Thank God for the good and the bad

I thank God for everything that He has allowed to take place in my life. There are some things that were purely my fault and I pursued and allowed those things to happen but in His great love and mercy for me He allowed me to pursue things and people (which is something He has never asked us to do) that should have never happened. But His Love is all that I could think off, His pursuit. God is such a gentleman, such a great teacher, leader but most of all Father. The greatest  Father we could ever put our hope and trust on. 

He will allow certain situations to take place in your life even if it hurts us and Him and our relationship with Him just so that we can get what we wanted end up empty, broken-hearted and see that it is not what we needed. It's not what He created for us it's not what He intended to happen.

God is always trying to protect us it's part of His love and fatherly nature. Correct me if I am wrong because I am not yet a parent, but I am a child with parents who, like God, want what's best for me. Even if that means saying no and taking certain things away from me that might harm me or not be doing me any good. Because of their love for me, they do what they can to protect me from harm and what they know that is not good for me because they know what the outcome can be like or the consequences. (They see a little further on the other side where we can't) 

Likewise with God, He always has our best interest for us so even in the hard and painful times we must trust Him. Before He formed us in our mothers womb He knew us, He predestined us, He had a plan and a purpose for our lives! How crazy is that?! That the very God almighty who created earth and the heavens thought about creating you and me?! It truly is unfathomable when I try to grasp or understand the true meaning that I am wanted, thought for, cared for, planned for, purposed for a perfect God Who makes all things perfect! He created us and He said we were good! He created us to be in relationship with Him and have dominion over the earth that He created. It is truly mind blowing knowing that God loved me before I knew Him or knew He existed, He knew how I would be, He knew my imperfections, my flaws, my shortcomings, my heart, my love for His people, my love for Him, He knew that as soon as He grabbed ahold of this crazy cuban young bitter lady (Lol I'll share my testimony one day) that He would turn my world and life completely upside down because I was crazy enough to believe Him and believe in Him and in Who He created me to be. That knowledge only came through getting to know Him deeper and deeper through His word. His living word in the bible! Yes the 2000+ year old book, so many stories, so many different people that God used to speak to generations and generations to. To change and transform lives like no one else ever could all for Him and His glory because of His great love for us. 

Have you experienced Gods love? Do you still on daily basis? What is it like for you? Share and comment below. Subscribe to receive updates of future posts! 

Remember God loves you like no one else on this earth ever could so imagine that person that you have felt that love from being only a 10% of what Gods love is like.

Love, peace & Grace unto you,

Glendy 🎀

Trusting God in the Quiet / Silent Seaons

As I thought about what to write I guess there is no better thing to talk about than my current season. In quiet seasons we may question where is God, but haven't you noticed that during the tests the teacher is always quiet? That's what this season has felt like, bunch of trials and testing to make sure that my faith is genuine and pure and I am okay with that because I know that I know that I know that my GOD will not allow anything to come my way that I cannot handle so I strap my boots up, pick my chin up high and continue on this journey as this too shall pass my dear friends.

You see if we are not tested how can we be strengthened? How can we have a testimony if WE didn't go through something? GOD IS ABLE! He will see you through it! As long as we keep our eyes and our faith fixed on Him we must know that He will bring us through it! Trust and have faith in the one who enlisted you!Stay encouraged and stay faithful !!

Living on a Prayer ❤️

Because every now and then God hears my prayers and answers them. Yes I did pray to be able to photograph a Quinceanera because that was the first time I had a professional photoshoot and fell in love. So here I am 12 years later as God allows me to be a blessing to others and expand my gifts and talents for His glory as He allows to see me fit. #Thankful beyond words not for the money (because let's face it I don't make any) but for the passion and love that comes from doing this and sharing such special moments in your lives. My God is a gracious God. Grace is undeserved there's nothing that we could do or not do to earn it, it's something that comes from our Heavenly Father. If you learn to receive it you will learn to give it. Grace and Peace be unto you. 🙏🏼🎉😭 #GraciousLivingPhotos #GodsGrace #UndeservedFavor #GodIsGood #AnsweredPrayer #ForThrLoveOfGod #ForGodsGlory #QuincePhotographer #MiamiPhotographer #BrowardPhotographer #quinceañera #quincesmiami #quincesenmiami #quinceprimaveras #coralgables #miami #miamiquincephotographer #miamiblogger #faithfirst #christianphotographer

Challenging times

Tough times don't last... Tough people do. It's been a crazy couple of months. I have been trying to take better care of my self and my health and by that I mean eating healthier leaner and several times throughout the day. Believe it or not it's been challenging for me because for the past 10 years of my adult life I have learned to take care of everything and everyone else around me except myself. I am always going or doing for someone else. I am the woman who leaves her house a mess to go help someone else clean theirs. I'm the woman who will not wash dishes but go to your house and clear your sink out. I am the woman who does not feed herself or cook herself a quick meal but will make a 3 course meal for anyone else. I am learning as I have been listening to one of my favorite teachers of the word (Joyce Meyer) in this amazing teaching which I recommend to anyone and everyone called Good Health, Good Life: 12 Keys to Enjoying Physical and Spiritual Wellness https://www.amazon.com/dp/1478983086/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZyttzbCRHHYYM she goes into depth as to different reasons why we do not take care of our health or our selves at times. For me I found out that since my body causes me pain all the time (migraines, neck pain & back pain) (Arnold Chiari malformation) google that lol! My spine is basically longer than its supposed to be so because of that it is always running with the bottom of my skull which gives me all the pain but I am learning if I don't eat well or drink enough water or work out I feel worse. Now that I know this, I have found myself finding excuses as to why not to do any of the above mentioned that I know works. Let's say I do it for 2-3 days see some results then stop and go back to the same thing. It's bananas!!! 

https://youtu.be/QGxEAuXR6p8

That's me :) I should probably do this more often. #vlog 

Being aware is not enough.

What does it take for us to truly do something about a problem? Obviously being aware is not enough. I found out recently that I neglect myself, I don't take care of myself and my basic needs like eating, showering, taking care of my own home, but I am able to take care of everything and everyone else, not great if I may be honest but I do it. However the bible speaks about doing things in excellence so since that is my reference point in the Bible because I chose to follow Christ I am a Christian therefor a follower of Christ therefore I follow what the Bible says I shall be living in excellence, I should be living a life of excellence, everything that I do should be done in excellence. Therefore things done halfway or sort of good or kind of are not good enough, that's not the way that I was called to live so I just wanted to share with you that knowing the problem is not good enough we must act on it and do something to change it to take the steps into making a difference so that things can be different.

EDIT;

I have been trying to take better care of myself, my eating and health now I just pray I keep it up :)
I also posted my first live youtube video for my channel! so excited I will share the link and start posting once a week God willing, Now off to edit photos I go ;)

Love, peace & blessings!

The hurt within the pain

That sad weird moment when people judge you because they sadly don't understand you.

What can I say other then you haven't walked a mile in my shoes and I honestly don't want you to because I don't want you to experience the pain that I've gone through the pain that I have to deal with or the debilitating pain that I go through on a daily basis emotionally, mentally and physically. 

Just know that I love you and that although you don't understand why I do what I do it's not okay to judge me or mistreat me or treat me like I am any less than you because it hurts me, I am human and have feelings too and like it hurts you when I'm doing something that you think is hurting me, please know in a way it is helping me, but it actually hurts me when you don't understand how it is helping me. 

Self love is not selfish.

How can I say I love myself yet not take care of basic needs I have, constantly keep neglecting myself because I keep giving and giving to others and leaving myself and my needs for last.

It is something that I have come to terms with that I have to work on because no one can love me better than I love me, no one else can do a better job of taking care of myself so I must do it. There's no one, no one can take care of you the way you can take care of you. 

Picture is a throwback of young Glendy in Cuba celebrating my 7th Birthday I believe. Had no idea what this world was going to be like or what my life would turn out to be like. I acquired this gem this past January as I was in Cuba back at the motherland at my grandmothers house, it was such a sweet time. I loved everything about going back, yes I was now going back as an adult, I hadn't been there or seen my family in 12 years so it was truly amazing, heart warming and eye opening seeing things differently. I loved it so much I am going back in May God willing for my cousins son's birthday! I am beyond thankful that I get to go visit them and spend time with them as the family grows and love them and receive their genuine warm love! 

I'll leave you with some pictures because I have to practice what I preach and I have to make breakfast since I just work up so I can continue to feel good and energized to do everything this beautiful day has to offer! 

Much love & peace, 

Glendy Rocha

On the way to Grandmas House in La Coloma, Pinar deal Rio, Cuba

Finally reunited with my Designer/Artist cousin who inspired me and helped me believe in going after your dreams even if they were different. 

My mom with her two sisters and I 

My beautiful 83 year old grandmother, my mom's Mom.

My story is nothing like yours & that's ok

27 Years Young

This is my story and it does not have to be anything like anybody else's. So many years of trying to live up to people's standards or opinions, always trying to fit in, walking on eggshells and trying to be "good enough", its all a midst that is quickly fading when you were born to stand out, be different and break the mold!

As I sit here and wonder where this life will take me I can only thank God for allowing me to live for these 27 years. It has not been long but it seems much longer. I have dealt with so much and so much has been thrown my way since before I was born, before I was conceived in my mother's womb there was a fight going on for me not to make it because of the greatness that was put inside of me. I don't say that to boast about me but about God, my God, the one living inside of me, the one who died for you and me.

Like I said earlier, this is my story and I honestly do not expect it to be like any other. For a long time I thought my life had to be like someone else's or things had to go a certain way, I thought I had to be married and with kids by a certain date or with a successful business to provide the fancy yacht for my dad and the high paying job to live comfortably so mom and dad won't have to worry but what if that is not the way Jesus made it out to be? I mean is that what this life is really about? I'll leave that for another time, back to my story.

So yes this young 27 year old woman was born in Cuba after 9 long months of bed rest from my beautiful mother due to the high risk pregnancy that I was, as I blessed God's mighty earth on August 9, 1989. I was born and half raised in Havana, Cuba until I migrated to the U.S. at 9 years old when that same beautiful hard working dentist of a mother won the Cuban lottery and we were chosen to come from Cuba to the United States! I remember just like yesterday leaving the place I had known all my life, all my friends but being promised a better future and a brighter life where I could make choices and be what I wanted to be and do whatever I wanted to do with my life, as long as I did something, that was all that mattered...

To be continued.....