Sunday, March 25, 2012

Have you ever felt something has been robbed from you? Something that you may take back, but it is going to take more than you thought. Well, I have, someone did or if I say it better many people that I am not sure who they were stole something away from me: they stole my opportunity to live every day; and many others are still stealing that away from me.

I feel haunted by what society has been expecting us to have knowledge of. Almost every day people ask, so what are you going to do in these next months? How are you going to make a living? I answer their questions in my own lack of knowledge because I have an idea of what I want to do for the rest of my life. The truth is none of us knows what the future holds for us. Many times we focus on what we will do in the future and we forget to live what is happening around us. I was, and still am a victim of this phenomenon that sucks the life out of you. When you thought you had something and when it goes away you realize how much you didn't enjoy it because you were to worried about what you will be doing in the future, that you forgot to live.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..." later on he says: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?" Luke 12: 22; 25

Live day by day, get to know God, let God take charge, and you will Live...something I have to remind myself every day.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

 
          So, my DTS group is amazing! I am seriously very blessed with the group of people I am with. They are very encouraging, and they make me laugh a lot. I can just feel the love they all have. The first weeks were just introductory weeks, just getting us used to being in Ensenda. We sure love it here, there is always something to do. I already knew this but my friends just realized how great Ensenada is after we went for a week to the Tijuana base. Since I have been there before I love the place, but everyone was just waiting to come back to our new home in Ensenada. 

          God has been so awesome these weeks, well he always is but these weeks have just been amazing. There is a red tide in the ocean, so in the night the waves look neon blue, also called the blue tide. It looks beautiful! haha I was telling my friends that it feels like I was in a Disneyland show called "World of Color" except for the fact that there is only one color on the ocean, but that is fine. I am sure that no Disneyland show can make your clothes and skin have glitter looking neon spots on you. 

          So, something great happened in Tijuana. We united with the Los Angeles DTS and Tijuana staff to go to the "Acts One Conference". In Acts one it basically talks about how Jesus told the disciples that they would be baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit, but they would have to go and wait for it to come. What we basically did is wait for God's instruction on what to do. There was no plan on what was going on during the sessions, well there was a plan but God always twisted it the plans. God wanted us to humble ourselves, acknowledge his supremacy, have joyful repentance, unite in prayer for our country and for the nations and to know that He is preparing our generation for a revival. I am going to be part of this, and I ask you to join me and hundreds of others who are willing to give up their lives and plans entirely to Jesus. I think its great how God told me that He doesn't want me to make plans anymore, I'm excited about this. 

Hope you have been having an amazing time wherever you are, God bless you and just think about what God has for you and please take it because I am sure it is better than what you have!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

It has almost been a week since I started my Trip.!!!


It has been amazing, especially because I got to see people that I haven't seen in so long. God has been so good, starting by when I got to LA and I got to eat In and Out with my friends Nina and Bobby. I also had a great day with them in my favorite part of Los Angeles, which is Santa Monica even if its not officially part of LA. I woke up looked out the window and saw a beautiful blue sky, Nina and I wanted to enjoy the weather and we rode our bikes all through Ocean Avenue and went to Venice to relax and shop a bit. That same day April went to pick me up and I went down to Mexico. I have been here hanging out with April going to Circulo, watching a hilarious movie at the VIP movie theater, giving out breakfast at the orphanage and playing with the babies. Overall it has been great, tomorrow I will finally go meet my new family for the next 5 months. 

As I have been to all of these places, I can't help but remember all of the beautiful memories I have lived in Mexico. Every inch of Mexico has a memory that I will always hold close to my heart. I never thought that coming back here would be so easy, yet so hard. 

Thanks to everyone who has made this trip possible by buying bracelets, donating money and for praying for me. God bless you!



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Monday, September 5, 2011

to you who I met for a short time, for my neighbor, my family and even to you who I might not even know you at all.

After spending days, months and a year trying to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life, trying to find the one career that I love. I found out I like the career of Communications and since I found out that the one thing I love is being involved completely in my heavenly father’s business, why not combine them both? Brilliant, yes! This seems like an amazing idea to me, especially because I found a place where I can do this easily, that is with YWAM. If you have read the letters I have written before, or are involved with YWAM, you know what I am talking about. If you don’t know, then here is a small description of YWAM.

YWAM stands for Youth With A Mission, which is an interdenominational, international Christian missionary organization that trains young people to know God and to make him known through evangelism, mercy ministries, and education. They also have the University of the Nations (UofN).  In order to enter the University of the Nations where I will study Communications, I need to do my Discipleship Training School (DTS) which is a five month course.

The first three months are the lecture phase where students get to know God more. The next two months are the outreach phase where students apply what they've learned in the classroom by going to another nation and making God known through various ministries.  I finally decided to do it in Ensenada, Mexico. My DTS has a special focus which is “Presence, Passion, and Pursuit”, and I love the focus.

To do this I will need some sponsors to give me money in order to take this new step. Guess what? YOU can buy a bracelet, or a necklace from me and in that way YOU can help me pay. I actually want to work my way to get to do my DTS, and I hope you can support me by buying a bracelet from me.   

If you want to help me with more than just buying the bracelet, I am open to donations and even better if you want to be my sponsor. If you can’t buy a bracelet you can still do a very important thing for me and that is pray for me, if you want to know what I need prayer for, questions about how much the school costs or if you have any questions about payments, email me at:

stephzepeda92@gmail.com.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Missing class is not something that I do often. There has been only some special occasions in which I have done this; the last one was the one that was worth the most...

It was just a regular day at college, same stuff as usual, class, friends and food. Before I go to my second class I always hang out with two great friends. We have been friends since the 6th grade, we all started following God at the same time. We have shared trips, sleepovers and high school. By the way that things were happening after we graduated, it seemed like we wouldn't be together, the three of us in one place. For some reason and only God knows why, after almost a year we are now in college...together. 

So, in this regular college day, we started talking about what has been going on in our lives. We all want to be missionaries and we all have this need to just leave and start working for God. A career seems important, but we all know that what we will do for the rest of our lives is tell others about God's love, by being used by Him to help fulfill the needs that they have....in other words Serve. 

But why? Why does God want us to stay in Honduras when we are crying out to Him that we want to leave and just start serving? 

We don't have the answer to this, all we know is this: 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

                                             - Romans 8:28

 Note that it says "His purpose", not my purpose or your purpose but His purpose; which is perfect. I do not choose what my life will be, but He chooses it. Doesn't it sound amazing that He is in control, and because He is in control EVERYTHING that happens to us will be for our good. I love this!...at the same time it is scary to think of the hurt that I might go through because God is molding me. In the process of being molded, I will learn to be good, and I will go through situations that will hurt...it is only at the end of the road when we find out that the pain was worth it. 

I might not understand why I am here right now, but it makes me happy to know that by this I am submitting to God completely. Waiting for the time when He will say Go!

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

                                                       

                                                              -Philippians 4:4-6

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Hello my friend,

It has been a long time since we have talked. Life has been happening, new things have been learned and love is stronger now. I could come up to you and just cry for all the bad things that I have done. Yes I can cry, but not this time. I am tired of having moments of no growth and no real connection because I don't feel worthy to stand in front of Him. Doesn't this sound ridiculous? I mean He promises us that He will carry our burdens and that He will forgive. Why do we feel unforgiven?

I am stronger now. I fall, I stand up, clean up the dirt and I keep going. It feels great, no more of those long days where my life seemed to have no sense at all, no sacrifice, no full devotion, just because I didn't feel forgiven. God is definitely the Greatest, the MOST Glorious, full of grace, and my favorite He is Love. He is my Father! This makes me happy, there is nothing better.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— 
   for your love is more delightful than wine.
                                                     Songs of Solomon 1:2 


Lesson to Learn: 1. Don't trust your feelings, believe what your head knows.
                          2. Never keep God to yourself, share about Him with everyone you meet.  

Saturday, March 5, 2011

I can't even remember everything that happened since the last time that I updated. So many things have happened obviously...its been like three weeks or even a month since I last wrote an update. 

I don't think I have much to say. I have learned many things. The interesting thing is that they are things that my brother had told me about, even my mom had said that I had problems with it. God had to use a really close friend to show me that he wanted to change that about my character.

We also helped the base to make possible "Baja and Beyond", which to my understanding is a program that the leaders organize to raise funds to support the base. It was craziness at the base! I got to hang out a lot with one of the teams, and ended up having a great conversation that was encouraging to keep pursuing ministry anywhere and to keep having hope for those people that seem really far away from God. 

I also had my debut as a kindergarten teacher! haha. Yes it happened. After telling myself that I would never teach because the kids never obey or listen to me, I ended up teaching. Amazingly the kids did exactly the opposite of what I thought they were going to do! YAY!! This means happiness to me! I love the kids they are amazing! 

Other than that, if you didn't know I wanted to do my DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Germany. Turns out that I am no longer going to do it there, my reference forms got there too late, so I was too late to start the Visa process. This has brought a great uncertainty about my future. I have not decided yet if I should do my DTS in the base in Ensenada, which is like an hour away from where I am right now, or wait a few months and do my DTS in June, or even September. Please help me out by praying for me, or supporting me financially, as I have a decision to make in a short amount of time. 

Thank you for everything! :)

This is a video of the class I gave to the kindergarten. I was teaching the ABC. :) 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1659905214859