Is He your all?

Half Christian? Quarter of a Christian? One eighth of a Christian? Maybe a Christian? Are we putting Christ our Savior to a little corner of our minds called "Sunday mornings?" Are we Christians in our homes, on vacations, in school, or anywhere else in the street? Are we Christians only by name? Christianity isn't just about praying before you eat, going to church, or typing "Christian" under the religion column in Facebook. It's about having Christ as your EVERYTHING. That means you're either living for Jesus, or your not. That means your all in it for Him, or your not for Him at all. We need to examine ourselves! What is the most precious thing in our hearts?
Think about the fact that Jesus Christ left HEAVEN, the place we can only imagine how wonderful and beautiful it will be, to come down to an imperfect world knowing He'd be trampled, pierced, betrayed, and hung on a cross. Why? Because He loves us that much. Even when we don't deserve an ounce of that love. We turned our backs on the only perfect person who ever walked the planet, and He paid the price for it on that cross. 
Yet through out all the suffering and pain, He was thinking of how wonderful it would be to see you in heaven, and be with you for eternity!
 You would think that knowing someone like that, we'd lay down our lives for Him, love Him to the fullest, and spend every day thinking of Him. Yet, we have to strive to even make Him our priority. We place sports, music, entertainment, other people, ourselves, a job, or money, above Him. Why? Maybe it's because we can't fully grasp who we're in a relationship here. I mean, do we realize we're in a relationship with the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Almighty, awesome Redeemer,  who knows all our thoughts, loves us even with all our imperfections, and I'll say it again, hung on a cross just for us? For someone like that, we should love Him, live for Him, and worship Him with all our Heart.
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." -Matthew 22:37-38

Wherever you are now...

One of the streets where we've evangelized on sundays

If you know me, you would know that I *love* the country- I love it all. I feel more at home there than when I'm in the subway or walking down a crowded, busy street in NYC, where I've lived all my life. BUT! when I look at the busy street, and see hundreds of souls that need to hear God's name- I remember why God has placed me here: I'm living in the mission field! I remember that from the hundreds of people walking right past me, most of them probably don't know Christ, and Jesus is calling every single one of us to share about what He did on the cross! When we hear the great commission, we're probably thinking, "LORD SEND ME TO ASIA, or AFRICA!"  and we spend time praying to have God use us in foreign countries, but we're forgetting that there's people who need the gospel right near our own homes! Do not get me wrong, I'm not saying we shouldn't go to other nations. What I'm saying is, that we need to get the gospel to people in our community and close circles! How sad would it be that we never gave the gospel to our neighbors, our family, and our close friends? Where ever you are now, there will always be people who need to hear the Gospel! :)
 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." ~Matthew 28:19-20
-When Jesus said "teach all nations" He also included the nation that we're living in now, don't you think? ;)

The best gift for Christmas!

Yay! It's the holidays! I absolutely love the holidays, specially Christmas. It gives me a picture of families and friends together, everyone singing hymns, sharing gifts, and laughing together.  Not to sound cheesy, but Christmas is so special! Why? Because 2,000 years ago, the most precious, amazing, perfect, gift was given to mankind. This gift was the Lord Jesus Christ! How precious is the fact that the Son of God became a man, so that man can become sons of God! No one could have thought of a greater gift. Getting things from your family and friends are great, I love it! It lets me know that there's people who thought about me and care...but HELLO!!!! God cares the most! He gave the most!

"For God SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
Let's remember... We did nothing to deserve this precious gift. We sinned, turned our backs on God, and we ignored the one who crafted us and gives our every breathe. He did what he did, not because we deserved it, or that He needs us, but because he loves us more than any word can ever describe. So what more could you ask for? Without us deserving it, He gave us his SON, eternal love, and eternal LIFE!
Can someone say HALLELUJAH?!
Besides opening presents, can this Christmas be a time to thank God for the love, mercy, and grace that He shows us? For His son that he sent? For the price Jesus paid on Calvary? Remember, things of this earth fade away (including presents!) but what Jesus did will stand forever, making us the sons and daughters of God to live for His glory, and to be with our heavenly Father forever! :)

Lay up treasures in heaven...

I was talking to someone a while ago, and they asked me what I wanted to do after high school. I told them I was thinking about college, but I'm not sure exactly which one to go to, or if I wanted to go to one right after high school. I explained how I wanted to use my teens and 20's to go on missions, give people the gospel, and reach out to those in need. They said in a very sarcastic voice, "So you wanna waste your time speaking to people who won't even listen to you while you could have a career and a lot of money. What a great future you have." Then they laughed. I thought that was funny too. I found it funny how they think it's a waste of time to reach out to souls who are facing eternal condemnation. Why is it that it's more important to have fame, or all the money, cars, or clothes you can possibly have?

I'd rather Live for Christ who died for me, then to live for
 money which will devour me.

Is it really better to use up your life in things that are material, and will one day be gone, leaving you alone? Investing your time in souls that God-willing will one day be in heaven for all of eternity is the best thing you could ever do in this life! Does it really matter that you probably won't be famous? Does it really matter that you won't have the best cars or clothes? Does it? I'd rather live my short life for Christ, and to have all of eternity to be God's princess in heaven, then to have a moment's pleasure, and all of eternity- forever, condemned with the burden of knowing I wasted my life.

"But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” - Acts 6:4

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." ~Mathew 6:19-21

Courageous

I don't usually recommend movies to people, but this one is a must! The title is Courageous and I just recently saw this with my family. It's from the makers of Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Flywheel. This movie was funny, tragic, impacting, suspenseful, and most of all, has a beautiful, touching message, with biblical principles. 

This movie challenges men to take up the role of spiritual leaders of their homes, to be what the Bible calls a man. It puts a lot of emphasis on how crucial it is for a father to cherish the years God gave him with his wife and children, and most importantly, how men need to take responsibility for their actions- to take up the role of a man. I cried, laughed, and thought deeply while I was watching this movie, but words can not describe how great it really is! You are missing out if you don't go to see it! :)

Lead me to the Cross

Savior I come, Quiet my soul,
Remember, Redemption's hill,
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom, Everything I once held dear,
I count it all as lost...

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and tried
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risenEverything I once I held dear, I count it all as loss


Lead me to the cross, Where Your love poured out,
Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down,
Rid me of myself, I belong to You,
Lead me, lead me to the cross
To your heart, To your heart,
Lead me to your heart, Lead me to your heart

No Longer a Slum Dog

Summer 2011 is now over and while everyone is talking about how they spent their summer, I'll show you a book that has put a burden in my heart for giving the gospel to children. In December I'll be going on a missions trip, and this book  has got me even more excited for the trip! I hope it does the same to y'all as it has done to me! :)

Bridge of Hope provides for thousands enrolled in their schools 

It is a book called: No Longer a Slum Dog -  about children in Asia, and how GFA Bridge of Hope is reaching out to the children, their families, and their whole community. This has opened my eyes to see how much need there is for Jesus in Asia, and how millions of people live there without ever hearing about the miracle worker who died on the cross because He loves us. Kids there grow up with the mentality that they deserve to be treated like subhumans! They live and die believing that there's no escape from the chains that they're bound by mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is not a small amount, its millions of children living like this. Pause and think about that. That could have been me or you, but God placed us in a different situation. Think, that those are the Lord's precious children suffering the way they are, and we probably won't do more than just think about it and feel sorry. No action taken whatsoever. Now, maybe we'll be thinking, "I'm too young" "I don't have money." or "There's nothing I can do". If the Lord isn't calling you to be a missionary, or if you don't have money to support a missionary than there IS something you can do. You can PRAY! Prayer is the way you talk to the Living God! We're not talking about our wants and desires being given to a fictional character like Santa, this is a real God that answers your prayers. So pray, at the very least, if anything, pray! Just pray. :)
To get this free book, find out more about this amazing Ministry, or to support a child, visit this website: www.nolongeraslumdog.org

To help, or not to help....THAT.. is the question

At Dr.Emily's abortion mil, there's one thing you can't do, and that's passing the line, the line that separates the sidewalk from the driveway. When you do that, you can get arrested for trespassing. That's the law, so we follow it, but there's moments where you really wish you could just walk all over their huge parking lot.

 There's girls that, when they walk out the door, they kneel down in pain, there's girls that can't take the stress and stand there and cry, and there's girls that are being pulled out by their boyfriend or mother. The hard part is watching it, and not being able to reach them and give them a hug, give them the gospel, or comfort them, because they are far inside the parking lot.
Two weeks ago, there was one girl who walked out, sat down lying on the wall, and started crying. I wanted to go and run to her, but there was that line that separated me from her. The worst part was that one of the three clinic escorts that day just stood there, pacing back and forth near us. Why didn't he help her? One of the pro-lifers (the one in the picture) said to the clinic escort, " Go help her! She needs help! Why don't you ask her what's wrong?" And did he do it? Nah, he started pacing again.....my bad for thinking the escort would think about helping a women crying on their floor.

Light in the midst of darkness...

I call it volunteer work, but along with my awesome friends, every Tuesday we hit the streets of NYC...more specifically, in front of Dr. Emily's Womens Medical Clinic.

Me in front of Dr. Emily's.

What do we do? We speak to girls going in the clinic, and tell them that there is another option: LIFE for their baby, whether they want to keep or adopt..we give them a free sonogram, and if needed, provide them with free clothes for the baby, diapers, strollers, you name it.At the end of the day, we don't get paid, we get screamed at by the clinic escorts, and told we can make better use of our time; but I get to see a lot of girls relieved that they didn't choose death for their baby. I get to see hope in their eyes, I get to see beautiful babies being loved by their mommies!

The "team". Going around from left to right: Me, Kevin,
James, Laura L., Noemi, Ashley, Masiel, Laura O., and Karla

That's why it's not work to me. Together with the volunteers from my church, I'm being the only ray of light in the midst of a dark, dark culture, where a Life is disregarded in the name of choice. I'm doing God's will for my life, and He has plans for all of us. He's doing something great in this ministry and more info on that will be posted soon.