Restored and Renewed in Panama!

The good thing about having just enough is that you have no choice but to lean on God each and every day for EVERYTHING. Each day has its challenges, sacrifices and roadblocks but God makes a way!

It’s hard to believe how much my life has changed in the last 18 months. I left behind my cushy, comfy life in Northern California. Not just any place in California, but maybe one of the best places to live in the United States. I’m not kidding - ask anyone about Danville…crème de la crème! It’s a heavenly bubble! I have never felt so safe and protected in my life. We had a beautiful home, nice cars, and lots of money that afforded us all-things good. We had easy accessibility to San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Carmel-by-the-sea (it is heaven on earth…look it up), Pacific Coast Highway, Berkeley, Silicon Valley…I could go on and on but you get the point. Who wouldn't want to live there and why on earth would anyone leave here? I know - my thoughts exactly.

Al felt called after prayer to work and serve here in Panama. This story is a post all on its own. This was a year plus in the making and like anything else, it was super exciting. Who wouldn't want an opportunity to live abroad? We survived Japan, surely we could manage Central America. I knew nothing about Panama except it had a canal. It wasn't on my list of places to visit nor did I know of anyone who has lived there, much less visited. I saw the pictures online, YouTube videos and I was sold! It’s PARADISE!!! Anyway, God had given me peace about changing our lifestyle. We would live a simple life and travel throughout Central and South America! Yay Patino family!

I soon realized after 3 months that this wasn't for me. It rained and rained and rained. I like sun…a lot of sun.  I ruined all my expensive leather sandals and constantly sweated like a pig. The humidity was killing me…downright embarrassing. Keep in mind I came from Northern CA where we had free AC and cool weather 8-10 months out of the year. By the time December came I missed my fall/winter clothes, boots and scarves. I missed the clean, fresh air. I missed my peaceful drives to Berkeley. I missed all the conveniences that the U.S. offers. Dear God, what have we done?

When you've moved as often as we have, you develop a mentality that nothing will bother you. Been there, done that. Well not this time. I was terrified to drive. Break lights are optional here…I’m not exaggerating. People cross the road right in front of you with no notice. Cab drivers are aggressive and never paying attention to their surroundings. Meanwhile murdercycles (my dad has always called them this) are weaving in and out and you just wonder if they are going to make it out alive. Dear God, help us!

God was working in me and through me as I felt the walls closing in. Al’s job was questionable. He was figuring out things and God was revealing lots of issues that needed immediate attention. It was hard. With no bonuses coming in, I needed to find work but God knew I needed a heart-lift. He was stripping me of all my comforts, including a job. I realized that my identity was in my old lifestyle and money. I had neither here. He then showed me that those comforts sustained me. I filled every void with something because I had the money and means to patch it up. God wanted my heart to bleed out. He wanted me to lean and rely ONLY on Him. I was dying. Jesus, I need you! 

I never shed so many tears in my life. This was the death to Lisa in the flesh. I fought and fought and prayed and prayed to be rescued. God kept me in the mud. I had no lifelines but wasn't willing to give up hope on restoring my old life. Two days before the New Year, I emptied all my pain, my hopes and ambitions to Jesus. I begged for a fresh start but He replied so gently, “Lisa, more downward growth.” I AM DEVASTATED!!!! NOOOOOOO! Why Jesus? Why? As I threw my pity party of one, He spoke to me one night. “The wind will blow, the snow will fall and the rain will saturate you but you will sustain (in Me) and weather any storm.” Hallelujah!!!  What a relief. He showed me in a vision a tree with deep roots. I knew this was my tree and my roots growing stronger, wider and deeper in faith, love and prayer. Peace filled my heart and I have never been the same since. Fill me up, God!

I've been on a prayer journey ever since. This has been the craziest, most fulfilling season of my life. I will blog next time how this all began. God is at work. He was connecting hearts, near and far, for His glory. He handpicked a few ladies and you won’t fully understand how awesome God has been to us until you read this story! OK, some of you may already know but those who are skeptical wait for it. By the way, I LOVE Panama!!  He healed, restored and made me new. A better version of Lisa than I could ever imagine. The crazy part is the best is still yet to come. The story continues as He writes my story for His glory! Thank You, Jesus!!

MORE Jesus!

What an amazing year 2015 has been! Every day just reveals more about how sovereign and merciful our God is. How much He loves and cares for every detail in our life. Less of me and more of Him!


For the past week we've been awaiting the news to see if Cecily will be accepted into the Neeley School of Business for Entrepreneurship. Yes, I know, Baylor is ranked #3 but TCU is close behind at #6. With Cecily in their ranks, I see a healthy competition in the near future. Let's just face the fact, Jesus has Texas Christian University's back and pours favor on the faithful!

This had me thinking and praying and asking God in prayer for His blessing over Cecily's future. As I prayed and prayed I realized my prayers were for the big picture. I prayed over the school, over their student body: upcoming, current and alum. I prayed for their teaching and biblical principals that may be lacking in their teaching. I prayed that God pursue the hearts of the professors and leadership and bring them to their knees. MORE JESUS!!

On Sunday during Worship Night at PAINT church, I asked God to have His way in Cecily's life. "She's Yours, King Jesus. Father, pull her hearts strings and have her hunger for You. Lord, may she know You and seek You in everything she does." As I went deeper in prayer I spoke a prayer that could only have been lead by the Holy Spirit. "Father of Heaven and Earth, if Cecily wants this for herself and not to honor You and give You glory, take away this opportunity! Remove it and restore what Your plan is for her." My heart stopped but I knew those words meant truth. Why would I want my daughter to be blessed with something if she desired it more than she desired Jesus?

The next day my stomach was in knots. How do I tell my daughter this? What did I get myself into? I reminded myself to trust in God's plan. Cecily had called me and told me that they had a guest speaker at Gateway Church on Sunday. She said the message was about Jesus, the humble servant. There is nothing more that I want but to align myself to my children and their biblical teaching. I want to have a deeper conversation about the message she received. I want to compare her notes with my notes and share with her what Holy Spirit has put in my heart.

What a message! Dr. Spurling spoke about a time in his life when he finished up his PhD. He said he got his diploma and shared it with his father and his father looked at it and gave it back to him. He so wanted a "good job, son" speech but his dad instead spoke truth into his son. He said, "Son, fold up that diploma, put it in your back pocket and let no one know you have it. If you need a piece of paper to validate who you are then you're not worth much. If you want someone to be impressed with your credentials, then you have some other issues. If you want someone to look at you and admire you because of something extra...if its not the quality of your character that attracts them, then you're not much of a man and I don't want a son who acts that way." WOW!! I needed to hear this. This was confirmation of what Holy Spirit spoke to my heart on Sunday. How cool is our Father? He gave this message to my daughter, His daughter on the same day!! What am I worried about? God has this covered! MORE JESUS!!

Today we received the wonderful news that she has been accepted!! Yes I'm happy and proud of her but she is more than the school she attends and the degree she's aiming for. Ultimately, I want Jesus to qualify her with the gifts and talents He has blessed her with. I want her to pursue what God places in her heart that will honor Him all the days of her life. Even though she was born to teenage parents, she was made for more! More of His love for the poor and orphans! More of His mercy and grace! More of His compassion for the weak and weary! More of His vision! More time on her knees! More Holy Spirit! More surrendering to His Lordship! MORE JESUS!!

Cecily is finally home!

After 24 LONG hours, Cecily has finally arrived to Panama! To express the amount of stress we endured yesterday can't be fully written. Cecily waited patiently on stand-by for a flight to end up being denied a seat five times. All the tears I cried at work (it was embarrassing) to Al being on the phone with United to try to do something was all out of faith. What parent just sits there and does nothing?

A day later with better perspective, I have to thank God for His love and protection for my daughter - His daughter. In situations like yesterday I had no choice, in all my weakness, but to pray and trust God had a plan. My prayer was simple and I extended this request to all my sisters. These ladies are prayer warriors so I knew Cecily was covered and God could hear the shouts of these bold, courageous women. We were circling this prayer with unwavering faith. After the 3rd flight, I was begging God for ONE SEAT to Houston. Yes, one seat to Houston but I failed to specify on a plane. We'll get to that point eventually.

Meanwhile, God had a different plan that had nothing to do with a plane, but a seat, on a car, to Houston. Our God has a sense of humor! What are the odds of Cecily meeting another TCU student, also flying to Panama for a special NGO event? I know, right! She also missed her flight and was on stand-by for the last five flights. Let's face it, the odds were against them since 6 am when they were told that all flights were fully booked and stand-by was their only option getting to Houston.

God is sovereign! Allegra, the TCU student (a complete stranger) offers Cecily a ride to Houston. Again, I had to trust God in this situation. I immediately felt peace and knew God was in control. It turns out she also offered her a place to stay for the night. Her aunt (another complete stranger), graciously opened her home for a good night's rest. If you were to ask me three plus years ago , I would've flipped out! There is NO WAY my daughter is staying in a stranger's home. In this season of trusting God, I knew this again was a test to my faith.

While they're driving, I ask Al to call United to get her flight details and confirmation sent to us via email. She was scheduled to leave at 9:00 am to Colorado and arrive in Panama at 8:00 pm. He spoke to the representative and realized that the rep that Al spoke to earlier never followed through on her re-booking. My heart stops once again as my husband pleads with the rep to double and triple check. She then says that instead she can offer us a DIRECT FLIGHT leaving Houston a 9:00 am and arriving at 2:20 pm! I praised Jesus for His favor. My Spirit told me since I trusted Him and prayed through this, this was His gift - His great reward for obedience! We looked online before and during this call and this mysterious flight never came available. We were confused in some sense but realized in the supernatural, it's sometimes unseen and we just had to trust this.

The email confirmation came through and her flight was booked as stated via our telephone conversation. She even got a window seat for good measure! Only God could be this gracious for a fully booked flight on a Saturday, during Spring Break. A reminder that nothing is too grand for Him. His ways aren't our ways for a reason.

Cecily landed safely with a big smile on her face. You could imagine my mama heart was melted to touch her, see her face, and tell her how much we loved her. What an honor it is to witness God's love firsthand for our family! To see what He does here on earth for His children. I realized today while praying that my obedience of releasing her to Christ her junior year of high school was all worth it. There is no doubt He has her in the palm of His hand and working out every detail for her perfect story by the perfect author!

Side note: As most of you know, Cecily is super responsible but not perfect. She forgot her passport at her dorm which lead to her missing her first flight. Lesson learned!