Banner generated at Pimp-My-Profile.com The Path God Led Us Down

Caring for an orphan is at the very heart of God. It is about being a part of his plan by being obedient to him. So with great joy we are honored to be a part of of his great plan. So please join us as our Lord and Savior leads us into the arms of our precious daughter Isabella.

Lilypie Waiting to adopt Ticker

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Pictures from Big Sky Montana

Isabella - Here is your forever family
waiting for our good Lord to unite you
with us.













My Baby boy and his mama.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

View from the mountains of Big Sky Montana

Greetings from Montana

Hi everyone,

I haven't had an opportunity to post for a while so I figured now I have the time since I am supposedly on vacation skiing and last night I came back to the hotel with a horrible cold, so please pray that I recover so I can continue to enjoy our vacation. We are now in Big Sky Montana. I've never been here before but it is absolutely beautiful. There are alot of different types of cattle. The driver from the shuttle bus was telling us that there is about 3 cattles per person here in Montana so if something went wrong with the meat industry, the residents here in Montana would be alright for a while when it comes to their food. They have alot of Deer, Elk, Moose and Coyotes. Also, they have grizzly bears. We are having fun but man is it so ever cold. This morning (Sat) Dec 30th, we awoke to 3 degree weather, the mountains are lacking snow. It snowed the other day in all areas of Montana except Big Sky, which is were we are visiting. I hope everyone who reads this had a very Merry Christmas, I know me and my family did. We enjoyed having two knew little guys join our family which is my precious nephews AJ and Kai. Christmas was extra special this year beacause they were a part of it. I am hoping and praying that Next year our precious Isabella can be with us and my other new precious little niece Anna Grace. Much love to you all.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

A letter from Moe

"I am the light of the world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:12)

When the realization, that God stepped out of heaven, broke into humanity, and took the form of a Son in order to Die so that we mightLIVE----REALLY penetrates our entire being---then this Christmas season makes us let go of all the worldly stresses and pressures and we find the real peace of Christmas... then ... Our souls cries out over and over...

When it comes right down to it... All that REALLY MATTERS is JESUS !!

Thank you for being in my life and showing me and our youth just what it means to be the "light of Christ".

Love, Moe

Hold on to your peace

Today's Scripture

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom He is well pleased.'" (Luke 2:14)

Today's Word

When the angels appeared to announce the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds, they wished them "peace." During this season, Christians celebrate the birth of the Messiah and promise of eternal life that was sent on that first Christmas morning. But it is during this time, a time that should be filled with joy and peace, that the enemy would try to distract you. He will try everything he can to take away your joy. The devil will try to turn your focus on the little things that irritate you most—relatives, shopping, decorations...Instead, hold on to your peace. One way to do that is to take your focus off of your needs and your problems and think about how you can be a blessing to someone who doesn't expect it. Leave some cash in an unmarked envelope on the desk of a co-worker that is struggling this Christmas. At a restaurant, buy somebody's dinner and leave them a note wishing them a "Merry Christmas." Clean up the kitchen at the office and don't tell anybody that you did it. When you do good things in secret, when no one thanks you and you don't get any credit, you are honoring God and opening up the windows of blessing for Him to do great things in your life. The Bible says that when you do good things secretly, God sees it and you will receive an even greater reward.

A Prayer for Today

God, thank You for Your perfect gift! May I find ways to be a blessing and encourager to others so they might know You, too. This Christmas season, I am determined to replace Secret Santa with Secret Blessings! In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Wise men know Joy

Today's scripture

". . . and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him." (Matthew 2:9b-11a)

Today's word

The three wise men traveled a considerable distance to see the great king whose arrival the Bible foretold would be heralded by a bright star shining in the east. When they found Him, they rejoiced exceedingly. The Bible says they had "great joy."Those men were so happy they couldn't hide it. In fact, God warned them in a dream to take the long way home to avoid being seen by Herod's men. Can you imagine that one look at their faces, and Herod would have known that they had been in the presence of the Messiah?How about you? Can people tell by looking at your face that you have met Jesus? Let this be an encouragement to you to smile more, especially during this Christmas season. Don't allow the pressures and busyness of the holidays to steal your joy. Let those around you – your family, your friends, and those who don't know Jesus – see Him in your face. Your smile is contagious, and the outward expression of your joy will bring glory to God.The angel declared; "I bring you good tidings of great joy." Let your face, and your heart, reflect the real joy of Christmas.

A prayer for today

God, how can I not smile and feel complete joy in the presence of Your spirit? I am going to stay focused on the reason for this season. I will bask in the glory of the Christ child's birth and to share my joy with those around me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

"Live Today Well" by St. Francis de Sales

10 Hints for Living in the Present Moment according to St. Francis de Sales

1. Don't let the past drag you down. Develop short memories

Once we ask God for forgiveness, accept it, then Let go and trust. We can't second guess
past choices or past actions. In regard to past hurt and disappointment, especially from
family and friends, we have to develop short memories and move on. Francis de Sales
advice to us is to "live today well". He encourages us to be grateful for where we are, not
where we were! De Sales philosophy is quite simple. He doesn't want us to awaken near the
end of our life and say: "What a wonderful life I've had. I only wish I had realized it sooner".

Conclusion: Realize your life today

2. Don't fear the future

For many people, the future is a menacing beast ready to pounce and devour. For St. Francis
de Sales, tommorrow is another day to call "today". Taking care of today is the best
preparation for tommorrow. If we are in God's presence today, we will stay there as
tommorrow arrives. Francis de Sales suggest: "Think only of today and when tommorrow
comes, it too will be today and we will think about it"

Conclusion: Live today well !

3. Be a doer and not a worrier. Don't let boredom reign in your life

We often spend too much time worrying about what can go wrong? As a result, we hesitate
making choices about moving on. We live life within the phrase "What if? " We say, "what if
it rains...? " What if I fail " ... ? "What if it doesn't work out ....? " Others wait for special
moments: "I'll do that when the kids graduate." or " I'll wait until I get promoted " or "as
soon as the mortgage is paid off ... then I'll do it "

St. Francis de Sales invites us to see the hand of God in all creation. He ask us to see
possibilities rather than impossibilities. Francis de Sales wrote: " If you want to recover lost
time, do your best in the time that still remains"

Conclusion: Just do it!

4. Be appreciative. Show gratitude often

Salesian Spirituality invites our prayer life to center on gratitude. I will give you an example,
when my nephew Kai came home from china in April 2006, he could not speak due to his
clept lip and palate. His clept lip had been repaired in China but he still had an open palate
which would not allow him to speak properly. After he had surgery for his palate, he then
began speech therapy and he has come along way since. He can now say certain words, but
one imparticular thing that I remember is when I went to the hospital to pick up my sister
and him after his surgery, as we were leaving the hospital and getting in the car, his mom
said to him "Kai we are going home " and he looked at me and said the word "Home". In just
a short time of his palate being repaired he had already began to say a simple word. His
speech is becoming better and he now says more words. He is working his way towards a
marvelous gift for speaking. It's an ordinary thing, but it is still a minor miracle of growth.
Little moments like these are great moments to thank God. When we are grateful for the
little things around us, then the ordinary becomes extraordinary. De Sales stated " All that
we have and all that we are come from God"

Conclusion: Count your blessings daily

5. Overlook flaws. See the big picture

We know that life is a journey. We also realize that our journey is as important as our
destination. When we make a mistake along the way, it doesn't cancel our gifts or life's
accomplishments. It is just a mistake within the context of our entire journey.
St. Francis De Sales encourages" "This life is short, but it is valuable, for by means of it we
are able to gain eternal life"

Conclusion: Give people a second chance

6. Pick a virtue you need now, and practice it

We need to practice different virtues at different stages of our journey. Sometimes it's
patience dealing with elderly parents. Other times it's good listening for friends struggling
with a strained relationship. Still other times it's trust of teenagers as they grow and test us.
Francis de Sales calls these "little virtues". De Sales says: "These are the little, unattractive
and inconspicuous, ones to be exercised in our daily lives, in our homes, in our places of
employment, with friends and with strangers, any time and all times-these are the virtues
for us".

Conclusion: Look for one small way to improve

7. Look to faith for answers when all else fails

It's wonderful and encouraging remembering that the answer to life's two basic questions,
"who and I " ? and "Where am I going " ? is contained in the phrase, "We are all children of
God." Francis De Sales sees it this way: "Having called you to this life, God will strengthen
you with grace to do what is required for God's glory and for your own welfare and
happiness, provided you walk in faithful observance" .

Conclusion: No one makes it alone !

8. Bury the hatchet about your past. Start over again.

In life, we don't always end up where we'd like. We didn't win the lottery. We didn't become
vice president of the company. We even missed the home with the white picket fence. Our
dream didn't happen. Yet, we have some things, but not others. When St. Jane de Chantal's
widowhood shattered her dreams, Francis de Sales told her to get another dream. Later she
said, how she did it ! She wrote " We strive for that loving union of hearts which brings about
a holy peace and the kind of blessing we desire to have in the house of God and his holy
mother" .

Conclusion: Be forgiving of yourself !

9. Get some fresh air

We can't make progress in holiness by sitting on the couch. We have to get up and meet life
where it greets us. Often we have to change our surroundings, get some fresh aire or new
opinions and different view points. Whatever it takes, we need to breath in fresh air to bring
in newness and blow away the staleness. Francis De Sales liked freshness too. He said: "Don't
despair over your shortcomings, Start over each day. You make spiritual progress by
continually beginning again and again".

Conclusion: Stay open to new ideas !

10. Laugh at yourself

We need to find more opportunities to laugh, especially at ourselves. Often we take
ourselves too seriously, and too many things personally. This happens because we can't
seperate who we are from what we do. We need to keep them disconnected. If we can see
humor in any failures or mistake, we can heal more quickly. Francis de Sales also liked to
laugh. He remarked: "If you make a mistake, laugh at yourself and try again. If an action or
decision doesn't seem good and it looks as if you made a mistake, you should not blame
yourself, but rather humble yourself and laugh at yourself."

Conclusion: Use humor to amuse


Hope these hints for living in the present moment give you something to think about the same way it gave me something to think about.

Blessings and hugs to all during this holiday season

Thursday, December 14, 2006

When I say I'm a Christian

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'." I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian
" I'm not holier than you, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Share this with somebody who already has this understanding, as reinforcement. But more importantly, share this with those who do not have a clear understanding of what it means to be a Christian, so that the myth that Christians think they are "perfect" or "better than others"can be dispelled


Blessing and hugs to you today.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Re: Angi comment

Angi,

Thank you for sending me a comment on this topic. Your comment has just affirmed to me that God is always at work, even across the world. You are a Methodist, this lady that I met 45 minutes ago is an Episcopalian and I am Catholic but WE ARE ALL THE BODY OF CHRIST and for that I love you as his precious child.

Blessings to you always.

What a GOD moment

Have any of you people ever felt this inner joy inside after something happens to you, that you are totally convinced that what just happened was a GOD moment and the reason why you are so happy is because since it was a GOD moment, you felt his awesome and incredible presence. Okay well let me tell you what just happened to me. I am elated with his joy.

It is now 6:00pm wednesday evening. My father in law and I are in the car on our way to Publix and I say to him "I need to stop at the gas station to put gas in my car." So that's what I did, I parked my car next to a pump and as I am searching in my wallet for my gas card, I look up and I see this van in front of me that has a sticker that says "DE COLORES" well to some of you, you might not know what this is, but for those of you that have done the Cursillo retreat, you know where I am going with this. After the participants complete the cursillo retreat they are officially called "Cursillistas", so I am explaining to my father in law who is with me what DE COLORES means right ? well as I am getting out of the car, the lady in this van get's out and she says to me "Do you need me to move the van so you can pump gas? and I said "No but I do want to ask you something" as she is walking toward me, "Are you a Cursillista, I asked? and she smiled with such a glow and said "Yes" and I said "me too" as she smiles and gives me a thumbs up, this women then proceeded to ask me when I had done my cursillo and I told her, this October and that my hubby had done it also the 3rd week of october, she then asked me where I had done the retreat, if it was in Sarasota and I said no I had done it in Venice. She seemed very surprised as she was not aware that venice had a retreat house and that they even hosted cursillo retreats there. Well then, she asked me for my email address and we exchanged emails and she asked me if I can send her the information to venice. I asked her what parish she belong to and she told me that she attends St. James in Port Charlotte, I then told her that I attended Our Lady of Light Catholic Community, and she said to me "Oh your Catholic, I am Episcopal" and without a breath, she said Oh that's ok we are all one in Christ. This lady looked humbly into my eyes and said "You know I don't really do much in church but at Cursillo is when I first let the light of Christ into my life". OMG - this complete stranger that I had just seen for less than 2 minutes reached out and gave me a hug as we held eachother in our arms for a brief moment. That moment spoke so much to my heart, that moment said to me that we are the body of Christ, that without him we are nothing but that with him we are everything in the world, that the world may not mean much to certain people but that to certain people we are the world, the world of Christ. I am so overwhelmed with the love of Christ that my cup is overflowing.

On top of all of this, I have my father in law sitting in the car wondering what the heck is going on? As I got back in the car after this GOD moment, I said to my father in law, "you see dad, you just witnessed the power of love in Christ" and he turned to me and said " I know that lady hugged you like she wanted to take you home" and I said to him "this is what happens when you let GOD be the Lord of your life. What a witness not only to me but also to my father in law who is now being exposed to so much of GOD's work within the past couple of weeks.

I thank you God for being the Lord of my life and for always leading me into the right places at the right time for your honor and Glory., Praise be to God now and forever.

Blessings to all of you.

Prayer of Blessings

Today's scripture

(Deuteronomy 6:5-9) "Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates."


Reflection

When you need to remember an important meeting or memorize an assignment, what do you do? Most people write it down and put it in a place where they will see it constantly, like a mirror or a refrigerator. Do the same thing with God's Word, because it will help you to remember God's promises. The Bible is God's Word to His people, and should be memorized so that it stays in your mind and your heart. Read the Scripture each day and store its words in your heart, because they are all true!

A Prayer for today

God, thank You for giving us Your Word, which promises your blessing to me. I know that if I dedicate myself to following Your Word, my life will be enriched and I will experience the blessings You have for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Blessings and hugs to all

Monday, December 11, 2006

Think BIG !!!!

Today's Scripture

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

When you think about it, the people of this world have always seen much less than God intended to show them. Do you ever have trouble thinking big and trusting God for something big? If you do, you're not alone, because everyone has. But in order to experience all the blessings God has in store for you, you must step out of your small box and dive into the large box of God's love. Sometimes it's difficult to have a God-sized life view and expectations, but when you learn to really trust God, you'll see Him do great things for you.

A prayer for today:

God, Your Word says that You are bigger than I could ever imagine, and I thank You for Your bigger plans for me. Give me the strength to trust You and expect You to do great things in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Blessing and peace to all of you

Friday, December 08, 2006

Nothing is beyond your reach

Today, I wanted to talk about today's scripture reading. It hits me close to home because while I was going through my infertility and continue to, I applied this scripture reading to my life and it is so true. Read below:

Today's Scripture

"Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"(1 Corinthians 15:57)

You must remember that God is not only with you, He is also for you and He is in you! His goodness and mercy follow you everywhere you go, no matter where you go. He has also promised that no matter what path life takes you on, He'll go ahead of you and make the crooked paths straight. As long as you're following His path, you simply can't lose! Once you begin to see the future through the eyes of faith, you'll discover that victory is within your grasp. Begin to see yourself the way God sees you, and it will change your perspective on everything.

My personal reflection on this has everything to do with our adoption of our Isabella. You know, God is so good. The part of scripture that yells out to me is this:

"HE ALSO HAS PROMISED THAT NO MATTER WHAT PATH LIFE TAKES YOU ON, HE'LL GO AHEAD OF YOU AND MAKE THE CROOKED PATHS STRAIGHT."

You see when this whole adoption thing came up for Herb and I, I had prayed for Herb's heart to change his perception of adoption and for maybe four or five years, I submitted to the fact that my hubby did not want to adopt and then I began to also feel that adoption was not for us. Well it wasen't until this past Easter season 2006. Kai came home from China right before easter, I remember being at mass on holy Thursday, and during my prayer time I felt the Lord speaking to my heart, it was so crystal clear that he told me to tell Herb that he was going to be a daddy to a little girl. I was so overwelmed with joy. The Lord had never spoken these words before to me and I was just over the moon with happiness, as tears swelled my eyes and began to flow, he also wispered in my heart that "Now was the time to rejoice because my prayers have been heard and will be answered, to also tell "Anthony that he was going to be a brother to a little girl". Well, at that time when I received this profetic word, I never imagined that he was talking about adoption. The word adoption, still was a firm NO in our hearts, we just did not feel that this was for us. On Friday, we met Kai for the first time, I immediately fell in love with this little guy, but little did we know that the Lord was setting our hearts up for what was going to take place on Easter sunday (The day of his resurrection). Everyone in our family went to mass together and then we made reservation for easter brunch. During our meals, Herb and I were just observing Kai and everything was new to him. Shortly after we began to eat, I turned to my hubbie and I said "Ahhh, I want a little person like that one (refering to Kai). As we said our goodbye to everyone after our brunch, I will never forget as we were walking out Herb said to me, " Do you really want to adopt from China" ? I could not believe what I was hearing. " I said without even taking a breath " Absolutely" and he said ok - let's do it, but let's adopt a little girl, and this is the beggining of our journey to Isabella, God always says "Plant the seed, and I will do the rest" and boy is that the truth. Prayer changes things and also change people.

A Prayer for Today

God, thank You for putting every good and perfect thing within my grasp. I know that when I see things the way You see them, I can revolutionize my life! In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Have a blessed and beautiful day.






Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Firmly Planted

Today's Scripture

"The godly shall be firmly planted in the land." (Psalm 37:29)

According to the Bible, you can't just sit on a seed and expect it to grow at the perfect moment. You have to crack the outer shell and plant the seed in order to gain a harvest. Just like a grain or other seed that is planted in the ground, you have to have your outer layer cracked to prepare for growth. This means you have to break down your previous ways of thinking and living and allow Christ to change you. When you allow that change to take place, you will experience true joy and fulfillment. The best part is that when God's timing comes to pass, you'll be ready to grow up and be productive for Him!

A Prayer for Today

God, give me the strength to stand and allow myself to be changed by Your hand. I know that when I allow You to plant me in fertile soil, I can bear wonderful fruit.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The true meaning of Christmas

What is the true meaning of Christmas ???

Christmas trees, Santa Claus, decorations, exchanging gifts, and the many other seasonal traditions that most of us observe are wonderful ways for family and friends to mark this time of year. What we must all take care to remember is that these customs, enjoyable as they are, ultimately have nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas -- the "reason for the season" -- is found only in the message of the gospel. Here it is, so beautifully encapsulated in John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life"

Let me continue: Christmas is the church's celebration of the Incarnation, the supreme mystery that the holy and almighty God took on human flesh and was born in this world of the Virgin Mary. God became one of us in order to die for us and save us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. A mystery this profound can't be contemplated in just one day. This is why the church pauses during Advent to prepare for the Lord's coming. This is also why Christmas extends for a period of twelve days and leads directly into the breathtaking festival of the Epiphany, the day and season the church sets aside to ponder the many ways Christ revealed Himself to the world as God Incarnate.

Which leads me to the question of Advent ? What this means for us Catholics ?

Advent is the season that begins the liturgical year. It consists of four Sundays starting with the Sunday closest to November 30th. The word "advent" is derived from the Latin adventus, which means "coming" or "arrival."

WHY IS ADVENT SUCH AN IMPORTANT SEASON IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH?

While the rest of secular society is already caught up in the frantic rush of shopping, decorations, parties, and other distractions, the church takes pause during Advent to contemplate the wonder of God's underserved mercy and love in Jesus Christ. Christians approach the Advent season much as expectant parents approach the months before a child is born. There are feelings of exhilaration, uneasiness, longing, and awe as the day of arrival approaches. Just as parents do everything they can to get ready and put things into good order, God's people prepare themselves at home and at church for the coming of the Lord by exercising the disciplines of Advent: confession and repentance, fervent prayer, immersion in Scripture, fasting. Saint Paul's, like many congregations, conducts special mid-week Advent worship services and hands out special devotional booklets to give our members further opportunities to prepare their hearts for the coming of our Lord and Savior. The following familiar hymn verse beautifully captures our spirit of joyful anticipation and disciplined preparation during this season:

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long; Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne And ev'ry voice a song!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Have unanswered prayers left you feeling 4-gotten?

John 15:16 "so whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you."

Have unanswered prayers left you feeling unloved or forgotten?

What are the things that occupy most (if not all) of your prayer? What is that one prayer request that you bring to the Lord most often? Mine usually is my healing of my endrometrosis and infertility. Maybe for some of you reading this today it may be about the future. Maybe it's associated with the past, a past hurt or struggle. Maybe it's just a prayer to get through the present, which seems to be dragging on. Only you and God know what it is. that deep, dark longing within your heart that occupies all of your time and energy. Do you feel like God has answered that prayer? Probably not because if you felt like He answered it already, you most likely wouldn't still be praying about it with such fervency or redundancy. The reality is that there are many prayers we offer that we often feel go unanswered. That "lack of response" is usually seen as God punishing us, or not being present to us or, simply, not caring.

But before we go there, let me ask you one more question. Does your prayer request lead you closer to Christ and, ultimately, to Heaven? If so, give God time, He might have an alternate way of getting you there. If not, ask yourself another question, "Do you really expect God (who wants to have you close to Him and, eventually, home in Heaven with Him) to answer a prayer that would lead you away from Him?"I used to get annoyed because I would ask God for things in prayer and I'd always invoke Jesus' name in the prayer, but nada. I did what this verse said. I said Jesus' name and. still, God didn't answer me. Then I learned what "asking in Jesus' name" really meant.

The Name of Jesus is sacred, because it is the very name and essence of God. How sacred? Read Philippians 2:10 and Exodus 3:14.The Name of God (Jesus) is holy. To invoke the name of Christ means that you are asking God for something as Jesus did, Himself. It's more than "using someone else's name" when trying to get a discount or trying to get into a private party. You are putting on Christ, taking on His very essence, which means that you abandon your wants to the will of God. That requires total humility and trust. Jesus lived a life that put God's will ahead of his own in all things. At no point do we see this more clearly or beautifully than in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).To ask God for something in Jesus' name means, very simply, to want God's will to be done more than you want your wishes to be granted. It means trusting that if what you or I "want" is not what will ultimately lead us closer to God or be best for our soul, that God precisely because He loves us won't answer that prayer.and that's a good thing.

Tonight, rather than rattling through a long list of intentions that God already knows (and probably expects) from you. How about something different? How about just uttering, proclaiming and praising the name above all other names, Jesus. Just repeat His name over and over again. Let that be your prayer this night. In fact, let that be your prayer anytime, trusting that God knows the longings of your heart and will act in accordance with His will and His hopes and design for you.That is the easiest way to insure that your prayers are always answered - make your prayers about what God wants for you, not what you want from Him. So whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you." - John 15:16 And if it's been a while since you prayed, that's okay, just start.

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Friday, December 01, 2006

A letter from Aleida

I just wanted to post a letter that I received from a relative of ours to Isabella's website. Her kind words have reminded me of how blessed I am to have received a son like Anthony by God's grace and I continue to hope in his name that he continues to bless us with Isabella and any more of his orphans. God is always working in our lives however, sometimes if we are not focused on him, we can't see what our Lord is doing and as scripture tells us in Jeremiah:
29: 11-13) For I know the plans I have for you.

Oh my gosh - our Lord's plan always supercedes anything that we could possibly want or need. So as I leave you with Aleida's letter, may your heart be touched as mine was upon hearing her words of love and hope.

Hi!

Thank you for writing me this letter. I am so excited about you having a little girl. Isabella is a very beautiful name and I cannot wait to meet her. I was really sorry that you could not come to our anniversary party but I admire you because you are teaching Anthony to be responsible at work, that is our job as mothers, to guide them and to teach them to be responsible adults. Ileana, we had a wonderful time, it was not because the hotel, the music or any good things about the party, it was wonderful because we had most of our family here. The next family reunion we might have your daughter Isabella, and your sister's daughter Ann Grace. Kai and Arthur. They are adorable, I was in love with them, I wanted to hug them and kiss them and have them here forever. They are so beautiful.

I can tell you something, I cried for 22 years, every month I cried, I went thru all kinds of pain to get a baby of my own and now I realized how crazy I was, now I say Thank you God for not letting me having a baby, because it could not be my will, It had to be God's will. He wanted me to be Javi and Anamari's Mom. Now I feel honor, I tell myself every day who would have been their mother if it was not me. God Chose Me, and it was an honor that He gave me the destiny of the lives of two precious children that are now the Light of my life.

I don't know if your Mom told you what Javi said when he did the Toast, his words were beautiful, I love Javi and Anamari so much,We have a beautiful family and you will too. And I am sure that you will feel the sameway I feel now. You will never cry anymore because God has plans for you, and His Plans are better than ours. He knows what we need and I am sure that long time ago He decided that you should be Isabella,s Mom. It is God's Will. Believe me.

Love, Aleida.
6:34 AM

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Real Happiness

Today's Scripture

"My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." (John 10:10)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
God doesn't just want you to be happy, He wants you to be full of joy! You don't have to give yourself a pep talk, and you don't have to pretend every day just to play it off. Something happens that no one can explain when a person turns their life over to God. That supernatural something flows out of you every day when you live your life to the fullest for the glory of God. When you live life to the fullest, you'll seek to bless others and God will make your dreams come true in His name!

A Prayer for Today
God, I know that You have something great for me and I'm excited to know that I can start discovering that today! Thank You for real happiness that isn't forced or faked.


In Jesus' name. Amen.