Better Than 100 Fires - Tyler Cienfuegos

I would like ya'll to meet my brother in Christ, Tyler Cienfuegos

He is the Author of a blog Titled "Better Than 100 Fires"  And He is also one of my very good friends! :) I decided to feature Tyler on my blog because His post's are always a huge blessed to me, and I want others to be blessed by them as well!
Here is a little more about him, along with a post written by him.....

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"I love Jesus with all my heart and fight the battle each day against sin attempting to walk with him with the help of the Holy Spirit. My blog covers areas where I see my Father in my life, and thoughts I have in regards to Him. My last name is "Cienfuegos" which means "100 fires" in Spanish. Since I know our God is far greater than I (and 100 fires) I thought the name of my blog was quite appropriate."

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"Quicksand

I turned my back, I plugged my ears. Everything that had gotten me to this point, everything that was cheering me on, was right there beside me. I turned my head away. I took the care and love, I took the thoughts and prayers, I threw them out. I threw caution to the wind and stepped out of bounds. With that step a still small voice makes its way through my plugged ears with ease. The warmth of the familiar voice so comforting... still, I head backwards.

"Come back to me," He says "come back." Though I can't see it, I can feel his hand reaching out to me, his presence all the more evident.

In my pride I pretend I heard nothing. In my pride I continued as my foot stepped off the path. Continuing off the side, the woods get thicker and harder to traverse. Nevertheless, I press on. Right, left, right- I struggle to maintain balance as my foot sinks into the quicksand. I struggle to lift it out but it only makes me sink faster. My legs are too far spread to keep one foot on solid ground... my second foot lands in the sand. What should I do? How can I escape?? I search my surroundings. A vine is hanging from a tree above me, and I grab on but I don't have the strength to pull myself out. The sand is to my waist. I hold myself there, trying to think of another possibility... something I could do to save myself. At least for now I'm not sinking more.

Almost just as the thought crossed my mind the vine snapped, fell to the sand and was swallowed up. My only sense of security lost! I'm hopeless!

"HELP! IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE!? HELP!"

No answer.

The panic and helplessness has me overwhelmed, I can hardly think. All thoughts are jumbled and indecipherable. I cry at the inevitable end I have brought upon myself. Why did I leave them? Everybody I loved and cared about, they all told me not to do this... why did I have to be the rebel? Why did I have to indulge my carelessness? Now none of them are here at the end, nobody is here.

"I'M SORRY!" I scream as tears run down my cheeks. The following silence is almost as bad as death itself. "I'm sorry..."

Only my arms and head remain above the sand. I remember my leader, the one who showed me the path, the one who lead me... the one who called me back as I stepped away. Had he left me too? I looked up at the canopy of the forest. 

"Forgive me... Lord, please forgive me!"

Suddenly the warm voice came again, followed by the unforgettable rush of restored hope.

"You have already been forgiven, my child."

I looked up to see his shining face in all its glory. For a split second I saw him smiling while holding out his hand... and I knew in that second that he was always there, he had never withdrawn his hand, I just wasn't reaching for it. When the sight of him was gone I found myself left standing on solid ground, facing the path I had so strongly longed to see again. I ran to that path as if my life depended on it; because in a way, I knew it really did. Over the crest I see the ones I love so dearly and tears begin to run down my face. I embrace them one after another, sobbing in joyous excitement. 

I catch a glimpse of the path ahead, and it is narrow. The trek looks tough, yet I feel able to conquer it. My leader, though I cannot see him is with me, leading me back to this path time and time again. With him by my side I will prevail; with him walking each step with me, not one thing can stop me should it cross me on this path. My leader has the power to protect me from the greatest evil, and I know he will do so. He leads me and shows me the way, he teaches me and disciplines me. He is the greatest of all leaders, but not just because of his awesome power and leadership, no. He is the greatest of all leaders because even though I fail to follow, even though I'm not the perfect soldier, and even though I go as far as to betray him he never gives up on me. He is the greatest of all leaders because he loves me.

Right, left, right...left."

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This guys blog is worth checking out! :) Tyler is a very gifted writer! Very encouraging, and convicting, and also just a great read! I highly encourage you to check out his blog Better Than 100 Fires! 


Blessings always <3

Blessed beyond belief..

Last week I had the incredible opportunity to visit some friends in Bellingham Washington. 

And let me to you, they blessed my socks off! I can say without a doubt, that it was one of the best weeks that I have ever had! I am so profoundly thankful for these friends that God has brought into my life! I cant express how much each and every one of them mean to me. I have only known them for a short while, but already I consider them my closest friends. 

(From left to right; Adam, Brenna, Micah, Cassidy, Tyler, Me)

There was a time, when several of the friendships that I had thought would last a lifetime had come to an abrupt stop, and there were other friendship that were slowly fading away......I was crushed to be loosing the people I had cared so much about. I struggles for a long time to understand why I hadn't yet, after 17 years of my life, found any true friends (outside of my family) 

I decided after a while that maybe my "need" for friendship was far to strong. And that I was idolizing the relationships in my life. So I started to pray for God to take the discontent I felt, and to do whatever He wanted with the relationships in my life. 

At first I continued to feel distant from many of the people I knew and cared about.

 And I cried a lot! 

But then, one day....God brought these awesome people into my life! 

I really like these quotes by C.S Lewis - 

“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?” 

and 

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”

I pray that God will continue to grow my friendships with these amazing people, and that they will be life long friendships, glorifying and uplifting to Him in every way! 

Thank you Brenna, Micah, Tyler, Cassidy, and Adam for a great week! And thank you also for your encouragement and friendship! I miss you guys already! And I love ya'll! :)

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P.s. this is something a friend said to me today....I think he says it perfectly;  "True relationships that encourage you, strengthen you, challenge you and inspire you to greater things, especially in your walk with the Lord are a real treasure. It can be easy to become distracted by many casual relationships (especially for a relational person) so sometimes it really does turn out best when you can focus on just a few that the Lord has placed in your path for a time and a purpose."