I agree with this young man 110%! Â Please watch this video!
Tag: Religion and Spirituality
30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21
Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense 🙂
Day 21 Question #21: What is the greatest lesson your children have ever taught you?
Answer: The one thing  I have learned after all these years of raising kids is how amazingly resilient their spirits are.
When something bad happens they shrug it off more readily and easily than adults. I have asked my kids through the years to think back about when we were going through a rough spot, as a family or in my marriage to their dad. Their answers amaze me because I used to think that they would remember all the bad stuff in detail. Their answers that reflect that even though they knew times were bad, they took the good memories and cling to them. With the not so good things, they talk about it candidly and even laugh about some of the outlandish things they’ve seen.
A child’s bounce back ability is so amazing to me. I have seen each of my kids go through a terrible disappointment and be completely heart-broken and frustrated, only to shrug it off the next day. They move on quickly where adults linger in things that ought be discarded. That’s one of the biggest things I have learned from my kids. If things don’t happen like I thought they were going to, I follow their example; cry, shrug and move on.
30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17
Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. 
Day 17 Question #17: Â What is the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
Answer: Â I read this and my mind immediately went to when I was in Bible College. I had come up with the tuition money for that semester but I was having a hard time coming up with the money for the required books. I went to the registrar to see what I could do about it and she said that my books were paid for. I was thrilled! I asked her how and she said that someone had paid for my books earlier that week. When I asked her who because I wanted to thank them personally, she said she had promised this individual complete anonymity. Â My eyes got a little misty and I thanked God for coming through for me through the kindness of a stranger.
Love, Serve, Let Go!
Life goes on and on. You go where God‘s Spirit leads you; you love, you serve, you give it all you have and then you let go. Yeshua said  that The Spirit comes and goes; no one knows where He came from and no one knows where He’s going to show up next. So are those of us that are of His Spirit. We MUST learn to flow with The Holy Spirit‘s current.
Hover where He hovers. Hover signifies a sort of floating as a cloud that then lifts and moves on after a little while. We get too comfortable way too quickly. We always long to put down roots. The Spirit of God is so opposite of this; He hovers, He lingers, He moves on. And so must we if we are to stay true to His nature, true to His ways, true to His character…true to His LOVE. I don’t ever want to live one single day out of sync with The Holy Spirit.
Eva Santiago Copyright 2011
Somebody better look out for me
Although I stand alone
I’m more dangerous than I seem
But in this smoking gun world
Our lights don’t last
They’re over fast
Life goes on
Goes on and on
On and on
Life goes on
Goes on and on
On and on
Although I really don’t know
Your time is fading fast
I wake up in a wasted world
How long is it gonna last
Under pressure and pain
What may be right may be wrong
-Andy Taylor “Life Goes On”
No MATTER What…
Today I want to remind you that NO MATTER what you’re experiencing right now, that God’s love for us goes deeper than what any of us can fathom. Trials have an interesting way of manifesting God’s love in a more powerful and tangible way. My dear readers and friends I want to encourage you by letting you know that you don’t always have to know why you go through what you go through; just TRUST Him the one who has it all under control. Think about this, trials and adversity are our university where we go, in order to learn who we are in God. TRUST Him even when you’ve no reason to and guess what? You’ll come out stronger in your faith and deeper in your love for Him. I dedicate this video to all of us who are in the midst of trials right now. This was posted to my Facebook wall by my sweet sister and I hope it uplifts you as it did me. Have a great day!
On The Menu: Humble Pie
Humble people are cool to hang out with. They have no interest on impressing anybody. They are confident and self assured; they are not in competition with anyone because they know who they are. They don’t break a sweat when they are falsely accused. Humble folks don’t mind eating their fair share of humble pie because they know it’s good to do so in order to mature. A meek person has a gentle spirit, however they are far from weak. Their humility gives them a strength that is strong enough to endure anything life throws their way. Â I have chosen my lot in life and I have made friends with some of the most humble people because they help me to stay true to my God, myself and my destiny.
Humility-1. In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will.
Before honor is humility. Prov.15.
REACH
My youngest daughter recently performed a Lyrical Dance to Peter Furler’s song “REACH” at a church. Sometimes God will use a child to reach out to you and I believe this video will bless you and encourage you to keep reaching out to a God who really cares about you and loves you; no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done. Reach, keep on reaching and NEVER give up hope.
12 Things You Never Assume When Attending Church
Assume-To take for granted, or without proof; to suppose as a fact; to suppose or take arbitrarily or tentatively.
Today I want to share some truths that I had to discuss with my kids last Friday. We haven’t attended church on a regular basis up until now, so I had completely forgotten what the church atmosphere can be like at times. Here are 12 things you never assume about church.
1) Never assume that everyone in church will welcome you or your calling.
2) Never assume that everyone that goes to church has your best intentions in mind.
3) Never assume that everyone that goes to church is going to be friendly.
4) Never assume that you won’t find bullies in church.
5) Never let just anyone lay hands on you or pray with you. Someone with a wrong spirit can defile you if you let them pray or lay hands on you.
6) Never let just anyone prophesy on you. Words are power and words spoken in a wrong spirit or out of timing can defile you.
7) T.D. Jakes once said: ” Remember this, folks is crazy.” Never assume that there are no crazy people in church.
8) Never assume that there are no cliques in church.
9) Never assume that everyone who goes to church is a nice Christian; there ARE wolves in sheep’s clothing going to church right along side with you.
10) Never assume that the people in leader ship like the pastors and the elders see or hear everything that is going on. They are after all, human like all of us.
11) Never assume that everyone who goes to church loves and serves the same God you do. There are people in church who serve their own version of God. Jesus said we would be known by our fruit (or lack thereof) so become a fruit inspector. 🙂
12) Just because someone sits in a garage doesn’t make them a car; in the same way, don’t assume that everyone who attends church is a Christian.
If you keep these things in mind, then your church going experience might be pleasant. I have met some of the nicest people out side of church and I have met some of the meanest people inside the church walls.
“I am a bit too worldly for the religious. And I’m a bit too religious for the worldly.” -Phil Keaggy, Musician
To Speak or Not To Speak
“You are responsible not only for what you do say, but also for what you do not say.” —Martin Luther
Life is eternal and so are words. Why is it that people think they can say whatever comes to mind and not receive repercussions from their spoken words or deeds. Life is in the tongue; the tongue can create or destroy. How do you use words on a daily basis? Do you speak in order to hurt others or to build them up with encouragement. 
I grew up never being allowed to speak my mind; it hurt me in more ways than I can possibly realize. As I have gotten older I see the travesty in not telling your children that they are loved on a daily basis. When I was a child I was never told that by the people who raised me and it has made me insecure in some areas of my life. Now that I have kids of my own, I lavish them with encouraging words because I know the terrible void
unspoken words have left in my heart.
We set things in motion when we speak; what are you speaking over yourself? Have you ever stopped to listen to what you actually say to others and to yourself? Take the ear phones out and turn off all of the noise around you and really tune into your inner voice.
What does it sound like? I do that often and it helps me by correcting the things I say to myself. Choose this day what words to say; you can curse or bless but you can’t do them both simultaneously.
It’s Fruit Season!
” You shall know them by their fruit…”
Dear Diary,
I went camping yesterday with a few adults and a group of kids. I am new to this church I recently started attending. My Ma avoids going to church because she doesn’t like religious folks so we have stayed away from church circles for a while. I love God and I have a deep faith in Him because my Ma models Him for me everyday. But just recently I felt drawn to finding a church to call my 2nd home. And, I thought I had done just that until I went on this trip. Boy was I blown away with the things I saw some of these “nice” church people doing.
The leader of the whole group was nice at first but in time I saw his true colors.
I heard him talk down to a lot of kids and when one of the adults got hurt he was so lacking in compassion. I thought,’ I’m supposed to listen to him? Why?’
Then there were the various groups of cliques that had formed
; I felt just like I do when I go to school everyday. The popular kids hang with each other and the regular kids like me we sought out the ones who were ignored by the popular kids. I thought.’ No wonder my Ma stays away from all this craziness.’
I saw another thing that really made me sad and it was how this one youth leader whom us guys are suppose to look up to was rough housing and playing with some of the girls that came. This guy was trippin’…on his own ego that is. Wasn’t he supposed to be looking out for all of our safety? Isn’t that what leaders do? I saw two girls I had been talking with all week end long get injured under this guy’s “watchful eye” when the raft they were all on was capsized and it landed on both girl’s heads. Hmmmm you be the judge God and you show me if I’m being judgemental or not. If I am forgive me; but if I’m not, help us all act more like you.
Lastly, I read somewhere that we will be known by our fruit. One of the fruit of The Spirit is LOVE. This week end I saw love in some people that came on this trip; there were some parents that came a long to help out the youth leaders; I saw love in them. Then I saw love in a couple of the other youth leaders. May be just maybe, the rest of the youth leaders came along to learn to love by having to serve the whole group. You decide.
I’m glad I went on this trip though because I did get to meet some really cool kids.
Talk more later…
Carlos G.
P.S. To ALL youth group leaders everywhere: Please remember we are still kids and if you are trying to lead us, we watch what you DO, way more than what you SAY.
Eva Santiago 