Monthly Archives: May 2013

From a storm to a whisper

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Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

This passage describes a scene of distress at sea like those in the movies with great captains. But this scene is different from the ones we usually see at the big screen. It acknowledges that the sailors were skillful but the mighty sea proved to be a bigger and mightier opponent. So much so, to the point that hope of survival was dimming every minute, and then something happened in the middle of the ordeal. When their skill and knowledge got to their end point, they cried out for help and that made all the difference. They knew that nothing else could be done and that the situation was beyond their human endurance. Psalm 107:28-29 tells us that they asked God for help, not knowing what more to do for their preservation; all of their wisdom was swallowed up, and they were ready to give up.

Doesn’t this seem familiar? Many times we are in the middle of a situation we cannot control. We got into it, but then it became uncontrollable. We thought we could manage a business and then the trend went the opposite way. A promising job is cut after a short period of time due to unforeseen factors. We trusted that someone would keep his or her word and honor a promise and that didn’t happen. An external factor has created a storm in the path of your life and you are in distress. You have tried everything you know that worked in the past, but now it doesn’t. And you are out of options. But this is not an issue of skill but of trust.

The same happened when Jesus told the disciples to cross to the other side of the sea, and then a raging storm menaced to sink the boat. He was in he stern sleeping and they were trying to control the vessel. When they cried out to Him he hushed the storm and everything became calm. I refer sometimes to this event as if Jesus woke up and said to the sea, “Hey, cut the attitude, I’m here.” In times of trouble, cry out to the Lord. The force of the seas of life are something we cannot control or tame. But the psalmist describes here a beautiful picture, “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” Wow, wow, wow!, was my expression when I read this. How amazing it is to know that God can just hush any situation in your life and what seems like a raging storm, be converted into a whisper! It not only brings peace to our souls but a confidence that even when we might not have the knowledge or the power or the skill to manage many situations in our lives, He is the Almighty and he is hearing our cry. He can tell that situation that is menacing your very existence, “Cut the attitude, I’m here, he’s with me, she’s with me.’

Don’t be shy, call on to Him and cry out for help. This issue is no match for his power. And you will see this situation convert from a storm to whisper.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2013
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible: Today’s New International Version. 2005. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Cuatro de mayo

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¡Feliz cumpleaños Sandy!

BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE boldly

La Gran Manzana fue el escenario. El corazón le latía intensamente, ella sabía que había llegado el momento, ella sabía que esto era diferente. Sus ojos se movían de un lado a otro y cada vena en su rostro se llenó con la presión de todos sus músculos concentrados en la tarea. El dolor y la lucha llenaron la atmósfera, y en un momento, la alegría y la calma reinaron en la habitación. Fue el cuatro de mayo a las 3:00 am, cuando todo comenzó.

Ese día surgió una voz, se escuchó con fuerza como profetizando de la pasión que guiaría sus pasos por el resto de su vida. No fue entendida de ese modo al momento, como muchas otras grandes voces que han surgido, fue confundida a ser “otra” voz. Pero su voz ese día estaba ensayando para lo que sería la tarea de toda su vida; El adorar…

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May four

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Happy Birthday Sandy!

BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE boldly

The Big Apple was the setting. Her heart was beating intensely, she knew it was time, she knew this was different. Her eyes moving from side to side and every vein in her face was filled with the pressure of every muscle concentrated in the task. Pain and struggle filled the atmosphere, and in a moment, joy and calm reign the room. It was the fourth of May at 3:00 am when it all began.

That day a voice surged, and it was heard powerfully like prophesying the passion that would guide her steps for the rest of her life. It wasn’t understood that way at the time, like many other great voices that had emerged, it was confused to be “another” voice. But her voice that day was rehearsing to what would be her lifelong task; To praise the Almighty. A strong voice, a humble heart, loving hands, and…

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Get your feet wet

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From June 2011…

BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE boldly

It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge,the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. Joshua 3:15-16

This story tells about the amazing miracle God performed for the people of Israel. Joshua had received instructions to cross the river and conquer Jericho. This undertaking was no small one. This generation was not the same one that had gone out of Egypt and seen the Red Sea divide. This moment in time, even to Joshua, was new territory. Clear instructions were given. The people…

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Moja tus pies

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BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE boldly

Era la temporada de la cosecha, y el Jordán desbordaba su cauce. Pero en cuanto los pies de los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca tocaron el agua a la orilla del río,el agua que venía de río arriba dejó de fluir y comenzó a amontonarse a una gran distancia de allí, a la altura de una ciudad llamada Adán, que está cerca de Saretán. Y el agua que estaba río abajo desembocó en el mar Muerto hasta que el lecho del río quedó seco. Después, todo el pueblo cruzó cerca de la ciudad de Jericó. Josué 3:15-16

Esta historia habla sobre el milagro increíble Dios hizo para el pueblo de Israel. Josué había recibido instrucciones para cruzar el río y conquistar Jericó. Este compromiso no era pequeño. Esta generación no era el misma que había salido de Egipto, y visto el dividir del Mar Rojo. Este momento en…

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Conquer by doing good

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We live in a transformed society. What once was regarded as the standard, today is questioned at every corner. Deals were sealed with a hand shake, today a contract is a must. A promise was regarded as the highest form of commitment, today proof is demanded before any agreement. We have been gradually shifting from the good life to the norm of “watch your back at every corner.” We distrust everyone and everything, from the government, financial institutions to religious organizations, even our own family. So we created the contracts. Yet we expect everyone else to trust us.

Broken promises have made our hearts hard. We are constantly shielding ourselves from hurt, from people that see us as a mere transaction. Men and women that love things and use people, when the opposite is what should be. It is hard. I know first hand the feeling of whom has gotten close, just to grasp as much as they can under the disguise of friendship. And it hurts. There is a crawling sensation of anger inside that if you are not alert, will overtake you and poison your entire being. And every new interaction is viewed with suspicion and distrust.

Being reminded by Paul in the book of Romans, “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good”, is liberating. He tells us not to “feel” our way through, but to do. It is how we become a conquerors. I heard once an illustration that I actually tried myself. If you have a glass of water that is dirty and full of contaminants, and you put in under a faucet that is flowing clean water, you will see how the clean water being poured into the glass will eventually clean out the dirty water and make the contents clean. Our lives are the same. When we do good, even when it is not recognized or even reciprocated, our glasses, our lives will be clean and fruitful. We should always look for “faucets” that will pour “clean water” into our hearts.

Being a conqueror starts by conquering yourself. If you don’t manage yourself first, your enterprises will always lack something. Managing yourself creates character and builds credibility. Credibility is the ultimate currency, when your presence alone makes everything right. Your credibility can only be built over time, and it is built from the history of your words and actions. Changing the tide or the norm is not easy but it is worth every effort. We will become better, once we commit to do good.

When evil lifts its voice around us with a boastful attitude, doing good represents the single most effective way to silence its noise. You can do it, I can do it. Let’s change our sphere of influence we have been given and conquer by doing good.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this hot coffee of inspiration by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2013

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Conquistemos haciendo el bien

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Vivimos en una sociedad transformada. Lo que antes se consideraba como el estándar, hoy se cuestiona en cada esquina. Los tratos se sellaban con un estrechar de manos, hoy se necesita un contrato. Una promesa se consideraba como el más alto compromiso; hoy se exige prueba para cualquier acuerdo. Gradualmente hemos ido cambiando de la buena vida a la norma de “vigila tus espaldas en cada esquina.” Desconfiamos de todos y de todo, desde el gobierno, las instituciones financieras, las organizaciones religiosas, incluso de nuestra propia familia. Es por eso que creamos contratos. Sin embargo, esperamos que todo el mundo confíe en nosotros.

Las promesas rotas han hecho que nuestros corazones se endurezcan. Constantemente nos estamos escudando del dolor, de personas que nos ven como una mera transacción. Hombres y mujeres que aman las cosas y utilizan a la gente, cuando lo opuesto es lo que debería ser. Es difícil. Sé, por experiencia, lo que se siente cuando alguien se acerca bajo el disfraz de la amistad sólo para obtener lo más que pueda. Y eso duele. Una sensación de ira interior va apoderándose de ti, que si no estás alerta, podría atrapar y envenenar todo tu ser. Y podrías ver cada nueva interacción como sospechosa y con desconfianza.

Es liberador recordar lo que Pablo escribió en el libro a los Romanos, “No dejen que el mal los venza, más bien venzan el mal haciendo el bien.” Nos dice que no hagamos las cosas por como nos “sentimos,” sino que las hagamos. Es como nos convertimos en conquistadores. Una vez escuché una ilustración que personalmente la intenté. Si tienes un vaso de agua sucia y llena de contaminantes y lo colocas bajo el grifo que fluye agua limpia, notarás cómo el agua limpia que se vierte en el vaso eventualmente limpiará el agua sucia y hará su contenido limpio. Se asemeja a nuestras vidas. Cuando hacemos bien, aun cuando no se reconozca o no sea correspondido, nuestro vaso, nuestra vida será limpia y fructífera. Siempre debemos buscar los “grifos” que viertan “agua limpia” en nuestros corazones.

Ser un(a) conquistador(a) empieza por conquistarte a ti mismo(a). Si no te manejas a ti primero, tus negocios siempre carecerán de algo. Manejarse a sí mismo crea carácter y construye credibilidad. La credibilidad es la máxima moneda, cuando con solo tu presencia, hace que todo este bien. Tu credibilidad sólo puede construirse con el pasar del tiempo, y se va edificando con la historia de tus palabras y tus acciones. Cambiar el rumbo de la marea o la norma no es fácil, pero vale la pena el esfuerzo. Mejoraremos una vez nos comprometemos a hacer el bien.

Cuando el mal levanta su voz a nuestro alrededor con una actitud jactanciosa, el hacer el bien representa la manera más eficaz para silenciar su ruido. Tú puedes lograrlo, yo puedo lograrlo. Cambiemos la esfera de influencia que se nos ha dado, y conquistemos haciendo el bien.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2013
Las citas bíblicas son tomadas de la Santa Biblia, Nueva Traducción Viviente, derechos de autor © 1996, 2004, 2007 por Tyndale House Foundation. Usado con permiso de Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Todos los derechos reservados.