A Time for Everything

In the summer of 2009 I restarted my journey in college through the encouragement of my then boyfriend. I am thankful that I took his advice and decided to make a goal and stick with it. The journey has been difficult but many times rewarding.

I began with my general classes with the goal of becoming a nurse. Being a single mom, being in school, and working a lot made it difficult for me to fully focus on my goal and I deterred a little. I felt like I was going in circles and was going through a tough breakup that left me wondering what I am supposed to do in life. When I didn't get into the program I switched my focus to teaching and Biology. I enjoyed my time in participating in the education department at Southern but still wanted to be a nurse. My mom suggested I apply at Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico and I took a BIG shot in the dark. Within 10 days of being accepted to the program I quit my job and moved to Puerto Rico to begin my journey to become a nurse (crazy move I know). Thankfully my parents were open and took on the responsibility of my girl. I have faced many difficulties being here but I have survived the many lonely, empty days without my biggest fan, my daughter Aryana. I have made it through the difficulties of bad food (that made me sick) and the language barrier, to name a few. 

Two years later not only do I leave this place with one degree but with the completion of two degrees: my Associates and Bachelors in Nursing. Never would've thought I would accomplish this. I want to thank God for all of his mercies and blessings, my family for taking care of my daughter when I have been gone and being there us, my fiancé for his many nights of praying with me,supporting me, and encouraging me to get through it, and for my many friends who prayed for me and offered continuous encouragement.

I have made a handful of friends here that I consider to be my family and I love to the utmost. 

In just a few days my journey here in Puerto Rico will be over. It's said: "All good things must come to an end", yes that is true, but I have a feeling the good things will continue. I was reminded this morning that in the bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that there is a right time for everything and that time, I have learned, is not my own.

Although at certain times along the way I have thought what I am doing here, I see it was more of God's time to work in my life. Thankful for the time that I have had here in Puerto Rico and the struggles and joys. Please pray for me in the new journey as I study for NCLEX and be mommy again, as well as plan a wedding! 

Another day that changed my life... a week ago today!

It's been one week since I was asked to share life with my wonderful boyfriend, Lee. Some of you may wonder what he did, where did we go, how did it happen, so here it is along with some pictures.

August 26, 2014 (Tuesday)-I received a text message from Lee saying that he needed to see me and talk to me because we didn't have much time for us the last time we were together and he missed me.  I was like you can FaceTime me. He said either you come to me tomorrow (Wednesday) or I come Friday to see you. I knew he was crazy but this was CRAZY and I told him that probably 100 times. His response was I know.

August 27, 2014 (Wednesday)- I hopped on a plane to make a crazy 12 hour trip to Atlanta. It was such a LONG day.

August 28, 2014 (Thursday)- He had to work so I stayed at the house sleeping all day. He texted me in the afternoon to tell me we were going on a date later. I got all pretty and waited for him. We went to the place where we had our first date, Two Urban Licks. We enjoyed a yummy meal and left. Then the 'special' things started. He was fiddling in the trunk and bought out this huge bouquet of flowers. I was surprised but this was my face.

(I dont do well with surprises lol.)

We then went to get a cupcake and I thought we were going to go back to the house. He proceeded to drive to downtown Atlanta. We were driving up to Skyview and I started to say to him how I would never go on something like that, I'm afraid of heights, Nobody better take me on that ever, I don't want to fall off. Unbeknownst to me that is where we were going. It was there that things got a little suspicious... the security guy had to do a check with a security baton and it beeped by his pocket and I thought hmmmm what is that and he quickly said it was his belt? (Oh brother) We rode SkyView and I survived. 

 

After SkyView we crossed the street and took a walk in the Centennial Park. We walked around the whole thing and came back to the Olympic water rings. He asked me to get wet and I looked at him like he was crazy and said I am not getting my hair wet. I found a spot where the water wasn't going up and so I went in and he came after me. 

 
He started talking to me sweetly and then got serious and I got scared. He started going down on one knee and I pulled him up so fast and was like OHHHH NO YOU DONT and started laughing uncontrollably and was holding him in this bear like hug cause then I knew he was gonna do it again. He began talking to me through me giggling and started going down on one knee again and I started to go down with him. He looked at me and was like ALISA stop, stand up just let it happen. At that moment time stood still; I couldn't breathe, talk, think. I covered my ears first then my face and started to cry and shake. All I could think was: This is it, OMG! He asked me and I said yes! There were no friends or family around to experience it with us but it was magical and it was a moment made just for us.

(one of the only pictures he got of me after he asked me and I said yes... It looks awful I know, haha)

I feel so blessed to have a God-fearing and loving man in my life. A man who has accepted me and loves and supports me flaws and all. I am excited and happy for this next step in my life

Stay tuned!.

LOVE... I've had my share of love abuse (Journey in Love)

In case you read my other Facebook post on loving your children I want to let you know that I am on kind of a journey right now to learn how to love more efficiently and healing from love abuse. I want to share some of the things I am learning with you.

I am determined to be a better lover as a  mommy, sister, friend, daughter, and one day wife.

 This is something I was reading this morning to accompany another good book I am reading called "How to help your child REALLY love Jesus" by an Adventist author Donna J. Habenicht.

She mentioned neurotic conscience so I googled it and found this::

Neurosis by Dr. Arthur Janov.
(just a snipet from the whole writing)

A loved child is one whose natural needs are fulfilled. Love takes his pain away. An unloved child is the one who hurts because he is unfulfilled. A loved child has no need for praise because he has not been denigrated. He is valued for what he is, not for what he can do to satisfy his parents' needs. A loved child does not grow up into an adult with an insatiable craving for sex. He has been held and caressed by his parents and does not need to use sex to satisfy that early need. Real needs flow from inside out, not the reverse. The need to be held and caressed is part of the need to be stimulated. The skin is our largest sense organ and requires at least as much stimulation as other sense organs. Disastrous consequences can occur when there is insufficient stimulation early in life. Organ systems may begin to atrophy without stimulation; conversely, as Krech has shown,1 with proper stimulation they may develop and grow(Wow). There must be constant mental and physical stimulation.
Primal Pains are the needs and feelings which are repressed or denied by consciousness. They hurt because they have not been allowed expression or fulfillment. These Pains all add up to: I am not loved and have no hope of love when I am really myself.

Each time a child is not held when he needs to be, each time he is shushed, ridiculed, ignored, or pushed beyond his limits, more weight will be added to his pool of hurts. This pool I call the Primal Pool. Each addition to his pool makes the child more unreal and neurotic.

Link to the full article: http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/neurosis.html

___*****____
Note to ME and also my friends who are parents, teachers, and friends:
Make it your goal to learn to love as God loves you and one of the first ways to do that is to see that maybe you aren't loving to your full potential and need God to teach you and show you to love. Maybe you have experienced love abuse from relationships with family or friends and that's a hard thing to deal with let alone realize that you have gone through.

**GOOD NEWS-----> It's never to late to learn about the greatest commandment that God has given us: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and all your might. 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Our mission was given to us in 1 John 4:7,8: Let us love one another because love comes from God...


LOVE

one step...one foot at a time
blessings.

Faith and believing -notes from study this morning

Anyone can have faith and believe in something or someone. Demons can have better faith and believe more than the 'best' Christian that you know. James 2 told me even they believe,have faith, and even shudder at the fact that there is one God. Having faith is not enough. I heard a person say once, "Oh God knows my heart I don't need to do anything else". There are a lot who think that all you have to do is just believe and have faith and that is enough but it  isn't. Abraham and Rahab were considered righteous for what they did. Without a living spirit we are dead so faith without action is also dead (my bible said that too in James 2).

Notes on grace

Lately I have been journeying through forgiveness and freedom from things I have done in my life and this morning I listened to a sermon by Pastor Dwight Nelson about Grace. 
(some of my notes as well as some of Pastor Nelsons pointers)


What is grace? 
My bible definition says: the UNDESERVED love and salvation God gives.

Grace means that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more and nothing we can do to make God love us less. -Phil Yancey


Intellectually we accept grace-but emotionally we do not bestow the same grace. Sad day! How do you hope for mercy or grace when you give none!? 
My opinion and thoughts based on a letter Pastor Nelson shared during the sermon:
The reason why many people leave the church is because they are afraid that the same people who should be bestowing grace are the ones antagonizing them with no grace. They are holding their shortcomings over their heads and saying there is no grace for you, you have gone too far! OH on the contrary!!! God's grace does not fluctuate like the needle on a gas gauge. There is no empty or full, His grace is constantly overflowing!

We are instructed to 'as freely as you have received, freely give'. This means as Jesus showed grace to Peter and Judas, who betrayed him and had him killed, we are to show the same compassion and grace to others. This grace that is shown to us has a mighty power to change our lives! After I am getting a taste of what this mercy and grace is I want to be different. 
Many times we get on our knees to pray for that person who did us wrong. The prayers for them and their wrongness should be accompanied by prayers for ourselves in our wrongness as well. How can we pray for that outward change when there is no change within our own selves? 
We think that we have to earn God's grace because as humans we haven't experienced it from Him or experienced it from the people around us. Grace has the power to TRANSFORM the most wretched of sinners, like me, into a mighty warrior for God. God FREELY pours out grace to us and expects us to pour out the same grace to others. 
The power to bestow grace doesn't come without help. First you have to learn and accept God's grace for yourself and ask Him to teach you to give the same grace to others. Lose your stubbornness and pride and ask for His help!

Things to ponder:
How often do you give grace?
Have you truly experienced God's grace?
Did you know that there is no requirement to receive grace!? BUT be ready for this grace to transform your life in a radical way!

Suggested Reading:
Ephesians 2- The Message Version

The journey to a new life always begins with one foot.
blessings.