What's In My Heart

Please don't look at me as someone with a mega strong self assurance and an over confidence in my personal relationship  with God, because I can assure you, no matter what it may seem like, that man is certainty not me. I am still at the discovery stage at this point & time in my journey  and I just  love writing about my new found feelings and emotions that were never felt before in all my years drinking. So you see, I'm not trying to impress you by e-mailing you stuff,  making you think that I'm special or something, because I'm far from it.  But when I experience the excitement that the Holy Spirit can bring you, and when I can actually see God working in my life, I just get overjoyed and have to tell somebody. I've often stopped and asked myself why I keep sending this stuff out when it comes into my head, but so far my gut feeling is telling me to keep going.  My Pastor, my new friends in Jesus Christ, and what is in my heart, are my advisors to help and guide me.
Thank you.

Gino 

Point of No Return...A letter from Chuck

!I will never forget !!!! I was called out on that fateful day to pray for a man who was on his deathbed in trauma room two at CRMC. Three decades of alcoholism had taken it's toll on his internal organs and he was in Renal failure. I went into the room to pray and make sure it was well with his soul. He was not cognizant of anything so I humbly prayed that a miracle would take place in his body. On that fateful day a healing would begin until it was complete and he was at home in his kitchen. I and a friend went to lead him to Christ he would accept Christ and then we prayed that the taste and the smell of alcohol would sicken him. It has now been two years and he has had no alcohol at all! He is now part of a team that will be leading our Celebrate Recovery from Bethel Assembly of God Carlisle. My faith is now directed towards those in my life that are struggling with cancer. The great physician has left a hard copy of what He can do trust and have faith and we continue to pray for your healing !! Always and forever at your side!

Chuck Kish

Ps. That man's name is Gino Soprano.

**********************************************************************

Chuck,

So many loved ones hurt.
So much misery accompanied by an indescribable hopelessness .
Hitting rock bottom with the intentions of never comig back.
Wanting to live but choosing to die. Alcohol did this to me. Alcohol defeated me. Alcohol put me in a coma for two weeks with very low odds of surviving . Yes, alcohol can do that, so never underestimate its power of destruction. I was at the point of no return and there wasn't a prayer in the world that could save me. Or so I thought. But look at me now! God had other plans. It is only by his love for me that I am writing this today. I thank my dear family for their prayers and patience, and Pastor Chuck for coming into my home and opening these blind eyes!  

Gino

Open Doors and Leaky Pipes

Slow down and retrace your footsteps before you even take that actual  step. Ask yourself what might  happen if you proceed with what you are about to do, then retrace it and see if there is a better way.  Because in hindsight, you will find that rushing blindly into life's situations really don't accomplish anything or sometimes even make matters worse. 

Many times in my life, I wish that I would have thought about the words my tongue was throwing together  before actually saying them. How often are we left with our foot in our mouths and afterwards think, "Why didn't I just keep quiet because the hurt that was just unleashed can never be contained again?" Now it's out there for everyone to dissect and put a whole other kind of meaning to it.  I thought I was just voicing myself.

And how often do we have an ill affect on someone's life because we did what WE thought was best, but never considered the fate of everyone else's tomorrow? I am also, so guilty of this.
It almost seems like the devil has this strategically planned out. He  works his way into our lives before we even ever realize it's him.that.  We as Christians, let our guard down occasionally and he sees the perfect opportunity to step into our lives completely unsuspected. 

Even with foresight, it is almost impossible to envision all of the open doors and leaky pipes in our lives where evil has a chance to seep in. All we can do is put our faith in God. 

Ephesians 6:11
Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 

Here's my prayer to you when you are in spiritual warfare... (Put in your name or someone else in  and pray it aloud.......)

Gino

"By the power of God, 

Defend this man with your shield.

 Inspire him with your honor.

 Refresh him with your strength.

 Comfort him with your love.

 In his hour of need, let the drawn sword of your righteousness inbue him with the valor of all the legions of heaven so that he may confront every evil with the steadfast heart.!!!!" Amen and amen1

William Atimari

Good Morning!

Good morning everyone.
What another glorious day there is in store for you today! There really is! This isn't going to be just another day. Unless you want it to be of course. But don't let it be! 

Get it in your head that this is a brand new day in your walk with Jesus and anything can happen. No matter what took place yesterday or what you might think is going to happen tomorrow, just remember, today can change everything. God can change everything! 

 Like my coin in my pocket says, "Don't be afraid, I am with you always ". The key word is 'Always '. It's so easy to forget this and sometimes I have to get that coin out and read it again, even though I know what's on it.

You don't know what is going to happen today. No one does, except God, and I don't think He purposely planned it out that you  have a bad day today. I'm pretty sure that it's totally up to us what kinda day we're going to have. But if we remember that He is always beside us.  His presencet can make a difference on our outlook on life like day & night. 

So, don't think of this as just another day. Get charged up and celebrate your life with Jesus today , and know that today cannot be taken for granted. Not today, tomorrow or any other day in our life. 

So have a wonderful day today because, with Jesus beside you, the odds are 100% in your favor! 

Gino

Different People, Same Father

Two twin boys were raised by an alcoholic father. One boy grew up to be an alcoholic and when asked what happened he said "I watched my father". The other boy grew up and never drank in his life. When asked what happened, he said, "I watched my father". Two boys, same father, two different perspectives. 

A man named Kirk Franklin wrote this but the words seem to jump out at me.
I have one older sibling  (who never drank) and two younger ones (who rarely drank) but it seems like I'm the one who chose to follow in my alcoholic father's footsteps. It seems like one mans fight with the devil is another man's road to redemption.

 God truly does work in mysterious ways. We are exactly where He wants us to be to walk in the path that He leads us to. Ephesians 4: 21-24'Since you have heard about Jesus and learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy'.

Dear Lord, please give me strength to shed a part of my past sinful life, little by little everyday , until I am totally clean by the blood of the Lamb.......... To humbly bow down before you my Heavenly Father. To finally get the chance give my all to you.

To be One with you. 
What a day that will be!!!

Gino 

To the Insomniac

Sleepless nights are such a common event in my life that  I've learned to accept them as unneeded rest. Instead of trying to force myself into slumber, I open up my mind and invite any and all thoughts that might need some careful and undivided  attention. 

My deepest concentration seems so effortless during this time because it is the time of my day when nothing is required of me. No one would dare bother me when I'm in my 'sleep zone' (or so they think anyway) , so I'm safe for a few hours from all disturbances. 

This is the ultimate quiet time, and  about as perfect a time as any to clear your mind and let God speak to you through the Holy Spirit, to enlighten you in ways that no other can. 

These are moments in my life that used to be idle, wasted hours that have turned into inspirational awakenings. 

This is when one can get face to face with their worries & concerns and usually  find a solution by realizing there never truly  was a real problem. 

This is when you leave the flesh and become one with your soul, so that now all your earthly matters seem as trivial as a passing shower. 

And though you may be lacking sleep, you'll find a unique, different kind of energy during your day that will bring you a peaceful alertness that only having Jesus in your life can bring. So to all who may suffer with a sleepless night from time to time, take advantage of it instead of trying to make it a worthless  head game. You may find yourself more refreshed than having a full nights sleep . God can make wonderful things happen. 

So good night,  good morning or good day. It doesn't matter, they're all good!

Gino 

"Oh, Mr. Moon"

Just arrived at work for early overtime and noticed what a beautiful half moon
 that was shining its bright light upon the earth on this new day beginning

. 'Light shines bright' Pastor Chuck! 

Got the meaning. Got the gist of it. 

The heart of the matter is that the light shines bright, everywhere you go,
 even when you can't see it.

 But a radiant moon is an amazing way to see a representation of God's light. 

Oh yeah! What is this day going to bring? 

Let's do this God! 

Gino 

Just Do It!

What a beautiful day today is gonna be! 
If you have a motorcycle, get cruising!
If you have a bicycle, get pedaling! 
If you have golf clubs, get swinging! 
If you have a pole, get fishing! 
If you find a path, get walking!
If you have a hose, wash the car!
If you have a grill, start charing!
If you have a peg, start throwing ringers!
If you have grass, start mowing! 
If you have a garden, start planting. 
If you have to go to work like me, start thinking about calling off! Lol
If you do any of these things today, start thanking God !

God bless you all!

Easter Message

Knowing what you know  today, if you could live your life over again, would you change anything? Or another way to put it is , "What did you learn in life"? Is your future really determined by your past?

If I could do it all over again, would I still pick up that bottle? I like to think that it was a part of what molded my life into what it is today, but would I really want to go through all that  again? I cringe just thinking about it.

 What if I could just skip the drinking part of my life and go right to  present day? What a short life that would be. I like who I am today, but could there have been a better me today if my choice was to stay sober? In my mind the answer is yes, but should one ask themselves a question like that because what's done is done and can never be changed. 

But what about Jesus? 

Here was a man who knew that he was going to be crucified and have excruciating pain brought  upon him , and could have done something about it but never did. It's almost  like asking Him if he would do it all over again what would He change  and then actually doing it over the same way! 

My dear friend, Diane, sends me a quote everyday that goes, 'The two greatest days of your life are the day that you were born and the day you find out why '. When  Jesus was born into this world as The Son of Man, He already knew why and what He had to do right from the start . Can you imagine Him knowing what He had to go through and still going through it? Just so we might be saved and forgiven of all sin. If you can understand this then you've  already found the second greatest day of your life.



Happy Easter 

Gino 

All of Who I Am.........unwanted years?

Unwanted years........ Some have many,........some have few and some have none. 

Unwanted years , not waisted years .  Why would God do this? Why would He put these years in our lives just to be meaningless? 

He doesn't. We are the way that we are today because of our past and if that's what it took to get us here, then so be it. It is God's plan but we can't always see the big picture. And within this perfect plan are some painstaking years for many of us. 

But I've come to think of these as  learning years. 

Years of Disciplines, maybe to make me stronger.

 Years of disappointments, to keep me humble.

Years of confusion, to educate me.


And years of being alone, to make me more compassionate.

 I kind of think God does this to see if we just give up or turn to Him and persevere. 
Our victories  in life aren't always measured by our successes,  but by our failures. 
You have to take the bad with the good .

 And that's why today I can stand here and truthfully say "I thank you Dear Lord, not just for all the great years in my life, but for all the difficult ones also, because they are the ones that strengthened me and made me who I am today. And I know that it was only through the  love for your children  Holy Father, that made it possible not only for  me, but for everyone  who has tasted your conviction  but can still feel your benevolence." 

I still ask myself , "why me?", and it always takes me back to the day I accepted Jesus into my life, and He welcomed me with open arms.

"All of who I am , is everything in you God".

Gino

A New Day

Okay, we're off & running once again! 

The  angels sounded their trumpets so it is officially the start of a  new day. 

Jesus has been up all night preparing your way, so there will be nothing routine about this day. 

I wonder where He'll lead us on this April 10th? 

What could possibly on this page in our life?

 Lets follow God's lead.


Have a great one. 
Gino 

Hand Me Downs

In the hope chest deep within your soul, there are treasures stored in safe keeping that can only be opened by your free will,  This free will joins forces with the Holy Spirit . 

There are spiritual messages that can't be unleashed until you find out why they were put there in the first place. They lie dormant like a sleeping volcano just waiting, sometimes for many years, for that little something that triggers a magnificent  eruption. 

Sometimes it never happens. But we can make it happen. 

 There is so much that God wants to pass on to us and all we have to do is stay faithful and keep our hearts and minds open to His truth, because it really is the only thing that will set you free. 

So unlock your spiritual soul that has been so wanting to surface but always seems to get held up along the way. 

Open every door and window to your heart & soul and invite God in to be a part of your life because He will make you whole, in ways you can't imagine. 

Gino 

Keep the Tent Up

Please forgive me Lord, but my heart is beginning  to grow numb to everything that has been  transpiring in this world  as of late. There should be tears that fill my eyes but instead there is a feeling of anger and it lets me standing here in awe, staring with my mouth agape at some of the happenings around me. There is one subject in particular that troubles me. 

This is written to no one specifically and is just my opinion. 


When God created us to be male or female, isn't that what we are for the entirety of our life? You don't wait till years after your born then decide your gender!  God has already made that decision, but this is where our society is at. 

Do you really think God messed up and made you the wrong sex, and now your going to change His plan? 

Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?  Come on now, enough is enough already! This isn't what free will is all about. 


From the Bible, 2 Corinthians 5-1 It says "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands." Again,  NOT BY HUMAN HANDS! All the 'add ons' are no more.

If you think that you in were dealt the wrong hand in life, then get in the back of a very long line, because you are not alone, by far. Im sure there comes a time in everybody's life when they might wish that they were born in another time and a different body , but you want to know something? You are already living in that different body and you are already  living in that other time . 

It is "YOU" and it is "NOW". You should be kneeling down and thanking God for creating you in His perfect image, because that's what you are, Perfect! No need to touch up on His body work. If you were physically able to get yourself out of bed this morning, get yourself dressed and walk outside to begin another day that God has blessed you with, then you, my friend, are way ahead of the game and already  have  what many do not, but they STILL  thank God for all that He has blessed them with!


The body that we were born into, was created just for us by God  and there is none other like it in the  whole universe, so don't you see? You're already different. 

So go out and, "Make a difference with what you have" instead of " Making yourself different with what you don't."

Gino 

A Man of Men

When a man's choice becomes that of making it right with his Lord and Savior, rather than self satisfaction, then that man knows how to build a relationship with God. 

When his decisions are made based on the Words of Jesus Christ, rather than just going with the flow, then that man has the Holy Spirit inside of him.


And when that man can fearlessly  look evil in the eye while walking straight into it, then that man has a confidence that only complete trust in The Lord can bestow . 

And when this man can stand bold, brazen and undaunted in front of all his peers and confess to them his many failures while pursuing God, then that man will be looked up to as a leader of men.


This is the man I long to be. 

Gino 

Stay True

Anyone can talk about God 
and anyone can write about God, 
but He only sees whats true in your heart.



Always stay true.
Gino 

Nothing Special Here

I think of how I used to be ...... I wonder. 

I wonder why should anybody put any kind of value into what I have to say? 

After all, I was just your everyday, passing out drunk , and have no one to blame but myself. I mean sure, I had your everyday problems like every other kid had growing up, but everyone has their  problems right? The fact that my dad would beat the hell out of me when he was drinking for no other reason than because I was being an eight year old and did what eight year olds do means nothing. Somtimes it would even become a family affair when he got real bad and my mom and brothers & sister would try to pull him off of me. 

And thus , was my childhood.

 So everybody has their own problems. I'm not telling you this because I  want sympathy. I'm telling you this because a lot of times there are  unforeseen circumstances in a person's life that you may not know about, and they may never talk about. That's the way I grew up so that's all I knew

I guess I could be bitter and ask where was God then when I needed Him, but I don't ask. Or I guess I could have told the world that maybe I might have a legitimate reason for being an alcoholic, but I kept quiet. . 

And you want to know the funny part about this? The whole time my dad was yelling and whipping that belt around,  all I could think about is, "Why"? "Why are you doing this to me"? "Can't you see how much I love you "? "How can you do this to someone that loves you, and I thought you loved me, so how can you do this"? I never hated my father for what he did though.

Dear Jesus, I can't even begin to imagine what you went through for all mankind on that day when you were so brutally demoralized  and tortured ,and then to look to your Father and ask that He forgive them! Because no matter what they did to you, you never stopped loving them. That's pretty awesome! 

Gino 

Caution...Please Know This

Please know this. 

You  will ever know the depths of my relationship with God and therefore cannot judge the intentions of my heart. Try as you may to bring me down, but you better look at yourself first and ask yourself why I seem to be a threat to you or how my striving towards  salvation might interfere with your plans.

 I really hope you don't think that  God has given you some kind of power in deciding my ultimate fate because even though you might be higher on the earthly ladder, it helps nothing towards climbing higher on your spiritual one. 

Sometimes a person has to go back to the  basics to remind themselves why they chose God over satan, good over evil , life over death. You must try to savor that moment in your life when you were broken or confused and were comforted by God's endless love. It was the worst & best day of your life. 


I've been so hopeless and lost in my lifetime that I never realized what was going on around me. It was like I was living my life with blinders on. But now that I can finally see!!! I want to see everything that I was missing ! I want to join others who can see, to help others who want to see! I want you, who criticize me, to join me and tell me your story. The story of how you came to God. Then I will tell you mine. Then together, we'll talk as brothers,  about the power of our Loving God. 


Gino