Spring Is Around The Corner!

As I look from my window, I see how this beautiful tree begins to bloom the week before Valentine's Day. Then right on February 14th is in full bloom, as if my Heavenly Father was delivering flowers to me on Valentine's Day!

I grew up in Managua, Nicaragua where we only had one season--hot all year round. It was hot even when it rained. It was beautiful because it was always green. We had flowers all year long.

One of the things I enjoy of living in California is appreciating the changes of the four seasons. We wouldn't look forward to spring if it wasn't because of winter.

You see what I mean? This tree is so spooky. It gave me the creeps when I first saw it. It looks lifeless and dead...

Same tree in summer time...full of life and beauty!

The fall colors are breathtaking...

And the snow is just gorgeous...

I love to experience the changes in color and the beauty around me. My least favorite is the dead looking tree of winter. I was once like that tree. I was depressed and discouraged. Then I met my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and He gave me life... abundant life!

I don't know what season of life you are in. But, if you feel like a lifeless tree I can tell you that there is hope. Hang in there. I pray that you will find and experience God's love too. You may want to read my blog titled, "The Best Christmas Present Ever!!!" to read about the hope I'm talking about...

Psalm 1:1-3 says:

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Maybe you are like the tree described in this Psalm, if not, remember...spring is just around the corner!

Who Can Be The Best Valentine Ever?

       Who Can Be The Best Valentine Ever?

One night I couldn't sleep thinking about what Valentine's Day was going to look like for my widowed and divorced friends. I got up from bed and went straight to my computer. This is the letter I wrote several years ago to encourage them. But even if you have a significant other in your life, this letter will help you see and understand how much you are loved by God.

Who promises not to leave you or forsake you?

“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Joshua 1:5

Who loves you unconditionally, regardless of shape, size, or color?

“However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.” - Deuteronomy 23:5

“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:39

Who listens to your problems and concerns like nobody else?

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

Who is there for you at all times?

“For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever..." - Psalm 37:28

Who delights in you?

“For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.” - Psalm 149:4

Who says He will be your husband and a father to your children?

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” - Deuteronomy 10:18

“For your Maker is your husband- the LORD Almighty is His name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.” - Isaiah 54:5

Who is your faithful friend?

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” - Psalm 86:15

Who will never disappoint you?

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” - Romans 5:5

 Only JESUS can love you like no one else can. He loves you so much that He gave His life for you. 

He wants to spend eternity with you in the Mansion He went to prepare for YOU!

 This Valentine’s Day, beloved, you are not alone. You are loved. Jesus wants to be your Valentine. 

Have a “date” with Jesus by spending time reading His love letter to you--His wonderful Word. 

Have a cup of coffee or tea with Him. 

Talk to Him in prayer and take time to listen to what He wants to say to your heart! 

The first commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and the second greatest is to love one another. 

Spend the day loving your neighbors and friends--share God’s love with them. 

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Excerpt from my book, "How To Love God with All Your Heart - A Personal Journey & Testimonial Bible Study Guide" by Guadalupe C. Casillas

Copyright 2015

In His Love,

Guadalupe :-)

Picture taken by Guadalupe in Cancun, Mexico.

Valentine's Day - February--The Month of Love!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

February is the month of love! Everyday can actually be Valentine's day when a couple is "in-love." I made our plans for Valentine's Day since Christmas! 

I recently commented to the cashier lady at Raley's how much I love to see the men buy flowers, cards, balloons and even teddy bears to give to their significant other. I said, "I think it's so romantic to see them come out of the store with all that stuff." Her replied was not so romantic. She said, "I think they're doing it so they won't get in trouble." I laughed!

When it comes to Valentine's Day I don't leave anything to chance. I've been married for almost 32 years and I tell my husband exactly what I want. I'm looking forward to a candlelight dinner at our special restaurant. Chocolate for dessert is in the menu too! 

Other women prefer the element of surprise. Unfortunately, the surprise might be that their loved one forgot or that they didn't meet their expectations. My husband likes the fact that I plan the day. He says I'm being helpful in letting him know my wishes and that makes him happy.

Valentine's Day can be a difficult day for some people. My heart goes out to those of you who are not in a relationship due to a break-up or have lost a spouse. 

In Mexico, Valentine's Day is also called, "El Día De La Amistad" (Friendship Day). You can plan something fun with friends or celebrate "love" with those in your family or visit a retirement home or a shelter.

Several years ago, I wrote a letter to those who are not able to be with the one they love. I will post this letter next week. It is titled, "Jesus is our best Valentine!" You will see why...

A Clean Slate... A Fresh Start!

A Clean Slate... A Fresh Start!

It's 2012... a New Year and an opportunity to start over. The idea of a fresh start is refreshing. If you made mistakes or poor choices in 2011 a clean slate would be great. I looked up the word "slate" in the dictionary. One of the meanings is a tablet (as of slate) used for writing on and also a written or unwritten record (as of deeds) <started with a clean slate>. I thought of the title for this blog last month and as the year started I've seen or heard the words, "clean slate" three times. One of them was even in a legal advertisement. 

In my blog titled, "The Best Christmas Present Ever" I talked about receiving the gift of eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ. If you said that prayer and asked God to forgive you of all of your past sins, then you are free from condemnation. Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

The part that took me a long time to comprehend is the "free from condemnation" or the fact that I could start with a "clean slate". For years, even when I had confessed my sins to God, I carried the burden of guilt and shame. God had set me free and forgiven my sins, but Satan had a way of reminding me of them and making me feel guilty and unworthy. Until I learned through studying the Word of God the wonderful passages about God's complete forgiveness. 

Here are the verses I now share with friends that tell me, "But Guadalupe, you don't know my past, God cannot forgive me for what I've done..." Check these Scripture verses for yourself:

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Colossians 1:13-14

For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

God does give us an opportunity to start over and have a clean slate. You can confess your sins to Him by sincerely repenting of them and asking Him to help you not to sin again. I used to repent, confess and tell God that I would never commit that sin again and within hours or days I would break my promise. 

Then I changed the way I prayed. I repented, asked God to forgive me and said, "Lord, I won't promise that I won't do it again, because I'm weak, but I'm asking you to please help me to be strong and not fall into temptation." That was much better. Instead of trying to be good by my own efforts, I asked God to help me overcome and He did! He gives me the power to live a life of victory instead of shame and defeat.

Please listen to the words of this YouTube video attached. It is titled, "What Sin?"

https://youtu.be/yFSNQyTnPmM

May God bless all of you! God's mercies are new every morning. Every day, every moment we can start all over again because of His abundant grace. If you ask Him, He will help you to become stronger. Stay close to Him and His Word. Be vigilant in prayer.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for your grace and unmerited favor. Thank you for your great love and patience. Help us to please you in everything we do. Thank you for washing our sins and making us whiter than snow. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

My Prayer For The New Year...

My Prayer For The New Year

Dear Lord,

As I think about the coming year Father, and how busy I'll be with exciting new projects, I ask Lord that you will always guide me, protect me, lead me, shape me and mold me. Lord, instead of feeling overwhelmed I want to hold your hand tight and to be close to your heart. All I need is to love you.

As I'm praying I think of the song, "Lead Me to the Cross." Help me to never take your love and grace for granted. Take me to the cross. When I think about the cross, I'm once again thankful for what you've done for me and ultimately that's all it matters.

Bless and protect my family, friends and blog readers all over the world, Lord. I thank you for those who are reading my blog in Russia, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Malaysia, Nicaragua and the U.S. May they know you and love you more each day. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

Have a blessed and prosperous New Year! My next blog will be about being completely forgiven..."A Clean Slate...A Fresh Start!"

https://youtu.be/L-JBbdJ5eZ8

For His Glory!

Guadalupe :)

p.s. if you have a prayer request, please write it down in the comment box and I'll be happy to pray for you!

The Best Christmas Present Ever!!!

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!!

Today is December 24th. It's 11:35 a.m. in California. In a few hours all over the world, some people who celebrate Christmas will be opening gifts. If you believe Jesus is the Son of God and was sent by God to save us from our sins then you have already received and opened the greatest gift of all...Jesus Christ!

I say it's the best because it involves total forgiveness, salvation, hope, joy, peace and everlasting life. I wrote a book where I share about the great love of God as well as my journey with Him. I suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and fear in my mid-twenties. I had lost my faith in God. After studying the Word of God for twenty-four years, reading the entire Bible, and many questions and research, I finally discovered His unconditional love.

I learned that this precious gift is free. It can't be earned by good works and deeds. It is obtained by faith and grace alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

If you say you are a good person and don't need to be saved, Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That's all of us! Have your ever lied, stolen something, had pride, envy, lust, hatred...God is Holy and I thank Him that He sent His only Son to become sin for us and take our punishment. The punishment for sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life." I can go on and on to try to explain salvation and eternal life to you through Scripture verses. I do this in my book, "How to Love God with All Your Heart - A Personal Journey & Testimonial Bible Study Guide," which is available on Amazon.

Today, if you want to open the best gift of all, on December 24th, all you need to do is admit that you're not good enough compared to a Holy and perfect God. If you are tired of living a life without hope then come to Him, just as you are. Confess your sins to Him. Through Jesus' death on the cross we have direct access to God in our prayers. Jesus is our Mediator. The Bible says that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). I invite you to say this prayer to receive your "free gift." The Word of God says that when you do, you cross from death to life (John 5:24), your name is written in the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5) and to those who believe they receive the gift of eternal life. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Here is your gift, but you must receive it or the gift will not have an owner. You can open this gift by saying this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I believe by faith that you are the Son of God

That you died for me on the cross

And that God raised you from the dead.

I repent of all my sins... even the ones that I have already forgotten.

I surrender to you!

I invite you to come into my heart

as my personal Lord and Savior.

Thank you for washing away all of my sins

and thank you for your gift of eternal life.

Please help me to follow you

and to do your will

all the days of my life!

It is in your Name, Lord Jesus that I pray. Amen!!!

_______________________________

Sign & Date

If you said this prayer, I welcome you into God's family. You may fail again, but now you have His Holy Spirit living inside of you, to guide you, protect you, and help you to resist temptation, if you ask Him. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

On my next blog, I will write more about His forgiveness, His love and His help in living the Christian life. We're not left alone or helpless. I'm praying for you!

(To be continued...)

p.s. If you said the prayer above or recommitted your life to Christ, please leave me your comments. God bless you!

Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas! :)

http://youtu.be/yLE8EY0gMX4

Guadalupe

FINDING JOY DURING CHRISTMAS!

FINDING JOY DURING CHRISTMAS!

Growing up I thought Christmas was supposed to be the happiest day of the year. The magical idea that a very generous person named, Santa Claus would bring me many presents was a little girl's delight. I counted the days. Opening the gifts I wrote about on my Christmas list and eating the special meal with my family would bring me the ultimate joy I was seeking.

My expectations of a happy day had been high the entire month. Opening gifts, eating a delicious dinner with my parents and sisters and lighting a few fireworks in Nicaragua didn't create the magic I hoped for. I thought, "That's it? This is what I waited for so long?" Don't take me wrong, I enjoyed the gifts, my family, the meal, but I still didn't have the deep joy I had anticipated.

Later on, I was married and had two boys. They also were excited about Christmas, but only hours after opening gifts, the boys were fighting and didn't seem happy or grateful. I heard my sons expressing what next toy they were eager to obtain just days after they opened all of their presents. I said, "This is going to change!" The following year the number of toys were reduced and we gathered as a family to thank God for the birth of Jesus and the precious gift of eternal life. Nowadays, we do not exchange gifts around Christmas. We give our two grown-up sons cash so they can buy what they want. We go to the Christmas service together and have a wonderful meal. Christmas is everyday of the year in our hearts! A few years ago the highlight of my Christmas was to sing and praise God in the Christmas Choir at church. I finally felt the warmth of God's love filling my empty heart.

I personally like the gift of friendship and time more than shopping for gifts. I love to go out to lunch or coffee with friends and family. My Christmas is peaceful because I don't have a long list of things to do. Several years ago I told my mother, "You know what I want for Christmas, mom? She said, "What honey?" I replied, "Nothing, please don't buy me any presents. I have everything I need and I don't want you to spend money. Let's instead go out to lunch and relax."

There are people who love crowds and the excitement of  a packed mall energizes them...that's ok...go for it! But, if you're like me, then don't let other people decide how to spend your Christmas. May you be filled with the love of Jesus and enjoy a relaxed and safe Christmas!

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord." - Luke 2:11

Jesus came to save us...that's what Christmas is all about! :)