We are adjusting to life in Puerto Rico.  It has not been a real culture shock for me.  There are some differences to life in the U.S. One of these differences is eating out. In the U.S. we try to get our food, eat, pay our bill and leave as soon as possible, right! Well, every time we have gone out to eat the whole place could be empty but it will take thirty minutes for our food to come. In Latin America most families stay and visit, take their time to eat, and socialize as a family.  It is definitely a good lesson for us to learn, just to slow down. My Mom keeps telling me, "Marita we are slowing down this year, we are only focusing on what God wants us to do.” So meal time has been a great learning tool! LOL.
Another difference here is the driving.  It is really – I mean really crazy.  Traffic laws are not followed as rigidly as they are in the U.S. Any one who wants to walk out in the street just does so.  Sometimes people just make up lanes to drive in.  It is indeed funny and also scary at the same time.

People here seem more genuine. They have different priorities. It's teaching me so much about the Fruit of the Spirit. I have a tendency to get really impatient, and not care for people like I should. God is showing me I need to increase in love.  A Godly woman recently told me to take time and care more about people.  “Leave with them the impression that I care.” Her words have so stuck in my spirit. I really want to be a good leader.  I want God to throw me into ministry NOW!  Yet, God is teaching me something important about waiting and patience.

For those of you who don't know, Grace Linscott, our associate pastor's daughter at Abundant Life Church, was in a car accident few weeks ago. She has a blog that she is writing about her journey of faith.  I read the first post and it about being patience ! Is God speaking to me or what?!   I need to hear that sweet small voice of Jesus. God is calling me to learn the how to be a Mary who sat at Jesus' feet.  I want to hear his voice.

I am learning that doing is great as long as you are doing what HE wants you to be doing!  If you listen to what he tells you and lean not unto your own power, then you can move mountains.  I can feed the poor, start a charity, work my fingers to the bone, but it won't mean anything if it's not led by the Spirit of God.  This is the dividing line between the natural and the supernatural.  It's when God's people are led by the spirit of God.  You can't ignore those nudges either.  You never know what that one word of encouragement will do for someone.

So how do you hear from God?  Do you light a candle? Do you do some special chant or prayer?   Do you make your physical body suffer until you hear from God? Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.  My Dad says that God is speaking to you through the Bible, through an inward witness, through His people when they share a word with you, and through circumstances. When God really wants to get your attendance He seems to line up all of them within just a few minutes, hours, or days.

What Dad describes happened to me with patience.  I read a scripture during my Bible time, James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Then, I read Grace’s blog* post and it made me think about what the culture in Puerto Rico is teaching me. I want to let patient have her perfect work in me!

So if you need to hear from God about a decision or a situation in life, then stay in your Bible, listen to what people say around you that matches up with what you have been reading, and listen to that inward witness. You know, because I am a human I want his word to be flashed on a bill board saying, "Marita you are going to do XY< and Z for the next three years.” But that's not the way it works because God wants us to learn to hear him.  


​ *Down below is a link to her blog. Please check out her story and walk of faith.