who would have “thunk” it…but on top of becoming a homeschooling mom, recipe baking culinary artist, I have also started the journey to become a crafts person thanks to folks at the Pursuit Church who introduced me to soap and scrub making. Those of you that know me KNOW that wasn’t me but hey I’m branching out in a big way and you know what? I like it. Funny thing is before I got involved in that project, my husband and I went to a neighbor’s house and we learned she decorated her home herself and its very ethnic. We decided that this year we will make our home the project and give it the Rios flava.

Day Three

Note: all my reading is from The Message/Remix

Read: Matthew 3

What verse stood out to me? Verses 7-10 especially where John the Baptist declares “It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father.

Why it spoke to me and how it relates to me: I think the longer we have been “serving” the Lord or shall I say, the longer we have been in the Kingdom of God, the more we fall into the trap of thinking it’s all about who we know, what we do, titles, etc. But John reminds us that its your life, period. Nothing else. How does this relate to me? Hmmm. I think simply I can’t believe the hype. When people think I have made it because someone knows my name or heard of me, I have to keep it real and remind myself its about my life and nothing else matters. If my life doesn’t shout Jesus then everything I do is a waste and it don’t impress God much!

My prayer: Lord, keep me humble. When people think highly of me, let me remember that the opinion I seek is yours only. Help me not to be impressed with myself or let others think I am perfect (cause I surely am not). May the mention of MY name bring glory to YOUR name.

“Imagine what it would be like to have so much power that your circumstances could not defeat you—power so great that its strength, its force cannot even be measured.” That’s how I begin a short encouragement I was asked to write for the women of my home church back in NYC for their Well Said Newsletter in honor of Women’s History month. Take a look at the newsletter here.

My church is on a 28 day journey through the book of Matthew. I decided to listen to the pastor and take on the challenge. When he announced it on Sunday, Hiram and I were actually excited about doing it. So as I do with all my “stuff” I’m putting my reflections out into the blogosphere,  I am letting you in on what I’m doing and how this journey will impact me. There will be a format to all this as was given to us.

 Day One

Read: Matthew 1

What verse stood out to me? Beside the wonderous birth of Jesus, what stood out to me was what I usually would find boring, the genealogy –this person begat that person and so on verses 1-17.

Why it spoke to me and how it relates to me: As a mom it made me think about legacy and how everything matters especially how I raise my children because I don’t know who I gave birth to nor do I know who they will bring into this world and what impact the future generation of the Rios lineage will in this world. None of the people in the verses above gave thought to the mundane act of having kids, raising kids, teaching kids yet after generations that family tree produced the savior of the world. So I thought to myself, what will our family tree produce?

My prayer: Lord, help me take my role as mom as the most important role on this side of heaven. When I want to pull my hair out as I homeschool my son, let me remember that I have the honor and awesome privilege of pouring Jesus into everything I teach him and do with him. Remind me that there is also purpose in lineage. Me being mom to Sam was no accident Lord, help me to remember I could be raising a boy that will stand up against darkness one day.

Side note: This kind of reminded me of the new series The Terminator. The mom in the show Sarah Connor has to do all she can to make sure her son learns and lives because in this show, the mom is the warrior and her son will be a hero in the future. 

Day Two

Read: Matthew 2

What verse stood out to me? 2:14, 2:21

Why it spoke to me and how it relates to me: Those verses state that “Joseph obeyed.” He didn’t ask questions, he didn’t think about comfort, he just did what he was told. I think of the many times I rather choose to obey only those things I feel the Lord is telling me to do that I actually like. It’s never easy to say yes, to do something that looks absolutely crazy because most people don’t understand obedience.

My prayer: Lord, help me to be obedient all the time not just when I like what you are telling me to do. Help me to not ask a million questions (I usually do) or think through possible ramifications (I usually do that too). Help me to learn from Joseph’s example. That my life story could also be one that shouts and “Liz obeyed.”

A Newborn’s Conversation With God

God said, ‘You will simply call her, ‘Mom.’

What I Love About Church Plants 

Even though we just finished a church planting season and even though it was a great adventure, we did not think we would get involved in a church plant again. At least not so soon but what I am about to share will help you see why there are many reasons we were “ruined for the established church” and became members of another church plant in our area. I’m even hoping you would have the courage to get involved with one near you!

I love church plants because:

1. They are needed. Church planting is the Number 1 way to reach people who are unchurched says almost every denomination and church planting book. The reality is that the mission field is no longer 6,000 miles away, its right across the street folks.
2. They are more fruitful at reaching new unchurched folks. People need to be given a reason to go to church every week and a new church has a better chance of persuading newcomers that they will be offered something fresh. You’ve got a whole generation of people who have never been in the habit of setting the alarm on Sunday morning. You’re competing with every other option they have – including sleeping in. In South Florida and Cali, add the weather and outdoor sports as competition.
3. They usually offer a fresh take on faith. There are so many ways new churches express their love for and need for Jesus that I would have to start a “let me count the ways” post which I won’t. From art during the preaching, videos, dance, and interactive stations, you name it some new church out there is trying it.
4. They give two types of people (the called and gifted and the not sure yet what I’m called to and not sure what my gift is people) opportunities to get involved in various levels of leadership. Newcomers usually can quickly assume leadership roles to help make the congregation into the kind of church they want to become based on expressed beliefs and values. The Lowe’s motto “Let’s build something together” really comes alive.
5. They aren’t institutionalized yet so everything is new including relationships. People know it’s a new congregation and they aren’t walking into a place where people have 20 years of history and don’t want to know anybody else. It’s a wonderful thing to get to know different people from different backgrounds all sharing just one common thing…their desire to know God more.
6. They usually are led by courageous people. Come on folks, you have to have GUTS to plant a church. Guts to follow that voice who they thought was God. I’ve learned to give planters props because this work isn’t easy no matter how much backing it has. And being that I was one for three years…It’s either guts or plain crazy out their mind…I prefer to believe its guts.
7. My final reason why I love church plants is because you see God move even in the Plan B mode. Planters and their teams have a planned out strategy for how things will go. That’s plan A. Plan A looks awesome, everything is planned to the T. A lot of time is spent planning that dog gone Plan A. Then Murphy’s Law happens (who the heck is Murphy anyway), in Latino circles its Pancho’s Law happens…and quickly Plan B goes into effect and everyone just grins and bears it. But the wonderful thing is that God still shows up, He still moves and no one in the crowd even noticed (well almost no one lol).

I’ll end with this one beef I have. A lot of folks in the Kingdom want to chill. Not chill for the purposes of letting God work in them as my previous post suggests. Chill in the I don’t want to lift a finger, let everyone work for me, give me some entertainment, have a 100 programs kind of way. I got a problem with that and if I am going to really be real, I question your understanding of the great commission and I think you’re wack. On top of that, I think lazy Christians are in the throw up category. (N0, this is not fact just my theological interpretation you don’t have to like it). I’m I getting you upset. Well, better to be offended now and awakened to the truth than to suffer the consequences of being one of many Christians who make Jesus Christ want to vomit (see Rev. 3:16).

Jesus said to the Christians at Laodicea, “You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. These are strong and offensive words from our Lord to those Christians. Jesus said He was about to vomit them out of His mouth. The Christians in Laodicea were lukewarm. They were neither hot nor cold. They were comfortable and liked things the way they were. I’m sure like many people we know, heck it could be YOU, they went to “church” every Sunday and maybe to a mid-week service.  Like then, today there are lots of Christians who are lukewarm. In short, they make Jesus want to vomit.

A church plant in your area needs your support. Monetarily. Physically. Prayerfully.  So get involved, in your church or better yet, (if God leads you to) join a new church.  Don’t be a lazy Christian in word or deed, don’t make Jesus want to vomit. 

“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God” –

William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions

We are almost into the third month of the year can you believe that! So many things have happened in our lives since January, some good and some not so good. But that’s life right!?

Today in speaking to a young man who we know from New York who wanted to meet with us for some counsel, we expressed our belief that life eventually hits everyone pretty hard some times and that we all suffer setbacks. However, even in those times God is working. In particular, I told this young man who has been struggling with life outside of NY (believe me I understand) “even when you are not working in ministry for God, God is working in you for ministry.”

Sometimes those who have been working doing “something” for the Kingdom since birth (literally sometimes this is true!) and those who have been in Bible college or seminary, don’t feel like they are anointed ‘anymore’ because they are not actively in a role. This is especially true in Pentecostal circles, but that is a not necessarily true. Sometimes you need to “chill”, step back and allow God to show you a few things about yourself. There is a dark side to leaders and it’s usually in those “lull” moments that God starts working in you to show you what they are.

However, I never want anyone to feel like their best days are behind them just because they have a selah moment. That is not true for him, for YOU or for me. That is what the enemy of our soul would want us to believe because he knows that if we accept this lie from the pit of the hell, we would stop expecting and attempting as the opening quote states.

But all this made me think…and I came to the conclusion that I am still expecting great things from and in a very real way He has come though for me and my family more than anyone outside of my family will ever know. However, I know how hard it is to keep expecting great things from God when life hits you in the gut. I think our humanity problem stems from the fact that we put on the mask and say everything is ok when we know its not and we don’t do what this young man did, have the courage to talk to someone about what is messing with us mentally, spiritually, physically or all three!  We rather play the “Hallelujah anyhow” card and not deal with our issues and then we stay, as Rev. Ray Rivera used to preach to us at LPAC, “emotional midgets while the world around us thinks we are spiritual giants.”

Life’s hard knocks can also make us gun shy in our attempts to do great things for God. Perhaps we have failed in something in the eyes of the world, perhaps your life with your family or children didn’t turn out like you had dreamed, perhaps someone you dearly loved and prayed for died anyway and you just can’t seem to expect or attempt anything for God anymore. I’ve been there too friend but again, I have to point you back to you. YOU have to do the work to get to know you. You have to see yourself in all your glory and gory. You have to be honest with who you have become up until this point in your life. It is only in this way, when you work on being authentic with God and yourself that you can truly become who God intended for you to become. Faking it takes work people! It’s better to come clean and let God work.  As you see Him working in you in ways you know ONLY GOD could, you start to believe again, you start to expect again and yes, you even start to attempt great things for God again.

Each day is a new day and God’s grace and mercy is new every morning. I hope you wake up tomorrow (or for some today) knowing that today can be the first day of a new life for you and God. I hope you believe that even after all you’ve been through…the best is yet to come in your life. Believe it!  

“You’d like to feel like the White House is your house. It belongs to the people,” Lopez said. After pausing and grinning ever so slightly, he added “Brown people too.” Read entire endorsement here.

At least that is what this article is stating based on a Florida pastor’s campaign. Read it here. Lew emailed me recently saying that (not verbatim) church’s have been copying each other in this area because it has been successful for many. I think he’s right not that its wrong or bad just not original anymore.

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