Encourager Spotlight

Depend on God

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:33:00 +0000

This month we’re focusing on Discouragement – or to put it in a positive light – how to be encouraged.

God speaks to us in the Bible over and over again about how to press forward, to keep going, and most of all to depend on Him. God is our rock, our hope and our salvation – He will never leave you nor forsake you. So, trust in Him, read His word and draw Him ever closer to you through prayer.

Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 34:4-8 (NIV) I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troublesl The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34: 17-19 (NIV) The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

John 14:1 (NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

God Bless You!

Words to Encourage You by Sage Buitron

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:19:00 +0000

July 2009 Edition

This month we are focusing on Loneliness. The following passages in the Bible will encourage you and help you to know that you are NEVER alone. God says He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

We were not meant to live all tired, down, depressed and alone like the dog pictured here at left! We were meant to live wonderful, blessed lives!

Sometimes when it seems like God is no where to be found, He actually is working the hardest on your behalf behind the scenes. So don't give up. Press forward. God knows your heart and He loves you with all of His heart. God Bless You!

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 Be strong and courageous. "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:5 "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Proverbs 18:24 "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Matthew 28:20 "...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

John 15:14 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Keep praying and Keep Believing for Great Things!

A Blessing for Your Finances

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:33:00 +0000

June 2009 edition

The following Bible verses are here for you – to bring you help, hope and healing wherever you need it most. Each month, we’ll focus on a different area of life. This month we take a look at Finances. May the following Bible verses be a blessing to you. Where God guides, He also provides. God Bless You.

Finances:

Leviticus 26:3-5
Deuteronomy 15:10
Psalm 34:10
Psalm 84:11
Proverbs 3:9-10
Ezekiel 34:26
Malachi 3:10
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Ephesians 3:20
Philippians 4:11-13,19

The Lord's Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:25:00 +0000

May 2009 Edition

Jesus’ disciples wanted to know how they should pray and so in Matthew Chapter 6 verses 9-13, (New International Version), Jesus gave us these beautiful words, which today is often called the Lord’s Prayer.

Jesus said, “This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus went on to say in Matthew Chapter 6 verses 14 and 15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Before Jesus spoke the Lord’s prayer he said “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Go to the Lord in prayer, talk to Him all throughout your day and thank Him for providing for all of your needs.

God Bless You!

Triumph Over Trials by Carol DeBlasis

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Photo: Writer, Carol DeBlasis

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Trials are indeed tough, but this verse tells us that we are blessed when we persevere through difficult times. The definitions of the word persevere are: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. The best example of this definition is Jesus Christ when He faced Calvary. Nothing and no one could thwart Him from His purpose or mission. He was determined to redeem His creation, no matter the personal cost! May we all be so determined to persevere through difficult times and to stay focused on God’s faithfulness and His Promises. Because, goodness knows, that our trials can in no way compare to those of Jesus! No one is threatening you or me with beatings, or nails pounded into our feet and hands!

Besides, trials were never intended to dissuade us from following Christ, but instead, they are intended to make us stronger in our faith and in our resolve to carry our own cross. It is only through the difficult times that we see, and participate in God’s divine plan of deliverance. Only when we are powerless, do we witness God’s power and dominion in our lives. Is it scary? Heck yea! I hate to lose control! But it sure is amazing to be still and watch Him “do His thing”! Countless times I have watched Him sweep into my life and rescue me from people, places and circumstances, and every time I stand in amazement at His grace and love for little ole me!

And not only are we rescued and delivered, but we also are rewarded for our determination! Every time we refuse to cave into fear, anxiety, rejection and depression during trials and tribulations, we are promised a Crown of Life by the Father Himself! How cool is that? On that glorious day He will compensate us for every act of faith during times of testing. How amazed we will be as the pile of crowns begins to accumulate at our feet. Times and occurrences of faithful living, long forgotten by us, will be remembered and honored by our amazing Heavenly Father. And you and I, precious saint, will haul all of those beautiful crowns and place them at the feet of the One who made it all possible through His own trial of suffering and death: Jesus Christ, our amazing Lord and King! Hallelujah, I can’t wait!

Step Out by Rick Morange

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Ph0to: Rick Morange and his daughter, Mandilee

The purpose of this writing is to hopefully instill a new (and perhaps different), level of responsibility and concern in parents.

Because I am a "DAD," I have some experiences regarding parenting, but do not claim any special knowledge or expertise. Therefore, if this column is a blessing to anyone, then we must give all the glory to God.

My hope and prayer is that some readers will re-think their responsibilities as parents, and possibly prioritize their life a little differently. Who am I to address these issues? Just a father, teacher and coach. One who also happens to be a Christian, and believes that all of us need the Holy Spirit to guide and help us as parents. Enough about me.

What does God say?

In Proverbs 22:6, He says "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."

What a wonderful thought. God gives us a prescription for ultimate success for our children! (Notice he also leaves time for some mistakes along the way to getting "old"!)

Indeed, He loves us so much, that He KNOWS we can't do it alone ---and in this era of single parenting, most of us would acknowledge we need a little help, right?!

So we begin with instilling the love of God into their hearts and souls. Maybe it's just an extra hug, a surprise quick-trip to play their favorite game, or perhaps we just LISTEN to them. (I know I have a long way to go on the last one!). After all, the gift of our TIME means so much more than anything else, and "training" takes time.

Is there more time we can find for our children? Perhaps.

And, do we openly pray with our children? God wants us to do just that! He wants us to let THEM know that He is there in our lives every day---and in theirs! God will teach us these things, as we guide and teach our precious little ones. What a tremendous and wonderful responsiblitiy we have been given!

The Bible also says in I Corinthians 13:2. "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. "

Such strong words from our God--that we could be seen as NOTHING! Yet, that is only possible if we do not LOVE, and certainly when we have Jesus in our heart we MUST love!

The Lord ends I Corintians 13 with the following. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."

What a wonderful prescription for ALL of us. The importance of Love cannot be understated. God is perfect love --and He wants to teach us His ways to love. If we are open to the Holy Spirit, and His word, there will become no limit to the ways we can love our children, and demonstrate that love to them. (I love to reflect on ALL of I Corinthians 13, and certainly suggest reading it in it's entirety!)

In closing, please allow me to pray with you.

Heavenly Father, you ARE the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. Teach us your ways, so that we can spread your amazing love to our children. We are all yours Father God, and we ask you to give us open hearts to hear your word, and your voice, so that our children may live their lives knowing you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

May God Bless You and have a wonderful day with your greatest earthly "gift" - your children.

Cast Your Net by Carol DeBlasis

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Photos: Writer, Carol DeBlasis and Grandpa, Charlie Decker with Carol's cousin, Linda)

Matthew 4:18-21 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

One of my favorite pastimes is watching an expert throw a cast net. My grandfather was quite an expert at this art, and could spread a net better than anyone I have ever seen! With the net gingerly draped over his hands and the line secured between his teeth, he would wade in the inlets and bays of South Florida looking for schools of fish.

When the net would leave his hands and spread wide over the water, I was convinced that it would capture every fish within its vicinity. And it usually did. But this expert ability didn’t come to my grandfather overnight; it took him a while to learn the fine art of properly casting a net. I am sure that he failed on numerous occasions to hit his target or to get the whole net to spread out all the way.

And so it is for us. Casting our Spiritual nets takes practice and determination. Sometimes we think they miss their targets, and sometimes we feel that they were not spread wide open enough to capture the hearts of the intended recipient. Yet Spiritual fishing is guided by God’s Holy Spirit, and once we step into His Living Water, every cast is effective and eternal. Besides, unlike grandpa, it doesn’t matter HOW we throw the net, what matters is that we throw it!

When grandpa would cast his splendid net and pull in its wiggling captives; he would diligently pick through each creature, keep the fish and throw back the things he was not fishing for. Some things were alive, squishy and ugly and I would encourage him to just leave them on the shore to die. But he was always faithful to throw everything back into the water that he was not interested in keeping.

He seemed intrigued by their unusualness and wanted them to live. Thankfully, God has decided to keep us all, no matter how unusual or weird we may be. When His net of love and grace captured us, He was delighted when He hauled us onshore and inspected His catch. He never considered throwing any of us back because we were squishy and ugly. Instead He was enthralled with each of us and called us His kids!

Praise Him for amazing grace!

It seemed to me, at the time, that grandpa always strolled along the most remote sections of shoreline that he could find. He never gathered with other cast net fisherman, but preferred the isolated inlets. There in the glowing moonlight, he would swirl his net high above the still waters and always pull in a hearty abundance of fish. Maybe that’s what we need to do beloved. Perhaps we need to leave the comfort of the Church and go to the isolated places and try casting our nets of grace. There are so many lost souls who are hungry from God’s Good News!

We must not let the enemy convince us that our nets are not strong enough or our faith is not big enough to advance upon the darkness! At the office, in the grocery store and even within our own families, The Spirit will assist us in launching our nets high above mankind and pulling in a soul or two for the glory of God! It’s really great fun: God gets all the credit and we get the grand pleasure of discipling a wiggly, squishy, excited new Christian!

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Your Personal Relationship With God by Carol DeBlasis

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Philippians 3:7-11 "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (NIV - New International Version)

Have you ever thought about how privileged we are to be acquainted with the Son of God? I mean, think about it: we did nothing to deserve this divine relationship, yet, just because we believed - Jesus Christ came to live in our hearts.

Considering all He did to allow us this right, it seems like a small price to pay for His presence! For us as believers, no other relationship, or material possession in our lives can compare to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!

The amazing young man that delivered folks from demons, raised the dead, healed the sick and preached the Kingdom of God is our Brother! What an amazing blessing! So what’s holding us back from diving headfirst into this miraculous kinship?

Perhaps it is the busyness of life, the desire to make a fortune, a feeling of unworthiness, or that no one has ever taught us that we were allowed to be intimate with our Lord. But whatever the reason, we must be like Paul and cast every excuse aside and press into this divine romance! Over and over again He has invited us to take His yoke, taste His goodness and receive His Light. He’s willing, are we?

We should be so willing, in fact, that we are ready to count everything a loss compared to gaining Christ and to be found in Him! Our relationship to Him needs to be prioritized over our possessions and our relationship with husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings, friends and even Pastors!

Because when we give Him first place, all of our other relationships fall under the same grace, love and acceptance that we experience with Jesus! We become better stewards, spouses, parents, grandparents, employees and church members.

And when you think about it, He is the only One who will be left when money, husbands, wives, children, parents, siblings, friends and Pastors are no longer around! So why not spend the majority of our lives investing in Jesus, since He will be the only One waiting for us at the end of this long, long road?

With arms held open wide, He is the only true friend we will ever have. He knows the most disgusting secrets of our lives and loves us anyway. He is always available and immediately on the scene when we call on His Name. What other “pitiful issue” in our lives can take precedence over our relationship with this gracious Lord?

We should want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Our desire should be to become like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Worldly possessions and distractions should be cast aside in our pursuit of Christ’s power, love and humility! Oh to flow in the earth as He did: laying hands on the sick, loving the unlovable and sorrowing over the lost.

May we too glorify the Father at every opportunity and shine bright as the siblings of Christ!

We should be more than willing to do whatever it takes to know Him more and to be used to advance His Kingdom. After all, isn’t that what we promised when we originally invited Him to be the Lord of our lives? Didn’t we say “use me for Your glory”? Well, He’s here now to take you up on your offer. All He requires is to be the delight of your life and the very reason for your existence. Which is little to ask, considering that is exactly how He feels about you!

God Offers a Fresh Start Each Day

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:54:00 +0000

It’s January 2009 and it’s a great time to focus on the new year, new beginnings and making a fresh start.

As I discussed in this month’s Positively Sage column, God’s mercies are new each day. When we wake up in the morning, we have a clean slate for that day. God is a God of second chances.

Ezekiel Chapter 36 verses 24 through 27: “For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all our idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (NIV)

What does this mean? Here is what the NIV Life Application Study Bible says about these verses.

“God promised to restore Israel not only physically, but spiritually. To accomplish this, God would give them a new heart for following him and put his Spirit within them to transform them and empower them to do his will. Again the new covenant was promised ultimately to be fulfilled in Christ. No matter how impure your life is right now, God offers you a fresh start. You can have your sins washed away, receive a new heart for God, and have his Spirit within you – if you accept God’s promise. Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a new one?”

If you are ready to receive the Lord, will you pray with me?

Dear Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and allow me to feel your Holy Spirit. Lord, I ask you to make all things new. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Friend, God wants to make all things new for you. God bless you now and always!

Sage Buitron
Founder
www.positive-talk.com

Let There Be Peace on Earth.....

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:20:00 +0000

Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth,
The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father,
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother,
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me,
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take,
Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment,
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

I wish each of you a peaceful, joyous and very Merry Christmas!!!

Sage Buitron

FounderPositive-Talk.com

My Testimony by Sage Buitron

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:46:00 +0000

( Photo: Me and my precious daughter, Isabella. I now realize each birthday I celebrate is truly a gift from God. Each day is a gift!)

God has been pressing upon my heart for the last few months, asking me to write about my personal testimony of how I came to know Him.

I have to admit I have been resistant. Each month, I have been putting off writing about my testimony. I think it’s because I don’t like to talk about the negative things that brought me so much pain. I am a firm believer in pressing forward and leaving the past behind.

But it is those very negative “things” that are responsible for my new life. The pain I went through, both physical, spiritual and emotional, brought me to my knees. I had to get on my knees, humble myself before God and cry out to Him to heal me in mind, body and spirit. And He did!

My story begins approximately five years ago in 2003, when my husband and I began trying for a second baby.

Our marriage was very much on the rocks and God knew a second child would not be in the cards, but I was hard-headed and persisted in trying for a second baby anyway.

We saw a fertility specialist and so the roller coaster journey began. I had lots of complications with the hormones I was injecting, but during one attempt we did get pregnant. However, I knew something was very wrong six weeks into the pregnancy when I was doubled over with a stabbing pain in my left side. I was taken to the hospital at 7p.m. and by 10p.m. they were performing an emergency laparoscopy due to the ectopic pregnancy that was suspected.

When I awoke, my suspicions were confirmed. It was indeed an ectopic pregnancy. They also had to take my left fallopian tube. If an ectopic pregnancy ruptures, the result is likely fatal and I had given permission to take my fallopian tube if necessary.

Aside from feeling physically horrendous after the procedure, I was incredibly depressed. In the days that followed the miscarriage, a non-stop, excruciating pain developed in my low and mid-back. The pain was debilitating, it never stopped. I became sleep deprived, irritable, even more depressed and the pain grew more intense.

I cried a lot. I remember standing in the shower, tears streaming down my face and I silently began to pray to God for Him to either end my life or take the pain away.

In the weeks that followed I researched and found a pain management Dr. She placed me on lexapro which she said helps greatly with chronic pain. She also placed me on kadian, which is slow release morphine. Meanwhile, this Dr. began giving me monthly epidurals which were excruciatingly painful. She eventually went deeper into the spine by treating me with neuro-foraminal injections. These were even more excruciating. But with each series of injections into my spine, I noticed my chronic pain was improving. My Dr. is a practicing Christian and very involved in her church. As I lay on her treatment table, she would speak blessings and words of encouragement over me. She told me I was going to be fine, that I was doing great, that I would be healed very soon.

I also began attending church. I sat in the back and most Sundays I just wept and wept, especially during the worship music. I filled out a prayer request card asking for prayers of healing, I went forward and prayed with elders during service and they prayed for my healing, I prayed constantly for God to heal my chronic pain.

At one point in my journey the pain was so bad, I could not sit or stand for more than 10 minutes at a time. I was only 40 years old and I felt as if I were living in a 100-year-old body. One that had betrayed me on every level.

I prayed and I prayed and I prayed. As I prayed, God opened my heart wider and wider. He showed me His everlasting and enduring love that He has for me. My heart became soft and I could feel God moving in my life. My treatments continued, the nerves in my spine began to heal more quickly.

After 12 treatments, each a month apart, I asked the Dr. to take me off of the morphine. She did so and I eased off of it with her medical expertise within 10 days. I chose to stay on the 10mg of lexapro and it is a medication that I still take daily.

Today, I am a single mom. God healed my chronic pain, but my marriage was not salvageable. However, it is this very chapter in my life – my journey with chronic pain – that brought me to the Lord. I would not have chosen this path for myself, but it is the path that I needed to take. Today I give thanks for all that has happened.

I was baptized in October 2005, along with a very dear friend of mine. I was baptized as a young child, but this time it was a personal decision for me because I chose to be baptized.

It is through my growing relationship with God that this website was born. God spoke to my heart about launching this site and nine months later, the site is growing and God just continues to amaze me. In this month of Thanksgiving, I am so grateful, sometimes my heart feels like it is just overflowing.

I am grateful for the life God has given to me. I’m grateful for the daughter I have. I’m grateful to be alive and to be healthy and pain free.

Now that I know Jesus, I know that no matter what comes against me, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

That gives me great comfort. I want to know God even more and to live a life that honors Him and brings Him glory.

If you are reading this and struggling in your life, I want to encourage you to find a good bible-based church. I also want to encourage you to invite Jesus into your heart.

You can say this simple prayer:

Dear Lord: I ask you to come into my heart. Forgive me of my transgressions. Thank you for loving me and for dying on the cross for me. I make you Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer, congratulations friend, you have been born again. I encourage you to read your bible each day, to get stronger by being with fellow believers and by attending a bible-based church.

Thank you for reading about my testimony.

May God Bless you now and always!

Smile Pastor Terry and Edna - You're in the Encourager Spotlight! by Sage Buitron

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Pastor Terry and Edna Piscatello – You may have retired from Parkway Christian Church in Davie, Florida, but you can’t retire from our hearts. If ever there were great encouragers, it would have to be the two of you.
Pastor Terry, not only did you lead your sheep for almost a decade at Parkway Church, you wept when we wept, you laughed when we laughed, you gave praise when we were victorious, you prayed over each of us and you led me right to the Lord when I was hurting physically and spiritually. You ministered to my hurts and encouraged my walk with God. You checked in often to see how Isabella and I were doing. You and Edna hugged us each Sunday after service as we walked out the church’s doors to head back into the world.
I was blessed to be baptized by you – a day I will never forget. If it were not for you Pastor Terry, I might still be struggling physically and spiritually. But God used you in such a glorious way. We were blessed to be your sheep. I am forever thankful that you were my Sheppard. We miss you, but we know that God has very special plans for both of you. God Bless You! We love you, Sage and Isabella

Congratulations Otis Brown, You are in the Encourager Spotlight by Sage Buitron

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:18:00 +0000

Not many people get to say they have two moms. I am one of the very, very lucky ones!

My “other mother” or “second mom” as I like to refer to her is Otis Brown. Otis has been a friend to our family for 35 years.

I know that God was guiding my mom, Sheila, when she found herself in desperate search of someone to help her out with the craziness of looking after four very young children while my father worked and traveled for business.

My mom needed someone reliable, trustworthy, organized, helpful, balanced, loving and calm. She needed a rock to lean on. God led my mom right to Otis Brown.

Otis has been a constant rock in all of our lives. Not only was she there to help my mom while we were growing up, but she has gone on to help me and my sister with our families, as we attempt to balance our busy lives between work and home.

Otis is one of the most Godly women I’ve ever known. She is a prayer warrior, and I know she has prayed for my family and over my family for decades. I credit Otis with bringing more Godliness into my own home as a single mother.

I owe you a debt of gratitude Otis. Words can never express the depth of love in my heart that I have for you and for the countless ways in which you have blessed me and my family.

I love you!

Smile Michele Fernandez - You're in the "Encourager Spotlight!"

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:35:00 +0000

(left to right) Michele, Jay, Nicole, James, Ana
The Fernandez Family

There are some people who are just born into the world as givers. My neighbor and close friend Michele Fernandez is one of those people.

She gives without ever asking or expecting anything in return. She gives of her time, of her love and her heart. She commits random acts of kindness and does it quietly, without ever announcing it.

I’ve known Michele for eight years now, long enough to know for sure that Michele is a great encourager.

When I went through a season battling chronic pain, Michele was there – always checking in on me and my family. She made countless delicious, homemade meals for us so that I would not have to stand on my feet cooking.

When I went through my divorce, Michele was always there offering words of support and encouragement, and more delicious homemade meals! Did I mention she is a great cook?!

Michele is the first person to volunteer to help an ailing neighbor, friend or family member. She is a volunteer with “Best Buddies” – Anthony Kennedy Shriver’s organization which pairs individuals who are mentally challenged with upstanding members of the community.

Last Christmas, Michele gave to “His House Children’s Home.” I didn’t realize it at the time, but when Michele gave me a packet of information about this wonderful organization, God was planting a seed for the Positive-Talk.com ministry. (see “Making A Positive Difference” on the home page)

Michele also gives her everything to her devoted husband and her three beautiful children. She and her husband have done an amazing job with their son and two daughters and to no surprise, they all are givers as well. They have a heart for helping others.

Michele, because you are so humble, I bet you are cringing at being placed in the spotlight. But you deserve to be recognized! You are a great encourager, a wonderful person and a great friend. Thank you for being you!

Sage Buitron

My Greatest Encourager - My Mom by Sage Buitron

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:20:00 +0000

I am blessed. God gave to me, and my three siblings, a mom who is a tremendous encourager. To the rest of the world, she’s known as Sheila, but to me, she is mom. She is the one who has spoken blessings over me and believed in me from the beginning.

And it was a very rough beginning. You see, my mom had a very large ovarian cyst when she was pregnant with me. And when she was just six weeks along, the doctors had to perform an emergency operation to extract the cyst. After the surgery, they told her to go home and expect a miscarriage. Even though those words terrified my mother, she believed for greater things.

My late grandmother took care of my mom for the months that followed -- and I came into the world nine months later as a healthy, bouncing baby girl.

So began my mom’s journey into parenthood. My mom says she always knew that she wanted to have four children. She says that she wanted the four of us, (two girls and two boys), the way that some people want to be a rock star! That’s how much passion she has for the incredible gift of being a mother.

As a kid, through the growing up process, there are always times of self doubt. However, my mom has always been there to say, “You can do it Reba!” (my nickname)

When I wanted to try out for cheerleading in high school but feared failing, she said, “You can do it, I believe in you!” Yes, I did make the cheerleading squad.

When she brought home an admissions application from the University of Miami and presented me with it, I said, “I’ll never be accepted to U of M. I should just stay at the community college.” Mom replied. “Those kids I see on campus don’t have anything that you don’t have.” I will never forget those words. I filled out the application and yes, I was accepted to the U of M. I am proud to say that I hold a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the U of M.

I am now a single parent. It has not been an easy journey. But mom, you know all too well what it’s like being a single parent. You were the single parent of four children, and you know all too well what a challenging journey that was. But you did it – you raised us all up. And we all turned out pretty fantastic! (and modest!)

This past Mother’s Day, my mom sent ME a Mother’s Day card. In it she wrote, “I just wanted you to know that I think you are a great Mom and that you make me very proud! I love you very much, your Mom!”

Wow! Mom, to say thank you does not even begin to cover the depth of appreciation I hold in my heart for all that you have sacrificed and done for me and my three younger siblings.

I am proud of you Mom. You have always set a great example for me. You are my greatest encourager, my greatest friend. I am blessed to have you as my mom. I love you!

Your daughter, “Reba.”

My Encourager Brenda Mashburn

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:39:00 +0000

by Melissa Mashburn

Melissa and Brenda Mashburn and Kathy Troccoli at a “Women of Faith” conference

In the spirit of Mother’s Day I thought I would share who has been a BIG encourager in my life…it’s my mother-in-LOVE. It’s funny because most people I know have this love hate relationship thing going on with their mother in law. Not so for me. I have been blessed by my husband’s mom. Brenda is more than my mother-in-LOVE, she is my friend.

You see, when my husband and I first got married I was not a Christian. My mother and father in law were long standing Christians and even Pastor’s kids, so I know there was a part of her heart that broke when her precious son announced that he would be marrying me, a nonbeliever. It’s not that I didn’t believe in God, I just never knew anything about him or what he was all about. My family always raised me to be a good girl, with good moral values, but never thought there would be a need for me to go to church.

I know from the moment her son and I started to get serious that she started to PRAY…and I mean pray like there is no tomorrow. You know the kind of prayers that are a matter of life and death. I wasn’t a bad girl, but I am sure that they had hopes that their prodigal son would return to his faith and I wasn’t exactly the person that would bring him closer to God, or was I?

For my 22nd Birthday my new family presented me with my Birthday present. In my family Birthday’s are like a national holiday, so I was stoked to see what my new family was giving to me as a token of their love. It was…well, it was a brand new shiny Bible. You know, the BIG Life Application Bible with my name already in it (so there was no returning it). I later told my new husband, “What did I do to your parents that they don’t like me?” He was surprised and wondered why I thought they didn’t like me. I told him they must not like me because they gave me a Bible. Needless to say, it was THE FIRST STEP that would eventually lead me into an amazing relationship with the Savior of the Universe.

Over the course of the 15 years that I have been married to my best friend I have grown, learned, lived, loved, and deepened in my understanding of just how amazing Christ is. Little did my mother in love know that her gift of that BIG beautiful Bible would lead me into full time ministry, where God called me to be a Pastor! Only God can bring about a change so radical, so amazing, and so complete.

My mother in love, Brenda, has been one of my biggest champions, best spiritual guides, beloved mentor, mother, and friend. She has taught me what it is like to live and breathe as a Proverbs 31 woman and I will never be able to fully verbalize the impact she has made on my life. I have been blessed to have an amazing mom (whom I love, cherish, and adore) and also an amazing mother in love (to teach, guide, and mentor me). I thank God each and every day for the two amazing women He has placed in my life.

Melissa Mashburn
Cooper City, Florida

My Encourager – David

noreply@blogger.com (Positive-Talk) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:31:00 +0000

by Alvarina Marmol

When asked “who is an encouragement and an inspiration in my life”, the first person that comes to mind is David. David is not only my husband, he is my best friend, he is my mentor, my confidant, my partner and my spiritual anchor. David exemplifies a true servant’s heart, leading by example and always putting the needs of others before his own. He is quick to lend a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on and a kind ear to listen… all of this with a smile and graciousness that is born of his love for the Lord.

As a husband and father, David showers us with love and makes it his mission to facilitate our lives. He takes care of the “big” things while still covering the “little” things… a hug in the morning, a phone call mid-day, a cold drink when it’s hot, a warm blanket when it’s cold. He is always right there serving up just what we need.

God must have known that he was just what I needed when he sent him my way. David led me to the Lord with his subtle example and provided a safe haven for me to begin exploring a relationship with Christ. I’ve learned that I am worthy despite where I’ve been, that my wounds can be healed despite any pain. I’ve learned that love is a gift so profound that only God can give it, and that we must absolutely cherish it.

I believe the Lord has a plan for everyone. I imagine that His plan for David is to use him as an example of Godly love, of giving even when you do not receive, of loving your neighbor as yourself, of acting on faith and believing in the Word… of loving the Lord with all your heart.

For these traits and so many more, I admire David. He makes me want to be more, to do more, and to live more. I am grateful for the blessing that he is in my life.

Alvarina Marmol
Weston, Florida