Category Archives: Courage

One purpose

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aGc-pkgjesus_feetI cannot stop but to imagine what that day looked liked. I think of a quiet room, a clear sky and the sun coming up gently on the horizon. His eyes slowly opening and gazing at the magnificent masterpiece in the firmament his father had painted for him. The same way they’d both painted many mornings before. But this morning was different, this morning was crucial. Something unusual was about to happen, something that would reverb in the entire cosmos. As he moved from his resting position, his spirit quickened. This was the day that would start it all. The moment he had been preparing all of his mortal life. It marked the moment that would be written in the hearts of all humankind and change its landscape forever. When his feet finally touched the cold ground, all of the universes trembled. Galaxies were born, and stars started to explode. The oceans roared, the mountains sang. This day, this first step would change it all. And taking a deep breath, he took a bold step and walked out the door towards the Jordan River. This day would be recorded in history as the day his life would start to unfold as never before.

And as the journey took him, he healed the sick and loved the unlovable. He stood up against the oppression and lifted the spirit of the brokenhearted. The passion of his hands was as intense as the compassion in his eyes. He spoke his mind because he knew the hearts. The unexplainable of his deeds was explained by his love.

His love towards those that even hated him made his life not to be his own. And he gave it away. The dawn of that dark Friday crushed the spirit of those who saw his final breath. Everyone thought he had already taken his last final step. His body was entombed, his likeness was sent to be forgotten, or so everyone thought.

But then Sunday morning. In my imagination, I think that meanwhile his body was covered by the cloth, his spirit quickened. Something unusual happened once again, something that resounded in the entire cosmos. It was the day that would seal it all. His eyes started to open, his muscles to flex, his heart to beat and his breath to flutter the cloth covering his mount and filling the room. This time was different, this time there was nothing to prove and nothing to say. And once again as that day began, his mortal body started to erect from a resting state. This felt familiar to him, yet completely different. And as if the entire universe passed in slow motion, his feet approached the ground. Like a movie reel, he saw all the faces of those he loved passing in front of him, and then an earth-shattering sound. His feet had touched once again the cold floor, with a purpose. And taking a deep breath, he took a bold step and walked out the cave towards those he loved.

Two crucial moments, one purpose. Redemption and love were his secret ambition, recorded in history as two steps but one purpose. We were and are that purpose.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2016

“If you can?”

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IMG_2731“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

If you can? That was the question/response Jesus gave to the father of the boy that had a tormenting spirit. This got me thinking. How broken was his spirit to question his beliefs? I have to admit, at times I have mustered the same expression of this father, “Lord I believe, please help my unbelief”. His situation was so dire and so persistent, that he was not looking for a complete fix, just a respite. His expectations of life as he knew it, had come down to survival, to merely exist. He was not expecting God´s best and instead he lowered God to his human level. Life was hard and his son was suffering. “But if you can do anything”. It was an expression of desperation from a father that needed and pleaded for help.

I know the feeling, not of a tormenting spirit, but the angst and despair of feeling helpless and without a door to go. Any light will do, any sign of help will suffice, any handout would be great. Any move that would appease the pain will be welcomed. Dreams, potential and yes, even hope are a distant idea because reality has set in. And it is hard. It crushes your spirit and it breaks your heart. We try everything, anything, even the failed shallow attempt of hands that fall short of becoming the solution to our needs because its inconvenient or too much trouble.

The shorthanded help of people just won’t do it. Our human spirit is reduced to accept less, and it’s hard. The turmoil, the tension, the despair that is felt is so persistent that any expectation of things getting better are low to non-existent. And we reach to the “people that can help”, and sometimes we just get what we have always gotten; failed attempts and a weary tired hurt heart. It seems like the places we go and doors we knock, are pathways to empty rooms and dry hopes. Those around don’t understand the pain or don’t even seem to be prepared to help. And in our desperation we lower our lives to mere existential fixes, we become addicts of the immediate. Have you felt this way?

In the words of Martin Luther to his contemporary Erasmus, “Your thoughts of God are too human”. Our thoughts of Almighty God, all powerful Lord, need to raise to the place where they are to be. Only Jesus. He is the only one that can help the soul and turn all things around. We shouldn’t let the fallen world make our image of God, a fallen one.

He is asking us this question again today, “If I can?”, like if he was stating, “Are you kidding me? Do you know who you are talking to? Do you understand the power and the might you are facing this very moment? I created you, I know your most inner thoughts and everything about you. And I love you, as no one you can think of, loves you. I understand your pain, I see your suffering, and I cry at your persistent angst. But I am God and I am here to make all things new. Many have tried to help you, but have fallen short. I want you to know that I want you to come directly to me. Your source, your God, your I CAN!”

“I can solve your pain, I will wipe your tears, I can do and have done all things new. I will change your mourning into dancing”.

“If you can? You ask. I say, if you believe, anything and everything is possible.’’ Jesus.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright Danny Maldonado, 2015

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.

Take another step

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“How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?” Joshua 18:3
“What are you waiting for?” That was basically the question Joshua was asking. They knew what they had to do but were motionless, even when they had a promised a better place, a bountiful land. Stillness was their answer.

Oftentimes we know exactly what we need to do and just do nothing. There are many reasons for that, but the main one is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of not having the skills, fear of fear itself. But when we are all by ourselves, we know what we need to do. We know that action is the only option, but we choose to stay put, we choose to do nothing. Probably it is because we are comfortable where we are in life right now and making a change is inconvenient. Or maybe fear has become our master. Can you imagine that? Being controlled by a thought that extrapolates and creates mental circumstances and events that in the majority of time never happen? Fear constricts perception, thinking, and motor processes, but faith and love promote action. That is why repeatedly we find God reassuring us and telling us not to fear. “Do not fear, for I am with you” and “perfect love drives out fear”.

You might have been drawn into a situation that most likely you did not create. Or be in a position today you drifted into because of your inaction. Regardless of what or why you are where you are today, you need to move. The best way to break a series of bad decisions is, you guessed it, make one good decision. It sounds simplistic and obvious but when you are immersed in a streak of constant inaction, thinking of making a change, even when it’s a small one, seems an unsurmountable task. One act, ons step, that is what it takes.

Here are some suggestions of how to start making changes that I found helpful:

  • Rest: Yes, it sounds like an oxymoron, but when you are well rested your body and your mind are renewed, you think better you’re more productive, alert and more prone to move on.
  • Eat well: Take control of your diet and make small changes everyday. Drink water before eating, it will make you feel more full and therefore consume less. Ask for help to make a balanced diet and don’t be hard on yourself.
  • Exercise: Even a small walk around your neighborhood will make you feel better and alert.
  • Analyze who are your influencers: “The people that you listen to, are the preview of the future you.” Jeff Henderson. When we consider the lives of those we regard and seek their advise, we should notice the result of their lives in the area we are seeking advise on. Are they modeling well? If I am asking financial advise, are they an example to follow? In relationships? In work? If not, change your sphere.
  • Ask for help: If you cannot make changes on your own, seek advise of others. Look for people that have different ideas than yours and pick their minds. Sometimes one word or one phrase is all that you need to start moving.

Storms in life and menacing waters may be ahead of you, that’s life. But you are not a quitter, you are courageous and you embrace the future with hope. Every obstacle is just a building block for your character. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”, if you never quit and you take that first step, you will be on you way to your promised land. Steven Curtis Chapman described this beautifully in his song “Take Another Step”. There’s a paragraph that says:

If there’s an ocean in front of you

You know what you’ve gotta do

Take another step and another step

Maybe He’ll turn the water into land

And maybe He’ll take your hand and say

Let’s take a walk on the waves

Will you trust Me either way

And take another step

Take another step

So you know what needs to be done. What are you waiting for? Take another step.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee 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, 2014
Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Out in the water

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Recently Joel Thomas, Lead Pastor of Northpoint Community Church, shared in a series titled, Choose to lose the following quotes: “Jesus doesn’t hang out in boats, he’s out there in the water” and “”How”, usually follows obedience” @joelt_. These expressions resonated with me. Joel was speaking about the account in Matthew when Peter walked on water. You may or may not believe the story, but in spite of that, there are many principles we can use in our daily lives.

One of them is revealed right where the event itself took place; out in the water. It is our nature to gravitate towards those environments or experiences that we feel comfortable with. Invariably, these choices give us a false sense of control. As amazing the story is, so is the principle I gleaned from Joel’s quotes: In order to achieve the impossible, we need to do the uncomfortable. Sometimes we have to walk out of the place we know into a place we don’t. Just as Peter dared to step out of what he knew was safe (the boat) and moved into a place he knew was not (the water), we need at times to move from the safe to the daring. And it is very uncomfortable, and sometimes scary.

But what is the alternative? What is the story you want to tell? How will you know how far, high or deep you can go if you stay safe? Probably our biggest hesitation lies in the fact that we don’t know if this next step we are taking is misguided. It could also be that we are unsure we have all the facts, making it easier for us to step back and wait. I subscribe to the idea of making good decisions with enough information, but there are times in life that we just have to move boldly towards our calling. This might be that time.

And just as the story has many principles, any daring step will also bring new challenges and new unknowns. But think of this: No one before or after Peter has ever walked on water. What is it you feel called to do that is uncomfortable? Could this be the moment that could define the rest of your life? There may be many things you don’t know how to do, but remember that “how, usually follows obedience”.

If you hear Jesus telling you, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”, and “Come” then take that step, because Jesus doesn’t hang out in boats, he’s out there in the water.

You can watch Joel’s message here.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee 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, 2014
Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Don’t Quit!

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There’s a scene from the movie Facing the Giants, in which coach Grant Taylor tells Brock Kelley to do the death crawl with a teammate on his back. The kicker is that he had to do it blindfolded, and the only direction he would received was the voice of the coach, not the sight of his eyes. It is a very inspiring scene. It represents life in many ways, yours and mine. We go through life many times crawling, because that’s the only way we can advance. And we also we find ourselves crawling blindfolded with extra weight over us. A perfect combination for a quitter.

We have all had these seasons in our lives. Moments that make us question everything. Times when our sight is clouded, blindfolded, and we have no direction whatsoever. Times in which we have an extra weight on our backs that pushes us down, reviving the idea of quitting every second. It’s in moments like these that I appreciate the coach Taylor’s of the world. Those that push us harder and inspire us to continue to move forward, even when we can’t see where we are going. That voice that leads us to the end zone, and helps us realize that we can do more, be more, achieve more. That voice that will not accept a no for an answer, and will expect the best of us, no matter what.

We need those voices. We all need from time to time; a firm voice that will acknowledge the pain, the struggle, but in spite of that will inspire and push you to the end zone. Just when Brock says, “its hard”, coach Taylor responds, “I know its hard, but you can do it”. And louder and louder he shouted on, “Don’t quit, Don’t Quit, your very best!”.

The same I tell you today. Don’t Quit. I know its hard, I know you can’t see anything in the horizon, but trust the voice, even if it is your own, that tells you; Don’t quit! Don’t quit on your family, it might be hard, but you have to give your very best! Don’t quit on your passion, I know its frustrating some times, but you have to give your very best!, Don’t quit on your children; there are many disappointments, but they are full of potential and they deserve your very best. Don’t quit on your God, He is the ultimate voice that leads you to the end zone, that pushes you further, beyond your limits, because He knows you can do more.

You can be a coach Taylor to the Brock Kelley’s in your life. Or maybe you feel like Brock, and just want to give up. I know, I’ve been both. Just follow the voice, push hard. If you do I promise you one thing; You will get to the end zone and everyone, even yourself, will be amazed of what you will achieved.

So above all, DON’T QUIT!

Enjoy the clip!

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
Want this inspiration of coffee 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, 2014
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.

There’s something about nothing

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Nothing_512_512

It was a physically draining pain. Her body was aching and her spirit was tired. Twelve years had past already and there was no sign of anything getting any better. To top it off, there was no more money left, it was all gone. There was no doctor that could help her, and since she was now broke, the desperation grew bigger and bigger while her hopes dwindled down even further. Her physical condition meant that she was ceremonially unclean in her culture. To better say it, she was an outcast because of her illness and it made no difference to the religious leaders, whether she’d had financial resources or not.

Who knows what she was thinking. In her last attempt to get healed she would do whatever was necessary, even public ridicule. At this point there was no other option. There was nothing more left. And as her frail body and even more broken spirit made her way to the road, she gasped when she saw the multitude. “How will I get to Him?” she said to herself. But in that same moment of an apparent disillusion, an even greater hope emerged in her spirit. A determined woman with an unexplainable faith made her way through the crowd. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

And as she was shoved back by those in front of her, determination grew in her soul. As the path continued to narrow in front of her eyes, faith created a highway for her to cruise. She was not deterred by what she saw or felt, the promise of a healed body and for the same means, a healed soul was bigger than the obstacles in front. Her condition was nothingness but she was walking towards the One who fills everything.

The women in the story not only got healed instantly, but Jesus himself felt it. It was that evident that he stopped and asked, “Who had touched him?”, virtue had come out of him. When your faith is in the right place and you’re down to your last effort or your last cent, there is something about nothing that moves the hand of God. You might be facing a similar circumstance. A broken body, a financial disaster, a disrupted relationship or even shattered dreams. What you see in front of you is just closed doors and many obstacles that even those that are around you are telling you, stop and take another route. They have lost hope in the name of reality. But just as this woman faced the unavoidable obstacles in from of her, you can do the same. When reality tells you, “those doors are closed, there is a wall in front”, faith screams, “I will open doors or make them if I need to.”

Regain a new hope, walk towards that which seems impenetrable. The One that has the virtue to change everything is waiting. You might hear those same words this woman received, “…your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Remember, there is something about nothing, that moves the hand of God.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee 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.

Let your feelings catch up later

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Have you ever had one of those days? The ones that start with a “no” and even when it has not ended yet, you think that it will end the same way? They are very interesting days to say the least. I had one not so long ago, and those that know me well, know that the word “No,” does not resonate well with me.

Every time I am confronted with this I react in a many ways, the most persistent one is me being more resolved, sometimes a synonym in my language, to be more stubborn. What drives this in me? Why do I react this way? Often times I get confused when any opposing situation comes my way. How should I react? What should I say? Should I try harder or let it go? Should I take a different route or state my case more vigorously? What do you do when your daughter or son gets home and says, “I didn’t make the team,” or “I failed the test I studied so hard for”. Or your spouse comes and tells you, “the banker said, that our application was denied”. Day’s, weeks, months or even years of No’s, can definitely become very unsettling and discouraging.

Recently I read a phrase that said: “Trust God completely and let your feelings catch up later”. This is so true. We tend to react on the basis of what we feel and comprehend with our natural senses. That’s the way God created us so we could perceive the world around us. But Paul tells us in the letter to the corinthians a new paradigm; walk by faith and not by sight; believing not by seeing is the key. It’s hard sometimes, because we have conditioned ourselves to regard as true only those things we can prove, see or touch. We often sustain these arguments by statements, like “I have to be a good steward,” “it is a good example to be an example”, and many more. And yes, these statements are true and I don’t mean or imply to minimize the importance of them, all the contrary, but what I am saying is that we should have the kind of faith that amazes God. Wholehearted faith in God’s word for us.

Every promise, every word, every direction his word gives us is true, dependable and strong, regardless of where we are or what we are facing. I know, I have no idea what you are going through, and it’s true, no one can process the events in your life the same way you do. But what I can say is that I have experienced the days, the weeks the months and even the years of “No’s” in my life. And it is in those moments that the only sustainable, dependable place for me and my family has been God’s word and promises.

Call me childish or even ignorant if you will, but we have decided to have the kind of faith that would amaze even God. Believing in those things we cannot see and trusting that everything that has been created, even our own senses, will catch up later. I encourage you to do the same. It’s ok to acknowledge that you are not there yet. But get up and admit it to Him and ask in prayer for greater faith, that’s the first step to greatness.

His promises are true, His word is real so we have decide to walk by faith and let our feelings catch up later. You can do the same.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee 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, 2012
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.

Make the dream come true

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What does it take to make a dream come true? I actually googled it and got 152 million results back. By sheer numbers it appears there are a lot of dreamers out there, or at least some that are toying with an idea. You get a lot of different perspectives. Many in my opinion good, others I would say a little creative. But regardless of what point of view resonates with you, one thing is actually pretty much consistent among them: action.

Many of us are paralyzed in life because we are afraid of taking action. We are afraid of something that might not even be true. It could be fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of ridicule or even fear of fear. I know from personal experience how this feels. When the fear of the unknown outcome crawls inside of you, it takes complete control. And the dream agonizingly screams in us, desperately longing for a sliver of hope that could maintain it alive somehow. But fear has made residence in our hearts, and evicting it, is a hard task.

So how do we defeat fear? It is very interesting that when we read about three crucial moments in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the same word is used to describe the magnitude of the event preceding that victory. And each victory over the event required an important ingredient: action. The greek word is σεισμος or “seismos” which means earthquake. The impression was so big, that it could only be described with this word. This word is used when Jesus defeated sin, death and fear. It is through the strength we find in him that we are able to overcome fear, because he defeated it. The enemy of fear is action and action creates purpose and purpose creates passion, and passion knows no limits.

Many practical ideas can help you refine your dream or accelerate it. Writing it down, researching, asking a lot of questions, meditating on it or planning just to mention a few. All of them are good and you should do some or all of them. But it will be pointless without action. Action defeats fear.

You don’t need to have it all figured out, you don’t need to have all the answers to the questions. You just have do one simple thing: Take that first step. Will you fail? It is possible. Will you come out a victor? It could be. But you will never know if you don’t try. Why would you sit in the sidelines petrified when you can be in the middle having the time of your life? You don’t want to live a should’a, could’a, would’a life and die. It is better to try and fail, than not to try at all.

There are some times in life where each step you take is planned and calculated, and that is good and necessary. But there are other times in life where faith and courage are the lights that guide your way through the dark path before you. And that is all you need.

So, what does it take to make a dream come true? Which of the 152,000,000 answers is the correct one? I don’t know, but for me it’s one simple thing: That very first step. Take courage and brace yourself, the man that told the wind “cut the attitude,” is by your side. It will be the ride of your life.

Make the dream come true.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee 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, 2012
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.