Last updated 6/24/09
Thanks for wanting to know more about me and taking the time to check out my blog! Now let’s see, more about me here and below…
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I am a wife to Hiram (19 years) and a mom to Samuel (12) and DJ (10-special needs).
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I love to show my closest friends how much I love them…My WEPA girls, Edna, Marcy and Betsy.
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I am a sister to Wanda (who lives in NYC) and a daugther of strong single mom, Maria (who lives in Naguabo, PR).
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I am a “TITI” [Aunt] to many nieces and nephews–Timothy, Matthew, Amanda, Andrew, Jason, Stacey, Jaimee, Rebekah, Ashlee, Alyssa, Angelisse, Michael.
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I am a dog lover. Especially boxer (dog) lover and if I had a bigger house would have a whole kennel! Lost Silas November 22, 2004–the best Boxer EVER. I am now mom to Taino, Lady, Coco and Rocko.
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I am a red color lover. I love what it communicates, the boldness, the passion.
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I am a thinker. Too much for my own good sometimes.
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I am a Charter member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. South Broward Alumnae.
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I’m a disciple and Christ follower and even though I have been in the institutional church for more than 25 years and know that its not perfect, I still believe the church is the most powerful institution God uses for personal transformation, although I know and am saddened that alot of leaders in the name of God, mess people up!
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I have been a community of faith leader for many years.
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I am interested not only in the UNchurched but the DEchurched. As outsiders that were insiders, I think we need to listen to them about what the church SHOULD be like.
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I have a sense of humor. Man, you gotta find the humorous things in life. Life is way too dark without laughter. My husband has rubbed off on me in this department.
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I love writing and have written books chapters and many articles. Currently I am writing a book to encourage people but particularly women to make lemonade out of the lemons of life and REBOUND from pity to promise. My book is the premise of my motivational speaking engagements to women. I have a great agent Rachelle that represents this agency.
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I am a pen fanatic. Levenger’s is my favorite pen store. The feel of fine point rollerball pens to good paper gives me spine tingling sensations…yeah, that good
Don’t ever give me a bic pen its insulting LOL. -
I love to cook. As long as someone else does dishes.
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I homeschool my 12 year old son (Liberty University Online Academy) and am grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that and train my boy to become a man after God’s heart. I am also a Stanford and Iowa Test Administrator for Homeschooling families to help Florida families meet year end homeschool law requirements.
- I used to be a youth minister along with my husband at our home church for almost 10 years. I’ve been involved in various areas of church leadership: Sunday school, leadership development, women, youth, church administration and I learned alot about human nature! I noticed I was hotwired to care about church leadership issues since I was a teenager, particularly as they relate to the Hispanic church or those seeking to minister to Latinos.
- I believe in women in ministry in ANY role and that is why I started the Center for Emerging Female Leadership in 1996. Read more about us at www.cefl.org or sign up for the online gathering of women in leadership at www.ceflonline.com
- And last but certainly not least…I’ve been through the ringer. Two major life events rocked my world as I knew it…the birth of my second son, Daniel Jeremiah who was born prematurely at 26 weeks and had subsequent hospitalizations [he has CP, cortical blindness, hydrocephalus], he doesn’t walk, talk, see, laugh, and in May 2007 he almost died after being resuscitated 5 times, you get the picture? But he has taught me more about God and what it means to be spiritual then any church has ever have. He was the beginning of my rebirth. A major marriage crisis after his birth almost killed me too in Aug 2001 BUT GOD got me through and again, I love who I have become even though I don’t appreciate how I had to get here. In spite of the drama, I still dream big and still believe God really does want the best for me. I live out LOUD and hope that I share my life with others in a way that makes them want to live OUT LOUD too!
Other things about me
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Best Thing About What I do in Ministry: Teach and develop leaders so that they can fulfill their God given Purpose and Destiny. I love to see the light come on in the eyes of people when they hear the gospel.
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Favorite Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip
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Favorite songs: Oh my sooo many but here’s some “There’s Hope”, “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher”, “Always and Forever”, “The Real Me” and many more!!!
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Favorite movies: all the Rocky movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Rudy”, “Cinderella Man”, “The Color Purple”, All Star Wars, Life as a House, A Walk in the Park, A Few Good Men
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Favorite book: Too many to list all of them but some books that totally messed me up and healed my soul were Shattered Dreams, The Emotionally Healthy Church, How People Grow, Leading with a Limp
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My idea of a vacation: chilling by a pool overlooking the ocean sipping on a passion fruit ice cold drink without a Blackberry or laptop in sight
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Place I would most like to live in other than FL: Puerto Rico or Hawaii
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Dogs or cats? Is that an option…definitely dogs!! Dogs rule!
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Favorite color: Red
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How would I describe myself? A down-to-earth, what you see is what you get kind of gal who always wants to inspire others, and loves to have fun!
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What I’ve learned thus far in life? What really matters in life is that you be true to God and yourself because everyone else’s opinions about you will drive you crazy and lead to a life that was never meant for you!
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Favorite quote: I have a lot of them but I’ll say this is the one that says it all, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, But people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
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Favorite Biblical Personality & Why: Deborah because she was a collaborative leader who knew how to weave the right people together. She worked well with men and women.
Official Bio of Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Rios
Dr. Liz accepted Jesus Christ at an early age, displaying a genuine love for God. When in college she ventured onto paths to “experiment” but soon realized that God’s call over her life provided no where to hide. She returned to the Lord and never looked back. She received her credentials to the ministry in 1996 through the Assemblies of God. Her home church in NYC was Primitive Christian Church where she served in various leadership capacities including but not limited to: Children’s Nursery, Youth Sunday School Teacher, Single’s Leader, Women’s Leader, Youth Minister alongside her husband, Newsletter Editor and various administration roles.
With a divine call and passion for the advancement of women, Dr. Rios has been privileged to serve as a speaker and workshop presenter for several women’s conferences. Since 1996, she’s been the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Center for Emerging Female Leadership, a leading influential leadership development organization focused on “Moving Women from Average to Excellence” in their educational, personal and professional pursuits. Dr. Liz is also a Leadership and Life Coach helping women rebound from the lemons of life.
Dr. Rios has also served in many executive level positions in nonprofit organizations in NYC including ten years at the Latino Pastoral Action Center as Vice President of Institutional Development. Her involvement in the faith-based nonprofit community made her an advocate for enhanced leadership development and accountability amongst faith-based nonprofit organizations. Since 2005, she has been informing and inspiring women nationally as a regular columnist and Contributing Editor for PRISM magazine
As an advocate for education, she’s been an adjunct professor at Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary at both the NYC and Washington, DC campuses as well as Trinity International University’s South Florida campus. Currently, she uses her love of education to home school her 11 year old son through Liberty University’s Online Academy.Dr. Rios is active as a nationally recognized leader in the faith-based community invited to speak and write on many issues related to women, ministry and leadership development.
Rev. Dr. Rios is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta West Broward Alumnae Chapter. Her educational background consists of a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from the New School for Social Research, a Master of Arts in Management with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management from the Regent University School of Business and an earned Doctorate in Education in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. She has done post-graduate work at Fordham University School of Religion, Indiana University Center of Philanthropy and the Blanton Peale Graduate Institute for Pastoral Counseling. A perpetual learner, she is embarking on a new journey as a D.Min. student at Bethel Theological Seminary.With her vast experiences as a church planter, pastor, key church leader, nonprofit executive, credentialed minister and educator who understands the challenges of each role as she has experienced both failure and success, as well as rejoicing and regret she brings the sum of all her experiences to each endeavor she undertakes.
Dr. Rios says her life goal is simply to encourage individuals to “live out loud instead of hiding in life” because “a rebound is always possible when you believe.” In addition to all she does, she counts her family as her most important role. She is married to her wonderful husband of 18 years, Hiram Rios (who also serves as a Pastor), and is the mom of two very different boys, Samuel (11) who is homeschooled through Liberty University Online Academy and Daniel Jeremiah (DJ-9) who is special needs being cortically blind, having CP, hydrocephalus and a seizure disorder. A dog lover, she also shares her home with Taino (Golden Retriever Mix), Lady (Boxer), Coco (Daschund) and Rocko (English Bulldog). Together they enjoy the benefits of a Godly and wholesome family in West Miramar, FL.
Where you will find articles on Liz or her involvements in ministry:
Regent University, School of Business Newsletter, 2008
2007Miami Herald, Easter Sunday 2007
