Today I stumbled across this quote

“Love comes to those who still hope even though they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they’ve been betrayed, to those who still love even though they’ve been hurt before.”

I don’t know who the author is, but whoever it is deserves a hug from me.

I have felt the after effects of love in many different forms. Boys, friends, my father, you name it, I’ve felt it. But I have not lost hope. I have decided to live a life full of love. I want everyone to be able to experience love, even if it is from a simple smile or a hug. I want to be able to make someone feel special, because that’s what I would want from them. You know the saying “Do unto others as you would want done unto you”…Yup, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Last year I decided to read a book that many people had talked to me about it’s called “The Five Love Languages.” If you ask anyone who really knows me,they will tell you that I am pretty passionate about the subject. I am what people call “A lover of love,” but not only the kind of love you see in the movies. Not just that passionate kiss Titanic kind of love, just love. The feeling that a person gets when they feel accepted, appreciated, beautiful, unique, comforted, understood, (insert feeling of love here). So this book, written by Gary Chapman, really opened up my eyes to this OTHER kind of love. The kind of love that I want to be able to express to people, a purposeful love, a REAL love.

In this book Chapman lists 5 Love Languages which are; Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, Gifts and Physical Touch. The beauty of these five love languages is that each person shows love in a particular way and receives love in another. Of course, every person loves and feels love through all these actions, but if you think about it closely and really assess your own love language you will come to see that you truly do have a dominant way of loving and being loved. I encourage you to pick up the book and read it sometime or simply check out what its all about. My love language is Words of Affirmation and I can see it play out day by day. And knowing what each of the other love languages are allows me to kind of alter the love I give off too specific people. For example my sister’s love language is physical touch, so a hug from time to time is just what she needs. Try to figure out what your love language is and tell people, then figure out what others love languages are and spread the love.

I have been hurt, I have felt pain, and I am still healing from all of these experiences. I am taking it day by day, but it helps to think about the hope of a new love. Love is everywhere. Just open your heart to it. Love yourself first, give yourself time to reflect and appreciate who you really are. Love people and all of their imperfections and do something about it. Take some time to volunteer somewhere or spend some time with a friend who needs you, whatever you do just do it out of love.

Love is more than just hugs and kisses; its kind words, surprise visits, a helping hand, a giving soul, and a caring heart. Just love.

<3 Nathaly

Yesterday, @RickWarren tweeted this: Sex is far more than a physical connection.You give yourself.Tell teens they don’t make a condom to protect your heart. This was so amazing to me that I retweeted him and got some interesting responses. BUT…the one that stuck out to me the most was one from one of my old high school teachers. A friend said “but if you both are doing it for fun…there’s no heart to protect.” this is when my teacher wrote “Girls don’t know how to have sex without involving their heart.” I wonder if this statement was true.

Can girls not have sex without connecting themselves emotionally to the act?  What do you think? I came to the realization that it depends how the decision is made. If someone has been drinking or under the influence of any other drug, I feel like it would be different. But then again, I have no idea.

Today in my Advertising class we were discussing the focus of sex that the media has and how they target teens from the age ranges of 12-17. I understand that this generation is very aware and attracted to sex and all that it represents, but I am also annoyed at how people who choose not to have sex are mocked.

In my class the “Jonas Brothers” were mentioned along with the purity rings that they wear, and how they have been mocked in person, on shows, and in cartoons for the decision that they have made. THIS is not RIGHT! Kids should not be encouraged to have sex and discouraged to not have sex. Sex is an emotional connections and a serious decision. There are so many consequences to sex that people never think about.

I made the decision to save sex for my wedding night when I was 16 years old and like many teenagers it was a struggle. Moving away to college was not easy either. Sex was all around me from the moment I stepped into the dorms and woke up at 4am to the sound of my roommate and her boyfriend. It was not fun, but the worst part about it is that people assume that sex is what HAS to be done. You do not have to have sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend to keep the relationship going, if anything NOT having sex creates a stronger connection between the two of you and if you plan on marrying that person it just makes your wedding night that much more SPECIAL! I am not judging anyone who decides to have sex, but instead sharing my own decision to save sex and allowing people to see that it is possible and it is not something to JOKE about. Why is it a JOKE for me to save sex and it is NOT a JOKE for someone to sleep with multiple partners without even thinking about the consequences?

I would also like to challenge those who have already had sex, to see how it would change a relationship if you decided to not have sex anymore. I do believe that through time, if it is real love, the fact that you waited for that person will just make that moment after your wedding that much more special. Remembering that you waited for EACHOTHER until that moment means that the love you had for one another was stronger than the temptations that come with sex.

I am blessed to be a part of a youth dance and drama program that allows teenagers to see that there is ANOTHER way. This way is making the decision NOT to have sex. There is a line in the play that says “I’m not saying sex is bad…SEX IS GOOD!” I believe that sex is God’s little way of saying, “Hey, I’m going to give you a way to connect with a person in a level unlike any other and enjoy it” but I also believe that the ultimate way to enjoy it is with that ONE person you are going to spend the rest of your life with. It is possible. I have heard amazing stories and can’t wait to share mine.

Do you have a story?

Love God, Love People, Love You

Well first off lets start with a little bit of history. My grandparents were born and raised in Mexico, my mother was born in Mexico but raised in the states. Therefore, my mother was born into a Spanish household and English lifestyle. What I mean by this is that she speaks fluent Spanish, but she learned how to read and write in English. So….here is where it gets a little tricky. My whole life I have valued being Mexican and everything about my culture. I was never ashamed or embarrassed until I came across discrimination and prejudice. The saying that “all Mexicans are lazy” really hit me where it hurts. I am not lazy, my grandparents aren’t lazy, and my mother is definitely not lazy. The lifestyle that I grew up in was given to me because of my hard working family. We have never been “lazy”. If you think that working two jobs to support your family and working from the age of 16 to help your parents out with something is lazy, then YES we are lazy. My heart is broken whenever I hear racist jokes, not only about Mexicans, but about any race. We should all embrace our differences and come together. How can we expect others not to be racist or prejudice against us, when we ourselves do the same. If you talk about other cultures and expect them not to talk about yours, we have a problem.

Now, to my second point. What is a Mexican supposed to look like. My sisters and I are a perfect example of how different Mexicans can look. My sisters are very fair skinned and I have more of an olive undertone. I have cousins with blonde hair and my great-grandfather had a green and a blue eye. So again I ask you…WHAT does a Mexican look like. These generalizations need to stop.

And people don’t take this the wrong way I am not bashing anyone, but instead asking you all to look around you, enjoy, and grasp the beauty of this countries diversity. So next time you feel like saying “you don’t look….insert race here…..” stop yourself and take in the beauty of being unique.

Love. Live. Learn.

Women are being killed daily and justice is not being seen by their mothers and family members. There are numerous sites out there that explain the problem more in depth, but Amnesty International summed up the problem of “Las Mujeres de Juarez” pretty well and added what you can do to help as well. So without further ado, here is the link and some videos on the issue. 

Justice Needs to be Served! 

Here is the Website: 

http://www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/juarez.html

all rights go to JourneyMan Pictures 

To view more videos you can go here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=340D654607B7EACD&search_query=the+city+of+lost+girls

The film is available on dvd, which an be ordered here:
http://www.illegalart.net/webshop/sec…
it can also now be viewed online here:
http://panleft.net/cms/ontheedge

<3 God. <3 People. <3 You. 

Just <3 THE WORLD.

These thoughts that are rushing through my mind, this gift called time. 
There are minutes and hours and day and months. Time goes by so fast yet so slow, I wait for the day when I can see my saviors face. 
I long for the touch of his warm embrace. 
The comfort that comes from his loving grace. 
I cry, I laugh, I sing all because of the mercy he brings. 
My soul longeth and my heart yearneth only for the pleasures that come from the one who knows me like no other. 
He knows my insides and my outs, he sees my troubles and my doubts. 
He calms me, he soothes me, his warmth caresses the part of my heart that can only be filled by his love. 
The void that takes toll of me when I forget to notice him, can only be filled when I call out to him. 
My mind is a blur, mere words can’t describe what I’m feeling inside. Its like a cleansing of my soul, its like a love I’d never known. 
He knows me
He really knows me. 
The parts that I hide, that I keep inside. 
He reads me. 
He opens my book, and knows every page by memory. 
He enamores me, with pages and pages of love letters just for me so different and unique. 
He fills me. 
He fills me with joy and happiness in moments of sadness and brokeness. 
Every move, every word, every thought.  
He knows me. 
He knows just how to console me. 
The hurt, the pain, its not the same after I call out his name in victory. 
He knows me. 
He molds me. 
He makes me who I am. 
I am nothing without the man. 

The Light 

So I look up and I see the light,
Its shining pretty bright,
But its his face that takes me to a place 
Of calmness and peace. 
He whispers in my ear and I can’t fight back the tears, 
Of joy pure wonder and amazement I pause and take it all in, 
I don’t want it to stop, this moment, I want to hold it, forever, enjoy it. 
He touches my face and gives me a warm embrace and I feel safer than ever before. 
I hit the floor, I bow and I worship, I want him to know that my love for him is greater than ever before. 
I was distracted, my mind played tricks on my heart and I lost part in who is truly the lover of my soul, the one I’ve always known. 
But still he holds me, consoles me, after turning my back, he still loves me. 
The love he gives is nothing like this world could ever give me, I was fooled, emotions that made me believe that I was in need of a man to complete me. 
When all along he was there, waiting for me to give myself completely. 
I love him. I can say it again and again. I love him. With all of my heart not part of it, I love him fully. 
He gave me more than anyone who could ever try to pursue me. 
His love is amazing, the stars and the sky can’t compare to the look in my eyes when I realized that even after all the lies he still loves me. 
He loves me, his love is so undeserving, yet he still gives me the thrill of knowing that he will always be there. 
I love him. And I am ready to show him. 
To give him all my hear and be set apart 
From the rest who are still confused and unread to be used. 
I’m ready. 
If you can use anything Lord you can use me. Believe me. Hear me when I say that who I am today is all because of ur grace and the warm embrace every time u take me back to that place I never thought I would be able to see again. 
The joy I feel is so unreal and I wish that everyone could know all there is to know about the God who fills that void in my soul. 

Beat of my Heart

My heart sings a song. 
The beat, the melody, together so strong. 
The ballad it plays joins together in ways 
So hard to explain, but to those who have gained the love that he shares can simply dance with one another as a choir united and fighting to be who he wants us to be. 
In love, a family, one body formed piece by piece a work of art so fine and exquisite I can’t help but share the joy it projects and injects into the souls of those who yearn for the same kind of peace that is in us. 
Dance. Sing. To the sound of my feet. The tune of the beat that is my heart. It plays, softly but strong the song that my savior has composed inside of me. I am victory. 
It skips suddenly, it stops momentarily , but starts back abruptly because the life that is inside it never lies the fire never dies, but there are times it simply sparkles. This is when we have to come back to light it again with that fire we call the light. 
Night and day are only specs of time that can only describe moments, but not the divine. No. He is something else, he is so much more. Try to reach him, he is the goal, his throne is the finish line and I want to score. Give me a place, keep me on pace, let this beat not loose rhythm. 
Keep the music going, feel my heart pouring, exploding with the notes filled with hopes and dreams that can only come from one king. He is he. He is who he is. The one. The only. Father. Creator. The instrument. The drums. The beat that my heart makes. The rhythm it plays.

I am no writer, but this is my heart on fire, when my mind wonders, words fill it, and all my mouth can do is just spill it. These were just a couple of times I had to write down what I was thinking, it may not make sense to some, but I promise the words that came out where words that my heart spoke out. It may not be good, but its real. So enjoy. 

<3 God. <3 People. <3 You. 

here is a video of N.E.R.D at DePaul for all you HipHopHeads. Get at it. 

Peace for now. <3 God. <3 People. <3 You.

I also recently recieved a text message aka MMS from a high school senior, very enthusiastic because school was over. I didn’t mean to scare her, but it got me thinking about some things. I realized that it wasn’t graduating from high school or going into college that made me realize I had to grow up. I don’t know what it was about the number 20 that just did it. The moment I turned 20 as a sophmore in college I realized it was all UP hill from there. I was a full time student, part time Intern, and Full time believer. Life was busy, but life was and is still good. I realized that life was not going to be as easy as it was in high school or even as a freshman in college. To me 20 indicated me being a “Grown Woman”. I was no longer a child nor a teen, I was an adult and the zero behind that two made it that much clearer. I am not afraid of what is to come, I am not scared to be grown up, I am ecstatic, excited, and waiting for it all to happen. YAY!!! God is going to mold me into the woman he wants me to be, and I will try my hardest to follow his steps closely on that road that will lead me into becoming the ME he wants me to BE.

<3 GOD. <3 PEOPLE. <3 YOU.