There is no place like home.....

This past Sunday I went back to where it all began and had the privilege to speak at Dallas First Assembly of God, the church I grew up in. It's so true when they say that "There is no place like home". There could never be a thank you card, gift, or words to express how grateful I am for sending such a special lady from that very church to pick me up every Wednesday and Sunday for years until I was able to drive myself. That simple act of kindness without a doubt changed my entire life and gave me a family to love and a place to call home. But most of all being part of that church cultivated the most important relationship I will ever have in my life. It was there that I met my Savior, my Father, and very best friend. 

I can't believe it has already been 5 years since I left for ministry school. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made but there were many times that I remember wishing I could be just like Dorothy, click my heels and be right back at home in the church I have always loved so much. Well, while sitting there in the sweet presence of God this past Sunday during service, I could not help but be reminded of God's faithfulness and how far He has brought me.  One of the most broken times in my life was right after my papi's (dad) death. My life just turned upside down. There were days that I didn't even get out of bed. I had no desire for God and I pretty much just gave up. I quit church, just quit life. I found things of this world to acts as band-aids to cover up the hurt and I did things just to feel good in the moment. BUT, GOD! Just like the scripture says.... BUT GOD! who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)  Ephesians 2:4. Yes, BUT GOD!, because of His great love and mercy for me, He sent someone to remind me of who I was. A friend  of mine called to say the tough things, to "call me out" so to speak. I was headed nowhere fast, but GOD!! How many times have you had a BUT GOD moment? Has God sent someone at just the right time for you? It's crazy to think about. I can't believe that I had actually had forgotten this pivotal moment of my life. If it were not for her call, I can honestly say that I do not know where I would be today. She invited me to spend the weekend in Griffin, GA. It was that weekend that God brought me back to Him and broke my heart for ministry. And for the last five years Griffin has been the place I call home. 

I said all of that to say....God loves us individually. He is a personal God. Sometimes it is so easy to blend in with this world, to do the norm, and to live life without purpose. Imagine a God so big that despite the billions of people in this world that He still has time for you. The problem is can we find time for Him? Do we really want to be a part of the individual, personal, and creative plan He has designed for us? Maybe someone reading this needs a BUT GOD moment. Maybe reading this could be that moment for you. Remember that God has not and will never leave you no matter where you are.  The phone is always ringing. We just have to answer. Most likely home is calling. There have been a few places that I call home. I believe that each of them have been a part of God's amazing plan for me.  They say "home is where the heart is". If thats true, then since my heart belongs to God, I can truly say there is no place like home. So I challenge you to look back at where God has brought you from, find your BUT GOD moments, and get excited because it only gets better from here!


PS: Thank you to Dallas AG for the amazing blessing this past weekend! I can't wait to see how God uses it to fulfill His beautiful purpose for the people of Ecuador! 

The Breakdown

Ok so the time has come!!! Ahhhhhh!!!! Reality is setting in and reality is that I NEED YOUR HELP! God has really been humbling me lately because I do not want to ask for help..... I sometimes feel like a spoiled child. I have too much, so I feel so undeserving to ask for anything. But this week I was reminded that I am a Child of the Most High! Call it spoiled if you must, but I know that He has everything taken care of! I am an heir to everything He has and so are you! Sometimes we are just so afraid to ask for what already belongs to us! This week my amazing friend Audrey Kuruvilla spoke in our Young Adults service. She shared about a story we are most likely familiar with, "The Prodigal Son". However, she gave it a little twist when she mentioned the other brother. There were actually three sons but we forget about the other two because well its, "The Prodigal Son's" story after all. So I just want to share a little snippet of her sermon with you! The story is found in Luke 11:15-32. Take some time to read it. But here is a little summary for you. 

We all know that the Prodigal Son basically just went buck wild.  The Bible says “he took his inheritance and squandered with prostitutes". So needless to say, it was B-A-D. The prodigal takes his father's money, spends it on bad things, a famine breaks over the land and it affects everyone. He becomes a little desperate and we know the end of the story to be when the prodigal returns. The father comes running to him and then there is a celebration! No hard feelings, nothing, but forgiveness and love! This story is so awesome because it shows us an amazing picture of the father's love for us! Man! I just love the Lord! Ok so read on a little bit!  In verse 25, there is a twist! The mysterious just as important older brother enters the plot! This is when it gets good! He is sooo ticked! How would you feel!? You have been the good kid all your life, you are out working hard in the field, when all of a sudden your prostitute squandering brother comes home and gets to have a party and eat the biggest fattest calf right in the middle of a famine!!!!! Yeah anger! Steaming anger! Oh not to mention he has never even gotten a goat in the good times! Ok well let’s read the father's response: v.31 "My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours". Really! Ok Dad! So all I had to do is ask!?! That son lived with his father but never really knew him. He had no idea that his dad was so loving, so giving, and so awesome! His dad could not understand why the son was so upset. He just thought that the son knew that everything he had was his! I don’t know about you but that just really got me! We love God, we are with Him, but we forget that everything He has belongs to us! We just have to know Him well enough to ask for it! So enough is enough! Let’s really get to know God and quit looking at what everyone else has and start asking for what is rightfully ours! He loves us so much! We don’t have to work and be slaves to God! We simply just need to get to know Him.

So before this amazing sermon last week I had what I call a BREAKDOWN!  You know the ugly cry kind of breakdown! Haha I just kept telling the Lord that I could not ask people for money! Well if you know about missions, you kind of don’t have a choice. So in the midst of the breakdown God being God just made it all make sense! He reminded me that I am not asking for myself but I am asking for someone else. The inheritance that God has promised me is not money. The inheritance is His perfect plan for my life. I have asked for Him to make a way for me to get to Ecuador! It’s something I want.  It’s my dream to help others! This dream has always been there, my Father has always had this dream waiting for me just to ask Him for it! So that brings me to this! I have asked God and I know He will answer. And, now that I made it through the breakdown, I have a question to ask you! Will you help me?!

To keep the breakdown alive haha, I decided to break it down. I need the following number of people to commit to give one of the amounts listed each month.

Monthly Pledge:          
$5-     7 people
$10-   18 people
$15-   20 people
$20-   14 people
$25-   20 people

$50-   12 people

$75-   2 people
$100- 2 people

If you would like to become a monthly supporter while I am on the field you may do so by clicking the tab at the top of the homepage. All donations are tax deductible and will be processed securely by the Assemblies of God. You may also give a one time donation if you would like! Thank you for taking the time to read this! I honestly cannot thank you enough for you prayers and love! If you have any questions please email me at leah.diaz@ma.agmd.org! THANK YOU!