It does exist!

Last Saturday I got to attend to Nadia and Nelson's Wedding. They're two awesome friends from college who became like older siblings for me and my friends. I had the privilege to witness part of their love story during these past years, and it was amazing to see them both taking this big step. It was awesome to see how their love grew as they grew also in their faith towards God. I can see God's faithfulness in their lives.
Thanks to them, I have hope. Hope that true love does still exist. The type of love where God is the rock and the center. The give me hope to find somebody that loves God and wants to serve Him as much as I do.
Thanks Nadia & Nelson for being the great example that you are.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

Se vienen cosas grandes ... si nosotros lo decidimos!

Vivo en un país lleno de retos y problemas. Un país hermoso que sus habitantes hemos corrompido de muchas maneras.Un país que tiene tanto que dar y no nos damos cuenta. Y si nos damos cuenta, se nos hace tan dificíl usar nuestra riqueza para beneficiar a nuestro pueblo.
Ultimamente he visto y escuchado cosas tan negativas de mi Guate, que a veces me dan ganas de planear mi vida en un lugar diferente. Sin embargo, hay algo en mi corazón que no me deja aceptar la idea de irme y evitarme el reto que implica vivir en mi país.
Quiero soñar en grande, soñar que mí país tiene oportunidad de cambiar. Soñar que sus habitantes despertarán y se darán cuenta que es su responsabilidad levantar a éste país. Que no es mala suerte haber nacido en Guatemala, sino es una bendición enorme podernos llamar Guatemaltecos.
Es hora de concientizarnos y dedicar un poquito de nuestro tiempo para contemplar las cosas buenas que pasan en nuestro país, en nuestra comunidad, en nuestros barrios y a todo nuestro alrededor.
Dios nos llama a ser buenos adminstradores de lo que nos ha dado. Es hora de que los Guatemaltecos nos examinemos y veamos que tan buenos administradores hemos sido con lo poco que se nos ha dado.

Unexpected

I remember the day when I was complaining and refusing the idea of working at a specific place...
I did not want to, it didn't follow my "life plan"
I remember how long it took me to decide to apply for the interview and let God surprise me

Now, after a few weeks of working here
I know this is the place where I am supposed to be now
I know now this is part of God's purpose and His plan
I'm grateful for the opportunity
I know God will let me grow not only professionally but also personally at this place.

Oh well, the unexpected became a great experience

What can happen in four years?

My experience as a Walton Scholar was ...


Four years of surprises
Four years of challenges
Four years of learning
Four years of craziness and fun times
Four years to build up lifetime friendships
Four years to get to know myself so much better
Four years to start a real relationship with my Savior
Four years to make mistakes
Four years to improve my social skills
Four years to see God´s faithfulness in every detail
Four years to learn from amazing mentors
Four years to make myself become a better asset for my country
Four years to have a little taste of independence
Four years learning that I can make a difference and God has a specific purpose for my life...

Four years of soo many goods and bads, but years that I would never regret since they changed my life forever. Thanks to the Walton Program!!

Nunca quiero olvidar...

Que un día me emocione por las oportunidades

Que alguna vez mi UNICA esperanza estuvo en Dios

Que pude ver su mano abriendo puertas y ventanas 

Que mi inexperiencia me hizo humilde

Que la vida real me hizo valorar lo poco que ya tenía

Que aun cuando nadie veía mis capacidades, Dios sí las vió 

Que en medio de mis inseguridades el creyó en mí 

Que no sería nada sin Dios en mi vida ... 

"Porque somos hechura de Dios, creados en Cristo Jesús para buenas obras, las cuales Dios dispuso de antemano a fin de que las pongamos en práctica."

- Efesios 2:10

El impacto de UNA botella de "basura"

El mes pasado tuve la dicha de ser voluntaria en Proyecto Somos.
Somos, es una organización que esta construyendo una Aldea para Niños en mi pueblo, Tecpan Guatemala. Greg y Alicia son las personas que iniciaron esta causa. Son personas admirables y se han ganado mi cariño demasiado rápido! 


Lo mejor de esta causa es que TODOS podemos ayudar y apoyar a este proyecto... Podemos apoyar desde donaciones grandes hasta recolectando "basura" para hacer eco-ladrillos y así construir las casas de los niños. No requiere gran ciencia simplemente llenar botellas de plástico con cualquier clase de plásticos. 


Me encanta saber que la basura que podría contaminar el ambiente puede ser usada para darle techo a aquellos que lo necesitan... y mas aun me encanta saber que yo puedo ser parte de esta causa! :) 


Si vivís en Guate, te animo y pido que le eches un vistazo a la pagina de facebook (http://www.facebook.com/projectsomos) o a su pagina web (http://es.projectsomos.org/)... y te reto a que de alguna manera u otra nos apoyes :) 

"Se necesita una aldea para criar un niño, y se necesita una comunidad para construir una aldea" 

Una Leccion de Amor

Nunca pensé estar en esta situación
Siempre pensé que el tipo de amor del que 1 Cor. 13 habla 
era solo Dios quien lo podía dar
Sin embargo, Dios me ha enseñado mucho ultimamente
He estado aprendiendo lo que significa amar de verdad
Los versos de 1 Cor 13 se han hecho realidad en mi vida
Y se que lo seguiran siendo el resto de ella 
Me emociona pensar que es lo que Dios tiene para mi
Estoy ansiosa de empreder esta jornada y dejar q el sea mi guia
Que el sea mi fuerza y que el sea mi esperanza
Hoy puedo decir, que Dios me esta enseñando una de las mejores
lecciones y experiencias de mi vida.
Mi historia sera parte de la gran historia del amor de Dios en el mundo. 

"El amor es paciente, es bondadoso. El amor no es envidioso ni jactancioso ni orgulloso. No se comporta con rudeza, no es egoísta, no se enoja fácilmente, no guarda rencor. El amor no se deleita en la maldad sino que se regocija con la verdad. Todo lo disculpa, todo lo cree, todo lo espera, todo lo soporta. 

⁸ 

El amor jamás se extingue..."

just wait...

I am three days away from graduation.
I am confused and I am scared.
A lot of questions and doubts come to my mind.
I realize that I will miss a lot of things.
I will go back to a place that I don't know anymore.
I'll go back to a place where people don't know me anymore.
Yeah, it is very exciting to go back.
However, I cannot hide my fear of myself.
I question what is God wanting me to do right now?
How does he want me to take this change?
I could make a lot of plans.
I could work hard to achieve so many things.
Instead, I know I have to be still and wait.
Wait to be amazed
Wait to be surprised
Wait to see the amazing things that God will do in my life.

Stop the Countdowns

I have suddenly realized that lately I lived just counting down the days...
I'm just waiting for the "next thing" to happen.
However, I have realized that that is not the way I want to spend my life.
I want to enjoy what I have right now in this moment.
I want to stop thinking about what the new phase of life will bring after graduation,
and instead I want to enjoy those things I still have here this time:
those friends that I get to see everyday
those classes I get to go
those meetings I have to attend to
those nights I get to spend alone by myself just thinking
those trips around Siloam
those walks around the trail of JBU
those coffee cups from Pour Jon's ...
and many other things.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34

"Don't count down the days, make the days count" 

MI Reto

Muchas veces me frustra ser tan negativa
Si...yo se que siempre las cosas llegan a tener una solucion
He visto como Dios ha actuado en mi vida una y otra vez...
Sin embargo no es tan facil ser paciente y regocijarse todo el tiempo,
Mucho menos ser perseverante en la oracion...
Me pregunto por que es tan dificil para nosotros buscar a Dios
Por que lo vemos tan dificil? 
o tal vez la pregunta es... por que no estamos dispuestos a pagar el precio? 
Aun cuando estamos llenos de problemas y cosas que no podemos llevar solos...
nos cuesta tanto dejarlo todo en las manos de Dios, hablar con el, creer en El.
No me dare por vencida
Y se que cada vez que caiga es una oportunidad para levantarme
y esta vez... levantarme con mas fuerzas 
siempre hay una nueva oportunidad 

"Rejoice in hope, 

be patient in suffering, 

persevere in prayer."

He's alive!

Cuando pienso en lo que Jesus hizo por mi
No puedo mas que agradecerle...

Ademas el saber que esta vivo y esta aqui
Me da fuerzas para vivir de acuerdo a lo que el me llama
El ha sido el mejor ejemplo e inspiracion en mi vida
Sin El estaria totalmente perdida

El vive! ... and thankfully He lives within me

Gozo en medio de la Tristeza

El ultimo mes de clases comenzo,
Es una etapa emocionante pero a la vez un poco intimidante.
Dentro de poco sere una persona graduada
y estare regresando al lugar que tanto amo...
Sin embargo, los sentimientos encontrados
y las lagrimas han sido mis companeros las ultimas semanas.
Tengo que aceptar que las lagrimas son beneficiosas,
pero al mismo tiempo tengo que saber que
nunca volvere a vivir un abril como este,
por cual tambien tengo que dejar espacio
 para las risas, para los abrazos,
para divertirme con mis amigos
y crear memorias que duraran para toda la vida.
No ha sido facil encontrar el balance,
me esta costando encontrar gozo en medio de todos estos cambios.
Pero esos sentimientos encontrados son los que
hacen de la vida algo que valga la pena.

Street photography - capturing what others miss

It has been great to take intro to photography class. My last assignment was to take photos of people on the streets. It was a fun experience. It made me appreciate more the moments that are happening around me. 

Photos make people smile... and these photos made me smile an feel happy about life. 

                                                                  Sarah's best friend :)

Life it's about playing big...

Today I got one of the best advices ever from one of my favorite people...
... she used basketball as example and she said:

"Whenever you play basketball the coach will tell you to play BIG... and it is the same thing in life"
But what does it mean to play big?? It means that either you're playing defense or offense you have to make your presence be known. This will benefit not only your team but yourself. Your game will become more powerful, you will be more confident when having the ball... in summary you'll enjoy the game so much more.

In life we're also called to play big. If we play big, people will notice us.  They will not underestimate us. They will know we're ready to play and ready to get the best out of life.

I recognize I have not played big in life... but never is late to start playing.. and I have decided to do it from now on. It will not be easy... But I'm reminding myself that I do not have anything to lose but everything to gain.

I am excited, scare, and anxious ... but trusting that He will be always by mi side.

So... are you playing big?

Those Times...

those times...
when you find yourself lost
when everything you do doesn't make sense
when you find out things about yourself that you don't like
when nothing that you do is fulfilling...

those are the times when you have to hold closer to God
and trust in HIS ways and not yours
those are the time to remember that you're not in control
still you can change your attitude

JOE'S ADDICTION - more than crazy good coffe

Many times, people just complain about the broken world we live in. They talk about it without any hope for improvement. They don't take any action to change those things that bother them. There are very few who stand up and decide to make an impact. People at Joe's Addiction are part of that small group.
Joe's Addiction is a coffee shop and many other things. There you will find inspiring people whose main purpose is to share God's love with everybody. Their coffee is good, but their compassion and love for others is their specialty. There you'll find fellowship, friendships, entertainment, good music, and much more.
This weekend we spent sometime at Joe's. I loved it! People at Joe's were a reminder that there's hope. We can still make a change in the world. Sharing time with people there reminded me of how important is to connect with others.
My time there made me think about Jesus way of living. He was always sharing with everybody. He never stopped loving people even when they disappointed him all the time.  He hoped for renovation of people's hearts. He never give up on anybody, but he always loved them unconditionally.
This weekend was a challenge for us to remember that our main goal is to be more like Jesus. If we follow his example, the world would truly become a better place.

In days like today...

Today was a day to remind myself that I'm not a child anymore, and that there is always so much stuff going on in life. There is a reality that I have been ignoring all this time... and I recognize that many times I intentionally have ignored it.
Well, today was a day where everybody decided to act like a child.  I'm tired of listening to people telling me what is the right thing to do. They feel they have the right to tell me those things because "they have more experience and I am just a child". Many times those people just confuse me more instead of helping me. I recognize that there are plenty things in life that I still have to learn. However, I think those adults should be aware that we (youth) are not perfect as they are not perfect either. I would appreciate a little consideration for the mistakes we make. I would love for them to struggle along with us instead of trying to change the way we think. I would be happy if they would be willing to discuss things "as adults" instead of going straight away into drama.
Oh well, maybe I'm acting childish... but adults are not helping me in the process to become more mature.