Devotional for February 28, 2021

Happy Week, Family!🎉

This week, we praise God for:

💟 Keeping Ruth and her family, Becky, Lynn and their families through the storms in Texas and the subsequent hardships they experienced. We thank Him for His protection, especially over our precious loved ones. Answered prayers! ☂️

💟 Baby Evangeline being able to leave the NICU and go home with her family. 😌 We plead with God to watch over her twin sister, Isabel, while still in the hospital. May He touch her with His healing, that she may soon be able to reunite with Evangeline and start her journey at home. 🙏🏽

💟 The ways He's working in Jackie's life to remind her that He's listening. Also, for protecting her from Covid, in spite of the risk she faces at work daily. 🤲🏼

💟 Bianca shared that her doctors feel very confident that Baby Suri will not need to be induced. Let's keep praying as Bianca's due date is quickly approaching! 🤰🏻

💟 Vasthi is grateful for the great night of sleep she had and for the wonderful Bible Study we enjoyed. She invites everyone to join and to get to know our loving God better.

💟 Granting Olga, Sue's mom, another Birthday after beating Covid earlier this year. (More on this special day in the devotional)🥰

We are also praying for:

🛐 Jaime, Nelson's dad, who had a medical procedure and is awaiting test results. May the Lord intervene and have His say on those results. 🤚🏽

🛐 The family of Vasthi's coworker, Brenda, who passed away last week. Please keep the McNeil Family in prayer through the grieving process.

🛐 Evelyn Solis and her family, as they lost her cousin, Maribel, after a battle with early onset Alzheimers. Pray that the Lord would give Evelyn and the family strength and courage.

🛐 Alejandro, who was deployed this week. May God watch over and protect him and the rest of those aboard the USS EISENHOWER as they serve and protect our country. 🇺🇸

🛐 Nelly and her health. May God protect her and grant her answers to the things the drs don't understand.

🛐 John Vega, whose surgery was postponed until March. Let's keep praying for God's timing and His protection over John.

🛐 María, Jeannie, Charen, Angelina, the Cardonas and all those who were traveling. May God bring them all home safely.

🛐 Liz, the daughter of Nelly's neighbor, Provi. She has been released from the hospital after her battle with COVID, but is still very sick and weak. Also, her mom was admitted to the hospital with fluid in her lungs. It is not related to COVID, but she is seriously ill and in need of prayer.

🛐Vasthi's coworker, Maria, who is recovering from back surgery.

🛐 Anna Ortiz, who was in cancer remission, but the cancer has returned with a vengeance and is now in her bones. Please pray for her during this process. Pray for her family as well!

Tonight's Devotional (And True Story) was submitted by Sue.🧡 What an inspirational way to handle Life's losses.

The Cake Story

We ordered a specialty cake for my Mom’s Birthday at a cute new cozy bakery in North East called “The Green Market at Sweet Spot”. I got the recommendation on Facebook. So my sister and I go into the bakery to pick up the Birthday cake and the girl behind the counter says “There will be no charge for this cake" and handed us a card. Sister and I looked at each other dumbfounded... "What?!"

She went on to explain: "A couple came in today and paid for your cake. This couple had a stillborn birth three years ago and every year on the baby's Birthday, they go to a bakery and pay for a Birthday cake. So, your birthday card has been paid for."

They included a BD card with three dollars, one dollar for each BD their child missed. Of course, we all had tears in our eyes but managed to say, “Thank You”.

What a beautiful remembrance. What a beautiful way to deal with tragedy and still celebrate their beloved child.

I am going to pay it forward, and on John’s Birthday every year, I will pay for someone’s Birthday cake.🎂 I challenge each of you to find a way to bless others in honor of a loved one you are missing. 💛