When God Closes a Door, He Opens a Window

Wow! I sure am overdue for a post, but let me tell you first how gracious God is! I have offically graduated Pharmacy school, been employed by a major pharmacy retailer, purchased my first home, and have become happily married on October 9th! Phew, have I been busy, but, God sure has been much busier giving blessings!

As I reflect on everything that I have done over this year I can't help but think about all of the good times, memories, and friends that I am moving away from and leaving behind at pharmacy school and my prior life from the past 4-8 years. God has guided me through a wonderfully crazy road of fun, heartache, laughter, and tears that I will miss. However, I know that He has a plan for me because when He closes a door, He also opens a window. I want to take a look at the passage Jeremiah 29: 11-14:

"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

In verse 11, God states very clearly that He has a plan for us, to bring us hope, and to better our future. No matter what circumstances we may be going through, we must understand that we are not in control of our life; instead that God has a better plan and is in control of our future. For me, knowing that pharmacy school was my intended path was not something that I oringianlly had chosen, but I felt that God was leading me in that direction, and thus, I chose to listen. We must submit to his will so that we might live in accordance to His way, which leads me to verse 12-13. God tells us exactly what we must do to find His plan and to follow His plan. First, we must pray to Him to surrender our hearts to Him as our Lord as savior. This is not always an easy task. I have definately found myself in high and low points of my faith, however, one thing remains the same, we are not in control. Once we learn to give up our control on life, the easier it is to follow God's plan for our life rather than trying to live our own plan. Lastly, verse 14 speaks about what will happen when we follow His plan for us. God states that when we surrender to him wholeheartedly, He will make us whole again: He will gather all the pieces and parts of us that have been scattered and strewen and bring them back together to the place where we once began. I definately relate to this part of the passage. During my last year of pharmacy school I was at a different location every 6 weeks and I felt like I was "in a different nation" and driven out all over the place. However, once I graduated, I was hired back in my hometown and was able to move back home where I had been driven away from for the past 8 years, and now have purchased my own home, married, and can start my own family.

When I read this passage it gives me hope and comfort knowing that, although I may be upset I am leaving a life of friendship behind, God has a plan of success and welfare in my future. I just need to pray, trust, and follow His lead in my life so that I may enjoy the fresh breeze in the window. #treasure

Take control of your life!

Alright everyone, I know it has been quite awhile since I have written anything, but I am back. I have been in a crazy season. To be honest, I stumbled and fell away from my relationship with God a little bit. But now, I have realized what I was doing and am focusing my time and attention on Him.

These past few months have really been eye opening for me. I am in my last year of pharmacy school, I am traveling to new practice sites and treating a whole new populaton of patients every 6 weeks, I have encountered a new medial issue that takes a lot of energy to deal with, I am in the midst of planning my wedding, and I rarely get to see my family and fiancee, +Walter . But, despite all of these earthly, temporary time fillers I have been struck by the presence of God in my life aching for my attention.

I have been reading a lot lately about making decisions in your life and taking control of your schedule so your life contains more of what matters. When I stopped to think about the way my life was going, it was filled with nonsense on a daily basis. I would wake up usually late, rush out the door and grab a quick breakfast to eat in the car on my way to work or school. I would get to work or school and do my thing while I was there but I was always multitasking with emails, schedules, other meetings, so my focus was scattered. Then, I would come home stressed out, eat an unhealthy dinner because I never had enough energy to cook, and then try and get some studying in before bedtime which usually ended up being around 2am so I could cover everything I needed to since I wasn't focused earlier in the day. Also, my relationship with Walter was not where I wanted it to be because I was always over stressed and over stretched. I needed to break this crazy cycle, but instead I broke.

Just like an engine that has been reved up too high for too long, I had hit a point in my life where things just were not working anymore. I couldn't wake up in the mornings, I would come home so exhausted that all I wanted to do was go to bed; my body had physically broken. And then I realized why, I had left God out of my schedule. Instead, my focus became self-centered and about my own desires. I had abandoned His deisres for my life and focusing on the plans He has already created for me. I was trying to be in control.

I am currently reading a book by Bill Hybels called "Simplify: ten practices to unclutter your soul". So far, I have implemented two of the practices which are so simple, but they have already created a whole new outlook and stress reduced schedule. The first is to proactively create a schedule that includes the things that make you feel energized. For me, this is going to the gym, eating healthy, and having some time to myself in the evenings. Also, he states that you must also include time with God and the Word as this is essential. Without Him we are only working towards our own ambitions instead of His. The second practice is to ACTUALLY WRITE IT IN THE CALENDAR! The first practice is the easy part, but the second practice is where most of us fall short. If we just make time for the things that matter to us, and actively write it in our calendars, then we have already blocked off that time so nothing else can interfere with it. Now of course there will be days when other things happen, but it is up to you to make the choice of what you want to do.

Yes, you will have to probably cut out some other things in your schedule that take time away from what truely matters to you. But, does that matter to you? You need to weight your priorities on what really matters in your life so you can make the best decisions on how you spend your time. Time is the most precious gift we have here on earth, so spend it on things you enjoy and with people you love because you will never be able to have those moments again. There is a famous quote, "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over again?". When people are in their last few years of life, they never ask for the financial statements form the business they helped grow, or for the mercedes benz that they worked their whole life to afford. No, they ask for their friends and families and regret that they didnt spend enough time with them during their younger years.

I have been doing these two simple practices for about 2 weeks now. I have had several other emerencies come up that have taken away from my ideal schedule. But, as a whole I can say that I have spent more time with God, I have had more time for myself, and I have been consciously healthier than in the past. I really feel God whispering to me now and leading me to become who I am supposed to become. I can feel His presence on a daily basis because I spend time with Him everyday.

God was aching for my heart and now it is focused on Him. I am not perfect and I know I will stumble along the way, but I will contiune to serve Him, because by serving Him I find joy and peace and I am healed. I now know that by having a relationship with Him, He can help me guide my life instead of the world dictating how my life should be run.

Take control of your life, and let God help you!

Show some Love

As some of you may know, I was on a medical mission trip this weekend in Del Rio, Texas to help give medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and spiritual care to the people in that region. This was a very eye opening trip for me because lately there has been much news about the Affordable Care Act/ Obamacare and how we should/shouldn't have it. Let me just tell you, from first hand experience, there is a serious problem with access to medical care in this country! 

Regardless of what our country decides to do on a legalized stand point, it is our human and Christian obligation to tend to the basic needs of those around us. Medical care is a very basic and necessary need for every human being. Americans very often take medical and dental care for granted and try to judge others on how "worthy" they are at having it: Every human being is worthy of care! It is necessary for life and survival. 26 of 35 (74%) of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ are health care related.* We are also called out and commanded to:

•  "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
• "Heal the sick in that town and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come upon you!’" (Luke 10:9)

Honestly, I do not care to get into the politics of what is going on. Rather my thinking is geared towards the hearts of those whom think they have the ability to control who can receive care or access care based on how much money they have or where they come from. I was once one of those who condemned others to a certain type of care simply because they came from a different country or because they didn't have they money to afford it and I didn't want to foot the bill.

First off, no matter where you come from (America, Mexico, South America, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa...wherever) we are all the same! We are all human beings made in the image of God; "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them" Genesis 1:27. Thus, we are all viewed the same in God's eyes, and are all just as precious as the next. Even Jesus Christ himself displayed an acted of humility and humbleness when He washed the Apostle's feet. This task was usually performed by the lowest of servants, but Christ lowered Himself to serve in the most menial task just as we are to do for one another.  He also states that, "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13: 13-15. This is not a request, but a demand from Jesus that if He has served us and taught us, then we are to do the same for others, and as we have learned previously... everyone is equal, thus you should teach and serve everyone. 

This teaching is also found as part of the second greatest commandment. The first is, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:29-30. As mentioned in my previous blog, we can not truly love others before we love God because He is the ultimate example of love, forgiveness, and compassion. But, the second greatest commandment goes on with, " Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:31. It is also important to understand how well you treat yourself; this was also discussed in my previous blog. If you do not love yourself, then how well will you love others? This goes back to commandment number one, because only through a relationship with God and loving Him can we fully understand ourselves and love who we are. 

Next, we must understand who our "neighbors" are so we can love them. This word "neighbor" has been misconstrued and re-constructed in today's society to make it fit our own ideas and ideals for what we think it means. However, remember God made us all equal and in His image. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God states, "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." Neighbors to God do not mean people next door to you whom you know, within the same church congregation, living in the same state, or citizens of the same country: Neighbors to God are simply two separate people. God wants us to treat all people the same regardless if they are unfamiliar to us, not believers of our same faith, and not citizens of our state or country. This statement may make a lot of us uncomfortable, it may be against what a lot, if not most, of us are currently practicing or thinking... but remember God loves us, and everyone else, so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us. He also made us in His own image, which means, we are to love everyone as well. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

So what is this... "love", and how do we "show it"? This is the last part of the understanding of "Love your neighbor as yourself." You must have knowledge of what love is and how to show it to them. Again, this goes back to the first greatest commandment of loving God. If we love God by surrendering our lives to Him and honoring Him in everything we do, then we will understand His love for us and ourselves. We then can take His love for us and share it with others, because through us God will work into their lives to show them His love and mercy. Jesus Christ did not minister to the rich and famous exclusively. He showed compassion and love for all people, including the poor and the broken. He was Father God's messenger and servant and healed people as the Living God and Son of Man; He was God in human form. Remember still, we are made in God's image... because Jesus died and defeated death, all we have to do is accept Him into our heart and we will have the Holy Spirit residing within us. Jesus Christ explains this to the disciples in John 14:15-17 "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father [God], and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But, you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you."

We as human beings and as Christians have a duty to love God, ourselves, and others. We do this by having a relationship with God, and reaching out to those around us in need so that the Holy Spirit may work though us to spread His Word and His love. We are to obey His commands instead of confining it to our own limitations based on what we think is right or what society believes. This means that we will encounter struggle and confrontation as following God's Word is not the popular thing to do. As Jesus taught in Mark 8:31 "the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed, and after three days rise again" Jesus stated that He would be rebuked for His teachings and rejected. He goes on by saying, " Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their souls? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in the adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38)

Main Message: Believe. Obey. Go. Love. 

“Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

CMDA Del Rio Mission Trip 2013: La farmacia*

CMDA Del Rio Mission Trip 2013: Las dentistas*

CMDA Del Rio Mission Trip 2013: La farmacia 2*

CMDA Del Rio Mission Trip 2013: Praying for Patients.. Best Medicine!*

*Statistics courtesy of Dr. Jeffrey Copeland
*Pictures courtesy of CMDA- San Antonio

Fix your flat tire

Time and time again I see people going to run a marathon, or promoting some sort of charitable cause. We live a world where doing a 5K is the "cool" thing to do, and we have runs and walks that will spray paint at you, have different rock bands play, and even have zombies chase you as you run. These events flood my Facebook wall and my twitter posts weekly, and it got me thinking... 

Instead of focusing so much on trying to help a cause, we need to fix ourselves first before we can help anything else. Just like a runner with a sprained ankle, or a bike with flat tires, we may be able to help others, but we will not get very far because we are not at our full potential. We may also make ourselves worse in the process by delaying our own healing yet constantly trying to heal those around us. 

You may be asking, "How do I know if I am not at my full potential? And, how do I heal myself?" My simple response to you is, you will never be at your full potential by yourself even if you try your hardest. As humans we are all sinners and can never reach our full potential because we are not perfect. This is why we need Jesus Christ who died for our sins and so that we may be forgiven. Only then, through Christ, can we reach our full potential. This requires a relationship with God through accepting Jesus Christ. You can heal yourself by going to Him, asking for forgiveness and turning your life over to Him so that your focus is more on Him and less of you.

That may have not made any sense to you, or you may not think that there is anything wrong in your life. "The truth is...we put on masks every day, whether it be to hide a secret sin, to cover an insecurity, or just to try & fit in." (NGEN radio) This means that we are short of a relationship with God. Why are we so afraid to pray to the God of the universe and confront Him with our sin? He already knows about it and He is waiting to have a relationship with you; all you have to do is ask. 

When the bible states, "love your neighbor as yourself", you must first understand how much you love yourself before you can know how much to love your neighbor. Also, the first part of that statement, which is the greatest commandment of all is "You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself." Thus, preceding loving yourself and your neighbor, you should love your God first. 

Taking time to help the needy, donating to the poor, and helping with charitable causes are important tasks for us as obedient and humble human beings. However, we cannot fully help others before we love God.

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (Philippians 2: 1-4)

A Snoodle's Tale

I am currently taking an Applied Biblical Studies class while in Pharmacy school and we had to do a report on several movies. Some of the movies we could choose from were Veggie Tales. If you have never watched any of these, I highly recommend to do so! Although some of the details are skewed by the artistic freedom and creativity of the writers, Veggie Tales takes biblical messages and stories and makes them fun, interactive, and easy to learn.

While working on my assignment, I ran across a clip called "A Snoodle's Tale" (located below) which is part of the complication "God Made You Special". At first, I honestly had no idea what this small clip was about, but it ended up being much more than I could have expected. 

As the small snoodle struggles with the burdens of the world and of others weighing him down, he retreats away from them into loneliness and darkness. However, a figure (God) confronts him, removes his heavy burdens and places them in the fire, while replacing them with an image of himself that is remarkable.

As people, we can relate to the snoodle. We become battered and stressed by the problems and harsh words of other people in this world. However, God can take our burdens away forever, and replace in our hearts an image of ourselves of how He views us.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, and we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." (1 John 3:1-6)

Welcome to my Blog!

Dear Reader,

You may be wondering what this blog is about and why I have decided to create it. Honestly, I am still trying to figure that out. I just wanted a way that I could manifest my thoughts and consolidate my ideas in an easy to understand format that people could access as I travel through my spirtual journey with Christ and God. 

Lately, I have been re-convicted to live a life for God and to bring honor to Him in everything I do. Through this, I am called to diciple those around me to a life of love, acceptance, and forgiveness just as Jesus Christ describes and that I have experienced. My life before God and Christ was Trash. I was full of sin and the weight of the world. I felt that no matter what I did, I was still not good enough for myself, those around me, and for God. However, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are Treasure and that God loves us. In fact, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:16). God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to take on our own burdens and to die for our sins so that we do not have to take it on ourselves. Although we may be full of trash, God views us as treasure worthy of eternal life and we should strive to live up to His view for our life. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and I hope that you contiune to visit as I post my journey about how God radically changes our lives for the better.