Good morning Friend,

So that was Monday and yesterday is not coming back, so today I need to have the attitude of striving to make the most out of the time. To work on my homework and keep up with my reading in the bible. Many times I compromise that, thinking that I will have time to catch up or I think that because I am doing research in my bible for papers that that is enough. But it is not enough. Sitting down and carefully taking in the word of God is what opens conversation with God. This particular time is what stretches me. If I fly through the verses I don't make time to listen and much less to reflect, then I don't get refreshed. But when I do, I feel rewarded because my ear is more aware of the voice of God and my heart much more in peace. In peace to accept what comes my way. Not to enjoy it because hardships are not there to be enjoyed, but to surrender to God's will. By the way, the verse in the message I sent yesterday was from Luke 1:30-33. Today as I continue to read the chapter I came to this verse. Imagine, Mary was engaged to Joseph and was a virgin and she was a woman. So the credibility of her word was not very high, after all she was a woman. After hearing those words from the angel, she knew she had the world coming on top of her shoulders. Yet she gave an unexpected reply

Luke 1:38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

What if an angel comes to us and tells us that God will use us for prison ministry, but that implies that we will lose our freedom? Will we still say, well I am the servant let it be according to God's word? I don't know. I don't have the answer to this one. But this "simple" verse can raise so many questions about my own spiritual walk. Learning to surrender to God's will for our lives is hard, but we do not have to walk alone. God promised that he will never leave us and never forsake us. One day I looked around and nobody was there, I looked again and God is there.

God bless you,
Julieta Reyes Flores