Whatever is the Weather

Whatever is the Weather

“Red Moon Rising by Peter Greig & Dave Roberts”, is one of many books that I am currently reading. I would like to share one part of the book that I found it interesting and then I will give my opinion about what I thought after you read this piece. Please read the following: “It was really because of Roger that I was here in Chichester, zooming down the road to the ER on a mission from God. Ever since that vision Portugal, I’d been wondering what to do about it. All I knew for sure was that it had to begin with getting myself sorted. God spoken to me clearly in a London park one day, pointing out a majestic oak tree before directing my attention to Jeremiah 17:7-8 “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out it roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

I knew that God was telling me to put down roots by stream. Like most people, I was relatively fruitful when the sun was shining; a few friends had become Christians, and I was even viewed as something of a leader by about half dozen of my friends. I was the guy who did pretty much anything exciting he could think of for God. I had driven relief vans to Romania orphanages, smuggled Bibles in China, worked in Hong Kong with heroin addicts and in London with the homeless. I was a full-on lone ranger for Jesus.

But I had to admit, I wasn’t accountable to anyone for my actions and as a result, whenever the seasons of my life changed and the sun disappeared, so did my fruitfulness. Jeremiah was right. My girlfriend had recently finished with me and I’d been inconsolable. If I wanted to bear fruit supernaturally regardless of the climate, I knew I needed to draw water from an ongoing community that would challenge me, encourage me, and hold me accountable, whatever the weather. No more lone ranger. "

Lone Ranger… I think of the TV show of the Lone Ranger riding with his horse in the open field in some desert of Arizona. Being a Lone Ranger as Christian can't bring any help when you are on the field. When I first Christian there were so many questions which I had for my youth pastor or one of the interns was also there to help us out to figure of how to walk this walk with the Lord. I am thankful for those people who were in my life in that season. I am at the still in that season of having to be accountable to one person or another. I have chosen biology father to be my spiritual father in my life. He has brought many good advices and we have spent many hours in prayer. I could see myself walking this walk all by myself if I had to but there are times when I need to be encouraged, humble, lift up, spoken into, or mentor. There are no Lone Rangers in this journey with the Lord.

Isleen Rodriguez

Standing in Your Rut

Standing in your Rut

We all come to a place in our life call, “The Rut”. The rut is a place where you have come in your life where you feel like are living each day as the same. Remember the movie call, “Ground Hog Day” with Bill Murray? In the movie the character that Bill Murray played weatherman who finds that he is living the same day over and over again. Imagine yourself living your day over and over again. To some people living in a rut is a reality for them.

Last year, I felt like I was going somewhere with getting my bachelor degree but I felt like I have come to a place call the rut. The economy took a turn for the worst in Sept. 2008 and the jobless with half of Americans working in this country it is no wonder that I have not received a job offer in my field. Each day, I had prayed for the Lord to guide my path to direct me into the right direction of where he wants me to go with work in my field. I have looked into another field career in health area at the beginning of year to take some courses but it was too expensive for me. I had thought about getting a loan in order to take these courses at UTA but I did not because I am up to my neck with all my school loans. One of my prayers was how I was going to manage to take these courses without getting a loan. Answer to me was to wait. I could tell you that I was feeling down but I knew in my heart not to give up because the Lord has a plan. The Lord has a plan for all of us but we can’t give up on our dreams. My dream is to get my Masters to work in the Social Work Field. During my period of the wait which I started to realize on how many books I did not read, movies I haven’t watched in the last 4 years, helping my little sis with the kids, taking a debt free class at church, couple counseling, and exercising.

Last week which receive a catalog at the community college of the health courses at a cheaper price than going to UTA. I will not have to get a loan because some how I will manage it to pay without going in debt. Plus, the health course is down the street from where I live. I don’t have to go across town to take these classes. Amen!!!The Lord has a plan and I thank him for being there for me.

Once of the verse that is speaking into my life right now is:

Isaiah 44
“But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one.

The Lord who made you and helps you says: o not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one.

For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.

They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.

Some will proudly claim, ‘I belong to the Lord.’ Others will say, ‘I am a descendant of Jacob.’ Some will write the Lord’s name on their hands

I am in a rut right not but one day the Lord is going to move me somewhere than where I am at in my life at this time.

Isleen

Cancer

Cancer

Last year we found out my father test came back negative which means this is good news because there was no trace of cancer. For time to time dad goes to the doctors to get checked up of cancer. My dad went to the doctor this last week to take his test. Yesterday, my mom had taken the day off from work to go to the doctor's office with my dad. Once my parents reach the doctor’s office and my parents sat with the doctor to be given the results of the test. The doctor told my father that the test came out negative. My dad was giving his praises to the Lord again this year! My father has been cancer free for 2 years!!!! Amen!!! I told my co-workers of my testimony of the good news about my father having no cancer which I sat down in my chair then my other co-worker, Seth came to the front to tell us what was happening with his girl friend Brooke. Brooke has been in battle with cancer in the last year. Seth told us that Brooke has 1-4 months to live. Seth was in tears when he told us the terrible news to all of us and some of the other ladies were in tears for Brooke. It is never easy to hear the bad news from the doctors when they tell you that you are going to die soon. What do you say when the doctors give you a time when you will die? You get depressed for days going on that you will die soon. You may feel like you have no hope and there is no future for you. My dad felt like this so many times while he was dealing with cancer and I had to sit by his side to watch him to go through with his pain. Many of you reading this my blog which I come to tell you there is hope no matter if you have cancer or no cancer. Christ is the only way. My father tells me if it wasn’t for Christ he would not have the reason to live.

Please keep Brooke Smith in prayer for all you prayer warriors. Brooke is 22 years old and has tumor has spread in her spine. I believe the Lord can heal her from his deadly disease.


Isleen

10 Years Later

10 Years Later……

10 years ago I was a senior in high school and I heard the news of the Columbine shooting in Colorado. It was moment I would never forget while I was in high school. I had fear going school each day and I would think to myself, “What would happen if one of student started to come into my school and start shooting at all of us?” I know my high school made some changes by adding extra security at my high school. Everyday until I graduated from high school which I prayed for all my classmate’s lockers and I prayed for protection at my school. There were a few bomb threats at our school but nothing happened compared to what had occurred in Columbine.

10 years later…. It shakes me up when I read a news headline regarding a school shooting on the internet. The last time I heard a school shooting was in Germany. It makes me wonder that enemy is putting negative stuff in student’s mind and they are listening to it. Many of us are now parents who have a child in school and we need to pray for these schools in American and all over the world. Please join me in pray for the students at high school campus or college campus today and the rest of the year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30259632/

Isleen

Don't Judge Others

Don’t Judge Others

I had watched World News with Charles Gibson last night and I saw this story about a “middle-aged Scottish woman who says she’s never been kissed has become an international star after shocking judges with her singing on “Britain’s Got Talent." You had to hear this lady sing which I had receive chills as I heard her sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical “Les Miserable’s”. All the judges’ faces were in shocked as this Scottish lady was singing her heart out. At the end of her song please read the following: “The other two judges looked on with gaping jaws as Boyle turned the crowd’s cynicism into tear-soaked adoration."

"When she had finished, the theater erupted into a tsunami of cheers and applause as Boyle started to walk off the stage. She was stopped by Cowell, who reminded her she needed to hear from the judges.

First was Piers Morgan, who told her, “That was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years on the show.” His vote, he said, was “the biggest yes I have ever given anybody.”
Cowell completed the judging with the third resounding yes. “Susan Boyle, you can go back to the village with your head held high,” he said. “It’s three yeses.”
A huge smile erupted on Boyle’s face as she made a fist and danced in place in her white pumps.”

The Lord brought to my attention to not judge others or else you will be judge. We all have fault in ourselves and all of us are not perfect. Please read following verse that has to do with judging others at:

Luke 6:37-38

Do Not Judge Others

37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30226936/?gt1=43001


Isleen

Words of Life & Death

Words Of Life & Death

Did you ever think that you can bring life to someone or you can bring death to someone with the words you speak to family member, friend, co-worker, classmate, manager or someone you love? What I mean words of life is mostly positive such as, “ Awesome job on that project Mary Sue” or “ You are encouragement to me, Judy.” These words of life can make you feel confident about yourself and make you feel like you are doing awesome job in what you are doing in life.

Word of death is mostly negative when you speak to someone such as “ You didn’t do a great job on that project and you need practice on writing, Billy Bob.” or “ You make me feel little of what you say to me, George.” These words can make you feel negative about yourself and most likely make you want to react in anger towards the person who is commenting towards you.

In my past, words of death made me feel negative about myself. I stood my ground and took charge by speaking against the words of death when someone had text me today. I was not going to let the enemy take my joy today. I said, “ devil get the behind me.” There was silence for a moment… Then the storm had passed away. The sun came out and it was beautiful night to in the end. Don’t let the enemy take your joy today and stand your ground when words of death come in your path. When negative words come in your life pray for the person who was negative towards you.

verbs 15:4:
NIV Bible Translation

4 Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit

Isleen

Gold Fish

Gold Fish

A child like faith could not stop this little girl to believe that her fish would come to life. My sister first separates the fish in separate bowl from the fish tank with the dirty water. When she was done cleaning then she adds the fish into the clean tank. One of the Gold fish looked like it was dying. The Gold fish body had turned upside down and my niece, Lily had decided it was time to pray for this poor fish. My sister was about to flush the Gold Fish down the toilet to save the grief from my niece the next morning.

Then this morning Lily had called her grandpa to tell him a surprise. “The Gold Fish is alive!” My little niece is only five years but has a child like faith to believe that her fish can come alive. Some of us adults need to have a child like faith like my niece and not to fear what when negative things happens to us. We need to have faith that G-d is in control of every situation.

Passage Matthew 19:14:
14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.

Isleen