"You have
brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any
direction you choose."
– from the Dr. Seuss book Oh,
The Places You Will Go!
Setting goals is always useful to help focus
our energy and efforts. At the beginning of the New Year, people took to making
resolutions or vision boards. The future is full of possibilities. However,
sometimes we miss a critical step – asking God for his guidance, paying
attention to his will for us in our lives.
Meet Maria Dolores “Lolis” Flores from
Brownsville. For years, this 23-year-old who recently completed the two-year
diocesan lay ecclesial ministry formation program wanted to become famous for
her singing talent. She sang every chance she could, auditioned for different
television programs, looked for every opportunity to get recognized by talent
scouts. She was becoming discouraged, but during a retreat, she experienced a
conversion that helped her surrender her will to what God might be calling her
to do.
She became more involved in her parish, Our
Heavenly Father Church in Olmito, and started taking formation classes. Soon
she discovered she could use her voice to evangelize, to sing for God’s greater
glory. “The singing that he has given me is a gift from God and I want to share
that with everyone,” she said.
In July 2018, she started praying the Rosary
and sharing her music live every night at 10 p.m. on Facebook. Within six
months she had more than 50,000 followers. She now has more than 58,000. She
has since added an Instagram account that is growing a following as well. “I
remember my first live broadcast. I was scared and nervous. I was trembling,”
she said. “But one follows the will of God and I entrusted my fears and my will
to him.”
Lolis, who started singing in the mariachi
when she was 16 years old in high school, said she has drawn inspiration from
praying the Rosary live. Since she began, people from throughout the world have
joined her in prayer. “It has been a blessing to unite with so many, to join
together night after night to pray the Rosary,” she said. “Praying every night,
Mary takes us to Jesus.” She said hundreds have since shared their own
conversion stories with her.
Last year Lolis also released two singles.
Her first single, “Siempre Has Sido Tu,” was released in June 2018. Produced by
Joan Sanchez at GOSPA studios in McAllen, the song is available on all digital
platforms. Lolis said the song describes her personal “before and after”
experience of meeting God.
“It is great to see how people connect to
this song. I think we have to share what God has done with us. Through our
testimony, people can identify with us, and this song has been a blessing – to
record it and to share it,” she said.
In her song, Lolis
shares: “Sin darme cuenta, cerré las puertas, le di la espalda a tu amor. /
Y siempre has sido tú lo que más necesitaba, Siempre has sido tú el anhelo de
mi alma.” (Without realizing it I closed the doors, I
turned my back on your love. You have always been what I most needed, without
realizing it. It has always been you.)
As someone who is not in the habit of posting
daily on social media, I consider Lolis’ advice something to consider: “I
invite you to share your testimony with others,” she said. “What God has done
for you in your life may be what others need to hear. God is always present for
us.”
Lolis released a new song, “Bendita Maria,”
on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe this past December. It speaks of her
devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, whose “yes” changed the world.
While some young people are using social
media platforms to post about their daily lives, highlighting everything from
the parties they attend to the celebrities they follow, it is inspiring to see
how one young woman and others like her are using social media to give witness
to how the Lord is working in her life. At the same time she is bringing the
light of Christ to others.
I anticipate we will be hearing more from
this young woman in the future. Oh, the places you’ll go when God is leading
the way. Lolis, “You’re off to great places.”
(Originally
published in February 2019 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper)
