About Me

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I've been married to my husband, Michael, for almost 25 years. I'm a mom to a biological son and an adopted son from Colombia, and I'm also a spiritual mom to my adopted son's older brother, who I claim as a son in my heart. I'm bilingual and love to work with and relate to Spanish-speaking children and families. I've been a teacher to students from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures for the last 20+ years. I'm also an author and a certified Biblical counselor. I'm in a new empty nest season in a new location far from where I raised my boys, so I'm definitely in a stage of rediscovering myself, my interests, and my purpose.

Surviving the Valley Series

Surviving the Valley Series
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Sunday, December 31, 2023

My word for 2024--PRESENT

This year's word came to me pretty quickly after I asked God to guide me to it. In fact, I think it's a word He's been hinting at for several months now. 

While studying through a Christmas devotional, last year's word, satisfy, stood out to me in one of the day's readings (as my word of the year often does). It reminded me that true satisfaction can only come in God's presence, when I'm fully present in my time with Him and when I don't take for granted that He's fully present with me. 

Then I read a writing tip from a writing mentor of mind that simply suggested to be fully present in all the holiday gatherings and conversations with people I don't often see. Rather than showing up with my own agenda, my own questions, or my own stories, I can simply listen and be inspired by what they may want to share. I am totally guilty of having selective hearing, thinking about something else while someone is talking to me, or asking a question and then not truly listening for the answer. This year my goal is to just be present in the moment. Present enough to enjoy it, to appreciate it, to feel it, to truly live it. 

I find my brain quite a bit scattered at times. Distracted with things to do. Clinging to or reminiscing a past season that already ended or working hard to connect all the dots to create a future season before its appointed time. And then somehow I missed the present moment, the present circumstance that I'm living, the good works prepared in advance for me to do--right now. The today that I one day prayed about for tomorrow. 

I'm a highly sensitive person, which I'm learning means I take in too much information at a time and have a hard time processing it all. Overstimulating environments are a struggle for me, so I need quiet time and space to process events and sort them out in my mind. Precisely why I blog and journal. It also makes sense why a coffee date with a single friend is such a gift to me or why I have pursued training to be a counselor. But even in those safer, quieter environments, I still need to be reminded to be present

Fully present in the present moment. Not distracted, thinking about the past or the future. But taking in everything I can about the present. In fact, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, the word present is defined as: the period of time that is happening now, not the past or the future.

Present in the presence of my family. My students. My coffee dates with friends. Present in the conversation I'm having with whoever is in front of me rather than thinking about what I'm going to say or what I need to do when we finish talking. Only when I'm fully present can I fully listen and fully learn. 

Most importantly, fully present in the presence of Christ. How many times do I wake up in the morning, open my Bible or journal, and then find myself apologizing to God for my distracted mind? Already thinking about all I need to do that day rather than just soaking up those first few minutes of the day with the One who already knows how my day is going to go. It's usually in those moments where I'm fully present that I seem to find clearer answers to my prayers and clearer guidance in a situation. 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Reflecting over my word for 2023

Last year was my eleventh year to ask God to give me a single word to focus on during the year. I started in 2013, the year I brought home my second son. Here are the words God gave me for that year and then for ten consecutive years after that: 

2013-Trust (While trying to finally complete Juan's adoption successfully.)

2014-Live (Learning to embrace life with a new son)

2015-Give (Wanting to give back or pay it forward for all that had been given to us through Juan's 5 year adoption process)

2016-Joy (Spelled GRATITUDE)

2017-Focus (Pulled back from everything but the essential to give God room to be God)

2018-Cherish (So many precious, priceless memories to hold close to my heart)

2019-Shine (Spending time with Jesus should make his love shine through us)

2020-Release (Let go of expectations and experience God in new ways)

2021-Receive (After releasing my expectations, I was in a better position to receive new blessings)

2022-Peace (Life may get hectic, complicated, and uncomfortable, but Peace is a Person who is always there.)

2023--Satisfy (Click on the link to read last year's post on this word.)

We sang this song in church many times over the last year, and every time it reminded me of the word God gave me for the year. Not only did it remind me that nothing in life can satisfy me except for my relationship with Christ, but it also reminded me to not rush through my time with Him and leave that sacred time and space still unsatisfied. 


This year's word will definitely follow me into the new year, and I hope it always stays on the forefront of my mind. As I went through training in Biblical counseling over the last year, I realized that every sin or struggle with strongholds in life always points back to the heart. When my heart isn't passionately pursuing and loving Jesus, my focus will be on myself, and I will never be satisfied. I'll always come up short, always hungering for more. I'll never have enough, and nothing will fulfill me. I don't want to be that person that's like a jar with holes in it that can never fill up, no matter how much is poured in. 

I'm learning to be content with where I am even though it's not yet where I want to be, but I will continue to seek my satisfaction in Christ's presence, knowing that He will satisfy my heart--not despite my present circumstances but because of whatever present circumstance He has me in. Which leads me to my next word for 2024.....