I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS...

If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

Most of us at some time in our lives have heard someone say, "I've got good news and bad news." The Scriptures are the epitome of that saying, aren't they? I believe one of the reasons the gospel is referred to as the "Good News" is that we're so inundated with bad news and are desperately looking for relief! But the bad news we hear from the media each day scarcely comes close to the bad news we can find in the Bible.

Yes, there is a lot of bad news, but we can sum it up like this: The world is NOT fair, the devil hates us and wants to destroy us and never takes a vacation, and the situation will probably get worse before it gets better.

But God...

And that's where the Good News comes in. Though the world and the devil and all his demon hordes may align themselves against us (and they have!),God is for us,! Romans 8:17 therefore confidently declares, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" That verse isn't promising that nothing or no one will come against us, but rather, because God stands with us and for us and even beneath us, holding us up, not one of the enemies who comes against us can defeat us! Though they may inflict temporary pain and suffering and torment--and even take our very lives--ultimately they lose, and we win.

And that, my friends, is the Good News! The One who stands with us, who fights for us, who even died for us to ensure that the enemies who hate us can never triumph over us, has determined that we are to be "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). In fact, verses 38-39 continue with this amazing promise, which we would all do well to memorize:

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As we continue to "fight the good fight," let's remember that the One who fights for us has already secured the victory and has promised that absolutely nothing can separate us from His great love. And that  is the best news anyone can ever hear!

PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS...

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Nearly  ten-years ago, as a relatively new believer, I was getting ready to leave a Sunday morning church service when I noticed a newcomer sitting in the pew in front of me, a few seats down. As we all made our way toward the center aisle to exit the building, my eyes caught his so I smiled and introduced myself. We exchanged brief pleasantries, and then, as I turned to move on, I wished him well and promised to pray for him and his family during the week. I had no sooner climbed into my car, however, than I felt convicted of not having taken the time to pray for him on the spot. The feeling that I needed to offer to do so would not go away, though I argued with myself that he had probably already left. Still, I decided to go back into the building to check.

Sure enough, though the sanctuary was otherwise empty by then, the young man sat alone in a pew, his head in his hands, and I realized my sense of urgency had been God's call to prayer. I went to him and told him I believed the Lord wanted me to pray with him, and he began to weep.

"I live just down the street a few houses from this church," he said. "My wife left me a few days ago and took the kids, and I've been so depressed. This morning I decided to give life one more chance by coming here to this church. I told myself that if God would send someone to pray with me, I wouldn't kill myself when I got home. I'm so glad He sent you."

And I'm so glad I obeyed! How often do we say we will pray for someone and then forget our promise? And how important is it to obey God's specific call to prayer? Sometimes that call to prayer comes as a nudge from the Holy Spirit, as it did for me that day more than three decades ago, but other times it comes through a command in the Scriptures. First Timothy 2:1-2 is explicit in its call to all believers to pray "first of all" for those in authority, whether political or church leaders. Are we heeding that command? Do we regularly pray for our pastors, our congressmen, our President, regardless of how we may feel about them personally?

I for one have been guilty many times of promising to pray but not following through. As a result, I find myself becoming critical of others. Whether a young man contemplating suicide or individuals in positions of authority with nearly unfathomable responsibilities on their shoulders, people need us to be obedient and to intercede for them. Let's commit together to use our words "first of all," as the scripture instructs, to pray for and bless people, rather than criticize them. If we do, God will be faithful to fulfill His purpose.

IT IS GOD HIMSELF...

Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan 

{and} crossed over, weary yet pursuing.
Judges 8:4, NASB

The story about Gideon and his meager band of men defeating a massive enemy gathering is always inspiring to me. First, I'm reminded that no battle is ever won in my own strength. Second, I'm encouraged by the fact that nothing is impossible with God.

This last week, however, as I reread this familiar passage of scripture, three little words jumped right off the page and into my heart: "weary yet pursuing." Wow. Though this story emphasizes God's strength and power and sovereignty, it also points out what is required of us as we partner with Him in battle. Certainly we will grow weary, for the battles continue throughout our lifetime here on earth. But even when weary, we are to continue pursuing!

What does that mean? In the story found in Judges 8, we see the victorious Gideon and his 300 men pursuing the pagan kings who had escaped. Though we as believers aren't called to pursue pagan kings, we are definitely called to pursue the King of kings--even when we are weary--for it is in His presence that our strength is renewed. If we give in to our weariness and fall by the wayside, we will miss seeing the victory that God has already won. And oh, how the enemy would love for that to happen!

Beloved, it is God Himself who fights for us, but He has called us to keep pursuing His heart, His presence, His mercy--even (and most especially) when we are weary. As the world changes about us and life as we have known it melts into the realities of fulfilled prophecy, it is more important than ever to pursue God with each step, clinging to Him and His Word with every breath, refusing to turn aside from following hard after Him (see Psalm 63:8, KJV).

May our motto today and always be that we are "weary yet pursuing," for God will see that our pursuing is rewarded by His presence! 

RESTING...

So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:5

How many times do we wake up in the morning and speak of starting a new day? Many of us did so even today, didn't we? And yet, scripturally speaking, we aren't starting a new day when we wake up, but rather continuing the one that started the previous evening. And that's an important distinction.

God doesn't do or say things capriciously. He always has a reason for every word, every action, and creation certainly is no exception. God began the cycle of a new day in the evening because He wanted us to understand the need to rest BEFORE beginning our activities. We, on the other hand, have turned it around so that we do our "busy work" first, and then fall into bed, exhausted and in need of rest. Wouldn't it make more sense to follow God's pattern of resting first--drawing on His strength--and THEN going out to do whatever it is He has called us to that day?

When Mary and Joseph noticed their twelve-year-old son, Jesus, was missing, they returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the Temple. "Didn't you understand that I must be about My Father's business?" was His response to their concern.

The Father's business. Isn't that what we are to be about as well? Isn't that how we are to spend our days? But how can we do so if we haven't first spent time with Him, as Jesus made a practice of doing regularly--listening for His voice, His Word, His direction, communing with Him, and learning to rest. For it is as we rest in Him that we understand what He has purposed for us to do and are enabled to respond accordingly.

Too many times we run ourselves ragged during the day--working, playing, serving, ministering--all in our own strength. And we wonder why have no feeling of lasting accomplishment when we're done and why all we want to do is sleep and recover from the day's activities. Perhaps it's because we have it all backward. Why not try turning things around by first thinking of your day as beginning at night, when you go to bed to rest. Spend some time communing with God--before you fall asleep, the moment you wake up--and then, rested and refreshed, continue the day in His strength, rather than your own. Chances are you'll accomplish a lot more of the Father's business.

YOUR BODY...

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

There are a lot of books and movies and songs "out there" that declare our lives belong to us and we can do whatever we want with them. The problem with that popular concept is that it simply isn't true, particularly if we have received Jesus as Savior and are trusting Him to one day get us into heaven.

I know. As Christians we say we don't buy into that sort of all-about-me thinking, but do we live our lives accordingly? When circumstances or situations or various facets of authority get in our path and dare to suggest (or even demand) that we take a different direction, don't we often react with an it's-my-life-and-nobody-can-tell-me-how-to-live-it attitude? I must admit that's sometimes my first reaction. But then I stop and ask myself, Do I really want to come to the end of my life and exit this world singing Frank Sinatra's song about doing things my own way?

No, I don't. I want to step into eternity and hear the Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord." If I've lived life my own way, calling my own shots as if I owned my life and had to answer to no one but myself, I'm not going to hear those wonderful words of welcome. The Scriptures tell us we do not belong to ourselves because we have been "bought at a price." That price was so costly that our finite human minds can scarcely begin to wrap around the enormity of it. The sacrifice was beyond measure--and it was paid by the One who owed us nothing. Every scourge of the whip, every taunt of the jeerers, every pounding of the nails was willingly and lovingly endured to buy my pardon--and yours. Had the price not been paid, this world and everyone who ever lived on it truly would be hopelessly and deservedly heading for hell in the proverbial hand basket. And there would be nothing we could do about it.

May that great price that bought our freedom, our redemption, our reunion with the Father be at the forefront of our thoughts and deeds this day, as we serve the One to whom we truly belong, making our choices according to His will and purposes, and not our own.

REFINER'S FIRE...

"For He is like a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver"
Malachi 3:2-3

The Book of Malachi, in talking about the last days, refers to Christ as  "refiner's fire," a "fuller's soap," and a "purifier of silver," the overall message being that God is the One who burns out of us all the sin, hypocrisy, and self-righteous deeds that count for nothing, leaving only the pure holiness and righteousness of God within. But the very fact that this act of purifying happens as a result of fire tells us the process probably won't be fun--or painless.

Underground believers around the world, particularly in China, have a saying: "True gold does not fear the refiner's fire." And that's the key, isn't it? If we are truly born again, truly God's son or daughter, truly a committed disciple who has chosen to live (and die if necessary) for Christ, then the true gold of a life submitted to God will withstand the refiner's fire, however painful it might be. The only things that will be burned away in the process are worthless and temporal attachments to a world that no longer has a hold on our heart.

Many of us are experiencing the refiner's fire right now, and I won't deny for a moment that it's tough. But I will tell you this: You are not in the fire alone. Not only are your brothers and sisters in Christ enduring fires of their own, but the Fourth Man who walked in the fire with the three Hebrew children (see Daniel 3) is also in the fire with you. And like the Hebrew children, He will bring you out on the other side, victorious and purified, without even the smell of smoke on your clothes.

So, like our beloved brothers and sisters in the persecuted Church, may we not fear the refiner's fire, for we know we have the true gold of God's Spirit living within us, and the flames will only cause it to shine brighter for those who are still trapped in the darkness. 

SADNESS OR DEPRESSION ...

Get glasses to see everything black and dark, this is how can one explain the depression, a disorder that impairs the lives and makes the vision of the world is negative. May cause changes in the cognitive and emotional changes, it affects everyone, especially those with a family that lacked in her childhood love, who have suffered traumatic experiences or who have been unable to overcome an emotional loss. Although all human beings have a strength in her personality to face the difficulties, not all possess the same ability to adapt to the loss.

For this reason, eventually entering a state of depression that can affect your mood, anxiety or living spaces that can last weeks, loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, living with feelings of insignificance, helplessness and guilt. May have changes in sleeping habits, feeling tired, loss of energy, feelings of sluggishness, agitation, restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, frequent thoughts about death.

It is important to distinguish between sadness and depression. The first is a normal state which is presented in person to events such as the loss of a loved one, the abandonment of the loved one, loss of freedom. Develops over a short period of time is passing, his recovery process is easier in humans. While depression is a mental disorder characterized by feelings of worthlessness, guilt, sadness, helplessness and deep despair. Unlike normal sadness or grief that follows the loss of a loved one, depression is a pathological grief for no apparent reason justifying it, and serious and persistent, that is when the boundaries of sadness are exceeded. It is a long time that the vision of the surrounding world is close to the point that distorts reality.

A depressed person does not make plans for the future because everything is dark, usually stays in the past and regrets what he has done in his life. Depression constitutes high risk factor that can lead a person to think of suicide, often by economic factors or unwanted separations, among others.

On many occasions, although the symptoms of depression are quite clear, most people affected do not consult or seek any kind of help, but it would be appropriate to reflect on this: Who told you that your problems have no solution? Do not let problems or crisis condition your life. Understand that you are unique and that God has given you a creative abilities, gifts, talents and other skills to solve problems and can bless those around you. With a new level of thinking you can see possibilities in your life instead of impossibilities. Say goodbye to stress, anxiety, depression, fear, fear because He who dwells in you has made you more than winning on all those things.

Make a stop to the anxiety and see clearly what the problem is. Sometimes what you think is the problem is not the problem. Get questions: What is wrong? What is the problem we are trying to solve? What is my responsibility in the matter? Specified, no turns or falls des sen assumptions. For those who are married, no marital problems, personal problems alone. Colócate targets. What I would like to see happen? How is the problem solved? Expand your imagination. Think about all the ideas that are possible to solve the problem. Think of possibilities. Make lots of questions. Forget the "crisis" for a moment and enjoy your life thinking it would be like without this problem, ask yourself now: What do I need to solve the problem? How can I prevent this? Take action on your thoughts.

Once you have found what they needed to solve the problem, design an action plan that will lead you to the life you want to achieve. Do not stay on paper. Do what you have to do: forgive, to love, serve, honor, discipline, perseverance, paid work. Do not give up until you see your problem solved. Acquire wisdom, wisdom comes from God and we should seek to assist us in every step. Still there are answers and solutions. ¡Really born to win!

"But in all this we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)

MORE THAN WORDS...

We all know the secret to good human relationships, family, friends, mates, groups or whoever. It is based on comunication. But one thing is to know it and say it, and the other is to practice it and make it work. Specially on the basis of marriage relationships, which are the most harmed, and doesn´t matter how long have been, it could be years or maybe months, even days. What it´s really important is to feel connected to each other. And what counts is the way you share emotional information with your couple, through words or attitudes. It is not about how we say things, but how whe transmit them.

People react in a positive way to that emotional conection, and instead of arguing and quarreling we should use "positive tools" as the sense of humour, affection and care, to make things work in a better way. All of these tools help to dissolve negative feelings, bad temper and resentment. Those who in the middle or an arguing can make a difference, and stand in a positive way are more likeable to solve conflicts, restore feelings and build positive answers from his opposite.

And although it sounds easy and even nice, one should begin to "work" before even an arguing would come. Everyday, with the emotional information exchange, as it should be, is how we establish more stable and loving relationships.

Most of the people who make the decision of share their lives and destinies, don´t do it with the intention of breaking up or failing. But it happens frequently, and sometimes it is because we don´t pay enough attention to other´s emotional needs. Many times that lack of interest is not intentional, we get involved so much in our own business that we forget. But the results are the same. On the other hand when we pay attention to our beloved ones, it evolves into more stable relationships. When you are present, and pay attention to your couple, there will be always be an answer. If your goal is to have a good relationship with your spouse, you have to focus on your couple.

Conflicts are unavoidable, when it comes to share activities and dreams. How to express our differences, is the key to solve those conflicts. The golden rule is justo to say what you feel, or to complain in the very moment and opportune space, but without criticism. What is the difference? Complaints always have to do with a specific problem. Criticism is global, and implies judgment. It includes sentences as: "you always..." or "you never..."

Criticism weakens our temper, with negative tags. To say and listen to complains is not always easy, but generally is worth to pay attention to them because, it can help to understand each other better or solve the problems. On the contrary, criticism, guides to the opposite. It hurts our feelings and increases tensions and resentment. When you are in a deffensive position, it is almost impossible to have a good communication and less likeable to have a good relationship.

When things get out of hand, people always ask to themselves if it was because of something they said. Well it could be so. But what really damages a relationship is what you don´t say. Many misunderstandings come out of situations and matters people need to talk about, but they never do. As a result confusion and tension are present, and come with argues, all of these leading the relationship to a hostile mood, fleeing away from the solution of the conflict. When conflict is our daily bread, we better watch for those things we haven´t said or expressed. In other word, all of the things we have kept inside us.

It sounds very easy to talk about what we feel, but not so many times is so easy to unveil our soul. But there´s always a way to begin. It is as easy as to focus en the feelings in that very moment. That little step would lead you to walk in the right direction towards a healthy relationship with your couple.

Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs

(Proverbs 10: 12)

FROM THE HEART!!!!!

You can only fill what is empty, and in order to do so you have to clean up first. To clean up is to get rid of those things which are an obstacle in our lives. In this hard times of recesion there are few material things to get rid off, we rather buy than discard. But we need to clean our minds and to clear our spirit. Where to begin? There are many ways to begin to discard what is bothering us, one of those is to "erase and begin again", which translates in one wonderful word "forgiveness".

When we forgive each other, when we do so with those who we think have offended us, is because there is an offense between us, or maybe because we give others the right and power to offend us. That is to say, that we granted them the importance to make us feel offended.

Of course, one thing is to say it and other different thing is to achieve it. "It´s not about justifying negative behaviors, ours or theirs. To forgive is not to pretend that everything is ok, when it is not".

It is the most obvious motivation to get ride of the effects of chronical anger and resentment. Nonetheless, when we forgive, or we don´t forgive has many edges... to what extent one person can forgive when he has been hurted, and those injuries have disturbed his life? Guilt and self censure are some of the reasons why you can doubt about the effects of forgiveness, when it is not the result of a well designed process.

You shouldn´t feel bad when you can overcome a sorrow or when you have been offended. Sometimes what make us feel right is to be honest with our own feelings, and if our principles are to live under the divine laws, forgiveness become the gift that God gives us because of his great love and teach us lots of great advantages. Unfortunately many people, although, are well intended and want sincerely to forgive, they keep many resentments in their hearts.

Resentment and represion are harmful feelings to any of us. And sometimes we think that we can get rid of pain without forgiveness. Our goal, then becomes to feel better and more empowered. Sometimes we stop thinking about the matter, and we also forget about forgiveness, and we think that we are living peacefully with ourselves. That is the way some people think about forgiveness, but obviously, those people are walking in a fake line of forgiveness.

Being accepted, make excuses and acting opposite to what you feel, when you don´t feel it are the wrong way to try to get the physical and mental rewards of forgiveness. When it is perceived as an obligation and not as something done with a humble heart and true freedom, then the act of forgiveness makes us feel worst and increases the feeling of being victims. When we admit that we are hurt, and that we felt betrayed is an important part of the process of inner healing and real deliverance. Obviously, to get to that process, we have to break boundaries, otherwise it will be impossible to overcome vicious cycles.

Sometimes we think that little betrayals are unforgivable: when the in laws criticize about the delay of having children; when parents opposse to their children´s friends.. In these cases is not the fact, but who has inflicted the injury. Many of the worst transgressions come to the closest people: husband, wife, parents, friends, even when we overcome the problems and we continue liking this people. The problem is the lost of confidence and the intimacy level is affected. The worst thing is that in most cases you can´t turn time back and pretend that nothing changed.

How can we avoid that anger, resentment and fear may consume us? It´s necessary to begin to review carefully the facts and clarify the feelings. Maybe is shame, or disappointment, or represion? About offenses, where they intentionally or accidentally? In which state was the person who offended you? Was this person jealous, unmature, insecure? We should try to be in their shoes. But don´t try to explain it. Maybe, it´s probable that you may never understand why your couple was unfaithful or why your parents criticize every step you take. But what you can do, is to realize that the person who has offended you is a normal human being, with mistakes and weaknesses as any other person.

After this reflection process which can take a long time, you can achieve a true forgiveness. Or maybe you can decide to deny your forgiveness, because you feel that the other person can hurt you again.

One of the questions in which we can meditate is: Have you ever questioned yourself if is worthy to feel bitterness in your heart because of other person? Have you ever thought that you, as a unique human being never have to let other people over you to let you be affected by him? And sometimes because of pride, some people can´t flow and live a plenty life. And, because you have to begin with yourself, to what extent are you hurting others, or are you hurting yourself because you haven forgiven yourself? It is a heavy burden to carry.

And when you stand praying,
if you hold anything against anyone,
forgive him,
so that your Father in heaven
may forgive you your sins.
(Mark 11:25).

by Henry Leguizamo

EFFICACY

EFFICACY

Being able to do something good, is not enough, it requires also of the trust of conviction that it is possible to reach the expected results we want. Withouth self trust, goals dissappear.

The ability to be eficacious refers to how able someone feels about reaching their goals. It´s the opinion that we have of our own abilities, and in which we relay to be succesful. It´s all about attitude. We can have all the important abilites to compete but if our self trust fails, failure will come soon.

Now we should ask ourselves, who are us really? If we have formed at the image of God, then, Do we know what God expect from us? Are us clear of who we are before God?

He has equipped us with so many and wonderful talents, with the ability to attain so many things, His words comfort us, and encourage us to a high level, to fly without doubt (to those with fearful hearts: Be strong, do not fear, your God will come..) Isahiah 35:4.

It is really necessary to trust in our abilities. And I´m not deffending the unrational optimism of those unrealistic people, but I´m attacking the chronical pesimism. Untrustness in yourself is the highest sign of low self esteem.

People without self trust are the ones who flee at the first moment, are less persistant, fatalist and eskeptical (they tend to abandon the ship before the others). They are loosers by nature, picky and soft tempered.

When we perceive uneficciency, it causes anxiety problems (I´m unable to do...) General anxiety, panic atacks and phobias have their origin in an early vulnerability scheme. What determines the impotence sensation it´s not the danger itself, but not to be able to face it. In other words, fears depends not only in the threatinga factor, but in the resources that we have to face it and being conscius of them.

The cause of uneficciency sometimes comes from childhood overprotection, and aprehenssive parents. Over excesive care sometimes comes with the hidden message of "I love you, but you are not able of..." (Or, the world is so hard to carry on that you need a permante body guard to help you). It´s better if we use a more encouraging message: "I love you, and I will let you, step from step until you learn and you can be able to cope with your own life".

Self trust can be strenghtened following basic principles: Deleting the expression: "I´m not able to..." It is also better to forget the bad things, and not to make of memory a masoquist resource. Be sure that your goals are reachable, and justified, so that you don´t reach for an impossible dream. And try not to avoid or postpone the solution to your problems (remember that every time we left our self esteem alone, it becomes bruised).

A good autoefficiency creates immunity and safety feelings. If the goal that you want to reach is possible, if there´s a conviction that your goal is also the will of God, and according to His purposes, and it´s really vital y trascendental for your life, then get stubborn and persever until you reach it. And if it is impossible to reach, destroy it and lear honorably that we sometimes loose. Tenacity doesn´t goes along with stubborness.

..God is with you

mighty warrior

(Judges 6:12)

by Henry Leguizamo

BE STRONG AND CORAGEOUS!!!

BE STRONG AND CORAGEOUS

Believe in yourself and in your vision of tomorrow. Be sourrounded of those who will help you reach your goals. Keep your dreams alive, despite the challenges that may come in your way. There always be some who would try to steal your dreams with destructive crticisim.

They do not understand what moves you to reach for beyond. There are not defeat in inertia, but there is nos success either. Only if you take those risks of which the others are afraid of, you could attain excelence. Changes sometimes may be overwhelming, but only through them you will be able to grow. Only if you challenge yourself with what seems impossible you could know how much you can reach for. There is only one key to success: perseverance until you succeed.

It may be possible that you have to change so many things, but you can do it. The seed of excellence is within yourself. Feed it, make it grow and then, nothing else would be impossible for you.

Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged
for the Lord your God
will be with you
wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:9).

by Henry Leguizamo

SELF RESPECT

SELF RESPECT

We live in a culture where "yes" is stronger than "no". "Yes" is associated to kindness, understanding and tolerance, while the "no" refers to rejection, selfishness and untolerance. We teach service, helpness and generosity as fundamental values to mankind and we overlook those who are opposite, or those who reject or protest. The right of setting a posture or express our disagreement is not well seen in our society, at least for those who want to follow what has been established.

This way of always "agree with everything" and avoid disagreements, has created the philosophy of meekness. We admire submission and silence: to low our head is a simbol of "loveness" even when the want to cut it off. We missunderstood simpleness with submission, and it´s not the same. The person who is humble, sometimes bows, but doesn´t break. It´s humble until his values are touched, because, humbleness has a limit: Personal Dignity.

The culture of submission, reaches for two goals. On one hand, tries to calm or be glad to others (fear). And on the other hand, to be able to feel "good and clean". Nonetheless, kindness is not self punishment, because love always has to begin in our own house, "love others, as you love yourself". We could have respect to each other, only when we have attained self respect.

Nobody, denies that others are more important than ourselves, and if we have love, we could even give our lives for one another, if needed. But, we have to keep our dignity at high stakes, understand that even in the most altruist acts of our lives, we have to be dignified. We could acknowledge our failures, but without loosing self respect. (self worth is very important)

I´m not preaching here about being unsensible and greedy when it comes to stand for our personal rights. But, to say "no", to have the right to express my disagreement, to be opposite sometimes, to get angry and express it, and to be steady in what I believe. Obviously, all of those, without tresspassing the rights of others. It´s is simply having the freedom of moving in the territory of my own values, and at the same time be compassive. If I deal with my principles and values, what´s left of me then?

When we say "yes" instead of "no" in a non negotiable circumstance, something displeasable happens inside us. Something breaks. We have this kind of shame, we avoid mirrors and our insight becomes unbearable. And when we go to sleep, it´s only left the unpleaseant flavor of thinking: why didn´t I said no?

In so many times we are unable to deffend from abusive people. We tend to be quiet, even though we are dying inside. In other situation, avoiding to say "no" may be fatal (like in the case when we can´t say no to drugs).

Being assertive is to be able to deffend our personal rights, without violating the rights of others. Assertiveness is self affirmation and honorability to ourselves. Is an act of self esteem. It´s to set that love is not submissive obedience, specially when our values and self respect are being violated.

We have to learn too, to let it go, if the ocassion has no importance at all (you don´t want to become a rebel without a cause). But when it come to fundamentals, you should say what you really think and feel. Express it. With respect and empathy, and even with a smile (if you can still do it), but don´t be quiet. The art of being assertive is the hability of balancing the rights and duties without entanglement. It´s a complex science, in which we create a respectful site of mutual inhabitance within respect, when everybody is ok, but you are ok too.

Always be prepared
to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give a reason
for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness
and respect.
(1 Peter 3:15).

by Henry Leguizamo

FAITHFULNESS

FAITHFULNESS

A trustworthy or loyal person is the one who keeps steady and perseveres in his affections or fulfilling his obligations. Faithful is the one, who doesn´t deceive the trust that has been given to him.

Faithfulness goes along with thankfulness. A loyal person is the one who has received something good from someone and never forgets. Blessed is the one who can give without remembering and receive without forgetting. Unfaithful is the one who betrays, the one who forgets and chooses the 30 coins, as Judas did.

Faithfulness lays on memory, but also in the will. Because faithfulness is a virtue of endurance, and perseverance. In an ever changing world, where everything flows, the only thing that could keep us steady in our ways is the voluntary memory of faithfulness.

Faithfulness in the couple is linked directly to exclusivity. Not as in friendship where you can have more than one friend; or as in the ideas, when you are faithfull not only to one of your ideas.

But, what does it mean to be faithfull to your couple? Desire, is unavoidable, but, the satisfaction of my desire can´t lead to the suffering of the person I love, or betrayal, or putting at risk the history you have together. A couple is not a couple only because the sex they have toguether or because they live in the same house. A couple is such, because they have love and endurance.

Our couple is one of the most valuable things we have, and that´s why we can base our relationships only in passion. That would be like having a very superficial and weak basis, that in most cases tends to break. If having a couple is endurance and love, then faithfulness is its basis, because love endures only if there is memory and good will. Faithfulness is that mix of trust and gratitude to a received and given love, a shared love. Faithfulness is memory and history, but it is also, good will and present.

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.

(Psalms 101:6)NVI.


By Henry Leguizamo

REMEMBER!!!!

Remember

Thinking about the history of humankind, it becomes so obvious the great paradox we face in this time. That we have higher buildings, but lower spirits; wider freeways, but our points of view remain being so narrow. We spend more, but we have less. Buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses, yet smaller families; more comfort but less time to enjoy it. We acquire so many Diplomas, and titles, yet our wisdom diminishes. And as much as we try to get more knwoledge, our criteria becomes smaller; There are more experts and the problems grow and grow; and the biggest paradox, we have more medicine, and science advances, but sickness and disease expand more.

We drink a lot, smoke a lot, spend unwisely, we laugh less, drive too fast and we get angry faster and faster. We go to sleep later, and wake up so tired. Read less, watch too much tv, and we scarcely pray.

We´ve multiplied our patrimony, but reduced our personal values. We talk to much, and love to little, and hate so much so frecuently. We have learned to get our bread, but we don´t know how to live. We have added years to our lives, but we have forgotten to add life to our years. We have gone and come back from the moon, but we struggle, when we have to cross the street to say hello to our new neighbor.

We´ve conquered outer space, but not our inner space. We have accomplish big things, yet not better things. We are cleaning the air, but we´ve polluted our souls. We´ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudices. We write more, but learn less. Planify more, but accomplish less. We have learn to move faster, but we have forgotten how to wait.

We build super computers to store more data, to produce so many copies, but we communicate lesser every time. This are times of fast food, and slow digestion. Of big men and small personalities. Times of higher revenues, but superficial relationships.

These are the times of two salaries, and more divorces. Luxurious houses, but broken homes. Remember to spend more time with those who you love, because they won´t be there forever. And remember to say something really nice to someone who is looking up to you, because that little person will grow soon and will go away from you. Give a big hug to the one that is closer to you, because the only worthy thing that you can offer is your heart, and it doesn´t cost a penny.

Remember to say "I love you" to your couple, and to your beloved ones, but only if you mean it. A hug and a kiss will cure any wound, when they come from deeper in your heart. Remember to always lend a helping hand, because maybe tomorrow that person may not be there. Give yourself some time to love, some time to talk and some time to share your thoughts.

And finally, remember that you can´t measure life for the moments you take a breath, but for those moments which are breathtaking.

by Henry Leguizamo

Be Confident!!!!!

Be Confident

Life is a long road, sometimes we walk it slowly, sometimes fast, and sometimes we hop along through it. We should keep on walking, if we stop we may seem cowards, we may reflect fear, we always have to keep on going!!!

Struggles will bring strenght to your spirit, walking steady will make you a heroe, you should always walk... There will may be some turns in your path; or maybe the road will have its flowers, and its thorns.

But there, far away you will have your resting place. If you keep on going, don´t stop to look back, but to recover your breath. To recover new air, to give a word of "LOVE" to those who need it, as well as love, respect, understanding. To be a just man...

Don´t stop to see how much you´ve walked, or to count how many obstacles you overcame. Don´t stop to spend your night in fear and doubts. Don´t stop because you don´t know the future path. Don´t waste your time and energy in useless, negative thoughts; but keep on walking with the conviction of triumph; with a song of Love in your soul, with the light of hope in your eyes, and a bright shine in your cheeks.

Keep always walking, safe and pleased, being confident that other lives will bless your footsteps, because you walked through life doing good things; and that you never walked alone, God was always besides you!!!! Those who embrace christian love ideals in their hearts, never go walking alone... because God will always go with them, by their side...

Keep on walking, always, with hope and faith; and may your footsteps will transform arid soil into beautiful valleys, because you left along peace as you walked through them.

Keep on going always, with optimism and being confident that a miracle could happen, but reamin still, walking an standing...

Keep on walking, being confident that even though horizon seem so far away... Even that you can´t see what you are expecting, be confident that it will come, and be always convinced that you will attain it.

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakkuk 3: 17-18)NIV

by Henry Leguizamo

TRUE LOVE!!!!!

True Love

We all want to be loved, with an unconditional, eternal, love. A love that goes beyond beauty or inteligence, or any other superficial reason. We want to be loved because "we are". We all have a tendency, to want to share our love with others.

This worry comes because we are really eternal, loving beings whose souls are overflowing with knwoledge and joy. And even we are now in a material body, our nature is divine, and we are always looking for that love which comes from the spiritual reign, where our real satisfaction lies.

But, there´s always something that seems to go wrong. Despite our constant search, we often feel dissapointed, founding that our love situation is just temporary. And even though, we try and try again, we persist to believe that our special person is there, somewhere. For any misterious reason, it seems to be that we are never in the right place, at the right time.

There are so many people who hasn´t felt truly loved ever. They don´t have an idea of what real love is about, though love is their highest hope. And it´s really that in everyday relationships, that love has acquired a very vague meaning, and sometimes it would mean control or need instead of what it really is. As an example, we sometimes reduce the notion of love to a simple fisical exchange, or trying to please someone. That is not love.

The problem comes when we try to find answers in the wrong places. We have forgotten the spiritual dimension of life. A society without a spiritual core, a nucleus, lacks of direction to make everything work. Love is the adhesive that bonds one to each other, and finally that guide us to relate to the divine personality of God.

It seems that we forget all of this. But deep inside us, even when we often see love avoiding us, we know that love is our natural right. It´s like if someone will show us something really tempting and delicious, but is out of our reach. We want it, we know is available, but we can´t grasp it. Then, we subtitute that for other things, hoping to find happiness, maybe through riches, prestige or power.

Most of us consider love as something that grows or diminishes according to circumstances. But genuine love is not linked to what we feel, and it doesn´t depend on outer circumstances. True love is divine, and cannot subsist without it´s origin: God.

If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13: 1-7).

by Henry Leguizamo

DON´T FORGET THEM!!!

Don´t forget them

It´s so usual, that as long as years go bye, people become apart from their beloved relatives, maybe because they have grown up, maybe because of an overload of work, or perhaps, simply because they have a family of their own.

It happens mostly when our children are born, people tend to dedicate all the time to family and forget about friends and relatives. Even though this is the time when they most need the company of them. Isn´t it ironical? Nonetheless, it´s when people has hard times, such as job lost, divorce, that those relatives or friends are the ones to give support. And then, the ties bond again and we recover touch with those that we love.

Ok, it´s not that we have to wait that something bad happens in our lives, so that we get close to the loved ones. Someone told me once "look, even God said that when we marry, we have to leave our parents and go with our wife. So you go away, leaving them apart and forgetting them". But, this is not the realm meaning of what God says in his word, He don´t tell us to abandon our family or even forget about them.

We find in scriptures, commandments with blessing promises within, which surpasses the mere concept of forgetting about our relatives. It was the heart of God where the concept of family was born, so that He commands us to care and love our relatives.

Friendship, as well as love, is a feeling to care for, and to preserve. Interpresonal relationships are dynamic, and grow as well as people grow. So, it´s necessary to design strategies to preserve the love "with our friends".

Leaving our beloved ones, is not something that happens just because, this is something that you let it happen. Quit that bad habit and do the best to keep closer those who you love.

You may use a portion of your time, lets say 20 minutes of your lunch time, to call your friens or family. Or if you can, you may email them. Short sms work too, so that the other person would feel you are thinkin of him/her. A simple call, a message in the answer machine are details which would make the other person aware of your care and that is still important to you. Don´t forget to offer and apology, or give a just reason of why you have been apart.

Forget about resentment and hard feelings. Leave behind that 20 year fight with your brother. Go to family meetings and share with them your experiences, your happy times and your worries. Ask your parents about their dreams before they got married, and don´t be afraid to ask for advice.

Be bold to show your real feelings, this would make you feel a strong connection with those you love. Hug your parentes, kiss your siblings, and tell them how much you miss them. Caress are fundamental to tell and motivate love, and a way to say without word what you have kept inside.

Forget for one day your daily role in life and go out to have fun with your parents. Take advantage of holidays to get together with your relatives, those who you have forgotten. It´s worthy to get closer to those we love and honor them, mostly with our parents.

Precisaly, the firs commandment with a blessing promise is:

Honor your father and mother
that it may go well with you
and that you may enjoy longlife
on the earth.
(Ephesians 6: 2-3)NIV

by Henry Leguizamo

DON´T GIVE UP!!!

Don´t Give Up

Do not abandon hope. Hope gives you the strenght to keep on going, whenever you feel that nothing matters anymore. Don´t ever stop believing in God. As long as you believe, you will have a reason to keep on trying.

Don´t let anybody take happiness from your hands, grab it in your own so that it will always be with you. Don´t expect that those things you wish, would come to you. But, look for them with all of your heart, knowing that life will meet you in half the way to achieve them.

Don´t feel that you have lost your dreams and goals, when you feel that there´s no time to reach them. Because everytime you learn something new about yourself, or about life, you have advanced. Don´t you ever do anything to diminish your self respect. To be satisfied with yourself is essential to be satisfied with your own life.

Don´t ever forget to laugh, don´t let pride stop you from crying. When we laugh and cry, is when we are really leaving to the fullest. Always keep a clear mind with fresh ideas. And most of all, don´t you ever lose your optimism, that is basic to keep on going.

by Henry Leguizamo

A SEED!!!

A Seed

Every act, every word, every smile, every look is a seed. Every one of them has a vital power within. Thus, always, try that your seed would fall in the open path of the heart of men, and keep on watching how it grows. Also try, that your seed would be like wheat, that feeds the world and that it would not produce thorns or weeds that would leave sterile souls.

Some time you wil plant your seed in pain, but don´t worry it would bear joyful fruits. Sometimes you will plant your seed crying, but, who knows if your tears would be the blessed water which would help your seed to germinate?

If dawn is here and a new day has born, greet it and sow your seed. If there´s the suffocatting sun hour, open your hand an throw your seed. Is it sunset and the sun is going down? Raise a prayer, and plant your seed... If you are a child, plant your seed, so that you will harvest the fruit with your own hands. If you are an adult, sow your seed... and maybe you will not harvest the fruit, but your children will.

Every act, every word, every smile, every look, will grow according to the way you have planted it. Go on and throw your seed, open the soil and saw. And when the afternoon of your life comes, you will face death with full armas and a big smile, as the sower who having ended his labor, goes with his blessed harvest and smiling towards his home, when his beloved family is waiting for him. Every act, every word, every smile, every look is a seed.

And don´t forget to always:

“Sow the seed of love"

by Henry Leguizamo

BE A FOUNTAIN!!!

BE A FOUNTAIN

Be water, overflowing water, abundant, pure, crystalline, for those who are thirst of love, of strenght, of support.

Be a shore... a shore to the arriving souls, those who are tired, hugging and receiving them with love, those who are lost. For those who need a resting place from the world, for those who want to leave their burden behind. Be also a departing shore, for those who need to sail for a better life, inspire them to look for better shores, with renewed hope.

Be a bridge... To connect earthly life with eternal life. In order to be a bridge you have to understand, to forgive and to let people pass through you towards the infinite love.

Be a way... A long, and exquisite way. Be a guiding path, to take the pilgrims of life to the truth. Them with thankful hearts, then will plant flowers besides you.

Be a star... A shining star, which enlightens freely those who approach you. Be a guiding star, for those who sail in life and get lost. Be a higher star, to show everybody the path to happiness.

Be pouring rain... To soak dried hearts, empty of love, hope and peace. Rain is always expected, because it´s from it, that depends the subsistance of humankind.

Be a tree... a big tree, which bears fruit for those who are hungry. Spread your shadow, and refresh those tired pilgrims of life. Because if you are a tree, your roots are deep and solid. Your arms enlarge, to hug those needed of love, you produce flowers to decorate the soul of somebody and you have the necessary strenght to face and endure strong winds and storms and remain planted and standing.

by Henry Leguizamo