Thanks for wanting to know more about me and taking the time to check out my blog! Now let’s see, more about me…
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- I am a wife to Hiram (18 years) and a mom to Samuel (10) and DJ (8-special needs).
- I love to show my closest friends how much I love them…Edna, Marcy and Betsy.
- I am a sister to Wanda (who lives in NYC) and a daugther of strong single mom, Maria (who lives in Naguabo, PR).
- I am a “TITI” [Aunt] to many nieces and nephews–Timothy, Matthew, Amanda, Andrew, Jason, Stacey, Jaimee, Rebekah, Ashlee, Alyssa, Angelisse, Michael.
- 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.
- I am a red color lover. I love what it communicates, the boldness, the passion.
- I am a thinker. Too much for my own good sometimes.
- I am a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Order of the Eastern Star.
- 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.
- I’m a credentialed minister.
- I am a member of a baby church called The Pursuit Christian Church in West Pembroke Pines, FL. If you don’t have a home church, check us out!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- I love to cook. As long as someone else does dishes.
- I homeschool my 11 year old son (use the Sonlight Curriculum) 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 church planter/pastor for almost 3 years (with my husband and friend) in South Florida. It was one of the most trying, faith expanding seasons of my life and although we transitioned out of the role in 2007, we don’t regret one single moment of the experience. God never wastes anything on our journey and we hope to use our planting experience to help other planters in South Florida.
- I used to be a youth pastor 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 own my own self-care and wellness company which I incorporate into my Rebound Coach ministry to women. I am a Soul Purpose visionary circle owner visit here to learn more about this great company and as a Warm Spirit owner. My favorite Warm Spirit products are the entire line of Heavenly, Honey Mango Lip Balm, Lavendar Spirtz and the Restore Line. Buy some for yourself. Click on the logo below to get some!
- I believe in women in ministry and that is why I started the Center for Emerging Female Leadership in 1996. Visit my site at www.cefl.org
- 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 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 resusitated 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!
My Bio just in case you’re interested
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Rios is the founder of Rebound Life Architects (RLA), a self-care and wellness, women’s personal coaching, leadership development organization. Rebound Life Architects™ provides Life Coaching, Self-Care and Wellness gatherings, Spiritual Direction and other training programs and seminars. The mission of RLA is to help women reach their true potential and be successful in every area of their life by helping them rebound from life through self-care, wellness and personal awareness so they can rebuild their life. Dr. Rios is a personal coach, leadership consultant, national speaker, published author and successful grant writer. With an emphasis on authenticity, transformative spirituality and self-care and development in leadership she specializes in helping people change their belief systems which lead to personal behavior that sabotages personal and spiritual growth which hinders destiny fulfillment. Known as The Rebound Coach™, Dr. Rios uses her own life story of having thrived after many personal tragedies as well as five foundational principles (recall, restore, reclaim, renew, rebound) developed from her life experience in all of her seminars, conferences and retreats she conducts.Prior to starting RLA, Dr. Rios also founded a fund development consulting practice in 2003 to help faith-based nonprofits in their fundraising needs, which still operates today. 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. In addition, due to her passion for women in leadership and seeing a lack of opportunities for women to develop themselves to become better leaders, she went on to establish the Center for Emerging Female Leadership (www.cefl.org) in 1996. 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. She takes opportunities to teach anyone anytime and has been known to use a cereal box to teach important life lessons! Presently, she uses her love of education to home school her 11 year old son using Sonlight Curriculum.
Since 2005, she has been informing and inspiring women nationally as a regular columnist and Contributing Editor for PRISM magazine, published by Evangelicals for Social Action. In April 2008, she became a Contributing Editor for Outreach Magazine, a national magazine for church leaders and planters. Dr. Liz has also written academically with a chapter in Latino Religions and Civic Activism called “The Women are Warriors” highlighting the many achievements of Latina Pentecostal women in the NYC social activist world. The chapter was reprinted in Azusa Street and Beyond 100 Years of Commentary on the Global/Pentecostal Charismatic Movement which was highlighted at the Azusa Street Centennial. Presently, Dr. Rios who is represented by Word Serve Literary, is working on her own book to encourage and give practical tips to women who are seeking to rebound from the lemons of life. In addition to her coaching, 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 the Delta Sigma Theta Broward Alumnae Chapter. Her educational background consists of a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts for 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 a 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 presently a D.Min. student in the Strength-Based Congregational Leadership program at Bethel Theological Seminary in partnership with the world’s leading provider of management education, Gallup University.
What makes Dr. Rios a great Rebound Coach is the fact that she is or has been a church planter, pastor, key church leader, nonprofit executive, credentialed minister and educator and understands the challenges of each role as she ‘s experienced both failure and success, as well as rejoicing and regret. Dr. Rios says of her work and life, “I am fascinated with the dynamics of the human spirit; therefore, my desire is to contribute my passion in a way that enhances each individual’s personal and professional gifts. One way I seek to accomplish this is to awaken people to the knowledge that everyone can rebound from all of life’s situations and that their life story matters and can help define their leadership.” 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.”
A native New Yorker, Dr. Rios now resides in West Miramar, FL with her husband of 18 years, two sons, Samuel Eliu (11) and Daniel Jeremiah (9). A dog lover, she also shares her home with Taino (Golden Retriver Mix), Lady (Boxer), Coco (Daschund) and Rocko (English Bulldog).
Where you will find articles on Liz or her involvements in ministry:
Regent University, School of Business Newsletter, 2008
2007Miami Herald, Easter Sunday 2007
