Category Archives: English

Don’t be anxious

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by DP

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6

Restlessness: That feeling of asphyxiating anxiety that seems not to end. Marked by a lack of quiet, repose, or rest; Not able to rest, relax, or be still. It is an overwhelming feeling that takes over your entire body and mental functions and seems to overpower every inch of our being. It happens, sometimes more than we want to admit. And in silence we are prisoners of our own thoughts and an easy prey to our circumstances. We need structure, guidance and wisdom.

Paul, had his share of these feelings. At the time of writing this letter to the Philippians, he was in house arrest for two years. A situation that limited his mobility, his contact with the world and to the naked eye, the influence he could have. But from there he wrote this letter where he instilled among other things the importance of being cool, calm, and collected and changed the world. He clearly stated, Do not be anxious about anything, and anything means anything.

One might say, yeah it’s easier said than done, but Paul was talking about his own experience and sharing with the Philippians the way to overcome. We are presented with many choices every day. Sometimes choices that are imposed upon us and we must decide. The counsel is that in every situation we should present them in prayer and with thanksgiving to our God. We are reminded that, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” , so our trust should remain in His promises.

And it all comes down precisely to that, trust. We can easily be distracted by what surrounds and by what happens to us daily. The unexpected phone call, or reaction, a poor choice of words, and many other exogenous events that tend to rattle our trust in God’s promises. So when you are presented again with anxiety, restlessness and you start to feel overpowered, remember the words said the Paul; Do not be anxious about anything and remember that God’s plans for your life are good and bright and wonderful. Jesus made it clear that he had overcame every situation for us and that nothing would harm us.

Every situation has the capacity to promote you to a better place. Be cool, calm and collected, trust God and don’t be anxious.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2011
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.

Leave the waterpot

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by DP

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,… – John 4:28

Much has been written and said about this encounter between Jesus and the samaritan woman at the water-well. A woman that had a religious belief, evidenced by her declaration of where worship should take place. But what was evidently clear, was the thirst she had in her life. Her past and her present were a constant reminder of it. And in this scene we see her being asked for some water by the same One that could quench the thirst of her soul and change the direction of her life.

Her mind was referencing a different kind of life. She was using her current status, her current thirst, her current lack, to interpret the words that Jesus was speaking into her life. If she only knew, who was speaking to her! But after this encounter her eyes were opened and her life was changed. She had been confronted with the truth and had been loved at the same time. She had been seeking for love in many places and from many men, to be left every time thirsty and unloved. But today this was different. The way she satisfied her thirst was new to her. That day she left at the well, her old way of fulfilling her thirst, of fulfilling her soul. She left the waterpot. She left her old ways when she was confronted with the Water of Life.

You might be in a moment of life where you are tired of trying and trying many different ways of fulfilling your soul. You are tired of the same situation, you are tired of the struggle, of realizing that being religious does not satisfy your deep desire for relationship; a relationship with God. When we realize that what we need is more, we leave our old ways of fulfilling our needs. We need to open our hearts and surrender it to God.

The call to action today is not a religious ceremony, nor a penitence to show your devotion, but a step of surrender. A conscious action of leaving the ways that you relied upon to fill your soul. An act of leaving the waterpot you have been carrying all of your life. You won’t need it anymore. So today, leave it at the well and go on with a new direction.

No more thirst, no more emptiness, no more despair nor sorrow. Leave the waterpot of empty promises for the The Water of Life that will fill your waterless soul with unending love. Leave the waterpot.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Change

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by DP

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” – Matthew 24:35

Jesus made a clear statement that all that was around us, everything that we might know, would change. Our relationships, our place of work, people, circumstances, health, all would and will change. This was said to us so when it came, it wouldn’t take us by surprise, he was saying, expect it to happen.

So why we complain so much when things don’t go our way or stay the same as we know them? We like all that is predictable, we like all that is safe. Our nature gravitates to that kind of place. We tend to like places or circumstances that in our mind we sense or feel that we have control over them. And when that is taken from us, it disrupts our peace, our joy, and our sense of security. We forget that control is merely an illusion. Matt Chandler said it best when his battle with cancer started, “When the illusion of control disappears we become men and women of prayer”. We are reminded that all we know will change and we no control over it.

But Jesus made yet another more significant statement in this sentence. His words would not pass, change nor move. The contrast here was apparent to all. He was saying, that the reality of life would show us that it would be constantly changing, but the reality of Him, would assure us that he would never change, move, or pass. Everything that he said would be solid, unmovable, dependable, for every stage or circumstance of life.

But change is not necessarily bad. We tend to see change from a negative perspective. Change can be good, change can be helpful, even when it might be hurtful. Change can thrust us to another level and develop in us the character needed to fulfill our God given purpose. Because what is now, is not working. Because the status quo is not good. It is how we view change that’s important.

Jesus knew that very well and did something about it. With his sacrifice in the cross, Jesus made sure that change became permanent. He had conquered sin, death and fear. Not a mere superficial change, but a change to the core. He became change, he made us forgiven, redeemed, and transformed.

The entire story of the Bible is all about change. Change for good, for love and for life. Trust in his word that will never pass, that will never move or will never change. Embrace change.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

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© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The one who sows

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wpid-sower3-2011-06-12-06-011.jpgby DP

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” – Matthew 13:3-8

It was very early in the morning. This was the moment he had dreaded the entire week. He was pacing around the room, rehearsing, thinking, doubting, hoping, expecting. A myriad of emotions rushing in his head and in his heart. How will he approach the subject? Will it be well accepted? Was he convinced of what he was about to say?

And then he remembered the parable, where the seed had fallen in different types of soil, and had different results at the end. And the thought came to his mind, what if the soil wasn’t the only variable here? Nor the seed? What if the sower had a crucial part in the story. And his heart rested, the seed, the message that he was going to deliver was solid. He had to be sure that the messenger, the sower, not the seed, was iron clad too.

There are many occasions where we fail to understand the importance of the message or task we are about to deliver, that we don’t take good care of it. In the parable, it was a qualified person. The story says he was a sower. He knew what he was doing, he had experience, he had done this task before. He also knew where would the seed have the best results. So why did he threw it alongside the road, over stony places or under thorns? Was he being careless?

Without undermining or neglecting the many teachings Jesus conveyed with this parable, we should all consider this and understand that we need to communicate well. We need to know the setting that we are in and be assertive with our words. It is an important message, but it might be the wrong soil, the wrong place or the wrong time.

Back to our friend in the beginning of this post. With the understanding of this principle, he went into the meeting and he scouted the field. When he spotted good soil, he delivered the all important message. The message that would transform his life.

It doesn’t matter where you carry out your calling, be prepared and be mindful of the field you have been given. It might not be the seed, nor the soil, but it could be the one who sows.

“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 DP, 2011

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Get your feet wet

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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 of Israel should move when the Ark of the Covenant was moved. The story goes on to tell that the moment the feet of the priests got wet, the Jordan river piled up a great distance away from them allowing them to pass to the other side over dry land.

There is much to learn about this story, and about the context, but one thing stands out. As soon as the feet of the priests touched the water, the river flow stopped. What seemed impossible, was made possible, what would have never crossed the mind of the people of Israel, happened before their eyes; as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water.

You may be confronted today with an impossible task in front of you, uncharted territory. You might not see any dry, safe place to go through and your heart may be dismayed to what your eyes are seeing. Sometimes we just sit around and give up to the first sign of opposition or trouble that arises. It might seem and be difficult what you are confronting today. Or you might not even know what will be waiting for you on the other side. But in order to know, you have to move.

Your miracle won’t happen without your involvement. You have to move, you have to get your feet wet. And when God sees this bold move, this faith move, the waters, the problem, the opposition, will back up, not right close to you, but far away. So today, stop complaining, stop fearing and move boldly on the promise of God for you. You need to get your feet wet in order to see the water stop. You will see the problem, the situation, back up before your eyes and the path in front of you will be dry, safe and promising.

Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

The instruction is clear; move on and get your feet wet.

“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, 2011

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

Graduation day

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by DP

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” – Revelation 22:12

It was quite a different feeling altogether. I had walked the entire day before, searching for the clothes he would wear. We got the tie, the shirt, the pants, the shoes, (He actually wanted to use sneakers!) and the usual haircut. A day of shopping around, a great day of hanging out with my son. (Ah, and less money in my pocket!)

The day came and we headed out to the graduation ceremony. It was a great moment, and also a moment of deep thoughts and emotions. Emotions got to high level when a slideshow was presented with the students pictures. My son had selected a picture to be displayed from his early school days and then his current photo was shown. I just can’t quite put in words what I felt that moment. Joy, hope, a myriad of feelings that day (and an occasional tear bothering my eyes!). One thing was certain, I hoped for greater things for my son and felt very proud of him.

This day was the culmination and the beginning of two seasons. The culmination of years of studying and learning and the beginning of a season of new experiences, challenges, and victories, and yes, more studying and learning. The graduation was the recognition of the work that was done years before. While sitting there, it also made me reflect about life, about my wife, my son, my daughter, and myself. And I realized that we all will stand before our God one day, we will be called by our name and receive the reward of what we have done in this life. That day is not the day to get prepared. On that day there is nothing that can be done to get a medal or recognition. That day is graduation, reward day.

As I felt that day, I was and I am, proud of my son, will God feel the same about you on that day? If you’re not sure, it is not too late to you turn your heart to Him and amend your ways. He has promised to hear you and receive you. He has made all that needs to be made in order for you and I to be reconciled with Him. We all have sinned and we all have a past, and we all have a future if we want to. – “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future” Craig Groeschel

You and I will receive the reward according to our work, for what we did with our lives. Make it a rewarding one. The day will come and it will be, graduation day.

“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 DP, 2011

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Two weeks and a day

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It was another Sunday, o so I thought. I can’t remember the date, but I can remember the scene. I opened the door of the church and everything stopped. There she was, full of life, full of joy and looking stunningly beautiful, doing what she has done all her life, singing with passion to her Master. I do remember my thought at that moment, I said to myself, “She must be married. I mean, what man in his right mind would not pursue a woman like this.” And then I asked for the president of the youth of the church, and yes you are right, it was her. As I talked to her, her smile captivated me. I had seen my dream and the pursuit for her heart began that day. And as I realized, this had not been just another Sunday.

It has been 15 years today since we got married. It has been an amazing ride, sometimes bumpy, sometimes smooth. It has been 15 years of laughter, of tears of joy, years full of hope and full of dreams. And today we look into the future with expectation, with confidence and with boldness that for our time remaining on this earth, we will make it, the best time of our lives.

Time has gone very fast, that is why to me it hasn’t been 15 years, it’s more like two weeks and a day. And as I look at you, as I hear you, as I love you, I pray that God may give us many more years, to laugh, to dream, and to love.

I love you Sandy, Happy Anniversary Baby!

It’s time to move

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by DP

Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. – Numbers 9:22

This is a description of what the life of the people of Israel was while they were in the desert; forty years in the wilderness. They had to be constantly available, and they knew the time would come when they had to move. Can you imagine to set up camp in the morning or evening and then twelve hours later having to pack everything again and continue, not to mention that they were about three million people in motion. Just the thought of it is overwhelming.

In our senses one might think, why did God do that? Why did he made them camp only to make them move the next morning? The history reveals that the people of Israel were prone to waver and doubt, and yet God was leading them from place to place. History tells us that they camped in over forty places during the years that they were in the desert. And it is precisely here where occasionally we get confused more and sometimes we’re not sure what to do in our own lives.

But something is always clear. The seasons in our life are constantly changing and as a result many areas of your life will also change. It could be your workplace, where you live, the people with whom you interact, the country where you reside and even the initiatives you serve in. But one thing should never change, our clear and unequivocally dependence on the direction of God.

As the people of Israel, moved when the cloud moved, this should be a lesson and a practice for us. We should not run away at the slightest problem, we should not change when it is convenient for us. We must have perseverance, determination and responsibility. But we must also have sensitivity to the seasons in our lives and our hearts attentive to the directions of God.

Because just as the people of Israel experienced many times, it is possible that this time, it’s time to move.

“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 DP, 2011

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.