I pride myself in my resilience, my unshakeable faith and my level-headed mind.
But two years ago, I wasn’t any of those things. Two years ago, I was coming undone.
I was reminded of that time, when something popped up in my newsfeed today. A Facebook status from the past, that stopped me dead in my tracks and reminded me of my least favorite story to tell. The darkest one.
Continue reading Our least favorite story to tell (and why it’s the most significant)
I don’t know about you, but there have been times when God asks me to do something so unthinkably scary, that it has me curled up in bed and hiding under the covers. Terrified, and eating my body weight in hydrogenated oil laden snacks, in an attempt to calm the fear that is raging in my soul.
That is where I’ve found myself this week (and the potato chip crumbs dusting my keyboard as I type, are proof.)
The reason for my fear, you ask? …My husband is back in New York City.
Continue reading When God’s calling on your life makes you want to hide under the covers
It had been there for as long as I could remember. We would see it whenever we came back from the pool, our bodies sopping wet as we made our way into the house after a long day of swimming. And again, while hunched over my grandma, watching as she tightened a loose button or hemmed an Easter Dress…
There it was, in my grandmother’s sewing room, taped onto the side of her sewing machine; A picture of The Good Shepherd.
Each time I caught a glimpse of it, I’d stare at it for a moment, taking note of both the tenderness in Jesus’ eyes, and the way the picture had faded in the sunlight.
Cute… I’d think to myself.
…That is, until, my daddy issues started to surface.
Continue reading On sheep, daddy issues & having no need for a Sissy Jesus
I am just going to go right out there and say it, blogging is not for the faint of heart.
I have friends who have dreams of writing books and starting blogs, and they talk about it with rainbows and unicorns dancing in their eyes. And that’s great… but that hasn’t been my experience. And this last week, was proof.
It’s been awhile since my husband has posted on my blog. Years actually, and not since before everything in our lives fell apart. But just a few weeks ago, he shared with me what God had been teaching him over the last year or so – something I had the privilege to watch firsthand but couldn’t find the words to describe. (After a few puppy-dog eyes and packages of Double Stuffed Oreos as payment) he agreed to share it with all of you. And I hope it speaks to you like it did to me.
(This is what courage looks like, people.)
In the last month there have been two bouts of the stomach flu, a cavity, a concussion and the very latest, a car accident.
Every time someone would ask how they could pray for me, I’d always say the same thing;
I just don’t want this to be my life anymore.
That was the only plausible way out of this mess — that the Creator of The Heavens and The Earth have enough pity on me to slip me a get out of jail free card. Or better yet, let me exchange my life for a new one. (You either understand that level of suffering, or you don’t. I’m afraid, there is no in between.)
Continue reading God Did What He Promised (One Year, 85,000 Blessings)
This was the promise I desperately clung to for 212 days: ‘…Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you. The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’ (Exodus 14:13-14)
This had been the fortune: ‘You will be rewarded for listening in the next week.’ — a fortune cookie opened on Tuesday, July 29th, 2014.
The following chronicles the events of the next week, a week we wont soon forget:
Continue reading (Week 6) A Reward For Listening (In The Next Week)
Startled, my eyes opened in a fury — darting across the room with more questions than I had gone to sleep with.
…What time is it? …What day is it? … Please Lord, tell me it was all just a terrible nightmare…
Continue reading (Week 5) What If God Led You To Your Hopelessness?
Before the piercing screams and the sobs that would go on late into that night, I was at an altitude of over 30,000 feet pondering a promise and a fortune —and completely unaware of the devastating confessions awaiting me once the wheels touched the tarmac.
Continue reading (Week 4) A promise, a fortune and the day God blew the roof off my marriage.
Krista Ortiz 