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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

Our 1st trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo

Watch out below!

Mommy, Natalia, Josiah and my mom (Grandma Santoro)

Ahhh, the sounds of the 'jungle' put baby Josiah to sleep

Natalia trying to get a good view

Penguins : )

Almost as tall as a baby elephant

Can you spot the tiger in this picture?

What a *great* time we had! It was so much fun : ) Until next time!!

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I am so thankful to share our memories with family and friends who visit our blog. Recently, I decided to share my story here about how my life has changed.

In reading this, please know that I greatly respect what others believe but just wanted to share my own personal story of what happened to me.

I used to always search for the next best thing to make myself happy. When I graduate, when I get married, when I have kids, when I have more money, when I go on vacations...then I will be happy. Until my happiness came from God and I realized He was the next best thing.

I used to think the bible was this big and boring encyclopedia that I could never possibly understand. Until I started reading it. (NIV translation or even "The Message" which is even easier to read).

I used to question what if we really did come from monkeys? Until I realized, if we did evolve from monkeys, than why are there still monkeys? And who created the monkeys? It all turns back to God. Besides, monkeys and apes can live on their own pretty quickly after birth yet humans can't survive on their own at all after birth and not until many many *many* years. Which would mean we would have had to 'evolve' backwards. Which doesn't make sense.

I used to wonder why there was so much trouble in this world? Until I learned that God does not promise there to be no trouble, nor does He promise a long, healthy life here on earth. But what He does promise is eternal life in Heaven.

I used to question if there was proof that Jesus was real. Until I realized that the calender we use today is based on the fact that Jesus was here 2012 years ago.

I used to question if Jesus really did die and then rise from the dead and what that all meant. Until I found the answers to my questions in a book called, "More than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell. By the way, I never read books. Before reading, "More than a Carpenter" the only thing I used to read was magazines. Actually, I wouldn't even read the magazines, I would just flip through the pages and look at clothes and topics. But this book I was able to read in two hours.

I used to think all churches were the same (boring and blah) and they were only for plain boring people with church messages I couldn't understand nor would I want to try because I would much rather be sleeping in on a Sunday!! Oh- and the last thing I wanted to do was have to get dressed up. Until I found the right church for me and met some of the most interesting and amazing people there (and I didn't have to get dressed up at all and wasn't expected too). P.S. The church I found in NJ was "Liquid Church" which has multiple locations in Morristown, New Brunswick and Montclair. In NC we found, "Discovery Church" in Greenville and "Open Door" in Winterville, NC.

I used to think I would go to church once I had my "act together". Until I realized church is just one beggar telling another beggar where the food is.

I used to think I had to go through a Priest to get to God. Until I realized the bible says to go through Jesus. In the same way, if your best friends father was the President of a major company and you wanted a job there, you could easily get to the President because you know his son.

I used to wonder if God thought I was "good". Or if I would ever do enough "good things" to get to Heaven one day? Until I learned that Heaven can not be earned. Instead, it is a free gift from God.

It all started when my now husband told me his story which I will share with you as well because it's part of "my story". He is a Doctor but yet he scored a 720 on his SAT's. So how did that happen?

He was a great wrestler and was 7th in the world in high school (yes, in the "world"). Throughout his wrestling years he was in the emergency room hurt every so often and always looked up to the doctors. He somehow felt that God put it in his heart to become a Doctor but was not sure if that could ever be possible since he did score a 720 on his SAT's and just didn't feel 'smart'.

His parents encouraged him and growing up, his mom and dad believed in him and knew that if he wanted to, one day he could be a doctor and they always told him so. They were very supportive his entire life and told him he could be anything he wanted to be.

Then one day when he was in college at the University of Michigan (there on a full scholarship for wrestling) a student on campus came up to him and his friends and asked if they wanted to go to a bible study. They didn't want to go but Frank decided to show up because he felt bad. And when he did the guy asked Frank a simple question. He asked him what he thought about the bible. -?- Frank had nothing to say. Up until then, he had never read it.

He didn't like the fact that he had nothing to say and became curious. He started reading and studying the bible, started going to church and started questioning everything he read about the bible. He began to look for proof as to why he should even believe it, and found it in a book called, "More than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell (which later he told me about). After reading that book, he decided to dedicate his life to God.

At that point, his life began to change. He was always an amazing guy but now he was just enhanced for God's glory. He didn't become upset over little things and He was happy even during hard times (because he knew God was in control- not him). He also began to pray and one of the things he prayed for was wisdom to become a Doctor. He prayed for months. God answered his prayer.

He says it was as if overnight he became smart. Literally. He was able to understand everything he read and was able to read faster than he ever read before. Today he is not only a doctor but he is one of the few doctors in the country who is training in intensive care for *both* pediatrics and adults.

Also, while Frank was in medical school he actually started a church there that grew to 200 students. How in the world did he start a church, speak every Sunday and still study and get through medical school? God was at work. He then went on to do medical mission trips in third world countries. Again, God was at work through him. I am not writing this to show how 'great' Frank is but rather how great our God is and how He can change our lives. "With God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26.

One of his favorite songs is on our playlist on this blog, (listen to it if you can) it's called, "Over My Head" because when he is working in the hospital he knows that with a 720 on his SAT's one may think he is in over his head but with his parents support and prayers, God made it possible. One day he wants to write a book called, "720".

Enter Michelle. When God brought Frank & I together, I still had a lot of questions about God and the bible (as I explained above).

But in the beginning of our relationship, while we were dating Frank asked me a question. He didn't ask what I thought about the bible (like that guy asked him at U of Michigan). Instead he asked me this question: "Do you think you will go to Heaven and why?" I said, " Of course I will go to Heaven because I am a good person and I do nice things".

He said, "Do you know that it does not say anywhere in the bible that you will go to Heaven if you are a good person and if you do good things?"

"It doesn't?" I said. "Well then what the heck does it say???"

Here are some things I have found:

In this world you will have trouble. JOHN 16:33

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. JOHN 3:16

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.JAMES 1:2

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. JOSHUA 1:9

For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. JEREMIAH 29: 11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your waysacknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. PROVERBS 3:5

Listen to advice and accept instruction and in the end you will be wise. PROVERBS 19:20

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. PROVERBS 16: 3

A friend loves at all times. PROVERBS 17:17.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of god without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. PHILIPPIANS 2: 14.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat: or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes."… "for the pagan world runs after all such things and your father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." LUKE 12: 22

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ESPHESIANS 4:29

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. GALATIANS 5:22

The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.PROVERBS 12;15

Be quick to listen, slow to speak. JAMES 1:9

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ROMANS 3:2

Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. ROMANS 8:39

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.EPHESIANS 2: 8

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

FUN FACTS:

Sir Lionel Luckhoo was named the WORLDS MOST SUCCESSFUL LAWYER. He has rigorously analyzed the historical facts of Jesus's resurrection from the dead and finally declares, "I say unequivocally that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt."

Simon Greenleaf was one of the greatest legal minds America has produced. He was the famous Royall Professor of Law at Harvard University and succeeded Justice Joseph Story as the Dane Professor of law in the same university. While at Harvard, Greenleaf wrote a volume in which he concludes that the resurection of Christ is one of the BEST-supported events in history according to the laws of legal evidence administered in courts of justice.

Reference: "More than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell