for the lack of any good writing in this blog lately. I’m even behind on my PRISM article OMG! I just feel s-wamp-ed. I had in my proposal and I got comments back that said "it was very well written" and then 2 pages of "minor" corrections. Imagine if I had done a bad job! So for this interim, in between, time please forgive the lack of thought and content but do know that from time to time I will post what’s easy and doable. It’s not that I haven’t been thinking or dialoging about a number of issues it’s that I just don’t have the time to sit and just write. I haven’t even been able to do it when I get paid to do it, or when I have a deadline to meet. So a blog, well, it is not up there on my list of have to get done tonight.

I have to give immense kudos to Jeremy Del Rio who has become the blogging energizer bunny! You go!

That’s right my friends, today, on the 26th day of the 2nd month of 2006, Wounded Healer entered into its new phase of ministry. As expected when you enter a new level, there was a new devil awaiting. This morning Hiram’s car didn’t start (it was the battery), my son DJ vomited, and my bathroom almost overflowed. Great start to a day that will be part of history. Check out the pics in the Wounded Healer album I started on this blog. I get too frustrated trying to put pics on my church website did I tell you how much I dislike Faith Highway…they are all over the Christian magazines, internet sites, etc but they sucketh in customer service. Annnnnnnnnnnyway, I digress. I am grateful to God for allowing us to survive this far. He’s the reason we are here doing what we do. Our main goal now that we have a bigger, consistent place for gatherings is letting people know we exist by establishing relationships with community folk and hosting events that matter to them in their territory. Planning and praying in progress.

That’s right, I am publicizing for those who read my blog what I am up to in regards to my health. Like my friend David T. who chronicles his battle with the bulge, I will from time to time let you know what I am doing as it relates to the same battle. If I as a pastor am going to preach holistic anything, I need to take care of my temple, this body God has given me. That means "I" have to make decisions and do what may not necessarily ‘fit’ into my schedule but if it is important I’ll make time. So folks, I joined a gym (been going 3x a week) and work out with a trainer, bought an elliptical trainer for the days I don’t go to the gym, am eating healthier than ever (veggies, power smoothies!!) and I hope to lose 35-40 pounds.

As a woman in ministry, I need to take care of myself so I can do what God has called me to do. Of course, I want to look good but its more about feeling good and being healthy at this point in my life. Remember health is our first wealth.

I’ve lost weight already! A few other things I’m working towards…growing my hair long again (any chance Jeremy DelRio’s wife can do my hair?) and getting laser vision correction. I’ll keep you posted!

"Nobody does a greater mistake than one who does nothing because only a little can be done." –Edward Burke

Moving to FL has its benefits…sunshine most of the time, affordable housing (although its going up you still get alot more for your money), more space per sq foot between people then in other places and (drum roll)…no city/state taxes! For those of you in high tax states, you should know about the AMT, read more here.

If you read this blog and have any connections with the West Coast, please do help a sistah out. I would like to encourage you to come out yourself or let your sister friends know about this conference for women in ministry. Last year it was awesome, this year I know it will even be better. I would love to meet you if you can come by and join in on what God is going to do. Let me know if you are thinking of going so I can tell you my schedule and make a date to meet. I have never been outside the LA airport so this is going to be an adventure for me.

Alexander Clark once said, "Let us watch well our beginnings and results will manage themselves." Someone else once said, "More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin." These quotes are particularly poiant to me and my church as we celebrated our first church and pastoral anniversary this weekend. It was a weekend to remember for many reasons particularly as we took the time to look back on our beginning and we we’ve learned in one year and I’d like to share some with you now…

1. We thought we needed "outer resources" but realized we need more "inner revival". One of the things we talked about alot this weekend was how we had many connections and resources that would have made church planting in NYC easier. Yet we believe God brought us out here because we would HAVE TO solely depend on him and get aligned ‘again’ with God for inner revival because we lead from the essence of who we are becoming.

2. We thought we needed to be finished but we learned we will perpetually be in a state of "being made". We always ran from the call not just because we lacked courage (though we did) but because we kept waiting for the timer to go off and say we were "done". That is not going to happen. We are and will be in a perpetual state of "being made" more into His image and that means that there will always be parts of us that we believe need to be worked on. Our humanity doesn’t go away with the call.

3. We thought that vision was the most important but we realized foundation was just as important. There are tons and tons of books that tell you to work on your vision and that is great and it is needed but there are just as many leaders of churches and organizations that do not take the time to think about how they will establish culture or lay the foundation, and what they get is just a mini-me version of what they’ve seen/experienced in the past.

I don’t know what our church is going to look like in a couple of years but our intention is to always work on being emotionally healthy disciples. As my friend Marcy shares "the opposite of dysfunction is dysfunction" and I surely want to put all that on the table as we lead and help mold leaders. I am tried of the church of status quo or the church that just doesn’t know their reason for existence and where there are more emotional midgets than spiritual giants. We celebrated one year this weekend and it was one year we were through God’s help hopefully help make a connection between God and people and people to other people, were being deep meant getting down and dirty with God and not necessarily being the first to throw down theological terms.

Wounded Healer is expecting a wonderful 2006…a year of growth and more connection to our God and Lord. God is moving and we know the best is yet to come. We are just doing what St. Francis of Assisi once said, "Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

This weekend was also one to remember because I got to spend it with some good friends..Marcy, Betsy, Rev. Dr. Raymond Rivera…family Pastors Marc & Enid Rivera and my church family. While most of them got stuck here due to the snowstorm in NYC, it was a pleasure to have this group together in one house! What great fun and discussions we had…all courtesy of the blizzard! Betsy, Pastors Marc and Enid left today and Rev. Ray and Marcy got a flight out tomorrow (Weds). I don’t know when this group will ever be together like this again and I was blessed to have them here…here are some pics of the weekend.

. Pastor Hiram, Pastor Sola (AG Presbyter), Rev. Albert Wilder (Sat Speaker), Rev. Dr. Ray Rivera and Rev. Dr. Marcos Rivera

El Trio de Hoy with Pastor Hiram

Rev. Dr. Ray Rivera educating us

Me sharing a few words

Nereida Rosario singing "Alabaster Box" and an awesome job she did even with child!

Pastor Hiram praying for one of the sheep in his fold on Sunday

The WEPA’s (Me, Betsy, Edna, Marcy)

anyone who would be interested in working with our church and nonprofit arm to create a Charter School in South Florida? As I mentioned before, they would receive training and get paid $50k for the year to get that training. The only catch is that they have to be willing to move to South Florida and work with us to get it done? Please let me know if YOU or anyone you know with a BA is interested. Thanks.

Just so you know, going into our 2nd year as a church, God has blessed us to work with a Spanish church that has an underutilized building to form a partnership we are calling the Great Commission Ministry Center. Our plan is to develop an after-school center, immigration station for those undocumented people who need help navigating the system and a host of other things. Here is a look at the building…

This is the building that will now house Wounded Healer Fellowship, the Center for Emerging Female Leadership and Vision Urbana.

I am an animal lover and this really angered me.