I began a new chapter on May 16th and I took some time to reflect on my life and lessons learned along the way and also to listen to what God was saying. He has brought me this far and I am not about to continue this journey without Him. There’s a quote that circulates …
I came across this piece I had written a while back and never finished. As I read what I had written down, I felt that it was time to share. “I broke down in his waiting room and started to cry. I put my hand on my chest and said, “My heart”, I don’t know …
I had a habanero tree in my backyard. If you know me, you know that I love habaneros and all things spicy. I was so excited when it started to produce peppers, then after producing an abundance of habaneros it just started to dry up. It was dead, brown, and dried out and there were …
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie …
April 9th. The day I lost my father to cancer. He left this world on a Holy Thursday so whenever Easter comes along, I revisit that day and relive the memories. Grief comes in waves. Contractions come in waves. They both hurt and takes our breath away. In my childbirth class, I encourage the women …
“As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory …
The noise of barking dogs and a sudden cry of pain brought me running to my backyard. We had an intruder, my neighbor’s dog found his way in and attacked my dog. The experience left my dog wounded and traumatized. We thought it was over as we tended the wound and patched the fence. The …
Featuring Mitylene Bailey Mitylene was born and raised in Hattieville, she loved the village life. She remembers her first culture shock moment came when she began attending high school in Belize City. High school was where she discovered her love for learning and she decided she would keep pursuing learning, in her words, “till a …
Part 2 of Carla’s Journey to Wholeness Carla Mendoza of NaturaLean Belize. Read Part 1 Andrea: We spoke about wholeness in our earlier conversation and how body, mind, and spirit come together to complete us and help us realize your purpose and passion.” What is your definition of wholeness and why is this such an …
My worries were interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. It was my husband calling from work, the words from him confirming my fears and shattered my world into pieces. He held in his hands a letter that was informing him that his post was now redundant and he would no longer be needed …
Today is being celebrated as International Women’s Day, it so happens to also fall on a public and bank holiday for us in Belize. That means I have time to think and write. Today, I want to challenge you to take a moment and think of all the women in your life, the ones who …
When I was growing up in the village, the dry season in the village meant more work and also more time at the river. The hot, cracked ground with grass dried and brown scorching my feet. Water would become scarce and we would have to make many trips to the river to collect water. No …
Part 1 I had the pleasure of talking with Carla Mendoza, founder of NaturaLean Belize. A Belizean woman with a powerful message that can bring about not only a physical transformation but one that can bring transformation emotionally and spiritually. Carla was born and raised in San Ignacio, Cayo. She is married with 2 children, …
When we were little, there was a favorite song that we would always ask our mom to sing, “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton. I’m sure she got tired of us asking her to sing for us but she never complained. A little girl, in a coat of many colors sewn from rags, teased …
Kine wuhds neva bruk jawbone. Kind words never broke anyone’s jawbone. Kriol Proverb When we were growing up, we had a little black and white TV that was powered by an old car battery. We thought it was the coolest thing ever. As I read this proverb, it made me think of all the black …
Children are a wonderful example of teaching us valuable life lessons. I have learned so much from my children’s response to different situations over the years. A few months ago, my 9-year-old daughter was experiencing headaches and after a couple of days of not feeling better, she decided to do something about it. She laid …
“It’s the remnant that is most valuable to the Vinedresser, for there is life in what remains.” TD Jakes The pruning process is one that causes me to flinch, it’s not a pretty process. Lately, my husband has been in the process of pruning his plants. Watching him cut away the beautiful plants was hard; …
“Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord And whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord.“For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters,That spreads out its roots by the river; And will not fear the heat when it comes; But its …
Who would have thought that a simple question “What do you dream about?” would bring me back to this place? In the Dream of You, Jo talks about Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones. She wrote, “The Spirit of God led Ezekiel up and down the vast expanse of the valley… he was confronted …
Have you ever read Scripture that makes you squirm in your seat a bit, or maybe you just quickly skim over it hoping that you will feel a little less uncomfortable? Matthew 6: 25-34 is a portion of Scripture I tend to avoid because I’m challenged to the core every time I read it. “So …
Before I opened my eyes this morning, there was a question that had quietly slipped into my thoughts. I shrugged it away as I pulled my covers tighter and tried to hold on to the bliss that only sleep seems to bring these days. Again, I hear it but I’m not ready to process it. …
