Day 28 - Ex Generation

These videos talk about how we are supposed to be walking testimonies and not be ashemed of showing how much we have changed and what we were before and how Jesus changed us from inside out.

Enjoy and think.

Love and Bless.

Day 27 - Mark's Testimony

Mark's Testimony

Verses used in Video

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.

Romans 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no on who does good, not even one.

1 peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

More verses

2 Cor 4:4 - Isaiah 43:10 - Isaiah 43:7 - John 14:6

1 timothy 2:5 - Hebrews 11:25 - Romans 2:15

Proverbs 26:11 - psalm 146:8 - Acts 11:18 - Ezekiel 36:27

Day 26 - Fake gold / Real gold

I have a very pretty silver ring that I bought a couple months ago just during new years holidays. I bought it as being silver to find out that over time the silver coat got scratched and the cheap metal shows underneath.

Some of us, or actually, most of us are like cheap jewellery. We look good, we seem to be really good, but our value does not last long.

Real jewellery lasts centuries. It does not scratch, it doesn't lose its shine, real gold will always be real gold.

Now, how do we get transformed from cheap material into real gold? There is a story that I like which says that a jewellery maker holds his silver on fire for some time until its so hot that it melts and he knows that it is ready when he can look at it and see his reflection.
That's probably how God treats us and refines us, through fire.

That's how we should handle difficult times in life, that's why He says we should praise Him at all times. Everything has a purpose and we should take every moment as if He is working on us and making us better, because He is.

When we are being burned down, that's when he is taking aways all impurities and transforming us in a worthy piece of jewellery. And then one day when we meet Him in heaven He may look at us and see His own face. That should be our goal, for others and Himself see Jesus in us.

The fake gold doesn't last. It fades, it is not part of God's purpose. Whatever is too cheap has no quality and we should not expect it to last forever nor to be of a good usage. Whatever is too easy in life may go to garbage, and whatever is offered for a small price other than Jesus Himself, doesn't come from God, and it will cause us cost later on.

It's horrible to see ourselves in situations when we realize we are made of cheap material, we can't handle harsh situations nor deal with the challenges God gives us. That's when our golden coats fall off and everyone including ourselves can see the hidden reality.

I just want to learn everyday and be tested everyday so I can be approved everyday.

If God is love and we are meant to be like Him, we should be real gold, and real gold is like love, and that's how we should be everyday:

"Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride; Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil; It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;

Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things."

 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Amen

Day 25 - Reasons

I love to meditate on God’s words and teachings to try to understand what is our role on Earth and the reasons why God does the things he does. I’m not saying I question what He does, I just like to think philosophically on God’s ways.

I want to start from the beginning. “In the beginning God created heaven and earth” Genesis 1:1

So, there was God, (don’t ask me what He was doing because I don’t think I have intelligence enough to know that) and He created heaven and earth and everything that lives on it. In other part of the Scripture God says He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, and that He knows how everything will end since the very beginning.

Then it comes my curiosity: if God has done everything knowing what the beginning is and the end is going to be, why does he bother doing it?

The answer I could find in my heart was that God is the king, and in order to be a king there is a need for population, there is no leader without its followers, there is no champion if he doesn't compete against anyone. That may be the reason why God created everything, because He wants to be the King, He wants to be the father and leader, therefore He created situations and strategies that would lead us towards Him. Even though He knows the end of all, He enjoys the process. It is not about where it is going to be, but how and the little details He gets while things are happening.

God probably knew when I was going to accept Him, and He did it according to His plans, but I am sure He had fun watching it happening. It is like a movie that we have seen before, we know how it begins and how it ends, still we enjoy watching it over and over.

He probably loves to see peoples smiles and praises to Him, and when we worship, He may come to His balcony to listen to the churches singing...Imagine how much His heart is fulfilled when all churches in different places sing together at 7 o'clock on Sunday evenings. He must love it.

It is not hard to please such a loving God, but we sure could be doing better.

Love you Lord.

"I am the First and the Last, says the Lord God who is and was and is to come, the Ruler of all." Revelations 1:8

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Eu amo a meditar sobre as palavras de Deus e os ensinamentos para tentar entender o que é o nosso papel na Terra e as razões pelas quais Deus faz as coisas que ele faz. Não estou dizendo que questiono o que ele faz, eu só gosto de pensar filosoficamente sobre os caminhos de Deus.
Eu quero começar desde o início. "No princípio Deus criou os céus ea terra" Gênesis 1:1
Assim, lá foi Deus, (não me pergunte o que estava fazendo antes, porque eu acho que não tenho inteligência suficiente para saber isso) e que Ele criou os céus e a terra e tudo que nela vive. Em outra parte da Escritura Deus diz que Ele é o alfa e o ômega, o princípio e o fim, e que Ele sabe como tudo vai acabar desde o início.
Então vem a minha curiosidade: se Deus fez tudo saber o que o começo é o fim e vai ser, por que Ele se dá ao trabalho de fazê-lo?
A resposta que eu encontrei em meu coração que Deus é o rei, e para ser um rei que é necessário uma população, não há líder sem os seus seguidores, não há nenhum campeão se ele não concorrer com ninguém. Isso pode ser a razão pela qual Deus criou tudo, porque Ele quer ser o Rei, Ele quer ser o pai e líder, por isso Ele criou situações e estratégias que nos levariam para ele. Mesmo que Ele conheça o fim de tudo, Ele gosta do processo. Ele gosta dos detalhes, cada momento que temos com Ele.

Deus provavelmente sabia quando eu estava para aceitá-Lo, e Ele o fez de acordo com seus planos, mas estou certa de que Ele se divertiu vendo isso acontecer. É como um filme que já vimos antes, nós sabemos como começa e como acaba, ainda assim gostamos de vê-lo mais e mais.
Ele provavelmente gosta de ver os sorrisos das pessoas e os louvores a Ele, e quando nós o adoramos, Ele pode vir a sua varanda para ouvir as igrejas cantando ... Imagine o quanto seu coração se aquece quando todas as igrejas em diferentes lugares cantam juntas às sete horas nas noites de domingo. Ele deve achar o máximo.
Não é difícil agradar a um Deus amoroso, mas com certeza poderíamos estar fazendo melhor.
Te amo Senhor.

"Eu sou o Primeiro e o Último, diz o Senhor Deus que é, foi e há-de vir, o Todo-Poderoso". Apocalipse 1:08

Day 24 - Stopping the silence

I have just written about silence a couple of days ago.
Today I am writing about speaking.

Many people keep their mouths closed when they should speak, men, women, children, all of us.
If it is not for something we are feeling or thinking, some injustice commited, we tend to remain silent when we should be speaking about Jesus.

How many times a day we get into situations when we see that Jesus is necessary but we feel afraid to say something, or we don't know what to say, or how?

"Whoever has a feeling of shame because of me and my words in this false and evil generation, the Son of man will have a feeling of shame because of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:38

It is interesting how we are so messed up. When we should be silent we speak too much, when we should speak, we remain quiet.

We need to ask God for guidance and ask Him to teach us how to use our mouth and ears in a more efficient and Godly way. We need to learn to say what needs to be said and listen when it is time to listen.

"A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecclesiastes 3:7

We should talk less, listen more; and when we talk it should be done wisely and at the proper time. How difficult that is. Help us, Lord.

Day 23 - Living God's path

"Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit.
Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness.
For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at
odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is imcompatible
with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that
you cannot live at times one way and at times another way
according to how you feel on any given day.
But what happens when we live God's way?
He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears
in an orchard, things like affection for others, exuberance about life,
serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of
compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic
holiness permates things and people. We find ourselves
involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life,
able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."

From "The Power of a Whisper" by Bill Hybels 

Day 22 - Silence

"It is good to go on hoping and silently waiting for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:26

I believe it is through silence that God talks to us most of the time. Prayer is mostly about listening and not about talking.

It is through silence that He tell us what to do and what to say, whispers to us His commandments and leads us to do according to His will. But how can we listen to Him when He tries to contact us but gets a busy line noise? There is just too much noise out there, or even within ourselves.

We have to silent our minds and souls in order to hear His voice. We should all listen more and talk less. That's something I even have to work on. We tend to forget that God has given us two ears and only one mouth for a reason. We talk too much, about unecessary things.

Aproximately 70% of all communication is made through non verbal language. That means gestures, signs, expressions, inflections.

Sometimes God tries to talk to us through those things and we won't pay attention to Him. How difficult that is. Sometimes it's a smile, a look, a picture.

I would like you to go on one minute of silence just now. It doesn't matter where you are or if you are busy. Just do it, for Him.


What did He tell you? How hard it is to silence our minds that receive hundreds of thousands of information everyday. No wonder we can't listen to Him. Ipod, TV, radio, music, our own thoughts.

"And he said to him, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37

I love this verse. It's useful in so many ways. Our minds can drive us crazy some times, we have to learn how to control it, how to say a big "be quiet!" to it in order to receive God's orders.

"A foolish man lets out all his wrath, but a wise man keeps it back quietly." Proverbs 29:11

I strive trying to keep my thoughts to myself. I guess that's why I have a blog.

I just pray today that God will teach us how to listen to Him, so he can teach us other things after.
Amen

Day 21 - Oranges and apples

Are you an orange or an apple?

I know you will say "I'm a human" but what I mean to say is that we all have differences and they may influence how we perceive ourselves.

Jesus wasn't a magazine model, neither 99% of the world's population is. We are always comparing ourselves to others and it is pretty annoying.

We may not look the same, not walk the same, nor have the same type of life style, but at the end of the day we are all the same specie, and we are all God's children.

At the end of the day apples and oranges belong to the fruit family. Which one is better? It depends on how we see them and compare them. It depends on our criteria.

It's a little tiring to have to think of the best this or the best that all the time. I don't know about you but me, I am always thinking "what's the most efficient way to do this or that?" "what's the best groceries store?" "what's the place that suits my needs better?" Again, it's the criteria we choose that makes the options better or worse for something.

If you like sweets, you may prefer an apple. If you like citric, you may prefer an orange.

If you were born from a German family, you may be tall blond and have blue eyes, but if you were born from an Asian family you may be short, have dark hair and different features. Does that mean one is better than the other? Not at all.

God made us different for a reason, beauty is within difference. And fun is among different nations. Comparing them without judgement is what makes life interesting.

"Now there are different qualities given to men, but the same Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:4

"There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense." 1 Corinthians 14:10

What would happen to oranges if suddenly everyone decided that apples were better?

We may not have the same opinions about everything, but we may discuss them and get into agreement.

Let us be happy and enjoy our earthly lives with our differences and singular characteristics, pleasing God's heart for what we are and not for what we think we should be.

Amen.

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Você é uma laranja ou uma maçã?
Eu sei que você vai dizer "eu sou um ser humano", mas o que eu quero dizer é que todos nós temos diferenças e que podem influenciar o modo como percebemos a nós mesmos.

Jesus não era um modelo de revista, nem 99% da população mundial é. Estamos sempre nos comparando aos outros e isso é muito chato.

Podemos não ter a mesma aparência, não andar da mesma maneira, nem ter o mesmo tipo de estilo de vida, mas no final do dia somos todos da mesma espécie, e nós somos todos filhos de Deus.

No final do dia as maçãs e laranjas pertencem à família dos frutos. Qual é melhor? Depende de como nós os vemos e como os comparamos. Depende de nossos critérios.

É um pouco cansativo ter que pensar o que é melhor, "este ou  aquele?" o tempo todo. Eu não sei sobre você, mas pra mim, estou sempre pensando "qual é a forma mais eficiente de fazer isso ou aquilo?" "Qual é a melhor loja?" "Qual é o lugar que se adapta melhor às minhas necessidades?" Novamente, é o critério que nós escolhemos que faz com que as opções sejam melhores ou piores para algo.
Se você gosta de doces, você pode preferir uma maçã. Se você gosta de cítrico, você pode preferir uma laranja.
Se você nasceu de uma família alemã, você pode ser alto e loiro e tem olhos azuis, mas se você nasceu de uma família asiática pode ser baixo, tem cabelos escuros e características diferentes. Isso significa um é melhor que o outro? Nem um pouco.

Deus nos fez diferentes por uma razão, a beleza está na diferença. E diversão está entre as diferentes nações. Comparando-os sem julgamento é o que torna a vida interessante.
  "Agora, existem diferentes qualidades dado aos homens, mas o mesmo Espírito." 1 Coríntios 12:4

"Há, talvez, um número de diferentes vozes no mundo, e nenhuma voz é sem sentido." 1 Coríntios 14:10 
O que aconteceria com as laranjas se de repente todo mundo decidisse que as maçãs são melhores?

Podemos não ter as mesmas opiniões sobre tudo, mas podemos discuti-las e entrar em acordo.
Sejamos felizes e aproveitemos a nossa vida terrena com as nossas diferenças e características singulares, agradando o coração de Deus por aquilo que somos e não pelo que achamos que deveriamos ser.

Amém.
 

Day 20 - True love

What is true love? How can we know? What can we do to have it in our lives?

I've found this message and it automatically reminds me of God's love for us. At today's service in church the pastor said that God loves us in our ugliness. That's so true. That's true love.

How many of us could bear loving for ever and ever and being rejected? That's what He does.

I've rejected God myself, and denied Him before people, why wouldn't he do the same to me? He's got more than reasons to do so, but I guess He won't, just because He is God.

"But God has made clear his love to us, in that, when we were still sinners, Christ gave his life for us." Romans 5:8

It intrigues me though that He loves us even though we are ugly and sinful, and He tells us to love Him before all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves, but at the end of the day we can barely express love to Him, a perfect being, wonderful and merciful. How would we be able to love ourselves and love our neighbors if we don't even like them. How can we love someone that we barely know if we can't even love who created us and sent His own son to die on a cross for us?

It's easy to show love when everything is perfect, and that applies to human relationships and to our relationship with God. It's easy to love Him when He does everything for us and gives us everything. But hey, look at Job's story, would we be able to handle it?

Couples getting together when they are young and pretty and I should say when they ARE in love, five minutes later the "love" is gone, and then they just divorce. Are we going to keep loving our husbands once they grow old and chubby and start losing hair?  Are we going to love them as much when money fails to come into the bank account?

Once life kicks in and things are not as pretty and perfect as they should be are we still going to be able to love our children? How about when you find out one of your children is a drug addict? Or find out that your wife can't have children? Or see that your neighbor has a bigger car and a prettier wife and got the job position you were seeking, are you still going to be as kind and helpful towards your neighbor?

I don't know much about true love but I believe that love it must be something that we learn, and not just a momentous feeling. We probably learn and decide to love. "I decide to love my neighbor" "I decide to accept Jesus in my heart and love Him". Shouldn't they be the same decision? Shouldn't they be consequences of each other?

I know it's easy to decide to love, but how about expressing love and showing love? Or maybe out of true love we would just love spontaneously and not need to force it. That's probably what God does. God is love. He IS true love. He is made of love. He acts out of love, His will is planned because of love. He teaches because He loves us, He punishes, and He speaks to us because He is just a loving being and that's wonderful. 

I'm pretty sure true love is not what they show on TV nor on those romantic movies and songs where everything seems so nice.

I just wonder how could it be to understand and touch true love. It is probably amazing, it's probably overwhelming and worm. God's heart must be a swimming pool of love, that we can just jump in and feel free, I feel like getting my swimming suit and asking God to allow me to swim in His heart. Why not?

I love Him and I love you.

Day 18 and 19 - Miracles

"Miracles Happen for those Who Believe"

Isn't it amazing the fact that we can read? Isn't is amazing that we can breath and eat and sleep?

How is that possible that from all the near galaxies and planets, Earth is the only one that spins in an diagonal form so that we can have summer, winter, spring and falls? Life is a miracle, it is amazing.

Now, the sentence on the title "miracles happen for those who believe" makes me think that only those who believe in miracles will see them, do you believe in miracles?

If we ask people if they believe in miracles some will say yes but most will say "no, I believe in science, or in coincidences, but there is no such a thing as God or miracles"

If only those who believe in miracles could see them, how is that possible that all the people that don't believe in miracles are alive? Just being alive is a miracle itself. Just being conceived and born is a miracle itself. God's extreme meticulous science make our bodies and lives, so why is that those people that don't believe in God and in miracles are alive and being able to answer to such question?

That's called Grace. God's grace is so loving and overwhelming, even those who don't see Him and don't recognize Him as God receive it. God is merciful, graceful and made us with such care that we can't even imagine.

Our planet is so beautiful that we even copy it through art.

"But if it is of grace, then it is no longer of works: or grace would not be grace."

Romans 11:6

"These are the words of the Lord, who has given the sun for a light by day, ordering the moon and stars for a light by night, who puts the sea in motion, causing the thunder of its waves; the Lord of armies is his name." Jeremiah 31:35

He is beautiful, He is graceful, loving, powerful, strong, smart, delicate, He is everything.

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                 "Milagres acontecem para aqueles que acreditam"

Não é surpreendente o fato de que podemos ler? Não é surpreendente que possamos respirar e comer e dormir?
Como é possível que de todas as galáxias e os planetas pconhecidos, a Terra é o único que gira de forma diagonal, para que possamos ter verão, inverno, primavera e outono? A vida é um milagre, é surpreendente.
Agora, a sentença sobre o título "milagres acontecem para aqueles que acreditam" me faz pensar que só quem acredita em milagres vai vê-los, você acredita em milagres?

Se perguntarmos às pessoas se elas acreditam em milagres, alguns dirão que sim, mas a maioria vai dizer "não, eu acredito na ciência, ou em coincidências, mas não há tal coisa como Deus ou milagres"
Se apenas aqueles que acreditam em milagres pudessem vê-los, como é possível que todas as pessoas que não acreditam em milagres estão vivas? Apenas estar vivo é um milagre em si. Assim sendo concebido e nascido é um milagre em si. A ciência extremamente meticulosa de Deus faz nossos corpos e vidas, então porque é que aquelas pessoas que não acreditam em Deus e em milagres estão vivas e sendo capaz de responder a tal pergunta?
Isso é chamado de Graça. A graça de Deus é tão amorosa e avassaladora, mesmo aqueles que não o vêm e não reconhecem como Deus, a recebem. Deus é misericordioso, gracioso e nos fez com tanto carinho que nem sequer podemos imaginar.
Nosso planeta é tão bonito que o copiamos através da arte.
"Mas se é por graça, então já não é pelas obras; ou a graça não seria graça". Romanos 11:6
"Estas são as palavras do Senhor, que deu o sol para luz do dia, as ordenanças da lua e das estrelas para luz da noite, que agita o mar em movimento, causando o estrondo das suas ondas, o Senhor dos exércitos é seu nome. " Jeremias 31:35
Ele é maravilhoso, Ele é gracioso, amoroso, poderoso, forte, inteligente, delicado, Ele é tudo.

Day 17 - There is no barrier

There is just no barriers to God's love. He is amazing and it is so easy to love Him. It is amazing when we can feel His love entirely and experience His whispers.

"You are good, O Lord, and full of forgiveness; your mercy is great to all who make their cry to you."

Psalms 86:5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbeItiZTlu4&feature=related

Day 16 - Bad attitude

Have you ever felt like you have totally lost control of your emotions and feelings and it impacts on your behaviour?

Why is that we behave like children sometimes? It is frustrating because we know it is wrong but we just can't help it.

Jesus was never in a bad mood, never tired, never gave up.

What heals my soul is to know that He is merciful and some how helps us to go through bad moments and forgives us as long as we regret our bad feelings.

It is just horrible to feel this way, because we feel far from God. All I can say is hang in there, try your best.

It is so hard to be human, I guess He knows it all and that's why He came to save us. Thank you Jesus.

"I have come, not to get the upright, but sinners, so that they may be turned from their sins." Luke 5:35

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Você já sentiu como se tivesse perdido totalmente o controle de suas emoções e sentimentos e o impacto disso sobre o seu comportamento?

Por que nos comportamos como crianças às vezes? É frustrante, porque nós sabemos que é errado, mas simplesmente não conseguimos mudar a atitude.

Jesus nunca esteve de mau humor, nunca se cansou, nunca desistiu.


O que cura a minha alma é saber que Ele é misericordioso e de alguma forma nos ajuda a passar por momentos ruins e nos perdoa, quando nos arrependemos dos nossos sentimentos ruins.


É horrível se sentir assim, porque nos sentimos distantes de Deus. Tudo o que posso dizer é tenha paciência, tente o seu melhor.

É tão difícil ser humano, mas Ele sabe disso e é por isso que Ele veio para nos salvar. Obrigado Jesus.


"Eu vim, não para chamar os justos, mas os pecadores, para que eles possam ser transformados e se arrepender de seus pecados. " Lucas 5:35

Day 15 - How Great is our God

"This is the word which came to us from him and which we give to you, that God is light and in him there is nothing dark." 1 John 1:5

                                           We can see God and is greatness in big things

                                   

                                               We can also see Him in the smallest things

                                     

                                     We can feel His feelings, His love through His people

We can see the His power and His perfection

                                   

                  Everything He does is just amzing, wherever He is, there is love and grace

And then we completely forget Him, and everything He taught us, goes down the drain.

 

Lets just praise our wonderful Lord today! We don't deserve glory, but He does.

Day 14 - Sleeping giants

"I will go before you, and make the rough places level: the doors of brass will be broken, and the iron rods cut in two" Isaiah 45:2

"See, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything so hard that I am unable to do it?"

Jeremiah 32:27

"And all things, whatever you make request for in prayer, having faith, you will get." Matthew 21:22

- Is there anything too hard for God?

- No

- Is there anything impossible through God?

- No

- Is there anything that our faith could not reach through prayer?

- No

I guess it is time to wake up the sleeping giants inside of us, to stop delaying the actions, to stop giving excuses and thinking that things are impossible or simply too hard.

I guess all of us have a giant inside sleeping like a child, full of magnificent potential that was given by God and it's been wasted. We are His image and likeness, there is no reason why we wouldn't be able to accomplish things, to overcome challenges and reach high levels. Through Him and by faith, nothing is impossible, it may be hard, but NEVER impossible. 

"And the Lord said, If your faith was only as great as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this tree, Be rooted up and planted in the sea; and it would be done." Luke 17:6

I guess it all depends on the size and depth of our faith. I wish we could stop punishing ourselves for the devil's lies, while it tries to make us feel smaller and smaller, when through Jesus, we are giants.

The cemetery is the richest place ever. Why? It is full of dreams not realized, books not written, goals not achieved.

I pray that from today on the giants inside of us will be awake and full of energy, to accomplish, to reach out for things, to exercise faith, to conquer the world, and to receive what God has planed for us, not just something, but everything He made for each one of us, in Jesus wonderful name. Let's not diminish ourselves, not lack ambition to get through life. We are here to go through trials and challenges, not to sit back and relax while the world is spinning at a thousand kilometers per hour. It is an insult to God to tell Him after everything He has done for us, that we will just sit back and let life pass by, that we are not good enough for the plans He has, and that whatever comes is good enough. "Good enough" is not enough. There is always going to be someone better than us on everything we do, that's just a fact, but it doesn't mean we have to accept getting stuck at something and not accomplishing it. He is wonderful, powerful and perfect, we are His children. I don't see how my Dad would allow me to be just good enough and not "my best". I want to be my best.

I pray that we all will be our bests, for us and for the honour of Jesus. Amen.

Day 13 - Disabilities

Disability = State of being disabled; deprivation or want of ability; absence of competent physical, intellectual, or moral power, means, fitness, and the like; Want of legal qualification to do a thing; legal incapacity or incompetency;

Do you think of a disabled person only when finding a parking spot?

Let's change that, we are all disable in some level. We all lack the ability to do one thing or another. we lack the ability to be perfect, we lack the ability of following God's commandments one hundred %.

"Happy are those who are sad: for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4

You may think that this verse has nothing to do with disability, but it does. Have you seen a child crying because is not able to complete a task? Don't you get frustrated when things go beyond your capability?

God knew that before, and for that He gave us His commandments, for us to follow and make life easier for us, but we are so incapable of doing the right things sometimes, that we are not lack the ability of doing the right thing, we also lack the ability to understand and follow His rules.

That's it, I am disabled too.

Day 12 -

Jesus loves us! We love Him back! God bless you!

Day 11 - A poem to God

Heavenly Daddy,

You're my daily inspiration
You're my every breath
My faithful salvation

You don't make things for no reason
And for every place you have a season
But still, Daddy, the only thing I can say is "why?"

Why is that, Dad?
 Why can't I just let things pass by and not wonder why?

Here I am asking again, why?

How silly is it of me!
You've done everything,
You've given me everything,
My lips, my ears,
and gave me eyes to see

Daddy, I'm so sorry
I need you to tell me my own story
I should hear more to what you want to say

But all the times you want to talk to me, I have ran away.

I love you Daddy, for all you are,
Make me better, whisper in my ears,
Let me know only what I should know
Teach me so I can grow!

Amen

Day 10 - Tiredness

Who hasn't ever been tired?

- God only. But He knows what it feels like to be human, He made Himself human. And then he helps us:

"For your tiredness will go from your memory, like waters flowing away" Job 11:16

He is the only one does not need rest, but we keep complaining about being busy and tired when we choose our lifestyle and the activities to put in priority. I am really tired, but it's only my fault, but I still ask Him for help to relief my body and mind.

"And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven have a resting-place; but the Son of man has nowhere to put his head." Matthew 8:20

He never complaints.

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Quem nunca esteve cansado?

- Só Deus. Mas Ele sabe como é ser humano. Ele se fez humano. E ainda assim nos ajuda:

"Porque te esquecerás do cansaço, e lembrar-te-ás dele como das águas que já passaram." Jó 11:16

Ele é o único que não precisa de descanso, mas nós continuamos reclamando de estarmos ocupados e cansados quando escolhemos o nosso estilo de vida e as atividades com prioridade. Estou realmente cansada, mas é só culpa minha, e ainda assim peço ajuda a Deus para aliviar o meu corpo e mente.

"E disse Jesus: As raposas têm covis, e as aves do céu têm ninhos, mas o Filho do homem não tem onde reclinar a cabeça." Mateus 8:20

Ele nunca reclama.

Day 9 - Trouble produces treasures

This is funny because I found myself in trouble today...not a big one, but sure a serious one...I didn't have anything to write today...It wasn't until 5 minutes ago, 11:50 pm, and I still hadn't thought of a message to post.

That's how God acts: I was in trouble, I couldn't just not write something, it has to be an everyday post, that's my commitment to God in this story, it's for Him and it's daily. So here I was talking of the phone with this blessed person and that's what he told me to talk about  "And not only so, but let us have joy in our troubles: in the knowledge that trouble gives us the power of waiting;" Romans 5:3.

Not only he gave me a message to talk about, but then I realized it was God's double teaching as I was in a situation with no exit. I was in trouble, didn't know what to write, had no more time left, I could just have given up. We do it all the time.

Now, isn't this great teaching? I mean, how many times we ruin something that is about to outcome wonderfully but we can't wait until it's time because we have no patience during tribulation times?
It's like taking a cake out of the oven before it's ready just because you can't be patient and you need to leave or something is going on at the time, etc.

It's basically a daily struggle to learn how to control our emotions during bad times. I wish we could be stronger. My prayer is that evryone who reads this, becomes a little more stronger. I've learned through bad experiences how to handle bad situations, it takes a lot of emotional power, but I guess I could tell my secret. The only secret we can use is called Jesus, and He is waiting for us to ask Him for help during our bad moments. Go for it!

thanks God for your help!

(thanks Kev for your help too!)

Day 8 - Nothing better than Him

"Love is patient; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;

It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;

Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Nothing else to say. God is love.

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"O amor é sofredor, é benigno; o amor não é invejoso; o amor não trata com leviandade, não se ensoberbece. Não se porta com indecência, não busca os seus interesses, não se irrita, não suspeita mal; Não folga com a injustiça, mas folga com a verdade; Tudo sofre, tudo crê, tudo espera, tudo suporta."

1 Coríntios 13:4-7

Nada a declarar. Deus é amor.

Day 7 - What is all this for?

What is this blog for?
What are our lives for?
What do I struggle for?
Why am I doing the things am I doing?

"In whom we have a heritage, being marked out from the first in his purpose who does all things in agreement with his designs;" Ephesians 1:11

I is funny how this verse's reference is 111. I find it interesting as its content is the number 1 thing we should live for: the purpose He has for us.

I guess we tend to forget the reason why we get involved into things. Why do we go to church for? Is it to praise Him or to meet with other Christians?

I confess, I almost forgot this blog is for Him and not for you. I don't have to care if you like it or not as long as He likes it.

The best thing about it all is that if some day I get to write about something He has led me into, and He likes it, you will sure like it too.

That's my prayer for today. Let's live our daily silliness for Him and He will do the rest.

"But let your chief care be for his kingdom, and these other things will be given to you in addition."

Luke 12:31

Day 6 - What drives a Christian crazy?

Frustration. Anxiety. Lack of patience.

We are humans, unfortunately, and it doesn't take long for us to be led out of our grateful joyful state to a crazy driven emotion when something goes the opposite way we wanted to.
It is easy to love God and others when everything is good and smooth and when everyone is nice to us and God just pour out blessing on us even when we don't deserve it.

How about those days? You know, THOSE DAYS WHEN SOMETHING GOES WROOOOONG!

I just get mad when I allow myself to feel frustrated and losing patience. So I get frustrated for being frustrated, how silly is that? Weren't we supposed to be nice and gentle and love everything and everyone and be thankful for the wonderful things we have?

Oh yeah, we are humans. Can I hit my head on the wall until my brain starts functioning like Jesus' brain?

No? Too bad....I don't think it would work though...

I just pray that next time we lose our keys, or get stuck in traffic, or get into a silly argument, that we would be able to realize that we live FOR Jesus and that He lives IN us.

Perhaps our problem is not lack of faith. Perhaps it is lack of memory. It seems we tent to forget about Jesus words:

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." Matthew 11:28-30

I love you Jesus, you are the Best!

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Frustração. Ansiedade. Falta de paciência.
Nós somos seres humanos, infelizmente, e não demora muito para que sejamos conduzidos para fora do nosso estado grato de alegria para uma emoção enlouquecida e impulsiva quando algo vai no sentido oposto que queríamos.
É fácil amar a Deus e aos outros quando tudo é bom e suave, e quando todo mundo é bom para nós e Deus apenas derrama benção sobre nós, mesmo quando nós não merecemos isso.
Mas e aqueles dias? Você sabe, aqueles dias em que ALGO VAI ERRADOOOOOO!
Eu enlouqueco quando eu me permito sentir frustrada e perco a paciência. Então fico frustrada por ter sido frustrada, quão bobo é isso? Nós não deveríamos ser agradáveis e gentis, amar tudo e todos e ser grato para as coisas maravilhosas que temos?
Ah, sim, somos humanos. Posso bater com a cabeça na parede até que meu cérebro começe a funcionar como o cérebro de Jesus?
Não? Que pena .... Eu não acho que iria funcionar mesmo ...
Eu só oro para que da próxima vez nós perdermos nossas chaves, ou ficarmos presos no trânsito, ou entrarmos em uma discussão boba, que seríamos capazes de perceber que vivemos PARA Jesus e que Ele vive EM nós.
Talvez nosso problema não é falta de fé. Talvez seja falta de memória. Parece que tendemos a esquecer as palavras de Jesus:
"Vinde a mim todos vós que estão cansados e sobrecarregados, e eu vos aliviarei. Pegue o meu jugo sobre vós. Deixe-me ensiná-lo, porque sou manso e humilde de coração, e encontrareis descanso para as vossas almas. Porque o meu jugo é fácil de suportar, e os encargos que lhe dou são leves. " Mateus 11:28-30
Eu te amo Jesus, és o melhor!