Returning To Rest

(Psalm 116:7) Return to your rest, my soul,

    for the Lord has been good to you.

There are situations in our lives that cause us to fall out of whack. Situations that just make us pause...situations that make us want to zone out or run far, far, away. My Tia (aunt) just passed away. Not only an amazing woman of God but also my second mom. I loved her so much so I hurt so much. Deep down I find peace in that I know exactly where she is now: Gazing on the face of Jesus and worshiping Him in the front row. More than anything, it's missing the good times, the happy days, and the silly moments. I look at my cousins and see pieces of her so it's not an abandoned feeling. I see my grandma and my mom and know that when I hug them it's like hugging a piece of her. Though she will never be forgotten all of our hope is that she will be honored through us that remain to fight this good fight in which we already have the victory. Singing at her funeral wasn't as hard as I thought simply because my heart and spirit wanted to burst of overwhelming thankfulness to my God for her life. The tears have dried but the sweet memories never will and I thank God for that. Like the Holy Spirit whispered as I walked back from my first class, "my heart finds peace and my soul finds rest in knowing that God always knows best." My comforter is here with me right now as I type. I thank Jesus for my wonderful comforter. My sweet, cozy Holy Spirit who overwhelms me with peace and joy as the presence of God overtakes me day by day. So I fix my eyes on what I cannot see for that is eternal.

<<<-My Spirit Worshiped As The New Year Rang In->>>

1:00PM

Clean up, clean up, Deya's got to clean up. I woke up so late (like if that surprises me, right?) and right after I watched a Novela on T.V. for a lot a bit (fun, fun, fun). After that... I cranked up my iHome radio and played Jesus Culture's "Live From New York" album on loop as I power cleaned my room. I couldn't welcome God's blessings in the New Year with a dirty room (says me logic). But really, I wanted my room to be nice and tidy, it just puts a smile on my face.

5:00PM

My "Bestest Friend" came over and helped my mom and I set up the "asador for a carne asada" (BBQ pit for a BBQ). I went back upstairs and got out of my sweat pants and old T-shirt and got into some jeans and a nice turquoise blouse. Suddenly reality hit me and I realized, "Oh snap! It's almost New Years!" It was kind of a going through the motions kind of day, getting lost in my cleaning and loud singing to my God. My spirit was just blissfully at peace and genuinely happy. I thought about how highly good and highly difficult this year has been but in totality I was thankful knowing that it had been an amazingly shaping year for me. I had Psalm 145 really touch me and I really meditated on verses two and three telling my God that I praise Him every day with my life, this being my goal and reality, because He is so much more than good, He just is.

7:00PM

Foooood!!! Let's just say my Mom does the BBQing in this house and it is oh so yummy! Having my "Bestest Friend" as my music partner is a plus because he just pops out his guitar and I pop out my hearts tune and (bam!) instant Spontaneous Worship. I sang in Spanish (you satisfy our thirst God, thank you, thank you, how can a simple song contain you, thank you, thank you God) and as usual felt so alive as I could literally feel our Worship elevating with us before the throne of God. My Daddy loves joining in as we Worship God, in fact my parents are my number one supporters, and seeing him on the drums in our garage puts a smile on my face. Surprisingly, my friend's little sisters came over later and we all sang and worshiped until the new year rang in, it was the best! 

11:30PM

Y como decimos por aca...¡A tronar quetes! (And like we say over here, it's time to pop some fireworks). Whoop whoop!!! I haven't had so much fun since I was a little kid, I mean we do it every year but God made it a really special day for us and our friends. I must admit though, seeing little kids with ipads is pretty funny and pretty cute! A few sparklers later...

12:00AM

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! (Happy New Year!!!!) Twelve grapes for twelve wishes (ours are more like prayers), salud (cheers) to a cup of sparkling cider, many hugs, little and big hands joining together to pray, and of course some more crazy worship! Christians party too yall! Kickin' it back old school Mexican style with some of my Mom's old tapes. After we danced to some corritos (praise hymns) we went to drop off our friends who are really like my Mom's spiritual children (especially my BF). Returning home to a nice warm bed and dim tea lights above me made me fall asleep pretty darn fast. After some quick FaceBook posts I was knocked out and off to lala land where my God rocks me to sleep beneath the shadow of His wings.

*~*~*~*~*

I hope everyone had a beautiful 

New Years... but for those that encountered 

harder times, my heart goes out to you, not 

because I feel sorry for you but because I've 

been there and all around and back to know that 

things don't always go as nice as we hoped. But 

thankfully God is God and I know that His love is 

so beautifully, radically, strong to overcome 

anything! Love you all...can't wait to see what 

my God is cooking up for this year! 2013

is the year of God's wisdom and once

again we go deeper into the Father's 

heart. I'm excited!!!!

*~*~*~*~*

<<<-My Spirit Rejoiced All Through Christmas->>>

I'd like to say I had the most amazing Christmas but the reality is that Jesus was the light in our darkness that made the holidays worth celebrating. Things are rough because of some of our ill family members but we prayed as a family and celebrated as a family with faith, declaring what isn't as if it is. I reflected so much on the love of Jesus all the days leading up to Christmas Eve and Day. With all our flaws and goodness Jesus loves us and takes us in so for that, for my born hope, I so so so so very thankful.

10:00PM

We came home from my Christmas Concert and Psalmist School Awards Assembly and decided to get in a few pictures since we were all dressed up.

8:00PM

Christmas Eve! Whoop whoop! I just had to take some pictures before leaving home. Once we arrived at my Grandma's house my family just talked and my sister and I played Loteria with our cousins. My sister and I hung around in my Grandma's room for a bit to escape and watch a nice quiet movie and lie down in a warm bed. Might as well get some pics, right?

 12:30 AM

Soon after my Daddy came home from visiting his parents he brought me my present and I opened up the bag to find a Bible and car stereo. My dad knew how much I'd been hoping for a Bible and he also knew that I'd really love to listen to my ipod instead of burning gazillions of CD's (A worshiper's got to worship even in her car). I just hugged him so much because though Christmas isn't about the presents my Mom and Dad have always had something to give us with all their heart.

Christmas Package

I wish all of you a merry, peaceful, and loving Christmas! From my heart to yours accept the warmest of greetings and of course a little something for being great friends. I really do hope you all enjoy this Christmas package, check it out you just might find an unexpected surprise. Most important words to say ummm...yup these are perfect: Jesus is the ultimate and legit reason for this beautiful season and any other season that may follow. Hugs and smiles! God bless!

*~*~*~*~*

"Do You Hear What I Hear? (What Does It Sound Like)" 

- Steffany Gretzinger & Jeremy Riddle

*~*~*~*~*

Have a moment to meditate on the tremendous
love package sent to us here on earth. Think
about our Savior who came to set us
free and share this life-changing message
with those you love.

*~*~*~*~*

Jesus came to restore the relationship

between God and humanity and to

demonstrate with His own life

what true Worship is.

*~*~*~*~*

Gaze at your Christmas tree and have a grateful heart.

*~*~*~*~*

Wear your favorite sweater in this chilly weather.

*~*~*~*~*

Be sure to journal! Always have one at hand...you never
know what the Holy Spirit wants to say & reveal.

*~*~*~*~*

*~*~*~*~*

Have a homemade cookie and hot chocolate on me:)

*~*~*~*~*

May you celebrate the birth of Jesus exuberantly!

 *~*~*~*~*

A fun, super easy snack recipe.

*~*~*~*~*

(Isaiah 9:6) For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;And the 

government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called 

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

*~*~*~*~*

A sneak peek into a little of what I do...My family, 

friends, and I playing music for the glory of the 

Lord in our garage. I don't come out on camera but 

I am the one singing in Spanish (Perfume A Tus Pies).

<<<-My Spirit Hit The Floor Running Thanksgiving Day->>>

12:00AM

 I lay awake, talking on the phone with my friend. Right after we hung up I literally fell asleep, literally. With my cell by my side and my pillow drenched in sweet dreams, at last my body fell into a deep deep slumber.

6:00AM

Seldom do I wake up at such an early time. Little rays of light shined through my window, tickling my eyes. I rose to my feet and thanked the Lord for so many big and little things. Quiet: the perfect ambiance for some intimate time with God. Can somebody say "Soul Food"? I piled up my three notebooks, huge water bottle, and Bible in my arms and crept downstairs toward the couch in our living room. I really felt like my Spirit was just crying out and saying, "Feed me Deya, feed me!" Pages and pages later, I journaled for a bit and finally got into the word. I wanted to cry as I read the life of David as I approached the end of the second book of Samuel. After some amusing conversations with my God, my Mami (how we say mom in Spanish) came downstairs and we ate a yummy breakfast. A nice sandwich comprised of whole grain bread, ham, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mayo, and mustard. This may not be your typical breakfast but it's part of the healthy meal plan that thanks to God I am now following. Tips to come!

2:00PM

The smell of turkey, stuffing, gravy, and green-bean-casserole filled the air and floated up the stairs and into our three bedrooms. The four of us gathered around the table, agreed as we came together in prayer, and ate my Mami's amazing food. It was so good! We laughed, reminaced, and then laughed some more!

5:00PM

And the crazy back and forth driving began! First stop, my Abuelita (grandma) Yolanda's house which is ten minutes away in Mission. We drove back to our old neighborhood, past our first house and seven houses later, parked in front of my Abuelito's (grandparents's) House. My little sister, mom, dad, and I walked in, abrasando y saludando (hugging and saying hello with a custom side cheek kiss), all my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. I love our culture and I love how God just transcends all culture to define and receive us. Because we had eaten at home I just grabbed a teeny slice of pumpkin pie while laughing my head off with my cousin Genesis. I hadn't seen her in forever since she took off to Texas A&M in the Fall. They officially converted her and I couldn't help but laugh and throw it in her face as we chuckled and loudly spilled over the couch making our usual references to Transformers Movies, (apparently only we do this) "Don't talk to me don't talk to me criminal!" I missed my Prima (cousin) so much! Before we had to leave to head on over to our second stop I got to say Hi to my cousin Laura, a news anchor for Telemundo 40, so that was cool too. I honestly had a great time as strange as it felt revisiting the roads that use to break my fall as I fell when learning how to ride my bike, that use to be targets for setting fire to fireworks in a glass bottle on Año Nuevo (New Years).

8:00PM

Second stop: Abuelita Marta's house. Here abraze y salude, I smiled, giggled, cried, and prayed. My Tia (Aunt) Chio has been bed bound for a while now with Cancer. Just like my Mami she's an amazing Woman of God with faith that can move mountains. All twenty of us gathered around her, held hands, as my Papi (Daddy) and then Mami led us in powerful prayer. We're all believing God for her recovery and restoration because we've seen and have experienced first-hand what the Lord can do if we dare to believe. We all know that the case is not the same for everyone but as Believers we know that God prepares his people for what is to come, revealing to us that which is hidden. Through dreams we have all seen my aunt walking, talking, and giving testimony of her experience. Even my grandma of my dad's side of the family has dreamed her. I can't even fathom what the Lord has in store for my Tia but like Jobe she will be restored and overflowing in blessing because not once did she complain nor deny her God, her Lord and Savior. We serve the living God who's hand is not too short to save. I believe it!

*~*~*~*~*

Ahhh, what a beautiful Thanksgiving this was.

Tenacity

Tenacity: being persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired.

Greetings to all! So Many exciting things happened this week...For instance...I went with my mom and my boyfriend, Daniel, to a prayer group meeting and we were greeted by a group of prophets that had come in from up north. The older women who prayed for me spoke her prophetic word over me in English. She had a gentle voice and a polite charm about her. The woman told me that God revealed to her that I had a tenacious spirit about me...it was a gift that God had given me. She went on to say that I gave my all in everything and wasn't the type of person that waited for doors to open—I knocked them down. The prophet then whispered that she could see that I was a "rescuer" and that I was going to rescue many people...even animals. The last thing said was that I had to be prepared in the word so that I could know what to say when I help those people. Tears flooded my eyes and I looked up at the ceiling saying, "thank you Lord" over and over.I couldn't believe the word spoken over me. I knew that God had used that kind woman to let me know that I wasn't imagining things.

You see...the past few days I had been seeing these film strips in my head, or visions, of a youth rehab center: there, I was offering treatment plans for teens that involved learning how to play instruments, singing, and animal therapy. A few days before I saw this, my mom, sister, and I took a trip to the Christian Bookshop and I stumbled upon a book called "Hope Rising" by Kim Meeder that compiled various testimonies of children and teens who were changed through equine, horse, therapy. This book touched and continues to touch my heart. All of this combined made me feel overwhelmed in the good kinda way. I had an ah ha! moment and I couldn't help but smile at the wonders of my Lord and Savior! His plan for me is just beginning! Sometimes our surrounding situations make us feel like we're not useful but God uses these types of remarkably odd moments in our lives to say, "Yes, you're important to me. And yes, you matter!" I love you too God...con todo mi corazon!

On another note...my daddy came home from Dallas on Wednesday. We were all so happy to have him back. The whole "girls night in thing" was so much fun but sadly, all things must come to an end. The day after my dad left, the three of us drove to the Christian Bookshop and bought a couple of discount books for me, a fasting book for my mommy, and a teen girls bible for Angie, which I thought was adorable. When we got home just us girls shifted on over to the circular black table outside our front door. The breeze was lovely so we took advantage of the nice weather to spread the word of God amongst ourselves as well as pass along a piece of yummy banana bread. It was super fun! I read over the story of King Josaphat: His army was handed the victory by God against his enemies because the king trusted in the words of God and praised Him all the way to the fighting grounds. They didn't even have to fight because God had given them the Victory because of their faith and devotion.