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Trust Without Borders

Faith

I took this picture during my recent family vacation upstate. I think it does a perfect job of describing this new season I’m in. The beauty about Living Beyond the Fog is that you get to see glimpses of what’s up ahead.

As you follow after God One Step at a Time, He makes things more and more clear.

I love how this picture shows what it’s like to be on the edge. The water looks inviting enough to dive right in. The sky is clear enough to see where you’re going. It may not be super close, but it looks beautiful enough to continue Moving Forward.

Transition Times can be daunting, confusing, and scary. Sometimes fear can cause people to stay on the dock instead of taking the plunge. But when you know that God is calling you out, you can rest assured that He will catch you.

I am once again reminded of when the disciples were in the boat and they saw Jesus walking on the water. They were frightened but Jesus told them not to be afraid. Then Peter had the courage to speak.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)

Was Peter out of His mind? Why in the world would he want to step out of the comfort of the boat? That’s where all his friends were. Why would he want to walk out into the unknown?

I would imagine that Peter knew that it’s better to be where Jesus is than with the crowd. I think he also was ready for some adventure.

Remarkably, Jesus obliged. “Come,” he said. (Matthew 14:29)

The Bible records that Peter got out of the boat, walked on water, and moved towards Jesus!

Peter took a risk and stepped out in faith. As a result, he got to walk on water! As long as Peter kept his gaze on Jesus, he got to do something amazing that was completely impossible on his own.

I have much to share with you in the upcoming weeks about how the Lord is leading me.

For now, I’m curious to know what is Jesus asking you to do? In what area is He is stretching you and asking you to grow in your faith?

Will you trust God to lead you one faith step at a time?

I pray you will have the faith to trust Jesus without borders! Many blessings to you!

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” (Psalm 42:7)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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3 Lessons Learned from Luis Palau’s Visit to NYC

I’m delighted to say that ten years after I had the honor of serving at the Billy Graham Crusade in Flushing, New York in June 2005, I had the honor of serving as a counselor at Luis Palau’s festival in Central Park on July 11th!

What made last Saturday’s festival even more special is that I have been able to meet Luis Palau twice! The first time was a few years ago. He shared that he had always dreamed of doing a festival in New York City and that a few of the local Spanish churches had invited him to come. I encouraged him to come! After meeting him that first time, I had a feeling I would see him again.

Imagine how excited I was when I got to meet Luis Palau a second time just this past June at a lovely event he hosted at Chelsea Piers! I even got to give him a copy of my book Waiting on God Well! I also told him I would be counseling at his upcoming event.

In the span of one week (July 6 -11), Luis Palau had events in legendary NYC sites including Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, and finally the Great Lawn in Central Park. This really felt like my missions trip for this summer! The Gospel was proclaimed right here in my own backyard. Glory!

So I’d like to share a few lessons I learned from Luis Palau’s visit:

Beautiful Things Happen When You Wait on God! For more than twenty years, Luis Palau dreamed of hosting a festival in New York City. Over the years he’s traveled the world, but that desire was still inside of him. It was wonderful to witness God granting this desire of his heart and how God honored him. His picture was in ads all throughout the city. His event in Times Square was televised on many of the surrounding giant screens!

Modern Day Calebs Exist! I was surprised to hear that Luis Palau is 80!  He could be doing plenty of other things at his age, but he is still faithful to the call God placed on his life. At 80, he took on the Big Apple. He reminds me of Caleb from the Bible who at 85 was saying that he wanted to take on the mountainous land that God had promised him through Moses 45 years earlier (Joshua 14:6-14). I guess there really is no retiring from God’s work.

The Gospel can Still be Preached Outdoors in NYC. I loved hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ being boldly, yet kindly preached out in the open in Manhattan! At a time when some are shying away from talking about salvation through Jesus, Luis Palau and his son, Andrew, are openly proclaiming the Word. And one of the highlights of Saturday’s festival was when we all got to pray for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who made a special appearance at the event. God is at work in New York!

I could say much more, but I’ll stop for now. I pray the short video greeting below blesses you. I shot it right in Central Park. I’m so thankful that I got to experience a Luis Palau festival in person and in my hometown! Let’s see where the Lord leads him next!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Favorite Bible Verse Episode 5

I hope you’re having a lovely summer! I recently came back from a beautiful getaway with my family, thank God. I made sure to shoot another encouraging, short video while I was away. I pray this video blesses you!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Sweet Surrender (Revisited)

Lessons from the Outdoor Pool

Florida

This post originally ran in January 2013. It still holds true today. I pray you are blessed by this look back at Sweet Surrender. 

One of my most favorite things to do when I’m in the water is to simply lean back and float. There is just something so delightful about being able to let go and relax and to feel the water gently taking me wherever it pleases.

On my last trip to Florida, I had the pleasure of swimming in this gorgeous outdoor heated pool overlooking the ocean!  It sure did feel like a bit of paradise to me!  On my final morning there, I was one of only two people in the pool for quite a while so it became my own private oasis. As I floated in the water, I just blocked out everything except for the sun shining over me, the bright blue sky covering me, the palm trees swaying all around me and the warm water carrying me. It’s in those moments that I don’t feel a care in the world. I can just Be Still.

It’s in those moments that I also feel like I’m truly in the palm of God’s hand. I am reminded of what true surrender feels like. As I glided in the water, I kept thinking how important it is for me to be this relaxed in my everyday life!

Does that sound too impossible?  What if we lived every moment as if we truly believed that God is in control?  What if we walked in peace remembering that God is Faithful and He is there with us in good times and bad? What if we could go through our days confident that He knows the way, He knows the next step and His good plan for us will unfold in His perfect timing?

What if we simply leaned back and trusted Him in every circumstance? Wow, I’m taking a deep breathe even as I write this.

The Bible tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Did you catch that? We’re not supposed to fuss around and get frustrated trying to figure everything out. We are to lean on Jesus and trust that He knows what He is doing. I know, it’s easier to say than do but it will help you keep your peace and joy.

So the next time you start feeling nervous, frightened, frustrated or anxious about the situations in your life, try to take a moment and lean back and surrender those thoughts, plans or worries to God. He can handle them!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Daddy’s Girl (Revisited)

heart-700141_1280In honor of Father’s Day, I would like to share a post about my Heavenly Father that is still one of my favorites. I hope it blesses you whether it’s your first time reading it or you’ve read it before. 

Daddy’s Girl

Posted on January, 2013

 

Daddy's Girl

I don’t normally take photos of random people on the streets of New York City, but when I saw this duo walking in Manhattan last summer I couldn’t help but snap some pictures of them. At first glance, this is a sweet shot of a dad and daughter walking hand-in-hand along the streets of the concrete jungle in midtown. It also captures a guy secure enough in his manhood to sport a Hello Kitty bag! But that moment meant so much more to me.

Whenever I look at this picture and I see how the burly dad is gently guiding along his daughter and how he’s even carrying her backpack for her, I’m reminded of my walk with my Heavenly Father. In many ways I am like that little girl who is walking alongside her dad. I don’t have to worry about where I’m going or how to get there because my “Abba” Father is leading the way. He’s not standing far off. He’s right beside me. I don’t even have to carry all the weight of the world on my shoulders because my Heavenly Father is there to carry it for me!

Yes, the Bible says that as Christians who have the Holy Spirit living inside of us we can call God Our Father. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16).

I don’t know about you, but I love that I can go to the God of the universe and can call Him Dad! And I love that my Father hears me and acts on my behalf. He wants His children to trust and lean on Him. The Bible says,”Cast all your anxiety on Him (God) because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

If you’re feeling tired, alone or weary today, I pray that God would remind you or reveal Himself to you as your loving Father. Your biological father may have disappointed you, but your Heavenly Father will not fail you!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

 

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (Part 2)

Not Passive Pink 5-11-15

This week I’d like to share just a few of the images I recently created using quotes from my book Waiting on God Well. They’re just snapshots of some of the key points found in the book. They’ve become pretty popular on Pinterest. I pray they will bless you.

If you’ve read the book and have an idea for a quote that would make a good image, please let me know.

Obey 5-12-15 blue grey Testimony 5-11-15

To view “If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Part 1,” click here.

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:13-14).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Rejoice and Remain in God’s Love

I just got back from an amazing and relaxing women’s retreat with my church family. The theme of the retreat was “God loves you. God loves you. God loves you!” Yes, God loves you more than you can imagine. I pray you will be blessed by these two short videos.

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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What’s Been Happening at Abounding Faith?

The first half of this year has been quite a whirlwind. All Glory to God! I’ve got lots of news to share. In case you were wondering what I’ve been up to lately, here goes:

  • It’s been so exciting to celebrate the launch of my first book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! It’s been so well-received. My Pastor even told the congregation that everyone should keep a copy of my book close to where they have their Bible so they can refer to it. Wow, what an honor! I love hearing how the book is touching people. If you’ve read it and it’s been a blessing to you, please write a review on Amazon or feel free to leave a comment below.
  • I recently got to speak and run the whole service at my friend’s church in Upstate, NY, which was such a blessing! If you’d like to invite me to come speak at your church or event, click here.
  • I recently posted my 30th short, encouraging video on my YouTube Channel. To view videos shot during my recent Epic European Adventure and videos filmed in the Caribbean, Honduras, and Peru, click here.
  • Did you know that I have a “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF that I created especially for those who sign up to have my weekly encouraging posts from this blog e-mailed to them? Each writing prompt is meant to inspire you as you reflect on what God is doing in your life! You can sign up here.
  • Do you need help navigating through a transition time? One-on-One Life Coaching and Group Life Coaching sessions are available! I’d be delighted to be your Life Coach. To learn more, click here.

I know that’s a lot to cover. God is moving and I’m excited! I’m so thankful that you’re taking this journey with me! Let’s see what the Lord does next. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

Let’s keep believing God for the best. May the second half of the year be even better than the first! Blessings!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Dream On!

paintbrush-316618_1280 (1)

This week I’d like to take a moment and celebrate my Mom. Yes, I know this year’s Mother’s Day has come and gone but it’s always a good time to recognize just how special Moms are.

There is so much I could say about my Mom. She really is a major part of the wind beneath my wings. For now, I’d like to focus on one of the gifts she’s recently discovered.

Growing up, my Mom didn’t have much time for hobbies. Not during her humble childhood nor as a single Mom after my parents divorced. She was too busy caring for my sister and I, our two dogs, our bird oh and running her beauty salon. Later on, she found time to serve at church and went to seminary.

But she has always been good at drawing. I remember her helping me and/or my sister whenever we had to create book report covers or other school art projects. She likes decorating birthday cards with little drawings and stickers. And she’s always been fascinated by flowers, trees, and nature.

So I’m thrilled that lately my Mom has discovered her gift of painting. It delights me to see my Mom creating all types of works of art. She’s actually really good! And she’s had no formal training. Just a keen attention to detail and a whimsical imagination.

Oh, and courage! She’s brave enough to try different designs and to experiment with different colors and textures.

Her newfound talent inspires me and reminds me that we never outgrow discovering and using new God-given gifts!

I’d like to share with you a very special painting that hangs in my room. It’s a one-of-a-kind painting created by my Mom! Sure I just came back from seeing the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, which was special, but this painting is priceless to me!

Painting

I’m so proud of my Mom for continuing to dream, and create, and inspire others! I’m so blessed to call her Mom!

So, what about your gifts? Do you have some hidden talents that could be developed and used to bless others? I’d love to hear about some of your gifts. If you’re not sure what they are, pray and ask God to reveal them to you and to give you the wisdom and courage to use them for His Glory!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

 

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Remove the Limits From God

The above video is very special to me because it’s the final video I shot on the last day of my Epic European Adventure! That day I woke up in Amsterdam, had lunch in Bruge, Belgium, and then crossed the English Channel on a ferry from France to London. It was an extraordinary and fitting way to end the trip.

There are so many reasons why I call this trip Epic. For starters, it was a tour of many of the major European cities including Paris, Venice, Florence, Amsterdam, parts of Switzerland, and Munich. It even included lunch in Austria one day. And on my way to and from the meeting city of London I even had layovers in Ireland. So that alone is Amazing! God blessed me and protected me in all those countries.

I saw mountains including the Swiss Alps! I took river cruises along the Seine River in Paris and the Rhine River in Germany and took a gondola ride in Venice! I saw castles in Germany and windmills in Amsterdam. I saw the Mona Lisa up close and personal and went inside the famed Notre Dame Cathedral. If that wasn’t enough, the Lord even allowed me to start my trip by visiting the London Olympic stadium!

I’ve come back with stories, videos, and memories galore! The butterfly in me is still glowing and rejoicing. The reporter in me had her iPhone in one pocket and her camera in the other pocket. I was ready to record and document all the sights and sounds at a moment’s notice so that I could report back to my friends and family about how wonderful the trip was.

God’s favor was upon me so much so that members from the tour group noticed and remarked that I was “lucky”. I had to say, “I’m blessed!”

I could go on and on about how Amazing the trip was, but I’d like to share part of the reason why I went in the first place.

Back when I was 15, my parents gave my sister and me the incredible gift of a trip to Italy and Greece with my high school. It was a beautiful trip (and that’s when I got to go to the Olympic stadium in Athens) but it left me longing to go back to Italy. As I grew up, I dreamed of going back and just wandering around the quaint and narrow streets of Italy much like Belle does in France in “Beauty and the Beast”.

But the timing was never right. I went on to travel all around the world through work, vacation, and missions but Italy was still on my mind.

A few years ago, I was at a sleepover with a few church friends and they asked the question, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” The only thing I could think to say was, “I’d go to Italy by myself.”

To think that I mustered up the courage to GO to Italy and all throughout Europe just a few weeks ago, is simply awe-inspiring for me. I faced down one of my fears and went. And God honored me, protected me, and allowed me to see more of His beauty and splendor than I could have ever imagined.

Which brings me back to the video above. You’re looking at one very satisfied woman of God in that video! (I’m also freezing because it was windy out on the deck, and I also had to shoot it with my regular camera so I didn’t have the benefit of using my front-facing camera to see where I was aiming, but I digress).

There is something so special and empowering about facing down your fears and letting God walk you through them. I pray that you will all experience that in your lives.

Please remove the limits off of God! Let Him be God in your life! Just watch what He will do. Let Him Amaze you!

And yes, it took me lots of years to finally get back to Italy, but it was worth the wait!

Many blessings to you and many happy adventures even in your own neck of the woods!

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

 

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