Thursday, October 17, 2019 | Reflections
My mom has a way of building people up. She loves to love and goes out of her way to be thankful and offer specific compliments. She is generous and loves to give people gifts and handwritten notes. People who love to be loved by her always surround Mamí....
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 | Reflections
I take comfort in knowing that all I have to do to ask for prayer is text my family. When I am about to sing or speak, when I have a test or am feeling sick, I ask my family to pray, and I am covered by God’s hands. During most of my life, people in our f….(View...
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 | Reflections
This passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians says that we must strive to excel in our gifts in order to build up the church. All of us have been given spiritual gifts. Growing up in evangelical churches, I saw many members participating actively in worship...
Monday, October 14, 2019 | Reflections
How often do we hear or read that love is blind? Paul’s letter to the Corinthians confirms that love is not blind—love sees everything and loves anyway. I heard a speaker say that we should insert our name where this passage uses the word “love.” Sa….(View this...
Sunday, October 13, 2019 | Reflections
As a digital evangelist, I am often asked how to share the good news of Jesus on social media. I encourage people to share what God has done for them through a picture, a video, or a story. This surprises a lot of people—many of us think sharing daily moments of...
Saturday, October 12, 2019 | Reflections
If I speak Spanish and visit other Spanish-speaking countries but don’t have love, I am a noisy maraca. When we love, things are different. I am not talking about that rose-colored-lenses feeling but rather that every day, honest, messy, and often challenging way of...
Friday, October 11, 2019 | Reflections
I recently posted a question on social media about the need for vergers. Responses to my post reminded me that while I may not understand this liturgical role, others do. Similarly, when some people question why Spanish/bilingual/Latino/Hispanic ministry...
Thursday, October 10, 2019 | Reflections
I was born with a 5 percent chance of survival. Because they could not afford medical care, my parents took me home to die. My dad was working on a thesis about miraculous healing and a verse from James (5:14) came to his heart. My family and a neighbor...
Wednesday, October 9, 2019 | Reflections
When I was a schoolteacher, I asked my students to follow me. Within the first week, my students knew they were to walk in a single file line and be silent. I sometimes walked next to them or behind them or talked with another teacher while they waited for...
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | Reflections
Not long ago, I heard and saw a little girl calling her mom because she was losing her balance. Mom never looked up, and the little girl fell. When I see a child crying and calling for the help of a parent, I usually try to intervene in a meaningful way. I...
Monday, October 7, 2019 | Reflections
What would my life be like if I truly did everything for the glory of God? How would I treat my family? How would I do my work? Would I practice my music more? Would I procrastinate? How would I treat my body? How would I act at church? Would I sit in the...
Sunday, October 6, 2019 | Reflections
I am a very happy person—I can find something to smile about in any situation. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the Lord.” This phrase reminds me of the joy I feel every time I see my son and the delight I feel when I hear him making music....
Saturday, October 5, 2019 | Reflections
When my son was little, he was afraid of the dark—but he was even more afraid of rumbling and flashing thunderstorms. Ellis would come to my room or ask me to come into his during stormy nights. I never got upset with Ellis for being afraid and seeking sh….(View...
Friday, October 4, 2019 | Reflections
I often wish I had lived in Jesus’ time and could have witnessed his power. But the Holy Spirit reminds me: This is Jesus’ time. You can and do witness his power today, here and now. My dad had a stroke in August 2018. As I am writing this, he ….(View this...
Thursday, October 3, 2019 | Reflections
I was in New York in August 2017 when I heard that Harvey was going to hit my hometown of Houston as a category 4 hurricane. I caught one of the last flights to Houston so I could be with my family. The rain fell, the floods came, winds blew and beat on...
