Get Inspired with Isabella Piña

1 Corinthians 15:10

King James Bible

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

New Living Translation

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I, but

God who was working through me by his grace.

I am taking a break from the ‘YOU ARE’ series to give you part of my testimony.

I am led today to reflect upon my life and see how GOD’S Grace has been upon me for the past 21 years of my military career.

I came to the U.S. 22 yrs ago. My dad said the following to my brother and I: “I do not have much to give you, but this is a land of dreams. You can be anything you chose to be except be the President of the United States, because in order to be President, you must have been born in this country. Other than President, you can be whatever you can dream!”

— I worked side jobs. I worked at Cluckers chicken and Winn-Dixie while attending college, I was trying to make ends meet, but the ends were not meeting.

— A recruiter told me about the Army,. He said I could get help with my student loans and still receive a paycheck every two weeks. I was sold!

— I always wanted to be a nurse but at that time there was a waiting list for the Army’s LPN program. I did not want to wait a year, so I joined the Army as an Automated Logistical Specialist (92A).

Paul said,

***But I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Army Career

— I made it through the ranks quickly and in no time I was a Non-Commissioned Officer.

— I still had that desire to become a nurse.

— I remember while my friends were clubbing I was at the education center or at Central Texas College going to school at nights and sometimes on saturdays.

— I graduated and I was able to apply to become a nurse and an officer.

— I got accepted (by God’s grace), and I moved on to nursing school.

— The trials and sufferings had only just begun, but by God’s grace I made it through nursing school and I was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.

— I did IT ALL, but it was not me!

Like Paul, I will continue to say, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me!”

— I attribute all to the grace of God, and nothing to myself

— It was the grace of God that made me a decorated Non commissioned officer, and mentor to soldiers

— It was that GRACE which being bestowed on me qualified me for the Army Enlisted Commissioning Program!

NOT my GT SCORE
NOT my EDUCATION
NOT my recommendation letters
NOT my high PT score

— It was God’s GRACE that enabled me to labor and toil to achieve those things i just mentioned.

— It was God’s GRACE that enabled me to overcome the lack of sleep, tiredness, the insults and the constant lack of confidence from some that I will never make it.

— Through it all God’s grace was in and upon my life and I was careful to magnify the free favor of God, and the gifts of his grace.

— I can truly say: Only by the grace of God I was able to do what I did.

— The same goes for you: you can only do, what you do by the grace of GOD!

Retirement ceremony: I reflect on our retirement ceremony this past Friday. It was amazing.

— I was able to retire alongside my husband Friday, together we served a combined 46 years of active military service.

— People flew in from across the country to honor us.

— God has been good to us. We are extremely thankful!

— Never in my life, as this little girl, growing up in a third world country, did I believe that I would one day be retiring from the world’s BEST military, alongside MY husband in a ceremony hosted by a 3-star General.

— My life looks like a movie to me.

— God has made my life a true hollywood hit movie :-).

As I said in my retirement ceremony,

I AM NOT PROUD of anything I have done in the past 21 years.

What I AM IS GRATEFUL!

I AM GRATEFUL TO GOD AND HIS GRACE!

HIS GRACE BESTOWED UPON ME HAS NOT BEEN IN VAIN!

So, Get Inspired to know who you are!

Get Inspired to make the most of the life you have been given!

Get Inspired to make sure God’s grace in your life shall not be in vain!

Get Inspired to maximize the purpose and potential God placed INSIDE you!

And remember, it is by the grace of God that you are who you are!