{Houston Area Women's Center} #stoptheviolence

Many may not know this about me but I have witnessed violence in the home first hand. {I don't plan on giving out details, when it happened I told many people in hopes that it would ease the pain, I went to church, I spoke to my Boyfriend-He is now my Husband, I wrote about it, I cried about it, I thought about dying at my own hands over it. It was not the best time in my life but I also don't want to harm those whom I love with details or remembering what was. I lived through it. I survived and so did she.}

I was going to post about this regardless but with what happened on Friday I decided to make it a mini-series on my Blog. #stoptheviolence

Domestic Violence of any form is a difficult and tramautizing experience. Trust me. I have been there. In the dark with the thought of, what if I just stop breathing, it will stop the pain. After years of it and fed up, I was grown and after feeling powerless at one point in my life, I had suddenly gained strenght, wisdom, age and courage. Courgae that was built after years of horrifiying stories, first hand accounts, and one call to the HAWC. I stood in a room, with the adrelanie rush and telling my story of intervention, prevention and attempting to save a life. I then found myself in a waiting room on Montrose. Could this be real? ME. I was living this. With a loved one. So much pain. So many terrify events. The emotional. The physical. The abuse on so many levels. The pain on a level I never knew I could reach.

After days, weeks and months of healing...now years... the pain, empowerment. The memories, my strength and my courage. I will never, NEVER allow this to happen to a loved one EVER. Again.

Which is why I am here now. Telling you that if you are suffering ANY kind of abuse you too can overcome, survive and heal.

3 weeks ago I was invited to attend the taping of Great Day Houston. I sat in the audience and a first hand account of what live TV is like. It was exciting and an awesome opportunity. But, I wasn't sure if anyone else was there for the same reason that I was. I had survived violence in the home. I was there to assist in representing the Houston Area Women's Center, we wore red. The color of pain and hope when you live through and survive what I have see, heard and lived. I felt honored. Humbled. And, an amazingly overwhelming feeling to have been able to put YEARS of violence behind me. Years of silence in the open. It's a freeing sitiuation.










I am here today to ask you to donate and help in any way possible for an extremenly good cause. One that saved my life and that of my loved ones. One that has restored my faith in life, love and marriage.

I thank the Houston Area Women's Center for one day holding our hand and giving us hope.

I thank Frida for the opportunity and allowing me to be a part of something so great and simple as to sit and represent a cause and for a place that one day harvested safety and new hope for those of us who have lost it.

Go to the following links to help the HAWC::HERE:: and ::HERE::
Go to the following link to learn more about Frida ::HERE::

If you need help getting out of a violent situation and are scared to move forward know that the person hurting you will never hurt you if you stop giving them the power to do so. ::CLICK HERE FOR HELP::

Prayers for those in pain.

Momma Disclosure: This is not a compensated OR sponsored post. This is however a subject that is very near and dear to my heart which is why I chose to share it.  The above statements are both true and actual experiences.

{Self-Control} with Grace ♥

......the ability to exercise restraint or "control" over one's feelings, emotions, reactions, etc.

When it comes to speaking to others I want to teach my children that it's always best to speak with honesty and clarity to a persons face. It's not about being confrontational but about being open minded and open hearted.

It's always best to let others know how you feel instead of bottling up feelings and emotions, fears and anger. I have always been about speaking to others with truth no matter how painful but remain in faith and love. I allow my emotions to get the best of me sometimes, yes, but I never lie. What's the use in lying, the truth always comes out. Why get caught lying when I can just speak up in the moment. I'd rather be known for being brutally truthful that an awful liar? I think.

Why am I going on about this? Because just recently we had a moment of turmoil in our family. We sat down spoke openly about how we felt about one another,what we thought each one could work on and were just real and raw about our problems and current situation. When it was all said and done, feelings may have been hurt but respect was gained. We now knew where one another stood. Yet, Love was spoken so we knew that what needed to come next was compromise. We told one another that we would give each other time and space and that we would give support in our decisions. Love was gained and respect was felt.

I love having heart to hearts with others, you realize that their fears are just as big as yours and you are reminded how imperfect we all are and how much God can help us learn through one another{s} experiences. I do this with friends and family a like. It never fails..if the relationship is meant to be, it flourishes, if it isn't then God knew why. Being open minded and open hearted is about respect and maturity in our faith and in ourselves.

God has taught me through MANY a failure that sometimes you give people time and space and allow his Grace and Favor to fill in the blanks. Other times you speak up and keep everything out in the open. And other times, you simply remain. Remain in silence and wait on God. Sometimes. That's all it takes. Always standing firm in our beliefs, morals and standards never giving in to the world but instead falling for GRACE and Love. {God's Love and His Grace!}

It's true..when you don't stand for anything you fall for everything... it's about being open minded, open hearted and listening to both sides of the story not just the one that is more convenient to your well being.

I know, the truth hurts. Sometimes more than others. But, we survive...we overcome.

{I wasn't going to post this...seemed too personal... but I just felt like maybe someone had to hear it..and it would some how help them, work through the feelings?}

{Silence on a Sunday} ♥

Our home is filled with noise and chaos most everyday....In reality, all day everyday. It's OK we've learned to love it, embrace it and talk over it. Ha. {If you come to our home...be ready to speak loudly and listen attentively.}

There are rare occasions like today when silence is golden and we bask in it's well, silence.This morning the Hubby had to take a quiz for one of his classes. So, I turned the television down. Took the kids into their room to clean up toys and sit and play. For that moment. For those minutes. For those seconds. There was silence. A Daddy dedicated to school {and his family}working at the computer, a Momma sitting on the floor picking up toys and playing. There was silence. There was peace.

In this silence; healing, restoration, words, faith, peace and Love. God spoke to me with His words of patience and Truth. It was nice. The silence. His words spoken so loud above the silence. His peace felt in this home. His embrace around my heart. That constant reminder that yes I am human, yes I have made mistakes, but we shouldn't judge one another and instead forgive, especially when long term friendships and family ties are at stake. Love is a constant reminder of my imperfections and His Grace and His Favor. On this silent morning I pray that my family and I are covered with both...Favor and Grace...that we are virtuous not perfect but standing firm in our beliefs and moving forward to a better place. The truth. Not popularity. That's what God has placed in my heart for this week.... Truth. Grace. Favor.

I pray. I have faith. God is good and He will restore...in this silence on a Sunday..His day... His Word. It fills me with Hope. It fills me with Love. It gives me peace. Faith and  forgiveness, I am not perfect. I am faith-filled. And, yes, I am Loved. 

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

 ¹ There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:  ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

{Grace} ♥

My husband’s favorite word is virtuous. {"Connie be virtuous", he says} He uses it a lot. Mine is Grace or Favor. Either way, we show our virtue by being graceful. I love talking to my Husband about our Faith, about Faith in general and about what we believe. He always has the best, most direct and open insight. We grew up differently and it’s so true that opposites attract. We are night and day. He has given me new confidence, a better meaning of courage, and definitely a more open EYED view on life! He taught me not to be so gullible and not to believe in everyone or everything they tell me. He taught me to really get to know people before I said how amazing they were! I was young and naive, still some days are not good in that aspect. Oh well. Such is life and we learn.


Well, today I received one of my usual daily inspiration emails from The Daily Love Blog and this was part of the Blog:

“Sometimes our biggest problem is the greatest act of Grace. What seems like horror, terror or really bad luck is the event that we needed in order to heal our wounds, step out into our power and then use our experience, strength and hope to help other people come out of their darkness. Grace can feel like a soft feather and sometimes Grace can be a kick in the teeth (or worse).”

I thought that was so perfectly described. Some days I feel like my grace has been enough and sufficient for others to realize that what I say and do is from my heart and not to hurt. I am what I think and I wear it on my lips… I know not good but it’s true. I talk. A lot. About it all. Hence, the blog. Then there are days when I am so humbled and at times humiliated that I don’t feel like I have done enough to win back truth and reputation. But, guess what? Yep you guessed it…such is life. These things have to happen….for me to grow, to learn and to heal. I realize every day that, I am not perfect, that people are not perfect and that life may never be perfect. What I do know is that I can strive to be a BETTER ME {there is that two letter word again...ME. I think it's the 2012 theme..to be a better ME, to worry about ME not so much others... selfish maybe but I think it's necessary at times...}, every day in every way! That’s what I want for 2012!

Yes, it’s only day 5, but I feel a lot MORE confident this year than I did last year…no matter what discoursing words {or gestures; as my Husband learned a couple of nights ago that a shrug of the shoulders can be worth a thousand words…} people send our way, no matter what setbacks or disappointments life may bring…life goes on! AND YES. Such is life, that we must MOVE FORWARD. NO.MATTER.WHAT.EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

I was feeling a little blue over New Year’s Eve, but this New Year has just really allowed me to MOVE on and LIVE MY LIFE; with my Husband and my children. Life is beautiful and worth living. We just have to work at it every day past others and what they may or may not think about you. I am fully inspired to be inspired and inspire this year!

{I know you may be thinking..."Whoa Connie slow down...day 5 and already you are in that change the world mode?" Well it's that kind of a year..it's that kind of a week..I WANT IT TO BE THAT KIND OF A FUTURE FOR MY LITTLE FAMILY! I have the BEST most POSITIVE feeling EVER about TEAM GOMEZ and Oh the places we will go.... ONLY GOD KNOWS!}

grace.

I want it.

I need it.

I breath it.

I love it.

GRACE!

Make it a GRACE FILLED day!

Role Models.

{Praise & Worship Wednesday}

As a child I looked up to many, many women in my life, as an adult, it's the same. I don't think I ever expected anyone to look up to me.

That's changed now. I have children. I have a daughter. I want her to love me and admire me for who I am. For whom God has made me to be. BUT, I always remind others, that I am in the end...HUMAN. I do make mistakes. I do talk too much and I do put my foot in my mouth!

I was so convicted last night when my Husband pointed out a fault in my tongue last week. My questions are....How? How do you apologize after you've stepped out of your comfort zone, only to put your foot in your mouth? How do you speak your mind without judging? How do you let it all go? I am not only reminded of scripture and call for grace and redemption... but I am also reminded of that song...from John Mayer...."My Stupid Mouth"...and I feel horrible.

So, I pray.

James 3: 5-10
Taming the Tongue
5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by human beings, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Ephesians 4:29-30

Instructions for Christian Living
29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

And, I change...