Month: January 2023

How has it been TEN YEARS since I started blogging here at Miraculous Lovely?

I still remember what a struggle it was for nontechie me to design and create this blog.

There was nothing glamourous going on behind the scenes as I fussed and fretted and got frustrated trying to figure out how to create this blog.

It wasn’t a good season in my life, but I had felt the Lord calling me to WRITE.

I wasn’t even sure what private and introverted me would write about?

But I needed a home for some of the devotional pieces I was sharing with trusted friends.

And I knew I didn’t want to rant and rave about life.

I knew was to celebrate God’s Miraculous and Lovely love for us.

And so I launched my blog on Martin Luther King Jr Day, January 20, 2013.

This blog was part of God’s dream for me.

I’ve taken it one blog post at a time, one week (sometimes 2 or 3 bonus blogs) at a time, one month at a time and most importantly one YEAR at a time.

I never set a limit for how long I would blog.

I’ve just kept writing and God has been faithful to give me words to share.

One thing is for sure.

WRITERS WRITE!

It was a little intimidating at first to share my thoughts, musings and reflections with the world but God’s given me His peace over the years.

The little girl in me who used to create mini-magazines out of loose leaf paper and the reporter in me who wrote for a major newspaper and a national women’s magazine has enjoyed the freedom to share my thoughts without an editor and to get to choose the headlines and photos to go with each and every post.

I was sharing my thoughts here even before most others wanted to hear from me.

But God!

God has allowed me to faithfully post weekly, with just a few exceptions along the way to give myself a break and rest, for ten years! Glory!

I felt God leading me to WRITE about Him and faith, hope and love and so much more and I’ve tried to stay true to that mission.

Who knew that during these 10 years I’d:

1. Go on two more short-term missions trips (out of five)
2. Launch my AboundingFaith.com website
3. Write FIVE Christian living books and devotionals (available on Amazon)
4. Write for Our Daily Bread‘s VOICES Collection and Discovery Series website and for Charisma‘s website
5. Host 10 events
6. Speak to countless groups including Christians working at the United Nations and give my brief testimony at Times Square Church
7. Teach five different online classes based on my books for the New York School of the Bible
8. Host the Abounding Faith for Today podcast
9. Shoot more than 155 videos here and abroad for Abounding Faith’s YouTube channel
10. And that I’d have such exciting news about Book 6!

If you would’ve told me I’d be doing any of this back when I was a graduate student in journalism at NYU or a working journalist, I would’ve laughed at you and run away!

None of this has been my plan or idea.

But God knows what’s on the other side of our Yes!

Once God started to call me to write and speak for His glory, I had inklings that God would be enlarging my territory and increasing my influence and platform.

Those of you who know me and have been helping to pray me through all these YEARS know it hasn’t been easy.

Nothing has been handed to me.

There hasn’t been a large entourage cheering me on or helping to open doors for me.

I’ve had God and a handful of family and friends praying for me and helping me in different ways.

I’m grateful to get to celebrate this milestone with you.

And I’m grateful to those that have joined this online community throughout the years.

This blog has definitely been a refuge and safe place for me to share thoughts, especially about my Dear Dad’s promotion to heaven almost two years ago.

It’s also been a lovely place to share updates on different projects I’m working on or thoughts I’ve been pondering.

I hope my posts have encouraged, inspired, empowered or uplifted you. (If so, I’d love to know!)

If you know me, you’ve probably heard me say that I want to walk through the doors God opens for me.

God has given me many Kingdom assignments in this season.

I’m a Christian Latina Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Blogger, Bible School Instructor, Communicator, Coach/Consultant, Creative and Entrepreneur.

Christian Latina Authors & Speakers are still rather rare when it comes to Christian spaces in English.

God isn’t fazed by my background.

He knows exactly what He wants to do in me and through me.

I may not know what’s next, but God does!

I appreciate your prayers and support and encouragement!

I know blogging may not be popular anymore, but I plan to continue blogging and updating you as the Lord leads.

I plan to continue encouraging and inspiring you as you walk by faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams.

If you don’t want to miss my updates and posts, please stay tuned and be sure you’re part of my email community right here.

Thanks for staying on this faith journey with me! To God be the Glory!

Here are four Bible verses that come to mind when I think of these last 10 years:

• “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8 NIV)
• “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. “(Zechariah 4:6b NIV)
• “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10 NIV)
• “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV)

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