Day Twenty: Louie

**I have been given full permission to share this with you. :) Sorry, it's kind of long.

Can I take a day to tell you Louie's story? You know he's one of my favorite topics. I respect him more than any other person on this planet. He is my hero and I want to tell you how he came to know Jesus.

Louie grew up in LA. He spoke only Spanish until he went to kindergarten. He grew up in the Catholic church and went through Catechism and took his first Holy Communion.

In Jr. High, Louie began to be interested in gangs. He was drawn to the idea of being a part of something...to be included. He did not have a good relationship with his own father and the gangs offered him an escape from his home life and dysfunction.

When Louie was eleven or twelve years old he started drinking alcohol. At thirteen he used marijuana for the first time. This snowballed into a lifestyle of alcoholism and experimental drug usage that lasted well over fifteen years.

LA in the seventies was a crazy place. During these years, Louie transitioned from the Cholo gang to a fraternity of Chicano friends. These terms are pregnant with meaning, but I don't have time or space to define them for you. Just click on the links if you want to know more about what they mean. During this time Louie and his friends were heavy into the LA clubbing scene. This lifestyle included a lot of violence because they were usually in the wrong place at the wrong time. Testosterone mixed with women, drugs and alcohol became a recipe for many, many violent encounters.

It is a miracle that Louie was not killed during this time of his life. Not only was he involved in violence but he also drove while drinking. He totaled his car and spent a night in jail for a DUI.

His life deteriorated to the point that he could not get high anymore. No matter how much alcohol he drank or how many drugs he put into his system, he could not numb his pain. Louie realized that he would end up dead if something didn't change. So he enrolled himself in rehab and got clean and sober.

The first years of sobriety, Louie focused on becoming a healthy member of society. During all the years of alcohol and drug abuse, Louie was still able to keep a stable job as an operations manager. But he was not a good employee. Now he focused on working hard and making a good living. He tried to become a good person.

After four years of being clean and trying to be good, Louie began to have thoughts that the sober life was no better than being drunk. In AA they have a term for this, it's called being a "Dry Drunk."It means that nothing other than the lack of alcohol had changed. It was just a matter of time before he took another drink. He acknowledges now that if he had taken that drink, he would probably be dead.

At this time a follower of Jesus began working at Louie's company. She was different than anyone Louie had ever met. She was free. He knew immediately that she did not live under the same "rules" that he lived under. She invited him to a small group in our fellowship.

Louie began attending our fellowship. At first we all thought he hated small group. He would sit in a corner with his arms crossed and scowl at us. You know he can be intimidating. :) But little by little we began to see that he was looking for Jesus. Or more accurately that Jesus was pursuing him. Louie speaks of being drawn to believers and to the Word of God. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He knew in his spirit that the truth of what he looked for in Cholos and Chicanos was in this vagabond broken group of follower's of Jesus.

One time we played volleyball as a small group and Louie couldn't remember which park we had decided to play in. He shares how he was frantic to get to us. Not because of playing volleyball, but because he wanted to be around people that followed Jesus.

We all shared with Louie many times. He wanted to follow Jesus but at first he struggled with the idea of becoming a follower. Did this mean he had to turn his back on his family and heritage? To be Mexican is to be Catholic. What happens when you stop being Catholic? Do you stop being Mexican? It was a real struggle at first. But the more Louie read God's Word, the more he wanted Jesus.

Finally, on July 25, 1993, Louie gave his life to Jesus in the Baker's Square on Beverly Blvd. He and our pastor had gone to lunch together after church one Sunday and there on that crowded Sunday afternoon, Louie knew his Savior.

Many changes happened after that. Louie cleaned out his apartment of paraphernalia he was still holding onto. He sold an extensive gun collection (reminders of the violence) and began to make amends and ask forgiveness of those he had hurt.

The most confusing part for his parents was when Louie was baptized. They were unsure and hurt by his turning away from Catholicism. But they could not deny the huge changes they saw in his life.

One of the hardest things for Louie was to quit smoking. It took him three months of throwing away cigarettes and then returning to them again and again. He went back and forth until he completely released them to Jesus.

Louie forgave his father. He reconciled his relationship with his older brother who he hadn't spoken to in several years. And he told his family all about his relationship with Jesus.

The prevailing thought was, I have been forgiven so much. How can I not forgive anyone else?

"Even though I was once...a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life."  (I Tim 1:13-16)

Anyone who knows Louie now, knows that he is the gentlest and kindest of men. The Lord has redeemed what was death and He has given Louie life. Jesus is his life.

I pray Louie's story is an example to you of Jesus' mercy and patience. There are none too far gone that the grace of Jesus cannot reach them.

Love from the islands,
Twyla

Day Thirteen: Chasing Jesus

"I run in the paths of your commands for you have set my heart free." (Psalm 119:32)

This verse has become, over the years, our family theme. It is what we fall back on whenever we are facing difficult choices and decisions. We first used it to help us make the decision to come to Southeast Asia.

The tsunami of 2004 devastated many parts of Southeast Asia. Louie was glued to the television set that Christmas night of 2004. His heart was torn and broken over the loss of life and physical destruction. But what could we do sitting in Los Angeles? There was a need for immediate action and we were stuck in middle class American life. Three weeks after the tsunami Louie was on a plane to Southeast Asia.

Why? What could possibly motivate a man to pick up and leave like that? Only Jesus can do that. Only following Him with all you have can cause grown people to change their entire lives and redirect all their efforts.  In our family we call it, "Chasing Jesus." Whenever there is a call to do something that is beyond ourselves or our ability, we call each other to, "run in the paths of His commands for He has set our hearts free." We want to live in a constant state of gratefulness that causes the hardships or trials of following Him to dim in the presence of His glorious grace in our lives.

"Chasing Jesus," doesn't that sound fun? I imagine playing "Chase" with Jesus. He's laughing and running to broken person after broken person looking to see if we will follow Him in this marvelous adventure. Will we camp on the beach in a broken part of the tsunami devastation? Will we get eaten up by bugs and be taken advantage of by those we trust in the culture? Yes! Because we chase Him. We long to continue on the adventure with Him.

These verses have also set in motion a desire to not "straddle the fence" of obedience. Many times I find myself looking at the other side...you know the "grass is greener," other side. I know Jesus has called me to this side of the fence, but boy, that other side can sure look good. This life of always wanting the other side can be life-draining. If I am lingering at the fence looking at what I want instead of running in His commands I am missing that great adventure of His path. I want to leave the fence and run as far as I can in His commands. Why? Because He has set my heart free.

What waits for me at the end of the path? Jesus! "...set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." I see glimpses of Him and it moves me forward..."Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9, 13)

Do my writings seem like "pie in the sky" sometimes? I worry about that. That you will think I am just an emotional, crazy person. But then verses like the one above remind me that I AM out of my mind and that I do love Him and am filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. My inadequate words are just the tip of the iceberg of trying to describe what is inexpressible.

Love from the islands,
Twyla

Day Eleven: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word

I'm going to take a break from my usual format today. Enjoy!

Oh my word! This video by bball1989 has gone viral on facebook. This is why we boast in weaknesses...

"Spent my whole life building this facade of neatness but now that I know Jesus I boast in my weakness."

What is Jesus doing with this truth? It's going viral because we are tired of pretending that we have it all together. We can't do it anymore. We need Jesus.

"I don't have to hide my failure, I don't have to hide my sin. Because it doesn't depend on me. It depends on Him."

Many people have given up finding hope for their lives. Let's shout it from the mountain tops. There is hope in Jesus!

"Religion says do. Jesus says done. Religion says slave. Jesus says son. Religion puts you in bondage while Jesus sets you free. Religion make you blind but Jesus makes you see."

Enough said. "Jesus sets you free."

Love from the islands,

Twyla

Day Three: Exactly One Year Ago Today

So, good news. I started my detox, healthy eating plan yesterday. For me that means eating lots more fruits, veggies, and protein and leaving out the sugary carbs like bread, tortillas and rice. The rice is the hardest part as we live in an Asian country. It's served with everything. I could actually write a whole blog about what I eat everyday, but that sounds kind of boring to me.

Instead I want to write about my "weight weakness." Surprised? Another weakness! Maybe this will be a weakness blog. Haha! Everyday I will write about one weakness or another. Hmmm...I'll need to think on that. ANYWAY, I have been overweight most of my life. There have been times here and there that I have worked out like crazy every day and eaten very little. I lose weight. Then I gain weight. It comes and it goes. I have yet to find a sustainable system for keeping it off. It has been a source of much angst and drama. I went through an entire season of guilt and hating myself. I have tried every diet (seriously, EVERY DIET known to man) and studied every food related Bible study I could get my hands on. I have single handedly given a life of luxury to the CEO of Thomas Nelson with all my purchases of diet/bible materials.

Those materials informed me that gluttony was a sin and that I was a sinner for overeating. They informed me that I could eat whatever I wanted, that all foods are good in God's sight. Just eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed and you will lose weight. They taught me that if you stay in God's Word and pray everyday you will have the strength to overcome. All of these are true. And yet... In my sinful nature I held onto things like, "You're a sinner, you glutton!" or my favorite, "Eat whatever you want, it's all good in God's sight." Haha! Notice I forgot about the until your satisfied not stuffed part. I would swing from legalism to freedom abuse. And the guilt mounted.

In my desperation, exactly one year ago today, I reached out to a ministry in our home fellowship in LA. It is a ministry of prayer. Their focus is on concentrated prayer for freedom. It was only prayer...only prayer...only talking to Jesus on my broken, desperate behalf. Prayer. Talking to Jesus. So simple and yet so wonderful.

Don't get me wrong. I had prayed a gazillion times before for freedom from my gluttony. It wasn't until that night, however, that Jesus began to open my eyes to how the evil one was turning truth into lies. The voice of criticism and disapproval I was listening to was not from Him. I was holding on to the condemnation so tightly that I couldn't hear the hope. He was not calling me, "Gutton!" He calls me, "Free!" Because He "calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom 4:17) Praise Him! You could also say, "He calls things that are (glutton) as though they were not (free)." Oh how I love Him. I am so thankful for the hope of truth.

Why were my eyes opened to the truth THAT night? I don't know. I know when two or more pray together Jesus promises He will be there with them. Corporate, biblical prayer is powerful.

Now, after a year of freedom am I skinny? Ha! No. But I am still free. I am free from being consumed with food. I am free from worrying about food. I am free from the hours of guilt ridden self-codemning prayer. What a waste of time. What I do have is the motivation to keep trying, to keep exercising and to start my detox eating plan.  I am so grateful to my Jesus.  He does transform us and make us more like him.

Love from the islands,
Twyla :)

P.S.  I love you guys!  Thanks for all the encouraging words.  Please let me know your thoughts as this will be an ever changing blog.