I have been blessed with the honor of being on my church worship team for the past year. I love singing praises to the King. I have also been blessed with 2 special needs children. My son has autism and my daughter has a neurological developmental disorder as well as sensory issues. The Lord hasALWAYS been faithful to us and as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!

I have been in and out of many churches (and even some cults) throughout my life. When I was a teenager, I thought I was saved because someone told me if I prayed a prayer I would be. However, I was still living for the world. It wasn't until I was 28 that a friend told me that there was nothing I could do to get to heaven & it blew my mind. I rejected it, I was confused and it took about 3 weeks of continuous talking about it but the Holy Spirit was working on me and I finally broke one night and realized that I had been living my entire life without the Lord. I no longer wanted to be in control, but I wanted Him to be in control. I surrendered my life to Him & He placed me in a church where I have grown spiritually & continue to be sanctified.

When I read the Book of Romans for the 1st time, I had no idea what Paul was talking about. I literally limped through the book. To shorten a long story, I was going to a church that was doing a lot of unscriptural things (female pastors/elders, membership required that you spoke in tongues, etc.) When I confronted the Pastor with Scripture, he had no real Scriptural backing for his answers. I knew I had to get out of there but I didn't know where to go. I got a knock on my door by a woman down the street from a church inviting me and my children to their children's ministry. I eventually went, and explained the situation at the other church to them. They sympathized and said that they had gone through a church split a few years back because they wanted to remain faithful to the Scriptures while some of the church members wanted to stay more with traditions. I enjoyed the teachings that 1st night and decided to just go one Sunday. When I went, the Holy Spirit confirmed that this was the church I needed to be at. THe sermon was on Romans 9. I literally bawled the entire service because for the 1st time I understood what Paul was talking about. That sermon was just the beginning.

Every service lit my heart on fire & I had no idea that I was being taught calvinism or the Doctrines of Grace. All I knew was that I was hungry and I was being fed and growing at an incredible rate. I was so excited about everything I was learning & I remembered every sermon. There was one Sunday night where we were learning about Ephesians 2. My pastor had a young man lay on a table and pretend he was dead. He then instructed him to tell him he wanted to be alive. The point was to illustrate that we did not choose to be saved because we couldn't; we weren't merely sick with sin, we were dead. Within the last few months we went through the TULIP acronym in English/Spanish. We've done brief lessons, but never this indepth. About a year ago, we had the Doctrines of Grace painted on the back wall of our church to remind us of what we believe.

As far as what I believe personally, I chose the name Tuliped because not only do I believe in the TULIP acronym, but I also believe in equal ultimacy and double predestination. I am also a supralpasarian and a partial-preterist. As far as eschatology is concerned, I favor amillenialism. Yes I study Theology & am a big Cheung fan. I am not a follower of man, nor have I found one person that I agree with totally. I believe that great men of God can agree to disagree on certain things and still love the Lord.

I know that many people do devotions in the morning, but my mornings are chaotic and I find the best time for me has always been at night. I have a routine that I do with my kids where they get a bath, we pray, then we read, whether it's the Bible, or a Bible story, and then we watch a little bit of TV. I get to do some devotional time with them, then I also have my own time with the Lord after they go to bed.

I would have to say I love Paul. Paul is the ultimate example of how Christ can take our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. Saul was the enemy of Christ. He was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians and was struck blind. In so many ways we were all the enemy of God and now we are His children, adopted in to His family and made heirs. It just amazes me that regardless of our past, God created us knowing what we would do. knowing every sin we would ever commit and still chose us to be His. Paul's story is just another great example of how incredible our God is.

Like Paul, I try to be content in all situations that the Lord has put me in. However, I struggle with being alone, and not just being single, but being by myself. I suppose that over time I have gotten more well adjusted to it, but I would like to be married again.

I'm reliable, I'm honest, I have a strong desire to stand for His truth, I have a servant's heart

Spreading the Gospel, Serving, Praise and Worship

The Lord's faithfulness because I don't deserve it

That He would chose an unworthy bum like me

That His promises are eternal

The #1 thing would have to be that he loves the Lord more than he loves me. I'd want someone who is on fire, obedient, and absolutely in love with God. I'd like our beliefs to be similar. There are some things I'm willing to agree to disagree with, but will absolutely not budge on others.

I love to talk & I like when others listen, but I don't want to be the only one talking. I want someone who is not afraid to talk about anything. The majority of my conversations are focused on the Lord, and I want someone who is similar because I never get tired of talking about Jesus.

I like when people are spontaneous, and up for anything, or even just relaxing. I like being social with friends & it would be nice to have someone who also likes to hang out with friends who are also Christian and love the Lord.

I'd love someone to study with and evangelize with.

My Pastor & some of my amazing brothers and sisters at church.

My Pastor is the most humble, amazing man I know who is so honest about sharing his life and his walk. He preaches the truth of God's word and when he does he always prays that they are God's words and not the words of a man.

My amazing brothers and sisters at church have been there for me countless times. Whether it was watching my children, being a shoulder, or spiritual encouragement, they have helped me grow spiritually in my walk and have been examples of Christ's love.

Neither one of us were saved when we got married. When I did get saved about 7 years later, he didn't & there were so many crazy things going on in my life. We had 2 disabled children; our oldest was in and out of the hospital at the time, our youngest was barely a year old. I was graduating with my associates from college, my grandmother was dying of terminal cancer. However, the worst was that he was having an affair with a girl who was supposed to be my best friend. The affair ended when I found out and confronted her, but I was shattered. I didn't know what to do & told him I needed time. The Holy Spirit worked on my heart, and with counsel from my Pator and women from my church, I decided to try and reconcile. However, he informed me that he had a girlfriend and he wasn't happy & was filing for divorce. My Pastor tried to talk with him, but he wasn't interested in hearing anything from anyone.

It has been a little over 2 years since the separation & about 2 years since the actual divorce was finalized. I realized that when I got saved that my marriage had no foundation & it was almost like I was trying to build a foundation under a building that was already falling down. I want to have a marriage that is lived out like Ephesians 5. I want Christ to be the foundation in a courtship and marriage.

There are so many..

Psalm 37:23-26 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

Psalm 103 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

There is also a song we sing at my churchcalled Tal como soy, not sure of how we translated it to English, but here it is in Spanish

Tal como soy Señor,

sin nada que ofrecer más que mi canción.

No tengo más que darte pues todo es tuyo Señor.

Tal como soy Señor,

sin nada que entregar más que el corazón.

Me rindo todo a Ti,

tomamé Señor,

tal como soy.

Acéptame como ofrenda de amor,

como un sacrificio agradable en tu honor.

Grato perfume,

yo quiero ser Señor.