Journal

Be Joyful!

Be Joyful today. I know it’s hard sometimes because of what you’re going through or being exposed to others suffering. All we can do is try to be joyful.

I was catching up on the world news this past weekend and discovered that a man who was residing in Puerto Rico committed suicide. He had gone without a sufficient supply of food, clean water and electricity. The very next day after he passed away, the electricity was restored to his home.

Lord, when we are suffering from a lack of food, clean water and electricity, how long can we hold on?

FEB 20 2018, 3:26 PM ET

Suicide rates spike in Puerto Rico, five months after Maria

BY NICOLE ACEVEDO

Click here to read the full article

The March For Our Lives took place on our nation’s capital and other states around the world to bring attention to the gun laws to prevent mass school shootings. There were some pretty impressive speeches and some peculiar things happening on that stage. This one student threw up in the middle of her speech and stated, “I just threw up and it feels great!” I didn’t know if she was nervous about speaking publicly or had a hangover!

Click here to see how she bounced back from vomiting!

On a personal note, our Family Church Fast is finally over. I probably lost five pounds so now I need to eat like 10x to gain the weight I lost. Lol God gave me a small frame. I was not trying to lose any weight but I was led to fast and pray. I have some major decisions to make and I want the Holy Trinity to lead me into making these decisions. Thy will be done. YHWH

My oldest son should be graduating this year, but has been borderline with his academic success. As a parent, I take full responsibility for his failures. Being a single mother has its full responsibility and my plate is full. One day at a time, they try to ensure me that they will get the job done. They tell me I worry too much. Ok but when it’s time to graduate and you do not make it across that stage to get your high school diploma, then who is the one going to be worried now? Get it done, son!

I received a text from my long term, overseas friend, mi novio, now currently my fiancé asking me if we are getting married in April. I am thinking to myself, why did he ask me that? I paused for a long time because I did not know how to respond to him. Only God knows the plans he has for us. It is up to us to be close enough in communion with HIM to follow his lead. I am only trying to be obedient to the call.

This entire process of trying to marry someone from another country has been challenging. I am trying to learn the correct process in how to get things done.

1. Papers Apostilled

2. Papers Translated

3. Civil Ceremony

4. Visa/Passport

5. Airline Ticket

I may try to visit the Consulate of the Dominican Republic- Houston this week. I never knew they had an office here until yesterday. Even going through this challenging process, the Lord reveals things to me little by little and bit by bit. That is why I love the Lord so much because He teaches me to depend on the guidance of the Holy Trinity. Even in something as trivial as this, despite everyone else’s turmoil and suffering, God Is Still Omnipresent! Powerful and Superior. It is His will that everyone is saved and that no one shall perish.

Turn to the Lord and Be Joyful!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Shalom

Love, Quél

Holy Week

I have the privilege to partake in the presence of the Holy Spirit daily, but during certain times of the year, there’s a special time set aside for worship, adoration, giving thanks, repentance, protection, and praise. We get the opportunity to go around this room and write down our thoughts and we pour out what’s in our minds and what’s on our hearts; not only for ourselves, but for those who are suffering, persecuted and or lost. I do not take this time for granted. I’m very grateful. I’m humble. An awesome place to be. Thank you.

The Trio of Rings

Available on Amazon, this book “The Love Experience,” is my personal memoir about traveling overseas to the República Dominicana 🇩🇴

Falling in love ~ losing control and just having fun through it all. I miss that slice of paradise. This journey has not stopped me yet!

For the mysterious reasons unbeknownst to us, it was about three years ago when we were Crossing Paths, heaven placed a Teardrop of joy on our destiny giving us a Shimmering Wish for the unity of this fantasy. #theloveexperience #travel #fantasy #romance #thepoetryjournal #pandora

I found these rings and each ring has a name.

1. Crossing Paths

2. Teardrop

3. Shimmering Wish

Each one is symbolic ~ a Trio of Rings for 3 years in this relationship.

Crossing the Paths of Life ~ 6 February 2015

Cruce de vías en la vida ~ 6 de febrero 2015

Heaven’s Teardrop of joy on our destiny for year #2

Lágrima del cielo sobre nuestro destino durante dos años

Giving us a Shimmering Wish for the unity of this fantasy

Que nos da un brillante deseo por la unidad de esta fantasía

A Genuine Love like Mine Un verdadero amor como el mío

Translation: Believe it or not, I love you very much. ~

Eduard Vicente

The Trio of the rings is symbolic to me living out my fantasy!

Thank you for following me.

The Poetry Journal

Raquel Vicente

~Shalom

Travel creates Happiness

Life has changed since I was 17!

I attended college immediately after high school. That experience of being independent from my parents was a culture shock, but it was also rewarding meeting new friends. I learned to depend on my roommates, my college sweethearts, to get me through my independence, but most importantly I had to learn to depend on myself.

I had to hold myself accountable for getting to my 8:00 am Business class on the other side of the campus. I did not pass that class my first semester. Luckily, I had some great friends who chose to succeed in college and I wanted to do the same.

Life changed after I finished my second year of college. My father passed away right before the summer I was scheduled to return. I couldn’t go back to that college. I decided I wanted to start working. I remember my mother and our cousin Robin helped me get my first apartment. It was so cute. I had thrift furniture. I can remember it being so economical and simple. It was mine! It was my responsibility. It was my happiness.

After waiting 14 years to marry the man I wanted to marry, I had 3 gorgeous sons. Blessed to be with the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with; I was happy. The Lord loved me enough to allow that matrimony. Thank you, Lord.

Life changed after Marcel passed away. I miss him, but I am still here trying to create my own happiness.

I begin to travel overseas and I met some new friends. Traveling makes me happy.

As my life continues to change, sometimes I stop and try to wait for someone to bring me happiness, but why wait for that when I can create my own happiness.

My time is now.

Bring HIM honor and glory

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV

I was taught that we have direct access to the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is the newness of our spirit that can bring honor and glory when we give up our own desires of the flesh to a higher calling on our lives.

But on the other hand, I was also taught that God gave us free will to choose for ourselves how we want to live our lives and to live pursuing our own goals and aspirations.

Lord is this the life you chose for me or am I pursuing my own goals and aspirations?

At what point do you really choose the life God has for you?

Do you continue on your own path of righteousness or do you fully surrender unto the Lord Almighty?

Lord I want to bring you honor in the way that I live and glory in how I use my unique talents. Make your calling clear to me so that I can fulfill it. ~ Amen

Be Sill and Know Daily Devotional

Thanks Ché

True Story

The Poetry Journal wants to connect with you to identify the insecurities in your relationships. Fear, self-doubt, or jealousy. These feelings can occur. We all may experience some level of vulnerability when we choose to love, but you can work through them to achieve your level of confidence.

My book, “The Love Experience” is based on a love affair overseas and I write about identifying the many insecurities I faced and how they affect us psychologically. This Love Experience is based on a true story and is now available on Amazon.com. You can click here to buy your paperback

My Henna Artist @domsol has her copy!

My sister’s friend read her copy on vacation in St. Lucia.

My hair stylist just gave birth to her beautiful new born baby girl and she also has her copy.

This is a blessing to see my work in the hands of the ones I love. I know that I have more work to do to continue to reach you! Thank you Lord for my destiny. God is Glorious all the time.

Author | Blogger | Poet

Raquél Helm

We Are for Each Other

Chapter Seven ~ (edited) Although his love was not perfect, I realized that neither was mine. I believed there was a victory in being so vulnerable, after I had gone through a major loss, but I made a conscious effort on being confident and decided to love again. We have more work to do, but I knew one day he would come for me and it would be true that he was the one. I discovered that the perfect gift he had to give to me was his heart. Somos unos para el otro #author #blogger #poet #theloveexperience #helmwomentakedr #thepoetryjournal #emav❤️🇩🇴

I saw God’s Glory!

I have worked more than twenty years from retail shops to hardware stores, and non profit organizations; earning a decent paycheck to take care of my family.

I have always dreamed of going places far away to learn more about other cultures. Fulfilling my inner being to be better, set good examples and to give back to the people in my circle.

I don't have money to show for my return on my investment, but what I have learned from travel is just priceless.

The ability to embrace other people and their circumstances, whether it's being better off financially or being less fortunate, this is a lesson in itself that has changed my life.

I can't stop loving because someone has less than what I have; this only encourages me to work harder to find a way to touch and encourage people to dream bigger than their current situations.

Old San Juan taught me the importance of preserving life's history. To build on what you have, little by little, piece by piece, brick by brick, dollar by dollar, and heart to heart. The fruit of your ancestors hard labor should not go unnoticed.

When I walked through Old San Juan, I could see the smiles, the good times, the music, the hard labor, the family bonds, the authentic food, the hills, the brick roads, the sea, and most importantly I could see me!

Lord, you blessed me to see Old San Juan, not only did I see your Glory, I also had fun. What did I do to deserve this? I'm so grateful.

Love ❤️,
Raquél

An Afterthought

The older I get the less I know.

I still remember my first job interview at 15. I landed my first part-time job at the Gap outlet. My very first day on the job, I was faced with a pile of unfolded messy clothes on a table. The task at hand back then, looks like my son’s closets today. At 15, I jumped right into the task and started to fold these messy clothes on the table to make the table look organized enough for the customers to sort through them and to buy them. Soon after I sorted through that mess for months, I was promoted to the original Gap store front where the scenery was new and fresh. The clothes were neatly folded and presented in a manner where the customer wanted to buy them right off the shelf. At sweet 16, I was more focused on greeting the customer and closing the sale, clocking in and out for a day’s pay.

After leaving the retail industry, I had to focus more on my passion for work and I somehow landed in administration. Perhaps it could have been that simple vocational course I completed immediately out of high school that started my path for administration. This course was free offered by the city or the state, I really don’t remember but this free course paved the way for me to obtain the office skills needed to work in an office environment.

I still remember absorbing all the skills in administration, taking courses and attending seminars to improve my skills enormously. I learned the skills I needed and brought that expertise back into my workplace and executed my skills effectively. I was my own master, defining my own destiny, and claiming my own future for success.  Every time I turned a year older, I found myself striving for more skills and more money to reach the top or that pot of gold in my bank account.

Then I got married, and the kids came. My focus to thrive in my career shifted to my new born babies and a husband. My career became an afterthought. Being consumed with feeding babies, changing diapers, daycare, strollers and car seats, not to mention the duty of being a wife, my job was an afterthought. My skills in administration were only being utilized between the hours of 8am-5pm, after that I shifted into family time of nurturing babies, preparing dinner and preparing my family for the next day and doing it all over again. No time for traveling to seminars and executive courses because babies are more important. My desire to enhance my executive skills became an afterthought.

The older I got the less I know. I can only do what I am told. My desire has unfolded into an afterthought. I admire those who continue to strive for the best. Who jump through hoops, those who go above and beyond to get to the top because whatever it is that is in you to give you that boost, use it to your advantage so that your goals in life won’t just become an afterthought.

Raquel©