šæ He Still Rolls Stones Away: An April Reflection
There are certain seasons that do more than mark timeāthey mark transformation.
April has always been that kind of season for me.
Itās not just the shift into spring. Itās not just the warmer air or the sense of new beginnings. Itās something deeper than that. Itās the way this time of year pulls my heart back to one central truth:
God is still in the business of resurrection.
Not just the resurrection we read about in Scriptureābut the kind we live through.
The kind that doesnāt always look like a miracle at first. The kind that unfolds slowly, quietly, over timeā¦ until one day you look back and realize:
God moved something you once believed would never change.
When Youāre Standing in Front of a Stone
This month, as I prepared a message for Able by Grace Ministries titled āHe Still Rolls Stones Away,ā I realized something deeply personal:
This wasnāt just a sermon.
It was my story.
Because I know what it feels like to stand in front of a stone.
Not one you can physically touchābut one you can feel in your spirit. Something heavy. Something that feels permanent. Something that makes you quietly ask,
āGodā¦ how is this ever going to move?ā
And for me, part of that journey has been living with cerebral palsy.
It has always been a part of my life. It has shaped how I move, how people sometimes see me, and even how I have seen myself in certain seasons.
There were moments where it felt like a limitation. Moments where I questioned whether people would truly understand me. Moments where I wondered if doors would close before I even had the chance to walk toward them.
And if Iām being honest, there were seasons where it felt like a stone.
Something heavy.
Something I couldnāt change.
Something I had to learn to live with before I could understand how God would use it.
What I Didnāt See Then
Looking back now, I realize something I didnāt fully understand at the time.
Some of the most important seasons of my life didnāt look important at all.
They looked quiet.
They looked ordinary.
They looked like writing when no one was watching.
They looked like building faith in private before it ever became something public.
They looked like showing upāeven when I didnāt feel strong.
And now I can say this with clarity:
What felt like stillness was actually movement.
What felt like waiting was actually preparation.
God was already working in places I couldnāt yet see.
The Stone Was Never the End
In Matthew 28, the stone looked final.
It looked sealed.
It looked like nothing could change.
But before anyone even reached the tombā
God had already moved it.
And that truth changed the way I see my own life.
Because there were things I thought would never shift. Things I didnāt understand. Things I didnāt know how to fix or explain.
And yetā¦ God moved.
Not always loudly.
Not always quickly.
But always faithfully.
What feels impossible to us has never been impossible for Him.
Even my journey with cerebral palsyāwhat I once saw as something that might limit meābecame part of my testimony.
The very thing I thought might hold me back became part of the way God would use me.
Writing Through What God Has Done
As an author, I donāt write from a distance.
I write from within the journey.
Every story I release carries something Iāve lived, something Iāve wrestled through, or something Iāve seen God redeem.
This season has been one of the most meaningful in my writing life because Iāve released stories that reflect those exact truthsāfaith, forgiveness, healing, second chances, and love that reflects Christ.
Some of my recent releases include:
- The Bunny That Knew Our Names
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GDRR6W16 - The Night She Ran Away
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FYHV971B - The Forgiveness at the Counter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FY77YPPY - When Grace Stepped Out of the Tomb
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DN1KSFPX - Abramās Way
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G9WHBQ5S - The Sweet Tea He Held While I Cried
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQR3RHFD - The Earth Day Letter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRSKKNP2 - Faith in the Fast Lane (Devotional)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRS2DH9K - April, Strawberries, and You
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS3JR8TB - The Medical Marijuana Card He Had in His Bible
Each one carries the same heartbeat:
No part of our story is wasted.
And no moment is beyond Godās ability to redeem.
A Moment I Will Never Forget
Recently, I received news that truly touched my heart in a way I will never forget.
It is with great joy and humility that I acknowledge the University of Calicutās efforts in fostering open discussions about disability through my literature in their classrooms.
To know that something I wrote is being used in that wayā¦ to know that my words are part of conversations that matterā¦ is something I do not take lightly.
When I wrote The Story of a Disabled Little Girl, I wrote it from a deeply personal place. I wrote it from the perspective of my own childhood with cerebral palsyāmy experiences, my emotions, the things I felt but did not always know how to express at the time.
And now, to see that story reaching classrooms, opening conversations, and helping others understand disability in a more meaningful wayā¦
It is truly an honor.
And I am so very excited for what God continues to do with the stories He has placed on my heart.
A Season of Growth, Opportunities, and New Doors
This season has also been filled with opportunities to share my journey beyond my books and ministry.
I had the opportunity to be featured in an interview with Bold Journey, where I shared more about my story, my writing, and my faith:
š https://boldjourney.com/meet-tylia-l-flores/
I also had an incredible time on Public Facing ā The Podcast ā Where Culture and Community Meet, hosted by Joe Holmin. I had an absolute blast being part of that conversation, and it was such a meaningful experience to talk about purpose, calling, and community:
š https://publicfacingpod.castos.com/episodes/serving-many-in-many-ways-tylia-l-flores
Moments like these remind me that God can take your storyāevery part of itāand place it in spaces you never imagined.
A Season That Confirmed My Calling
This past season has also been one of the most defining moments in my spiritual journey.
I have been ordained in multiple areas of chaplaincy through the Christian Leaders Institute Alliance, and I am now officially ordained as a Youth Pastor.
That moment meant more than a title.
It was confirmation.
Confirmation that God has called me not just to write storiesā
but to serve people.
To lead.
To encourage.
To walk alongside others in real moments of life.
My calling is not just to tell storiesāitās to help people see God in theirs.
Where You Can Stay Connected
If youāve been following my journey, you know that everything I do flows from faith.
You can stay connected through:
š Able by Grace Ministries
https://soulcenters.org/directory/able-by-grace-ministries/
š Ministry Blog
https://ablebygraceministry.blogspot.com
š° The Christian Ledger
https://substack.com/@thechristianledger
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587349477458
šļø Faith over Fried Chicken
Some things are meant to be written.
Others are meant to be spoken.
Thatās why I created my podcast:
Faith over Fried Chicken
This is where I go deeperātalking about faith, life, healing, and the everyday moments where God shows up.
š§ Listen here:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2nF61IfAmvC9m5Xnn4Ohb7?si=02515793f6bf4d5c
If this blog spoke to you, I truly believe the podcast will meet you in a deeper way.
Final Thoughts
If you are standing in front of something right now that feels heavyā¦
Something that feels sealedā¦
Something that feels like itās not movingā¦
I want you to hear this clearly:
The stone was never too heavy for God.
And it is not too heavy now.
He is still moving.
Even when you canāt see it.
Even when you donāt understand it.
He is already at work.
Stories That Heal,
