Gentlewoman, Angela Borjas

If you look at all my featured Gentlewoman, you will notice they all have a before and after story.  We like to call it our testimony.  That is who we were and this is who we are now.  Sharing these stories help us spread God’s love and grace and truly show how merciful He is.  He can change lives.  He has done it for us and he can do it for you.

Today, I’d like to share Angela’s story with you.  Most recently Angela experienced another death in her family which could have become a downward spiral of questioning God.  Angela was able to persevere through the comfort of God and the compassion of friends and family.  When bad things happen, those that love you are supposed to wrap their arms around you, however, some of us have experienced the lack of help or support during times of need and it’s pretty lonely.  It can make you second guess who your friends are and you wonder if they even care.  When you are involved in a church and you have a community of believers around you, they not only help you, but they carry the pain right along with you.  I’ve seen in in my life and the lives of others. 

Today you may be experiencing the lack of friends, family or even God.  I’d like to encourage you that by seeking God he can open the doors of new friendships, repair fallen relationships and light a path of everlasting love.  If you want to see how that happens, just check Angela’s story below.

 

 

For those people who don’t know you, can you share a little bit about yourself?

My name is Angela Borjas; I was born in Dallas and raised in Oak Cliff. The only other place I have lived is in McKinney but found my way back. I can’t picture myself living anywhere else, this is home! My husband Manuel and I have been together for 15 years. We are complete opposites but the good Lord made us work for each other. We have two daughters; our oldest Avina is 13 and our youngest Macaria is 10. We are a “fight” family, Manuel insist our girls learn to defend themselves. He and Macaria train in jiu-jitsu, Avina and I have taken a few kickboxing classes. The company I work for manufactures custom carpets and interior panels for private jets. I’m in the Design/Sales Dept. and have been with the company for 9 years.  I’d like to say I’m pretty compassionate when it comes to others. People fascinate me, I often find myself trying to relate to them. I am a foodie! I love going out to eat, trying different foods, and learning about other cultures. In my spare time I go to Zumba, catch up on Game of Thrones, and watch UFC. 

 

You and I both call Fellowship church our home.  It is where our life changed.  Can you share your “before” story with my readers followed by your “after” story?

Manuel and I moved in together in 2000, we were young and living the fast life. We weren’t married or attending church regularly. In 2008, we started attending St. Cecilia Catholic Church. It was the church I went to as a child. After taking their marriage classes, we got married on May 30, 2009. It was then that our spiritual journey began.  

Manuel started studying the bible and wanted to attend a bible study. At the time, St. Cecilia only had one in Spanish (which he doesn't speak much). After being invited to Church of Christ at Mountain View; he started attending weekly. I wasn’t ready to make the change so we went to church separately. It made me sad that my family didn’t attend church as a whole. So I began to pray for a church for family to attend together. God began to answer by putting Ephesians 5:22-24 on my mind;  

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." 

 

I knew I needed to listen to His instruction and allow my husband lead me. I went to church with Manuel a few times but felt out of place. Before Easter in 2010, my sister in law invited us to Covenant Church in McKinney. For almost 2 years, we drove from Oak Cliff to McKinney every Sunday for church. 

In January 2012, Manuel and I were bickering about being late to church. He got on 75 but turned around because we weren’t going to make it on time. He exited on Ross and there was Fellowship Church. There was a big sign saying “Start your new year off right, service times at 10 am and 11:30 am”. It was 11:15 and I told Manuel “Pull into that parking lot, we are not missing church”. God answered my prayers that day! As soon as we entered, everyone made us feel welcomed. The message hit home.  It was a message we needed to hear. We knew then we had found our church and we have been at Fellowship ever since. 

 

I started attending Flavour Sisterhood and serving in the Worship Center right away. My girls had fun in FC Kids each week and could hardly wait for the next. Avina began to grow in her faith through FC Kids and got baptized first. Then on September 26, 2012, during a Flavour event, I got baptized! Manuel was baptized after attending Men of the House on November 20, 2013. Soon after, Macaria got baptized with FC kids on December 23, 2013.  Through serving and doing His work, I have made many new friends. These are amazing people I can count on and share with; they’re family.

 

You recently lost your cousin due to a drive by shooting just a week ago.  I know that this has been a difficult time for you; however, I believe and I know through my own experience as a Christ follower that when hardships occur, yes they still hurt, however God wraps us in comfort, pours out his peace and walks with us as we endure the pain.  Being a Christ follower we can persevere through hardships because we do not lean on our own understanding, but instead stand firm in faith that God’s word will always prevail, even when we can’t see it or understand it.  It’s as if we have this superhuman power to conquer even when we are at our weakest.   Have you felt the ease of his yoke during this unfortunate situation?

Unfortunately, my family is no stranger to death, we’ve experienced several tragedies. The hardest to deal with have been the passing of younger family members. In 2004, our 25 yr old nephew Mark, his aunt and two friends were murdered during a home invasion in McKinney. It changed our family and community forever! Mark was Manuel's best friend, loosing him made brought on depression. I was pregnant with Macaria and Avina was 3. The next two years were the hardest ugliest years of our relationship. Because we weren't close to God, I felt alone and it led to our separation. (God put us back together after a year apart).  

My cousin Angelita died in a car accident in 2010; she was 23. I had just had a surgery and was really sick at the time. It hit me really hard, she was Macaria's babysitter and I was used to seeing her everyday. It was difficult explaining to my girls that she was gone. I hadn't lost someone so close to me until then. 

This past October my 16 yr old nephew Jesse passed away. He was a sick kid; battling liver failure, two blood disorders and cystic fibrosis. My parents and I cared for him from the age of 8 to 14. When he passed, it felt like the battle had been lost. It hurt badly, because we saw him fight a good fight. God used my church family’s support to teach me that we didn’t loose, we won the battle. We did everything we possibly could for Jesse’s health. He lived longer than expected and was no longer in pain suffering. Jesse lived a positive life always encouraging others. He was a believer and was not afraid to speak about his faith to other teens.

Over a week ago, my cousin Joshua lost his life to a drive by shooting. He was an innocent bystander at a graduation party when it happened. The morning I found out he had been shot I went straight to the hospital, but he died before I arrived. While I was in the waiting room, I saw a familiar face, it was Priscilla Gonzalez. I met her at Flavour and heard her talk about losing her son Fabian in a car accident 2 years ago. She came to the hospital looking for Joshua’s family. I didn’t know how Priscilla knew Josh. It turns out Joshua and Fabian were best friends in junior high.  Joshua had been a pallbearer at Fabian’s funeral. This coincidence was all God’s work! I didn’t have the words to comfort my uncle (Joshua’s dad) but Priscilla did. She knows the pain of losing a child and was able to sympathize with my uncle. Having her there gave us some strength that day. 

 

The following day, I was at work sitting at my desk feeling drained and unfocused when a bouquet of flowers arrived.  I wondered who they were from, because most people don’t know where I work. When I opened the card and read it, they turned out to be from you and Chris.  The scripture you sent me Romans 8:28 was the peace I needed in that moment. Tears of joy started to flow! It was another confirmation, from the Lord that He put the right “they” around me. Jesse Valdez (friend from Fellowship) gave a beautiful message at Josh's viewing. It was about turning tragedy into triumph. Joshua's victory was showing others love. He was a happy person; he loved with all his heart. His memory will remind us to smile, have fun, and laugh more. 

Many other friends have offered their kind words and prayers; it is what has gotten me through.  I know that God is speaking to me through them; everything works according to His plan. Death has taught me that God has an eternal purpose that cannot be prevented. Although death is saddening, I now understand Earth is not our permanent home. John 14:13 says

"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." 

His word assures us that this separation is not permanent for believers in Christ. Death is a going-home experience! One day we will be reunited of believing loved ones in heaven, never to be separated again. Through each of these losses, I have learned to be true to myself and share my feelings. To get to know the people I care about and to make time for them. 

 

I always tell people I wish I would have had a program like “The Mix” which is Fellowship’s youth ministry.  I think if I would have had been involved in something like the Mix, my life would had started thriving at an earlier age.  How has attending FC and The Mix been essential in helping raise your daughters?

The Mix is an amazing program! My girls love attending and inviting friends. The messages are given in away that teens can comprehend. It makes me happy when they come home and can tell me what the message was about. I love how involved they are and how focused they are on Godly things. Avina helps serve in FC kids and in youth choir. Macaria will be a 6th grader next year, so she just started attending The Mix. She has already invited some friends and is ready to help serve in FC kids. It's a blessing knowing my girls always want to be at church. 

Having a support system with my sisters in Christ has been so influential to my life.  I don’t know what I would do without them.  What does it mean for you to have a variety of women who share the same passion for Christ as you do?

When Manuel and I started our walk, we prayed for God to remove from our lives the people, places and things that kept us from getting close to Him. We were surprised and sad when we lost some friends that we thought were close. But the more we sought Him the more positive influences he added. I am completely grateful for the women that are in my life now. Seeing their passion for our Father is inspirational. These ladies hold me accountable, encourage me, support me, and pray for me. These are real friends! I feel God’s love through them. 

 

What is your favorite verse?  What does this verse mean to you?

“The Lord strengthens me and protects me, I trust in Him with all my heart. I am rescued and my heart is full of joy; I will sing to him in gratitude” Psalm 28:7

 This verse means so much; it calls me to seek Him first. When I am frail, He will build me up. When I have a fear or worry, stand guard and rescue me. 

 

What are your dreams?

My dream is to travel the world with Manuel and spread God’s word and love. I want to see the beauty God has created in nature. I want to fall in love with God and Manuel over and over again in foreign places.  I also hope to be able to give back to the students in my community. Like so many others teachers and mentors did for me growing up. 

Who inspires you and why?

My grandparents are my heroes. They worked picking produce in the fields of many cities. Eventually they became business owners which planted our family in Dallas. I’m proud they paved the way so that I and future generations of my family could have a better life. Their stories tell me if I put my mind to something and work hard enough for it, I can accomplish it!   

 

 

My parents are also a big influence. They gave my siblings and I a better upbringing than they had. Anything we had to do for school or wanted to do outside of it, they supported.

 

 

What do you think women in our generation need to hear?

You are beautiful! Society wants us to believe we have to look a certain way to be beautiful. Instead of judging one another, we should be celebrating each other. 

Growing up I had a high metabolism and was extremely thin. I was bullied all through school for being too skinny. I wasn't happy with my appearance and I and didn't think I was pretty. Although I tried not to show it, I had low self-esteem. Finally, I grew tired of the remarks and was able to ignore them. I told myself anyone trying to discourage me was doing so because they weren't happy with themselves. My maiden name is Delgado (which means thin in Spanish); everyone in my family is thin. I began to accept my appearance because that is what my family is! I was an adult the first time I looked in the mirror and thought I was decent looking. Little by little I grew the confidence I know have. 

As women we need to be comfortable in our own skin. We don't have to look like someone else to be beautiful because we already are!  He created you uniquely to stand apart. We should embrace our individual beauty, inside and out. We should be leaders not followers!  We should not seek worldly things. Instead we should lead others to God and follow Christ!  

 

What are you most proud of?

Giving my life to God! Before I gave my life to Him, I made many bad decisions and put myself in dangerous situations. Even though I was far away from the Lord, he pulled me through for His greater plan.  If he could bring me through my worst, I know He can bring me through anything. With Him I have nothing to fear!  He brought Manuel and I through separation, depression, addiction, anxiety and so much more. With Him we have a life better than we could have ever prayed for. He made us better parents and gave us a better marriage. We are not were we want to be yet, but we are not were we used to be.  

 

I'm proud of the path my family is on. I'm overjoyed with the man of God that Manuel has become. Again, I have fallen head over heels for him. It makes my heart skip a beat when I see him talk to our girls about the bible. I love how they can hold conversations about the God. It's incredible!

 

I am also thrilled with the power of "the invite". Fellowship Church is big on inviting. After God started changing our hearts, my family started inviting others to church. We now get a front row seat to see the life change in others. It's all for God's glory! I can testify that with Him, anything is possible! 

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

 

Gentlewoman, Rani Chavez

The church I attend has opened so many doors to meeting so many different people from all walks of life.  Rani and her husband Luis seemed to be a magnetic friendship for my husband and me.  It was as if God strategically placed this couple in our lives to be our BFFs.  I honestly can say that about a lot of the couples that we have met and the friends we have in our lives, but Rani and Luis have been extra special to us. 

Chris and Luis (our husbands) started their bond right away, but for Rani and me it wasn’t so instantaneous.  I remember Luis telling Rani one day, “Chris and I are going to go play soccer. Why don’t you guys go do yoga or something?” Rani and I didn’t go “do yoga”, but somewhere along the way, we became super close and she’s been such a supporter for me that I feel as if we have been friends forever. 

Rani is a sweet, fun, energetic and inspiring woman and I’m so glad to call her my friend and fellow sister in Christ.  Along with all my other sisters in Christ, Rani is one of my earth angels who lifts me in prayer.

Today I would like to share Rani’s story and hope you become inspired by her love of God, her strength and her ability to follow through on her dreams.  

 

1.     For those people who don’t know you, can you share a little bit about yourself?

 

My name is Rani (pronounced Ronnie) Chavez, wife to my loving husband, Luis and momma to our furbaby, a Chihuahua named Manny. I was born in Chicago, IL, raised in Orlando, FL and since my husband and I have been together, we have trekked around the U.S. and lived in various cities including Austin, TX and Denver, CO. I currently work full-time at the Art Institute of Dallas, and also attend as a student, majoring in Advertising Design.

 

2.     You and your husband of two years recently purchased your first home this year.  Congratulations! Can you share your house search/purchasing story with my readers?

 

Before moving to Dallas, Luis and I honestly did not think buying a house would have been a viable option given how much we had moved around in recent years due to his job. A few years ago, we started praying about our “Promised Land,” that God was to bless us with set down roots, raise a family, etc. We had a few cities in play that had given us the option of creating a home for our family, including our hometown. Would you believe that we ended up moving to a city in which we had no friends or family? Because that is what Dallas was for us! But Luis had shared with me once that Dallas had been a city placed into his heart some time ago, and when he felt the nudge to make the decision to move here through our prayers of our Promised Land, we knew it had to be God.

 

I believe that when everything falls perfectly into place, even in moments when you have your doubts, that it is God making moves for you. Our move to Dallas happened in this way when we were offered job positions prior to moving, and it also happened in our house hunt as well. The housing market right now is incredibly hot, and we discovered in our search that houses, especially the ones we chose, would only be on the market for 24 hours before it went under contract! We found ourselves in that situation a number of times, and even found ourselves in a bidding war on one home. But we continued to pray and believe that Dallas was still our Promised Land that God would come through.

 

And He did. In our search, we had visited an area of new construction of townhomes, and upon our first visit, while we loved the homes, we hesitated because of distance from our jobs. Following that visit, we continued to see disappointment after disappointment, so we decided to come back, review our options, and make an offer. The day we arrived to do this, Dot, the sales representative for the builder, told us that before we decided anything, she had two properties that had already been completed, but the previous contracts fell through, so they were now available. Not only were they now available, but they were also priced significantly lower than their standard sale price with the upgrades because the upgrades had already been included, and the builder recognized that the longer they sat empty and completed, the more money he would have to pay on it. So we decided to go for it!

 

As a first time homebuyer, I cannot even express to you the stress and anxiety I felt throughout the whole process of getting approved for a mortgage. But I saw God’s hand in this entire process. We had gotten a call from our realtor one night after we had signed the contract on the home and started the approval process. She had news that the bank appraisal had come back, and it had come back at LESS than the purchase price. This was an immediate worry because we knew a number of things, either good or bad, could happen including the builder choosing to reduce the purchase price or a cancellation of the contract all together if we can’t come to an agreement with the builder. But our realtor had more news – the builder not only agreed to sell it at the reduced appraisal price, but he also agreed to keep the previous terms of our contract, which included him paying for a portion of our closing costs! So to give you a number, we were able to purchase a completely brand new townhome for $20K less than the standard purchase price that they are now selling for. THAT, my friends, is ALL GOD!

 

 

3.     You and your husband recently celebrated your wedding anniversary this month.  Congrats! Most people don’t know that this is your second marriage.  Having experienced a marriage that didn’t survive, what advice would you share with other women who are in a relationship that (in their eyes) has no hope for recovery or for a woman who is either contemplating divorce/separation?

 

Ah, going for the big guns with this question! :)

 

I think it’s important to know a little bit of my back story to my first marriage before I give my advice. For privacy, I won’t use his name, but S and I got married fairly young. We had dated exclusively for about a year or so before he decided to go into the Air Force. We eloped shortly after he completed boot camp, and spent the first year of marriage apart with his first tour being overseas in South Korea. S and I were married for about 5 years before we divorced. There were a number of factors that affected our marriage in those 5 years including the military and chosen career paths. The last two years of our marriage were the rockiest. We had separated, but had made attempts to reconcile. I experienced many ups and downs and gray areas during this time with S. I won’t go into too much detail, but at the end of the day, and in hindsight, S and I had grown up and grown into two different people whose personal and professional goals just didn’t overlap or mesh well together. The decision to divorce was mutual between us. At that time, I can tell you that my decision was based on taking care of me and my happiness, knowing what I was worth, and feeling I had spent too much time waiting for him to turn around and decide to work at our marriage WITH me because I felt like it had been 110% me working, and 0% him working.

 

What I find is also very important to know is that when we decided to get divorced, I was not saved. I was far from God, and did not know Jesus. It was only after we began the process that I found Jesus and gotten saved. If I had gotten saved prior to making the decision, perhaps how I handled our marriage might have been different. I might have prayed about our situation or been more patient. But I do strongly believe that everything happens for a reason and that it is all a part of God’s amazing plan. God knows what He’s doing, and for me to find Him after the fact has His perfect timing all over it because I would not be who I am or be where I am today.

I recognize that an experience such as this, being part of a difficult relationship, is different for everyone. So many factors that affect the situation can come into play, and they can differ for the next person such as children or ownership of homes. Having gone through what I’ve gone through in addition to knowing what I know now, my advice would be to lean on and trust God. Pray about your situation. Pray for His guidance. Pray that He would speak to you and your heart. Find wisdom in His Word. Find support in friends who align themselves with God and His commands. One of the hardest things one can go through in this situation is feeling alone. But know you are NOT alone. As His beautiful daughter, He wants what is best for you, and He will ALWAYS be there for you. Seek Him, and you will find your answers.

 

 

4.     In your experience, what makes a marriage thrive? How is this marriage different from your first?

 

One of the first things I ever learned when I got saved and when I reconnected with Luis, who was one of the main people who brought me to Christ, was that our relationship was never just going to be Rani and Luis – it was always going to be a relationship between Rani, Luis and God. God has been the main difference in my second marriage in comparison to my first. He has brought us through our most happy and most difficult times, and it is He who has helped our marriage thrive.

 

I had read a quote awhile back by Ruth Bell Graham that said “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” I believe this applies to my marriage. With the Lord being at the center of our marriage, we always strive to be a forgiving wife and husband towards each other because we want to forgive as God as forgiven us. His forgiveness has become our standard. We are not a perfect couple; we fight and disagree as much as the next, but we recognize forgiveness and do so. We also don’t hold on to the anger; we let it go, and move forward. In addition to forgiveness, understanding, communication, and of course love, is key for us.

 

I wish I could say that how I felt for Luis when the sparks first flew is how I still feel now, but I can confidently say it’s not… because I love him much, much, much more now. :)

 

 

5.     What is your favorite verse?  What does this verse mean to you?

 

So hard to pick just one when I have many! I’ll have to go with Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

 

As women, we often find ourselves to be our own worst critic. I’m too short. I’m too tall. I’m too fat. I wish I was as smart as so-and-so. Why don’t I have a creative bone in my body like so-and-so? But honestly - how can the portrait be angry with the artist? How can the clay be angry with the potter? I could not have been created, BUT GOD chose to make me. I have been created with purpose, intent, worth, and love. I have been uniquely crafted by the finest creator – I am exactly who God wanted me to be. And you are too.

 

 

6.     What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

 

To keep moving forward, and if you ever come to a crossroads, pray about it.

 

7.     What are your dreams?

 

I have a few! I dream of the day where I can be my own boss and have my own business. I also dream of expanding our family one day to include not just our own children, but to also be able to give a child (or children) who has no family, a home and family of their own. I also hope to be an inspiration through my faith, work and actions.

 

 

8.       Who inspires you and why?

 

My parents are definitely one of my biggest inspirations. They immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 1979/1980. They wanted a better life for themselves and their family; to chase the American dream. They have made so many sacrifices in moving to America - they left what they knew to be familiar and close; they missed watching their brothers and sisters grow up with their families; my mom missed the death of her mother and her funeral. But they did it all to make sure my brother and I had the opportunity to live a better life than they had. It is something I will forever be grateful for.

 

 

 

My husband also inspires me. I had mentioned earlier that Luis was one of the people that had a big part bringing me to Christ. When we first started dating, I remember one of our first conversations we had about God. I remember listening to him speak about God, and the passion and love I heard in his voice about Him was enough to make me break down and cry (and I did). He had come a long way in his journey as a Christian by the time he and I had begun dating, so I was always both inspired and intimidated by his knowledge and desire for God and His Word. Luis is one of the most God-fearing, selfless, loving, and hardest working people I know, and I am not just saying that because he’s my husband. :)

 

 

My FC family is also an inspiration. Before settling in Dallas, Luis and I had moved around quite a bit, so we never really had a chance to really make friends or find consistency in a church. When we started attending Fellowship Church, we made friends more quickly than in previous cities we lived in. For me, having not been truly part of a church family before, to have these people, these women, in my life has been truly life-changing. I have never been surrounded by as many women that love God as much as I do until now. I am constantly amazed at their strength and support for each other. Our FC family has welcomed us into their lives and have become the family we need in a city where we have none.

9.       What do you think women in our generation need to hear?

 

You are stronger, more amazing, and more talented than you give yourself credit for. You are beautiful. You are enough. You have purpose. You are worthy. Wrap your mind around how the God of the universe took the time to create you to be intended for something great. There has never been, and there will never be another you!

 

10.   What are you most proud of?

 

I’m most proud of how far I’ve come in my walk with Christ. Most days, I still feel like a baby Christian – I feel like there’s still so much more to learn and so much more wisdom to gain. But that saying, “I’m not where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be,” – YES. I am eternally grateful for how far my Father in Heaven has carried me thus far, and I know He will continue to hold me up in my journey. I am also most proud of myself for going back to school to earn my degree. Every day, I see students at my college withdraw or drop a class because “it’s too hard” or “I need to work, so I can’t take classes,” and I could easily be one of those students, too. To be a full-time employee and a student is not an easy task, and I come home exhausted every single day of the week wanting to give up, but I don’t. I’m keeping my eye on the prize, and I keep moving forward.

 

Thank God for my old stompin' ground. I wouldn't be standin' right here, right now, If it wasn't for Texas. – George Strait “Texas”

Gentlewoman, Patchi Hasegawa

Giving up control is hard.  Especially for someone like me. I always felt if I could control a situation then things would be just as I needed them to be.  Wrong.  Instead I found myself chasing after the impossible.

As women, we are so fixated in fixing, solving and rescuing others and ourselves from life’s problems.  When we face trials and God doesn’t answer right away, we can question Him and lose our faith, or we can stand firm, withstand the pain and sorrow and persevere to the other side where milk and honey overflow.

Today, I want to share a beautiful story of a woman, my friend and fellow sister in Christ, who is currently walking in a time where most would lose their faith.  But not her.  She is strong and determined knowing that her Savior will see her through.   

For those people who don’t know you, can you share a little bit about yourself?

My name is Patchi and I was born and raised in Brasil.  I am 33 years young and I am a fourth generation Brazilian-Japanese, meaning I am full blood Japanese mixed with both Japanese and Brazilian cultures. I love to eat, dance, and travel and I love to worship God.
I love coffee and I enjoy cooking and reading. I went to OU for undergrad (Boomer Sooner) and USC for PT school.

 

I am happily married to Tetsuya "T" and we have a smart, energetic, and funny three year old son named Kunimatsu who speaks three languages (Portuguese, Japanese and English). I have been working as a Physical Therapist for more than eight years now and I completely love my job.

 

 

You are originally from Brazil and came to the US for college.  You have shared stories with me from learning the language to embracing and adapting to the culture.  What a journey and adjustment.  Where did you get the courage to make such a transition?

Looking back, I probably did not think it through, but I did see it as an amazing opportunity.
I didn’t realize all the difficulties until I actually got here. You try to prepare yourself as much as possible, but it is so different when you finally make the switch (language, culture, people, and no family). It was one of the hardest obstacles in my life, mainly because I was far from God.

 

You and your husband T are one of my favorite couples.  Ya’ll are such a fun and caring couple.  It surprised me when you told me that your husband T took awhile before he made the decision to come to church.  Several Sundays you attended service by yourself.  It took some time, but T’s heart was changed and now he not only attends, but he serves every Sunday in the worship center as an usher.  Can you share with my readers your story and how church became a saving grace for you both not only individually, but as a couple and as parents? 

My husband T grew up in Japan in a Buddhist culture. He came from a great family and has always been a great man. We met in college when I was far from God. We eventually got married and both began our careers. Things were going well, but I had an emptiness inside. I knew deep down I needed God. I visited a few churches and eventually found Fellowship Church and I decided to stay. I made a commitment to go every Sunday.  

This decision rocked our marriage, but I prayed and put my trust in God. I invited T every Sunday to join me, even when I knew he would say no. I prayed practically every day for a whole year for him to come with me. One year later he said yes! He started to come occasionally and listened to the messages. Everything was so new to him, but he could relate. After a few months he was coming every weekend.

It would take two additional years of praying for him to be saved (accepting Jesus as his Lord) and to be baptized. I do believe in the power of prayer! I also believe that when God calls someone, then it is done.

 

I praise God when I see T now. He is so obedient. We are both learning and growing our relationship with God. When I see him praising God or attending bible group, serving in church, tithing, studying the bible at night, etc God will nudge me and remind me that He is faithful, He hears all my prayers, He loves me and wants what is best. He has perfect timing. God gave me more than I ever dreamed or imagined.

My son is now three and he has been going to church ever since he was born. We pray together every day and have started to watch leadership for kids.

 

Even when we feel we are doing all that God has asked, He places hardships in our lives for reasons we’ll never know or understand.  In the natural, it could make us turn against our faith.  God, why would you allow this to happen, we ask ourselves?  If we hold strong to his promises, we can remain faithful and know that He can turn what was meant for our harm into a greater purpose.  With that being said, you and your husband have had a hard time conceiving.  A problem that did not occur with your firstborn.   Can you share your story with my readers?

T and I had no problems getting pregnant with Kuni, therefore, when we wanted to expand our family and ran into difficulty I couldn’t understand. T and I have been trying to conceive for over 2 years. The only measures I have experimented with has been acupuncture treatment. I was planning on starting other exams, but I felt that God did not want me to try to control everything. So I stopped acupuncture and decided not to seek other medical tests at this time. I wholeheartedly believe that He wants to get all the glory when it happens.

I have had ups and downs this whole time. Some months I feel totally fine and covered with God’s peace, while others I have cried, felt so many different feelings from angry to disappointment, sadness, discouragement and low self-esteem. Even with all that, I still would not change my circumstances because I grew so much in my relationship with the Lord. I have been reading the bible more, learning who He is and experiencing His grace, love, and peace that I know can only come from above and could only be experienced by what I had gone through.

Before it would almost hurt when people asked me about another baby. I would think "if you knew the pain you would not ask. I will let you know when it happens". Then I remembered I had done that to other women with absolute innocence. I did not know anything about infertility.
Most of the time now I just smile and nod if it is a stranger. Other times, I respond by saying we are trying. I know it is more common than we think and I’m not sure if women feel comfortable talking about it. For some, I’m sure it is painful, but I have talked to a few people about it and I have tried to encourage them as I feel encouraged and strengthen by God.

T, my husband, has been my rock this whole time. I would joke in my head, wow, the "new Christian" is teaching me how to believe and trust. He has never felt sad or disappointed. He would just say, trust God and His timing. God is never late and His timing is perfect.

What I find ironic is that T has a great success rate of getting couples pregnant through acupuncture, but for us, it has been hard. As I did acupuncture with T, God taught me to put my trust in Him more than T, even though I know T always gives glory to God for what he is able to do through his work.
I have prayed, journaled, fasted for 21 days, etc. God lovingly let me know and reminded me that it is not by works, but His grace always! I have learned that several women in the bible had difficulties conceiving including Sarah, Rebecca, and Elizabeth. God used temporary infertility to show His power.

Lately I’ve come to realize that I need to fully surrender to God with everything.  I still battle with trying to control some things.

I don't remember who said this: We’re often so anxious to get out of difficult, painful, or challenging situations that we fail to grow through them. We’re so fixated on getting out of them that we don’t get anything out of them. We fail to learn the lessons God is trying to teach us or cultivate the character God is trying to grow in us. We’re so focused on God changing our circumstances that we never allow God to change us!

I pray that God will continue to teach me and help me grow as I will keep on waiting, praying, and trusting in God and His perfect timing.  I pray that other women going through infertility will learn to cry out to God and feel His love, peace and grace and wait expectantly for his miracle.

 

 

 

Looking back on your life, what would you tell the younger you during your most difficult time?

I would tell myself this, especially in college: Do not turn away from God. Obey God, read the bible and do what the bible says. The bible is not meant to limit you, but to protect and guide you. Trust in God. Find a church and find the right friends (THEY). Everything will be just fine.

 

 

 

What is your favorite verse?  What does this verse mean to you?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
This is one of the first verses I memorized and to this day there are times I have to remind myself that He is in control and He has great plans for me according to His timing.

What are your dreams?

I feel I am living my American dream. I have a wonderful husband and son. We are all healthy, working in jobs we enjoy. We have the opportunity to travel and visit our families in Japan and Brasil. We also have loving and supportive family and friends.

 

I dream and hope to do more for God. I pray He will give me the steps, words, courage, etc to do what He called me to do. I hope to minister to people I encounter by healing, words of encouragement, or by any other form that God provides me with.

We just went to Japan a few weeks ago, and with every person I met I would wonder how their lives would be impacted “if they knew God”. I am working on making a card to hand out to people next time we go there. Gospel for Japan and maybe other family members.

The biggest dream of all is for every generation in my family moving forward will know God and have a relationship with Him.

 

Who inspires you and why?

My grandmother and T.

I am inspired by my grandmother's faith and hard work. She would always tell us to go to church and pray. More than anything I remember her doing it. She had a leg problem for many years.  She continued to go to church regardless. She finally had a below the knee amputation in her late 80s to early 90s and with her prosthesis and walker she would still walk around the house and go up steps.  She never gave up. She was also married for over 60 years!

Oh my, where do I start with T? He is just so disciplined in everything he does. He thinks outside the box and makes things simple. He is a problem solver, hard worker, generous, loving, smart and very funny. He has great insight and wisdom. He is a good man, great husband, father, and leader. He always does his best. Once he is in, he is all in.

 

What do you think women in our generation need to hear?

Please get off your cell phone. I saw an article the other day titled "Are you married to your phone?" It hit me. Some of us are spending more time than we should on our phone - including myself. I have seen people glued to their phone while on a date. Moms/dads are in the park staring at their phone while their kids are trying to get their attention. You can even catch people who are driving on their phone.  It has become an obsession.

Also remember we are beautifully and fearfully made with the purpose to glorify God in everything we do.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of my parents. They did their best and they are a big part of who I am today. I am proud of T's love for God and proud of Kuni. I am proud of my life as a gymnast. It taught many things, especially perseverance and that we can do more than our minds think (thanks to our coaches).

 

 

 

 

 

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." – Mark 11:24