Gratitude Challenge - Day 7

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1: 20-21

Impossible! A virgin women pregnant? Not only did Joseph believe it , but Mary did as well. In fact, I love the response of Mary that is found in Luke 1 “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”


This passage today made me think of my own mother and the women of God that she is, she dared to believe God and always stood by the scripture with God all things are possible. My mom absolutely refused to allow our ship (family) to sink! My mother made sure we ate as a family at the table because "the family that eats together, stays together." My mom worked, cared for a home, washed our clothes, had to be a father at times, sacrificed constantly, raised four children by herself and managed to be in the choir at church and teach Sunday school.


One time, on my birthday my mother could not afford a birthday cake, so what did she do? My mom looked for bottles to recycle just so that I could have a cake for my birthday. I could go on and on of the hard times we went through and how we weathered the storm but I choose to dwell on the facts that my mom always had a song in her heart, always knew God is faithful and made sure as a family we would stick together no matter what. Nothing was impossible, she believed it, passed it on to me and today I'm passing that on to you. I'm so thankful for my awesome mother Sandra Vasquez who is the best. I'm living a great story because of great mother who lived her story great despite the hardships and difficulties. Thanks Mom!

Whats been happening at "The M"

The M is short for Milpitas and I'm talking about Christian Worship Center Milpitas. It's been a while since I blogged about what's been happening at the M. Just felt like we were in a slump and batting avg. was dipping. I was determined to press through as was the team. Can't wait to tell you what took place this Sunday. So here it goes.

-We've been on a series entitled "Inspired" The story God's telling. In life there are two stories the story we are living and the story God want's to tell. When our story and God's story link up that's where the greatest dreams, biggest potential, and greatest life is discovered and lived it's where you live life and give life "Inspired"

-Prayer/Team journaling was incredible this weekend. How important it is for every member of the team to speak the same language, have the same heart and feel the same burden. Amazing things happen when there is Synergy!

-Spoke on Dreams this weekend and how inspired people live with Great Dreams. “God doesn't like hard or difficult dreams, he likes them impossible!” It’s amazing the size and amount of doors that God will open if we simply dare to go after the impossible.

-How can we put this into practice today! On our notes was an area to write My Dream: I then gave the opportunity for people to read/share their dream to everyone in the crowd. Tears began to flow as people began to share their dreams. Especially when two homeless guys began to share what their dream was.

Charles- Who was a sniper in the military has battled with Post Traumatic Stress for sometime now. With tears in Charles eyes, he simply said "I just want to do God's will" It was the simplest and most powerful declaration of a dream that I've ever heard. We honored Charles not because he's homeless, but because of what's He's done for our country, what he's battled with and how he's still has a dream to please God!

-There was such a "BIG Atmosphere" this weekend; it allowed people to see God bigger, believe God for Bigger and dream Bigger. Bases are loaded, were bringing in the runs, and I can’t wait for this weekend!

Truett Cathy

72 Hours

Amazing 72 hours to sum it up: conference, birthday party, church, preach, after church birthday cake, then off to another birthday party, then off to see friends and family at another church. If I added Thursdays events I might start to get really overwhelmed but here are some highlights that I've discovered in the last couple of days.

1) In leadership seperation is a good thing. I need to seperate, gather my thought life, hear from God through the bible/journaling. Seperation and Isolation are two different things. Seperation I'm running to God, isolation takes place when I'm running away from everything including God. I found I seperate better on paper then in front of a computer. The computer poses to many distractions for ie. Twitter, Facebook, Tech stuff. I'm learning to steward my computer time.

2) I've been asking too small, and walking like it. God's grace goes so much further than just to get you through the day. God's grace empowers your to live extraordinary. With God's grace comes inspiration, rejuvination, encouragement, creativity, productivity, ingenuity, strength, rest, future and that's just a small list and it's yours to live and yours to give. Take a whole new approach when you ask God for Grace. Take a look at John Bevere's book Extraordinary

3) It's amazing the doors God will open if you just begin to walk towards them. Whatever it is that stops us from walking towards God's plan, His Will and purpose for our lives, when we finally break free of those barriers and just walk, God will start opening some amazing doors.

There's so much more that I received from the last 4 days but these are the main highlights. Inspired Sermon #2 coming up shortly.

Did you know that you inspire God?

How precious are your thoughts about me, oh God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! Psalm 139:17-118

 Inspiration in it's simplest definition is the overwhelming urge to do something creative. Have you ever had a great idea that would not go away? Chances are that idea was being fueled by inspiration. Take a look at Psalm 139. The author of this Psalm David, declared this thought about God "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Did you know that you inspire God?  You have been created for one amazing story and out of God's overwhelming urge to see YOUR life, your story come into existence, God made you, and right now even as you read this God is inspired about you. In verse 17, 18 of the same scripture it reveals that God thinks about you constantly and even God's thoughts about you outnumber the grains of sand. What is God inspired about? God's inspired about the potential of your life, plan of your life, purpose for your life, reason for your life, God is inspired about the story that HE wants to tell through your life. 

Two Stories being told

Life has two stories being told, the story your living and the story God created you to live. Our greatest desire in life should be that our story lines up with God's story because that's where the greatest inspiration takes place. But, often our stories and God stories don't line up, either it's a hurt from the past, a failure, or a present circumstance. 

Isn't it true we all want a story that can be told well?

When it comes to your marriage, isn't true our intention that our story be told well? When it comes to our career we want a story that can be told well. When it comes to our children, we would like to inspire them with greatness so that later in life they would tell our story well. Everyone wants a story that in the end can be told well, live past our grave and inspire someone else.  

What should I do? 

1) Inspired living is living with a heightened awareness of who God is.

Everyday I should live with a heightened awareness of who God is, right here, today, right now!

2) God wants to inspire you through his thoughts. 

Everyday there is a new thought that is waiting to fall upon your ears, mind and heart.

3) It's the thoughts of God that bring life to my story. 

Everyday your life is designed that it needs to be inspired by God because without it we just exist. To live is to be inspired...