When you first walk into a waiting room, you make your way to the sign-in desk, fill out a piece of paper and hand it to the receptionist. This information identifies you by name and the reason for your visit.

Your identity is important in the waiting process because it is a necessity that impresses, symbolizes or brands the position that originates you.

When we are in waiting, we as Christians, can forget who we are and stray from what is necessary for our spiritual growth.

The waiting room helps you to become the person you are created to be, the identity of Jesus Christ. There is a purpose in waiting and it is tied to your identity.

The waiting room is not a place to perform many accolades and status quos, it is a place to grow your relationship with Jesus Christ. Spiritual growth happens when we allow the mind of God to guide us.

When we identify with Jesus Christ, through salvation, our old self is no more. We often lack belief in this while we are waiting. Maybe this is my fault? Maybe I am waiting because of what I have done in past? Maybe it is because of what I didn’t do? Maybe it is because of my family history? Maybe it is because of where I live? Maybe it is because of my career choice? Maybe it is because of my age? Maybe it is because of my education or lack thereof?

Galatians 2:20, “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

When we exercise our faith in our identity with Jesus Christ, we find ourselves growing spiritually through situations where we felt fearful and anxious.

Waiting is not easy but resting in His goodness that He will supply the faith and love we need to grow.

-Leslie Marks, MSN, FNP-BC

If you’ve never struggled with your mental health, it can be hard to understand what it feels like to have your mind and body hijacked by the crushing weights of anxiety, depression, or other debilitating mental illnesses; I assure you, as someone that has walked this trying road, there is more to these terrifying experiences than a lack of a proper understanding of God’s Word. 

God’s Word is an amazing tool that does help us all find healing in our lives. Nonetheless, many times when we are experiencing clinical forms of mental distress, we also need the help of our community and professionals to find balance in our bodies again. Don't be afraid to get help.

Understanding the physical connections between our bodies and minds helps to free us of the shame and guilt that holds us back from seeking healing through a holistic approach. God uses many ways for us to find peace not only through our connection with his Holy Word and prayer, however also through seeking health for our bodies, mind and spirit that promotes our physical and mental well-being because health and wellness will always work hand in hand.

Prioritization plays a crucial role in maintaining physical and mental health. By prioritizing activities like exercise, healthy eating, and self-care, we can improve our overall well-being.

Psalms 119:15

“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”

2 Timothy 1:7

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Faithful

"We fall, we break, we fail, But then, We rise, we heal, we overcome.”-Author unknown

Ashamedly, each time I experience the Lord’s faithful, I am still in awe as if it were the first time He covered me in His love. So often I complain that life is not moving as I think it should, I am not progressing as I think I should, or I am going through difficulty that I don’t think I should. And yet, somehow God carries me through the difficult times, holds me close, builds me back together, piece by piece, with His restorative hands. Then He gently leads me back out to keep pushing and striving. The cycle continues, I get knocked down again and the Father’s faithfulness finds me again, cares for me so perfectly and repairs the brokenness again.

God’s Faithfulness is great. We all experience fiery trials throughout our life’s journey. As the days draw closer to the Lord’s Majestic Return, I feel the battle heightened and most rigorous than years past. We depend on the Lord’s faithfulness more and more to carry us through to victory, while enduring such fierce trials and training for our day of eternal deliverance.

Recently, I started shopping for a new exterior door. There’s been some difficulty with the hinges and the door is wearing down. As I began shopping, the idea of new features came up with so many options to choose from, I was shocked! It seems ridiculous that the cost of a new door would be so expensive, but I understand the importance of a safe, sturdy door as an entry to my home. My current door is a solid color, and I would prefer something that will bring in natural light but will provide privacy as needed. The clear windows don’t provide much privacy but bring in the most natural light. My eyes were quickly drawn to the stained-glass windows that provides such a beautiful masterpiece and reflective light from the natural sky, that this just stuck with me. Some the stained-glass pieces were etched in various designs, some had a tint of color that were beautiful, but nonetheless, all the stained-glass windows were individual pieces that were connected to create a beautiful art piece. There was a story behind each piece of art, there were different shapes and sizes, although they were all framed so perfectly within the door.

Each time the Lord pieces me back together, after I have been shattered and despairingly crushed, I hope that I will remember that just maybe I can be a beautiful masterpiece. A piece of artwork that my Father has so intently and specifically designed with each etch, carve, or pattern, to create a memorable and strong masterpiece.

May we reflect on the Lord’s precious faithfulness that allows us to wake each morning and keep moving forward.

With Love,

Patricia

Patricia Velasquez, PTA, BS, CWCA, CLT

 

April Thoughts 

^{Impossible or I'm Possible depends on how you see. Perception is everything. Most of our life's problems are due to our perception of reality.} 

^{This month, let's challenge ourselves to push past our natural inclinations about what happened, what's happening, or what will happen.} 

^{Things look totally different from a Heavenly Perspective. Since JESUS has risen from the dead, let us get up from our grave thoughts of reality.}

^{May the GOD who raised JESUS from the dead extend that Resurrection Power to you and breath life into your Perception of Reality. There is so much more to be seen than the little that our eyes perceive.}  

^{Believe It}

_{Perceive It} 

_{Receive It}  

_{"AND HE SAID, THE THINGS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITH MAN ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD."}

_{-Shendoria Middlebrooks ,BSECE}

What Is Prayer? 

 Prayer is communication between us and the Lord. Prayer is a two-way conversation and we cheapen it if all we do is talk. The best conversations that we will ever have are back and forth conversations. Make sure that you’re allowing yourself to listen to God. There is so much that the Lord desires to tell you. Let’s not only be good talkers, but also good listeners.

"It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without heart." "Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsted that we may thirst for him." "Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of Containing God's gift of himself."

 Encouraging Prayer Quotes

"Saints of God need to become more separated in the matter of prayer, and fasting adds intensity and power to prayer. 

The Rewards of Fasting.

 -Rev. B.R. Hicks 

"Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference." 

- Max Lucado

"Prayer lays hold of God's plan and becomes the link between his will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit's prayer." 

- Elisabeth Elliot

 PRAYER IS …“Difficult times are pregnant with glory moments just waiting to be birthed in the lives of those willing to labor through the pain.”

-Sharon Jaynes

"Prayer is to surrender to God's will, not yours."

 - Regina Marks

"To pray is to enter the treasure-house of God and to gather riches out of an inexhaustible storehouse. "

- Charles Spurgeon