The beginning of a New Year is a natural time in the calendar for setting up new rhythms and routines. It's a time when we dream again and look toward the future. For some it's exhilarating, for others intimidating and we can give up on ourselves quicker than we should. Our ministry friend, Angelique Burgos, shares with us her journey of tackling big dreams and accomplishing them. May her story be an encouragement for your own story. If I were to encapsulate my life story in a few words, it would be this quote: Even in a bad situation there's always a positive side even if you can't see it yet. (Susane Colasanti) My life has been a story of many bad situations and bad choices. During those times it was difficult to see any good coming out of it. Fourteen years ago, I encountered a lot of bullying, and I dropped out of high school. I was in a toxic relationship that severely traumatized me, and I did not know how I was going to move forward in life. As my life spiraled, I met the Lord. At a Friday night service, I gave my life to Jesus. The feeling of love I felt from the Lord was so real and pure I couldn’t contain my emotions. It was a day I will never forget. And I also knew I had a long and painful road ahead of me. I wish I could say my life got easier but unfortunately it did not. There were many ups and downs. A few years passed and I still didn’t have the confidence to achieve some important life goals. At age 19 I met the man I would later marry. I shared with him my goal of getting my GED (General Equivalency Degree). He encouraged me so much. I knew I needed to get out of the funk I was in. I began attending a night school that offered classes to get my GED. Sadly, that didn’t t last long. The school was in a bad area of town and there were acts of violence. For student safety, the school shut down. A few months later I tried another school, but I was intimated by the workload and with all the anxiety and mental pressure, I quit. It seemed like failure was following me everywhere I went. The failures were clawing away at my confidence, and I began to believe the lie that I would never get my GED. In the years that followed, I hit the lowest part of my life.
Fast-forward to 2017, I began the journey toward healing and gave my heart fully to the Lord. He brought my boyfriend and I back together and we were married. At this point in my life, I felt more confidence than ever. I began my GED journey online. As I focused my mind and began my classes, I found out I was pregnant with our first child. I was so nervous. My mind became focused on my pregnancy. It was not an easy pregnancy. I put my personal goals to the side and focused on this new dynamic of bringing our baby into the world. I gave birth and within a few months I was pregnant again. I couldn’t believe it. I was still recovering from the first pregnancy. Now, more than ever my personal goals were not on my priority list. I gave birth to my second child and thought, “That is it for me.” Boy, was I wrong! A few months later, I was pregnant with my youngest. Yes, you read correctly -- 3 babies in 3 years! At that point I told myself, “I can’t do this anymore. I’m just gonna let these goals go.” I began struggling with thoughts of, “My only worth is in being a mom.” Being a stay-at-home mom became my identity. I began shutting off the other layers of who I am as a person. I began making excuses as to why I couldn’t achieve my goals and dreams. The scariest part was I was okay with settling for less. I want to encourage women who feel stuck and limited by their season that you are not bound by your situation. Don’t settle for less. Don’t identify yourself as one layer only. One thing I have learned in this journey is that God will always find a way to encourage and remind you of your purpose!
We created individual dream boards as reminders and encouragement to ourselves for achieving our goals and fulfilling our dreams. I brought my board home and hung it in my room. Later, as I was reflecting on my dream board, God reminded me I hadn’t included “passing my GED” as one of my goals. I tried reasoning with God, “If you can help me accomplish a good portion of these goals, then I may have the confidence to attempt getting my GED again.” As you can tell I was a half-glass-empty thinker at that time. And friends, I’m here to tell you God did give me the wisdom and confidence to fulfill a good portion of those goals on that board.
While fighting through these thoughts, I shared with my pastors, Tom & Cathleen Zahradnik, my desire to finish my GED. I owed past school dues to the online school that needed paid to complete my classes. The Lord put it in my pastors’ hearts to pay it in full! (Isn’t God good?) My pastors challenged me to complete my GED before the summer of 2023. I was in shock and afraid. My mom responsibilities of...
I walked by faith. And within five months of hard work and sacrifice I completed my GED! I am now a high school graduate! Not only did I complete my GED, but I was able to walk down the aisle with cap and gown — a dream I didn’t see happening!!! It wasn’t just the completion of a rough chapter in my life but a beginning of something new. My next goal is broadcasting a podcast. I want to encourage individuals to take life one day at a time and trust HIM in their everyday lives. Another dream of mine is writing a book about inner healing. I want to share my story and encourage others. Friends, I encourage you to trust in the Lord. Those dreams, goals, and visions you may have placed on the shelf, I challenge you to bring them out again.
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Physical vibrancy is not about how we look but how we live. It is taking physical responsibility, managing energy levels, and making healthy choices so we can thrive. Our friend and fellow minister, Cathleen Zahradnik, is sharing her journey to health and how God led her to make healthy choices in her life. Thank you, Cathleen, for sharing with us. A few years ago, I would have laughed at the idea of me writing an article about living physically healthy. I'm the last person I would've expected to share about physical health, yet here I am. How did this happen? God made a change in my life. He helped me become healthy in a way I never expected. At age 15, I began thinking about losing weight. I read articles and learned about healthy eating. I was careful about making healthy choices, yet the weight never really came off. When it comes to physical activity, I’ve always loved walking and would walk occasionally, but never as a regular practice. My husband, Tom, and I even went through a season of waking early and going to the gym. I enjoyed walking on the treadmill and was building up to running, yet that faded as well. Physical vibrancy had just not been a part of my experience…until 2020. Many people experienced pandemic poundage. Lockdowns turned many people toward their larders for comfort and entertainment which resulted in weight gain. Leggings and slippers dominated daily wardrobes and outside adventures waned. My experience turned out differently. Heading into the new year of 2020, I followed my normal routine of reviewing my yearly journal and prayerfully choosing a word for the year. My word for 2020 was FURTHER. I knew God wanted me to move further in different areas of my life. And because 2020 was beginning a new decade, many social media sites were offering a decade review. Well, that brought up a whole host of memories. As I reflected, I realized I had wanted to lose weight for more than 40 years! I knew in my spirit, it was time. I also knew I wouldn’t be able to do this without God. I needed His guidance to be successful. I prayed, and honestly, for the first time in 40 years, I got serious about it.
This was the journey God had for me --- to know and experience Him through caring for my body. In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul admonishes us: Do you not know your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV) In looking at new ideas, meditating on this scripture, and knowing God wanted to move me further into the things He had planned for me. I knew I needed to move in a healthy direction but wasn’t quite sure how to do that? Here are a few ideas and principles that worked for me and maybe they can help guide you toward obtaining physical vibrancy. Physical vibrancy wasn’t going to happen on its own. Just like so many other things in life, I needed to take personal responsibility for the way I managed my input and output of time management, food intake, exercise routine, and sleep schedule. I downloaded an app to help me keep track of the food I was eating. This app helped me be mindful of what I was eating. Even though I had been making relatively healthy food choices, tracking quantity and quality revealed that I had been eating more than my body needed. Through these changes, I began experiencing some success! With Tom using the app as well, we were making better choices together. In addition to walking, I searched for other ways to move. Pilates is a form of dance and exercise. A YouTube Pilates teacher named Rachel led me through Pilates classes when I couldn’t get out and walk. I learned a basic, ten-minute, no-equipment-needed, a full-body routine. I could fit this in regularly and at times, still do. I experienced God as I worked through the exercises. The stretching and effort began feeling like worship. It's hard to explain but there He was on my Pilates mat with me. There are many options out there for physical activity and many different levels. The key is sticking to it, having accountability and a way to measure your movements and results so you can see your progress. Different apps and tracking systems can help measure movement (steps taken in a day), water intake, and sleep/rest routines. Having this type of analysis can help evaluate physical health. A simple pedometer can track your steps taken in a day. Other apps and devices like FitBit, AppleWatch, Kore 2.0, Garmin and others can help track water/food consumption, sleep cycles and other helpful health monitoring. Another important option is inviting an accountability partner to travel this health journey with you. Not only can you encourage and support each other but also celebrate your wins together. When everything shut down in March of 2020, we were all searching for balance. Tom and I settled on keeping our regular schedule. We maintained our Friday sabbath along with regular workdays. We went to bed, got up, and got ready for work the same as always. Yet one of the hardest aspects of working from home was knowing when to stop. To set that rhythm from work to rest, I developed a system. While working, I wore sneakers. Wearing sneakers reminded me to get up and move periodically. I set a rough end-of-work time and once I was done working, I went for a walk in the neighborhood. (Remember how good it felt to have a reason to leave the house during lockdown?!) When I returned home, off came the sneakers and on went the slippers. The workday was DONE! I found this to be one of the healthiest practices I developed during 2020. It helped me balance work and rest when the lines were blurred. Now that schedules and routines are filling up, we might be finding our schedules overflowing. Some people experienced a more relaxed schedule during the last two years and are now reevaluating activities and how to spend their days. Prioritizing and planning rhythms of work and rest are important items to manage for continued physical vibrancy.
When I concluded 2020 twenty-three pounds lighter, I knew I had experienced a miracle, a divine intervention that enabled me to do something I was unable to do on my own. God had helped me, not only in losing weight, but knowing Him better. Sure, I used tools like an app, Fitbit, sneakers, and Pilates mat. But it was His Spirit walking with me through it all that made the difference. Dear Sister, wherever you are on your own health journey, I know God wants to meet you.
In a time of instant messaging, Instagram, and instant food from our microwaves we can begin to lose hope when prayers aren’t answered instantly. Our friend and missionary colleague, Crystal Lodica, shares with us her story of holding onto the hope of God’s timing and faithfulness even when prayers and answers seem faraway. Thank you, Crystal, for sharing with us. When I was 8 years old my mother and father were given two options to save my life. They had to decide quickly. I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. This is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones. These hormones are vital for overall health and body function but if these hormones are overproduced and left untreated, it can lead to death. With this diagnosis, my parents were faced with two options. Option 1- Risky invasive surgery that could leave me unable to speak again. Option 2- Radioactive iodine treatment that would destroy the thyroid, leaving me on hormone replacement therapy for the rest of my life. After a brief 24-hours of pondering the right move, they decided the radioactive treatment was the best option. Knowing I loved to sing and being a talkative kid with a lot to say; they couldn't risk the chance of losing my voice forever. As a young child, I didn't understand the long-term effects of undergoing radioactive treatment. Fast forward to present-day, I am a 33-year-old woman who has recently received the news that my body has already gone through the stages of menopause, and I have Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). To my surprise, a decision saving my life 25-years ago now impacts me today. No one warned my parents that the radioactive treatment saving my life would cause reproduction damage and leave me with the inability to have biological children. I was devasted. I felt my worth as a woman was gone. My dreams of becoming a mother and carrying my own children were gone. I knew God had a plan --- He always does. In the moment we may not see it, yet we must continue to believe in faith. I knew I had to surrender and release my life into His hands, He had bigger plans for my life. It all started to make sense when He called me to be His servant and missionary. He called and I answered. I left my corporate job in Manhattan, moved out of my cozy Brooklyn apartment, broke off my 5-year relationship and started on a new journey. This new journey wasn’t easy, I found myself living at home again with my parents, in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. I knew I was there for a reason and had to make the best of it. I also knew I needed a way to make money and support myself. The Lord prompted me to create a profile on a popular nannying site. The flexibility of a being nanny while raising funds for missions was the right balance. That simple act of obedience led me to work with a family for three years. In the summer of 2018, the family welcomed a new fiery red haired baby girl into the world. Little did I know God was going to work through this little one to touch my life. As I started caring for this young one, my health issues took a turn for the worse. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong hormonally, and my hypothyroid symptoms became unbearable. It became difficult to do daily activities such as getting out of bed and everyday living. Though I was weak, and my body was working against me, God was still working. How amazing is our God? Amid our suffering, He is our living Hope. The baby I was caring for needed a medical procedure. This required a lot of monitoring during recovery to protect her from infection. She laid on my chest for hours. I listened to her heartbeat while she slept. I prayed and held her as if she were my own. Over time I watched this once fragile child quickly become this fearless little human. Her strength was restored, and the light inside her turned on. As I prayed and watched her get better, God was also healing me and showing me how hope exists even in tough situations and how to trust in Him. Through my time with this precious child and my journey to the mission field I’ve learned to trust God. I’ve been to many countries sharing the word of God. It hasn’t been an easy journey but He has been faithful. For the last 8 months, I have been in Costa Rica attending language school. I have been working with doctors to find answers to the decline in my health. Fallen hair from my head has covered the bathroom floor, autoimmune flareups have pulsed through my body, and my physical strength again has become limited. I went from running seven miles a day to using what little energy I could muster to sit in class. It became a struggle to learn a new language as brain fog weighed down my concentration. Many nights went by as I begged the Lord to reveal an answer. In desperation, I cried out for His healing touch. It was exhausting, and depression slowly took over. The fear of losing mobility and the life I enjoyed became a heavy burden. My hope was slipping away. After my most recent doctor’s consultation and news of being post-menopausal and unable to have children, I needed some hope.
How am I feeling now? Well, I’m both grieving and holding onto hope. God makes room for my human emotion, and I know His goodness goes past it. The Lord has proven before that when He gives a promise, it will come to pass. His promise says my healing is on its way. God has shown his faithfulness repeatedly. I am incredibly grateful for the community the Lord has placed in my life for this season. People who were with me at the hospital, friends who covered me in prayer and offered to help in any way they could. There’s reassurance in knowing I am not alone. Not only does Jesus continue to be my hope while living with an autoimmune disease, He is also the One who has graced me with contentment in the unknown. The future may look completely different than I have imagined, but the testimony coming from these times will be for His glory. The words of our sovereign, faithful Lord never fall void when He gives a promise. As these days pass, Jesus walks with me through grief, and encourages me to hold unto Him. Be encouraged that the enemy will try to steal the vision you once saw for a future, but that doesn't influence what GOD has and is creating for your purpose. Whatever you saw as lost can be replaced by hope. So, hold on to it, sister!
In the midst of our busy lives, we can miss moments of God's goodness in our lives. I can sometimes focus on checking off my task list boxes and forget to reflect on the good God gives in the midst of it all. Besides missing the reflecting piece, we can overcommit. We make commitments to ourselves, others and God yet in our zealousness to commit, we don't quite fulfill those obligations and we find ourselves overwhelmed and maybe a bit troubled. Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:14-15 (NIV) Today, if you feel overwhelmed by obligations and commitments. I encourage you to follow just 3 short steps:
Just stopping for a moment can redirect our thoughts and help us focus on the goodness of God. His goodness is there. We just need to slow ourselves down enough to take notice and give thanks. When we do, it's amazing how God meets us in those moments. It's a simple act. Yet that's often how He works. We overcomplicate, and He simplifies. Today, let's lean into Him, look for gratitude gifts, and move forward in grace. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your steps ~ Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) In our Life-Sharing Moment Rev. Camille Regholec shares with us her story of God's grace and His sweet gift of gravy in her life. Thank you, Camille, for sharing this moment with us. As I watched the ambulance pull away with my husband on board I whispered, "Dear Lord, I know You can take Jerry at any time on any day. But I ask You to let him live. Even just one day would be gravy." That was March of 2011. God gave us eleven years. Jerry was 6’4”, 260 pounds and unable to use his legs. His body was stiff and crippled from severe arthritis. Even though those extra eleven years were spent in a nursing home, Jerry was basically healthy. His medication was potassium and magnesium supplements and half a heart pill. Because of his inability to walk and turn while sitting or lying down, he needed continual care. Each time he became ill, he bounced back. We were thankful to God.
through zoom and phone until Covid restrictions were lifted. After thirteen months, it was wonderful to be together again. Jerry's helplessness in moving on his own brought other health issues. Nothing anyone did could halt the onslaught. From December 2021 until March 2022, Jerry kept returning to the hospital as his health declined. Each stay was longer – the bouncing back was harder to attain. My job required the Covid vaccine and because of the vaccine I was able to visit Jerry daily in the hospital. We thanked God. While at work on March 24, I received the phone call along with the message I hoped never to hear. This time, there was no coming back. "Ma’am, your husband is fading fast. Can you get here?" "It will take me 45 minutes, but I'll be there." I grabbed my bag and ran out the door. "Do you want us to try CPR if he goes?" "YES!" I shouted as I hung up the phone. My coworker gave me a swift hug. I jumped into my car and tore out of the parking lot. As I raced toward the hospital, breaking all speed limits, and passing three police cars, I cried and prayed, "Please God. PLEASE!" Just then a song playing on my car radio broke into my consciousness. A soft, soulful voice sang, “I have to leave now for a little while - but goodbye is not the end." "No! No! Please Lord!” I shouted as I rammed my foot down on the gas pedal. “Please keep Jerry alive until I get there! Let me tell him ‘I love you’ one more time!" I glanced at the clock on the dashboard -- 12:26pm. When I rushed into his room, the doctor and nurse were there. They had performed CPR. The doctor took me aside. “We brought him back, but he probably won’t last long. If Jerry’s heart stops again, would you like us to repeat CPR?” God, in His mercy, had granted my request to keep Jerry alive until I arrived. I knew in my heart Jerry’s battle was ending. With a choked voice, I answered, ‘No… thank you… but no. If God wants him, nothing you or I do will keep my husband here." I went to Jerry’s side, kissed him, and spoke, “I love you." I watched him mouth the words, "I love you, too." As I touched his face and rested my hand on his chest, a tear fell from his eye. I whispered, “You’re alright. God’s got you. And I will be alright cause God's got me, too.” I repeated the words from the song I had just heard on the radio. "Goodbye is not the end. Now go dance with our children.” Then he took his final breath. I watched as the numbers on the monitors dropped until there were none. The nurse offered me a chair and I sat by his bed. Even though he had already left, I was unable to leave him. Another nurse came in, put a stethoscope to Jerry’s chest, "I'm sorry, he is gone." Choked by my tears I whispered, “I know.” She then added these astounding words, “I'm here to tell you we started CPR at 12:26 pm." That was the same moment those words had come across my radio. I knew instantly God had answered my frantic plea. God had giving us 30 years of marriage - the last 11 were pure gravy, --- God's Miraculous Gravy. |