I can’t believe that Fine Arts came and went already…

Last week (blvd) took 28 students/leaders to Detroit for the National Fine Arts Competition. We had 4 group categories and 2 solo categories. I was honored to be one of their leaders (Amy Diekevers also went with us). They truly went up there to share their gifts with the rest of the students that had come from all over the United States (except for Utah). I was blown away by their passion and love for God through each of their categories. They did very well and I was truly proud to be apart of such a wonderful group of students/leaders.

I had two favorite parts…the first one was when we went to a service that Pastor Joel Hunter was speaking at. He made an altar call about living a life for God first and foremost. He challenged the students to come to the altar call if that is what they wanted (we were pretty far back in the Auditorium). So many of our students stood up and walked to the front and I was just amazed at their desire for God and drive to be more! That altar call was so precious (especially when you saw it from my angle…hands raised, voices singing, just a beautiful moment with God!).

My second favorite part of the trip was playing Ninja til 3am in the morning. I had never played this game before and finally I learned Friday afternoon. When we got back from the Celebration Service (around 11pm), we started playing Ninja (“praying meeting”). We were only suppose to play until 12am, go to our rooms pack and be ready to head to the airport at 330am. Well 12am turned into 1am then 2am and finally at 3am we had to go to our rooms to hurry up pack and make sure we were down at the lobby by 330am. That day, that game, will definitely go down in history as one of the best nights of my life!!!

This whole trip taught me so much but the most important lesson I learned was when God calls you to do something, He always reminds you why you do what you do! I love students and I love watching them find their giftings and soar in them. I pray that Detroit 2010 was a life changing moment for these students…I know it was for me:)

I was reading this passage (Proverbs 8:22-30) this morning and I love the way that God describes Wisdom. She was there before the world came to be and I really believe that God is giving Her a lot of importance through this Scripture:
“God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic— before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing, And then staked out Earth’s Foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause,  always enjoying his company, Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.” (message)

If Wisdom was the craftsman at God’s side while he was creating the world, how much more important is She for our destiny? Wisdom was there at the begin and knows exactly was God has in store for the world and for us individually.

My challenge to all of us (including myself) is to not go another day without asking God for Wisdom in our lives each and every day. We need Wisdom more than we think we do!

There comes a point in each of our lives that we must make a SHIFT in our relationship with God. Whether you have had a relationship with God for years or you are not even sure about this whole God thing, SHIFT is for you!

You don’t want to go another year, month, day or even hour being the same person and wondering “what if God did something amazing in me and through me?” Let your search for significance begin with SHIFT.

 I promise you that if you come to SHIFT, God will forever change your life. He just can’t help but move when His children surrender to him and make themselves available:)

So ask yourself….”Why haven’t I signed up for SHIFT?!!!!”

For three years I have been working on a Masters Degree in Directing from Texas State in San Marcos. On Saturday, May 15th at 2pm I will walk the stage to receive my diploma. There is such a joy in my heart for this achievement.

The other day I was driving to school (which is an hour there and an hour back…a drive I will not miss one bit) and I just started crying tears of joy. I remembered all the times I thought to myself “I couldn’t do this anymore” or “I’m not smart enough to finish this degree.” There were countless days that I would just cry out to God and ask him for his strength to finish the task ahead. All of that came back to my memory as I realized God had heard every prayer I had prayed and wiped away every tear that I had cried. Yes there were moments of doubt but God is so faithful. When He says in His word that He will never leave us or forsake us, I truly can stand on that.

My parents are flying in tomorrow to celebrate this huge accomplishment in my life and I am all smiles. I serve a God that knows our heart’s desires and guides us even when we doubt what we are doing or can do.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU God, you really do take care of those that love you and are called according to your purpose. See you on Saturday!

I once read this quote I am about to share with you and it challenged me in more ways than I could ever imagine. The other day I was looking through some old stuff of mine and this quote literally fell in my lap. I read it and at that very moment was challenged yet once again. I put it in my journal so that I would never forget it again. So here is a quote that I hope when you read, challenges you to never settle for anything less than the perfect dream in your heart because it is WORTH IT!

“Determine what you want more than anything else in life, write down the means by which you intend to attain it, and permit NOTHING to deter you from pursuing it…”

Ask yourself:  Have you given up on your dream because of life, a person or just the thought of not really wanting it enough anymore? Look deep inside to the purpose God has ordained you with and do not let anything/anyone stop you from achieving ALL OF IT!

“I didn’t ask for success, I asked for wonder!”

This quote makes my heart stop a beat. Sometimes in life we can get so busy trying to make it, we forget to live out the moments that are right in front of us. I don’t want to look back 5, 10 or even 20 years from now and not have moments that I can remember WOWED me.

In this next season of my life….I am not seeking success but rather I am asking God, “will you show me wonder in all that I dream, do and encounter?!!!”

A life filled with wonder will go so much further than a life with mere success. Don’t get stuck in success…go for the WONDER!

“…for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again!” Proverbs 24:16

I love this verse because it shows us the humanity of who we really are. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is going to stand on their two feet their entire life and not make one mistake. God says it clearly in this verse, ‘a righteous man FALLS.’ Not maybe will fall or if he didn’t read his bible will fall. No he falls. But God doesn’t end it there that’s what really makes this verse. The righteous man RISES AGAIN (he gets back up). He doesn’t stay down worrying why and what if. No! He gets back up because he knows that God will be there to get him through the next season. God doesn’t remember the last time you sinned or messed up. He remembers the time you got back up and said, ‘I put my trust in you…Help?’:)

Is there something in your life that has caused you to fall? What’s keeping you down? RISE UP (get back up)!

I was watching a movie the other day and one character challenged another character by asking: In this journey that we call life, are you merely existing or are you living? That really hit me. I went to my room after that movie and I was still thinking about that question. I started to analyze my life and really put that question into perceptive. Do I wake up each day ready to LIVE the life that God has for me or do I just EXISIT? Do I take on the challenges that arise with faith and whole hearted trust in God or do I just coward down and think, ‘maybe tomorrow will be a better day?’ Do I make each minute count or have I wasted my days just trying to survive?

I honestly think that I have been just existing and I don’t want to be like that anymore. I want each sunrise to count. I want each day to be an adventure that I will remember forever. It’s not the number of days we live that count but  what we did with the days that we lived that makes all the difference in the world!

So here is to LIVING and not merely EXISTING! It’s a new day…I will make it count:)

                      What about you? Are you EXISTING or LIVING?

Below is the Cast List for the 2010 April production, Now Boarding. Thank you to all who tried out. It was a wonderful turnout. Congratulations to each and every one of you that made the cast. We look forward to the journey ahead. If for any reason you cannot be apart of this production, call me at (210)523-1505 ext 264 as soon as possible.

Please remember that our first rehearsal is this Sunday, Feb. 14th at 11:30am in Annex 1.

Dani…………………………………Ashley Chagoya

 Jonny………………………………Victor Ramirez

 Samaris…………………………Emilee Herrick

 Danny C…………………………Joseph Avila

 Naomi………………………………Brianna Garcia

 Rachel……………………………Andrea Rennie

 Heavenkey……………………Ricky Yates

 Amanda……………………………Emily Jenkins

 Jose…………………………………Joel Nevarez

 Syntia……………………………Sarah Rios

***If you accept the part that you have been given please leave a comment and say, ‘yes!’

In Proverbs 9, we meet two different ladies. One is Wisdom and the other is Folly. Now I want you to look at what they say to us:

Lady Wisdom: “Let all who are simple come in here!’ She says to those who lack judgement.

Madame Folly: “Let all who are simple come in here!’ She says to those who lack judgement.

They both say the same thing. I think Jesus is teaching us a really important lesson here in this chapter. It is not what people say that defines their motives or influence in our lives, but rather it is how they live out their actions that should tell us who they really are and the impact they should have on our lives.

Are there people in your life that say one thing but do the complete opposite? If so, be careful to follow them because they might lead you down a path you never intended to go down!