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! :)

THANKSGIVING!!!

Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name.

Growing up in Nicaragua we didn't have a Thanksgiving holiday. I love this tradition in the USA. A time to reflect and give thanks.

But what about if you have lost your job, your house, your health...a loved one? Can you still give thanks? When I battled depression twenty-five years ago, I used to write down a list of blessings to fight my depression.  My list went like this:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for giving me eternal life. Thank for your love and sacrifice for me. Thank you for my husband and two sons and that they know you too. Thank you that I had something to eat today. Thank you for our health. Thank you for our cars. Thank you for the roof over our heads. Thank you for my husband's job...at the end of my list I realized how many blessings I had. My spirit was lifted up. 

Having been raised in Nicaragua, I saw a lot of poverty around. Poor children who didn't own a pair of shoes. Everyday around lunch time, a little boy would knock at our door begging for leftovers to eat.  I never forgot when I saw a man living under a tree, on an empty field, two blocks away from our house. I was around eleven years old. It rains a lot in Nicaragua. One night I couldn't sleep thinking about the poor man getting wet and cold under the tree. 

The next day, during the early evening hours I went cautiously to give him a plate of food and a sheet. I went by myself and told my sister to keep an eye on me from the house. As I gave him the food, he was speechless at first and then said thank you. I'll never forget his eyes... I felt as if I had looked into the eyes of Jesus! My mom found out what I had done the next day. She scolded me for taking that risk and going behind her back. She then called Social Services and they found the man shelter.

So, if you have a pair of shoes on your feet today, or food to eat, you have a lot to be thankful for. This Thanksgiving count your blessings and try making your own list of blessings. If you believe in Jesus, the Son of God, you have a rich inheritance. You have eternal life. This life's troubles and challenges are temporary. You have a future glory with Christ!

Happy Thanksgiving! May God bless you and your families :)

Guadalupe

p.s. Lord, bless everyone who is reading this blog. Shower him or her with your love and abundant blessings. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen!

My First Blog!

What is a blog? That was my question a couple of weeks ago. I was told it comes from the words, Web and Log and it is an online journal. Why blog, I asked. My new friend said, "So you can have a readership that will follow you."

Two years ago my friends motivated me to write a Bible study book. It amazes me when God uses ordinary people like me to accomplish His plans. English is my second language and now that the Lord has called me to write and speak, I'm learning how to be better equipped for His glory!

I've been journaling for nine years in my notebooks. This is my first blog and I write to speak about my passion and the love of my life...Jesus Christ!!!  Welcome to my blog :)