Peeling an onion...

  We all know the process of chopping an onion well at least those that cook. It is uncomfortable with how it stings and discomforts your eyes.Yet think of how flavored the meal gets when we do add those chopped onions. Well this year God has certainly been peeling off layers of my heart I wasn’t expecting all during the process of serving others. I didn’t list resolutions but my prayer was to just be consistent in going to small group and receiving discipleship. Sounds simple right? Not really with my history I’d join one show up once and never even get to know my leaders

One day however a couple shoutout to Jackson’s! watered a thought In me. They had me over for a random spontaneous Tuesday dinner. They inspired me in how they cooked, laughed, cried, debated music and shared there story with me. It became clear to me you can be the same room with someone for years and not know them but call them family? What?. It occurred to me why am I not sharing this with colleges students who are away from home or looking to building relationships. Brought to the attention of the campus minister/friend. Even as I talked to him I was finding reason to talk myself out like what about work, budget, and safety hazards?

I just couldn’t stop envisioning students learning and growing together in the kitchen. Biggest catch it was a weekly basis so that’s where consistency came again. Say it with me! Simple obedience changes you and the world around you. Once the cooking nights began it blew my expectations. New students came every week, students stayed and lingered for hours, a Christian fashion line formed in a conversation those nights, local church moms came to inspire faith&share international cuisines, students even worshipped. 

As I chopped and peeled vegetables during these nights so were there lies been cut off of me. I reflected on my dream one night of what it would be like to have a my own house. Where students cook, family holiday parties happen, and couples gather for game nights. I found healing in the thought of that dream being far fetched or failing to deserve someone who would support my vision. It shook me as I cried God why should I ever have to be afraid of you giving me someone who would leave me, get tired of me, or abandon me because of my dream? Surely you understand me God and will provide me with a spouse to form a family that is on that same mission of loving with compassion and not fear. 

God also taught me in my shopping moments for the week of not relying on my own strength or creativity. I’d walk the aisles and ask God in my heart show me where to go. Doing that lead me to better prices and deals. So as you can imagine layers of doubt, fear, worry and self reliance needed to get taken off. It was painful I cried and cried more times than I can count. However I now feel seasoned in my faith and so do the students of George Mason while gain cooking skills and love for fellowship.
Here are some pictures below of some great Kodak moments with these awesome world changers!! 🌎

Maximize Faith and Magnify God

   Last year in February on my first road trip alone I dozed off behind the wheel and got pulled over by the cops. Mind you I've never been in trouble with the law ever. I assumed I’ll get a slap on the wrist. Instead I get charged with a misdemeanor and summoned for court. With no resources to handle the matter thanks to the prayers of my friends who are campus ministers at Mason and Nova I was lead to all the help I needed.One Community supported me every step of the way.

Paul Dudley provided an experienced lawyer, His wife Karen encouraged and prayed for me, and Paul came to my trial to stand by me before the Judge.My small group leaders Howard and Barbie hosted me in their home.Not only were all my charges dropped but I received no jail time. This pastor reminded me when our vision is dim we need someone in our darkest hour to spot the light. The same way the disciples did to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Little did I know this trial was a stepping stone for how much more I was getting equipped to Maximize my faith and Magnify my God.

Well I’ve been in the process of looking for jobs for several weeks now .I won’t deny to you I settled for any position that would open up on indeed just because the need for work was strong. As I said to myself I just need a five day a week job to cover basic needs. So I started scrolling on job posts the way many go through new posts on Instagram or Facebook. As many more emails and calls trickled in from potential employers saying “We’ve found a better candidate”.

One morning I was stressed out of mind I hit my head painfully on the frame of my car door. Of course when you’re in the condition of having no job, health insurance, or the time to miss hours of babysitting you think I’ll just bear with it.

The pain unfortunately only got worst in the days to come. To the point where on the last days of the year I end up in the emergency room. The pain was so strong I couldn’t think straight or keep my eyes open. I honestly was thinking this is THE END. I prayed Lord if this is my time to go   

I accept your good and perfect will for me. When my doctor walked into the room she introduced herself as FAITH. Immediately under my breath I uttered wait this is familiar? not by sight?. Then I felt this rush of confidence in my heart and a soft voice say you will walk by faith and not by sight. You will live and not die because I’m not done with you yet.

As I was in my word the other day if you turn to Matthew 4.You read about the time the tempter came to Jesus say turn these stones into bread. That’s exactly how I felt in my personal faith. That everything that was happening was almost a mockery of where is the faith you channel on others for your own life?. Yet the reply of Jesus Is astronomically encouraging he says “MAN shall not live by bread alone but by the very word of God that comes into existence. It occurred to me I’ve been content with just finding a job for the sake of feeling security that there will be bread on the table. I began to pray God guide me in finding the job that will be purposeful according to the all pain and disappointment I’ve had.

 I came across the biggest surprise of my life in opening for the Girl scouts council. I applied in full faith as an outreach coordinator even though I didn’t meet any of the requirements listed for the position. When the description stated you’ll be going to underprivileged communities bringing hope to girls of immigrant families with unfortunate circumstances.

I leaped because it confirmed to me that this was the calling God had set me up for. In one week I was interviewed by all the managers and directors who eventually a few days later HIRED ME  for the position.The Lord only knows the families I will be encountering who have gone through these same predicaments. My connections with them will be able to be personal and relevant because of all that has occurred.

I hope after you read this you’re encouraged by my story that every stone that’s thrown at you in life can be used for building His Kingdom! No rock is meaningless unless you allow it to be. It’s all a part of God building you up as a spiritual house.

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house 1Peter 2:4-5

Unlocking His Truth

Sometimes we ask God in our desperation for a miracle show me a sign that your with me.What if we took the approach of faith where we confidently say Jesus your already here teach me to draw near to you.

Here's my story... 

I decided to travel for a weekend to my hometown for a three day conference done for college students at my church.I went to a seminar where a student asked me the question would I allow God to interrupt my life and bear discomfort so someone can meet Jesus?

At this point in my semester everything was going perfect I had a scholarship,awesome mentor,and I'm working a steady job while I'm home.Then as I drove back to campus three hours away the unthinkable happened.

As I began to fall asleep at the wheel in an area with windy country roads and no phone signal,I get pulled over.Mind you I've never been in trouble with the law or have gotten any tickets ever.Im assuming ill get a slap on the wrist or a minor warning.Instead I get charged with a criminal offense.

My first instinct was to hide this and make it go away somehow. I felt so ashamed,humiliated,embarrassed.It was at that moment of calling on God where he said you can't face this alone you have to share this and seek pastoral guidance.

So I began to make phone calls,texts,and emails reaching out to my church family at home and in Lynchburg.In my first call a friend of 
mine who was insanely busy in his senior year at Mason 
immediately prayed over the phone with me.On top of that he 
wrote out an incredible character letter for the judge.

As I sat with another friend who's going into campus ministry at Nova in the fall.He opened up his bible and poured in wisdom from Proverbs and told me with confidence that God wouldn't abandon me in this.He said to me have you rested at all since you've heard these news? If not your putting way to much energy in this and dwelling on this matter too much.

When talking with many lawyers they said your punishment should be at least 15 days in Jail,$2,500 fine,and a suspension of your license for a whole year.Next day a miracle occurred when a local pastor in Lynchburg stepped up to encourage me.

He not only provided advice on expert council to defend me in my trial.This pastor who only knew me for about a few months sat through five whole hours in the courtroom as I sat to wait for my name to be called.This pastor and his whole family received me with so much love in a time of pain and hurt.

From that same church my small group leader and her husband said prayer after prayer with a bold faith that God would give me favor.She hosted me in her home day the day before the trial.As a Liberty student was there needing a place to stay after student housing had closed down.She shared that night that she was the first in her family to come to Christ.I told her after my trial tomorrow just come home with me.

I show up to the courtroom the Judge says I'm deciding to drop all charges and criminal records.Instead I ask that you commit to driving safer on the roads and do 50 hours of community service.I was so in awe of what happened I was speechless for several days.

The students Mom flys in to my area to meet me after hearing my story allows me to pray for her.A few days later on Father's Day she gives her life to Jesus and the daughter goes home with her.This whole experience taught me we cannot rely on our own resources,good standing,or even the people we know to save us when judgement comes only Jesus can! we need him! 

Also you need people actively in your life so that when the darkest hour comes someone is there to hold up the light when your vision is dim.When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane he had his disciples there with Him praying. 

After experiencing all of this here are the FIVE steps I took in the time of desperate need for a miracle that I'd like to share with you and hopefully encourage you! 

1. Your thought Pattern is what immediately is attacked first.The bible says hold every thought under the obedience of Christ

2.Shed light to your situation and ask for prayer.Rise up with confidence in who your savior has said you are.

3.Seek wise council talk to those you trust in ministry whether it's leaders, pastors, or ministers but be discerning of the pieces of advice you receive.

4.Be strategic in prayer time Give God praise(Thank him for the progress of the situation),

repent wherever you've had disbelief,and lastly be specific in what your believing for.

5.Intentionally MIA get alone with the Lord as much as you can.You will have so many people 
urgently throwing information at you.Be cautious and aware of who's voice your listening to.


Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.-Isaiah 54:10 

Money talks but God is Louder!

About a year ago in december 2015 I came home for the holidays for the first time from Liberty.I caught up with friends I hadn’t seen for months.One particular friend of mine from home I somehow had grown closer to like a sister even with all the distance and time apart.She had gotten her very first own apartment with a new full time job since I was on break I offered to help her move everything.As I slept over that weekend we prayed over the finances of family.

Normally I didn't do this but I began to weep with my face on the floor crying out to God that I was tired of seeing our mothers barely make ends meet.I was fed up with underpaying unstable jobs that would take a toll on our mothers health.I began to yell out the spirit of poverty has to leave my family it has no place or authority any longer.

Fast forward to the fall semester of 2016 I found a group called The Watch on my college campus.The experience of attending there worship nights at a small prayer chapel at Liberty was a fresh breath of air for me.Taking my mind off of my own issues by praying over the needs of the campus,our surrounding areas of Lynchburg,and students was the kind of church community I was used to.

As I came every week God began to empty out my soul of disbelief that financial security isn't possible for me.As I sang and celebrated just the nature of who God is.Something unexplainable happenened every excuse I was giving to God as to why things just couldnt unfold for me began to fall off me like a shackle being let loose.in my time of worship at The Watch he was breaking off what I had held onto practically my enitre life.

Theres a song that we sing that says I will rejoice in the simple gospel I will rejoice in you Lord.The gospel became the key that unlocked the financial breakthrough Ive waited on for many years.My hope in stablitty regarding money had honestly grown tired and dry.As I read the story of Ezekiels vision of Dry bones.I started asking God to breathe his power over the financial situation in my home the same way he did in the valley of dry bones.

Then the unthinkable occurred this past November around the end of fall semester I was able to purchase my very own first car with no loans fully cash.After trying numerous times to obtain my own credit line and having a ton of denials my first credit card got approved.

Wait it gets better my single mother of 23 years working many unsteady jobs has finally found a secure job shes loves where she makes her own hours and they mailed her an Ipad with data for work.Next time you find yourself asking God but where will the money come from? Sing praises as if you already got it! ask him Instead how can I honor you with what I'm about to receive from you God?

Stay in Faith,Mimi

Who's really looking at your imperfections?

We’ve all done it we walked into a room self conscious that everyone around us is noticing the flaws we constantly pick at in our downtime alone in our room.We stare in the mirror in the morning wish something was different.My campus pastor David Hermes used to say all the times in his sermons were all Insecure and its true.

Psychological theorist Jean Piaget makes it clear that in our adolescence we develop what is called an “Imaginary audience”.This thought is defined by Piaget as mistakenly believing that everyone around you is watching you and judging you.

Reality is they aren’t but because were insecure about something regarding our appearance.Or were nervous that were not further in life educationally or career wise so we act carefully with our actions worried about reactions of others.

This past year I attended a university where no one really looked like me physically whether it was my body shape,hair,or height.It made me self conscious around my close friends on campus.

Looking back I think its not reasonable to do everything you can to change who you are just to fit in a circle of friends or develop close relationships.If they don't accept you simply for you then your putting a ton of effort to gain acceptance.

Even ladies in my life were thinking is something wrong with me that I'm single do I not look approachable? absolutely not if hes losing interest in you based on appearance its his loss Looks fade but character doesn't.

Dr.Les Parrott says in his book called Real Relationships “If you try to find intimacy with another person before achieving a sense of wholeness on your own, all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself”.Think about it if you aren’t confident with your own self you’ll have constant doubts about anything in the relationship and have a sense of emptiness that other person doesn’t seem to fulfill.

So how do you battle against this well the way I’ve handled it is by remembering who I truly am in Christ and recognizing the negative thoughts that come up that contradict it.God designed every single one of us a way for a specific purpose if we morph it or rearrange it so we can fit in then we’ve missed the whole point that Jesus didn’t come for perfected people but He came for everyone.

2 Corinthians 15-20 is a great reminder that we created to be ambassadors for Him with a given task of reconciling others with God.When I read this chapter my whole mindset changed that my looks don’t really put into my play whether I'm used for God’s purpose he will use me and connect me with the right people.Whether I have outrageous outbursts,silly laughter,undefined waist,or thick hair it doesn’t matter.

2 corinthians 5:15-20  He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Decisions,decisions,decisions

A constant question I've heard lately from  freshman ladies in my dorm is have I really picked the right major for me? is this Gods will or just a hunch? is this going to honor Him?

Before becoming a student at Liberty I chose to spend two years as a student in a community college taking courses to give me more of an idea of what major to pick. Thankfully it gave me time to save money as well as decide on an official career path.

Now to say I didn't have indecisiveness within those two years would be a lie.

 I honestly couldn't decide on anything I kept getting feedback from all sorts of friends and church family. I was involved in so many areas of the church and Its easy for me to get passionate about anything I join. Several recommendations for career choices I would get was photographer because I love taking pictures of everything, Mediator cause I'm usually the peacemaker amongst friends, and even social media because I post a ton of interesting topics or questions that cause people to laugh or think.

Then finally this past fall during my first semester at liberty I intentionally set time aside just to be alone. Everyday I decided to have thirty minutes of solitude where I would read one chapter of Proverbs a day until I finished the whole book.

Those were the most thirty one life changing chapters of a book I will ever read. It was as if I had finally sat down and read a manual of instructions instead wrecking my brain to figure things out on my own. As I kept reading about wisdom and guidance I would ask God for more of it specifically in firm decision making. Proverbs 16:9 says The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. This verse made it so clear to me I have a lot envisioned for my life but God is the one who will take me where I'm suppose to be and with whom.

               Over winter break I read a book called True Love project by Clayton King

               something he reminded me of that I encourage you to remember as well

is the moment you accepted Christ you chose to surrender all your visions,goals,and dreams.Clayton says the “most important question you should be asking yourself isn't where you'll live or work? or who you'll marry? but rather who is the decisive ruler of your life”.

That struck me deeply when I read it because it all comes down to giving God control and trusting for direction and guidance.Since I’m much older than all the ladies in my Quad through the good,bad,and ugly experiences I’ve gained a lot of wisdom in seeking God through my confliction of not knowing what to do.

One thing I've heard the girls ask is What's Gods will and what does he ask of us? Mark gutierrez in a book called "The Call" made that answer so simple for me “Obedience is all God asks of us.I thought wait what thats it wow here I was wrestling with this

just to hear that all I have to do is listen when God speaks and let him direct my path.It removed such a weight off my shoulders because all I have to do is have an attentive ear and seek Him with abandonment.

Accountability

Every morning at liberty as a student were required to read a chart that is placed on the fridge

by our Ra's.On the chart you will find a list of assigned cleanliness duties such as cleaning the bathroom,kitchen,and living room floors,etc.During our chapel service on campus our Ra's will go from room to room to check if you fully completed the task that's listed.

Now imagine if we did the same in our personal lives where people are aware of our goals in life.Where we had someone holding us accountable on following through on what we know Gods assigned us to do.

God placed someone like that in my life two summers ago.I was so deeply involved in ministry working with kids,college students,and a worship team.It wasn't until spending time in constant conversation with her that I noticed anytime she asked me how I'm doing? my response was related to what I’m doing in ministry that week.

If I asked for a prayer request it would be about someone I knew in ministry.My Identity was wrapped around my title in ministry.It was as if I placed my whole life on hold and put everyone elses needs ahead of mine.As a friend she said to me its great that you love helping others but you shouldn't be carrying there burdens.I want to know hows Mimi doing?.She began to have me reflect on my own personal goals or aspirations after graduation.

How we met was through both deciding to dedicate a summer in ministry as interns in our church.We found ourselves becoming radical evangelists in the streets and local malls.Around the end of the summer we felt provoked to drop everything and do full time ministry.Of course discussing it made us realize the idea of forfeiting our college education was a bit drastic.That if we truly wanted to be equipped for ministry or any career we should take the time to finish off what we started.

Now that our time in college is coming to an end.I'm glad she was there to encourage me during my overwhelming moments of stress,fear,insecurities,and anxieties.Although were miles away we still keep in touch with each other.

As shocking as it is were constantly experiencing the same emotions pretty much around the same time.In our devotionals together were able to build each other up.If I find myself second guessing who I am in Christ shes the kind of friend who will remind me of the abilities Gods given me.I'm excited that throughout this whole journey of being a student in college I was able to vent,cry,and be completely transparent on my perspective of classes,relationships,and daily life in general.