The sun rises on 2017, as the sun set on 2016! And a new year is always time to reflect on what has been. At the beginning of 2016, God gave me the word MORE. Which I thought was so vague. Yet looking back, I see God makes no mistakes. And the word more was going to describe and encompass so many areas of my life.
First it started with more GROWTH. More seeking God's direction for my life. We started the year off in a church wide study entitled free and even joined Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University classes. This series along with these classes convinced us there was more to living than being slaves to debt and that God has called us to have freedom to be generous givers. This was just the beginning of the journey this mentality would send us. There was also more serving....in the kids ministry. Yup, Saturday nights remained our night to teach, to lead and to give God our time to sow into kids lives while their parents get their time with Jesus. It has been amazing how I can grow in learning and preparing these bible lessons for kids even at a kindergarten and first grade level. God
uses these very things and key concepts like Contentment and compassion to remind me how we are to be child like in our very own complicated adult lives. It has also spurred me to pray more. Pray for these parents, and these kids that God may sow seeds in them that will make their hearts turn to Him as their one and only Savior. Everyday I realize that though I can serve with my time, its only God who can change hearts. I also was able to participate in two key conferences for women. The first was Below the Surface for young women, that encouraged me to let my relationship, and my knowledge and my thirst to seek God go deeper. The next was a Sex and intimacy event that had such a powerful speaker and no questions were off limit. I learned so much about how God cares about every little detail of our intimacy and yes our sex lives! At the same time we continued to serve, our own kids got to join for outreach events such as Operation Christmas Child box packing at our church. They were able to be hands on and prepare boxes for less fortunate kids around the world. They got to move, and pack cars up with the boxes so we could transport them. Us being more involved also had us at church more often.... and Manny became interested in learning God's word on an adult level. We allowed him to start attending Wednesday night service with us. Which eventually led to him answering an altar call and going up to accept Jesus as His own personal savior. There is no greater joy as mother to know he decided to make this faith His own and for HIM to have the assurance He is loved, forgiven and set free. As I look forward to what this year has in store, I know there will never be a moment where God is not in control and where he is not orchestrating every detail of our live. I find peace in knowing who holds my FUTURE and who is in control! More surrender, more trust.
Then there were MORE friendships! There was a time in my life I longed for genuine relationships outside that one with my husband. I wanted to know people personally and love them and rejoice with them. This prayer has been answered and surpassed all my expectations. He has given us more friendships then we never imagined. I have constants who have stayed in my life for years and continue to be ladies whom I admire, whom encourage me and whom I can count on no matter how busy life gets. There are those friendships that have grown from our love for Jesus and thanks to some of those friends, we became committed as a group of women that regularly fast and pray for each other on Thursdays and we have even come to meet once a month: GIRLS NIGHT! Ladies that range in ages and stages in life that get to share our testimonies, our struggles and prayer requests. There are friends that we get to share date nights with, or play dates and gatherings. There are friends who we serve with and friends whom have been a blessing in so many ways. This year was filled with love, encouragement and joy in these friendships God has allowed in our lives. We were able to share so many experiences with them from engagements, babies, birthdays, concerts, training and even 5ks. Though all these people in our lives are a part of it in different ways, I look at them as good gifts given to me by God to love, to cherish and to offer my unconditional support and encouragement as well. To rejoice with them and do life with.... to have iron that sharpens me and to do the same for them. I am overjoyed that we have Friends to do life with and count on in our journey. This year I am looking forward to loving these awesome people more and to be intentional in getting to know them, spending time with them and fervently praying for them.
In our Marriage there were MORE date nights. More time spent together. More growing together as one flesh! God definitely challenged us as we came into this year feeling more together and more in love then ever before. We felt we were at a place where we could really rejoice at all God has done in our marriage through the years. But unwilling to grow complacent in our relationship, we became determined to be more intentional in our time together. Dates became a priority. Daily conversations about work were a must. And prayer for one another and together have become a necessity. In all the years we have been together, we had always talked about going to Disney's Epcot and pretend to travel the world and this year we were able to make that a reality kid free for our 12th anniversary. We were able to grow like minded and united in our goals, in our budgeting, in our planning. We started to enjoy each other's company more in the middle of outings with friends. He has supported my writing and vision, as I have watched God use Him to lead others and as He is raising Him up to be a man who studies God's word, who gives me fresh revelation, and who continues to encourage me and cover me as his wife. We have both grown deeply appreciative of the friendship we have in one another and there's no other person I rather spend time with. There has been less arguments or disagreements, but when there were, it took less time for God to humble one of us to apologize and to work on issues faster then before. I'd really say this year in our marriage, there was more agreeing, more vision, and more waiting on God to lead. As we enter this new year I am looking forward to what God has in store for us....as individuals and as a couple. I am praying for our marriage and our ministry and for this love to continue to multiply as we look to God as our source and the center of it all. More LOVE.......
Remember that Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace course? Yea that whole class, led me to thinking about selling our home to get rid of debt. Our home was our prized possession. It was the one thing we had to show as fruit of all the hard labor for years as we struggled financially since our teenage newly wed years. It was not only an investment, and our home but a tangible possession that made us proud to have a piece of the American Dream. Being the budgeter, and the planner, I couldn't see how we would get out of years of debt, be able to save, or even be able to give.... We were drowning! When I first brought up the idea to my husband, he thought I was crazy. We were learning so much and had already been able to save, and tackle some credit cards. But he promised me he would pray about it. Months went by, we kept using what we were learning and became better stewards of what God had given us. But now God was tugging at my husband's heart to sell our home. And by June, we had our home up for sale. We both clearly felt God was telling us to leave it behind. That there were better things ahead then those we would leave behind. The house sold in 4 days after 6 showings that same weekend. I prayed we would be sold and moved before kids started school and it all worked perfectly... We had to stay with my parents for a couple of weeks. But by August, we were debt free and all moved in to our apartment. This was one of those radical things in our lives that seemed so crazy, yet God kept reminding us He would see us through. He would provide. And so He has. Since then, we have had such peace about no longer being homeowners. We are enjoying the perks of renting, and are finally able to say we are debt free! We had friends and family support us with the physical labor of moving, but we also had those praying for us. For clarity, for direction and for confirmation. God definitely used this year to call us to MORE TRUST, MORE OBEDIENCE, and now that we are no longer slaves to debt, MORE GIVING. Since stepping out in faith, doors we didn't even know were available to us have opened and we have experienced an overflow of God's blessings. 
Then there is MORE love. More FAMILY time, More moments with our little ones. I have definitely felt this year I was called to be more patient and to grow in my "Mother" role to love, to teach and to come up with what works for my kids. We had more TIME off of work. We were able to enjoy everything we love. From various concerts they enjoy, to Disney on Ice, baseball games, and trips to the zoo or movies. To being able to drive up to Universal studios for Rock the Universe Christian concert line up and seeing one of our favorite rappers K.B. perform. We took them to their first soccer game to watch Colombia in a match. We decided as a family to join our first 5k to support our pastor's son in a run for Cerebral Palsy. We had more freedom to enjoy trips to the park or to the beach. We were able to be present for honor roll assemblies or Manny's Vice Presidential debate which he won by the way or simply spend time volunteering in Emeli's kindergarten class. We took time off between moving to enjoy Sea World for the first time. And explore Clearwater, the kids first boat ride and experience many dolphins swimming alongside us. This year we were able to watch our kids grow More mature and MORE responsible as they took on change like champs. Every moment spent brought us both unimaginable joy to see them grow and enjoy experiences together....but it also brought us headaches as we went through growing pains and sibling rivalry. This year they have both become brave in doing things out of their comfort zone such as public speaking for Manny, to singing and performing for an audience for Emeli. We have spent more time just talking, teaching, laughing, playing, and resting. This year it seemed they have grown so much its easier to take trips with them and enjoy all the things you simply cannot do with smaller kids. We have been able to have more conversations. Emeli tried soccer and hated it. But Emerald decided to start coaching Manny's soccer team. As their personalities develop and they are gaining friends and outside influences, we have had to seek wise counsel on parenting and to become diligent, and persistent in our praying for them. As we kicked off 2017, just the 4 of us in our little apartment, I realized that we already have more then we could ever ask for.
My heart could explode when I think off all God did and how HE did more then I could ever dream or imagine. 2016 was a year of more! And looking back, I kept praying for a word to go forward. A word to keep me focused on 2017. Earlier this week, I thought the word was GO! and just like more, it seemed vague. I even told God that can't be it. It's too simple.... give me a more substantial word. And yet after praying and reflecting the word remained GO!..... actually Just GO....
I wondered what this meant for my life and I realized how much I overthink things. I see the vision and the things God has called me to do and I see how sometimes I lack the faith to just do it. Instead of just extending encouragement, I wonder how someone will take it. Instead of just sharing the gospel. I wonder if they will get offended. Instead of extending a helping hand, I wonder what they will think. Instead of going....I think. And I can already see how as He prepares me for the future, I have to be willing to GO wherever HE calls. I want to be willing to go and love, go and give, go and write, go and make disciples. I want to be able to Go wherever HE leads without question or hesitation. I want to stop thinking of me or what if's........As 2017 begins I want to Go and tell the World.... of His amazing grace that saved me....of HIS love that transformed me, and of the Hope I have found in Him.
As you start the new year, I encourage to look back and be thankful for all you were able to experience in 2016. And as you begin this new year, I pray that you not only make resolutions to improve areas of your life, but that you would be able to trust Jesus with your whole life. He is able to make all things new. I pray God gives you vision, purpose and hope and that you know no matter what you face He is with you! Our plans and resolutions can fail, He won't Happy New Year 2017!
Love ❤, Meli
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