This issue spotlights Ana Marie Lowry - a spiritual woman who seeks happiness within herself through the love of Jesus Christ.
Like Ana Marie, I am happy in my glorious relationship with the Lord. I have known spiritual happiness since that early morning hour when God's presence captivated my soul 21 years ago. During a recent moment of quiet introspection, I retrieved the following missive I wrote on the day of my spiritual awakening:
"The most important thing to me at this moment is to get my act together and learn more about the power that I have come to accept as the truth - God. It's going to be difficult because it's not just enough to believe in God, but to understand what this power really means to me and to learn how I can be shaped into a better person. Basically, I like my personality, but I know that something needs to be added or extracted to make me a much happier and successful woman... I care for people and would like for my concern to be known, if not worldwide, then nationwide. This is my dream. I'm scared, but it is important to me that I be a positive role model."
Ladies, I hope that each of you experience happier times during the coming year and for many years to come. And I hope that all of your dreams come true. Happy New Year to a happy new Y-O-U!!
21st Century Woman Spotlight
Brewing Flavorfully in Jesus Christ
"Coffee gives water flavor and changes the nature of water. I want to be that coffee in the community. I want to be the one that gives a flavor to the community and that flavor will be the Lord. There is a scripture that I always twist - 'Come and taste that He is good.' So I always tell people, I knew the Lord knew about coffee."
-Ana Marie references Psalms 34:8 as she speaks about being a servant
"O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusteth in him."
Ana Marie grew up in a Catholic family in Tolima, Colombia, where her father taught her the power of unshakeable faith and prayer.
"I am a daughter of God and a sister of Christ. And that's powerful. The Lord gives me the strength to do things I believe are humanly possible. But with him everything is possible," says this wise woman. There was a time when she successfully dissembled her inner pain behind a smiling face because she found it impossible to reveal her depressing truth to the world.
Ana Marie counted herself among the number of clowns she collected years ago. No one knew the sadness fathoms deep down inside the effervescent young, single woman who needed much more consolation than those she readily and eagerly consoled. That was then. Ana Marie no longer pretends and sheds the tears of a clown. Today, tears of faith flow freely from the fountain of inner peace nestled comfortably inside this mature spiritual woman. What you see is what you get when a beautiful spirit smiles on her attractive, middle-aged face.
"I want people to know that my relationship with the Lord is real. They say when you have a relationship with the Lord, the light on your face will be radiant. I believe that," she says calmly in a rich Spanish accent fluent in English."I treasure my relationship with the Lord."
The avid reader of the Bible also treasures family jewels - her marriage of 14 years, five sons, two grandchildren and her mother. She enjoys romantic strolls on moonlit beaches with her husband, Tony, who brings her flowers every week without fail. She plays board games with 11-year-old Samuel who cherishes his favorite place on Earth - their peaceful home. She blows kisses upward toward the eternally peaceful home of twins Jonathan and Patrick, who both died at stillbirth 13 years ago. She loves her adult stepsons, Joshua and Tony Jr., and Tony Jr.'s two children as if they all shared matching DNA. She holds her elderly mother's arm lovingly and speaks tenderly to her.
This wife, mother and business woman also treasures her inner peace and peace of mind. Ana Marie asserts that the outside peace comes when one has a relationship with the Lord. She openly declares that it is her prerogative as a faith-filled spiritual woman to discover how good it is to have a relationship with the Lord and to experience how wonderful salvation feels.
"That correlation goes with me in my personal life and will be effective in my business life and professional life. It goes everywhere. I don't seek happiness outside. My happiness is inside," states Ana Marie, who provides spiritual guidance and biblical teachings to young women at her church on how to relate to the Lord.
This woman of faith says her purpose in life is to make disciples and help people understand that developing a personal relationship with the Lord evokes assurances of a better future. She shares a touching testimony about serving the Lord by serving her mother through the powerful force of faith.
All was going well almost three years ago when the Lowry family's picture perfect life was suddenly interrupted by the news of Ana Marie's mother's near death experience. After making the decision to relocate her sick mother from Colombia to Orlando to live with them, Ana Marie asked the big question, 'Why me?'
The answer unfolded right before her servant eyes. "I have seen what the Lord has done. I needed to serve my mom, and I am dedicated to serving my mom. Now I enjoy serving more than anything," she says with a glowing smile. "I move forward in my faith and allow my life to be a reflection of what faith is."
Miss Julia - a friendly, petite woman - exudes happiness, looks healthy, walks slowly while Ana Marie holds her arm and enjoys a nice cup of coffee as much as her servant daughter. M-m-m-m!! Can you smell the aromatic goodness of coffee wafting through the community?
Blessed is Ana Marie Lowry who trusteth in the Lord.
"I give him the praise for who he is, and then I ask the request of which I would like his input. On a daily basis I tell him what I would like to accomplish. Then I say, 'But whatever you want me to do, let me do it.'
That is what I call my prayer."
- Ana Marie explains her praying style. She receives spiritual guidance from her husband who is a man of Christ. The husband-wife team own and operate A&P International, Inc. in Orlando, Florida.
-demetrice
What's Coming in January 2012
Shining the spotlight on W. Jeannette Strickland
... she is sixty-five and sexy, sassy, strong-minded & readily admits that more times than not, she needs to be more silent
The Beauty of Silence ...
listen to your inner voice whispering the truth
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