I was recently nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

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The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive, and inspiring, while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

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This is the first time I’m nominated for this amazing award and I feel very humble and honored to accept it.
First, I would like to give thanks to my Beloved, Lord Jesus. He is my motivation for all that I am. To Him be the glory and praise forever!
Next I would like to thank Aqua @ Marred in the Master’s hands  for nominating My Carmel for this award. May God richly bless you, Aqua!
When you have a chance I highly recommend you to check out her blog too. It’s very inspiring!

By accepting the nomination for this award. I agree to answer a few questions about myself. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better.

Aqua: What inspired you to start blogging in the first place?

Me: My faith in God. I’m a Lay Carmelite (O.C.D.S. refers to the ‘Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites) and I got inspired to start blogging about my faith and Carmelite spirituality. Carmel, means “the Garden of God” in Hebrew. Carmel is a meeting place with the Beloved. Carmel is also a school of prayer and contemplation. The spiritual teachings of the Carmelite saints and the Church are a constant inspiration for me and I feel so blessed to be able to share in this space what I’ve learned and continue to learn.

Aqua: What is something that most people would be surprised to know about you?

Me: That I used to be a Latin dance instructor.

Aqua: What was your childhood dream?

Me: To travel the world. Which I’ve been blessed to do by working in the airline industry for many years, I had the opportunity to visit different countries. I love exploring and learning about other cultures and just admiring the beauty of God’s creation everywhere…there is nothing better!

Aqua: When did God become real for you?

Me: He has always been real for me. I always felt his presence in my heart and around me. Although throughout my youth I was living more superficially and with many distractions. Later on, I experienced a deeper conversion, especially in the last twelve years of my life. I began to search for Him deeper in my heart and felt this inner ‘calling’ very profoundly. That’s when I started to read more about my faith, the life of the saints and to spend more time in prayer. I had this constant hunger for more. To know more. To get to know Him better. I felt the need for interior silence and moments of solitude, spending time alone with the Lord. It has been and continue to be a journey of self-discovery, joys and many trials and a few surprises along the way. But nevertheless, it is a journey filled with so many graces.

Aqua: Christmas or Easter? and why?

Me: I will say both. To me, I can’t choose one or the other. Both are part of the history of our Redemption.

Aqua: Favorite bible verse?

Me: I have two favorites. From the Old Testament is: Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
From the New Testament is: John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.””

Aqua: Who inspires you to be a better person?

Me: My Beloved Lord Jesus. The Holy Family—Mary and Joseph, are examples on how to live a life of trust in God and sacrifice love. I do have a few spiritual mentors that inspire me daily along the way: Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint John of the Cross, and all Carmelite saints. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Thomas Merton, Henry Nouwen, Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Jean Vanier. And of course my beloved family. 

Aqua: If you could travel any place in the world. Where would you go?

Me: I would love to go back to Israel. I also would like to visit Patmos and Ephesus.

Aqua: Which miracle in the bible would you have loved to see first hand?

Me:  Matthew 8:23-27 — Jesus Calms the Storm: “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!””

Aqua: Introvert or extrovert?

Me: I will say both, depending on the situation.

Aqua: Morning or night?

Me: Both.

Aqua: Who do you nominate for the Sunshine Blogger Award?

Me: This is hard as there are so many awesome bloggers out there, but here we go…

My Carmel nominates the following bloggers for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

elisalollino, Ephphatha Productions

Virginia, Roses in the Rubble

patriciaenk, Illumina Domine Blog – devotion to the Holy Face

sevenfauesisters, Travels with Callie

QuietKeepers

The Godly Chic Diaries

Marilyn Rodrigues

Texas Law Student

GODINTEREST

Cristian Mihai

Larry Trasciatti

For all my inspirational bloggers please note that to accept the Sunshine Blogger Award, you do the following:

• Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions asked to you by the person who nominated you. 
• Nominate 11 new bloggers to receive the award and ask them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or your blog.

The Eleven Questions for the nominees are:

1. What inspired you to start blogging?
2. What’s your favorite topic to read about on other blogs?
3. What tips and advice would you give to new bloggers?
4. If you had to describe yourself in a single sentence, what would it be?
5. What personality trait you admire most in others?
6. Who inspires you and why?
7. What’s your favorite Bible verse?
8. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
9. What is one quote you absolutely love?
10. What’s one inspirational or spiritual book you’d always recommend? and why?
11. And lastly, name three blogs that you love and you find inspirational.

Please do notify me when you are done with answering the questions.
There is no rush, answer the questions whenever you are free.

 

Thank you all!

 

Abundant blessings and happy blogging!

 

Patty