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But he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s Power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

My nursing career began in the 1970s at a time when we bodily lifted, transferred, and repositioned patients as a one person assist. Fast forward through the decades and Durable Medical Equipment along with the two-person or team assist have been developed as measures to prevent bodily harm to caregivers and patients.

Imagine having the task of bodily lifting an individual and you refuse all assistance because you have assessed the situation incorrectly by telling yourself that you can and will complete the task alone.

When God made the decision to create humans, He did not have the mindset to leave us alone to fend for ourselves. In fact, along with the Trinity–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit–there are legions of Angels who are assigned to keep us safe by watching over us.

Prayer links us to the power that we require to be victorious while facing the storms in life.

Faith compares to a seed planted in the ground. Faith requires the tumultuous storms and traveling the rocky roads paved with trials and tribulations in order for growth to occur. Faith is believing that God possesses the equipment and the team to assist us with every aspect of our lives.

God has never placed us in the position to assess our problems and attempt a solitary “spiritual lift” to resolve them. We are never alone and on our own. All He wants is our complete trust in His power to provide resolutions according to His will.

It is by God’s loving-kindness, grace, and mercy that He extends His power that gives us strength. God is always Faithful! He is waiting for us to ask through prayer for help from His team.

We must dismiss the past behaviors of lifting our problems alone. When we utilize God’s team, we are prevented from harmful decision-making that would bring injury to our lives.

It is a personal choice to invite God into your life. He has a team that is waiting to provide total assistance to always keep you safe. Just redirect your focus from yourself to God; your safety is God’s priority!

Challenge for today: Stop lifting by yourself.

Verse for today: My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. Psalm 121:2

Prayer for today: Dear God, I have been approaching life from the wrong perspective. I have attempted to lift and resolve my problems without you. I ask you to forgive me for the over-confidence that I have in my own abilities. I come to you asking for your Divine Intervention in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

I pursued two degrees on a part-time basis, over a 15 year period, which resulted in owing a massive student loan. The monthly repayment of the two loans exceeded that of an expensive house mortgage. When I heard the expression, “six figures,” it certainly was not my salary that I thought about.

Meeting the qualifications for the discharge of Student loan debt is extremely limited due to the stringent criteria. After all, it is a contractual agreement that the federal monies are to be repaid, and the borrower has a complete understanding and has agreed to begin repayment six months after graduating or terminating status as a full-time student.

In 2015, while on vacation, I experienced an injury to my knee from hyperextension. The inability to bear weight or walk did not match the minor injury that I sustained. I applied icepacks and elevated my leg without relief.

The Emergency Room physician instructed me to see an Orthopedic surgeon immediately upon returning home. As I left the hospital with a knee brace, crutches, and orders to remain non-weight bearing, I reflected on the physician’s emphasis to follow-up immediately with a specialist. I also recalled his vague explanation of the findings of the x-rays.

At my initial appointment with the Orthopedist, he began to interview me for data regarding my medical history. “What do you do for a living?” I responded, “I have been a nurse for 37 years.” “Well your career as a nurse is over, I can schedule you for a knee replacement next week.”

As I viewed the x-rays of both of my knees, I can remember the shock from looking at a “bone on bone” condition. As a nurse, I knew the cushiony cartilage, was missing from both of my knees. My comprehension of the diagnosis–“End Stage Osteoarthritis in Bilateral Knees”, which required surgical intervention left me feeling weak. My mouth felt as if it was full of cotton as I struggled to shake off the lethargy from the bitter diagnosis.

It has been four years since I was told that without the surgical intervention of total knee replacement, I would be wheelchair bound in two years. I currently use knee braces and assistive devices on an as-needed basis. My bathroom includes adaptive medical equipment to ensure safety. Even so, I still have the knees that I was born with and my student loan has been discharged.

Yes, I have a permanent disability that prevented me from fulfilling my promising nursing career. However, I knew that God was fully aware of the circumstances that I would face with my disability. I prayed for guidance and the ability to have complete faith and trust in Him.

God’s promises are based on condition: IF we obey, THEN He will intervene and give us a resolution to all of our problems.

My commitment to God involved adopting a healthy lifestyle, witnessing about the power and love of God to others through my Weblog, and learning financial management strategies to stop the vicious cycle of mismanaging money and the abuse of credit.

I know the distress of having an accumulation of debt that kept me awake and worried day and night.

I just wanted to be FREE!

Free from the devastation of impulsive spending habits.

Free from Debt where you have limited to no cash flow.

In the times of overwhelming circumstances, when our human minds are unable to see any solutions, Satan magnifies our problems to appear as utterly impossible. He wants us to view our situation from making prior mistakes as hopeless.

Just remember, in the Book of Revelation, God also lets us know: “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.” Revelation 1:8 NLT

When we complete the “If you obey,” I can testify that God will provide.

Do not place limitations on God! He consistently fulfills All His promises.

God has given each of us a measure of Faith that we are to develop.

There is a journey for Financial peace: Praying, Believing, Changing our Self-Destructive Behaviors, and Waiting patiently for God’s guidance and Divine Intervention. Be prepared for struggle, but with God all things are possible.

Challenge for today: Take an Online Financial/Debt Management Course.

Verses for today: Revelation 1:8 and Philippians 4:13

Prayer for today: Dear God: I ask you to forgive me for mismanagement of money and credit. You are aware of the predicament that I have caused by sinning against you. I am ready for change. I am ready to rid myself of the excess material things that I have accumulated. I am asking you to have mercy on me and show me how to pay off my debt. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Beautiful!

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28 NIV

As Believers, we strive to enrich our spiritual relationship with God. We share many common goals with the most important goal of desiring Eternal Life. Even so, many hear the Word of God through sermons, and study the scriptures; however, there is a breakdown in the practical application of the Word to our daily lives.

Since retirement, I have had a lot of time on my hands for reflection of my life: successful ventures; failures mainly due to lack of knowledge; accomplishments; storms (trials); disappointments; and deliverance. In addition, to everything that I have personally experienced, my nursing career allowed me to interact with patients/clients at the weakest and most troubled times in their lives. My career afforded me the opportunity to be exposed to the worst of humanity’s struggles.

In 2017, I prayed for God to reveal my purpose in life, and I have been studying, researching, and blogging from the perspective on how we can apply spiritual knowledge to the practical aspect of our daily lives.

A major focus of our times is the self-inflicted and overwhelming stress from the accumulation of Consumer Debt.

According to Fidelity, there are two types of debt based on the form of debt repayment: Installment debt, like a home mortgage, car loan, or a student loan, which you pay back over a set period of time, and Revolving debt, like credit cards, which you potentially can carry for the rest of your life. May 10, 2018

It is the revolving debt, mostly from impulsive expenditures, that is out of control in America. “Revolving debt, the bulk of which is credit card balances, hit $1.027 trillion in March of 2018.” Federal Reserve

I read a blog this morning on Debt Management that was heart-wrenching. All of the recommendations involved using companies that would charge monthly fees for services that appear to get you on the right track for debt relief. However, it was another monthly debt…would it be the straw that broke the camel’s back?

I am sharing my response to the article:

If you never learned financial management skills because they were not incorporated as family values then most likely you have unnecessary debt.

There are credible Online Financial Management courses available for $25. I have nothing against entrepreneurship; however, the point of financial management is to learn from a credible source, not to spend your remaining cash to pay for a course by a popular individual or company.

Tracking all expenses is a priority. It takes the development of achievable goals, planning, interventions, and ongoing evaluation of progress.

1. Always look at your expenses from a yearly perspective. Your daily $5 latte is costing $1825.

2. If you must have a credit card, then Close all of your Credit Cards with the exception of one for emergencies, especially if you do not have a fund set aside for unexpected expenses.

3. Discipline and Self-Control are character traits that can be acquired at any point in life.

You are the key to your financial success or failure.

I am not an expert on financial management. I know the facts by seeking forgiveness—yes, at one point, I wasted resources that were given to me by God. I track every penny that leaves my hands–hasty decisions always lead to regret. I practice temperance-self control by limiting my purchases, and the practiced discipline has trickled down into every aspect of my life.

1. The first step is to pray for guidance and insight on how your funds are being depleted.

2. Phase 1: Declutter your home; how many clothes, shoes, and collections are in bags, or hidden from plain sight?

3. Phase 2: Declutter again…it is only the basics that you need in your life.

4. Divide the excess: Sell cheap (if you must) and donate to local churches or nonprofits.

Are you beginning to ask yourself how decluttering and donating is related to financial management?

The traits of selfishness and greed lead to the tendencies to accumulate and possess above and beyond what we need.

It is a humbling act to take your possessions and to donate to those in need.

I can promise you that personal and spiritual growth will occur; in fact, you will experience a major change in your perspective of life.

Do your part and God will begin to resolve your financial problems. It is us who must see life through spiritual eyes, and that will only occur with a complete transformation.

Challenge for today: Give, and keep giving until you have just enough!

Verse for today: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:24

Prayer for today: Dear God: My life is out of control, especially my desire to spend and waste your resources. I need a complete transformation in order to possess a clean heart and a renewed spirit. I am asking for your strength as I make the most needed change in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Part 2 of this series will publish on 2/18/2019.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34 NLT

We were created with the ability to love, and as Believers, we have the ability to love as Christ loves us.

With God’s love, we are able to pity the weaknesses of others and forgive as we wish to be forgiven.

God’s wonderful gift of love includes the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives love, joy, peace, strength, and comfort.

With the human effort of total surrender and faith, we can receive an effective helper–the Holy Spirit, who leads us to see our own character defects as opposed to seeing the character defects of others.

When we begin to focus on our own shortcomings, we open the door for the Holy Spirit to guide us toward a transformation of our character. It is only then that we possess the ability to obey and understand the commandment of loving each other.

Challenge for today: Pray for transformation.

Verse for today: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Prayer for today: Dear God: Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I need a makeover of my mind and my heart. God, I surrender myself to you and ask you to transform me according to your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Photo: M.V.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NLT

Does your love measure up to the standards in 1 Corinthians 13? I am certain that my understanding of love has never fully equaled agape love. It is also obvious that I have frequently placed boundaries on how far I was willing to extend my love to others. A zero tolerance level has led me down the path of letting go, throwing in the towel, and living by the adage: “Enough is Enough.”

So now that the “Love Chapter” of the Bible has exposed my watered-down version of love, I have to take this opportunity to grow spiritually by striving to attain agape love. I purposely chose the word, attain because of its definition: “to succeed in achieving something that one desires and has worked for.” It will take action on my part to possess agape love: Strong desire, Hard work, and Praying without ceasing!

I am certain that I will have many opportunities to learn agape love. Life has a way of presenting the challenges that are required to prove whether we stand behind our commitments.

I invite you to make the journey along with me for change. We must make a conscious effort and persevere to achieve what we really desire. Consider the pursuit of God’s definition of love an opportunity for spiritual growth; a time for total transformation of your interpretation of love–to the love that God requires.

Remember Agape love causes us to extend ourselves to those who have wronged us without ever reflecting on their wrongdoing!

Challenge for today: Make the commitment to love others by God’s standards.

Verse for today: But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 ESV

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please teach me to see and love others through spiritual eyes. My love does not measure up to what you require. I desire agape love in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always helpful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:6 BSB, verse 7 NLT

1 Corinthians 13 provides us with a complete definition along with the qualities of Unconditional love.

Believer Alert: There are no gray areas…we must raise our standards and love as God requires us to love!

Love produces change: It softens us from the inside out and produces character traits that extend graciousness to others.

Challenge for today: Identify the changes you must make to love others unconditionally.

Prayer for today: Dear God, Please reveal to me the changes I must make to accept and love others. God, I need your help to view life through spiritual eyes and to always focus on extending loving-kindness to others. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the Earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 NLT

What does it mean to you to be created in the image of God?

King David said, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. Psalm 139:14 BSB

In the 1950s a poem was written: “I Am–Somebody” in the 1950s by William Holmes Borders, Sr., who was Senior Pastor at Wheat Street Baptist Church and civil rights activist in Atlanta, Georgia. Although this poem was written in response to overt racism against African-Americans when one reads the poem, the reality is that Pastor Borders addressed injustices against all individuals based on socioeconomic status, regardless of the ethnicity or color of skin.

What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:4 NIV

Again I ask the question: “What does it mean to you to be created in the image of God?”

In my fragile state of being human, I can never possess the Divine love that God has for us; His love never fails, and His love is unconditional.

God’s love is so great, that He not only created us in His image, He gave us the ability to reach our fullest potential in life. If you are unaware of your talents and spiritual gifts or have chosen to do nothing, then you are responsible for making an immediate decision to turn your life around.

I know that we were blessed with a measure of faith, and yes, it is our responsibility to believe and trust in God at all times, in order for our faith to grow.

I know that each of us was blessed with unique creative gifts, and yes, it is our responsibility to identify and develop those gifts from God, so that we may reach our fullest potential.

When I look at the beauty of nature, I am filled with amazement. I am humbled to know that human beings were so important to our Creator that He gave us beauty beyond all we can ever imagine.

And if that is not enough, God took on the never-ending responsibility of caring for us on a daily basis. And, lo, I Am With You Always, even until the end of the world. (last part) Matthew 28:20

I have saved the most phenomenal aspect of God’s love as my last point of reference: The gift of His only Son- Jesus Christ-who willingly gave His life for every one of us. We were not an afterthought; God was fully aware that humans would fail, and the Plan of Redemption was set in place prior to us being created in His image.

I am Somebody! You are Somebody! Always strive to achieve your best in life!

I praise God! I must give my Utmost to the Highest.

Challenge for today: “Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.” Leo Buscaglia

Prayer for today: Dear God, Thank you for your Divine love. I realize that I belong to you, and I will honor you by using my many gifts and talents to glorify your name and to reach my fullest potential. Thank you for always taking care of me, and most of all, thank you for the gift of the life of your Son. I finally realize that because I belong to you that I am Somebody-a Child of the King. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Sonya Johnson Ruiz

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who searched for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-26 NLT

Good Morning!

It is a cold and rainy Sunday, even so, we have been blessed with another day of life.

In 2001, I was searching for a new job and had sent out several resumes. I can recall interviewing for the position as a Home Health Nurse. I excitedly thought about the autonomy of developing my daily schedule, and the freedom of traveling as opposed to working in the confinement of an office setting for 8 hours a day.

While I was waiting for the completion of the Agency background check, I received a call from Eve, a Camp Administrator in New York City who relayed that she had received my resume and was interested in hiring me for the summer.

As she explained the responsibilities of the position, I mentally laughed at the thought of a “New Jersey City Girl” working in the Catskill mountains of Upstate NY. I half-heartedly listened to the duties of the position, realizing that I had never been camping, and really was not interested at the age of 43 in new beginnings.

My thoughts took a 360 spin when Eve spoke about the compensation-the salary was based on the NYC wage scale for nurses. With the salary I would receive for the summer, it would be possible to be selective in choosing a permanent job with the right fit when I returned home.

I had a decision to make; based on the completion of a successful background check, the position was mine, if interested. Honestly, my affirmative decision was influenced solely by the money.

The next day, I received a Fed-Ex package with New Hire documents, pictures of the camp, and a very lengthy list of the required clothing, shoes, and supplies.

There were three modules with a one-week away from camp break, which equated to 12 weeks of rendering care to girls ages 7-17, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including the On-Call duties.

Although my motives for accepting the position were not the best, my life experience expanded in a way that I never thought possible. The unadulterated beauty and peaceful environment of the land with it’s serene lake and majestic trees were simply breath-taking. I became Nurse-mother to 325 girls during that summer who often visited the infirmary (in tears) for various reasons.

It was hard work! The temperatures plummeted to 30 degrees at night, and my cabin had the only indoor shower in the camp with a reservoir of 5 gallons of hot water that was only to be utilized for the nursing staff. I received many offers of money and gifts from staff to take a hot shower; nonetheless, I adhered to the rules.

The most daunting thoughts were fueled by a history of watching too many horror movies (a habit that has ceased). During orientation week, we were taught to make Honey pots that were set out every night at the entrance of the campsite to deter the bears from entering.

I must admit that my prayer life increased during that summer. God is awesome! Nightly, we could hear the bear eating from the pot; however, never once did the bears enter the campsite.

“For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear Him” (Psalm 34:7 NLT).

With God all things are possible, I have come to appreciate the beauty of nature, and know that only a loving God could provide an earth filled with such magnificent splendor for our enjoyment.

“Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. It may even reduce mortality, according to scientists such as public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell.”

Challenge for today: Reach beyond your comfort zone…enjoy a stress-free day in a natural habitat, and thank Jesus, the Creator for His Amazing Love.

“The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD…” (Psalm 24:1 NLT).

LORD God, Thank you for blessing us with the beauty of nature. Thank you for the elements that enhance our lives and total well-being. In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen!

Reposted this Devotional from 2019. As I read about my first real experience in nature, I must admit that it was God’s love that granted me a summer that was life-changing spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Peace and Blessings.

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