Hi Friends!
Year one Pacifico is coming to a close but instead of writing the closing post I wanted to do something special. When I was 14 I met a friend who changed my life. We were going to the same church and on a superbowl sunday our freshman year of high school I clotheslined her in the backyard during a friendly game of football and then our friendship began. We’ve been best friends ever since and even went to college together. She has become a part of the Lopes fam. She’s prayed with me, believed with me, and we’ve even been roommates. Life has been all the more entertaining because of her but I would’ve never gotten to meet her if her mom didn’t realize her life was worth keeping. I’d like to introduce to you the final writer and post of the year, Zoraiya but best known as Z.
Hey y’all! I first want to get into my testimony! So here it goes. When my mom got pregnant with me, she was young, depressed and thought her life would be over if she had another child. She had to make a big decision whether or not she was going to keep me or abort me. My dad at the time wasn’t much help either and said it was completely up to her and the doctor kept on pushing for my mom to just abort me. It was at that moment, my mom heard a voice, the Voice of God, who said “This is the girl you have always wanted”. At that moment she knew to not abort me and to keep me. Flash forward, I wasn’t raised in church, my parents got a divorce when I was very young, and I felt like I didn’t know what love was. I did things that I’m not proud of, I searched for love in different people and things but could never be satisfied. I was a girl who always had a smile on her face but deep down I was depressed and had suicidal thoughts. I remember there was this one time when I was 14, laying down on my bed and asked God if I had a purpose for my life, because if not I didn’t see a point in me living. A couple months later I watched a video of heaven and hell and for some reason I just knew I was going to hell and I wanted to get my life right with God. I wanted to then go to church and that’s where life began for me, when I accepted Jesus into my heart. A couple months later I went to a youth convention and I encountered the Lord like never before. He spoke to me and said these two words “It’s time”. In that moment I knew it was time to truly surrender my life and live my life for the Lord. 7 years later, still living for the Lord, graduated Bible college, and now working in the ministry fulfilling the call of God on my life, all because my life was worth keeping.
1. The Lord Created You
There are no mistakes with God
I’m here to tell you today that you are not a mistake. People may have said hurtful things to you, making you think that you don’t belong and you’re not worthy, but the very God who created the heavens and the earth, also created YOU! I had the revelation that the devil tried his best to take me out before I was even born, BUT GOD, had a plan and purpose for my life, that he formed me, he created me, and now is using and working through me. Why? Because He makes no mistakes. Psalm 139:13. You have been created in the image of God. I have a friend who crochets a lot of different things like hats, stuffed animals, bags, clothing, etc and I see how long it takes her to do it and how much focus and skill it takes to finish whatever that she makes. Now I know that crocheting and knitting are different but they create the same concept, which led me to think about how the Lord created us. He knitted us together in our mother’s womb. He created us to be fearfully and wonderfully made. He saw us before we were even born and everyday of our lives was recorded in His book! When you go about your day knowing who you are in Christ, you will be able to live a victorious life. You’re the head and never the tail. You are above and never beneath. You are blessed and highly favored. The Lord loves us and that’s why he created us.
2. Jesus Leads to Life
John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” I was lost without Jesus for 15 years of my life. I always had this empty void, like a missing piece to my life. I was broken on the inside and longed for a savior. Thank God Jesus came and made himself real to me. He can make himself real to you too, if you let Him! After accepting Jesus I became whole. The devil thought he had me, when I was almost aborted, the devil thought he had me when I had thoughts of no longer living, but thank God, Jesus came to give me life. John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”. Without Jesus we have nothing. The true meaning to life is having Jesus in our lives. Having Jesus in my life means that I have joy unspeakable, peace that surpasses my understanding, love and compassion towards others. Jesus gave me purpose to live. I don’t know where I would have been without Him. Jesus came to this earth and died for me, and He died for you so that we can live. While we are on this earth we can live an abundant life. And it all starts with making one decision. Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
3. Live out your Purpose
It says in 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. The Lord knows the plans that he has for YOU! It’s like an architect having blueprints and the plans to build a building, but it’s the builders job to actually build it. God is the architect of our lives, yet we are the builders. Our decisions determine our destiny. It all starts with obeying what the Lord has called us to do. Whatever the Lord has called you to do, just do it. When you are in God’s perfect will for your life, you will live a joyful life. There are so many people that are miserable with what they are doing in life, but when you trust in the Lord in all your ways and do what he has called you to do, you will find joy in everything that you’re doing. When you step into your purpose, you will see the blessing of God on your life. You will only move up and never go down. Whatever that the Lord has called us to do should always lead to souls. We are here on this earth to populate heaven and plunder hell. We are here as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. When you live out your purpose you will see that the Lord created you for such a time as this. The world is getting worse by the day but the light in us is getting brighter and brighter. It’s our job to fulfill the purpose and plans that the Lord has for us, so that when we do go to heaven we will hear “Well done thy good and faithful servant, enter now into the joy of the Lord”
Just want to leave you with this… you were created to live and to live for Jesus. You’re not a mistake, and your life is truly worth keeping. Your future is bright, my friend, and you have a purpose that only YOU can fulfill as long as you have Jesus in it. You may be reading this blog and you never gave your life to Jesus. I’m here to tell you that He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. It says in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God so loved you that he sent Jesus to die for you. Why? Because He knew that your life was worth keeping. If you don’t know where you will go if you were to die today, say this prayer with your heart and lips out loud. “Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sins. Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. I believe that you died for me and that you have risen from the dead and that you are coming back again for me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me a passion for the lost, and a hunger for the things of God. I’m saved and I’m on my way to heaven, because I have Jesus in my heart. Amen.”
