God (got) A Second?

Victory - Be Strong & Immovable!

2009-10-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 15:57

⁵⁶ For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. ⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Feel like encouraging someone out there today. Say this: "So you dropped the ball? You missed the mark? Quit beating yourself up! Quit wallowing in your mistake (sin)! Get up again and go on (confess and repent)! You have VICTORY in Jesus Christ. Be strong and immovable. Work hard everyday trying to be the best at what you do and be disciplined to do the right thing. Everything you do for Jesus will be beneficial and rewarding!"

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Change Your Vantage Point

2009-10-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Luke 19:1-6

¹Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ²A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." ⁶So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Zacchaeus by the world's standards lacked nothing. He was living the life! He may have been hated by the people he cheated but he lived the life he wanted. However, curiosity got a hold of him the day Jesus walked through Jericho. He wanted to see who Jesus was but being "a short man" the crowd obstructed his view. Zacchaeus was not like the rest of the crowd who pressed in close to Jesus. He did not need a miracle. He did not need a financial breakthrough. He was already a wealthy man. Figuratively speaking, Zacchaeus in his own eyes had climbed to new heights in his career but even at that position he was found lacking. He was lost! A truth from this story is that no matter how much money or success you have, you will still be found lacking if your view of Jesus is obstructed.

Change your vantage point to get a clear view of Jesus today. Look to Him as the author and finisher of your faith.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Stay Focused!

2009-10-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 12:2

²Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Amplified Bible)

"Stay focused!" How many times have we heard this statement? We thought about how in sports we would hear our coaches yell out, "Stay focused! Keep your head in the game!" It was a reminder to center all of our attention on the specific task we were engaged in. Think about all of the elite athletes in the world that have achieved some level of success. How focused do you think they have to be to achieve their goals? Or, how about the cardiothoracic surgeon who performs a delicate bypass to help restore blood flow to the heart? Do you think he has to stay focused? I would hope so, especially if you or someone you loved were the patient. If you stay focused on the task at hand, you will get to where you need to be.

Today, stay focused on Jesus! Remember all the things He endured to get to where He needed to be. He is "now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

"Keep Your Eyes On Jesus...That Will Shoot Adrenaline Into Your Souls!"

2009-10-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 12:1-3

^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (The Message)

After taking last week off from posting a blog, we realized how much fun it is to post our thoughts. Here's today's thoughts:

As we live our lives day in and day out, we have realized that there are many distractions that can hinder us from running "the race that is set before us." When we read the above passage, we felt like we were receiving one of those great pep-talks a coach gives his team when the game is on the line. We thought we would share it with you in The Message translation and hope it "shoots adrenaline into your souls" to keep living your life with your eyes focused on Jesus.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Making Sense Of My Senseless World, Part II

2009-09-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Colossians 2:6-7

⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

What do you do when you go through a difficult time in life and find yourself in a place where you don't want to be? How did you get there? How about this, maybe it's the road you need to walk to get you back to where God wants you to be?

There's a story we recalled this morning about Elijah the Prophet in 1 Kings 19 where Jezabel had threatened to kill him. Elijah was seized with fear and ran for his life into the desert. He was in so much despair that he prayed to die. He said in verse 4, "I have had enough, Lord... Take my life." He grew very weary and fell asleep under a tree. An angel of the Lord appeared, touched Elijah, and woke him up. The angel had prepared something for him to eat and drink. He told him to "Get up and eat." Elijah ate a little, then laid back down. The angel came back a second time, touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." Finally, Elijah got up to eat and drink and was strengthened by the food. It strengthened him so much that he was able to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. Elijah found his way up the mountain and spent the night in a cave.

Elijah positioned himself alone in a dark place. To him it was a safe place, hidden from his enemy. It was here God found him and where a powerful wind, a violent earthquake, and a blazing fire preceded the "gentle whisper," (a still small voice) of the Lord asking, "What are you doing here?" How about God's answer after hearing Elijah's reasons for running for his life? He said, "Go back the way you came..." The Lord gave him direction to go back to continue his work as a prophet. Jezabel never killed Elijah, in 2 Kings 2 we find that he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elijah ran because he was afraid of being killed. He ran because he felt alone. Fear paralyzes you. Loneliness isolates you and keeps you from engaging in the assignments God has for you. Fear and isolation try to cut off your roots of faith and trust in Christ. God's "gentle whisper" redirected Elijah back from where he came. Sometimes the only way through a difficult time is by simply GOING THROUGH! Elijah had to face his fears and come out of isolation to get through this difficult time even if it meant putting his life on the line.

God will make sense of your senseless world when you remain firm in your faith in Christ and stay "rooted and built up in Him." The original Greek word for "rooted" in Colosians 2:7 is rhizoo. It means to render firm, to fix, establish, to cause a person or a thing to be thoroughly grounded.

Are you going through a difficult time in life and find yourself in a place where you don't want to be? No matter how afraid or alone you feel, stay rooted and built up in Him. Find safety, security, protection and peace in your situation by running to God not away from Him. Allow God's "gentle whisper" to strengthen and lead you as you simply GO THROUGH this time.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Making Sense Of My Senseless World

2009-09-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

Colossians 2:8

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

Ever go through a time in your life where nothing seems to make sense? You even begin to doubt your way or the path you have chosen for your life. What is right and what is wrong? Who is right and who is wrong? There are too many voices in the world telling you which way to go.

The question: So, how do you make it through a time of doubt, indecision, or confusion?

The answer: Remain firm in your faith in Christ Jesus.

So where do you begin, how do you remain firm in your faith in Christ?

Colossians 2:6 says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him..." If you are going through a time of doubt, indecision, or confusion right now, remind yourself of your salvation. In verse 6, the word receive in Greek is paralambano. It means to join to one's self, not to reject, not to withhold obedience. When you receive Jesus Christ as Lord you are joining yourself to Him to willingly obey His words, His teachings, and His ways.

The second part of Colossians 2:6 says, "continue to live in him." The original Greek word used here for "continue to live in" is peripateo. It means to walk, to make one's way, or progress. In order to make sense of your life right now, don't stop believing! Continue to make your way in Him. In John 14:6a Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life."

Today be reminded that there is no better way to live than to live your life in Christ. He will make sense of your senseless world!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

The Father's Voice

2009-09-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

John 10:27

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

When our eldest daughter was three we took her to a popular fast food restaurant. They had an indoor play area with a large, hard plastic maze made up of multicolored tubes, squares, and rectangles that led to a ginormous slide! She was very glad to be eating out but most of all she could barely contain her excitement as she focused her attention on getting into the play area.

As we sat and ate, I (Louis) noticed her watching the other children playing. She watched them enter and climb through the maze, then eventually shoot out the end of the slide. After she had eaten all she could, we left Mommy and baby sister in the dining area. I led her over to the play area, removed her shoes, and watched her begin her ascent to the top of the multicolored maze. There was no inhibition on her part. She had watched the other children do it and now it was her turn.

As the other children played loudly, her excitement dulled their voices as she led herself quickly to the top of the maze in search of the opening to that incredibly huge slide. All of a sudden, I heard a nervous, anxious cry and recognized a tiny voice say, "I can't do it Daddy!" Fear had seized her little mind and the loud play of the other children stopped her dead in her tracks. She found herself confused in the middle of the multicolored tubes with different openings and did not know which way to go.

My parental instinct kicked in so I rushed to the opening of the maze but just before I was about to enter, I stopped myself and called out to her, "You can do it, just listen to my voice!" She cried out again, "I can't do it Daddy!" So I called out louder, "You can do it, just listen to my voice!" I really wanted to rush to the top to rescue my little girl from her fear but as I stood back I could see her tiny shadow through the tubes and knew she was O.K.

I moved to the end of the slide and calmly yelled out directions to her, "Do you see the yellow tube in front of you?" At age three she had already mastered her primary colors so I knew she could follow my directions. I heard her tiny little voice echo through the end of the slide, "Yes." I said, "You need to go through that one." Again, I heard her nervously respond, "The yellow one?" I responded very calmly and spoke into the end of the slide, "Yes, the yellow one." She replied, "O.K." I responded, "Daddy is at the end of the green slide, just follow my voice, I will tell you which way to go." Her assurance in my voice calmed her enough so she could take her first step. I slowly prompted her to move through the maze by saying, "Now go through the blue tube...now the red tube...now do you see the green tube?" She replied excitingly, "I see it Daddy, I see it!" I responded, "That's the slide. Can you hear me?" She replied, "I can hear you Daddy!" I responded, "Now sit down and slide. I'm waiting for you at the end." I could hear heavy, dull clunking on the plastic tubes as she positioned herself to slide down. I heard her say one last time, "I'm coming Daddy!" I stood back and saw her shoot out of the bottom of that long green tube and right into my arms. She was no longer crying but smiling and saying, "I did it Daddy, I did it! I listened to your voice!" I hugged her as tight as I could and cried right in the middle of that play area. At that moment, I realized that I was not only teaching my daughter how to overcome her fears but God was teaching me how to listen to His voice to overcome my fears.

When we feel lost, confused, and do not know which direction to go, He will lead us if we listen to His voice and follow His direction.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

"Be Thankful...He Satisfies"

2009-09-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Psalm 107:8-9

⁸ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, ⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Not too long ago our youngest daughter made a request when we walked through a store, "Will you buy this for me?" At this time, we don't remember what "this" was. The thing we remember is as soon as we told her "No, not right now," she immediately asked, "Can I call grandma?" We said, "Why?" She said, "Because she will buy it for me." This was not something Daddy & Mommy saw as an immediate "need" and were not in a position financially to provide for this "want." She knew that there was a way to get what she wanted, "Grandma! She will buy me what I want." We let her call Grandma to make her request known. We don't remember if she got what she asked for, Grandma is on the same page we are on and will ask if it is O.K. to buy what is being requested.

The above scripture reminded us to always be thankful for God's unfailing love, all the great things He has done for us, and the provision He has made not only for our needs but also for what we want.

Today, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

The Lord Will Provide

2009-09-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

Genesis 22:14

"So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide. And it is said to this day, On the mount of the Lord it will be provided."

Over the past eighteen months life has been one crazy financial roller coaster. We had some unexpected events come up which caused us to REALLY put our faith and trust in the Lord: 1) An investment opportunity in a townhome that tanked when the bottom fell out of the housing market; 2) An unexpected trip to the ER, an outpatient procedure, and doctor follow up appointments totaling more than what we expected to pay after insurance paid their part. Our monthly expenses more than doubled! We had to constantly cast down thoughts of, "But where is the money going to come from?"....."How will we pay all of these bills?"

Through this whole trial the Lord showed us that He really is Jehovah-Jireh. Some Bible translations translate this name of God as "The Lord hath seen," "The Lord sees," or "The Lord will provide." The Lord truly saw our situation and provided for us the entire time. We did not miss any payments on the unexpected bills we accrued and all of our regular bills were paid on time!

Learning to "hold on" was very difficult seeing the circumstances around us, however, as we kept our eyes on the Lord He saw our dedication, determination, and hard work. Most of all He saw our faith and trust in Him! Even though the numbers on paper caused fear, desperation, and hopelessness to enter our minds the Lord gave us an assurance that everything was going to be OK.

As of yesterday the townhome we have been trying to sell finally closed! It SOLD! We are ecstatic! We are still working on paying off two medical bills that are dwindling every month. THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!

What do you do when you are faced with an impossible situation?

Who or what do you put your hope and trust in?

We can remember the words Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 17:20 "You don't have enough faith.....if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed........Nothing would be impossible." By trusting, believing, and having "enough faith" we know that He can take care of what we can't!

Have a great day! God bless you!

Louis & Elisa Quintana

You Can Do It!

2009-09-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

^{1 Chronicles 28:9-10}^9-10 "And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good. Look sharp now! God has chosen you to build his holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it!"

We like the way The Message version of the Bible translates the last part of this passage. Got us thinking about how overwhelming taking on a new responsibility could feel or how a task sometimes seems too great to accomplish. Like King David did for his son Solomon in laying out a plan for the construction of the Temple, your Heavenly Father has designed a plan for you to succeed. When you discover His plan, you'll learn that all things begin and end in Him! In Revelation 1:8 God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

If all things begin and end in Him, then seek Him, find Him, get to know Him "well," and live life with a pure heart and motive. No matter how great the responsibility you have or how great a task you have been given, God has designed a plan for you to succeed. Look sharp now! Do what He has called you to do. Be brave, determined! And do it! You can do it!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

"Call To Me And I Will Answer You..."

2009-09-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Psalm 147:5

"Great is our Lord and of great power; His understanding is inexhaustible and boundless."

Ever try to figure something out but can't? Our minds, our thinking, and our understanding have human limitations. There are still diseases that medicine has not yet been able to find a cure for. There are still social issues that seem impossible to resolve. The list goes on and on.

As we read this scripture today, we thought "what if God shared His inexhaustible and boundless understanding with us?" We found our answer in Jeremiah 33:3 that says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand)."

Amazing! God knows everything and He asks us to call to Him so he can give us the hidden answers to our obvious problems. We serve a great God!

Call to Him. He will give you the answer you are searching for today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Attitude Affects Your Outcome

2009-09-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

This week's scripture passage (Matthew 15:21-28) has encouraged us to fight for the change we need or want. Remember these words as you finish out your week: DESIRE, SACRIFICE, and PERSISTENCE. We think they can all be summed up in one word: ATTITUDE.

Why attitude? Your attitude affects your desired outcome. Think about it this way, the attitude of successful people, champion athletes, or faithful believers consists of desire, sacrifice, and persistence. It seems to be a common thread among them.

What does your attitude have to say about your life's situation? When others get around you, how do you leave them feeling? Encouraged, edified, strengthened, full of faith?

Remember, ATTITUDE affects your outcome.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Desire Is The Fuel That Moves You

2009-09-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 15:21-28, the DESIRE the Canaanite mother had to see her daughter delivered from demon possession was so great she pursued Jesus no matter what the cost.

The Oxford American Dictionary defines desire as "a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen." World class athletes, successful business people, and movers and shakers in the kingdom of God are filled with DESIRE. No matter what the cost, desire drives them to take action.

The Canaanite mother had a great desire for change. Her desire preceded deliverance. Do you desire something to change in your life? How great is your desire? If there is something you really want but don't take action to acquire it, it will never be acquired. Desire is the fuel that moves you. You need it to take action to get what you want!

How great is your desire for change today?

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Sacrifice - Stop Dreaming & Start Doing!

2009-09-09T10:17:00.001-07:00

Another word comes to mind as we re-read yesterday's scripture passage (Matthew 15:21-28), SACRIFICE. The Canaanite woman took a bold step in crying out to Jesus. Risking her reputation, she did what ever it took to get the results she wanted. "Do what ever it takes!" That's a common statement you might hear from a successful person who is a leader in his or her industry, profession, or ministry. Sacrifice doesn't come at the end of your journey when you receive the prize or fulfill a dream. Sacrifice happens along the way and helps get you to where you want to be.

We recently asked ourselves, "Are we making the necessary sacrifices to get to where we want to be in life?" If not, then "Are we willing to do whatever it takes to get us there?" These are tough questions to ask because the answers we hear are not what we really want to hear! It's the everyday sacrifices we make through the mundane routine of life that will help us change and eventually achieve the results we are hoping or dreaming for. If you are dreaming of a better future but are not willing to make the sacrifices you need to make right now, then keep dreaming. If you are willing to make the small daily sacrifices to have a brighter future, then stop dreaming and start making the necessary sacrifices to get you to a place where you can live your dreams!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Persistence Always Wins

2009-09-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Matthew 15:21-28

²¹Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²²A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." ²³Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." ²⁴He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." ²⁵The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. ²⁶He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." ²⁷"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." ²⁸Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Wow! This Canaanite woman was persistent! Her race, gender, social class, cultural restrictions, or being pushed away did not keep her from pressing Jesus for a miracle. Her hour of need was so great, she was willing to do whatever it took to get the results she wanted.

In spite of the obstacles you are faced with, never give up! Even when it looks like all the odds are against you, somewhere deep within your heart lies the ability to gather the strength to overcome.

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get the results you want? Is your need great today? Be persistent in your pursuit of what you need or want today by crying out to Jesus.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Certainty, Do You Have It?

2009-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 4:15

"Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."

Certainty, do you have it? You probably do, however, what are you certain about? The Oxford American Dictionary defines it as a firm conviction that something is the case; the content of believing something is reliably true; beyond the possibility of doubt. You can be certain of something that is absolutely true or something that is absolutely false.

We need to be certain about the things that are absolutely true! Allow your life to express certainty in the truth of Christ today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Success Through Failure

2009-09-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

2 Corinthians 3:18

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Anyone remember a basketball player by the name of Michael Jordan? If you remember him, you might remember a commercial he made for Gatorade in 1991. Here are the words to the jingle:

"Sometimes I dream, that he is me. You've got to see that's how I dream to be. I dream I move. I dream I groove. Like Mike. If I could Be Like Mike. Again I try. Just need to fly. For just one day if I could be that way. I dream I move. I dream I groove. Like Mike. If I could Be Like Mike."

Here's a link to the commercial, it may bring back some good old '90's memories of you trying some of Jordan's moves:

Amazing how we view "the successful." We wish we could achieve their same success. How did they get to the top? Here's a quote from Michael Jordan that may give you a better understanding of how he achieved his success:

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed."

You only fail when you no longer try. Never, ever, ever... QUIT! Daily you are being transformed into the likeness Christ.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Everything Will Work Out

2009-09-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Romans 5:6

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (NLT)

Do you sometimes feel utterly helpless and at the mercy of your circumstances? We want to encourage you today not to worry! Christ comes at just the right time to rescue you. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Everything will work out!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

What Is True?

2009-08-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

John 14:6

⁶Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We recently read a small book by Andy Stanley titled, "How Good Is Good Enough?" A short paragraph from chapter ten titled "A question of fairness" really caught our attention so we thought we would share it with you today:

"For most people, choosing a religion is like choosing a flavor of ice cream - we pick what we like, what we are comfortable with, what suits our taste. That's understandable, but it's not very smart. The issue is not What do I like? or How was I raised? or What makes me comfortable? The issue is What is true?" (p. 78).

May your quest for truth be found in the grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness of Jesus today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

The Victory Is Yours Declares The Lord!

2009-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 17:45-47

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." ⁴⁸ As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. ⁴⁹ Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

We absolutely love reading this story and David's encounter with Goliath. Goliath had provoked Israel long enough and David was ready to end his taunting. David's tenacious attitude and faith did not come from a prideful heart. God had delivered him from the attacks of the lion and the bear while he tended his father's sheep in the desert. David did not take confidence in himself and in his natural gift to shoot a sling. He took confidence "in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel," the deliverer of His people.

Israel's trained elite soldiers cowarded in the sight of the Philistine giant. David, the anointed shepherd boy, RAN toward Goliath, engaged in battle, and killed him!

Sometimes in life we fight from a defensive position. It's time to start fighting and praying from an offensive position. Offense moves forward. Defense moves backward. Be on the offensive side of the battle today. "The victory is yours declares the Lord!"

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Your Reward Will Be Great!

2009-08-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Revelation 22:12-13

¹²"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

I (Louis) remember the day I graduated from college. It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. The emotions ran high as I stood on the infield of the college football stadium. I had always wanted to play football on that field but life led me down a different path. Feeling like I had just scored a touchdown in one of the biggest games ever, I stood on the stadium infield, lifted up my arms and shouted, "Yessssss! I did it!" At that moment I knew no one could take that feeling away from me. It was exhilarating! All of the hard work paid off. I realized that I was being rewarded not only for the completion of my college courses but also for all of my hard work I put in since preschool. You gotta' start somewhere!

We'll sum it up with this quote by Napoleon Hill, "Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit." Keep putting forth the effort in your daily grind. Your reward will be great!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

"Lord, Save Me!"

2009-08-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Matthew 14:28-29

²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” ²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” ³² When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Ever take on a task that was risky or that required a lot of courage but somehow resulted in disappointment, failure, or defeat? Have you ever felt like you were sinking or going under? How do you get out of this situation?

First, be encouraged that you had the boldness to step out when others were afraid to. Second, refocus on what prompted you to "get out of the boat" and not on opposing factors that may have distracted you from your goals and objectives. Third, call out to your Savior, Jesus Christ! When you call out to Him, He will rescue you every time! Fourth, remember that no matter what seems to be prevailing over you, faith in Christ will give you laser beam focus to overcome and achieve success.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

This Too Shall Pass!

2009-08-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Job 11:16

^"Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:"

Ever get caught up in a frenzy and maybe forget about what matters most? We found this Jewish folktale and thought we would share it with you today:

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it." "If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?" "It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility. Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah. He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile. That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled. To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: gimel, zayin, yud, which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor" -- "This too shall pass." At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust. (This too shall pass. (2009, July 9). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:38, July 9, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=This_too_shall_pass&oldid=301143902)

If you are having a frenzied day, week, or year, focus on the important matters and remember these words, "this too shall pass!"

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Take Courage!

2009-08-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Matthew 14:27

"But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Today is the first day of school for our girls. All last week the anticipation of starting a new school year brought spontaneous outbursts from each of our daughters. Our youngest daughter could not stop saying, "I'm gonna be a kindagawdenah!" Our eldest daughter joined in the outburst by counting down each day shouting out, "five more days... four more days... three more days... two more days... tomorrow is the first day of school!" This morning the excitement was mixed with nervousness as they both had butterflies loosed in their tiny tummies but they took courage and started the first day of a new school year.

It takes great courage to do something for the first time. We all need inspiration in life to do things. Where do you find yours? The story of Esther has inspired us many times. Maybe you can find inspiration from these words found in Esther 4:12-16

¹² When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

These words inspired Esther to take action!

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Be inspired to take on the most difficult challenges that you are faced with. You are not where you are by chance. God has placed you in your position for a greater purpose. You are God's answer to someone else's prayer today!

Have a good day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

It's Right In Front Of You

2009-08-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Luke 15:8-10

⁸"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Yesterday our girls were playing with one of their favorite games and lost one of the game pieces. They searched high and low for the lost game piece but could not find it anywhere. They were so disappointed and sad. How could they play without the lost piece?

As they sat down to play this morning, they really wanted to play with the game. Our eldest daughter asked, "How can we find that piece when it's so small?" Just as she was ending here sentence, our youngest daughter shouted, "We don't have to because it's right here!" It was stuck on the outside of the game box. Not in it, not under it, but right on top of it. The cheers rang out from both of their little mouths. Big sister hugged little sister and picked her up off of her feet. A sad, disappointing morning quickly turned into a joyous celebration. Yes, they started playing with the game right away.

In 2 Kings 5, Elisha heard that Naaman had come to Israel to be healed of leprosy. Elisha sent a messenger to say to Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times and he would be cleansed and his flesh restored. Naaman had put forth great effort to seek out his miracle and even traveled a great distance. Can you imagine along the way what he might have been thinking? This great, valiant warrior was used to the pomp and circumstance. He expected Elisha to perform a great healing service with all the extravagance he was used to. However, Elisha did not even meet him personally. He sent a messenger to meet him. This infuriated Naaman! In Naaman's mind the prophet had given him this menial task that was not worthy for a man of his stature to do. Thank God for Naaman's servants who had enough sense to figure out that Elisha must have possessed great authority and with this simple request a healing would take place. Naaman submitted to Elisha's instructions and a great miracle occurred. Naaman was healed of leprosy! Can you imagine the celebration that ensued? The picture of our little girls comes to mind. A sad, disappointing day quickly turned to a joyous celebration!

Naaman's miracle was put right before him but he almost walked away from it. What you really want and search everywhere for is sometimes found right in front of you. Be careful not to walk away from your miracle.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Faith In Captivity

2009-08-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

In 2 Kings 5, the author mentions a young girl that was taken captive on one of the Aramean's raids on Israel. Naaman, the commander of the army, may have captured her himself or he may have bought her at a later time. Whatever the case may be, she was bought to serve Naaman's wife as a maid.

This young girl, who's name is not even mentioned, would seem to be somewhat an insignificant individual however, she demonstrates her faith in the one true God by stating to Naaman's wife, "I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy" (v. 3). Did you get that? She wished her master could be healed! She did not wish him dead of this progressive skin disease. She had compassion on him and stood up to proclaim her belief in the goodness and greatness of the one true God of Israel! Consider Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, and Joseph who lived in captivity and served in homes and lands of pagan people. They uncompromisingly glorified God with their life and service even though they lived in bondage. The same is true about this little servant girl who was able to stand up with great faith in God and fearlessly speak to her master's wife that her God could heal Naaman.

Where are you standing today? Thinking you are being held captive to the world's system, wishing you were at work in God's kingdom? Stop right there, you are right where you need to be. God has placed you in your position to testify of your faith in the one true God. Take every opportunity, challenge, and any adversity that your job, home environment, or life situation has to offer. You are significant in the eyes of the Lord so stand up and proclaim your faith and have hope in the one true God!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Find Grace In Your Time Of Need

2009-08-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 4:14-16

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

The story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 is rich with life lessons. Yesterday we focused on Gehazi and his covetous heart which clouded his judgement and cursed his future. Every time we read this story we capture different truths that we have not captured before.

In 2 King 5:1 it says, "Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy." Summed up, Naaman seemed to wear this thick coat of invulnerability as he was described as "great," "highly regarded," and "valiant." The Lord had even shown him favor in giving victory in battle to Aram, Israel's enemy. As quickly as the author paints this picture of invulnerability, he quickly uncovers him and describes his vulnerability in one word, LEPROSY! It may have been a mild form of leprosy or contagious skin condition that had not yet isolated him from society but ouch!..."you are a great man, but let me remind you, you have a weakness."

No matter what your weakness is, one thing stands true, we are in need of the one true God that Naaman came to know when he was healed from leprosy. Naaman demonstrated a great desire to rid himself of this skin condition by traveling a great distance no matter what the cost, even risking his life by traveling into enemy territory. He was WILLING to find help and God was WILLING to help. The grace and kindness of God to heal Naaman led him to believe that "there is no God in all the world except in Israel" (v. 15).

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to deal with your weaknesses and vulnerabilities? If you are, there is a great miracle waiting for you that only God can give!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Quadruple Portion Anointing!

2009-08-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Luke 12:15

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

This week we have taken interest in an individual mentioned in the Bible named Gehazi, also written Geychaziy (gay-khah-zee). The last time we recalled hearing a unique name pronounced with a 'zee ending was a couple of years ago on American Idols (A.I.) Season 7. There was a contestant we remember by the name of Chikezie (Chih-KEE-zee). Sound familiar to all you A.I. fans? Even if you are not a fan of A.I., hearing that name leaves you somewhat astonished at the pronunciation.

In 2 Kings 4 & 5 we learn of Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the prophet. Remember, Elisha was Elijah's successor who received a double portion anointing to carry on the Lord's work after Elijah was taken up into heaven. Gehazi's name means "valley of vision" or "valley of a visionary." He was an eager and zealous servant always prepared to serve the prophet Elisha. On one occasion in 2 Kings 4, Elisha even took his practical advice in dealing with the Shunammite woman. Says alot about what Elisha thought of him.

Even though Gehazi started out a ready servant, his story ends quite disappointing when he commits a disgraceful sin. In 2 Kings 5, Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was healed of leprosy. Naaman was so grateful of his healing that he offered Elisha gifts. Elisha refused but Gehazi coveted the gifts of Naaman and "RAN" after him, lied to him, and received some gifts for himself. The Spirit of the Lord revealed his sin to Elisha and Gehazi was cursed with leprosy. The same disease Naaman was healed from!

What a tragedy! The covetousness in Gehazi, a man whose name meant "valley of a visionary," clouded his heart. What could have ended in a life and legacy of blessing, (possibly even a quadruple portion anointing since Elisha as Elijah's servant received a double portion anointing), ended in a legacy of leprosy. A curse that would extend to his descendants "forever."

The coveting of material possessions will only cloud your vision and God's plan for your life. Today start building your legacy on the core values of honesty, integrity, temperance, gratitude, and generosity. They will bring you an anointing that will multiply in the lives of your children and their children's children, and their.....!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Integrity = A Good name

2009-08-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 22:1

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

We have been trying to sell an investment home in the North part of the DFW Metroplex for the past 17 months. That's right! Seventeen long months we have had the home on the market. We knew that all investments or business ventures have an element of risk involved, some more risky than others, but did not anticipate the change in market values at the time we were ready to sell our home. We were part of the unfortunate investors who purchased and attempted to sell during the worst slump in home prices this decade. It was a long wait but we finally secured a deal and hope to close on the home by early next month.

In every business transaction we have made there is one thing we have learned. No matter how low or high the risk involved, the one thing we believe that should not involve risk is integrity. Maintaining your business integrity during one of the worst economic setbacks in the world is more important than tarnishing your name for the rest of your lifetime. No matter how long it takes to make a sale, close a business transaction, or how desperate your financial situation gets, one should never compromise integrity.

Today do not compromise and give in to the nature of the flesh which is lying, cheating, stealing, and dishonest gain! Maintain your position of strength and integrity that is found in the character of Jesus Christ.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Rejoice And Be Glad

2009-08-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Psalm 118:24

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Hey all!

We are having a busy week as we have been away from home officiating a wedding in South Padre Island, TX. We will be getting back on track with our God (got) A Second? posts as soon as possible. Thanks for reading our posts. We have received a lot of positive feedback from our readers regarding this blog.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Faith Is Now!

2009-08-07T11:28:00.001-07:00

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

We have been meditating on this scripture over the past couple of days. We asked the question, "Has God given us a tool or a formula that would help us accelerate time?" We could not conclude from the Word of God or by any scientific means that there is a formula or tool that can do this. However, we did conclude that God has given us Faith.

Faith is NOW! Even though peace, strength, joy, love, forgiveness, patience, financial stability, etc. has not yet materialized, your faith can materialize now! Faith is NOW! Faith does not accelerate time. Faith brings you to a point of accepting where you are right NOW so you can believe for whatever you need tomorrow! Somebody shout Amen!!! God's Word gives birth to faith in your heart. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Faith, in the Word of God, accelerates the process of changing how you think so you can position yourself to receive what you are hoping for tomorrow.

Keep hope alive in your heart and hold out for what you are believing God for! Stay in faith. Faith is NOW!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Time, Time, And More Time!

2009-08-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

^{Genesis 8:22}"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

The Hebrew word for "seedtime" is "zera." It means a "sowing time." As we explored yesterday that farmers are patient people, the above scripture also came to mind today. We thought about the four seasons and summed up all of them with this word, TIME! Time, time, and more time. The cultivating of the farmers field requires TIME, the planting of the seed requires TIME, the growing of the seed requires TIME, the harvesting of the fruit requires TIME! You live in a world that is governed by TIME.

Let's breakdown the scripture this way, "seed, TIME, and harvest." Many of us want the harvest immediately! Wait patiently because you know that TIME will bring your harvest!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Wait Patiently For Your Promise

2009-08-04T08:26:00.001-07:00

Hebrews 6:15

¹⁵And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Our families have lived around agriculture all of their lives. Many of our friends growing up had father's that farmed including my (Elisa) father. One of the things that comes to mind when we think about farmers is the incredible amount of patience these guys have. Think about it, they cultivate the soil, plant a seed, water it, tend to it as it grows, and then months later harvest a crop.

Oxford American Dictionary defines patience as "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay." One of the key characteristics God reveals to us in scripture about Himself is patience. Many of His chosen men and women in scripture had to wait long periods of time until He fulfilled His promise that He made to them.

Why is it that when we have an idea or embark on a new journey in our life/career that we want immediate results?

Today wait patiently for your promise.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

God Is Patient For Your Sake

2009-08-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

2 Peter 3:8-9

⁸ But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. ⁹ The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

We sat at the kitchen table this morning watching and helping our daughters play on one of their favorite websites, Webkinz World. As our youngest daughter played, our eldest daughter encouraged her with these words, "Be patient!" Doesn't sound like a very exciting story but as we heard these words we were typing in the above scripture for today's blog.

God is "being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." As we consider the current spiritual state of our nation, we are thankful this morning for God's patience toward us. We pray that God's mercy and love be extended to each of us at this time.

Please help us pray for our country and all our leaders today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

There Is A Way - God's Way!

2009-07-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 14:12

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

Our eldest daughter introduced us to a website called coolmath.com. Her elementary school uses it to challenge students in their math and thinking skills. It is a fun tool for kids and adults alike! There is a brainteaser game she got our family playing last night called "Bloxorz." Well, the fun continued this morning and we have to say this game is quite addicting! The object of the game is to get a three dimensional, rectangle block to fall into a square hole that is placed somewhere along a square tile puzzle path. Using the arrow keys, you maneuver the block and try to avoid falling off the edges of the tiles. There are secret tiles and symbols placed strategically around the path. Out of 33 levels we are up to level 20. Up for a challenge? Here's the link to the game: http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-bloxorz/index.html. Make sure you read the directions!!! Have fun!

This game brought the above scripture to mind this morning. After reading the scripture, I recalled driving one day on some side streets to get on the freeway to my next destination. Placing an important call to handle some business, I got deeply involved in conversation. I merged onto the freeway and saw a familiar landmark that I was used to seeing but it was on the opposite side of the road. My immediate thoughts were, "Wow... they just built another store on the other side of the freeway." Because of my concentration on the phone discussion, it didn't dawn on me that I was going in the wrong direction. It wasn't until I paid attention to the freeway signs that I realized I was going the wrong way. I lost thirty minutes of my time going the wrong direction! Like in the game "Bloxorz," there is a consequence for going in the wrong direction, you fall off the path and have to start over from the beginning of the puzzle. In my instance it was lost time!

So many times we make life changing decisions and think we are headed in the right direction but all of a sudden we figure out that our decisions have lead us the wrong way. Tip of the day: Pay attention to where you are going! Keep the end in mind, but focus on your steps in getting there. Every step today could affect your desired destination. Look ahead. Choose God's path for your life and not your own. Heed the warning signs of the Holy Spirit and you will end up where you need to be!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Find Rest In Jesus

2009-07-29T09:44:00.001-07:00

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)

"It's Hump Day!" We're sure some of you will hear this expression tossed around today or if not today you have probably heard or said it before. The Urban Dictionary defines "Hump Day" as, "The middle of a work week (Wednesday); used in the context of climbing a proverbial hill to get through a tough week." How busy is your "Hump Day" today? Are you weary? Are you carrying a heavy burden? The words of Jesus say it all, "Come to me." Find rest in Jesus today!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

The Lord Is Your Deliverer

2009-07-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Psalm 18:1-3

¹ I love you, O LORD, my strength. ² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

Sunday evening we gathered around the kitchen windows and peered out into the backyard watching a storm blow through. We watched the wind blow the tree's branches in every direction and blinked with every bright flash of lightning and crash of thunder. As we gazed through the window, we saw a bright lightning bolt streak down from the dark clouds and immediately heard a loud "boom!" We cringed as we saw the flash and loud sound and thought that the lightning bolt must of hit something.

We could hear the thunder still rumbling at a distance but knew the worst of the storm was over. We then sent our daughters upstairs to get ready for bed but noticed they quickly returned running frantically into our bedroom and jumping onto our bed. Once again the storm produced fear in their minds but they knew where to run to find refuge, Daddy and Mommy's room. As I (Louis) walked out of the room and through the house, I found my youngest daughters tiny hand grab a hold of mine and heard these words, "Dad I want to go where you go." I said "Oh really, why?" She said, "Because you're bigger! I want to be with you." She once again found refuge not in our California King size bed but right next to my side!

The storm was much more devastating than we suspected. We got word later Sunday night that a house a couple of miles down the road was struck by lightning and caught fire. We drove by the home yesterday to see that most of the house was destroyed by fire. We thanked God as we heard no one was injured or hurt. Driving away from that home left us with mixed emotions. We had a sinking feeling in the pit of our stomachs and fought back the tears as we empathized with the loss of this family's home. We humbly thanked God for protecting us through yet another storm.

God is your deliverer! Call to the Lord today, take refuge in Him and He will save you from your enemies!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

The Lord Determines Your Steps

2009-07-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 16:9

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."

Yesterday we spent most of the day at the mall trying to escape the hot, humid, Texas weather. Before leaving the mall we had a great idea to stop and get something cold to eat and drink. We had two options, we could drive across the street to a new coffee shop for a cold drink or try a new ice cream place not too far from the mall that makes fresh ice cream daily. Due to the heat outside, ice cream sounded like a better idea.

On our way we noticed there was a storm coming in from the West but thought we had enough time to enjoy some dessert. We arrived at the ice cream place and saw they had a drive thru window as well as a walk up window with outside seating. As we looked over the menu and tried to decide which ice cream we wanted, our youngest daughter had to use their facilities. As we waited for her, we glanced over toward the drive thru and noticed that a white Volkswagen Beetle had stalled. A lady and her son got out and asked a couple of people if they had any jumper cables. We normally carry jumper cables in our other vehicle but just so happened to have our set with us. We offered our assistance and told her we would try to help her before the storm hits. We pushed her car to an open space and gave her a successful jump.

Drenched in sweat, the idea of sitting and eating ice cream outside with the possibilities of it beginning to rain did not seem like a good idea after all. We got back in the car and thanked God we were led there to not have ice cream but to lend a helping hand to someone in need. We decided to drive to an "air conditioned" coffee house near our home. As we drove to the coffee house Elisa asked, "Why did you come this way? I (Louis) explained there was a new coffee house near our home that just so happened to be part of the new chain of coffee houses like the one we contemplated going to near the mall. When we arrived at the coffee house we explored the menu and noticed they offered one of our girls favorite desserts, Gelato (Italian ice cream)! The girls cooled off with some Gelato and we enjoyed some blended espresso drinks. As we sat there relaxing, the words Elisa spoke earlier echoed through my mind, "Why did you come this way?"

Sometimes we go through our day thinking we have it all planned out just right. We go places and we do things all without asking ourselves "why did I come this way?" Wherever you go and whatever you do always keep in mind the Lord will determine your steps.

By the way we got home before the storm. That's another story!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

What An Amazing Promise!

2009-07-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 3:16

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God'sSpirit lives in you?

1 Peter 2:4-5

⁴As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament the Lord dwelled first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple. They were places where His people could come to sacrifice and worship Him. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul writes that we are the Temple of God and that His Spirit dwells in us. In John 14:23 Jesus says, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

Today make the sacrifice to love the Lord and obey His teachings and He will make His home with you. What an amazing promise!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Make Yourself Ready And Be Filled With His Presence

2009-07-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Exodus 40:34-35

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

1 Kings 8:6, 10-11

^{⁶ The priests then brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim...¹⁰ When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. ¹¹ And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.}

When Moses and the Israelites erected the Tabernacle and made it ready for service, "the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle." When Solomon completed the Temple and the priests moved the ark of the covenant into the Most Holy Place, "the glory of the Lord filled His Temple."

Make yourself ready for the Lord's service and allow Him to fill your life with His presence today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

God's Abundant Favor

2009-07-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 7:1-3

¹ After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ² he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent." ³ Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you."

After reading this passage we realized that God never commanded King David to build Him a Temple. In 2 Samuel 7:7 it says, "Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" King David thought it was a good idea for the Lord to have a permanent dwelling place and God allowed this idea to move forward. God really showed David favor as the Prophet Nathan confirmed by saying, "the Lord is with you." Even though God did not permit David to construct the temple himself, He still gave him approval by allowing his son Solomon to carry out the task.

Imagine that you have God's abundant favor in your life today, so much so that even your own ideas gain His approval. Wow!!! Could this be your reality today? If you feel you don't have God's favor in your life, what would you have to do to gain the type of favor King David had?

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Everyone Who Is Willing

2009-07-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Exodus 25:1-2, 8-9

¹ The LORD said to Moses, ² "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give... ⁸ "Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. ⁹ Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

Reading this got us thinking about how God asked everyone who was willing to bring an offering to do so from what they had. They were not asked to give what they did not have! Everyone who was willing gave from their personal belongings, natural resources, gifts, talents, and abilities.

When the Lord is doing something great for Himself, He asks you to get involved. He doesn't "make" you. He asks everyone who is "willing" to involve themselves with His great purpose.

What are you giving today? No, we are not talking specifically about or asking for money here! What is God asking you to participate in for His greater purpose today?

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Succeed With God's Wisdom & Understanding

2009-07-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

1 Chronicles 22:11-13

^"11Now, my son, the Lord be with and prosper you in building the house of the Lord your God, as He has spoken concerning you. ¹²Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding as you are put in charge of Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. ¹³Then you will prosper if you are careful to keep and fulfill the statutes and ordinances with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Dread not and fear not; be not dismayed."

King David spoke the words written in 1 Chronicles 22:12-13 to his young son Solomon. David had shed much blood and was not to build the house of the Lord. Solomon was chosen by God to build the house of the Lord but he was "young and inexperienced" so King David made preparations for it to be built before his death.

When God grants great responsibility, inexperience and limited understanding needs to be guided by God's "wisdom and understanding." He will lead us to experienced men and women of faith to help guide us on our journey in life, however, it is our obedience and submission to the Word of the Lord that guides our success.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Keep Fighting The Good Fight Of Faith

2009-07-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hope you all are having a great Summer. Just wanted to let you all know that our "God (got) A Second?" posts will resume the week of July 20, 2009 not today as we had planned. See you soon!

Food for thought:

1 Timothy 6:12

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

Heard a pastor the other day say something that we have heard many times. He said, "It's not only how you start that makes a difference in the race, it's how you finish the race." Every time we think about this a picture of Rocky Balboa comes to mind after he defeated Apollo Creed in Rocky II. He says, "Yo, Adrian, I did it!"

If you have seen the movie, we're sure your wiping the tears away right now after watching this clip again! "Fight the good fight of faith" and finish your Summer strong!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

God's Word - Alive & Powerful

2009-06-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 4:12

¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Throughout history the Holy Spirit has shared the wisdom of God with mankind through the Word. We believe whole heartedly that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. We believe that if you obey His Word it will penetrate deep within your mind, soul, and spirit to transform you. In Psalm 119, the Psalmist refers to God's Word as able to keep our way pure (v. 9), preserve our life (v. 25), strengthen us (v. 28), make us wiser than our enemies (v. 98), light our path (v. 105). These are just a few examples listed by the Psalmist. If you believe, trust, and obey God, He will truly transform you by His Word today.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Yield Eternal Results

2009-06-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Titus 3:4-7

⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

One of our favorite things to watch on T.V. is someone undergoing an extreme fashion makeover. What a joy to watch these individuals get excited about their new look. Seeing the before and after pictures is sometimes awe inspiring. What an awesome transformation on the outside that takes place. Unfortunately, nothing an individual does on the outside to improve their physical appearance has an eternal effect. Only the awesome spiritual transformation that occurs inside a persons heart and mind when they give their life to Christ yields eternal results.

Yield eternal results by living out Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Changed Into His Glorious Image

2009-06-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Everyone has a story. What's your story? Who are you? Where do you come from? What life events have framed your world? How did you get to where you are today?

Chances are, the condition your life is in now may not have happened overnight. Many of us are on the road we are on due to choices and decisions we have made along life's journey. Some good, some bad but mostly happening over time. Ever have those thoughts within your own mind before and after you do something. You might say, "I'm so glad I made that choice/decision," or "Why did I just do that?" The truth is, even if you have given your life to Christ, you are going to have to make choices and decisions everyday that will lead you to victory or to defeat.

In 2 Corinthians 3:18 it says, "So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." Being "changed into his glorious image" is a process. God can bring instant victory into someone's life if He chooses, however, more times than not, there is no accelerated path to change. The path to change requires hard work through obedience, discipline, dying to self, and a whole lot of faith. When you stay on this path the fruit of a Godly character and a clear conscious is a reward worth living for.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Where Do You Stay?

2009-06-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

John 15:1-4

¹ “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Growing up in California we thought everyone in Texas spoke with that famous Texas drawl we saw depicted in the movies. To our surprise we found that most Texans our age don't have an accent at all. There are definitely different words and expressions used here that we didn't hear growing up. Like the word "fixin" means preparing or getting ready. People say, "We are fixin' to go to the store." The expression "That dog will hunt" means "it's possible" or saying "That dog won't hunt" means "it's impossible." An example of this could be someone saying, "I think the Lakers are going to win the championship." Your response might be "That dog will hunt!" The expression, "Where do you stay?" took us awhile to understand. What people were asking is "Where do you live?"

As we think about how God transforms our lives when we make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the later expression makes a lot of sense. In John 15:5, the greek word for "abide" is the word "meno." It means "to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)." Many of us understand this because we know that "there is no place like home." We "visit" our friends homes but we "stay" in our own home. Home is where you spend quality time with your family. It's a place you cherish and make life long memories with Dad, Mom, brothers and sisters. As we "stay" in Christ we are positioning and connecting ourselves to the source of life. How do we do this? We do it by "staying" in faith, "staying" in His Word, and "staying" in fellowship with other believers. The evidence of "staying" is that your life will begin to bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit evidenced in your life is a testimony of God's awesome transforming power at work today!

So, "Where do YOU stay?"

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Yield To The Holy Spirit

2009-06-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

John 14:16

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,"

Ever find yourself in a situation when you're standing in line at the store, waiting to be seated at a restaurant, or put on hold on the telephone for what seems to be like an eternity? The longer you wait the more you grow impatient. You want service and you want it now! Why is it that we can't wait for some things but then don't mind waiting for others? The truth is, there are some things you can change and there are other things you can't. The good news is that the things you have direct control over and the things that are controlled by others can be influenced by the Holy Spirit. Influence that comes by way of changing you from the inside out or changing your circumstances from the outside in! No matter which way, the Holy Spirit was sent to be your Helper.

What do you need help with today? Yield to the Holy Spirit and He will lead, guide, and direct you on your journey everyday.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Marriage - God's Picture of Love

2009-06-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 5:31-32,

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church (see also Genesis 2:24).

Since we have been married we have had a greater understanding of God's love and covenant with us. Our love has deepened as we view our marriage as a similitude that God has given to show us what our relationship should be like with Him. From Genesis to Revelation marriage was on God's mind!

Allow God to show you His love and teach you how to share it, especially if you are married.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Keep Love In The Center

2009-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails...¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

We have learned a lot about each other over the past twelve years but when we sit and really think about it we have learned more about ourselves. Engaged couples often ask us, "what is marriage like?" Our response: Being married is awesome, wonderful, exciting, and adventurous! However, it is like taking a hand held mirror, holding it in front of your face, and instantly getting an up close view of who you really are.

Early in our marriage there was a tendency to focus on each others weaknesses and inconsistencies rather than focusing on each others strengths. We quickly learned that neither of us needs to say much to point out these things, the longer we're together the more they are exposed. We also learned that the more we focus on them, the more it strains our relationship. We have learned to focus on each others strengths which encourages us to want to change in the areas we know need improving. These changes help bring us into greater unity and harmony and helps to keep love in the center of our relationship. It's a continual learning and growing process.

Today focus on the strengths of your spouse, children, friends, family, co-workers and keep love in the center of your relationships.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Follow The Leading Of The Lord In Confidence

2009-06-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This coming Sunday will mark our twelfth anniversary. We moved to Texas from California just two years after we were married. This probably doesn't seem like a big deal for some of you reading this but as we look back over the past twelve years, most of our married life has been lived in Texas. A big deal for two people raised around close knit families.

As we look back over our past ten years in Texas, we realize that time has passed so quickly. We often think of the time when we drove away from our hometown and headed East. Picture with us two home grown Californians driving through West Texas hauling their most prized possessions in a moving van. What an experience it was! We found out quickly what a West Texas storm was all about. We watched in amazement as we saw right before our eyes a storm rise in the North, sweep Southwest, and then shift East again. We got stuck right in the middle of it. We were slammed by rain, hail, and the wind was blowing so fiercely that the tumble weeds were moving faster than any car on the highway. Fear gripped us as we could see lightning striking the ground less than 100 feet away. We thought, "Should we turn back? God, have you brought us out here to kill us?" No kidding, we had this thought. Anyway, we lived through it and arrived at our destination safely.

Your life journey and pursuit of God may lead you to a different city, state, or country. Even though there may be storms along the way, do not allow them to get you off course. Push forward and do not turn back! Follow the leading of the Lord in confidence and He will "give you hope and a future."

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Love Sacrificially and Give Unselfishly

2009-06-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

This morning Yahoo! Sports posted an article written by AP Sports Writer Tom Withers titled, "Redemption: Bryant leads Lakers to 15th NBA title." Mr. Withers writes of a formerly challenged relationship between Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson and noticed that "Following the game, the pair shared a long embrace. Jackson, who once called Bryant “a selfish player” now sees the 30-year-old in a far different light. “He’s learned how to become a leader in a way in which people want to follow him,” Jackson said. “That’s really important for him to have learned that because he knew that he had to give to get back in return, and so he’s become a giver rather than just a guy that’s a demanding leader. That’s been great for him and great to watch."

This article reminded us of our relationship with each other and how in marriage we have to learn how to become unselfish givers rather than selfish demanders. How many times have we found our relationship strained by selfishness and the demands of our self seeking agenda? After almost twelve years of marriage we have lost count! When we live unselfishly and love sacrificially we have noticed that our relationship grows to new depths. It allows us to be better leaders of our family and to follow God's plan for our lives.

God demonstrated to us how to be givers in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." God gave because He loved. He loved sacrificially and gave unselfishly by sending His Son for the "redemption" of man.

Today love sacrificially, give unselfishly and see all of your relationships grow to new depths.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

From Prison To The Palace

2009-06-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Genesis 40:14-15

¹⁴ But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. ¹⁵ For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."

Psalm 75:6-7

⁶ No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. ⁷ But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

Ever drive by the county court house where you live? Chances are you will never see people waiting in line wishing the judge would issue them a prison sentence. Who wants to be locked up behind bars? No one! Especially if you're innocent. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife for something he did not do. Imagine the confusion, the emotional pain, fear, anger, hatred, and resentment one can have if put in this situation. Who wouldn't want to be freed?

Even though Joseph was dealt these circumstances the Lord was with him, gave him success, showed him kindness, and granted him favor (Genesis 39:3, 21-23). As a slave, Joseph worked diligently while he was in prison and God's grace sustained him. Even though he wanted to get out so badly, God kept him where he was. When the time was right God released him from prison and placed him in the palace.

Whatever your situation is, God has positioned you at the right place, at the right time, for the right reason. Only He can "exalt a man," grant him His favor, show him His kindness, and make his way successful and prosperous.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Integrity Maintains The Dream

2009-06-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Genesis 39:6b-10

^6b Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ⁷ and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" ⁸ But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. ⁹ No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" ¹⁰ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Joseph's rejection of Potiphar's wife is what we consider one of the most honorable acts ever recorded in the Bible. It is one of the greatest victories by a man of God that demonstrates the potential we all have to maintain our character and our relationship with God. Joseph's fear and reverence of God was evident in his actions not only in public, but more importantly, in private. He thought before he acted. He pondered the relationship and trust he had with Potiphar but considered his relationship with God far more important. Although his integrity cost him his position in Potiphar's house and landed him in prison, it aligned him for God's greater purpose to serve Pharaoh and be "put in charge over the whole land of Egypt" (Genesis 41:41).

We heard of another pastor this week stepping down from his position due to an emotional and physical affair with his personal assistant. This shows us that we are all vulnerable to making unwise decisions and choices. The enemy works diligent at trying to get us to let our guard down.

Today, consider your relationship with God to be far more important than a moment of fleeting self gratification. Keep your way pure, keep up your guard, and make choices today that will bring you another step closer to fulfilling the dream God has placed in your heart.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Be Careful Who You Share Your Dreams With

2009-06-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Genesis 37:4-5

⁴ When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. ⁵ Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

Reading about Joseph's ordeal after sharing his dream with his brothers, got us thinking about how Jesus used wisdom when He told the disciples "not to tell anyone" that He was the Christ (Mark 8:29-30). Why did Jesus say this? Maybe it wasn't time for it to be revealed. Maybe He knew that His disciples would not give an accurate definition of who He was and that their view of "Messiah" was not what Jesus wanted shared with the crowds of people. Maybe He wanted His life to be defined by the Father and not by man. What do you think?

Joseph was hated by his brothers but eagerly shared his dream with them anyway. What can we take away from his example? Be careful who you share your dreams with. Not everyone is going to agree with your dreams and aspirations. There may be people around you that may not share the same excitement about your dreams. They may even be provoked to jealousy or hatred toward you. As you live your life, there are people who are there "with" you but who are not "for" you.

When God gives you a dream use wisdom and yield to the Holy Spirit's warnings on when and who to reveal them to but do not allow fear to seize your heart and keep you from pursuing them.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

May Every Dream You Dare To Dream Come True

2009-06-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Mark 9:23

And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

"May every dream you dare to dream come true." Today is Elisa's birthday. These were the words written on the front of her birthday card that she opened this morning. Our daughters could hardly wait to get out of bed this morning to wish Mommy a "Happy Birthday!" As they arose, Mommy was still out on her morning walk so they prepared her birthday cards and present and waited as patiently as possible. The card they had picked out for her was the "best" card for this special day. In the center of the card was a big paper pop-out birthday cake! They were so excited to see her face when she opened it. Then came Daddy's card for Mommy. Thanks to modern technology, there are some really cool birthday cards that have a line or two from famous songs that play when you open it. The girls knew as soon as Mommy would open the card the song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" sung by Martina McBride would blare out from the center. What a fun sight to see this morning. Receiving birthday cards is fun but watching our daughters reactions is even "funner!"

The card and song brought this question to mind, "What is your dream?" Some people dare to dream dreams that seem impossible to achieve while others try to figure out what their dream is. This is how we define dream: It's that thing inside you that burns with passion, brings joy to your heart, puts a smile on your face, while at the same time brings you to tears!

Some of you are standing in that "somewhere" time in your life where the "skies are blue." You have dared to dream and now it's time to start living your dream. Take that first step toward living your dream. That "somewhere" is now! Even though it's scary, challenging, and may require lots of sacrifice, "build it anyway... dream it anyway... believe it anyway... love 'em anyway... do it anyway" (Lyrics from Martina McBride's song, "Do It Anyway"). Remember, "All things are possible to him who believes."

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

A Longing Fulfilled Is A Tree Of Life

2009-06-04T19:46:00.001-07:00

Today was supposed to be a fun day as our oldest daughter was scheduled to celebrate her last day of school at an end of year class party. Our plan was to attend the party with her but instead she had to make a visit to the doctor's office due to an unexpected illness. She was able to return to school for the last 30 minutes of class, but she had to keep her distance from the other students to keep from spreading the illness.

She sat and watched her classmates participate in all the fun and games and told us she wished she could play. Instead, she sat patiently and watched and was consoled by some yummy snacks. As parents we search for things to say to encourage our children when they are down or not feeling well. We tried encouraging her by telling her this was the first day of summer vacation. It only helped a little bit until we reminded her of our up coming vacation to California! She loves going to California. It didn't take long before we saw a small smile appear from the corner of her mouth.

We thought about the scripture in Proverbs 13:12 that says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Remember the longings the Lord has fulfilled for you in the past and have hope that he will do it again for you now and in the future.

Hope you had a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Have Faith, Trust, & Obey God's Word

2009-06-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Genesis 6:11-14

^"11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. ¹² God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. ¹³ So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. ¹⁴ So make yourself an ark of cypress wood" (NIV).

Noah had never seen it flood or rain. He had never seen any constructed vessel like the one God told him to build, yet when Noah heard God speak he trusted His word and followed His instructions (Genesis 6:22, 7:5). Everyone during this time in history lived immoral lifestyles but Noah feared God and lived a righteous life. Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."

Live a righteous, blameless life today. Have faith, trust, and obey God's word and He will deliver you from destruction!

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Tell God What You Need...Thank Him For All He Has Done.

2009-06-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

Phillipians 4:19

^"9And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (AMP)

We are living in difficult times with the current global economic downturn. Many companies have downsized while others are seeking bankruptcy protection so they can reorganize to stay open. Even though times may be tough for families across the globe, we can rest assured in God's word that tells us that He will "liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

We are reminded of God's promise to Noah after God had destroyed the earth with a flood. The waters receded, the ark came to rest on dry ground and Noah offered a sacrifice to the Lord. God said in Genesis 8:22, ²² As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night” (NLT).

Trust in God's word that says in Phillipians 4:6-7, "⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT).

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana