He asked and I said YES!
I, and the Calvary
Chapel Rosarito congregation, will forever remember what happened immediately
after the evening service of Saturday, June 1, 2019!! Francisco walked up to the front of the
church, went onto the platform, turned to face the congregation, and invited me
to join him. I was shocked! Was he going to ask for my hand in marriage in
front of the whole congregation? As I walked up to the front of the church,
Francisco shared with the congregation how he had fallen in love with me. When
he dropped to one knee and articulated those four little words that all women
want their man to ask them at the right time, I felt as though God was grinning
ear to ear and embracing both of us! The
whole congregation went wild with clapping and hooting in approval. I could not
say, “YES!!!” fast enough!
Francisco has great
leadership skills that compliment my skill set in ways that only God could have
orchestrated! Francisco will join me in
full-time ministry after we are married.
Many years earlier Francisco,
too, had received the call of God upon his life to serve our Master. There is
always a great need for extra hands in the Mexico Recovery Ministry but neither
of us could have anticipated the extreme blessing that God had in store for us!
The opportunity for us to serve Christ together as a husband and wife team is
an absolute dream come true. We are both excited about our future.
Francisco and I continue
to see God’s hand move in amazing ways in the lives of those who have dedicated
themselves to Jesus Christ. We see the
effects of the Holy Spirit convicting new participants to follow the Celebrate
Recovery program. Through Christ and the
Celebrate Recovery program, participants receive healing from hurts, habits and
hang-ups. As we watch the gospel biblically transform lives, we see
participants recognize their gifts and talents they were created to use. The
blessings Christ pours upon us as the participants use their gifts and talents
to serve others around them humble us profoundly.
Jesus is one of those that
came through the CR program. Jesus recognized
he had gifts and talents to share with others. Jesus facilitates CR Step
Studies on Tuesday nights and facilitates CR Open Share groups on Thursday
nights. Jesus has a wonderful, compassionate heart as he leads the men in his
groups into a deeper walk with Christ.
At our last Celebrate Recovery Meal Night, Jesus shared his powerful testimony
of how God rescued him from the effects of a broken childhood. Jesus’ broken childhood followed him into his
adulthood. He shared with us how, with the strength and guidance of the Holy
Spirit, he left behind the only life he had known. Jesus left the drugs, the alcohol and the women
to follow his new Master, Christ Jesus. Today, Jesus is happily married and
attends CR with his wife and children. Jesus is a real blessing to all who have
the opportunity to get to know him. His story of biblical salvation is just one
of many that we hear regularly.
When we allow God to do so, God takes the broken
and gives them a new beginning and a new purpose in life. I cannot thank you
enough for your continued prayers and generous giving towards the Mexico
Recovery Ministry. Together we are seeing lives being set free from
dysfunctional behaviors that the devil has deceptively kept them in bondage to for
years. It is an honor to partner with you in ministry.
