“ABBA, Father in Heaven"

I was 16 years old almost 23 years ago when I wrote this small piece to myself from my Bible.

Little did I know this written piece would bless me this past week and may it help you in your life.

“Father” Who lives in the sky above me. Every second he is watching me and seeing what I’m doing. His hands are always open to me. Sometimes I feel his hugs against me. When I praise to him and my hands are high in the sky. I feel like they are close to mine. I cry and my father stands up above me. His love is towards me when it’s needed 24-7. This world need him and they don’t know how much greater than anything else is. I’m writing this to those whom are reading this posting.

If you are lonely, sad, rejected, depressed, have a broken heart 💔, you are never alone in this world. There are others who love you and a father above who is looking out for you.

As my father would always say to us kiddos, “Jesus is Lord." In memory of you dad, Dan Rodriguez on my birthday this week.

Portugal 2019

When I was seventeen, I promised Jesus I would give my heart ️ to the mission field for Him.

I owe it all to Him, Jesus. Almost 20 years later, I’m still called to the mission field in my hometown or in another country.

As I left the country of Portugal my heart wanted to take Portugal back home to Texas.


Portugal is a beautiful country. The people of Portugal are beautiful.


The language of Portuguese is beautiful to speak.

The food was delicious. The coffee was excellent and inexpensive. I could have coffee at breakfast, lunch & dinner in one day. 

The evangelical churches are few. It is a beautiful country, but lack of churches within Baptist community churches. My heart ️ cries for all churches in Portugal.

As we visited each church  in Northern Portugal and prayed with their pastors I wanted to bring them and their church families home to Texas.

Portugal is a beautiful country with beautiful landscape filled with beautiful flowers everywhere. I could take taken thousands of pictures of all the flowers & trees.

Mark 16:15 (NIV) 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Below are a few pictures of Portugal below:

Foods: https://www.authenticfoodquest.com/popular-portuguese-dishes/


Things to do:https://www.thecrazytourist.com/25-best-things-portugal/

Super Hero Dad

To the next generation of dads, “Be a hero to your kiddo.” Be there to cheer your kiddos as they finish their goals in the race of life.

This past year, I have prayed & watched other dads grow with their kiddos. My brother taking his only daughter to her dance class & watching her grow. 

Also, I had watched my boyfriend’s son graduate high school & receiving Eagle Scout award. We are very proud of his son.

My dad never thought of himself as hero to us kiddos. 

He always put us first. An example: Dad would order a pizza for us kids on a Friday night. When the pizza arrived dad would let us eat first before he ate. Dad always made sure we were fed, safe, loved & happy.

Bulletproof by JD Rodriguez (my Dad). 06.30.1999

2 Corinthians 13:9

“We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.”

I have always enjoyed watching the old movies of Superman where George Reeves (later Christopher Reeves) portrays the man with the big S on the chest just waiting for the bad guys to shoot at him. I always knew that those bullets would bounce off in every situation but nonetheless I watched intently.

Superman was expected to defend the fears of all men by using his natural powers for the cause of good. Even the bad guys knew that their bullets were just being wasted when they shot at the man of the steel, yet then shot him for our entertainment. I often thought when I was very young that if I just wore the right uniform or the right cape, I would be just like Superman. Up to this day, I still have not found anything that I can wear to help me against the bullets of life except for Word of God.

Paul tells us that when we are weak God is strong in us. Many times we forget that God is right there the whole times we are so low because of comments made towards us. Paul wrote from experience of so many lows in his life when he rejected, neglected, abused, and refused. He came to his Christian walk to the point to where he depended on God’s word more than he did on man words. No matter what he was told negatively to him, he held God’s word much higher than any words from man. In other words, whatever bad things he was told, he let those words directed to him just bounce off of him. He bulletproof himself with word of God for the bad days when the enemy would come against him through individual not in line with God. I feel so good knowing Gods hold me up so much higher than any man on this earth. Paul speaks for us to continue to be strong in God striving for perfection just like Christ.

Yesterday, I visited a friend who’s thyroid glad was removed because of cancer in his throat area. He told me that while he was in intensive care room recovering from the operation, he spoke the word of God to his nurse. 

He quoted Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Tears ran down her eyes because here was a man laid wounded from surgery, but yet he was quoting encouraging uplifting words to her. 

Through his misery of surgery he was very weak but became strong when he focuses God’s word. When are weak, and ye are strong. God will make us bulletproof to our pain to our misery to our weakest areas when we remember and lift up the word God to over selves and those around us.

Isn’t God just wonderful to have words that go far beyond what our frail vulnerable bodies that can only tolerate so much, yet the word of God can lift our hearts and minds to where eagles, Boeings and space shuttle fly no matter how much our emotions shakes.

Be Ready! 

Portugal

The Call- Last November is when I received an application to go on a mission trip for Porto, Portugal & Spain for July 15th 2019 for about a week. I said to myself, I don’t know & prayed about this mission trip. 

Faith- Well, things started to work out to go on this mission trip including, working 2nd part time job. Everything seems work together like a puzzle piece for this trip. I felt like Jesus gave me thumbs up for this mission trip. 

Trust Jesus if you are working through a job, your family's life, mission trip, or a life situation.

“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.”

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

The Mission- We will be singing to promote local churches around for Northern Portugal & Spain during our mission trip.

Pray- Please continue pray for me & all folks I am traveling. Please pray for us as we minister to the local Portugal people.

If you are interested in reading what I have written about my desires being on the mission field which I can give a link to read my article I had written 7 years ago. Click Here.

My church’s website: North Richland Hills Baptist Church

Be Blessed.

Iamisleen

Why ?

    

It’s been 6 years since my dad passed from colon cancer.  This year will be 6^th year not celebrating Father’s Day on June 19^th and his 64^th birthday on 28^th of June.

I ask myself Why God? Why did you take away a good man from this world? Why did you take away my father from our family? Why did I have to have this pain in my heart for sooo long? Why did I have to walk in this depression? Why did my mom have her husband taken away, since they had known each other since high school?  There are many “why” questions on my mind.

As, I look back, the Lord had told me as my dad was dying 6 years ago, “I am in Control and you are Not.” Today, I still remember those words loud and clear from the Lord.

There is a purpose for everything. The struggle is tough in life. Nothing is easy in life including losing your loved one. It’s a fight each day to be focused in our daily life. Life is not easy. It’s a true test if you are going to pass the test each day in your life. My dad told me once when we were at the gas station, “You are breathing, alive, have a good job, healthy, blessed and cancer free! Be happy where you are! Look at me. I’m in chemo and struggling with cancer.” I never looked at life the same again.

This is one of my dad’s stories: 

Glimpse of Jesus as of 02/10/2000 written by Dan Rodriguez

Job 23:9-10

“When he is at work in the North , I do not see him, he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way  that I take: when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Paul of Tarsus did not even see Jesus when he was struck by a light from Heaven that flashed around him on the road to Damascus, but it completely changed his life when he spoke to Paul, “ Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” A glimpse of a light shone so bright that it knocked  him down beneath himself.  Before Paul could really see Jesus, he had to be knock off his pride, off his high horse, off from the chip on his shoulder that he had against Christians. Before he could even get a glimpse of who this Jesus was, he had to travel on this road to Damascus. Many of us know this road to Damascus because we had to be lowered before we were lifted in Jesus.

In this verse above, Job was saying that he could not see the Lord in the North, South, or any where else but yet he was trusting in him because no matter if he didn’t see him he would continue to serve and trust in him. Job was so low that he could hardly see above the grass, but yet would say things like, “ when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Paul and Job both got very low in life to the point that eventually the Lord lifted them as he has you and me where no man, no thing, no event could hurt our spirit. The mere glimpse of seeing him or expecting to see a glimpse of Jesus can either way dramatically change anyone’s life.

I myself was attending a Bible Conference by T.D. Jakes being held here at Reunion Area back in 1997 in February. There was a great worship atmosphere in the whole place. After Ron Konolis’ thundering worship song and Joyce Myers speaking, all of sudden, for a glimpse, I saw someone walk in front of the large speaking stand. I seemed to have seen this person before many times even though he had long brown/blondish hair, a glimmering shiny white robe, wearing a beard, with sandals. For about three or four steps, I saw him causally walk in as if he had done this hundreds of times before. I quickly turned to see if my wife was seeing what I had just witnessed, but when I turned back to look, he was gone from my sight. I seemed to be the only one seeing this phenomenon. I continued to look for him in the stands to my left and to my right, but I could not see him any longer. When I looked at each side of this large place, I heard commotion coming from each area. One woman was jumping so high that, I though she would fall.  Later, I found out that God had healed this woman and another from a shattered leg from an accident while the other was healed from extreme leg and angle bone problems. Jesus somehow had walked in and healed them miraculously touching both individuals that day. Somehow, the Lord had allowed me to just catch a glimpse of him walking in before he actually did these healings. My Life also has not been the same since that day.  

 A glimpse of Jesus whether you expect to see him like Job or whether you’ve actually seen him does not matter because ITS FAITH THAT ALWAYS CREATES THE MIRACLES in our lives. If you loose faith in yourself, you loose faith in everyone around you eventually. You must hold on to the reality THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL SEE THE LORD IN PERSON BEFORE YOUR EYES. All the questions, all hurts, all frustration, all of your crawling on the floor experiences, all your tears, all of your loneliness and isolation times, and all your problems will ceased to exist once YOUR FAITH IS REWARDED not only by a GLIMPSE OF JESUS, but a real hugging, arm in arm walking experience with the one and only Lord of all Jesus Christ.

BE READY!

Revelation 3:12 “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.”

Papa Villaneva-99 Years old

On March 22, 1921, my grandfather was born in Mexico. Papa was born as a premature baby. He was told by his mother he looked like a rat. They did not know he was going to live but he did live after 96 years. 

His story on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NMyMco_8Ek4  in Spanish. 

My grandfather is living the American dream. My grand father generation is call the, "Greatest Generation," because as one said, " Men and Woman fought not for fame or recognition, but because it was the "right thing to do." My grand father is a man of doing the right thing for his family and also a man of respect. 

I was honored as his granddaughter to know my grandfather almost 39 years of my life. I looked to my grandfather as my 2nd dad. I spoke a little Spanish but we communicated to each other somehow. We laughed, smiled, sang,hugged, prayed, sat together in quietness & ate together. We created many memories together for a lifetime. Papa taught all of us to always put family first. To reach out to others, love others, and pray for them. Sharing the Gospel. Worship and look to Jesus. My papa lived the American Dream. In my Papa’s early years, he was motivated to find a better life in the great state of Texas in 1949 with his family. Papa worked hard in the fields of America with his family. Later on in his life he worked in a factory with his family & my grandma. Papa didn’t read really well in Spanish and learned to read the Bible at age of 53. He loved the Lord. Papa retired to be a farmer and a missionary to his local community with my grandma. As a child during my summer visits it was my papa who sang and preached the Bible. At the end of the service papa would pray for many people after church or in his home during the day or night. Many people would look for my papa to pray, including myself. Papa would quote a verse then pray for you. You would feel papa’s prayers through the Lord. When papa lost my grandma in 1997 my papa went to visit all of his family members and traveled all over Mexico. My papa preached & prayed for many people. I found out later papa supported & helped build a church in Reynosa, Mexico. Papa was a very humble man. He impacted us grandchildren to do something great in the Lord, our family’s lives & in our jobs.

¨He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Psalm 91:1 ESV

https://www.bible.com/59/psa.91.1.esv

My papa's life was very interesting before he found the Lord. 

One of my papa's favorite mariachi songs is, "One Day at a Time", https://youtu.be/Jqmf_nf6uyg.

Living By Faith

35 Years Young!

Where did the time go? I was 25 years old, 10 years ago in the month of September. I was 25 years old and thinking of school, and work. When I was 25 years old my life was consumed all about me. Little did I know that things were going to change for me a year later when I watched my father fight colon cancer. Life is not all about me, it's about somebody else. Be strong when someone is weak. Love the Lord when things go wrong in your life.

This past year in my life, I had decided to make some changes in my life and make some major goals for my future.

Health was most important factor in my life. No, I don't need to lose weight, but exercising is on top of my list. Cancer is my fear in my life. I was not being active in my daily life. I purchased Fitbit and notice I had 2,000 steps in my daily walk. Scary! Also, my mother and my younger sister advice me to work out. These ladies push me to better myself and my body. Thanks mom and sis!

Clifford, my sis and I working out @ www.vargasbjj.com/jiu-jitsu.html

Less about social media and focus on volunteering, exercising, catching up at home, watching my favorite shows, hanging with my family and friends. Please forgive me if I miss your birthday, commenting on your vacation, family's pictures, pet's pictures, or your friend's pictures, or your status. I have to a balance to my life. Computers do not rule my life. I choose to live in the real world.

Growing up in the hospitality industry appearance is very important to the public. I found when you exercise all the time less makeup and working less on your hair. This was a huge sacrifice that I was making this year.

Worship and Prayer in traffic. I found the best times you can have with the Lord is in traffic @ 8am. Patience is key during this time. I found myself avoiding accidents and not having a flat tire on busiest highways in my hometown. Thank you, Lord for protecting me!

Lastly, this week, my cousin passed away from cancer. This was my dad's older brother- step daughter, Tracy Crowe Fash. I watched her fight breast cancer. I was not close to my cousin, but I prayed a lot for her. I was believing for a miracle for this young woman. I felt it was a duty as my dad's daughter to prayer for her. I watched Tracy beat cancer 1st time and watch the pain of Tracy fighting for her life 2nd time. Tracy lived her life to fullest with her family, colleagues and with friends in her last days.

As, I turn 35 this month, I leave words from my cousin, https://twitter.com/TracyFash : "I may have a non curable cancer but I can't help feeling so blessed by the wonderful people in my life." #lovelife#needacureforcancer

Psalm 91:4-5(CEV)

“4 He will spread his wings
 over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like 
a shield or a city wall.5 you won’t need to worry 
about dangers at night
 or arrows during the day.”

Many hugs to my dad's family, Tracy's friends & love ones.

Forget me Not!

Today my dad would be 61 years old on 06.28.2015. I want to remember my dad with the words he had written on September 08,1999 during his morning devotion. He had written this devotion call,"Forget Me Not." Daniel R. 

I hope you are encouraged today. 

From his oldest daughter, Isleen R.

Hello Summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been a while since I have written anything on this blog. Life has kept me busy since February. Yes! I didn't even had time to write all these months until now.

Now, the summer season has arrived. Hello Summer!! The summer season is my favorite time of the year. Last night, I had very interesting dream last night. It had to do with the summer season and fall season. I had walked in a Target store and enjoyed seeing the summer store front with all the colors and designs everywhere. The store had lots of colors around the store that brought life to the store. ( One thing you don't know about me is that I love designing & decorating).

2^nd part of the dream, I had walked in Target it was The Fall season. Summer had ended. All the summer items were on clearance. All colorful summer designs were gone from the store. It was depressing for me. I had walked through all Target aisles looking at all Fall colors in the store. Then, I had woke up from the dream in shock. What was this dream tell me? Will my Fall season be sad for me? I don't know what my summer season is going to be like for me? I don't know what my Fall season be for me? As, I had turned to my Bible the Lord talks about different seasons in our lives.

“Ecclesiastes 3

King James Version (KJV)

3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” 

I will not go too much in context of this Bible verse. I will say... seasons come and go. We are not in control of our seasons. There are times we don't know what is going to happen next. The real test in your life is how you are going to react in the different seasons. The Lord has shown me to Trust in him  in the winter, summer, fall or spring season. 

Lastly, I promise, I will share my summer season with you in my pictures.

Enjoy the summer season, Y'ALL! See you soon! :)

Iamisleen

Accepting Changes

Everyone will be writing review of their year in 2013 and their goals of 2014 online. I would write about my year but it's already on my blog. Here is a small video that you can check out out my year in review for 2013 by clicking here. My goals for 2014 is something that I will keep in my journal.There is a lot that I would like to accomplish in 2014 but I would like to keep it private. I want change in 2014 in my life.

I will share my dad's writings about three changes that occurs in our lives: Natural, Self Induced (brought on by oneself or itself) & Uncontrollable Changes. This will make you think about you life this past year in 2013 and help you plan your goals for next year in 2014.

My dad, J D Rodriguez wrote this on 01.05.2000****************************************

Writing the year 2000 on our checkbooks, Daylight Savings Time, Graying, Loosing/Making Friends, Loosing Hair, Loosing your figure, Kids growing up, The weather, Your Memory not being the same, Spending & Making Money.

Matthew18:13, “And he said, “ I tell you the truth, unless you Change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Changes comes when we least expect them. Changes come through many ways. Some changes we accept them while others we reject them initially. God put animals on this earth so we could learn much from them. If they could talk, I'm sure we would know more information about ourselves regarding change. There are three type of changes of which includes Nature Change, Self-Induced Changes, and the Uncontrollable Changes. We mostly accept the Natural and the Self-Induced Changes except when there is a conflict with other human relationships. The final kind of change, which is the Uncontrollable, become a decision we have to make whether we accept the or reject them.

Natural Changes

Live Right ( Everyone accept a good man)

Prov. 16:7 “ When a man's way are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Self-Induced Changes

All seem to be lifestyle inflicted of which can be bad or good:

Positive: Setting positive goals, exercising, good diet, making each day count, living to the server instead of serving to live, keeping positive NO MATTER WHAT, & knowing your place with God/family/friends/and habits

Negative: Gambling, drinking (too much of drinking) hating, mindless music, cursing, living fast, spending trying to keep up with the Jone's, not loving to love but living to putting trust on possessions ( material) instead of God and loved ones, treating people as things instead of living breathing beings, living an immortal lifestyle ( No).

UNCONTROLLABLE CHANGES:

ILLNESS, AGING, DEATH, TAXES, I'm sure we can mention others like visiting the MOTHER IN LAW (my dad loved his Mother in Law, Maria) unwanted Relatives, hurtful friends like BILLS, Etc. But Seriously, I was young and had a great job in Sales when I was called into my managers office. My wife was 8 months pregnant (with me) and I got laid off. After laying around feeling sorry myself, it took courage to find another job because of my PRIDE/ my expectations/my success story/my routine had been ripped apart. That experience was a turning point in my life. It taught me well to always prepare for the unexpected. (my dad was laid off several times in his career.)

Things we can learn from animals regarding changes:

1. They're born without being cuddled and wrapped in a blanket or a nice soft pillow to rest on. ( My dog Gigi ( Toy Poodle), always sat on a nice pillow on the family couch)
2. Many Species have to do their own work in their birth instead of the mother pushing them out.
3. Their weaning period from their mothers can be instantly, days or just a few months.
4. No one knows when a sparrow dies except God and their parents.
5. Animals don't call their parents or their siblings on Holidays.
6. Sometimes it's hard to tell when they're sad, hurting, cold or even dying.

A mind set that can help you with unwanted changes:

1. Realize change do not have to ask you for permission to come. They come regardless.
2. You can not stop change. YOU ARE NOT IN CHARGE BUT Change is in charge.
3. It's how you direct the change to flow where you want it to flow.
4. Do not just see, hear,feel, taste change but ask yourself, “ Why Am I am so special that I can not accept this change?”
5. Lastly, the very first step in knowing how to handle change is knowing you have change standing right in from of you!