GOD KNOWS MY NAME

I have a Maker

He formed my heart.

Before even time began

My life was in His hands.

I have a Father

He calls me His own.

He will never leave me

No matter where I go.

He knows my name

He knows my every thought.

He sees each tear that falls

And hears me when I call.

SHARING MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

I have been searching God since I was still a child. My mother was a believer but in her own search. Somehow I always had a relationship with God. I used to talk to Him, even without knowing Who He was.

At the age of 21 when I was pregnant of my first child, I knew more about Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, and I started to study more the Bible and meditate in God's Word.

However, while still living in Mozambique, Africa, about 7 years later, when the country became independent (it was a former Portuguese Colony), the believers of my church run away to South Africa afraid of everything. I was going through my divorce, so I was so disappointed with everyone and God and feeling so abandoned that I decided to leave my daily walk with God for five long years...

In spite of my decision, I always felt that God was waiting for me exactly where I left Him. The civil war became a fact and I had to leave Mozambique to Portugal with my daughters.

Already in Portugal, I decided to turn back to God and I was baptized with my eldest daughter when she was already 14 years old. I dedicated to the Lord my youngest one too. That was a wonderful moment in my life when I felt God embracing me with His immense love, forgiveness and joy for my turning back to Him.

Although walking with God and feeling His presence in my life at all times, I made many wrong decisions. Because I felt I was an unwanted child, I grew up without love. So, it was very difficult for me to understand God’s love for me like if I was not worth of it, not deserving it. But deep inside my heart I always felt His deep and everlasting love for me no matter what I was thinking about myself. The clear and clear perception of His unconditional love, was healing me and still is working in my heart every day. I need Him more and more every single day of my life.

I feel very grateful for His companionship along my life journey. I do believe that if He was not so present in my life, even when I was not aware of it, I surely had ended my life in those walks through the valleys of shade and death of my life. I can see now that at all times He was there holding my hand and leading me to green pastures and fresh waters when everything looked so much like a desert in my life.

Now, I enjoy His company in every single moment of my day. When I awake up every morning my heart rejoices of gratitude and I love to surrender my life to Him so that I can walk with Him along the day, humbly feeling that through His love in my heart and my total submission to His will, I can be His humble servant and a channel of His love comforting, loving, caring for, smiling, and giving hope to my neighbors with a broken heart. All honor and praise be given to God!

For me it is no more about a religion but a way of living.  It is all about submission to a love relationship with my Creator. The presence of His Spirit within me is reshaping my mind, my soul, my heart every moment of my life in an endless time, so that I can bear the Fruit of the Spirit  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Injil, Apostle Paul letter to the Galatians (5:22-23).

What a delight is to live in God’s hands!

AMANHECIA / AT DAYBREAK

O dia espreguiçava-se em cada recanto do pequeno jardim. Sentada, sentia o carinho da briza que soprava. Eu estava muito quieta, quase imóvel, na esperança de que os meus pequeninos hóspedes viessem comer o seu pequeno almoço de alpista que eu colocara no alimentador pendurado no cano que drena a água da chuva. Eles não podem sentir o mais pequeno movimento senão voam assustados e eu quero tê-los pertinho de mim. 
Gosto de observar a sua alegria... escutar o seu alegre chilrear... 
Dou-lhes alimento, mas eles nem imaginam o quanto me dão a mim!
Olho-os e a sua tranquilidade invade-me subtilmente. Ecoa em mim a doce voz  de Jesus "Olhai para as aves do céu, que nem semeiam, nem segam, nem ajuntam em celeiros; e o vosso Pai celestial as alimenta. Não tendes vós muito mais valor do que elas?" (Mateus 6:26)  
Senti a minha alma sorrir. Tudo ao redor pode estar a desmoronar-se... mas, não existe nenhuma razão para inquietação. No meu amanhã eu sei que Deus estará sempre ao meu lado cuidando de mim.
____

The day was stretching into every corner of the small garden. Sitting down, I was feeling the tenderness of the breeze blowing. I was very quiet, almost motionless, hoping that my little guests would come and eat their breakfast I put in the birdfeeder hanging from the pipe that drains the rainwater. If they feel the slightest movement, they fly scared and I want to have them close to me.
I like to watch their joy ... listen to their cheerful chirping ...
I give them food, but they can not imagine how much they give back to me!
I look at them and their tranquility invades me subtly. The sweet voice of Jesus echoed within me "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26)
I felt my soul smiling. All around me may be falling apart ... but there is no reason for concern. In my future I know God will always be by my side taking care of me.