Mar 27, 2023
Kimberly Hobbs
Welcome to Empowering Lives with Purpose. And I'm your host,
Kimberly Hobbs. I'm the founder of Women World Leaders. And we are
so grateful that you chose to listen in today to the women world
leaders podcast and today our guest is Maria, tomato. Horwitz.
Maria, I'm so glad that you joined us, Honey,
Maria Temotto Horwitz
thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Kimberly Hobbs
We're talking about the blessed life today, ladies, and Maria is
such a joy and she lives out a blessed calling on her life. She's
amazing. So as we get into today, we're, we're just overjoyed every
time we come to you and, and bring to you stories that we feel
would really be impactful that we can relate to these stories of
things that are going on within our own life and see how God moves
as you listen in and, and maybe identify with some of the stories
or some of the pain, and how we look to God with with what we're
going through on a day to day basis. Because we can't do this life
alone. And it's all about coming together and sharing with one
another and following after God and asking him to be with us in our
lives. One of the scriptures I love to share in these podcasts as
they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. And by the word of
their testimony. That's revelation 1211. And it there's healing
when we share these stories that God has given us. And I am just
grateful that Brandi chose to come and share with us today I want
to tell you a little bit about Maria before we get going. Maria is
a woman on a mission. And as a Florida native, she has built a
successful real estate and property management company with her
husband Josh and they also have a little daughter Genesee, whose
precious. Maria's faith based approach to real estate makes her the
miracle working realtor who connects blessed families with their
best home ever. Maria's unwavering faith is the foundation of
everything she does, as evident in her daily routine, which always
begins with the Miracle Morning and Bible study, which we'll talk a
little bit about later. Maria's desire to serve others is also at
the heart of her work. And in memory of her late mother, she
founded the Amanda tomatoes, right from the Heart Foundation, which
empowers young people to live their lives to the fullest, for the
glory of God. I love that. She partners with a nonprofit
organization, and she makes positive impacts on her community. And
together with her husband and daughter Maria loves sports. She
loves making memories in God's creation. She loves being a role
model and living her life for the glory of God. She is a delight.
And I am so grateful to have her and Maria chose blessed today for
the title of our podcast. And Maria, you have quite the story to
share. Which brings us to a bit later of why you chose the word
blast for today's podcast. And I just want to share this scripture
before Maria shares her story. And it's from Second Thessalonians
316 and says May the lord of peace Himself, give you his peace at
all times. And in every situation. The Lord be with you. And I
quote this verse right now because inwardly I'm going to be praying
for Maria, she shares her story. So go ahead and real let's, let's
hear a little bit about your story.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Thank you, Kimberly. Hi. So I'll just jump right in. I'm 13 years
old. And I'm in the car with my mom and my two younger brothers. My
brother Michael, who was 11 and my brother Max, who was six. And we
just went into Toys R Us and got some toys on behalf of my
brother's birthday, who we just celebrated. And we're sitting there
in the parking lot of Toys R Us and my mom looks in the rearview
mirror and says would you guys be okay, if I died? And it was such
a weird question to hear. As a 13 year old and i i took a moment
and I said we would survive but why are you asking that's never
gonna happen. Then she just was silent. And then we just continued
on with the day and I didn't think anything of it. Until two days
later. I wake up It's a 6am on a Monday morning, a school day. And
my brothers are pounding on my door and shouting and screaming that
mom's dead. And I get up not knowing what's happening. And I walk
over to their bedroom. And it smells like sickening Gun Smoke. And
I can hear my heart in my ears eating. And I see my dad on the
phone with the paramedics. And my mom is on the bed, her chest is
heaving in and out. And she had shot herself in the heart. And my
dad yells at me to go grab towels, and I'm like, looking at him. I
can't hear him. I feel like we're in a movie. It's just so surreal.
And I get the towels and then I go outside and I'm with my two
younger brothers were crying. so confused. I'm this is just
bizarre. And we're there at the end of our street and waiting for
the police to come. And we see the flashing lights at the far end
of the street, but they're not coming to our house because there's
a gun involved. So 30 minutes later, they finally come. And she's
now passed. And they have us and we're about to leave for the
police station. And I asked if I can play a song on the piano
before leaving. And I sit down the piano and I play the song Adi
law, which is like an Italian song and the words say Id la means
you are far above me very far. De la as distant as the lovely
evening star. And it goes on and the words were so describing what
was happening. And at the time, it was one of my favorite songs.
And I didn't even draw the connection of how how swell suited it
was until later. So we get into the police car, we go to the
station, we tell them all we know. And I shared that she had asked
us if we'd be okay with them before it happened. And then after we
get home my dad proceeds to tell us that she has been suicidal for
17 years she was in and out of mental institutions long before I
was born. She married my dad young to escape her family. Her dad
had walked out on her mom when she was 13. And her older siblings
had gotten into drugs and alcohol and partying and reliving crazy
lives and my aunt had died from bulimia and anorexia in my
grandma's bathroom. And it was just a broken situation. Family. So
my mom married young and after marrying realize like that wasn't
the answer either. And my mom and dad were both hard headed so they
kept clashing. So she felt rejection from my dad rejection from her
parents rejection from her family. And also at the time she was
having rejection from the school I was going to from the women on
the auction committee, because they were jealous of her that she
was doing so well with raising funds for the auction. So literally,
she felt rejection from every area of her life. And before she
passed, she even asked me if I think she should quit the auction
because it was causing her so much stress and heartache. And I had
said, you know, you put so much effort and work and blood sweat and
tears into this, you know, are you going to quit now. So it's
crazy. She doesn't quit the oxygen. She doesn't divorce my dad, but
instead just checks out of the whole situation. So for many years,
I just bottled it up inside, and then it wasn't until an adult as
an adult by sharing her story and having healing connecting with
other beautiful women such as Kimberly and everything. She's doing
enrollment women, world leaders, that um, that healing came because
healing doesn't come until you share.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen, honey. Wow. And you know, I Yeah, you're right. You know,
healing comes when we can talk and share about our stories and know
that there are other people out there that identify with us and
when we can do it for the glory of God, because we see what he has
brought us through through and what we've lived through it it just
brings a whole nother place to our stories coming alive alive in
Jesus you know alive and what he's doing in our life. And I shared
that scripture prior to you sharing your story because I knew it
was going to be difficult for you to relive it you know, as we
speak these things out and you have to go back in your mind you
know, like when you share your story or when you write your story
And that scripture May the lord of peace Himself give you his peace
at all times in every situation, The Lord be with you. And that is
such a beautiful verse because he is with you as you start to
testify about him and about what he's done. And all the good that
you saw. Through this, Maria, his hand was upon you, his hand was
over you. So you shared with me that you didn't feel alone through
this time? Because even though you were the only girl and
everything, you said, you never left the house, but you didn't feel
alone. Can you talk about that and why you didn't feel alone.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
So you know, at first, I felt alone, with being the only girl. But
then after realizing that Jesus, and my faith is the rock of
everything, and knowing I can rely on him, it made me not feel
alone, like the angels and saints are my friends. And, you know,
that's just how I, how I made it through that time in life.
Kimberly Hobbs
You said you read your diary aloud to can you talk about that?
Like,
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Yeah, so that's, that happened right after my mom passed. And my
dad was there at the dining room table. And he just said, Go get
your diary. And I did not want to things about a boy in there. Like
I didn't want to share. Like, go get it. So I went to my room, I
got it. And I'm just like, dreading what's about to happen. So I
walked to the table, my two younger brothers are there. And he
takes a diary, he starts reading it out loud. On the entry, where
my mom had died, the whole page, it just says like, what the f on
the whole page? Wow. Um, but after that, it's talking about a boy.
And he's reading it out loud. My brothers are laughing. They're all
snickering. And at that moment, I felt very, very alone. Just
knowing that. This is it. I had my dad, my two brothers, my grandpa
moved in with us soon afterwards, there was a dog there was a boy.
So I felt very alone, like the only girl in the house. Wow. And it
wasn't until a few years later that I was listening to the audio
gospels. And something started inside of me that I just wanted to
get rid of all my possessions and live like a stay at home nun
life. So I pulled out like a big trash bag and I filled multiple
trash bags with literally all my designer clothes and shoes and
bags and thinking back on it, there's probably not the smartest
thing to do. But I did put it all out to the garbage and to the
street. They picked it up in the morning. And then from there, I
was just living, very simple clothes, very simple food, fasting,
praying, reading the Bible, and doing house chores. And that's what
I did for quite a few years.
Kimberly Hobbs
Well, I know your spirits definitely needed to be lifted honey and
God's word says I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love
for you have seen my troubles. And you care about the anguish of my
soul that Psalm 31 Seven God cares, he cares. What we are all going
through ladies. He cares about the anguish that were in, he cares.
And as you took the role, Maria, of caring for your brothers, your
father, the household chores, homeschooling, I mean, you took all
this on as that mother role. And can you talk about this time in
your life when you took on all those job chores and all the things
that you were doing?
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Yeah, it was. It was just a very, you know, once you get into a
routine, you just go with it. And I was in charge of my brother's
homeschooling. So we wake up, we do our prayers. I do the dishes,
the cooking, make juice salads, I would do walks with my little
brother we'd read read the book of Psalms out loud. And, you know,
worked out and just did the same thing over and over again with the
homeschooling and prayer work, play. Yeah.
Kimberly Hobbs
God used that time because you were in the scriptures. You had to
teach your brother and there was no other choice. But isn't it
amazing how God just kept his eye on you and your brother and
there's power in the Word and those who live in the shadow of the
Most High God will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty that
some nine Do you want one and so then you're feeling happy. On the
outside, you're moving on through life, things start to happen. But
inwardly you were telling me that you were feeling fake about who
you were, you weren't happy about how you were partaking,
portraying yourself because you began questioning things in your
own life as you got older. And so can you talk about that?
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Yeah. So after that period passed, now I'm dating, and I have this
boyfriend, I hit with him for two years, my dad does not like him
at all. And he never met him, he wouldn't meet him. And then I had
another relationship for another year, my dad didn't like him, and
he never met him and didn't want to meet him. So it's like this
whole period of life where I'm just like, really wanting my dad's
approval with a guy I'm with. And I'm not being I'm not sharing the
gospel outwardly, like, I'm not talking about it in a public
setting. And I'm just like, so happy on the outside, like, I'm
smiling all the time, I'm working at the gym, I'm selling
nutritional products. I'm at boot camp instructor. And I'm just
with, like, I'm plugged into my boyfriend's families and plugged
into their clients. And I just feel like I'm living a fake
existence. And um, what was more depressing was thinking that I'm
going down the path my mom did, because she was outwardly so happy
and joyful, and doing all this active stuff, but I'm really sad. So
I was more sad reflecting of how similar we were becoming.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow. And I am sure fear started to creep up, you know, like, you
didn't want to go down that path. But yet, you know, I'm sure the
enemy is putting that voice in your head about, you know, that's
how you're gonna end up and you know, all the different things that
you're hearing. So you're stuffing that down inside and the
outside, you're trying to put on that, that fake happy part of you.
And so tell me how, tell the listeners how the word blessed that
God brought you into a blessed life, because you really had to
completely redo some things in your mental thinking, your physical
and spiritual. So can you talk about how that transition happened
to in order to get from being the fake Maria? And you know,
miserable on the inside? But happy on the outside? As an
appearance? How did you transition?
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Yeah, so moving on from those two relationships. Now I'm in the
relationship with Josh, my now husband, and in the beginning was
all flowers and sunshine, and then I was right back into the
depression. And it got to a point where I'm like, God, I need
answers. Is this the man I'm supposed to be with? Is this the role
as a realtor? And this is like the job and career I'm supposed to
be in? Like, what am I supposed to do? So I did a nine day fast,
for three days was just juice and water, then the next three days
was just water, no food. And the last three days was juice and
water. And after the nine days of just praying and fasting, which
is what the Bible tells us to do, I felt so clear that this is the
man I'm supposed to be with. This is the job I'm supposed to be in.
And that fast set me up to having a mental, physical and spiritual
renewal. And during the fast I signed up for this personal
development course, that turned out being a huge asset to me
mentally. And after the nine day fast, we went to a place called
Hippocrates Health Institute, which is a world renowned health
facility, which preaches the raw food, diet and sprouts and juice
and just healthy living. So that's how we like, got into that
community. And then the spiritual side, my husband and I started
reading the Bible together every day, three chapters, and going to
church together, watching Christian films and YouTube videos and
just getting plugged into that community. So through the fast is
really what started the mental, physical and spiritual revival.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow, that is fantastic. And you had to make that decision to, to
mentally, physically and spiritually, take that step of faith and
say, I'm going to make a change, Lord, and you surrendered it to
him during that fast communicated with him and took action on the
faith, right, like we we can choose to wallow in our sadness and
our our things that are happening in our life or we can say, Enough
God, I choose you and to follow you and make that transitional
change. And so that's what you did. Maria, and that changed the
trajectory of your life. And I am so grateful because the Maria
that I know and I am privileged to serve the Lord with is so
beautiful, and she truly is living the blessed life. And I thank
God for that change that you and Josh had in your life. So now that
you are living the blessed life, sweet Maria, can you share with
the listeners? What, what you do, you told me about habits that you
have formed? And maybe our listener might glean from some of those
habits that you're doing? Your your morning routine, and the prayer
time share about those different things?
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Yes. So one thing I just love doing together with my husband is
called the Miracle Morning. And it was started by a gentleman named
Hal Elrod, when he was having a very difficult time in life. He got
into a car crash, his life is over. He lost everything. And he did
research to find out what are the habits that the most successful
people in the world do. And he found that there's six, and some
people do. Some of them. Some people do all of them every day. But
he realized that by doing these six habits every single morning,
you prime yourself that to have a great day ahead. Instead of just
running into the rat race, you can intentionally set the attention
for the day, and how it works. It's silence. Silence and prayer
affirmations where you're affirming things that you want for your
life, I do Bible affirmations. I'm strong and courageous in the
Lord, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am, I am a citizen of
heaven, I am redeemed by the blood testimony of His Word. So those
and then the next part is visualization where you just close your
eyes and you're visualizing the person that you want to be. So I
visualize myself and Josh, debt free and incredible, healthy shape,
leading people to Christ got thrown open the doors of heaven
sending on high, you know. And then the next part is exercise. And
it doesn't have to be a huge thing right in the morning. But you
can like do some jumping jacks, do some stretches, punch the air,
you know, can be good, Get behind Me, Satan, that kind of stuff,
right. And the next part is reading, which is when we always do our
Bible study. So we just pull out the Bible. And we were doing three
chapters from three different books. And we ended up doing the
whole Bible. So we only have like one book left. So we did all
three chapters in like that one book to speed through that one
book. And we finished the whole Bible in 14 months. Wow, praise
God. And you learn so much, and you so many stories that are not
like popular sermon topics, so you really just dive in. And um,
it's life changing. And then the last one is scribing. So you just
take your, your pad of paper out, or your notebook or tablet, and
there's different prompts you can use to just get the mind flowing
of what to write about. And I really like to use the Miracle
Morning app. And it has all the Savers on there. And it's funny
just checking them off as you do them. And then it confetti down,
which is always exciting. And if you don't know what to do for
those, there's a little section that will have little video or
audio prompts that have one or all the savers in it. So it's just a
really great way to start the day off. And it just sets your day up
for success.
Kimberly Hobbs
It's the miracle mindset app.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
It's the miracle morning app. So the Miracle Morning or the Miracle
Morning.
Kimberly Hobbs
That's wonderful. And again, proactive that you are doing things
you're not sitting stagnant. You're not you know, in the woe is me
part of your past because we can all get caught up in that
depending on what you've been through in your life. And a lot of
people use that as excuses to not do anything not to move forward.
But Maria, you chose you chose the Lord you chose to move and work
with him as he worked in and through your life through the
scriptures. And I love that you went through the Bible in 14
months. That's fantastic. And that's ladies where we're gonna get
our strength. That's where the power is going to come. That's where
the truths are going to be spoken into your life because there is
power in the Word. Right. Right and talk about your communication
with God Maria, because that is so key to a blessed life.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
You know, just realizing that God is around you in you like, it's
here, like right now. So you don't have to wait for a specific time
to talk to him or you have to go to a certain place to see him.
It's like, right here right now at all times. And it's just
bringing him into every conversation scenario. As weird as it might
sound to some people, like my husband and I, every single time we
make love, we pray, like right now, afterwards, I'm praying that
God blesses my womb, that he blesses our children that any baby we
have is formed perfectly in His image and likeness. So it's, it's
every situation I were eating, every time we eat, we pray every
time. We, you know, a lot of times after we have an encounter with
a friend, we'll pray over each other as we depart. And it's just
making prayer like a normal part of living just like breathing is a
normal part of living.
Kimberly Hobbs
Right and, and listeners, I pray you hear that because that is
evidence of a blessed life. A blessed heart is a thankful heart.
She is thanking God for everything. And as Maria just shared her
heart, you know, in God moved and turned it around. To the focus
was no longer on woe is me, but awesome, God, you are in my life,
and I just love you. And so the more she relied on God, the more
she sought after him, the more she took action to make a change. He
not that he ever leaves us because he doesn't, but he is there all
the time. And now you can see him and feel him and breathe him and
love him and just thank him over and over and over and over. It's
all about a thankful heart to be able to live the blessed life
because then you see God move in your life, right. And Maria, let's
give one final shot in the arm to the woman that's listening that
heard your story that can't even comprehend what you went through
growing up and all that you carried and what you were learning. But
she's going through something that she doesn't know how she's going
to get beyond what is that one thing that you can pour into her at
this moment that might give her that hope to get beyond her
circumstances right now and into the presence of God.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Hmm. Two things come to mind. For the woman who's hurting and
struggling with something and has something on her heart, when
you're holding on to this pain and not letting, not sharing it. You
know, God created the world by speaking into being and by speaking
our pain out loud, we just release ourselves from it. So I highly
recommend going to somebody who you know, has a good connection
with God and just sharing your heart and telling them everything
that you have inside, just let it out. It doesn't matter how it
sounds, you could be stumbling over words and like not how your
thoughts all formed. But just by releasing that to someone else who
can pray for you will be incredibly healing for you. And the last
thought was the word power. Power is the time between your thought
of doing something and the execution of it. So it's all powerful.
So when God thought and spoke this world into existence, it wasn't
like he thought about for a long time and then was getting ready to
do it. It's like God thought and it happened like it, it was done.
That it was week one the same thing. So that's what power is. So if
you ever thought to do something, your power is how much time
you've had that thought to be to make it a reality. So if you
haven't thought of doing something, do it. Because the time is
short, Eternity is forever. Time is now.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen. The time is now that is such a great word Maria. All my
strength to you. I sing praises for you oh god are my refuge the
God who shows me unfailing love. The time is now God is going to
show you his unfailing love Psalm 5917 and I am certain that God
who began the good work within you will continue his work until it
is finally finished on the day when Jesus Christ returns
Philippians one six this is so exciting because God started a work
in you Maria in you listeners he has start started that good work
and he's not finished yet he's going to be doing and doing and
doing until the day he calls us home. So be looking to Him take
action like Maria said the time is right Now the time is now to
turn this ship around right? All for the glory of God. So as we
have to close out today, I am so grateful Maria, that you and your
beautiful self, your Joyful Heart came to share with our listeners
today. Thank you, honey.
Maria Temotto Horwitz
Thank you so much.
Kimberly Hobbs
Thank you. And ladies,
Maria Temotto Horwitz
thank you for this.
Kimberly Hobbs
Yes, thank you, Lord, thank you remember, that you overcome by the
blood of the Lamb, and the word of your testimonies. And ladies, we
invite you. If you have a story of God's working in your heart, I
want to talk to you, because others need to hear how God is moving.
And you overcome the enemy ladies, when you testify of what God's
doing in your life. So please think about that. If God's nudging
your heart right now to contact us, we want to hear from you.
That's what we do here at women, we're leaders, we come around you
we give you opportunities to have your voice heard in the world.
And we'll walk you through it and just talk and share with others
ladies, we have opportunities for you to write in some of the books
that we have going that are so helpful to others that need to read
about your story so that they can identify with what you went
through and you can give them that hope that lies within you. Or
maybe you need just some healing. And you just need to read and
listen to these stories. Please go to our website, we have all
kinds of books that are amazing, amazing books that will help you
get beyond where you are, through the power of others sharing their
god testimonies, these books are anointed ladies. So go to www dot
women world leaders.com. And you can check out any of the books
that we have, or even our voice of Truth magazine. All past
editions are on our website. You could read them digitally for
free. They are beautiful ladies, there's tools to help you. And we
want to be here to support you and whatever it is God is calling
you to do so please reach out to us. I'd personally love to hear
from you at Kimberly at women world leaders.com Kimberly at women
world leaders.com Send me an email, and I'll return your message
and ladies God bless you for being here again. Maria. Thank you so
much. And Maria, do you want to share a website if anybody wants to
reach out to you?
Maria Temotto Horwitz
I can be reached at besthomeeverteam@gmail.com
Kimberly Hobbs
besthomeeverteam@gmail.com and Maria thank you again for being
here. Now bless you all, from his heart to yours. We are women
we're leaders all content is copyrighted and cannot be used without
expressed written consent. God bless you all and have a beautiful
day.