October - Marriage

We just celebrated our 1st year Anniversary. I don’t have a lot of experience yet,

but I can tell you a few things about the most wonderful year in my life.

You might say, oh, you’re still newly weds, wait a couple more years and then we’ll see.

I think the secret is in keeping the beginners principles.

They are different from couple to couple, I’m gonna talk about a few basics ones:

• Don’t ever yell at each other, unless you’re in the bathroom with the fan on and you want to be heard when you say “I love you”.
• At the end of the day, go to bed in peace, try to at least clarify the problem if not resolve it.
• Ask first, be mad after (if it’s still the case). Don’t let your imagination assume. Most of the times you got the wrong impression.
• Take time to go on dates. Dress up, go see a movie, have an ice cream, take a walk.
• If something is bothering you, the first person to talk about is your spouse not your friends.
• Don’t embarrass each other in public.
• Unexpected notes or gifts are always welcome.
• Discuss future dreams and pray together.
• One of my favorites words are : “Today is gonna be great.” Even when you spend your days apart, just hearing that gives you a new perspective.
• I'm sure you've heard this one before, but it doesn't hurt to practice it today - Love your spouse like there's no tomorrow !
• Never stop kissing passionately.
• Try to discover something new in your partner every day.Don't think you know everything otherwise it gets boring.
• Take really good care of your family. When everything around you is falling apart you'll still have what you need to be happy.
• You want your marriage fresh? - Keep God in the house.
• Even if you said " I love you " at the wedding it's still nice to hear it everyday.

Marriage is not about getting comfortable, is about fighting every day.

Marriage is not for people who can live together, but for those who can't live without one another.

September - Appreciation

• You'd be surprised to find out, that what you put in the trash today is actually valuable for someone. I'm not saying to hold on to things that you don't need anymore, but at least find someone who would be glad to have them.
• Don't wait too much to say a simple "thank You".

• It's easier to appreciate if you take time to understand first. Yeah, it's always easier to criticize and talk like you know everything when the truth is sometimes we're so ignorant we don't even wanna know before we talk.
• This life is just a second comparing to the eternity i'm gonna spend with my Lord at Home.I still need to appreciate it. Because in this second is the secret to get there.
• Enjoy what you have. Just because something is good for your neighbor it doesn't mean is good for you too. And believe me you don't wanna feel it on your skin. So be careful what you pray for, because not everything is good for you as well. We are different people and we deal different with things.Sometimes you don't have what you want because you're not able yet to handle it.
• When was the last time you were thankful for how wonderful God made you? You don't have to go ask someone's opinion about this. You just have to listen to your Creator.
• Appreciation doesn't always means to hold tight. Sometimes it means to give. If we're talking about things, then let's say if you appreciate them means you keep them right? But if you want to show appreciation, usually you give.
• Don't despise slow beginnings. Be patient. If you'd have it right away, you won't appreciate it as much.

August - Be You !

Why you should be yourself? ..in case you didn't know

• When you're afraid to be yourself, the world is missing one more person.
• The true self confidence comes from knowing your Creator and letting Him tell you who you are every day. 'Cause only with Royal thoughts you can conquer every army.
• Being yourself has really nothing to do with what others think about you, so stop stressing about it. Though there are some people you can be more 'you' around them, I call those friends.
• Who's gonna be you if you're busy copying someone else?
• We get so fired up for things just because they're "cool" that we forget to think about the consequences. Make sure that what you stand for, really represents you.
• "Eyes that look are common, Eyes that SEE are rare." J.O.Sanders
• "Don't spend you're life standing at the complaint counter." John L. Mason
• It's worth making progress with who you are, even if it's not noticeable on the outside.Put time in that area not in creating an image, because images always fade and someday it will reveal who you really are.
• Uncomfortable situations molds your character.Don't run away from them.

All of you out there trying to be someone, don't sacrifice the real you for the image other people would like to see. Paint your own path and one day, they'll get it.

July - Proverbs

Everybody can use at least one smart advice per day, so this month i'm taking them out from Proverbs.

Another possible interpretation of the proverbs chosen:

You can consider yourself gifted in many ways, but what use if you're not using those gifts to benefit those around you?

You don't have to have an answer for everything. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is to shut up.

A woman is twice more beautiful when she does not stress to reveal all about her at once.

Be careful who you blame when is actually your fault.

It's honorable to hold yourself from getting into fights.

Make sure you forgive when you say you do, and don't hold the ashes inside, one day they will fire up again.

You can make sure you have a place to live or food to eat, but if you're not taking care of your heart, you'll get nowhere.
_______________________
"Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give."

"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue."

"Like a gold rind in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."

"A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord."

"It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel."

"Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends."

"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

June - Decisions

• When other people have to take decisions that affects you too, you should have peace knowing that if you prayed for your leaders, no matter what they'll decide is not going to block your path in becoming what you're suppose to.
• If you don't know exactly your destination, at least you have an idea of where you DON'T wanna be, so keep taking good decisions and eventually you'll end up where your place is.
• There's Someone who wants the best for all of us and He can actually do something about it.
• Christ's decision to carry our punishment can save us all. Depends what we decide.
• "Decide what you wanna choose to love and then love what you have decided."
• Sometimes we decide what we let ourselves to feel.
• The best decision i ever made was to trust God unconditionally, even those days when i don't understand what He's doing.
• Some decisions are hard to make.But prayer never mislead anyone.
• "Your life can be different. But don't think it will be different if you continue to do things exactly the same as you always have."

May - Why I love Jesus?

I can honestly say that i love Jesus because He first loved me.There's no doubt this is one of the main reasons.

And then, there's million others, and the list is still growing.

For example today i love Him for reminding me i am free, and i should take advantage more of the fact that i live

in a place where i am free to live for Him.

These are a few other reasons that i thought this month:

-Because He never failed me. NEVER. There were times when i thought He didn't answer my prayers, but in time i found

out why it was best for me not to have a certain thing, or not to go somewhere.

-Because He's the only one who can bring peace in the middle of chaos.

My heart was in chaos so many times, and in the middle of desperation, i tried to run from the problem,

to pretend i'm all right, to eat more chocolate, other things that i thought it would bring peace back.

It might work for short while, but the real peace came from Him, from His promises.

-Because He knows the best how to surprise me.

-I love my Maker for giving me a new breath of life every time i need it.

-Because He's a great dad.

-Because even if He has all the wealth and power, desires to hang out with us.

It's amazing that the Creator of the Universe enjoies our company.He longs for us to sit in His presence.

And even if we know that His love will stay the same no matter where we choose to be, i prefer to make Him smile.

April - Challenges

I wouldn't be where I am without having challenges along the way.
I wouldn't dream what I dream,
I wouldn't be who I am.
It's something about being challenged that gives me life, it's something in struggle that helps me see better that I can actually fly.
We are not always in the mood to climb mountains, but if you just stay in the valleys, you're limiting the view, the opportunities.When the wind of change is blowing, don't run or stay against it, but catch the opportunity to ride it.
When life doesn't challenge you, challenge yourself. When you're not facing any mountain, make one - out of faith and dedication.And if you fall, fall on your knees.
You can do so much more when you're not afraid of losing. You can win the war even if you lost a battle.You received the breath of life. The Creator is challenging you , He says : I dare you to win ! ..because you can..

Lizzy wrote me about her experiences, and the attitude we should have when we encounter challenges.

" My prayer for New Years was : 'God, i walked with You in the past and i saw Your hand everywhere, and i felt you really close, but this year i want more, i wanna feel you even more and i want more victories together." I said this prayer with much love and passion. A few incredible days has passed, everything was wonderful and i was feeling closer to heaven.One day, i decided not to go to school. I was heading to the kitchen and usually i pay attention, but i was wearing a large blouse and it got caught in the pan with hot oil who spilled on my right foot through my clothes, causing a very deep wound. I can't describe the pain i felt. In that moment, when everybody was agitated around me to go get medicine, i thought about others who have to live with this pain everyday and i was just thankful. I hopped in one foot to the laptop, i opened it in a hurry and i played one of my favorite songs : Paul Wickham – You're Beautiful.
I start singing while i couldn't control my tears. I was just thankful it wasn't worse. For a month i had to wear my older sister's shoes, because they were bigger and i was limping.Sometimes when my dad couldn't give me a ride to the college, at the end of the day my foot was swollen. I appreciated even more the fact that I'm healthy and that i was born healthy. Now the pain is gone and i can barely see the scar.
It was the time for the exams at the college, and I had received scholarships for having a good gpa. The results where the way i expected, i was going to the tests believing and i was returning happy. God was using me as a witness for my classmates. I felt wiser and i was growing spiritually. One day, after a great experience with God i felt full of joy. I was getting ready for the hardest test. I had to go at the doctor and i only had one day to learn. I went at the test and i got out really happy. After a few days i found out i didn't pass the test. It was devastating, especially for someone who had good grades and in the situation where, because of university profile i couldn't work in the same time . I am very ambitious and used to work for what i need.I was embarrassed to ask money from my parents, even when they would give it to me, it was hard to accept. I cried, but i understood, God wanted me to depend totally on Him. It wasn't easy, but i accepted it. I tried to conquer with a thankful attitude , as Paulus Veres, a missionary taught me a few years ago. He said :”In every hard moment, pray and thank God and bless His plan for your life.” In those moments, i was praising Him in my prayers, and i learned a lot doing that. The results? Incredible. Even I'm careful with how i spend money, they got to an end eventually and i was refusing to tell my parents about that. I was nervous but i remembered God is my Shepard i will not be in need. And His provisions never ends.
Other problems came too, but all together brought me into a total dependency of God. There was no challenge without purpose. I was victorious, my friends asked me about my experiences with God every time, they are willing to know what happened. I still have unanswered prayers, wishes, but now I'm patient and without fear. No matter how painful it will be, He'll be there whispering :”I will never leave you or forsake you” and He'll give me strength to move forward, discovering the real purpose in life, the real fulfillment.
I love life spent with God. Through challenges and troubles, He brought me the biggest accomplishment and joy.

March – About Feelings

When you touch something that’s really hot, your nerves communicates to your brain that it’s dangerous and you immediately respond. The same way, God may reveal to us through how we feel about something. He’ll let you know when to proceed and when to stay away.

Being able to feel makes us different from other creatures. More than just a sense, we guide ourselves by feelings in order to reach our goals. Trusting God’s sovereignty on your way there, He’ll give you cool ideas and visible directions. Other times, He fires a passion that it’s impossible to miss, you may hide it but it will still follow you.

Just be receptive and observe yourself, observe how your heart responds in different situations. You will begin to know yourself more, to figure what drives you and what doesn’t. After a while, you’ll find that very unique thing that only you can bring in this world. When you live for what you’ve being created for, happiness and power to go on no matter what , will be some of your new companions.

• God is a reality, not a temporal feeling.
• The greatest feeling is when He catches you.
• They say you cannot command your heart, and it’s true. But you can direct it..
• Not all feelings are deceiving, sometimes God is talking to us through emotions.
• To be able to admit what you feel takes a lot of courage, but no matter what it is, because of that, you’re strong.

February - The Beauty of Life

I know life has its ups and downs,
I know there can’t always be happiness and sunshine
I know there’s a lot of sorrow too
But nothing compares to those times when God overwhelms you
You’ve prayed for a long time for things, waiting for His time…
Not knowing if you should take the problem in your hands or wait some more…
And one night, when your not expecting, it starts to rain,
With little answers to your prayers,
a realization like successfully installing a program on the computer…
Nothing big right? But from that point you just know in your heart He’s gonna start blessing you,
I noticed, that this change usually comes when I long in my heart about His presence, trying to know Him more, to see what He thinks about what’s happening in the world now, to hear His voice…its not always easy to feel Him , it’s about remaining faithful even in those times when you don’t.
And daily with Him, life makes sense...and it’s beautiful.

• "Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life." ecc.7:12

• I don't know the story of your life but I'm sure there was at least one time when you thought, oh I'm so lucky to be alive, to breath, to experience this journey. Take that moment and spread it in every breath, it's worth rejoicing.

• Focus on your victories and keep a good attitude about things for a better future. Rejoice and be thankful for the little things and at the end of the day, you'll be able to say you had an amazing one.

• "If only you would prepare your heart, and lift up your hands to Him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and FREE of FEAR. Your life will be brighter then the noonday." job 11

• 'Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.' K.B

• "Then, when it seems we will never smile again, Life comes back."

• Secret for a wonderful life : "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

January - "Change"

The beginning of a new year is also an opportunity to start over. Either with new or old projects, that needs a fresh start.

One of my goals this year is to choose a subject for each month and during that period, post on Facebook thoughts, quotes, your comments, and at the end of the month to put them all together and write a little story on the blog.

The first subject was about Change.

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” R.C.

"It's ok if you don't know what do you want to become, or what do you want to have in the future as long as you know what kind of man do you want to be.Character takes work too." From a story that i heard today.

I remember this story was exactly what i needed to hear, because sometimes i really didn't know what to answer when people were asking me, what do you want to become, where do you see yourself in 10 years. I have dreams of course, but nothing specific.I'm pretty much, flexible.

When it comes to my character, I know that I don't wanna stay. I wanna adventure into gaining more wisdom, peace, growing more in love and in being a blessing to others.

As my husband always says : " You know how not to get there." If you don't have a map for where you want to go, keep taking good decision and by avoiding the opposite you'll get at the destination.

With change comes change.The question is how do we face them.

The outside transformation brings changes on the inside. Also, when you transform on the inside, there will be visible changes on the outside too.

Sometimes you have to run to see things moving. Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to accept changes.

Little things build big dreams. You won't be able to see if you accomplished something, only after hard work, a little bit every day. But other times, changes just hits you. When that happens, you have to take small leaps of faith every day, in order to survive it.

There is a time of our lives when you love through all the changes, and it gets better and better. It's called Marriage.

This is my favorite. I heard about it a few times and i couldn’t believe it until I got to experiment on my own. And the most wonderful thing about changes in Marriage, they can be bad or good, but it still gets better, because friendships grows through hard times.

We're all transformed every day, different situations or people are shaping us, it's a pretty unsecure ground when you think about what will we become. Make sure you stay around good things to reach a stable shape at the end, integrity.

Here I thought about sometimes without even notice, just because we live in a certain environment or have a certain habit, that will change us, and not always in good. That’s why it’s good to be careful where you go and what you do, cause you might think you’re strong to keep your integrity but there’s still little foxes that will ruin it.

Synonyms for change: " To change is to make a material difference so that the thing is distinctly different from what it was: to change one's opinion. To alter is to make some partial change, as in appearance, but usually to preserve the identity." hmm...

This was from the Dictionary, I knew I’ll find something interesting in the definition.

I belive that when God take over your life, you will be totally different from what you were. He will change your identity. I like though how He still keeps our personalities different. Is like we are His flock , we are all sheeps but different colors, it’s gotta be interesting 

Don't be afraid of change.It can only come from 2 directions: you or something else/ someone else. It's much easier when the Father of the Universe orchestrates that 'else'.

When problems hits and you only see bad things coming from that, if your in His hands, He knows what He’s doing, any change will be for good. I can’t promise you everything is gonna be perfect, I can promise you though that at the end it will turn out good for you, someway or another, when you live for God He will take care of that.

When you change, make it visible.It might help someone to see that it's possible.

When you make a decision, do it with all your heart, if you wanna let go an addiction or other thing that it’s not good for your life, do it radically. Don;t decieve your dear ones with in vain appearances, make it visible. You might encourage others in the same situation. They need to know it’s hope.