It took a long time but I finally got it. For God there are no favorites. He does not love some more than others. He loves everyone the same.

He showed me that by sending me a real friend. One American friend who did not seem to care that I was born in South America. One who helps me with pronunciation no matter how many times I say it wrong. One who will share a house and then an apartment and my life and will be willing to learn about me and of me as I been willing to learn from her. One that was as willing to pray together as she was willing to play together. We both liked to travel.

I discovered the good gift that God had sent me in this friend when we did our first cruise. She suggested it. She wanted to see South America. It was a cruise from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Valparaiso, Chile visiting Argentina, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands, going around Cape Horn and ending in my country, Chile.

During this trip when navigating between islands in Chile that perhaps had never been visited by human beings, I got a message from my Lord and Savior. “You need to learn to enjoy what I have created for you to enjoy. You have worked between four walls. You have let others get credit for your work. This pleases me. It is time for you to enjoy.” This was completely new to me. I had never thought about retirement. I thought that enjoying yourself was not part of the deal. I thought that taking up my cross meant work, suffer, and pay for my past.

God was telling me something completely different. But it would take me still some time to totally understand and I’m still in the process.

1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.”
(“1 Corinthians 4:20 – New Living Translation” 2019)

Evidently, when we receive Christ and we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes into us. We must realize that then His power is within us, too! But we have to make an effort to understand it. After all we are spirits not flesh. Flesh is temporary. It will die and rot but our spirit will still exist either to be with God or Satan.

It is the realization that God gives us His Spirit and power and He is waiting for us to exercise this power by having confidence in that everything we do, if we have given our life to Him and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will have the results that He is expecting us to have. We are to bring others to this knowledge. It is not only for us to “convert” others, it is for them to change to a life of confidence and faith that what God wants is the best for them no matter what trials Satan, through circumstances, most of the time, may throw at us.

I’m not anymore guilty for sins of the past, the sins I was born with and/or committed in spite of a Catholic formation, because, through Christ, all that has been erased, deleted, forgiven and forgotten by my dear father, God. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9 – New Living Translation” 2015)

This liberating knowledge should make us confident in the power of a new life centered in knowing more and more everyday, through His Holy Spirit and His Word, the Bible.

What a wonderful opportunity we miss if we don’t exercise this power. We are free of bondages and prejudices but we have to acknowledge and believe in this new power to let them go!

Jesus told his disciples according to John 14:12-14 “ “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!.” (John 14:12-14 – New Living Translation” 2019)

That clearly tells me that if we really allow our faith to act and the Holy Spirit to control our actions and words we could change the world. We can perform miracles and signs and wonders instead of what we are experiencing through the world today going back to paganism.