Let's be friends:

22 Aug

Posted at 02:34h in Devotionals by
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The other day, I was really stressed from a long day of work, and I was ready to ask for some peace. As I started presenting my "first world problems" to God, He started shifting my attention to the amount of homeless people in Chicago. As I walked through the city, I saw this old woman, looking down, holding a cardboard sign that said:
Broken. Alone. Ashamed.

My heart was gripped immediately. I passed by her and felt a huge tug to go back. I turned around, reached into my pocket, got out a quarter and a penny (all I really had) and started walking towards her.

I crouch down a bit, look at her and tell her "God bless you!" with a smile.

I wasn't really expecting anything back.

16 Aug

Posted at 07:58h in Devotionals by
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photo (2) As most of you know, I'm currently living in a big city. When I think of "big city", the things that immediately come to mind are lots of buildings, lots of people, lots of businesses, lots of man-made structures and, well...cement. Today, I decided to walk home from work instead of taking the usual train. I wanted to explore my new neighborhood and see which "treasure" places I could spot to go later on. In my 45 minute walk, I noticed something very curious and unexpected about Chicago. There are trees. Lots of them. I immediately found myself daydreaming about the moments of creation, where God made "all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food" (Genesis 2:9). I thought of the main purpose and surroundings that trees were created for in the first place. This humored me:  If the trees in Chicago could think (sorry to Pocahontas fans), I bet they would have never guessed they would end up in a city like this! A place surrounded by cement with hardly any space to grow, separated from one another by loads of concrete, often passed by busy people with suitcases that pay no special attention to them.

19 Jul

Posted at 18:15h in Life Story by
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I don't even know how to begin.

Short version: I'm moving out of my little island and to the windy city, Chicago. And it was all God.

BEACHTOLAKE

Long version: Brace yourself...

A few months ago, the Lord revealed to me that he wanted me to move out of my home. Not because of any problems I was having, but because He wanted me to experience Him in a whole new way: in the quiet, in the stillness, in a place where it would be only Him and me.

Numerous scriptures concerning a period of "exile" in my life flooded me. It was constant, definite, sure.

Fast forward two weeks ago. I was having probably the toughest weeks I have ever experienced. Numerous doors seemed to close. What He had spoken seemed dim and far away. Some of these doors?

  • I was called to move, but some things needed in order for that to happen were just NOT happening.
  • I was called to focus on my music and spend time on it, yet my guitar - the one I had spent most of my savings on, and that I bought specifically for ministry - broke. A second time. Right after getting it back from getting "fixed".
  • On top of that, I saw my grandmother die, my health faltered to the point where I couldn't even walk and almost went into a "shock" because of physical exhaustion...and that's just a portion of other things that were also happening that laid a very heavy weight in my heart.

Yet, it was not only the worst week, but the best.

18 Jun

Posted at 04:13h in Devotionals, Tough Times by
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Waiting is not my cup of tea. Neither is being still. In fact, I'm pretty good with being busy and getting things done. Now, THAT's what I'm talking about. Give me 10 things to do, and I'm right in my comfort zone. Deadlines? Exciting. No sleep? It's alright. Busy busy! Izzy. Dizzy. Frizzy. I used to feel pretty bad about my "help in everything ever always forever" tendencies. Nevertheless, God has shown me that being still and waiting on Him have little to do with our personalities, and more to do with, well...obedience. I also found out that being still and waiting on the Lord have a very different meaning in the Bible as I had commonly learned it. Let's see!

divider-lesson1

[caption id="attachment_739" align="alignleft" width="300"]hand No.[/caption]

Asking me to be completely still is like asking me to draw a human hand that does not look like an abnormal alien body part.

It's just not gonna happen. At least not naturally to me.

Nevertheless, In Psalms 46:10, our Lord says: "Be STILL and know that I am God."

No Nathalia. It doesn't say "spend every waking minute doing lots of stuff and know that I am God." It also does not say "worry, thrive and know that I am God." It says: Be. Still. Uh oh.

26 May

Posted at 06:06h in Devotionals, Teachings by
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"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

When I was in elementary school, I was not exactly popular. Oh, not in the least. How much do we all loathe our awkward looking years! I remember there was this girl - let's call her Debbie - that made my life completely impossible. She made fun of me all the time, and was not shy in pointing out everything that did not make me "cool".

Yet, Debbie was an...interesting kid. Whenever she would fight with her "posse", guess who suddenly became her best friend? You guessed it. Me! I remember her saying "see Nathalia, you are a TRUE friend". I was flattered.

23 May

Posted at 03:36h in Uncategorized by
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In the presence of God there is: Joy You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11 Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of...

20 May

Posted at 04:40h in Teachings by
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Hey guys, so here are the notes for a teaching I gave recently to a group of young women like myself. It focuses on our true identity, to be lovers of God. (If you can't see it right, I recommend you read it full size! > here's...