Happy New Year!

***I apologize ahead of time because this blog is not looking perfect. For some reason it has some parts highlight in white and I can't seem to remove it. I've done the blog several times and it comes out the same. The important thing is the message. 

Reflecting on this past year, you may experience discouragement over plans that never came to pass or dreams that never materialized. Looking ahead to the New Year,

Did 2014 leave you like this?

you may find it difficult to have motivation to persevere for the breakthroughs for which you've waited so long. Wouldn't it be easier to just settle for second-best?

God wants you to fly and not struggle as you enter into year 2015!

I read a story about a man who found an eagle’s egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them.

All his life the eagle, thinking he was a prairie chicken, did whatever the other chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and crackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly. Years passed. The eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. ‘What a beautiful

Bird!’ said the eagle to his neighbor. ‘What is it?’ ‘That’s an eagle, the chief of the birds,’ the neighbor clucked ‘but don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.’

So the eagle never gave it another thought. And it died thinking it was a prairie chicken. Don’t just observe it from far and wish and don’t let anyone tell you not to even think or wish about it because you will never be able to do it. Maybe you were in the wrong place and was there for part of 2014 or all of 2014; now today it’s time to make that decision to soar, to change direction, to believe in God and to soar like the eagle.

One of my favorite bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you plans for a hope and a future.” Do not be like the eagle. You might have had setbacks, illness, and adversity, betrayals, many financial problems and unexpected issues/drama in their lives this year 2014. However, remember what my favorite bible verse says. Remember the plans God has for you.

What are you going to do? Are you going to let what happened in 2014 rule or guide what you do in 2015? Are you going to stay negative and always have the tendency to expect bad outcomes that have settle in your mind or are you going to choose to persist in faith in God? Shake it off and take hold of it: Philippians 3:13 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,”

You might say to yourself right now as you read this blog, but I made so many mistakes and had so many failures (I say this because as I was writing I had these thoughts myself), it’s time to think about/take inventory of 2014 and reset ourselves! We must learn from our mistakes. Think about the cost that our impulse actions will make not only on you but on others. If you need to, talk to someone and ask for advice before making decisions that will impact others or your life and make sure it will be a positive impact and not a negative one. If you learn from your mistakes you will not keep repeating them.

I encourage you to take a positive look at the possibilities of the future and speak of those things that are nonexistent as though they do exist. “As it is written: “I have made you father of many nations…..” Romans 4:17(a). God is speaking about Abraham. God had told Abraham that he was going to be father of many nations, but Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old. Sarah was never able to have children. Sarah was past the child bearing age. However, God spoke a Word to Abraham. Abraham didn't see the future or the possibilities of that future. He could have doubted; Sarah laughed. However, he held on to the possibilities of that future. We need to think and speak about our future in a positive way not according to what you have seen in the past or are seeing right now, but according to what God has placed in your heart and positive goals you have set always remembering that you need to put Christ first and ask for His direction in all you do. He has a great future for you. Believe it and confess it!

As we prepare for a New Year, a new journey, another opportunity to get closer to God, another opportunity to reach goals, a purpose to hold on to and persevere on the road to success, remember that also there will come the ups and downs. Please remember that you will find times where there will be hindrances (things in your way that will want to stop your progress). There will be times that the negative thoughts will want to invade your mind. There will be times that negative talk or advice will come from friends and family. But don't give up! Don’t give in! Stay strong! “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will make a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

God bless! Thank you for reading my blogs and I hope that I have been able to be a blessing to your life! Talk to you next year! I ask you to pray for me that God will continue to help me and give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding and words to share with everyone that this blog reaches. I will also be praying for everyone that this blog might reach.

Enter 2015 like this!

From Debora Cortes
~Debbie~
~Metamorphosis/Transformations~

Now all readers can read in their own language - also video "Love in Any Language - Sandi Patty"

This is to inform you that although I might not write my blogs in your language I added a translate button on my page. There is one on the top of the page and there is also one towards the bottom left of the page. Here's an image of the one on the top of the page with arrows.

The default is Spanish, but if you click on the small icon where the red arrow is pointing it will show you other languages and then you will click on the translate button where the blue arrow is pointing. 

This will automatically translate the page to your language. This way you will also be blessed and will be able to comment, share with others and submit prayer request or if you would like for me to write about a specific subject or want more information, I will be able to happily do it because I know you will receive in your language.

Spanish:
Esto es para informarle que aunque yo no pudiera escribir mi blogs en su lengua añadí un botón de traducir en mi página. Hay un botón en la parte arriba de la página y hay también uno hacia casi el final de la página. Aquí está un imagen del que esta en la parte arriba de la página con flechas. 

El lenguaje automáticamente esta en español, pero si usted hace clic en el pequeño icono donde la flecha roja señala esto le mostrará otras lenguajes y luego usted hará clic en el botón traducir donde la flecha azul señala. 

Este traducirá automáticamente la página a su lengua. De esta manera usted también será bendecido y podra comentar, compartir con otros y presentar cualquier petición que tenga para oracion  o si le gustaria que escribiera sobre un tema específico o querer más información, seré capaz de hacerlo felizmente porque sé que usted lo recibirá en su lenguaje.

Love in any language   /   Amor en mil idiomas  

amour dans n'importe quelle langue

Liebe in jeder Sprache  / amor em qualquer língua  / любовь на любом языке

愛在任何語言  / jubav na bilo kojem jeziku

Gustung-gusto sa anumang wika / l'amore in tutte le lingue / 任意の言語で愛

모든 언어로 사랑 / در هر زبان عشق 
waxay jecel yihiin in af kasta

Love in any language - Sandi Patty

Unto Us A Child Is Born.....Isaiah 9:6

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on His shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

"Christmas began in the heart of God. It is complete only when it reaches the heart of man."

Christmas is a special time for most people, but especially for followers of Jesus. Christmas is celebrated all across this planet in a variety of ways. Families have traditions that are often passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes the traditions don't even make sense to the younger generation but they practice and celebrate it anyways. 

Churches and religions have their traditions as well. Once such tradition still celebrated in many churches/religions is Advent. What does Advent mean? The word "advent" comes from Latin "advnetus" meaning "arrival" or "coming," particularly of something have great importance. The first coming of Jesus Christ was the most significant historical event that has ever occurred. The "arrival" of the promised Messiah has changed the world forever. Old Testament prophecies takes us on a journey of Jesus Christ and the New Testament describes how the maker of heaven and earth came humbly to be born to eventually die for the sins of the world. 

There is nothing wrong with tradition but many have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights on the windows, the turkey (or whatever tradition meal you eat) with your family and friends, snow in the yard, and shouts of Merry Christmas? Is this really Christmas?

For many it's a time of sorrow because they do not have the extra money to buy gifts for their children, family and friends. Others are sadden because their loved ones will not be able to make it for one reason or another. Turkey dinners may only be a wish and not a reality for others. 

However, Christmas should be a time of great joy. It's a time of God showing His great love for us. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. See Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. God sent His son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men and angels all joined in the joy and excitement of knowing about this great event! They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child. 

Why did He come? Why did God send His Son to this cruel world? John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." He sent Him because in Him there is truth, love and hope and through Him we have salvation; otherwise we would die in sin.  He was born so one day He could die for us. He was born to then pay the price for everything we have done and will do wrong. We all sin; we all do things that are sin. We have inherited the sin nature because of Adam and Eve. We are born in sin nature. We need to be removed from the sinful nature and the only way this can be removed is through Jesus Christ. Jesus was born to then die on that cross for ALL of our sins. If you believe that He was born and then died for our sins we need to ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then we can be clean and made whole. 

1 John 1:9 "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong."

Don't forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Don't forget that Christmas is the birth of Jesus but also remember the reason and purpose for His birth. The best gift you can receive today is the gift of salvation. This is the year to ask Jesus into your heart. To start off the New Year full of peace and joy then you will truly have a Merry Christmas. 

Many Christians have changed the way they would celebrate Christmas in regards to their worship services. Now they are more relaxed and more involved in the hustle of this world with shopping and family and parties. I remember when I was growing up we would have worship services on Christmas Eve. Those were the best services ever. They had special programs. Now there are very few churches that are even open on Christmas Eve and many don't even do any Christmas programs. I hope that you have not lost the spirit of Christmas and that you can still worship the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Merry Christmas!