Leap of Faith

After a long period of not knowing what would be the outcome of my current job post, I was advised that would be transferred to a proyect where I would have to work afternoon shift from monday till saturday the first 4 weeks and then the off day could be any day of the week per availability.
I should not forget that God has been good and have used different people within the company to keep my position secured and the pay checks flowing amid all these job instability.
However, the new schedule goes against every other activity I take part in, such as classes in college, church services and activities. I started to weight the cons and pros of it. After thinking a bit, I decided that I could put aside the studies for a while, after all, without a job how would I pay the monthly fees, but then, when it comes to not been able to attend church and the discipleship meetings and quality time with my friends, for who knows how long, it struck to me, that it was to high the price to pay. So I have been praying and listening to God and I had to take a choice, not an easy one.
So often I had pray to be able to serve God with my time and abilities and it is what I cherish the most and to throw that away because of a job, well , I had to take one side. I decided to honor God and trust in Him that he would provide a better job, more stable, better paid and one in which I would not have work on sundays and possibly on saturdays either so that I can continue to be part of the things He is doing these days through His church. I chose to believe in God the Provider, who is willing to grant and fullfill his children needs like a job for example.
On friday I spoke with the HR Mgr. and explained to him the circumstances, he understood and wished he had another schedule available. He was pleased to see that I was advising him upfront so that he could allocate my position to someone else who could take it. I am convinced I took the right decision. The hard part I feel though, is to explain this to some people who would be disappointed. My family understood and is fully supporting my decision in prayers and economically.
Right after taking the decision, I got two job offers and as a write this, another one came in. I am in awe and tears come to my eyes when I think how good God is. Knowing God thru mere knowledge is very important, but nothing compares to experiment God's power in ones' own life. This God that provides and makes miracles and honors those who honor Him I have met several times in my life and family's, but everytime around is such a wonderful experience. The deep night just before the light of the morning comes up, the fresh air of life taken in, after a long period underwater, boy, this can only be experience thru overcoming hardships and suffering in God's hand. A few days back I read that God is really dishonored when we do not believe He can make it happen, even more than when an atheist claims there is no God. I know He will provide, I feel it, I have rest my faith on the One.

A Woman to Admire - Mom

Through the ages, many have attempted to describe with eloquent words and poetry the balance of determination, grace and fragility all wrapped up in what we call "Mom".
I remember as a child been told several times the story of a woman who grew up in a very humble home, youngest one to four children who set her mind to reach the stars. One particular story always left an impression on me, and it was the fact that her dreams were to become a physician, a doctor, but boy, was it expensive and at the time, out of her family's financial possibility. However her passion to help people was stronger than her limitation, so she opted for an close career and graduated as a Lab Technician and Biology Teacher. However her youth dream was alive and it passed onto Ana my sister who embraced it since even before high school, and she made well sure to nourish it.
It was not an easy task, my sister, a smart girl who graduated with honors in school, soon came to discover first-hand the tough reality of med-school and countless were the times when she would give up just out of the pressure, stress and hardships. But there was mom, who would see to it that her daughter would find every possible mean to succeed. Mom would pray against the odds of the unknown, against the spirits of failure that would pass by from time to time and many were the miracles provided as answers to the woman's prayer. We saw during these last five years, God moving His hand in favor for Ana, against adverse forecasts, we saw God honor my mom's prayer.
Today, I can not describe how ecstatic and joyful I myself feel and not to mention Mom, after watching her daughter, take her diploma all dressed up in front of a couple of thousands of people. She did it, she was the one who studied and learned a profession, but it wouldn't be possible without God's intervention as a direct consequence of my mother's intense and non-stopping prayer life and support. Everyone in our family had to sacrify something for her to be able to study an expensive career, but Mom was the one who sacrified the most during these past five years and she did it with so much love, the kind of love only a mother can spare to their children, the kind of love which the Bible describe as un-interested and we all are bound to learn that, not only toward those who we love but those who are not so close to us as well.
Thanks Mom, your example is so powerful and have left an impression on me for the rest of my life. You have taught me, not to give up just because it is not easy or there seems no way around it. There is always a way and your faith in God have prove it again and again.

When life seems to be worthless!

Yesterday during the afternoon hours I learnt a very disturbing news, an acquaintance of mine from work place decided to end with his life by throwing himself out from the balcony of this flat of the building were he use to live. He left two small kids without the opportunity to grow next to a fatherly influence. His wife perhaps broken-hearted and numerous people at work who appreciated him or not with a bitter and ugly feeling deep into their hearts. Although I barely knew him and exchange words for he was a very quite person, I must admit that I have been deeply affected and have not been able to think of something else for the past 24 hours.
And after thinking and sharing with several co-workers and thinking some more, I've come to several conclusion.

1.Lack of friends: for not in vain the Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 4.10: "If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble." I remember someone making a comment several months back about this guy who was known to said he was not interested in making friends with no one while at work, and so he did convey that attitude on a daily basis. I thank God so much for people like Alexis, Ariel, Howard and so many others who are constantly aware of my whereabouts and will cheer me up and advise and rebuke and eventually help me to get on my feet. I must admit I even got angry during the day, wondering if anyone actually called him up or talked to him during these last days of emotional difficulties which could have avoided such a infamous episode. I thank God for all those godly friends of mine who do appreciate me and even get on my way even when I don't feel like allowing them inside and they still do. Conclusion>we are relational beings, alone we are in real trouble like the wise Salmon wrote several thousand of years back.
2.Lack of God: while sharing with two other co-workers today, one of them said "dude, you gotta be real sad or emotionally impaired in order to take this decision", another friend of mine mentioned earlier on the day"you gotta have guts to do so or perhaps drugged" and God brought to my heart Matthew 26:38>"Then He <Jesus> said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, (to the point he was actually sweating blood) so that I am almost dying of sorrow...and going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed to God", asking for deliverance but overall for the Father's perfect will to be done. Jesus's answer to grievance and sadness sets the example for us mortals to follow. But we must know who God is and his unlimited power and knowledge, so our mind won't betray us during the darkest hours, so our mind and heart is secured in His promises of everlasting life, the same promises and blessings Jesus was granted after his darkest hour when He came up triumphant over the sin and death itself, that could not withhold him and keep him separated from God forever. My acquainted perhaps knew God but only as someone who is found at church on Sundays or Christmas or Easter seasons and not as the One, who loved him so much that already did the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate prove of love for all of us and once in for all.

Today many of us cry and are saddened, and may this help the rest of us who outlived him to realize how fragile we are and how needy of God's real love we are. May this serves to bring real repentance and commitment to get to know Him and his Word. May this serves to me and those who profess to know God with our heart to continue spreading His hope and His love no matter what, no matter if it cost us our job, our reputation, our status quo, even our life. This guy decided against his own earthly and eternal life, may this bring real urgency in my heart to share with everyone on time and out of time about Jesus.

>>>>>>>>>In memory of F.C. May his family and closest friends find hope and consolation in Christ Jesus during this terrible hour.

Today's Lesson

Earlier on today, while assisting a friend of mine, pastor of the church in Rio Hato, whose car got broken in the middle of the street, I remembered what the Scripture says about how all things work out for the good to those who love Him. Anyone would have rightly consider lack of luck, been through a distress situation in the middle of a dangerous neibourhood in the night, with most of his family living 10 hours away. J.C. called a friend of his and me to assist him, and while I am trying to get a cheap tug car service, what I saw really moved me. Pastor J.C. witnessing a homeless in a corner despite the fact that he himself was in the middle of a difficult situation, and his friend also witnessing a half-drunk man not too far from him, and in between the wrecked car right in the center of the street. The enemy perhaps intended bad for J.C. but what he didn't know was the his trick was not enough to stop two men of God from sharing their faith to others with joy and peace of heart.
Suddenly, while I was still trying to get a cheap crane to come over, a very friendly cuban lady stopped by and without asking if we needed help, she stepped out of her vehicle and start giving instructions on how to proceed. She recommened us to push the car an abandoned gas station 25 meters away, pay a few dollars to the security guard to keep safe the car till tomorrow morning, and have the mechanic fitter come over first thing in the morning and end of story. So we did, she even offered her car to pull J.C. wrecked car to the abandoned gas station. This, was not other thing but the hand of God, providing right then right there for our need.
Lessons? Even the aparent bad things are opportunities to turn them into good and glorify God; if ungodly people have the courage to step down from their cars to assist perfect strangers in the street, why would you and me who profess the love of God would not do the same and even more?
Something to think about.

To Give or not to Give a big deal

Earlier on today, several people included a senior pastor, a youth pastor a ship captain, a businessman and myself had a meeting in one of the shopping mall of the city. As we were seated near a coffeeshop, talking and figuring out the details of this massive christian campaign in Rio Hato that we intend to have in two weeks from know, a timid young guy suddently interrupted our conversation and approached our table. Almost like whispering he began mumbling asking for something I barely understood at his first attempt. Quickly and without being obvious I studied the facial expression of my friends and noticed that they were annoyed by the sudden interruption. Once we all learnt what this young guy was up to, our attitude changed from being annoyed to confusion more like not knowing how to react or what to do. The young man timidly explained that he was robbed while riding a bus in the city and his wallet was taken away, leaving him without documents and pocket money to pay for his bus ticket to the country side where he lives. He explained that he was trying to collect the ten bucks needed to pay for his bus ticket.
Often, when we are alone and someone comes to beg for money we are quick to judge them by their physical appearance or clothing and sometimes we politely and some other times, contemptuously we refuse them away. We readily find hundreds if not thousands of excuses and reasons to calm down our conscious when we refuse with giving money to the needy. I learnt from Dad and a neighbor to give since early in life, but there is always the doubt of how often, when not to, and so and so. Just last sunday during Bible school at church, there was this huge discussion among the peers how wise was to give to the needy people. Some had the position that the streets were to dangerous to be lowering the car's window to give money, some others defended that most of the homeless people begging for money on the streets were drug addicts, or alcoholics some others stated that there were the lazy people who would send children to the streets to beg for money for them and the list is endless. The other side, including the teacher, explained that the Bible commanded us to give with a cheerful heart without judging, for only God can see the intentions of a man's heart. A girl in particular, stated that right before stepping out of her house, she would trust her life in God's hand and that she would not be walking in the city with a fearful heart, but rather with a joyful spirit which proved to come in handy even while helping people she would not know.
One of my friends reached for his wallet and handed him out a dollar bill and soon after myself and one of the pastors followed his action. He said thanks to us and right before leaving, the other pastor also gave him one dollar but not without warning him that he better be telling the truth, for we were all people of God and that tricking people of God would only bring ruin to his life. At this point, I thought it was going to end this sudden interruption so that we could continue with our business, when the same pastor rapidly changed his approach to the young guy and asked him if He had Jesus in his heart to which the young man timidly answered that he was a catholic already. In just a matter of seconds, the pastor shot a burst of biblical truth and witnessed him. He just seized the momentun and the Holy Spirit came upon that table with all of us sitting in there. The youth pastor asked him if he wanted to accept Jesus in his heart right there right then, and he accepted. What a moment, what a moment. He repeated the prayer of faith and then we prayed for him. I can not describe the feeling and the solemn atmosphere in that place on that table near the coffeeshop. It was the Holy Spirit himself that had just manifested through the youth pastor. What an example he set right there in front of the rest of us, the way he understands that every opportunity no matter where no matter when is the right opportunity to do what we as christians, followers of Christ are meant to.
Now I come to think about it, the reason of our meeting was to discuss and plan the details for the upcoming evangelistic activity and we were so busy doing so that we almost lost the perspective and the opportunity to witness right there and right then to someone that God sent purposedly to our table to test the intention of our hearts.
What a lesson ! ! !
Giving a message of hope to someone who is requesting bread to calm his hunger, without meeting his need is not enough, for God not only fed the multitude spiritually, but took the pain of feeding a whole bunch of people. Giving a piece of bread to a hungry man just to make our conscious feel in peace, without witnessing him and clearly conveying Jesus's love for him is not enough, for God always took care of the spiritual need before the physical need, for a healthy and wealthy man without God is just as sick and needy as a homeless.