dreams

God’s way and yours

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book(s), Not Without God: A Story of Survival and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s also been featured on The Neil Haley (media giant’s) Show, The Intuitive Edge podcast, and on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’broadcast as well as Grace and Truth Radio World!

Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among many other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together.

Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was just published last year.

What is faith?

Having faith has so much to do with what we envision. We don’t always realize it; sometimes, we think that having faith comes only through what we hear. But faith lives in our imagination. Imagination is a powerful tool, and what we dream of can become manifest.

What you hear has a way of affecting you too. “Faith does cometh by heareth.” That’s why what we hear can affect us.

At sixteen years old, while trying to cross the street on my way to school I was hit by a car. When some doctors predicted I would never walk again it crushed my spirit. But I had faith and heard God say that I would. Although I’m not walking the way that I did before my accident, it’s a miracle I can walk at all.

I’ve accomplished walking because I envisioned it. While in the hospital, I imagined myself walking even when I couldn’t sit for more than a minute. And now, all these years later, I never dreamt I would be able to use a treadmill machine or have the ability to walk up to a mile. My point is God will take you even further than what you’ve dreamt.

Culture teaches us that all we have are our five senses. We are taught that using our imagination is silly. There is so much beyond what you can see though. God lives in our imagination. It is the only way we can see him while we’re here, says famous pastor, Gregory Boyd.

World-famous physicists have even confirmed, that imagination is not a tool we can choose to use, it’s how we’re moving through life.✨

***

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s just been featured on the popular, Intuitive Edge podcast! She’s also been on ESPN’s “Solutions from the Huddle” broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World! Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

God’s Plan❤️

This is true. “Gods plan is worth waiting for,” is what this image says. Sometimes our plans coincide with his. Sometimes we are on different timelines. Meaning, our plans will happen but not when we want them to. What we expect for our lives is not always how it turns out. What you thought your life would be like is not always the life that God wants for you. Don’t get me wrong—we have an unconditionally loving Father who wants to make our dreams come true. But there are the Laws of Physics. We don’t always get what we want in life. We have to work within the Laws of the Universe. When we learn to accept this and allow God to lead and guide us through prayer, our intuition, or through other channels—we learn to make it in life.☄️❤️‍🔥✨

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the best selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. She’s been featured on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’ and on Grace and Truth Radio World. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also writes on health and diet and loves to help others. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm is live and for sale! You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-God-Hope-Storm-ebook/dp/B09P9T2DLT

God has a way of working things out!

It’s true. He is a God of mystery. A God of favor. A God who makes the unthinkable come true. Just when you believe that things won’t change and life will forever be the same. Remember, God is one of change not routine. We tend to like routine because we know what to expect. But when you step out of your comfort zone, enact a little more faith, and believe, miracles happen!✨ God does not want you to be stagnant. He wants you to make your dreams happen!☁️🌤💖

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored the best selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. Recently she was featured on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’ broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World. Zina’s written hundreds of articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world spanning many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog and Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She has recently launched food services and is a major foodie! She loves to help others. You can connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, or Twitter.

God Can Change Everything🌟

You never know what life has in store, and it’s easy to think that things will never change. We get used to routines and imagine that our life will always be the same. But life is a process and you are evolving. That means that anything can change. God is in the driver’s seat. But how much effort you put in or care you take makes a difference. You can work with God to make your dreams happen.❤️ Although he always knows what’s best. You have a God who loves you and made the hundreds of billions of stars✨, earth🌎, sun☀️, and moon🌙 just for you!

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored the best selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. Recently she was featured on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’ broadcast and on Grace and Truth Radio World. Zina’s written hundreds of articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world spanning many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog and Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. Her goal is to help others. You can connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, or Twitter.

We have to do our best!

Some people would like a clear map of where their life is going. But life can be unpredictable. That’s why we have to trust in God. We can work to make our dreams happen. God wants that. We can be ‘co workers’ with God to make our goals come alive so long as we do our part. What I mean is nothing will just happen if we don’t provide action. We have to plan and work hard. We have to ‘do our best’ and let God handle the rest. Doing our best can mean a lot. It can require hard work and sacrifice. This quote doesn’t say to only do half, nor does it say to only do your part. It says to ‘do your best.’ Are you doing your best in all areas? Are you falling short in some parts? Let’s reflect on this. How can we do our best for ourselves and those around us?

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored the best selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. She’s been featured in numerous articles, guest posts, podcasts, websites, newsletters, and magazines. Recently she was featured on ESPN’s ‘Solutions from the Huddle’ broadcast. Zina’s written hundreds of articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world spanning many different backgrounds and cultures. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog and Southern Writers magazine among other places. She writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. Her goal is to help others. You can connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, or Twitter.

It’s never too late

He always does. We are quick to think it’s too late for something good to happen. We write things off as they’ll never change. I’ll never get better, we believe. I’ll never do this or that. But deep within your conscious are the things you think you will never do, and they will happen to you. All you have to do is wait, hope a little, and not give up faith. It may take years, but you will feel yourself riding on that plane to go to that dreamed about destination. You will see yourself reaching that goal; whatever it may be, it’s possible. You will witness that you have done something you thought you never could. God has a way of pleasantly surprising us. So before you succumb to culture and the everyday thinking that life will never be more–keep in mind, God has a plan. It’s never too late.✨💫🔆💭🎆❇️🙏

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored the best-selling book “Not Without God: A Story of Survival.” Her stories have been featured in various guest articles, medical journals, magazines, newsletters, and over 300 of her own blog articles. As an educator for more than twenty years, she’s had the privilege of working with tens of thousands of students from different backgrounds and parts of the world. Her upcoming book, “Not Without God: Hope In the Storm” will be out later this year. Her writing endeavors earned her an invitation to speak at the Harvard Faculty Club’s “Business Expert Forum.” Zina’s goal is to help others overcome adversity, and she strives to do what she longs to–help other people. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Southern Writers magazine, and Suite T blog, among other places. Socializing with friends, taking business trips, listening to music, and meeting new people are among her hobbies. She was recently featured on Color Speak (a Grace and Truth Radio World! podcast). You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, or Twitter.

God’s not done

God isn’t finished with you. Don’t feel dismayed. Whatever it is you’re hoping for or trying to resolve is still an open case. Sometimes some obstacles need to be removed, and sometimes it’s a matter of timing. But God is working for you. We are continually evolving, and although the road seems steep or like you’ve lost your way, remember it’s about resilience. It’s about how many times you get back up, not how many times you fall. That thing you’re dreaming about can happen. But of course, you can’t be stagnant. There are steps you must take. Pay attention to the small steps. They are motivators to keep you going. Rome wasn’t built… God is not finished with you yet. He has not forgotten about you either. Try to stay out of your emotions. We are a culture taught to ‘feel,’ and if our feelings get hurt, it can mess up everything. Stay focused. Word hard. Make your goals happen. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all else should fall into place…

Have your dreams been met?🙏✨🌟

Have you found what you’ve been searching for? Do you know what it is? Have you accomplished what you’ve been dreaming about? If not, how can you get to it? There is no limit to what God can do. But we are the miracle workers, too. Without Him we can do nothing, but we have to do something to start! We can be co-workers with God!

When you are praying for your wishes to come true, you are RECEIVING, too. Whether you realize it or not, God is giving. You open the gateway. The Holy Spirit gives you guidance. You may not hear directly from the Lord. However, once you ask or make prayer requests, there is an unfolding of events that take place and you eventually get your answers.

The essence of faith is the ability to see something good in your life with no evidence.

Although everything does not turn out the way we want it to. There is God’s will, and there is our will—they don’t always coincide. The sooner you accept that the happier you will be. Take heart, though, God knows what is best for you, when something doesn’t work out the way you want it to—remember, God could’ve been shielding you, or teaching you a life-lesson.

There will be new experiences, you will plan, hope, and believe!

When I got out of the hospital after my accident at sixteen, I got settled at home, I pondered upon how I would go back to school. I was active before it. It took me a long time to adjust and even think of myself as beautiful. I knew that life would be difficult. I wondered what it would be like. I wondered if I would make new friends, or have a career like I always wanted.

I wondered about my future, a lot.

I hoped that I would one day walk again, and indeed, I am, but not the way I expected to. I use crutches (the kind with the rings around the arms) because of weakness, pain and tightness. Considering the fact that there were a few physicians who predicted I would not walk at all, I have made huge progress.

I held onto what I knew–God would get me through, because that is his promise!

I didn’t know what the next day would bring; I could not predict anything. But I knew that with God by my side, overcoming would become second nature!

I’m someone who wants to maintain a relationship with the Lord. Even when friendships failed, I knew Jesus would be there. Every time someone rejected me, I became closer to him. I want you to remember that in your trials; His love is sufficient.

Making God your best friend can prepare you for any life event. Throughout my life, I’ve asked God what to do. Jesus says “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16).

The advocate is the Holy Spirit, and He will lead and guide you. Get to know God as soon as you can. Talk to God like you would your best friend. Was there a time when you knew that only he could help? Were you ever in a desperate place? A minute to minute, moment to moment, dependence-on-God-kind-of-place?

Maybe you weren’t too spiritual when you encountered it, or maybe you were but then needed Him more than ever before!!!💫

About Zina

5A1B90A4-7231-46E9-A9FD-907EC16171A5 Zina Hermez authored the best-selling book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. Her stories have been featured in Christianity Today, the Southern Writers Magazine, various guest blogs, medical journals, newsletters, and she’s written over 200 of her very own articles. She’s had the privilege of working with thousands of students from different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s taught at automotive corporations like General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Bosch, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and worked with students of all ages. She began her own teaching services incorporating math and other subjects. Her writing endeavors have earned her an invitation to speak at the Harvard Faculty Club’s “Business Expert Forum.” Zina’s goal is to help others overcome adversity. Socializing with friends, taking trips, listening to music, and networking are among her hobbies. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Three Ways to Begin Your (DREAM) Writing!

Did you know that 80 percent of Americans think they should write a book? Most of them will never do it. People get intimidated by the work. They don’t know how to find a publisher or even self-publish. They never try or give up because it seems too difficult, or they don’t know how to get started. These days, writers can self-publish with tools on-line, and there are ways to get your book printed by on-demand or you can go the route of Indie publishing if you’re feeling especially productive. Whether you publish independently, with a hybrid company, or with a traditional publisher–you are still responsible for marketing. Be aware. Authors are not only writers, they are marketers, “experts,” salespeople, speakers, and we wear many hats!

Keep a Diary or Journal

I would not suggest for you to publish simply because you want to. Millions of people write books each year, but the majority of them are not necessary or good. You don’t have to be born with the talent, but you have to practice! You can start by writing for fifteen minutes a day. You can then reread what you wrote as a way to reflect and recognize any thought patterns. You can add more or rewrite to help change any negative attitudes. You can’t heal from what you don’t acknowledge. Writing can be therapeutic. I’ve practiced this technique since I was a teenager. Write somewhere where you can focus and edit. If you can’t find the time to write every day, write for one to two hours a week. Three hours or more of writing per week would be an ideal schedule to begin.

Find a Writer’s Community

What do you want to write about? Who will be in your audience? Will you create a blog? You can start a free blog at WordPress.com or Blogger.com. You can start a blog at WordPress.org, but you would have to purchase hosting. I’ve bought a domain at Godaddy.com (I am not an affiliate of any of these companies). Connect with other writers: join a writers’ group, attend a writers’ conference, share your writing with your friends or family and ask for honest feedback but ask them not to be too harsh. Compliments with constructive criticism are healthy. You have to be willing to learn from others. Find an accountability partner (That was a new piece of advice I heard at a conference!). I liked it. Reading others writing can help also, and it is a great way to write better. The best writers are the best readers, and writing can help you be a better speaker–I have told many people.

Relax, and enjoy it!

I’ve taken the fun out of writing by focusing on trying to make it “perfect.” Trying to type the right words, word-for-word can be stressful. These high expectations can take the enjoyment out of it! Writing has to be fulfilling. I was listening to a live webinar in my Writers Guild, and I heard a man say he feels “parched” while he writes. He was asking our writing coach how to solve this problem. He shouldn’t feel parched; he should feel inspired. You cannot inspire someone else until you inspire you first. But this develops over time. Finding your “voice” can take a while, but once you find it, writing can become easier and more comfortable. You won’t regret all the work you’ve put into it!

(This article will appear in the Southern Writers Magazine – Suite T blog).

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored “Not Without God: A Story of Survival” and her forthcoming book, “Hope After the Storm” will be the second in a II part series. Her stories have been featured in various guest articles, medical journals, magazines, newsletters, and almost 200 of her very own blog posts. As an educator for nearly twenty years, she’s had the privilege of working with thousands of students from different backgrounds and parts of the world. Her writing endeavors earned her an invitation to speak at the Harvard Faculty Club’s “Business Expert Forum.” Zina’s goal is to help others overcome adversity, and she strives to do what she longs to – help others. Socializing with friends, taking road-trips, listening to music, and networking are among her hobbies. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

My Calling

I’m passionate about my work, even when I’m exhausted. Even when I’m spending too much time. Even when I don’t have it all figured out. Even when I feel I may be reaching too high. I am passionate about what I do because I believe it has value. For any dream to occur, you must believe in it before others do. What are you passionate about? Do you have the normal fears that we all do? Don’t give up! I don’t plan on giving up until I reach my goals. What is your calling? Feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments.

About Zina

Zina Hermez authored the book Not Without God: A Story of Survival and created the Spinal Cord Injury Solutions! online website. Zina works as an English Language Instructor, and has been an educator for nearly fifteen years. Her thousands of students have been from many parts of the world, and she’s worked with all ages.

Zina writes articles on faith and overcoming disability, and her stories have been featured in Christianity Today, Spinal Cord Injury Zone, SCI Access, newsletters, and medical journals among many other various publications. To learn more about Zina visit http://zinahermez.com.