Other people mold you...Gospel defines you.

If there is one thing that I have realized in the last few days is that"Happiness is only real when shared."-Chris McCandless.I think it's fair to say that we were not made to do life on our own. I was reading through some of C.S Lewis' best quotes and he made a statment that made me re-evaluate how I look at the "art" of relationships. He said, "“Friendship is unnecessary,it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” Well said sir Lewis(as always.)I must admit that more times then not I want to do life on my own and along doing so maybe meet different souls that may inspire/move/encourage me but then it's time to move on,I move on.Not realizing that maybe those certain hearts were put there to teach me not only good but also the bad.The bad,not a big fan of getting hurt or hurting others.I don't know if I've hung on to any kind of relationship long enough to ever see "the bad" happen or let it happen.I believe some can relate,In your head you've determined that you would make the call on how close anyone got, yep that's a lot of us.

In this season of my life I now understand more then ever that God can and will use anyone, for however long, at whatever time to teach you what He intends to teach you.My conclustion...let Him and don't fight it.He wants more then anything for us to find joy while bearing His image. I know He's called us to more then just a lukewarm lifestyle but life abundant. I have a friend whose taught me that if you love someone its loving all of them. Even their bad and hoping that you can push and encourage them to be better in that area. Its a commitment to wanting the best for that person even if they can't see it and putting it on display for others to see.I've always thought that I did not need people, friends and family but rather they were gifts that the good Lord had given me. But I didn't know why. I understand that this life was not meant to be done alone, as many times as I have tried to do so. The human desire is to be wanted. Sometimes we are treated as if we are not wanted and that is the worst hell like feeling because then our worth is questioned. Worth can only be found in the One that paid the price, and He thought we were worth the blood spill.Don't miss out on the quality people around you.Speak life, invest, protect and pour out.

Words that made themselves at home.

There is something about the way words can move us. I'm gonna share with you a quote that has moved me .Words that literally changed and have moved me to such affect as to change the way I live. Or so I try to live by.

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."
-C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

“Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn.” ― C.S. Lewis

Sometimes we walk into empty spaces with the idea that the past has affected us too much to move forward. How do you leave the past? Is forgetting possible? Should we forget? I say it’s possible but it’s easier said then done. I do not ask these questions in vain. Yet, these are the questions that have held me captive at night for the last few weeks. I have come to many late night and early morning conclusions in the last month concerning these questions and many more. Pssss I must also admit that I have become a more sensitive person (thank God.) It’s amazing what happens when someone’s personality and story changes and becomes so affective in your life…it’s written on my heart.

In the last month I have done life with 28 viral girls. And by viral I mean each one has a personality that draws you in and makes you feel as if you are right where you should be. I speak of Liberty soccer girls…my soccer girls. I say that with entitlement because I would and will do anything to make sure that they each reach their God potential and protect them with everything I can possibly offer. I have learned from each one of them and, even if I never mention it to them, and they have moved my heart to a desire that make me reach for more. See but there’s this one person that has deeply struck a chord in my heart and in my view of life. Her name is Bailey and she has this gift I wish I had. She has this ability to truly love someone no matter the faults or flaws. I see in her the mystery of unconditional love. I have never met someone who has been hurt (in every aspect) so much by one person and yet her response is, “ I want his heart to heal, I want him to meet with God, and I want to hug him and tell him that there’s hope for him as person.”

I could not identify with her, because this character comes from one person I thought I knew… Jesus Christ. Baily recently met Jesus Christ in a beautiful exchange a few weeks ago. So how do I explain the lack of love in my heart for people (being a Christian this whole time)? Yet she has always had this unconditional love for people, this Christ like character that I know nothing about. I concluded that maybe God only gave this gift and only engraved and entrusted this kind of heart to a few so their affective heart may touch and soften others in a quiet impactful manner.


I have met this kind of heart (bailey) and have been softened to the core.


Live Out Loud
Giomarela

And the world spins madly on....

It was about 2pm when I saw the sign that (I quietly anticipated for much of spring), read"Welcome to Florida." I could feel the sunshine and the burn on my skin,literally, I must inform that I did not have any air and the windows were permanently locked in my 1993 beaut of a Camry , but that did not change my smile as I crossed into Florida.The smile widened as fixed my eyes on "You are now entering Dade county."

I will be first to admit that the excitement to be home has never existed.But for some reason I had the excitement that a child feels a week before Christmas, not knowing what was coming but knowing it was going to be good.That feeling made itself at home, and that feeling was confirmed.Stepping into the lives of old friends whom I would always keep in contact with but would never get too close,knowing that if I did it would only hurt to leave them when summer ended.I decided to put all hands on deck concerning my: family,friends,and church family.These old faces had rushed back into my life like a roaring fire, I was determined to spend as much time as I could to met them where they were at and do life with them for the next two months.These summer days/nights were filled with long long quality talks of dreams,visions,fears,first times,surrender,prayers and the past(due to my absence.)I must add that laughs were involuntarily but expected in every conversation. Along with old faces I was blessed to meet new faces that truly filled my heart.


My alarm would go off at 5am EVERY Sunday morning and my first thought would be "There is just something about today." and I would rise with excitement to get to church
(Potential)...why? the feeling that I had in the car as I entered into Florida was satisfied through what God was and is doing through Potential.I.received.it. I don't have the right words to make anyone understand the joy,passion,focus and action that my church family had every Sunday morning.It never ceased.

There were many many late nights this summer but none that weren't quality.I met new hearts that were just as free spirited and mischievous as myself,so that right there is the perfect ingredient to a holy spirit fun filled summer.I left filled..and overflowing.

So I walked into this summer with the idea of filling and touching other peoples lives,but as the Lord always works,they filled and touched my life.I could already smell the morning dew as I got ready to jump into my car Saturday morning.Tears streamed down my face as my mom prayed for me while she hugged me tightly and would not let go.As I put the car in reverse she waved goodbye and with her lips mouthed " you'll be great."I met my dear friend for coffee right before I jumped on the highway and as I saw her walk to her car the tears returned for round two.I admit and confess that those unwanted and unexpected tears continued from Kendall drive all the way to Ft.Lauderdale.

"And the world spins madly on"

LiveOutLoud
Giomarcela

"The enemy of great art is good taste."- Picasso

This cat (Picasso) new a little something about art. Maybe great art begins even from before it it finished.? With every stroke of a brush or every note sang or that picture that maybe took some of your air away. the process maybe the greatness of that art.? I am thankful God doesn't look at us like this, as something like "taste" which always changes with the times. If this were the case He would have gotten rid of us a while back.I recently watched this video by Rich Mullins(man filled lyrical greatness if I may say so myself) and he said something that truly moved me.

"Good taste has all to do with being cultured and refined, and it is far to do with anything about being human.The reason why I like the bible so much is because the humans in the bible were pretty far from being refined.People would tell me that God loved me and I would think so what... God loves everyone that just proves that God aint got no taste, I don't think he does...thank.God. God has a way of taking the junk in our lives and making the greatest art out of it. If he was cultured and civilized as most christian people wished He was,He would be useless to Christianity."


Maybe our daily life is this "art" process where we look at it for what it is, and God looks at it for what it can be.? I think the Lord created something amazing, something breathe taking( that's usually the only way he creates.) Who we can be is only seen through the eyes of the artist. Look in the mirror and be amazed, feel your chest go up and down,your body maneuver as an orchestra right on key...be amazed. And hear this,this body comes bearing gifts.use.them.The art is now able to affect others.

LiveOutLoud
Giomarcela

I love not man the less, but nature more.

"FREEDOM" the literal theme for this past weekend.Well,a friend(chanti) and I decided that we should get more acquainted with Florida nature.Sufficient to say that we got a little more acquainted with nature then we both hoped(this is not a complaint.)Accompanied by friends and new friends Miami's camping team was made up by:the core(cory),julian the great,one eyed open liz, and johanna the enthusiast. Upon our arrival to Markham camp grounds we had this silly allusion that we would not be around water(mosquitoes),just grass lands.We.Were.Wrong.Next to our camp ground we were accompanied by a canal..filled with sweet sweet gators( sarcasm intended.) This was not going to stop our adventurous hearts.We proceeded to make up our tent,hammocks and fire..we succeeded.Maybe the fire was questionable?.

Nonetheless the rest of the night into the next morning was filled with many laughs,way funny comments(ahmm julian),jokes,deep conversations,smores,turkey burgers,Snapple,and always invited music. At one point in the night I caught myself quietly looking around at the laughing faces I was surrounded by and thinking..this.is.freedom.To share those laughs with creation around I knew the world is as it should be.

I was reading my friends blog and he happen to post a quote that I love by David Henry Thoreau In regards to exuberant and natural living:"go fish and hunt far and wide day by day - farther and wider - and rest thee by many brooks and hearth sides without misgiving. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Rise free from care before the dawn and seek adventures. Let the noon find thee by other lakes, and the night overtake thee everywhere at home. There are no larger fields than these, no worthier games than may here be played. Grow wild according to thy nature... let the thunder rumble... let not to get a living be thy trade but thy sport. Enjoy the land, but own it not... we should come home from far adventures, and perils, and discoveries, every day with new experience and character."

LiveOutLoud
Giomarcela

We Walk Into the Old, With Character and Simplicity We Found.

As the seasons, change has come to Lynchburg. The spring flowers have begun to unfold like a deep breath of fresh air, contrary to its prior state of hiding under the shiny white snow. It gladdens me that with those flowers I can now clearly see the sterling smiles of those who I have come close to cherish. This past Saturday three amazing people and I walked the streets of downtown Lynchburg. I could not help but feel the untold stories that the old building so blatantly screamed. The sun shined on the old red bricks as if they had just been laid. So the advenure began with just a few picture of three Canadians that were truthfully a little cold...Joshua Reynolds,Rylie Eisbrenner, and Danielle Morrison. --->

As we spent time together walking and talking I wanted to catch every picture, every spoken word, and every smile and put it in my pocket or hide it in my heart so that the memories would never escape but rather be spoken of with a memorizable grin of the great time spent laughing and letting our imaginations run wild. In this photo below my camera was not intended to be on, -<----but when I turned around it surprisngly took a picture. If I might say so myself it is my favourite picture of that day.

I would like to elaborate a little more on my reasoning for mentioning that I spent this saturday morning with three amazing people...lets begin.

Joshua Reynolds. A kind and beautiful hearted young man with a hug that will make any cloudy day go away, and I truly mean that. At my school Liberty University we have something called convocation (an hour long service), as a student who lives off campus we are not required to attend these services, but I secrelty admit that other than coming into Gods presence with excitment..I look foward to Joshs' hugs. His character and the way he carries himself with such dignity and respect is encouragment to me even though it is something I do not share as often as I should. His presence makes you want to smile and later on a sure laugh.At heart he is a big brother. I hope to have these encouragments and hugs as long as the Lord allows.

Rylie Eisbrenner. This amazing girl came into my life unexpected. I had heard from other people, upon my return to Liberty, of what a great person she was. I would like to report that the tales were true.With excitment I tell you of her. When you walk into a room you can't help but see these precious almond shaped eyes, thus they seem to gleam at every lights glance. Her excitment is toxic, her faith is transparent, and her joy in the Lord is written all over her face.She holds on to truth and sincerity tightly with both hands. Is it possible for someone to inspire you in such a short time? I say...yes.

Danielle Morrison.life at her fullest. This is my definition of this "my cup is half full!" kind hearted girl, or might I say young lady.Her smile makes you forget of the bad and reminds you of the good. Her heart and smile just draws you in and her genuiness,You, just desires to be kept there in her presence.Everytime I have a sad face or a storm hits head on I secretly say to the Lord " Give me her unfailing smile." Her laughter is intriguing in the most precious of ways. Sunshine all the time,even when it is the hardest and I admire that. All about a God who loves people and within that sweet heart is a fire that is burning like a roaring fire.Have you ever met a person that you just know in your heart is special, and you cannot exactly say the right or justified words to describe them? well this is Danielle. A friend that sticks close.

I have been gracefully blessed and nothing less. Life is to be lived and shared with others, I try to tackle that everyday. So this is my story and some of the incredible people in my life.

I conlude Happiness is only real when shared.

Live Out Loud

Gio Marcela