see that the sheep do not fight Him. As the shepherd nudges them to move one way or the other, the sheep willingly follow.
And when you are vulnerable like a small lamb, He will carry you close to His heart.  Just as the sheep, we also should willingly submit to God's direction as He shows us the way we should go.

4) Starting on verse 12, God charges us regarding the greatness of who He is. Who shall dare say no to Him? Who instructed the Lord? Who shall not tremble at His command? What is too big or too hard for Him? Who is more powerful than Him? He removes obstacles, removes kingdoms, and has control over everything. As we watch and meditate on the greatness of the God who raised His Son from the dead, our souls should be filled with unwavering faith.

As we see God's awesomeness and power, we cannot forget the truth of who He is to US, His children. He is our Father, who controls everything, who knows each star by name and knows exactly where we are in our lives. He knows your problems and the urgency of your concerns. He will never be late. But He will, most of the time, make you wait.

But remember, as you wait, He is strengthening your wings. You will learn how to fly higher and reach new places where you never dreamed you would be. And as you look back, you will see that trial by trial, He made your spiritual muscles stronger and your spirit more sensitive to His ways. And you will never, ever be the same.