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For a powerful testimony from a woman who was physically abused, along with her children and was held captive by her abuser in the near final moments of her life until Jesus stepped in!

In my first post I had mentioned two women who were significant in my life, Linda and Lilly.  Since that time when I first met these ladies, one has passed away. 

Lilly Urquidez –Rodriguez has passed on but was a great mentor to many lives including mine.  I must share a little of her story because I’m going somewhere with this….

Pioneer Woman Boxer:  As a boxer and world kickboxing champion, she helped establish kickboxing as a major sport for women in the early 1970s. She was the first woman to fight on the All-women boxing card in California in 1979. She was also credited for fighting in the first woman match at Madison Square Garden where ABC Wide World of Sports covered the event. She went on to win the women's featherweight boxing and women's featherweight kickboxing titles in the 1970s. She also made history with husband William "Blinky" Rodriguez as the first husband and wife to box on the same professional card. From 1981 to 1983, she ranked number 2 in the World Featherweight Division and number 3 in 1984. She is the only female boxer in the California Boxing Hall of Fame and one of only a few women in the Martial Arts History Museum's Hall of Fame. (bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith) 

Lilly and her husband William “Blinky” Rodriguez

Lilly and her brother Benny "The Jet" Urquidez:

Lilly who encouraged me over 15 years ago to minister to women who were married to ex-cons has since passed away at the early age of 59 years, back in January 13, 2007.  Prior to her death, Lilly took the time to sow good seed, and truly was an inspiration to many.   Her love for people and her encouraging words she spoke were words of life!  To this day the seeds of her love are continuing to flourish!

Galatians 6:6-10 says:  ⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

We must put “us” aside at times and proclaim the “good” news that HE has commanded us to do.  When I look back and see how time moves upon us so quickly, I think to myself, “was I kind to someone lately?”, “did I bless someone today”?  It’s the small things that may seem insignificant to us, may be momentous to someone else. 

I will never forget a time in my life when I was feeling “blue”, sad, hurt, and unimportant! I remember getting ready to leave from a Sunday night service and just feeling defeated it was a spiritual numbness!  Wow!  Not me, never, I’m a happy person most of the time!  Well, a sister in the Lord came up to me and said “can I give you a hug?” and she also said “I love you so much and your smile brings me such joy”!  I thought wow!!! I felt as though the Lord knew me and my thoughts and sent that sister to me and when I felt her hug me and those words of life come out of her, I felt them as though it was Jesus himself!

It left an imprint in my life that has never been forgotten.

I encourage you today to speak words of life, sow good seed and someday you will reap the benefits that the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ declares!  Someday you will hear these words… “well done thou good and faithful servant!”  (Mathew 25:21) There’s power in words of life!

Be Blessed!

On a side note I also encourage you to see this video Heart of Champions, a true story of Blinky and Lilly Rodriguez- talk about words of life!

link below:

Heart of Champions

http://youtu.be/aCl_UpNdZhs

God is so real

God is so amazing - through prayer he allows you to commune with him and allows you to feel his presence. His love saturates your mind, body and soul.  The more I have that intimate time with him the more my love grows for him.

We all have struggles in our lives, we feel the pressures of life that can bring us down.  Sometimes the burdens become too heavy to bare.  Every now and then a song can hit me between the eyes, and as I listen to the words and say to myself "yes" that's for me!  Wow this song says it all!  However when you know your redeemer, through the fellowship in prayer he can make you all over again and give you that rest in him.

My New Beginning

My name is Mary Zapp and I was encouraged to begin this journey in creating this blog along with many other women who have chosen to do so.

To begin my post I have to go back several years ago around the year 2002 when I was encouraged by two wonderful ladies that I met.  Let's just say somewhere around the month of June 2002 my husband was visited by one of his dearest and closest friend Donald "D" Garcia.  Along with Donald came his wife Linda, and their 2 best friend's Blinky and Lilly Rodriguez. 

As we sat and talked and got to know each other we realized we were unique and special ladies, we each had a story to tell that were greatly influenced by our husbands.  During our time of conversation, Lilly said to me "Mary you have got to minister and share with other women who are also married to ex-convicts and are living a changed life!"  I told her "maybe someday, but not now".  Linda (Dee's wife) expressed to me that there was a great need because of the lifestyles our husbands had in the past.  Many women need to hear and share with one another as a way of becoming stronger and influential to others like us.  As you can imagine where I am going with this.  Here I am today, over 11 years later beginning this new journey and hoping and praying I can be of encouragement to somebody!

I am encouraged greatly by the word of God, this is my source and breath of life, this is what brings a genuine smile to my heart and soul. Today I would like to reflect on a story of Mary and Martha: 

    
   

 Luke 10:38:40

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word  But 
Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?  bid her therefore that she help me.

In this story we can learn so much.  I personally would like to focus on Mary,(not because that's my name), simply because she knew in her heart what the most important thing in life at that moment was, it was to sit at the feet of Jesus and "listen" to his voice, and his words of life!

Oh how precious is the thought of being able to sit at our Lord's feet today and not have a worry in this world because you are in the presence of your master, Lord and savior! The thought came to me, "there's so much to do, so many concerns, so many burdens" especially as a woman of God, a wife and a mother we are good at trying to take on the whole world......but my heart said "wait....sit at the feet of Jesus and listen!"

Verse 41 & 42 in Luke 10 goes on to say:

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 

Yes, Martha, was a doer and very capable of doing her daily task, along with having strong organizational skills, but yet her sister Mary's interest were simply to hear what Jesus had to say!  To learn from the Master!  Jesus went on to say Mary had made the better choice!

My desire is to learn from the Master and share with you what is in my heart in hopes that it will be a blessing and encourage someone today!

Beauty from Ashes