Christian Latina Leadership Blog

By:Adalia Gutierrez Lee

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The basic needs of a human being go so unnoticed that sometimes we ignore them, or we do not even think about them as what they are—essential needs: eating, sleeping, having someone to take care of us, to love us, and educate us as children. Those first five years of life, the ones we remember the least, are the years that most form our personality and character. These are years that create the trust that will nurture and sustain us the rest of our lives.

This month when we honor our mothers, has been different for me. I decided to spend it focusing on the memories that remind me to thank God for the mom I had. I no longer have my mom with me. However, her love and influence transcend her physical presence.

My mom was an incredible human being that emanated sweetness and security. The simple fact of knowing that she was always looking out for me, no matter how far I was from her, gave me peace of mind. I knew that everything was going to work out because she was looking out for me. Whether it was with my studies, sports, church, or friendships, wherever or with whomever I was, my mom was a constant who inspired me and helped me to give the best of myself.

My mom was a prudent woman. She knew how to listen and when to speak. She always told us there are things that we may think, but should not always say. You have to speak to build people up. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable expressing themselves, we need to respect them and give them their space. We don’t have to force them and make them uncomfortable. I have to confess that this last piece of advice has always been hard for me to follow because I’m much more curious than she was!

Her words of affirmation were always followed by a tender caress, or an act of love. Sometimes she would wait at the front door of the house worried because one of her children had not returned home, thus reminding us that expressions of affection transcend logic and rationality. Was looking at the street going to speed up the process of our arrival? She didn’t care about the “absurdity” of love, she just showed us, with deeds and words, that her love was constant and unconditional.

Recently I spoke in a chapel service about God’s love as our parent. I shared that for me seeing God as Father or Mother when I was a child was not so critical, because I had in my parents an exceptional mother and father. Now as an adult, I understand Jesus’ insistence on relating to God in this most intimate way. Knowing that the love of God transcends all logic, and as Paul corroborates in his letter to the Ephesians, “it is greater than we can understand” (Ephesians 3:19).

We do not have to understand nor explain God’s love in order to experience it. The presence of God is a constant in our lives that allows us to live, sleep, play, study and interact with confidence.

While it is true that my mom was a great leader, and that I learned many leadership lessons from her, I think what I treasure the most is how to relate to God every day. That prayer that she taught me and repeated with me every night next to my bed is the same one that sustains me now in my adult life: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O God, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). This experience and prayer inspire me today in all the areas of my life.

Being leaders at home and outside the home is a great responsibility. In fact, sometimes it is more challenging to be a good leader inside the house where we are most deeply known. My mom was a leader* who inspired me and my siblings in the intimate world of our home, as well as many women and men around the world.

As I reflect on the life of my mom, my prayer is that I may be the kind of leader that she was both at home and in the world. If I am able to be just half of whom she was, it will make me feel really happy, satisfied, and accomplished.

As we honor our mothers this month, I want to invite you to think about motherhood in a broader sense: biological, adoptive, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual. Who are the mothers that you can honor in your life? In which ways can you inspire and encourage other people as only a mother can do?

*Editor’s note: Adalia’s mother, Edna Lee de Gutiérrez, was a well-known and accomplished leader among Baptists worldwide. To learn more about her life, please click here.

Adalia Gutiérrez Lee serves as the International Ministries Area Director for Iberoamerica and the Caribbean, American Baptist Churches, and is a member of the CLLI Board.

By Verónica Rodríguez Navarro

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Due to the Holy Week observances, during this month we have heard much about the women who were around Jesus. Talking about them gives us the opportunity to identify ourselves with them, and also to find useful practical knowledge for our lives.

In Mark 14 we find one of these women. This story tells us about the woman from Bethany who anointed Jesus’ head before his death. It also provides a space to reflect more deeply on worship.

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head… Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Mark 14:3 and 9

Worshiping without conceit: “…a woman came…”

The human tendency is to obtain personal exaltation; make yourself noticed for your abilities, talents or great virtues so that people may see that you are a person worthy of exaltation and admiration. It seems that they seek with eagerness and desperation to occupy the stage of “worship”.

The woman from Bethany knew that Jesus was in Simon’s house. So, as she came to that place, she was only interested in getting to where the Teacher was. She entered that house with a firm purpose: to worship Jesus. She did not care about the people who were there. Her gaze, from the moment she entered, was focused on Jesus, and everything she would do was to please him, showing him that her worship, devotion, intention, time, and action were only to demonstrate that he and nothing else than him, moved her heart at that moment.

Our worship must be without conceit before other people, but perceived and accepted by God.

A detached worship: “…with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard…”

To detach, remove, separate, give away something valuable, luxurious, of great cost to someone else, are the words that can describe the action of surrender of the woman from Bethany.

What is the most valuable possession we have in our life? Would we sincerely be willing to give up that possession to honor God? It implies resignation, humility, submission, loss. What are you willing to lose to make your worship acceptable to God?

The essence of pure nard is very valuable, since it is obtained from a plant that grows in the Himalayas between 3,300 and 5,100 meters above sea level, and is used as a medicinal or perfumery item.

The perfume of pure nard in the life of a woman, and the fruit that it entails, are only obtained in the presence of God, in the heights to which daily prayer and communion with God transport us. These experiences could become the greatest possession of a human being, due to the place where they have taken us. However, presenting this perfume before God takes us even further: to detach ourselves from our will in order to do God’s perfect will.

A fragmented worship: “…She broke the jar…”

Brokenness is the state in which a human being hurts, suffers, is weakened and tried, and can die.

An alabaster was a container made of very fine calcareous stone, yellowish or cream in color with a great variety of designs. In these containers, expensive ointments or perfumes were better preserved. To open an alabaster and get the benefit of its contents, it was necessary to break the top of the jar, and thus dump the contents.

Fragmented worship is that which on many occasions breaks the heart of a worshiper as he is molded by the hands of the Loving Potter of the soul. The worship that the woman of Bethany fragmented in her hands was a reflection of her humble heart before her Lord.

The woman who is fragmented in the hands of God and who allows the pure perfume that she possesses in her being to be poured into God, is the fragrance that rises to God’s presence and releases its aroma to impregnate those around her.

A worship with understanding: “…she poured the perfume on his head…”. 

The woman from Bethany was fulfilling one of the last public acts in which Jesus announces his death. She was anointing him for the grave, and unknowingly she was God’s instrument for the fulfillment of the Scriptures.

We must be knowledgeable of the Word, and understanding of God’s movement in the midst of his people. We must be ready to anoint Jesus with our worship, and not lose the privilege that God has given us to be his instruments.

An acceptable worship: “…what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Worship is a conscious and voluntary act in which the one who worships has recognized that God is the only Redeemer and Savior of her life. The grace of Christ on the sinner creates in the believer a “Cycle of Worship,” where God approaches the human being to bless her with His Presence and forgiveness, and the human being responds by adoring God consciously and voluntarily, without expecting anything for herself, just thanking God for the favor she has received. God blesses the human being again in response to her adoration and the human being worships her Lord with surrender. This cycle is repeated over and over again, as long as the human being has memory and the goodness of God does not run out.

The woman from Bethany found forgiveness and salvation in Jesus. Jesus found in the woman real worship and gratitude. The results of this worship were the peace of God in the life of this woman and that her adoration transcended to this day, being remembered as an acceptable worship to God.

Conclusion

More important than highlighting the act of worship of the woman from Bethany, is highlighting the person of Jesus, who moved her to worship in this way. Therefore, the best example of a worshiping person is Christ himself, who came to this world without conceit, detached of himself, was fragmented or broken, understood the fulfillment of his purpose, and was received as the perfect worship before God.

The very thought of offering worship to God in a similar way to what Jesus offered can be overwhelming. However, I invite you to think: What are the challenges that Jesus and this woman bring to your life of worship? What small, conscious steps can you take today to move closer to this kind of worship?

Verónica Rodríguez Navarro is Director of Hudbe School of Music and Ministerial Training. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Music Ministry and Ministerial Training from the Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary in Mexico City, and a certificate in Leadership Studies from the Christian Latina Leadership Institute. She serves as Minister of Worship at Bethel Baptist Church and as Coordinator of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute site in Mexico City.

By: Brenda Rincones, Mayra Rodríguez, Norvi Mayfield, and Nora O. Lozano

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For more than thirty years, I (Nora) have been fascinated with the biblical story about the woman sick with chronic bleeding. I have written about it in different publications, and I often refer to it in my classes. Due to my familiarity with the story, I never thought that it could bring anything more to my life.

According to Mark 5:25-34, this woman had been sick for twelve years. Of course, her problem was physical, but it went beyond that. Leviticus 15 stated that anyone who had a bodily discharge was unclean, and anyone or anything that this person touched would be declared unclean as well. Considering this, it was impossible for this woman to come before Jesus proclaiming her illness, so she quietly approaches him, and seeks to touch only his cloak’s corner.

As she did touch him softly, Jesus recognized power had gone out of him. When he asked about what was happening, he learned that a woman, sick with chronic bleeding, had touched him. Instead of getting upset with the woman for her audacity, or ashamed that an impure woman had touched him, he talks to her, forgives her, praises her for her faith, and sends her away in peace (Mark 5:34).

It is important to note that in this story there are multiple healings. On the one hand, a healing occurs when the woman touches Jesus’ cloak, and her body is healed. On the other hand, she is also healed when, full of fear, she shared the whole truth about her pain, sorrow, and suffering, and how Jesus had finally healed her (Mark 5:33). As she shares her story, and realizes that Jesus was not angry with her, she finds liberation. Since Jesus did not blame her or accuse her, but blessed her, no one would be able to distress or marginalize her anymore due to her previous sickness.

This story represents true healing and liberation as the woman is healed (spiritually, physically, emotionally, and socially), and is now free to live a normal life with the regular people of her time, and to visit all the places that previously were forbidden to her.  

By now, I am sure you can understand my fascination with this remarkable story that illustrates how Jesus can bring complete healing and liberation to a person’s life.

Can the story become better? I did not think so! However, it recently did.

Last November I had the blessing of going to the Holy Land with the goal of encouraging Christian leaders there, as well as visiting some important religious sites. One of these sites was the town of Magdala in Galilee, Mary Magdalene’s hometown.

Magdala has been famous throughout the history of Christianity; however, its significance was heightened in 2009 when important archeological discoveries were found there. As excavations started in order to build a new retreat center and guesthouse, an ancient part of the town started to emerge. Today this place is an archeological area in development, a worship site, a retreat center, and a guesthouse.

As you enter the worship site “Duc in Altum” (launch into the deep water), it is immediately noticeable that this space was designed to evoke and honor Jesus and the women around him. In the building’s lower level, you can find the Encounter Chapel, which is designed after the structure of the Magdala First Century Synagogue. This chapel has an impressive mural by Chilean painter Daniel Cariola that depicts the story of Jesus and the woman sick with chronic bleeding.

Since some members of the CLLI community had the blessing of visiting Magdala and seeing this painting, too, I invited them to reflect on their experience:

Mayra Rodríguez (CLLI North Carolina) shared: “I had the privilege of seeing this famous painting.  Impressive! While some people pay much attention to the feet in the painting, the most amazing thing for me is the woman’s hand that shows an incredible faith that led her to be healed, changed, and restored. Women at that time believed and had faith. Perhaps this is what we lack today. We need to trust and believe in him.”

Brenda Rincones (CLLI Texas) shared: “As I see this work, I’m reminded of the secrets we, as women, keep; as many of our moms and grandmothers did not share the struggles they endured. This woman tried to find healing in secret, but Jesus outs her, not to shame her, but rather to free her. Her healing needed to be made public so that everyone would know she was whole, worthy, and should not be excluded. The public declaration of her healing brought glory to God and freedom and wholeness to the woman. Don’t shy away from being vulnerable, for in our openness and honesty before God, God will be glorified, and we will find freedom.”

Norvi Mayfield (CLLI Texas) shared: “As I see this painting, I think about the power that Jesus shared with this woman; a power that affected all the areas of her life. In the same way, I want to touch Jesus, even if it is the end of one of his hairs, because by doing this his power will also affect my life completely: past, present, and future. However, I recognize that today, the only way that we can touch Jesus and have access to his power is by being daily at his feet to constantly discern the steps that we need to follow according to his will.”

As for me (Nora), I did not appreciate fully the power of this painting until I was back home looking at my pictures. We went to Magdala at the end of an enriching, but long day. I was tired as I tried to absorb in one day the richness of the Sea of Galilee, the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Arbel National Park, Jesus’ Baptism Site on the Jordan River, and finally Magdala. As I stood looking at the picture, someone suggested for me to extend my hand to the painting. I was asked to move a little more to the right, and I followed the instructions. Then, this powerful picture appeared among the hundreds of pictures that I took during the trip.

I think this picture has become one of the trip’s most significant pictures. Biblical scholar Joanna Dewey suggests that one of the hermeneutical tools that we should use in order to recover the women of the Bible is for us to immerse in the story. In this picture, I am in the story, together with Jesus and the woman. Thus, this picture functions as a constant visual reminder that I need to be brave and daring like this biblical woman. It invites me to reach out to Jesus, full of faith, believing that he can indeed heal all the areas of my life, and give me a future full of peace (shalom). It invites me to reach daily to him as I try to navigate the constant intricacies of life.

What do you think and feel as you see this painting? What is the invitation that Jesus is extending you? What is the example that this woman is giving you?  Think about this, and then take action. It will change your life!  

Brenda Rincones is Founder and Director of the Shine Girls Conference.

Mayra Rodríguez is G&R Services Vice President.

Norvi Mayfield is Director of the Mayfield Foundation, and Consultant in the area of missions  and non-profit organizations.

Nora O. Lozano is CLLI Executive Director.

Photos credit: Nora O. Lozano and Barnabas Team.

By: Jana Atkinson-Morga

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In this month when we celebrate love, if you were to stop people on the street and ask them for a definition, I bet you would hear a great assortment of answers. It is exciting that I have been asked to write about love. Now, not that I don’t know love. That I do in a great many ways. It is interesting to me because I have spent the last few months working on a Disciple Now weekend for my youth group. Get this, the theme is Be Loved.

This theme is the second part of a three-year plan to build, to guide, and to shape the youth ministry’s students into disciples through the ministry’s tagline: Be Known, Be Loved, and Belong. As we look to the second part of that tagline, Be Loved, it is crucial to find the words that define how students want all people to understand and be loved. When preparing for this upcoming Disciple Now, I asked our volunteers and our guest speaker to share with me what they think of the word loved. I was reminded that to be loving goes further than a feeling; it is an action, a verb. This verb, this action, is making someone see that they are known by showing them that they are seen and appreciated. When we value others for who they are, we love them. 

When seeking out a definition for love or being loved, one could look straight to the apostle Paul’s words in what is considered to be the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. There you can find a bulleted list of what love is and what love is not:

• Love is patient and kind.
• Love does not envy, boast, dishonor others, or delight in evil.
• Love is not proud, self-seeking, or easily angered.
• Love rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, and never fails.

These words are big and important. However, without actions, these words are inanimate; these words are flat. When considering our lives with others, we must understand these words and take a step forward.

We indeed have a place with God, a partnership with God where we are to love others as God loves us. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together, says that learning to love others begins with learning to love who they are. Learning to listen to them, their hearts, and their hurts. This is why love is more than a beautiful and grandiose list. Paul teaches us that love is bigger, wider, and deeper than we can imagine.

Love is animated through the stories of scripture. Love is echoed through the continual deliverance of the Jews throughout time; love is understood through the words of the prophets, and it is animated in the wisdom and historical narratives. 

There is beauty in seeing the ministry of Jesus and embracing his message of love. He was counter-cultural. He changed the world not only through the work on the cross. Although his death and resurrection did indeed open the door for reconciliation, his life was one where love was always a verb; it was animated.

This practice of animating love through actions becomes clear and tangible to us in Jesus’ example. The experiences with those he encountered, and the calling of those deemed as outcasts or undesirable to be his disciples are our standard of life today. Furthermore, Jesus himself importantly shares with the disciples that we will be known by the love that leads our lives. This love is expressed by giving warmth to those who are cold, food to those who are hungry, fellowship to those who are lonely, kindness to those who cross our paths, and supporting every person in all walks of life, letting them know that they are beloved, they are known, and they belong.

This is where I find significance in salvation. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection allow us to be in relationship with God, to look forward to being in the presence of God after this life, and to being a partner with God in this life.

Lois Lowry writes in her book Number the Stars, “surely that gift—the gift of a world of human decency—is the one that all countries hunger for still.” This is a staggering truth. This world, our world, hungers still for human decency. I have come to understand that we are called by God to be ministers of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18-20). We are partners with God to share great selfless and brave love with the world.

This love is personified in the push for change when the world’s brokenness overwhelms everything. It goes further than thoughts and prayers because faith without works is dead (James 2:26). The love of God is embodied by advocating for those who face war, pain, and injustice in this world. It is grace, mercy, and justice that carry the love of God to the corners of the earth.

This love is challenging indeed, but not impossible. How can you show this kind of love today?

Jana Atkinson-Morga is a CLLI graduate and Student Minister at Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Master of Divinity from Logsdon Seminary and a BA in Bible and Theology from Baptist University of the Américas.

By: Marcela Ordaz

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Almost everyone makes new year’s resolutions. As a new beginning, it is a time to evaluate life, and set specific goals or resolutions that will help us reach our objectives in this new year.

Normally, the most popular resolutions are weight loss, eating healthy, traveling, paying off debts, learning a new language, reading more, playing a sport, finding a partner, having a better job, quitting destructive habits, or for the most disciplined people: reading the bible in a year.

However, this tradition of new year’s resolutions comes with its challenges.

Has it happened to you that the end of the day comes and it seems that you did not achieve anything? Or that weeks go by and you feel a frustration of not having completed projects? Or that the beginning of a new year arrives and you did not fulfill the “new year’s resolutions” of the previous year?

Here we are at the beginning of 2023, and the overwhelming tradition of setting new year’s resolutions is upon us again. I’ve been there. It feels like the days go by without achieving anything. And at the end of the day, one is exhausted.

But what if I told you that there is a way to not only follow these popular new year’s resolutions, but to also live an abundant life?

You may ask: How is this possible?  I invite you to explore some of these ways with me.

Jonathan Murcia describes in his Facebook page: “A life of abundance is not just a life filled with material wealth. But a life filled with the grace of God, and the growth of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God’s Word offers a variety of ideas that inspire us to live an abundant life, much better than what we can plan or imagine. Jeremiah 29:11 states: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  

The letter to the Philippians (chapter four) also offers instructions that we can take as part of our new year’s resolutions, which will lead us to live an abundant life:

•  “Stand firm in the Lord” (4:1).
• “Rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4).
• “Let your gentleness be known to everyone” (4:4).
• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:6-7).
• “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (4:8).
• “As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them…” (4:9).

And verse 4:19 stands out as it affirms: “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

In addition to the Bible, there is Christian literature that also offers us ways to live an abundant life. Rick Warren in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, suggests the following:

• You were planned to delight God. Develop your friendship with God. Make yourself God’s best friend. By doing this, you will make God smile.
• You were made for the family of God. You have a place to belong to. Restore fellowship and cultivate communal life. Take good care of your church.
• You were created to be like Christ. Grow, be transformed, and defeat temptation. Take the necessary time to cultivate this.
• You were made to serve God. Accept the task, use your tools, strengthen your service mentality, and allow God to be manifested in your weaknesses.
• You were made for a mission. Share the message of your life, balance your life, remove envy and the desire to please other people.

It is always good to recap a little when we feel lost or when we experience moments of stagnation.

I recently read in a New York Times article that we tend to think of the dishwasher as a dangerous place for delicate items. However, the makers of the slimmest and most expensive wine glasses recommend putting them in the dishwasher, rather than washing them by hand. The reason: They are more likely to break or get damaged if they are banged against the sink or squeezed from being scrubbed with soap.

If the instructions for delicate glasses say that we should use the dishwasher, why do we necessarily want to wash them by hand? Do we think that our own methods are better than the original instructions?

If God’s Word mentions more than once that God’s plans will always be better than our own decisions, why insist on doing it our way? Proverbs 16:9 says: “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.”

How about planning our future by focusing on God’s purpose for our lives, maintaining spiritual, mental, and physical health?

Perhaps you are like me, and you did not make a list of new year’s resolutions. So, let me suggest that you apply the CREC method (Continue, Resolve, Evade and Confront):

CONTINUE: Go to your phone and take a few minutes to look at all the photos you took in the past year. Review which moments you enjoyed and which ones made you smile. In a few words, which moments would you like to repeat? Choose one and continue it.

RESOLVE: Think for a moment that you have one year to live. What do you need to resolve? Resolve it.

EVADE: Think about one thing that would make you a better person if you avoided it, for example, something that would make you healthier or more___? Thus, you already have what you need to evade.

CONFRONT: Choose one thing you have not done out of fear. Something that definitely needs to be confronted. Define it and confront it.

Maybe it will be easier if you set short and achievable goals. You can also break these goals down into smaller parts, so you will be more likely to achieve them. Start with a few small steps, such as deciding not to drink soda or calling your loved ones more often.

It is common to feel scared when starting a new project, but it is also normal to feel excited and hopeful. Getting started is always the first step to achieving goals. If you are feeling stuck this new year, maybe it is time to take a leap of faith and set some goals—starting now!

God invites us to live according to God’s plans and to taste the abundant life that God offers. Let’s accept the invitation with much excitement and hope.

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Marcela Ordaz, a professional in the area of Organizational Communication, has worked as an international leader as a Tradeshow Director for FABTECH Industrial Expo, Mexico and Latina America for the past 15 years. She is a CLLI Graduate and now serves on the CLLI board and is a member of the leadership team at CLLI Monterrey. Additionally, Marcela has led in ministry for the past 25 years in Monterrey, Mexico.    

By: Carolyn Porterfield, Monica Salinas, and Nora O. Lozano

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The first chapter of Luke describes two fascinating narratives that traditionally have been recognized as the stories of “The Annunciation” and “The Visitation.”

In the first one, the angel Gabriel appears to Mary to give her the news that she would become the mother of Jesus. Since she was a virgin, betrothed to Joseph, one can only imagine how Mary felt with this news. As a way to invite Mary to believe in what was going to happen to her and in the importance of her son for humanity, the angel also shares that Elizabeth, the one who was barren and old in age, is also pregnant with a special son (Luke 1:26-38).

From the story, we also gather that no one else was a witness to the encounter between the angel and Mary. Thus, after the angel leaves Mary, she is pregnant and with a story to tell that is near impossible to believe.  

The second story describes how Mary, after receiving her news, hurries to visit her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45). Perhaps she went as a way to corroborate what the angel had told her, or as way to find some refuge, support, and encouragement. As she arrives, Elizabeth greets her with these words: “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”  (Luke 1:44-45).

Both of these stories involve women who believed in God’s words, plans, and promises for them and their sons, John and Jesus. One wanted to be pregnant for a long time, but recognized that God has his own timing. The other one, most likely did not want to be pregnant, but willingly accepted God’s plans for her.

These two women become an example for us for the way that they embraced God’s plans and promises. They trusted God’s wisdom and overarching plans, and they invite us to do the same.

As a way to further explore this idea of believing in God’s plans and promises for us, especially in light of the new year, members of the CLLI community shared these reflections:

Carolyn Porterfield:

A teenage girl was living according to the cultural and religious customs of her day. She was engaged to a man and looked forward to raising a family. Her plan was interrupted by unexpected and life-altering angel’s words: “Mary, you have found favor with God. He has chosen you to bear His son, the Messiah.” What would your response be if God had said those words to you? Mary declared herself God’s servant and surrendered to His plan, one that would not only change her life but also ours. 

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” Just like Mary, we all have plans for our lives. But what if God interrupts your plan with revisions and changes? What if God challenges you to aim higher and go farther than you ever thought you could? Do you trust God to direct your steps even though the way might be hard and costly?  

I know from my own experience that God’s plans are so much better than anything you can come up with. Go ahead. Take that first step. As you do, hear the same words the angel spoke to Mary, “Do not be afraid.” 

Monica Salinas:

The fact that the magnificent and glorious God of the Bible has given us such great and wonderful promises in his word never ceases to amaze me. Ephesians 1:3 says that “he has [already] blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.” What does this mean? Those of us who believe in Christ enjoy daily blessings that we can only qualify as heavenly. Those blessings are God’s love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, patience, goodness, peace, strength, and many other blessings that perhaps we do not see, but that we constantly receive. Sometimes we do not appreciate them, and other times, we take them for granted. However, if we think for a moment about what our lives would be like without God’s promises, we can better appreciate those blessings. 

Knowing that these blessings are there and have already been given to me by my heavenly Father, gives me hope and strengthens my faith to look at the future. For just as He has been with me until today, loving me, forgiving me, being patient and merciful, and holding me up through difficult times, he will continue to do so. Therefore, like Elizabeth, I can say: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.” 

What are the biblical promises that have become your stronghold?

We do not know what 2023 will hold for us. Perhaps you are starting the new year under some difficult or challenging circumstances. However, we know the one who holds the future in his hands. Thus, let’s believe with Monica that God will continue to bless us. Perhaps, as Carolyn’s reflections would imply, we may have to be flexible and open to alter our plans in 2023 in order to fulfill God’s most perfect plan for us.

Wherever we are in this new year’s eve, let’s remember that God is the same one, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As we continue to celebrate the miracle of the incarnation, and what Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection bring to our lives, I invite you to affirm the promises that God has given you in the Bible. For me (Nora), this is the promise that I want to hold on to this new year: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

As we welcome the new year, let’s do it by following Elizabeth’s and Mary’s example. These women of faith trusted God and God’s plans. Were they uncertain, perplexed, and fearful? Of course they were! But they also were trusting God as they “believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises...”

Carolyn Porterfield is CLLI Board director and faculty. Mónica Salinas is CLLI office coordinator and faculty. Nora O. Lozano is CLLI executive director and faculty.

Art/photo credit: Visitation from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. 

By: Carolyn Porterfield

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Passwords have become an integral part of our lives. They are designed to grant access and provide protection. We are encouraged to create “strong” passwords that are at least eight to ten characters and contain a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special symbols. You win the prize if you can remember all the passwords you use!

What passwords might be helpful to leaders? What could grant you access to potential leaders? Provide protection for the health and well-being of the staff or volunteers you lead? Guard unity against division? Think about these three.  

Scout1Talent=newLeader

A friend of mine has an uncanny “nose for talent.” She can be with a group of women for a few hours and discern who in the group has leadership potential. Then she spends much time and effort pouring into the ones who are eager to learn and grow. There is no telling how many women she has invested in over the years.

Who recognized your leadership potential? It was a seminary professor who saw something in me I did not. He became my mentor and guide without me realizing. He recommended me for a position I never would have applied for, coached me on how to do the interview, and then tutored me as I prepared to begin the new job!

After nine years in that job, I was offered a new position in another state. As I was saying my goodbyes, my boss said, “I was told that if I took a chance on you, I would not be disappointed, and I have not been.” The risk paid off!

Being a talent scout opens worlds of possibility for your organization, church, or business as well as the one who can grow under your mentorship. It has been my privilege to mentor women who have gone on to serve in strategic leadership positions.

2extendGRACE+patiENce

How do you handle the situation when someone you lead has made a mistake? A useful password is “extend grace + patience.”

A staff member came to me with fear and trembling and more than a few tears. She had made a huge mistake that involved thousands of dollars that would negatively impact ministries that were to receive funding from our office. She was ready to write a check from her personal bank account to help cover the shortfall and probably had a resignation letter ready to send from her computer.

After she was able to calmly tell me what had happened, we began to look for ways to solve the problem that her mistake had caused. It took time and sacrifice on our part, but we were able to come up with a workable solution. We still had to tell some ministries about the financial shortfall, but the damage was not as bad as it first appeared.

Grace was extended to the staff member. The problem solving was clothed in patience. The mistake became a huge learning point for us with new checks and balances put in place to ensure it would not happen again.

By extending grace and practicing patience, the staff member regained her confidence and became an even more vital member of the team. Everyone makes mistakes, even you. Investing in the growth and well-being of an employee will reap rich dividends.

Thank#3YOU!!!

While reading Psalm 100 from Eugene Petersen’s The Message, this amazing insight jumped off the page in the first part of verse four: “Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’”

Thank you. Two simple words that take us outside of ourselves to focus on another. The psalmist demonstrates that “thank you” is a good password for leaders. It opens access to our generous Father who lavishes us with His love. There is also something unifying about coming together with thankful hearts before the One who created us and gives us so many blessings.

In 1863 the United States was embroiled in a Civil War that was tearing the country apart and devasting families in both the North and the South. President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation asking the nation to pray that God would give His tender and loving care to a wounded nation in need of healing. He declared the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving. In 1870 the United States Congress made it an official national holiday.

Lincoln used the password “thank you” with the expectation of bringing people together who were deeply divided, people looking for hope in desperate times. Perhaps he understood that looking toward God with gratitude had deep potential for creating peace in ways that a war could not.

Our world today is not so different from Lincoln’s time. Brokenness and hopeless are twin companions to many. A pandemic changed our world forever. Too many lives are touched by needless violence. People suffer economic challenges. There is political unrest around the world and here at home in the United States.

Like the psalmist and President Lincoln, gratefully enter God’s presence and encourage others to do the same. We cannot lead well apart from Him.

Share The Passwords

We are told not to share our passwords with others because that can create serious security issues. Leadership passwords are the exception to that rule. Leaders show the way, set the tone, and have the power to build up or tear down. We need good, strong passwords to open access to potential leaders, help them grow and mature, and guard unity.

Three passwords have been shared with you. They are meant to cause you to reflect on your leadership and ways you can grow. Don’t keep them to yourself. Add your own leadership password to these and freely pass them along to others.

All leaders are in process and learn from one another. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that iron sharpens iron. We are thankful that the Christian Latina Leadership Institute is a good place for that to happen.  

Carolyn Porterfield serves on the Board of Directors for the Christian Latina Leadership Institute as well as being a faculty member. She finds great joy in helping women grow as leaders.

By Alicia Zorzoli

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Years ago, I held a position in a Christian organization that required traveling to different parts of the world. Right after my induction, I bought a very large suitcase for those trips. That humongous suitcase accompanied me during all those years, holding everything I considered essential to fulfill my duties. (Things were different at that time: airlines did not charge to check suitcases on international flights, even if you checked more than one!)

Lately the rules were changed by the airlines and now there is a price for every piece of luggage you want to check. That made me change my perspective on traveling. It was not only due to the financial expense but, more important, it made me think on what I really needed to take for my trip and what is just clutter. I’m proud to say that on a recent almost three-week abroad trip, I just took a carry-on; and, it was not completely full! (I still need to work on taking no more than 3 pairs of footwear). As I see it, there are three takeaways for this new perspective: I saved money, my back was thankful, and I was sure my suitcase would arrive with me.

All of this takes me to the wisdom of God’s word regarding something similar but much more important. It has to do with cluttering our lives with non-essentials and the need to declutter. The dictionary says that to declutter is to remove from a space anything that does not belong in that space. 

It is easy to start filling our days with too much social media, idle conversations, compulsive shopping, overspending or any other kind of clutter. We may get to the point of finding ourselves surrounded by needless things that fill our space.

And the same can occur in the realm of our minds. We listen to voices that tell us what to think, that convince us of the need to achieve more, or to have what everybody else has.

Not only are those things not important; but also, they are taking the place of what really matters.  

God’s wisdom is very clear concerning the need to declutter: Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up… (Hebrews 12:1, CEB.) 

As Christians, this is much more important than deciding to just take a carry-on on our next trip. It means getting rid of thoughts, goals, preconceived ideas or anything else that may hinder God’s perfect plan for us. 

One of the main objectives of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute is to help our students to:

• Identify the things that are cluttering their lives, careers, or ministries, and take action to throw off any extra baggage in order to be all God wants them to be.
• Avoid getting entangled with ideas, teachings, ways of doing things that do not follow God’s plan for them considering them a sin that trips us up. 
• Identify and stand firmly grounded in what is essential, seeking the help of the Holy Spirit to clearly define God’s call for each one of them according only to His Word, and not allowing anyone with preconceived ideas to deviate them from the place God has given them. 

I want to invite you to reflect on your life and consider the areas that may require you to get rid of things that are nonessential, in order to make room for what is important. 

It may be a little difficult at first, but just as it happened to me, soon you will realize that it is better to travel through life with light luggage. It will allow you to concentrate on what is most important: God’s perfect plan for you.

I want to invite you to reflect on your life and consider the areas that may require you to get rid of things that are nonessential, in order to make room for what is important. 

It may be a little difficult at first, but just as it happened to me, soon you will realize that it is better to travel through life with light luggage. It will allow you to concentrate on what is most important: God’s perfect plan for you.

Alicia Zorzoli is a Bible teacher and international lecturer, she has published numerous articles in Christian magazines and books. For more than ten years she has been a part of the CLLI faculty.

By: Nora O. Lozano and CLLI Monterrey graduates

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Often when I describe the CLLI trainings, I use the word transformation. Graduations are special occasions to hear about this transformation that the students experience. I want to invite you to revisit with me what happened at the CLLI Monterrey graduation two weeks ago, where 14 students received their certificates in Latina Leadership Studies. 

On the graduation day, the students met early in the morning for their last class: Capstone. This course offers an opportunity to reflect in all the classes that the students took as well as the different assignments. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to highlight the major learnings that each student acquired during her time of studies.

For me, it is always a moving experience. Often the students share with tears in their eyes how the CLLI training, under God’s blessing, helped them to improve in the different areas of their lives, and thus, experience a significant transformation. These stories are always a true gift for me as they bring encouragement as I serve in this ministry.

As I was listening to them, I thought that more people needed to benefit from this gift, especially those of you who generously support these students with prayers and resources. Therefore, I decided to ask the students if they could briefly write how the CLLI training helped them. As I invited them to do this, I asked them for permission to share their testimonies with you, our readers. 

As a way to organize these beautiful and powerful testimonies, I assigned them a heading that represents an important value within the CLLI community. While the testimonies have been slightly edited, for the most part they reflect the students’ exact words. 

Boldness and Encouragement to Continue – Flor Julieta Cortés Coronado

“I thought that my professional career had been cut short since 1998, and that there was no more in which I could develop myself. CLLI Monterrey allowed me to understand that I had an unexplored path, which I needed to return to. Thanks to this, I made key decisions in my life, such as continuing my university studies. When I started with CLLI I was looking for understanding, and I found it. Thank God for this program and for each one of the people who serve on it.”

Finding My Voice – Marina Rodríguez

“I thank God for this program. It represents blessings, growth, and learning. It helped me to make personal changes in my social interactions. Before I was very shy, and today I can make decisions and give my perspective in any situation. Furthermore, I can offer advice to my friends and family. Thanks to CLLI my life has been transformed.”

Empowering Women –  Anabell González

“Through this program, I understood that my leadership in my circle of influence can be used to give freedom and power to women, starting with my daughters, and continuing with my co-workers, my sisters in the church, and even my students in the classroom. My desire is to teach them that God’s purpose was never for women to suffer because they were considered inferior. In the Scriptures, there are many examples of women’s great influence and importance in the proclamation and extension of God’s kingdom on earth.”

Blessed to Bless – Jessica Zertuche

“God placed in us a leadership that we have to nurture every day. Through this training I was able to understand that God empowered us with many tools (classes, books, testimonies, and experiences) to fill us with power to serve and help other women. God wants us to fully embrace the identity of being His daughters. As such, God wants to show us and teach us things to restore, transform, lift, and bless the lives of many other women that God also wants to use.”

Holistic Self-care – Angélica Flores Chapa

“I learned to take care of my whole health, to detect when I need something, and to set boundaries in each of my relationships. Articulating my personal mission statement allowed me to visualize those areas that I am passionate about in order to serve, for God’s glory, in different ministries.”

Meaningful Relationships –  Samantha Ruiz

“When I started this program, my main need and goal were to establish connections. And thank God, I was able to meet and connect with other women who were on the same quest. But the most wonderful and surprising thing was that God led me to connect in a deeper way with Him, and to connect with myself. I thank God for the opportunity to live this miraculous experience, and for all the people who contribute to this ministry.”

Offering Empathy – Josefa Pacheco

“I learned that I can counsel only by listening and being empathic, showing other people that they can trust me, and that I am ready to serve, knowing that I am used by God, but the one who does the work is the Holy Spirit.”

Strengthening My Personal and Ministerial Life – Mónica Treviño Rodríguez

“This training has given structure and guidance to my leadership. It has helped me develop and strengthen my weak areas and identify talents that I did not know. The topic of resting has always been a challenge for me. The spiritual, physical, and emotional health classes have made me reflect on the importance of self-care. Now I have a broader view of leadership. All the topics were very relevant, and they have made me grow in every way.”

We thank God for all these stories that testify to the transformation that the students experienced. They are truly a gift! As you remember these stories, please pray that God may continue to guide the students’ personal and ministerial path.

As a conclusion, I would like to present one more testimony:

Expanding My View – Martina G. Garza Álvarez

“This training gave me many positive things. It gave me discipline, commitment, friends, empathy, renewed energy, freedom, clear expectations, emotional health, balanced life, skills, changes, strategies, experiences, and it extended my view regarding present and future achievements.”

Once again, we want to thank God for all these blessings in the students’ lives as well as the CLLI. And many thanks to you who constantly support us with your prayers and resources. Your generosity is helping us to transform women’s lives in Jesus’ name, and in turn, they are transforming their families, churches, and communities. To God be the glory!

Nora O. Lozano is executive director and co-founder of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute and has been involved in Christian theological education for more than 25 years.

By Ruth Mendoza

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Fear. Doubt. Uncertainty. With the appalling events that have occurred recently and the shortage of educators across the nation, going back to school seems dreadful this year. 

I have taught for twenty years and each year has presented its own challenges. The thought of leaving education for good has crossed my mind several times. I even have a list of the reasons I should leave: the stress; the amount of work I bring home; the lack of discipline from some parents and administrators; having to walk on eggshells when expressing my opinion; the lack of physical security, and my list could go on and on and on. There have been moments that have felt like a walk in the wilderness, where I have been neglected and left to fend for myself and there have been fewer moments where I have felt the support from colleagues and leaders.  

However, when I walk down the empty hallway as the new year commences, I can’t help but think about the upcoming students and the privilege I will have to teach them. 

A new school year means a new opportunity to shine the light of Christ on the face of a new generation. This cannot be done if I let the past experiences dwell in my heart and mind. Thinking of the upcoming school year, I am reminded of verses 18-19 in Isaiah 43, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” God never stops working and has a higher purpose for our lives. The remnants of yesterday are still fresh in our minds. I don’t intend to lessen the pain of the victims or the suffering of teachers whose mental health has been impacted by the strain of the education system. 

I do, however, want to encourage my fellow Christian teachers to trust God’s sovereign plan as we enter this new season in our teaching career. It is so easy to get lost in the darkness of all that is happening and lose sight of the reason we chose this career: to see new generations flourish. Let’s allow that which is troubling to compel us into the new school year beaming brighter than ever.

If you are a believer, you understand this key concept stated in Spurgeon’s Light. Fire. Faith. Life, “The children of the light prefer the joy of the Lord for they find it to be their strength.” We must not allow the darkness, nor the prince of darkness, dim the light God bestowed upon us through Christ. Our lights, as educators, can easily be dimmed when we welcome negativity into our life, let stress control our decisions, overlook not just our needs but our students’ needs as well. It can get dark for us when we do not maintain a healthy relationship with God and others. In his book, Be Light (p. 57), Reverend Samuel Rodriguez sums up Spurgeon’s sermon quoted above: 

Spurgeon…argued that God’s light is reflected in us as we let the light of knowledge, the power of joy, and the gleaming beauty of truth shine through us. He knew that darkness always threatens to break into our lives, but he reminded us that those who believe the doctrines of grace and have the bearings of God’s truth will know what and where they are.

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus clearly lets us know that we are the light of the world that cannot be hidden. We are to let our lights shine so that others can see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven. Let me encourage you to heed Spurgeon’s words “Get plenty of light, brethren, and when you have obtained it, give it out.”

            Fellow educators, our students need us! They need light amid the darkness the world entices them with. I urge you to stand as tall as a lighthouse and beam those rays of Christ’s light over your students. Do so extending God’s grace while putting forth the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

For those who are not educators, I ask for your earnest prayer as this school year begins. Please pray for:

• Teachers in your community. Pray for wisdom as they make decisions, pray peace and unity over their families and strength in any struggle they might be facing. Pray for their students and families whom they will serve this year. Pray for protection as they drive to school and back home. Pray for their spiritual growth.
• The support system in the school. This includes paraprofessionals, administrators and staff, custodians, and parents.
• Pray for churches to volunteer and bring an outreach program to the schools in our communities. 
• Pray for salvation of those who have yet to hear or accept Christ’s redeeming love. 

As the new school year starts, let’s embrace the opportunity to shine Christ’s light either by serving faithfully as teachers, or by praying fervently for all the ones who will be going back to school this year. 

Ruth Mendoza, BSIS, M. Ed, has been an educator for 20 years, she also serves as the Hispanic Ministries contractor for WMU of TX.  Being born into a pastoral family, she continues to serve faithfully in ministry in East Texas. Ruth is also a previous CLLI student.  

By Anyra Cano

Para leer la version en español haga clic aquí.

In the fall of 2015, Rosy Garcia traveled more than 400 miles to attend her first CLLI class in Monterrey. As she started her training, a great dream and hope grew in her heart. She quickly shared her dream with Dr. Nora O. Lozano, about how CLLI would start a training in the small town she came from, Metepec. Rosy was ready to share everything she was learning with her community.

That dream continued growing, and the plans began to develop. In June 2018, Rosy graduated from CLLI Monterrey, and on August 17 of the same year, she started CLLI Metepec. A dream and a hope for her community were born. Rosy graduated as a student to become a coordinator. She managed to recruit students, and coordinate everything necessary to start this new CLLI site.

After three years of training, and one additional year of waiting, due to the pandemic, on June 18 of this year, 25 students graduated from CLLI Metepec, the largest group of graduates in the Institute’s history.

Rosy’s big dream also became the big dream of the students, the faculty, the staff, and the donors of the Institute. To commemorate this occasion, we have asked some of these people to share about the meaning of this graduation.

Norvi Mayfield, CLLI Texas graduate and CLLI Metpec donor, traveled with the CLLI staff to celebrate this graduation. She shares, “This graduation is a picture of the intergenerational transformation that CLLI produces in women and their families, for generations to come.” 

Norvi’s son Elias Mayfield, who is also a friend and donor of CLLI, says, “What an amazing, eye-opening visit to Metepec. I am grateful to the CLLI for the opportunity to see firsthand what they’ve done to impact the lives of these women, their families and their communities. Facing adversity, they pushed through and made it to graduation. So thankful to be a part of an amazing organization that is changing lives and empowering the leaders of today and tomorrow. May God continue to bless”

Rosy García, CLLI Metepec coordinator and the one who dreamed of starting this new training, says that this graduation is: “The faith that is seen in retrospect. I was able to see how the whole process began, and also see the fulfillment of God’s promises. When God gives dreams, God fulfills them because God is faithful. I have much gratitude because it was possible to achieve this despite the trials, a pandemic, and the changes that came with it. In everything, God was good.”

Pastor Carmina Hernández shared: “This graduation means effort, perseverance, happiness, joy, power, and much love that I saw and lived throughout these four years in my professors. From them I learned much about the good that God has for each one of us. One day I said I want to study; I want to learn. I have had other graduations, but this has been the most emotive, significant, important, beautiful, and blessed. I enjoyed it very much. Many thanks to all my professors for their patience and knowledge and to my beloved fellow students as well. God bless you very much. Glory be to God, to my Lord Jesus Christ, the great Teacher of teachers.”

Raquel Pérez expressed: “Renewing with a new perspective my service to God and equipping myself in strategic and necessary areas to continue serving with excellence.”

Christine Villavicencio, who is a medical doctor and who did not know anyone in the group when she started, testifies to the meaning of this graduation: “Gratitude, improvement, and personal growth. These three words come to mind when I think about my graduation. The simple fact of being accepted into the leadership certificate filled my heart with excitement and curiosity. Once the course started, meeting such incredible women and their stories not only reaffirmed the joy in my heart, but also filled my soul with love, empathy, and strength. And throughout the classes, learning to listen to the Word and to read it, to interpret each passage of the Bible from a Latina woman’s perspective led me to be much closer to my spirituality, and to grow even more in my faith. Getting to the finish line, to graduation itself, was an absolute joy. Realizing that it was possible to complete a certificate and meet the requirements to graduate, pushed me to be a better person, a woman of faith, strength, and love. I am filled with hope, knowing that, if my colleagues and I manage not only to graduate, but many undertook ministries that they did not even imagine, then many other women can also achieve it.”

Pastor Lourdes Rodríguez says: “I thank God for what God has allowed until this time of CLLI graduation, since everything that makes us grow in faith, knowledge, and in the practice of the ministry strengthens us as women, personally and corporately at the CLLI. It is one way our God is training women for more effective leadership today, achieving restoration to be able to restore other women.”

Romy García, who through her studies at CLLI was inspired to return to college and is very close to graduating with her bachelor’s degree, shares with us: “This graduation is evidence that with God I am capable and can achieve goals. I can make an effort and commit myself and God accompanies me and gives me wisdom. It means that God has plans for my life, the past does not define me, God always leads me to more.”

During the graduation service, Dr. Nora O. Lozano, Executive Director of the Institute, shared with the graduates that: “Education and its effects are a blessing from God, a gift from God. And how, whenever a person in the Bible received a blessing, it was to bless someone else.” With this, Dr. Lozano was encouraging the graduates to be a blessing by joining and collaborating in the transformative work that only Christ can do in our lives, families, churches and communities.

CLLI as an institution has been blessed through this graduation and the lives of the students, coordinators, faculty, board members, staff, friends, and donors. All these people are a gift to the institute, and they bless us with their support, dedication and commitment, in such a way that we can testify, together with Rosy García, that in the name of God, big dreams and hopes do come true.

Anyra Cano serves as a faculty member and Academic Coordinator of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, Youth Minister at Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, TX and Coordinator for the Texas Baptist Women in Ministry.  

By: Claudia Cano

Para leer la version en español haga clic aquí.

My experience on Saturday, August 3, 2019, changed my life profoundly. At the beginning of the week, I lost my mom to cancer, and by the week’s end, I was a victim of the horrific mass shooting event where 23 people were killed, and 22 more were wounded at the Walmart in El Paso.

As I was preparing to leave the store with my husband and mother-in-law, I stopped to use the restroom. A woman ran into the restroom, screaming, “Hay un señor con una pistola” (There is a man with a gun). Gunfire echoed inside the restroom, a sound that I’ll never forget. I called my husband. He told me to stay in the restroom. He picked up his mother and took her to the back of the store before coming back inside and meeting me in the restroom. He called out my name. I was grateful he was alive. He asked me if I was ready and to cover my eyes and follow him. Exiting the restroom, the smell of gunpowder was heavy; the horrific sight is imprinted in my mind forever. He guided me through the store. Unaware of the shooter’s location, we moved strategically, making our way out of the store. 

Once outside safely, we saw a Walmart employee shouting that someone needed help. Instinctually, I ran back inside where only seconds before I was running from danger. I found a woman on the ground, shot several times, and crying out for her husband and children. Her cries still echo in my dreams. I rendered aid and attempted to pick her up but was unable. I stayed with her until help arrived. Soon after, I could hear shouts saying “Clear!” I knew law enforcement was coming and they were clearing aisles as they were getting closer to us. A female police officer helped me put the woman in the shopping cart, and I heard the same question my husband had just asked me minutes ago, “Are you ready?” telling me to run to the front of the store. 

We pushed the shopping cart together, running as fast as possible. As we exited, the woman cried, seeing her husband, and called out his name. My husband called out my name, and I was able to answer. I told her that I would go check up on him after leaving her with the EMS team. I ran back towards the front and noticed the woman’s husband was seriously injured, as were those around him. I whispered to him that his wife and kids were okay and that his wife loved him very much. I believe he was able to hear me. The woman’s husband was the last person to pass away months after the event. 

Since August 2019, several other acts of violence have occurred. When I heard about the incident in Uvalde, Texas, I asked myself again whether I was ready. Yes, I’m ready, after two years and ten months. My recovery journey has propelled me into my new purpose of healing, hope, and honor.

I’ve learned 

Healing:

• Early in the recovery journey, it is important to have someone you trust help you communicate and coordinate on your behalf. Inform your church, work or school of your needs. Ask if your workplace has Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and seek state agencies that can help, such as the Crime Victims Compensation Program State Attorney General of Texas. 
• Mental Health: Resist the fear of being looked at as crazy or “está loca” (she is crazy). Entrust yourself to someone who can professionally help you through this trauma. After several unanswered phone calls, I finally found a therapist in my community who gave his time to help. 
• Let close family and friends help you. “Déjate querer” (let others take care of you). Allow them to be present and available to cry together. There will be days you will need help with running errands or offering comfort food. For me, it was sopita de arroz, frijoles y una quesadilla (rice, beans, and a quesadilla).
• Community and work/school colleagues: People sent text messages, emails, and mailed cards of encouragement during the first couple of weeks. As I got stronger, I was able to open them up and read them and found so much encouragement. 
• Social Media and Media: Be careful in what you share. The media only looks to feed a narrative. Family and friends should remember to respect the person’s journey of grief. 
• Faith and Meditation: I found an app called Abide; it was life-changing. I use this app daily. I was able to connect prayer and meditation while learning to breathe consciously. This time with God is a resting place, and I feel his presence where I can center myself, hear his voice, and find peace. “Blessed is the one… who meditates on God’s law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3). 
• Journaling: I started using my journal, drawing, doodling, and making small notes while meditating. It’s a photo album of my thoughts as I look back. It’s a record of my journey of the dark feelings of giving up and bright days where I could finally breathe. I feel proud to look back and see how much I’ve grown. 

Hope: 

• My therapist helped me see my experience as something on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being death. My experience was a 9. Since then, I have used the phrase “it’s not a 9” to center myself when my anxiety rises. I know what a nine feels like. Doing this self-talk, “it’s not a 9,” reminds me to breathe and tell myself it will be OK and that I’m safe. I have hope for a new future. It helps put things in perspective.
• Treasure time with loved ones. Tell them how much they mean to you. Live in the moment with joy, without regrets.

Honor: 

• I wish to honor those who lost their lives with my acts of service and by encouraging survivors through their journey of recovery. Additionally, I honor the victims by teaching CPR and First Aid/AED, providing knowledge and skills useful in an emergency.  

After the media trucks move on to their next story, families have buried their loved ones, and normalcy returns to the community, don’t forget about the survivors. They’re left with their own recovery journey. I call on leaders in the community to advocate for accessible mental health services, follow-up wellness checks, and offer relatable solutions for survivors. I also encourage survivors to share what we have learned to model a healing journey.

Let’s honor those who lost their lives by living our best each day. Are you ready? 

Claudia Cano is a CLLI friend, and a guest writer for this month’s blog. Claudia Cano is the CEO of Focusing to Learn LLC, a national education and training company that provides leadership consultation and professional development services. She holds a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction. Claudia has served various leadership roles throughout her career, including adjunct professor at the El Paso Community College, and National Director Training with one of the largest grantees contracted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement for Unaccompanied Children. 

By Becky Klein 

Para leer la version en español haga clic aquí.

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants” Deuteronomy 32:2.

Spring is full of symbolism and meaning for all people who follow God and His teachings. The spring months are ones of transformation and transition. During this season we begin our pivot from the cold clutches of winter to the warm embrace of summer. The days shift from being mostly dark, to mostly light. 

Throughout the spring months we detect with each of our five senses the many changes that usher in the new season: We can see the green growth overtaking the brown, cold, wet earth; We can hear the birds chirping like a symphony orchestra preparing for a concert; We can feel the warm and humid climate moisturizing our skin; We can smell the clean dew on the grass and the rain in the air; and we can taste the luscious flavors of seasonal foods like spring peas, pineapples, and strawberries. 

And for some of us, our moods are elevated from the depths of depression to the heights of love and joy. We come out of our internal isolation to enjoy the light of community and activity. As flowers bloom and animals are born, we are reminded of innocence, beauty, and new life all around us. Spring is telling us to fill your days with enthusiasm for life and leave behind the old dead parts of your existence. Spring has sprung!

Not only do we experience spring through our senses, but we also practice rituals and traditions that celebrate rebirth, rejuvenation, freedom, and redemption. For example, Easter and Passover are two traditions that Christians and Jews, respectively, celebrate during the transformational months of spring. 

For many Christians, Easter is even more important than Christmas. That is because Easter celebrates Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth, and his transformation from death to life by means of his resurrection.

Do you ever wonder why in some societies the egg is the sentinel symbol of Easter? According to The Easter Book by Francis X. Weiser, S.J., “[t]he origin of the Easter egg is based on the fertility lore of the Indo-European races. To our pre-Christian ancestors, it was a most startling event to see a new and live creature emerge from a seemingly dead object. The egg to them became a symbol of spring. Long ago in Persia, people used to present each other with eggs at the spring equinox, which for them also marked the beginning of a new year.”

Jews celebrate Passover every spring (generally March or April) to remember and hold sacred the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the tyranny they suffered under the Pharoah. The Passover Seder is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Passover holiday. As part of the Seder dinner plate, the egg signifies an important role. While the egg recalls mourning of the loss of the Jewish Holy Temple, it also is a symbol of birth which is a key theme during Passover. It is through the Israelite’s slavery in Egypt and their subsequent redemption that the nation of Israel was born. 

As we look forward to continue enjoying the Spring season, let us be grateful for all the many seasonal symbols and ritual experiences that remind us of God’s promise for a future of freedom and hope.  Whether it’s the green leaves budding from trees; the warm breeze blowing through your hair; or the egg in your refrigerator; these symbols are a testament to God’s assurances of newness, revitalization, and liberation of our hearts and minds. 

“They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.” (Job 29:23).

Becky Klein, MANSS, Esq. Attorney, Principal of Klein Energy, LLC. an energy consulting company based in Austin, Texas.  She is a member of the CLLI faculty and a former CLLI board of director. Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s Law School, San Antonio, TX. Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University, Stanford, CA. 

By: Margarita Garcia

Para leer la version en español haga clic aquí.

In the small town where I grew up there was a man who was mentally challenged that was well loved by the community. He walked down the streets in the neighborhood selling snacks. He would scream aloud, “snaaaaacks for sale, chips, candy, popcorn, snaaaaacks for sale!” So as children, whenever we heard him scream outside, we asked our parents for money and ran out to buy a snack from him. 

There is a story that one day, he lost some money. It was getting late and dark, and hard for him to see. So he went to an area in the neighborhood where there was more light to look for his money. You can imagine where I’m going with this story. Someone who knew him asked him what he was doing. He answered that he was looking for his money. The person then asked, “where did you lose it?” He replied, “Well, I lost it on the street over there [pointing to a different location] but it is too dark to see over there, so I came to look for it here where it’s lit.” Of course, he never found it! Although it was lit, he was looking in the wrong place.

In Luke 24:1-9, the women gathered their spices that they prepared and went on to the tomb where the Lord had been laid down. Jesus had been crucified. They wanted to anoint him and honor him with their precious perfumes, as it was the tradition. But the Bible says that when they got to the tomb it was empty. When they arrived, they looked for him but didn’t find the body. The Bible says they were puzzled, they were confused and unable to understand what had happened. They had walked with him and sat at the same table; they listened to his teachings and witnessed many miracles. They missed their Lord.

Then the story goes on, and two men appear and ask them a question, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” In other words, “Why are you looking here?” If the men were from Texas, it would’ve sounded something like this, “Hermanas, bless your heart, y’all are looking in the wrong place.” 

The women were already having a rough time feeling very confused when they didn’t find Jesus’ body. They were grieving their loss, and now they hear a voice and are terrified by it. I can imagine their emotions going all over the place. I wonder what thoughts are going through their heads right at this moment when they bow their faces to the ground. If it were me, I would probably be thinking, “This is it, I’m a dead woman. It’s over. I should’ve stayed home.” 

Sometimes as leaders, when we go through difficult moments, the circumstances can blur our spiritual vision. We lose hope. It affects the ability to think clearly, messes with our memory, and causes us to lose focus, so much that we look for what we need in the wrong places. 

But in verse 6, the men continue saying, “Remember what he told you.” At that precise moment, the women needed to be reminded of the words that Jesus spoke to them when he was with them. They needed to remember what He said during the good times so that they could endure the rough times. What words of hope has Jesus spoken to you? What is he telling you? Because it is in those words where you can find answers as a leader. All the strength, the guidance, and the wisdom that we need to go forward and do God’s will is found in the words of God and the promises that God gives us. 

Jesus had been crucified and put in a tomb, but it wasn’t over like many might have thought. In verse 8, it says the women remembered what he had said, that he would rise again, and they rushed out of the empty tomb. 

Christian leaders run! Don’t dwell in an empty tomb. There is no life in a tomb. If Jesus is not there, then there is nothing in that place for you there either. As a Christina leader, the enemy will try to bring you back to an empty tomb whatever that might be for you; he will find ways to make you dwell in places like your past and use it as a tool to make you forget Jesus’ words when he called you into leadership. But you must run out! You must remember what He told you and go tell the others. 

Jesus has spoken to you and wants to speak through you. He called you into leadership with the intent of announcing the gospel—to go tell the others that he is alive and to speak of hope when there seems to be none. The Bible says that God’s mercies are new every morning and he continuously gives us a new vision to go out and do his will just like he planned from the beginning. Don’t go looking in the wrong places. You have God’s word, promises and affirmation. You have what you need. 

As a Christian leader, I absolutely enjoy ministry. It gives me life. For some people it can be overwhelming. For me it’s healing. My favorite part of serving is finding myself doing what God called me to do. Yes, at the end of most days I go to bed very tired, but I get up the next morning and do it all over again because that’s where I find Jesus. However, there are moments when I have to stop and do a self-check. I have to refocus on Him and his purpose for my calling. I must walk out of the empty tomb of busyness, distraction, grief, and fear, just like the women did, so that I can keep announcing that he is alive and that he went to prepare a place for us to be with him for eternity! 

So go on, run, rush out and go tell the others through service and love that Jesus lives and is coming back again!  

Margarita Garcia, M.Ed. Bilingual Coordinator for Kaufman ISD. Former elementary teacher, works with bilingual teachers and students across the district supporting effective literacy instruction in the bilingual setting, and promoting parent involvement in education through family programs. Coordinator for Christian Latina Leadership Institute (CLLI) East Texas. Masters in Education, Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, TX. Bachelors in Biblical and Theological Studies, Baptist University of the Américas, San Antonio, TX. Married with four children. Margarita currently resides in Kaufman, TX and serves along with her husband pastoring CLife Church Kaufman en Español. 

By Marcela Ordaz

Para leer la version en español haga clic aquí.

It’s been a long road to arrive where you are. Do not minimize your journey and your story. We are in this together. The union and organization of women, such as raising our voices will always make a difference.

On March 8, 1857, women working in the textile industry in New York organized a strike to demand fair wages and more humane working conditions. Yet, when they raised their voice they were arrested by the police.

Two years later, they organized their first union to fight for their rights; Fifty-one years later, on March 8, 1908, 15,000 women took to the streets of New York to demand better wages, shorter working hours and the right to vote. All this laid the foundations for the movement we commemorate – International Women’s Day.

With the passage of time and in different countries and times, the meaning of March 8 was strengthened. Important advances were made on that day, such as the right to vote for women, university education for women, professional training, non-discrimination in the workplace, as well as gender equality.

International Women’s Day is commemorated around the world to raise awareness of the importance of empowering women in all settings, protecting their rights and ensuring that they can reach their full potential. The commemoration also gives space to expose the inequality and discrimination that women around the world still experience, as well as the urgency of making their rights valid.

Throughout history women have been defamed, abused, belittled, and judged under double standards. Even in the time of Jesus these situations occurred. The laws of that time held that both men and women caught in the act of adultery should die (Leviticus 20:12). However, John 8:1-11 presents how only the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery, and not the man who was with her, was accused and threatened with death by stoning.

Currently there are a huge number of cases where women are still vulnerable, women near us or in distant places such as Doha, Qatar, (absolutist Arab emirate) which are awaiting to host the upcoming World Cup. The Mexican Paola Schietekat had the misfortune of experiencing an incident where she went from reporting a physical assault she suffered, to being found “guilty” of having an extramarital relationship, and consequently being sentenced to 100 lashes or to marry the aggressor according to the Islamic sharia law. Sadly, the Mexican embassy in that country was not qualified to resolve a situation of this type. Fortunately, through other legal means, she was able to return to Mexico without serving “her sentence” and now, 9 months after the event, she is finally receiving support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico.

All this leads me to reflect and conclude that, regardless of the time, the success of advancing is achieved by raising our voices, joining forces, and seeking by all means to progress. This includes equipping ourselves, seeking education, getting trained, joining others who know more than us, and belonging to circles of people that support one another. That is why I admire CLLI’s work so much, in creating a community of Latinas where we seek and provide all of this.

Going back to the biblical story of John 8:1-11, I am fascinated when the Lord Jesus intervenes at the moment that the woman who was caught in adultery was going to be stoned, and challenges the group of attackers by saying: “Whoever is free of sin cast the first stone.” Since no one could do it, the story concludes with this dialogue:

Jesus: Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

She replied: None, Sir.

Jesus: Nor do I condemn you; Now leave and do not sin again.

I imagine the fear that the woman must have felt to be so close to death, and how the words of Jesus became a blessing of life, a new opportunity to embrace the abundant life that only he offers.

Likewise, God has given us many blessings that are manifested in talents, abilities, and virtues. What a great responsibility it is to be a leader, to be an example, and head of an ecosystem (family, church, work, group, cell, friends), with a testimony and reputation to uphold! And more so being women, because sometimes we are judged more harshly and criticized quicker, without considering the history behind our decisions.

Nevertheless, despite all the difficulties, challenges, and injustices we have experienced as women throughout centuries, I always remember Jesus and the hope that he brings us. He blesses us and helps us get ahead, like the woman in this biblical story.

As followers of Jesus it is our duty to help other women to find the abundant life that he offers. On one occasion, the famous Audrey Hepburn said: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” I would like to paraphrase these words in the following way, in our relationship with God we discover that we have two hands: one to hold onto to God and the other to help others.

In this month where we celebrate the achievements and progress of women in many areas, let’s look around us because there is still much to do. Just as Jesus stopped to help this woman who was facing death, may we look for a woman or women we can help today.

While this help can be provided individually, if we unite, we can be more effective because together we are stronger. Let us remember the historical movements of International Women’s Day, the organization and the unity that have led us to great social changes.

Develop the creative ideas God has given you. Use the gifts and talents that He has placed within you. Be a blessing to yourself, your family, and your community, which God created you for.

So let us unite in a bond of solidarity, holding on to the hand of Jesus, and together weave a more just and fulfilling horizon of existence that leads us to experience a more convincing abundant life that only He can provide.  

We are together and therefore we are stronger!

Marcela Ordaz, a professional in the area of Organizational Communication, has worked as an international leader as a Tradeshow Director for FABTECH Industrial Expo, Mexico and Latina America for the past 15 years. She is a CLLI Graduate and now serves on the CLLI board and is a member of the leadership team at CLLI Monterrey. Additionally, Marcela has led in ministry for the past 25 years in Monterrey, Mexico.

Eva  Martínez

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí

For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. Psalm 122:8-9 (KJV)

In my job as a psychologist I work with people with intellectual disabilities. When the pandemic hit, we suddenly had to do all our work in confinement, and we were utterly unprepared to do so. After about the first month or so of being sheltered in place, I was approached by a mother asking for support for her intellectually disabled teenage daughter, who had symptoms of depression. 

She spent most of the day asleep, and was reluctant to log on to online classes. After a few video call conversations, she was encouraged to log in to the Zoom session. Later, her mom shared with me that, as she watched the faces of her friends appear, greeting each other and saying good morning as if they were seeing each other in person, her daughter – with great surprise and excitement – expressed, “They’re alive!” 

I was surprised and moved by the effect it had on her to relate, albeit through a screen, to her teachers and classmates. It did her good. Part of her depression was the thought that her friendships had ended with the lock down. What a wonderful discovery, thanks to technology, when she realized that her dear friends were still alive! 

I felt the impulse to share (not only with her, but with everyone I interact with) the message of Psalm 122:8-9. Since before the pandemic, but now more than ever, this verse has touched me: For the sake of my brothers and friends I will say: Peace be with you! For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will be devoted to your good.

In Spanish the word used for “devoted”, is “desvivirse”. It has a strong meaning of striving. What is “striving”? According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española), it is to show relentless and lively interest, solicitude or love for someone. However, the word “desvivirse” has much more depth than a dictionary can explain. In Spanish, it literally means to stop living, to give up one’s life for someone, to give up one’s own interests in favor of the other person in an affective relationship of sincere friendship.

The friendships that do good are those that demonstrate their lively interest, to whom we have and who have us in their thoughts and prayers, for whom we seek their welfare and who in turn seek our own, even renouncing our own interests and benefits. This reciprocal attitude of care and attention is the simple and profound mark of true friendship, tested in both good and not so good times.

In the month of February it is customary to celebrate the day of love and friendship; especially on the fourteenth, which in the United States occupies the calendar of decorations and purchases to declare love. In Mexico it also includes the celebration of all friendly relationships. It is a celebration of friendship; not only of those in love.  

We might sometimes think that this date is a mere pretext in a culture influenced by consumerism. I would like to invite you to take a break and use this month to reflect on the importance of meaningful interpersonal relationships in our lives and how they influence our well-being. 

Think of a time when you have been in situations where the people around you do not relate in a healthy way. Has this affected your feelings? Has it affected your well-being or even your health? Now bring to mind those environments that have been characterized by people around you relating to each other and to you in a positive and healthy way. What effect has that had on you?

The way we relate to others is a matter of utmost importance to having a fulfilling life. In fact, there are scales that measure the Quality of Life, and one of the dimensions that are taken into account to determine the index of well-being of a person is their interpersonal relationships. So, we must pay close attention to the sphere of our interpersonal relationships. Is there someone to whom you ought to give a friendly call? 

In times of pandemic and confinement, we may feel that our friendships have drifted away. We may even think we have lost them, as my student felt during that first month of confinement. The apostle Paul also had periods of confinement when he was imprisoned. At those times, through prayer, he knew that his dear friends, brothers and sisters were present, and he was comforted by the thought of those positive and healthy relationships: Whenever I remember you, I thank my God, and when I pray for you, I do it always with joy (Philippians 1:3-4). Fortunately, in these difficult times, we too have the resource of prayer, but nowadays there are also many other ways to communicate with one another. 

My prayer for you is that the way we relate to one another, in whatever context, may be one that generates community wherever we are. At home, at school, at work, at church, online or in person – let us form communities of peace and good.

In this month of love and friendship, let us be deeply grateful to all the people around us who have sought to give us peace and have gone out of their way to “desvivirse” for our sake. 

Eva Martínez has a degree in psychology with a master’s degree in mental health with a specialty with people of intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is the coordinator Strengthened and Inclusive Families of Effeta ABP, an institution that seeks to promote the inclusion and exercise of the rights of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. She is part of the 2nd CLLI-Monterrey cohort coordinating team. She serves with her husband, Joel Sierra, in the pastorate of Jiréh Baptist Community of Monterrey. Mother of 4 children, Andrés, Luz Daniela, Samuel and Miguel.

By Nora O. Lozano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí

Yes, Happy New Year in February! But before I invite you to celebrate this New Year, I would like to invite you to another celebration.

Let’s celebrate together that as of the publishing of this blog, we complete three years of consecutive monthly publications. I am thankful to God for this achievement, as well as to our blog coordinator and publisher, Anyra Cano; and for all the writers for their original and creative pieces, and to you, our readers. We are preparing great and meaningful content for this year, and we invite you to continue reading our monthly publications.

Now to the Happy New Year in February! 

For most of the world, January is a month of new beginnings as we welcome a new calendar year. For me, it is a double new beginning as I also celebrate my birthday on January 1^st. However, in my work as CLLI Executive Director, the month of January does not mean new beginnings, but endings.  

The work of non-profit organizations in the United States has a particular cycle. January is a month where organizations close the business of the previous year. It is a time to send important documentation to government agencies as well as donors. The deadline to send these documents is January 31^st, and my goal is always to send them a little earlier than that. Once they are sent, I can breathe a little easier. Then I start to celebrate the end of the CLLI business year, and the beginning of a new year, a new cycle that starts on February 1^st.

So this February 1^st, I will be celebrating the CLLI’s Happy New Year! And I want to invite you to celebrate with me.

The transition to a new year offers an opportunity to reflect with gratitude on the previous one as well as an opportunity to plan with hope for the future.

When I think about gratitude in relation to the previous year, I want to thank God for all the things that we were able to do in spite of the pandemic. We were able to continue offering virtually our transformational trainings. Students continued to learn and be challenged, faculty continued to teach powerful content at the same time that they were learning appropriate teaching methods for this complex season, and the CLLI coordinators and staff continued serving faithfully and joyfully. All this is truly remarkable for a second year with a global pandemic. But also, I am so thankful for all of the CLLI’s friends and donors and their contributions in prayers and financial resources. Your generosity allowed us to continue with our goal of transforming women’s lives in the name of Christ.

In addition, I am also grateful for the creativity that God has given to CLLI board members, faculty, coordinators, and staff. While it is true that the pandemic has brought us many challenges, it is also true that it has brought some blessings. For the CLLI one of the blessings is that it has pushed us to do things in new and creative ways: from working in virtual offices to designing new formats and delivery methods for our trainings. All this has resulted in an opportunity to do the things differently, but always with the same quality and excellence.

As we transition to new things, it has also been a time to say goodbye to other things. One of them is our traditional January Training at Camp Buckner. We held this training for 13 years during the same weekend and in the same place. I could write a book with all the stories of growth and transformation that happened there every year, and another book with all the fun experiences that we had. However, the pandemic and new opportunities led us to the difficult decision of transitioning this training to a different format. While the decision was complex because it required celebration and also grieving for what it was, it also brought a sense of newness and excitement as we will be able to serve better our current students who are ready to learn in more hybrid formats.

This leads me to reflect on the future. While we continue with our clear goal of providing transformational leadership training for Latinas and Latinas-at-heart from a Christian perspective, we cherish your prayers as we continue exploring new formats and delivery methods for our enriching curriculum. We are excited about experimenting with these new possibilities, and evaluating them, and then refining them again and again, until we get them “seasoned to perfection.” We want to do this because God deserves our best work and our students deserve the best leadership education that we can offer.

In light of all this, I invite you to celebrate the CLLI’s Happy New Year on February 1^st! And as I do that, I am reminded of these powerful words by Dag Hammarskjöld that my friend Dr. Pam Durso shared with me some time ago: “For all that has been, Thank you! For all that is to come: YES!” 

So let’s give thanks for what it was, and let’s look forward to what it will be. And in everything, let’s glorify our good God who is always watching over us, guiding us, and providing for all our needs.

For all that is to come: Happy New Year CLLI! May God bless you this year in wonderful and surprising ways! Amen!

Nora O. Lozano is executive director and co-founder of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute and has been involved in Christian theological education for more than 25 years.

By Sofía Rodríguez

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

The beginning of a new year offers an opportunity to reflect on the past and dream about the future, in light of God’s promises.

I have been a Christian almost all my life, and for most of it I have served in the ministry. As a woman with a pastoral calling, the road has not been easy, but God’s great mercy and faithfulness have sustained me.

During a particularly difficult time in my life, someone shared these words with me. They have been a great encouragement in my ministry:

“God will not lead you to waters that God cannot divide, to shores that God cannot cross, or to pain that God cannot bear.”

God will not lead you into waters God cannot divide

I was born in Ecuador, and at a one and a half years old, my father and mother brought me to Colombia, the country where I grew up, surrounded by a loving Christian home. It was there that at an early age, I met and accepted Jesus, and did missionary work in my family’s company. I also finished High School, and I met my husband with whom I have been married for 42 years and with whom I have four children and seven grandchildren.

In 1992, God led me to work in a strategic place that due to its location is an axis port in development. This sector is also vulnerable to all kinds of social problems.

I worked there in my profession as a sociologist, promoting community development. Seeing so many needs, I began a task that became more challenging every day due to the continuous deaths and robberies. However, God’s care and grace strengthened me. Recognizing that only God could transform people’s lives, I also alternated my work with spiritual work.

God kept opening my eyes to the spiritual needs of the people, and placed on my heart the idea of holding worship services on Sundays. We began on May 5, 1996, and with this the Agape Baptist Church of Barranquilla was born. With the direction of God, and the support of my family and of a great woman of God, Sandra Redondo, everything was going well. As in the biblical church, God added those who were to be saved (Acts 2:47).

God will not lead you to pain that God cannot bear

However, soon the trials began again. My father, who was a great spiritual support through his prayers and advising, became ill and ten days later passed away. A year and a half later, I was notified that my mother was ill, and a few days later she also passed away.

Their deaths produced great pain and void in my heart. Nevertheless, God filled it by giving me the strength to go and preach in places where I never imagined I would go: the mountains of Colombia. These were terrifying because of the dangerous people who were there. However, despite my fear, I experienced the presence and protection of God in that place.

As if this wasn’t enough, I also encountered attacks from those who opposed women in ministry. They attacked me for going to minister to those places. My doubts burdened me, and almost discouraged me to keep going. Their attitude appeared ironic to me. If they were not willing to go, why were they hindering the work of someone who was willing to go to those troubled spots?

The trials continued within my family, but this time in the financial area. In a span of three months, my husband and I lost our jobs, just at the time that our children needed an education. God sustained us without a steady job for ten years and taught us that “man shall not live by bread alone” (Matthew 4: 4).

Our home never lacked anything, and each of our children went to school and graduated. Furthermore, we were able to send our oldest son, Carlos, to San Antonio, Texas, to study theology. Currently, he is a pastor to the glory of God.

God will not lead you to shores that God cannot cross

I always longed to continue studying. I prayed to God for this, waiting for God’s perfect time to prepare me to better serve as a woman in ministry.

God’s response came in 2016, when my son Carlos shared with me that a Spanish Master’s Degree in Theological Studies would be available in the United States of America. I recognized that God had answered my heart’s desire. I started my studies that summer and thanks to God, I graduated in 2018.

When God gives, God gives generously as I was provided another opportunity to study. In October 2019, my son Carlos fell ill and I had to travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany him. One day before returning to Colombia I heard about the CLLI training, but it seemed impossible that I could attend because I already had my ticket purchased. Miraculously, the ticket was exchanged for free, and my family provided the tuition. Full of gratitude to God I started the training and will soon graduate.

Currently, I pastor two established churches and during the pandemic we opened another place for children’s Bible studies. The attacks against women in ministry continue, but God gives us the victory and the great blessing of having an empowered leadership that serves and is faithful in the work of the Lord.

25 years of ministry have passed, and I am amazed at how far God’s faithfulness has brought me. My children finished their studies with specializations; Today I continue to serve the Lord with my family and my beautiful grandchildren in the congregations and places where God allows us to serve.

As this year ends, I can only look back and give glory for God’s faithfulness and mercy.

And looking to the next year and the rest of my life, I can only think that God has never promised us an easy road, but a safe arrival. The Bible affirms that God is the same forever (Psalm 102: 25-27). Therefore, if God is the one who guides and strengthens us, regardless of trials and difficulties we will arrive safely until the end of our lives.

So trusting in all of God’s promises, let’s welcome this new year!

Rev. Sofía Rodríguez is the pastor of Iglesia Bautista Ágape in Barranquilla, Colombia. She also serves as the president of Fundación Obreras en Acción, a non-profit that ministers to senior citizens. She is currently a third year student of CLLI.

By Alicia Zorzoli

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

I’m an early riser. And I love it. I have to confess that I was not originally like this. I used to love to sleep late. But you can guess after 53 years of being married to “The Original” something about him would stick on you. So, I am not the original about this, just a Xerox copy. 

This early rising has brought me many pleasures, not only in the area of having more time during the day.

Lately I have taken the habit of starting my day going out to the back yard and watching the stars in the dark sky. Just a couple of minutes, before my quiet time with the Creator. I am in awe at the magnificence of God’s masterpiece. I fill my eyes with God’s splendor and greatness. I feel like the famous picture in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It sets me in the right picture frame for my time with God as I see my real self just as I am in comparison to his masterpiece. 

And this morning I saw a shooting star! I was amazed. Just a nanosecond and it was gone! 

Watching the stars in a dark night sky made me think of some similarities human beings share with them.

1. They are all different. Some of them look larger than others. Some of them shine brighter than others. Some of them look very tiny. Some of them seem feeble. Some of them seem to be in clusters while others appear to be by themselves.

We are all different, and that is the beauty of it. Some of us may look larger and shinier. And some of us may seem feeble and small. Some of us are more gregarious than others who prefer being by themselves.

2. They don’t change. They are always the same and each of them has their own place. That is why we can see the constellations. And, most importantly, that’s why they can be a guide for travelers without the human gadgets for orientation. The Bible says that God placed them in the expanse of the heavens (Genesis 1:17.)

As the stars, we all have our own place in the world. It’s a place God designed for us since the beginning of the world. And He has placed us there to shine and be a guide for the people around us.

3. They have light of their own. As it is with the sun, being also a star, all of them shine with their own light. They don’t need anything else to shine.

We don’t take our light from other people. Our light was given to us from the Source of the light. Jesus said that we are the light of the world. This light of ours may be strong as to lighten a whole area or it may be feeble and small as “this little light of mine.” But it is ours.

4. Some are just shooting stars. They come and go at the wink of an eye. It’s something interesting and attractive and people like to look for them. But you see them and they are gone.

There are people like those kind of stars. They are interesting, attractive, and people like to see them. But they shine for only a moment and then disappear and, as the Psalmist says, its place remembers it no more (Psalm 103:16). 

There is a place devoted to help women leaders to use those characteristics to make an impact in the world in God’s name. I am thankful for the ministry of Christian Latina Leadership Institute. It has impacted me in many ways and also provided me with the opportunity of doing the same for others. Focusing on Christian Latina leaders, this organization strives to:  

• Reinforce their unique God-given value, helping each other to build upon their differences to be all God wanted them to be.
• Realize each have their own place and that is where God has placed them in order to be a guide to many people who look to them for orientation and help. 
• They all have a light of their own. They don’t need to look to others to get their light from them. As leaders, their influence shines with their own light when using their God-given gifts and influence.
• They have deep roots preventing them to be like shooting stars. They stand firm in their Christian beliefs and, through this ministry, are being provided with the tools to make a strong impact in their world. 

IF you want to know more about the CLLI ministry, please contact latinaleadershipinstitute.org  

Alicia Zorzoli is a Bible teacher and international lecturer, she has published numerous articles in Christian magazines and books. For more than ten years she has been a part of the CLLI faculty.

By Nora O. Lozano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Some of my most important possessions are my plants. I love them! Even with my limited knowledge about plants, I always try my best to take good care of them. I inherited this love for plants from my mother. On special occasions, I like to give a pruning of one of my plants as a gift. For me, they are a way of connecting with the other special person or a reminder of that special event.

There is one particular plant, a schefflera, that has a singular story. My seminary roommate and good friend, Heather Musselman, gave it to me. It has been with me for more than 32 years, and has moved with me five different times. When my family and I made the big move from New Jersey to Texas, I made sure that this plant was with me in the car and in a good spot. Thankfully, it survived the four days of driving and hotel stays.

For thirty years, this plant was in the same pot. For me, it seemed to be happy where it was. However, it never grew or changed (picture 1).

One day in the fall of 2019, my daughter Andrea, who is much better with plants than me, and knows much more about them, told me that the plant needed a change. Thus, she suggested to repot the plant and to place it in an area with more light. I found a good, beautiful, larger pot, and we proceeded with the replanting and the repositioning of the plant.

As my daughter and I did all this, I was afraid that maybe it was too much of a change for the plant, and that perhaps it was not going to make it. However, I also recognized that the presence of some constant elements could provide some stability to the plant amidst change – maintaining the same watering schedule, utilizing part of the same soil, and moving it to in a new area of the same room. These elements made me feel hopeful about a successful transition. 

To our surprise, after thirty years, the plant started to grow in different directions. In four months, it developed like never before. There was a particular branch that started to grow down, towards the floor. It was getting so big, that it was getting in the way. One day in January 2020, I decided to redirect the branch. I bent it carefully, and tied it to another section of the plant. After three weeks, I was not only surprised, but amazed at the growth of the plant (picture 2).

Over the following months, it continued to grow and grow, and now it provides a beautiful natural decoration in my house (picture 3).

As I observed the transformation of the plant, I could not help it but think about our lives as Christians.

As human beings, we tend to be happy in comfortable and familiar places. This situation, even though it may feel really safe, may lead us to a life of mediocrity, where things are just “fine.” However, God wants more than “fine” for our lives. God wants the best for us.

As God prepares us for this improved life, we, like my plant, may have to face changes. At times, these changes are smooth and welcomed, but most of the time they are hard and rough. Part of the difficulty with change is that often we fear it due to the uncertainty that it brings. 

As I observed the transformation in my plant, I also recognized how the stability of some familiar elements, such as its watering schedule, soil, and new location within the same room, helped it to survive the change. In the same way, as we face welcomed or unwelcomed changes in our lives, we need to remember how in the middle of change, the presence of constant elements in our lives can bring us a sense of stability. 

One of these elements is our spirituality, our relationship with God. If we are rooted in God through a good, close spiritual relationship, we will be able to not only survive, but we will thrive in the face of change and challenge.

Another constant element that may help us as we face new situations is our family and friends. Those people who are around us, supporting us with their presence and words, and cheering us along the way. 

While it is true that change may produce uncertainty and challenges in our lives, it is also helpful during a transition to look back at our lives and remember that God has promised to be with us, to walk with us, and to guide us regardless of the circumstances. 

Every time that I reflect on a change in my life, even a small one, eventually I am able to see God’s hand guiding the situation. Perhaps during the transition, I was unable to see God clearly, but with time and reflection, God’s presence and plans became clear in my life. 

As we keep journeying through life, with its inevitable changes, we must remember that God is always present, luring us into something better, and moving us closer to the best life that God has planned for us. 

As we do this, let’s continue trusting in God and living in a way that is faithful to God, to others, and to our calling. And who knows, in time we may end up pleasantly surprised with the result, perhaps as surprised and delighted as I was to witness the impressive development and growth of my plant.

Nora O. Lozano is executive director and co-founder of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute and has been involved in Christian theological education for more than 25 years.

By Anyra Cano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

El Paso, Texas, is “home” to me. It is where I was born and raised; it is where Jesus became my Lord and Savior; where I received my ministerial calling; started ministry; and where I have my earliest and fondest memories. It is also the place where I find my favorite chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and flautas. 

The first weekend of September I went “home”. My current church decided to take a “short” mission trip to serve the church where I came from. I knew it would be a different kind of trip of “going home.”

It was different in that it was the first time in two years I had not returned (since my mother passed away). I didn’t know what to expect from the city I left the day after it suffered the horrendous shooting at the Wal-Mart. Different also because it would be the first time I would return and not stay at my childhood home.

To be honest, I was nervous to go back, afraid of not knowing what it would be like after two years, the longest I have ever been away. 

When I arrived, I observed much change, I wasn’t sure to embrace or to run from it. The mountains, the ones I jokingly claim are mine, were not brown, they were green! There were new businesses and new housing developments. I also sensed a different sentiment in the city, one of solidarity, of helping and protecting each other. 

I too am different. The biggest difference was coming home as a new parent. 

As I took in the beauty of the mountains and the sunsets, and all the changes, I realized I was happy and proud to be “home.” Going home helps me to never forget where I came from. It reminds me where God has taken me, and that brings me hope for what is to come. 

Sunday, we attended the church we served. It is the church that supported me during my years of college as I equipped myself for ministry. It is also the church that prayed over me and embraced me after a difficult season. The church where my mom loved to serve and was ministered to. 

I was asked to share a few words with the congregation and when I did, I expressed my gratitude for them. God had allowed me to go back and give back to the church I came from. I shared that we must never forget our roots and never forget those who formed us along the way. 

Whenever I begin to reminisce about where I am from, or where God has taken me, there is a story that comes to my mind about those who forget where they come from. It is found in Mark 8:33, where the Jews and Pharisees are questioning Jesus’ identity and his audacity to say he had the power to set them free. After listening to Jesus, they replied, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

I hit a concrete wall every time I think of these men truly questioning if they had ever been slaves. We know that narrative, the Israelites were made captive many times. God would rescue them, exhort them to never forget where they were and how they were delivered, and to follow God’s way. Nevertheless, they would forget and repeatedly fall into slavery for not following what God had commanded them to do. 

There is danger in forgetting the past, as philosopher George Santayana cautions us, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

The Bible also emphasizes the importance of not forgetting the past. God warned the Israelites, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9). 

Our identity is formed by our past. Many times, it may not be the best past, and we may want to forget it.  As painful or joyful as it could have been, our past helps mold and informs our future. It can be a key in helping us not to fall back into captivity or to keep us firm in following God’s direction in our life.

As leaders, I want to suggest a few benefits of never forgetting our past:

• It helps us stay humble. It reminds us that we have not arrived where we are alone, and there is still a long road ahead of us. Staying humble produces gratitude towards those who have helped us, encouraged us, given us wisdom, exhorted us, and lifted us.  We can remain humble in acknowledging that if we failed in the past, we could do so again. 

• It encourages us and causes us to become proud of our identity, as we look back and see our transformation and growth. Occasionally as leaders we are the hardest on ourselves, we get caught up in our current struggles, however looking back helps us realize, “I’ve come a long way, if I accomplished so much in my past, what more can I do now.”

• It teaches us to look forward.  Our past can give us new insight into the changes happening around us and the benefit of them. As leaders we know that changes are inevitable. Seeing changes can bring new perspectives, creativity, and ideas of how to embrace or challenge the changes happening around us. 

• It produces greater gratitude and love towards God. We are reminded that God has been there every step of the way and continues to be there. That God will unconditionally and lovingly carry us through our future. God is our constant in all the changes around us. 

When was the last time you went “back home” or reminisced about your past?  Today I invite you to look back, “go home” and never forget. I know it may be a challenging invitation, but   

if you accept it, you may find a real blessing, as I did.

Anyra Cano is the Academic Coordinator of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, Youth Minister at Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, TX and Coordinator for the Texas Baptist Women in Ministry.  

This is a picture of Anyra on top of the mountains in El Paso, TX.

By Ruth Mendoza

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Do you get to wear jeans on Fridays? I look forward to Fridays, not because it indicates that the weekend has arrived, but because I get to wear jeans to work. This is quite the treat because Lord knows, I am not the organized one who lays out her clothes on Sunday night; I am the one who anxiously visualizes the outfit of the day as I brush my teeth. It would be so much easier to wear a t-shirt and jeans every day. Inevitably, the dress code must be followed no matter how uncomfortable it is because how we dress can positively impress students, clients, and colleagues.

In their article, Research Shows that the Clothes You Wear Actually Change the Way You Perform, Inc.com, a magazine that advocates for private-owned businesses, explains how clothing impacts the message we send to others about ourselves and the company we represent. They advise that when we are dressing, we should consider the message we want to communicate. Not only does it impact our presentation, but it also impacts our thinking and productivity. In conclusion, when we dress to impress, we will more than likely have success.

I know you’re probably thinking that the previous statement is a bit mundane for a believer in Christ. And you are right as we can easily fall into vanity’s trap of stylish competition and such. 

But thinking about dress codes led me to ask myself:  Am I clothed in a way that communicates who I am in Christ? Does my resemblance to Christ impress on the heart of others? 

In Colossians 3, the apostle Paul reminds us that our freedom in Christ is meant to glorify God. Because we were raised in Christ to a new life and now secured in Him, we are to lay to rest our old self and represent Him as we are His chosen people. In other words, if we once clothed ourselves with anger, rude bluntness, ill-intentions, slanderous conversations, and obscene language and they still linger in our hearts, we need to change wardrobes. This wardrobe is to exalt our Almighty God, the King of kings, who is worthy of ALL praise. 

Therefore, this new wardrobe we are to put on must impress on the heart of others. The same biblical chapter describes a list of garments that every believer in Christ should be wearing: tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love (Colossians 3:12-14, NLT). If we wear these consistently, there is a high probability of producing in others the desire to be raised and dressed in Christ as well. 

To be dressed in tenderhearted mercy is to show compassion for others. Compassion is being sensitive to and hurting for the spiritual and physical needs of others. The workplace is such a rigorous environment where compassion is rare. However, a Christian leader must wear compassion as Christ did in Matthew 9:35-38, when he noticed their “distress and dejection, like sheep without a shepherd” and asked the disciples to pray that more workers joined in the harvest. Later, in Matthew 14:14 he felt compassion over a large crowd and healed their sick. Compassion leads us to act in favor of those who are suffering and in great need. 

Kindness pours out of a compassionate heart and is key in describing God’s character. Luke 6:35 reminds us that God is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. We may encounter malice where we stand, but we must remember that kindness is loving our enemies, and the best way to do that is by prayer and doing them good (Romans 12:21). 

When we are placed in a position of leadership, it is so easy to give in to pride and putting our needs and wants before others. Christian leaders must dress themselves with humility to overcome this desire. To be humble is to value others above ourselves (Philippians 4:3-4). Serving others through our leadership is also humbling ourselves before the Lord. 

Christ is the epitome of gentleness. When we think about clothing ourselves in gentleness, we cannot dismiss the fact that He, quietly, like a lamb to the slaughter, withstood suffering and pain, taking on the punishment that we deserved (Isaiah 53:4). And yet, it was that punishment that brought us peace and healing. Gentleness is helping others, working for the benefit of others, even if we have been wronged. 

Do you find that the work environment can easily engage us in conversations that nitpick each other’s idiosyncrasies? We are flawed human beings with habits and behaviors that are not always in sync with each individual’s righteous judgment. No wonder the apostle Paul tells us to put on patience. Patience is tolerating the persona and its flawed nature and covering it with grace. 

Another garment, that is rarely fashioned in this world is forgiveness. Many consider it unstylish in this dog-eat-dog world. However, those of us in Christ must forgive everyone of everything; we are commanded to forgive as the Lord forgave us (Colossians 3:13). Sure, the hurt caused can be severe that it is too difficult to forgive. However, we must be reminded that we have a God who delights in showing mercy and hurls our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18-19). He will not flaunt our transgressions in our face. He forgives them, so we are very well capable of forgiveness.

Lastly, if we are to be dressed in Christ, we cannot leave love in a drawer or closet. Love binds all of the virtues mentioned above in perfect unity (Colossians 3:14). Loving others is the greatest sign of our salvation. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). It does not matter how fancy we dress; it means nothing if we don’t have love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). 

We must clothe ourselves with Christ in mind. These virtues are more than a believer’s check-off list of righteous living. These are virtues that can impact the kingdom greatly if we wear them daily. We cannot hang these on the coat rack. We cannot set them aside while we update our social status or comment on social media. Our identity in Christ is a royal inheritance that allows us to pour God’s love into others. What impression do people have of Christ when they interact with you?

Ruth Mendoza, BSIS, M. Ed, has been an educator for 20 years, she also serves as the Hispanic Ministries contractor for WMU of TX.  Being born into a pastoral family, she continues to serve faithfully in ministry in East Texas. Ruth is also a previous CLLI student.  

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

In the U.S., we just celebrated the country’s 245^th birthday on July 4^th. This is one of my favorite holidays. It is so natural and easy to get caught up in the fireworks, barbecues, and family vacations during this time. In the last several years I have made it a point to take time apart from the celebration and vacation and ponder what July 4^th really means for those of us living in this country. What exactly are we celebrating, and why? 

Technically, this is the annual celebration of the signing of our Declaration of Independence. Our Continental Congress declared that the thirteen colonies were no longer subjects of the monarchy of Britain and King George III. The colonies were united, independent, and free. I think this last term “free” is the operative and fundamental principal underlying the celebrations for the 4^th of July. 

We have so many freedoms in the United States for which to be thankful. To name just a few, we have:

• Freedom to travel wherever we want;
• Freedom to choose our vocation and occupation;
• Freedom to marry whomever;
• Freedom to express our thoughts and ideas; and, 
• Freedom of religion and to worship however we want; there are many more.

I often forget the import of these freedoms until I come across people who don’t have them. For example, Andrei, my friend and colleague from Russia, was explaining to me recently that even if you were lucky enough to afford a car, you still had to present credentials to go across certain city zones or to travel to another town.  

Then there is my long-time friend, Sudarshan who is from India. He was born into the business caste. If he had stayed in India, he would not have been allowed to be a professor as he is now at the University of Missouri. He would have had to take a job that was aligned with his caste.  Moreover, Sudarshan could not have married his wife Neeru because she was in a different caste. (Fortunately, inter-caste marriages in India are starting to become more common in the last decade, but they are still only about 10% of all marriages.^[i])

In China, the only people who can publish criticisms of, or opinions contrary to those of, the Communist Party, are senior members of the Communist Party.^[ii] We’ve certainly seen many episodes of reprisals on free speech as we watch the progressing communist takeover of Hong Kong. In contrast to these examples, I remain so thankful of the famous quote in the Declaration of Independence that says, 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Yet the most important examples of what freedom means and what freedom looks like for people everywhere are the assurances that God has given us about our liberty. Let’s consider a few of them here:

Psalm 118:5 – “Out of distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.”

Isaiah 61:1 –    “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners.”

John 8:32 –    “And you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

2Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Galatians 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” 

These Godly proclamations tell me many things about freedom. First, it is my right and part of my DNA (I’m called to it). In other words, it is an instinctual desire. Second, I need to use freedom prudently and in service to others, not to bask in my own cravings and wishes. Instead, I should share the essence of freedom with others to help release them from their physical and/or psychological constraints. And third, I can find freedom whenever the Lord’s Spirit is upon me. This will loosen the chains of my stress, anxiety, frustrations and worries that often affect my attitude and behavior in everyday life. I can be free to be happy and content. 

As Latina leaders, let’s take stock in the freedom that God has granted us as our right, not just a privilege. Let’s exemplify what it means to live a free life, as the Lord God has envisioned for us—a life of love, service, and healing of others. Let’s envelope our thoughts, our words, and our actions in God’s Freedom. Most notably, let’s give God praise, love and gratitude this month of July for granting us the most absolute, richest, and profound form of Freedom that can be experienced. Sparks are flying! Amen. 

Becky Klein, MANSS, Esq. Attorney, Principal of Klein Energy, LLC. an energy consulting company based in Austin, Texas.  She is a member of the CLLI faculty and a former CLLI board of director. Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s Law School, San Antonio, TX. Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University, Stanford, CA. 

^[i] Dynamics of Inter-Religious and Inter-Caste Marriages in India, Kumudin Das, K. C. Das, T. K. Roy and P. K. Tripathy, 2011. Found at: https://paa2011.princeton.edu/papers/111281.

^[ii] Congressional-Executive Commission on China, “Freedom of Expression in China: A Privilege, Not a Right,” by Senator Jeff Merkeley (Chair) and Representative James McGovern. Found at: https://www.cecc.gov/freedom-of-expression-in-china-a-privilege-not-a-right.

By Verónica Martínez-Gallegos

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

In today’s world, perhaps we have witnessed injustice towards a vulnerable person. Perhaps an innocent child, an elderly woman, or a person belonging to an ethnic minority group.

How do you feel when you see these injustices towards vulnerable people? Helpless, frustrated, fearful, distant, paralyzed, or apathetic? What is your response when you observe injustices? Do you remain silent? Are you moved towards mercy to help the suffering person?

The Old Testament prophets were commissioned to speak publicly on issues of social injustice, disobedience, divine discipline, repentance, and hope, with the purpose of drawing the attention of God’s people. This was the case with the prophetic task of Micah, one of the minor prophets, who demonstrated a deep concern for injustices created by social oppression.

In Micah, we are presented with the picture of a divided people. On one side we see a suffering people, yet on the other side, oppressive people. As expected, during this time Micah’s message was not well received by the oppressors who were in a position of power.

The prophet Micah’s message can be summarized in God’s demand from the people: to do justice, have mercy, and worship only God. “God has told you, mortals, what is good in God’s sight. What else does the Eternal ask of you. But to live justly and to love kindness and to walk with your True God in all humility?” (Micah 6: 8).

Micah exhorts God’s people to abandon their practices of oppressing the most vulnerable and calls them to repentance as a way that leads them to the fulfillment of God’s promises.

According to commentator Daniel J. Simundson, Micah chapter 6 opens with a covenant claim between God and the people of Israel^[i]. The mountains and hills would serve as a jury to decide between the Lord or the people of God (Micah 6: 1-2). God raises the question: “My people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you? Answer Me!” (Micah 6: 3). God briefly reminds them of the redemption story, a sort of creed that recalls key periods in Israel’s history when God’s activity was clearest (Micah 6: 4-5).

Then the people ask: “With what should I come before the Lord, and bow down before God on high?” (Micah 6: 6-7). The people continue by asking about presenting extravagant offerings. Micah then gives a message to the people of God, which affirms that God is much more interested in their daily way of life than in their religious practices (James 1:27).

The prophet Amos confirms the same by emphasizing that God “hates” such superficial efforts of piety if they are not accompanied by lives dedicated to justice and righteousness (Amos 5: 21-24).

According to this, what God expects is simple, but at the same time demands action:

Practice justice – be fair to one another.

Justice is something that people want, but just wanting it or just complaining about injustice is not enough. The idea of ​​this concept demands action from God’s people to work for righteousness and equality for all people.

According to Elizabeth George, God calls us not only to personal righteousness, but also to social responsibility^[ii]. As Christian leaders, God has placed us in specific circles of influence such as our family, work, church, and community. In these places, our voice and opinion can make a difference in being willing to open roads and bridges for people who are marginalized.

A bridge is a symbol of connection between places. A bridge also creates possibilities and opens avenues to discover new horizons. We can be bridges of connection and help other people expand their possibilities to promote justice. Nonetheless, this also calls on us to be aware of our own context. Have you ever reflected on your privileges? I invite you to reflect on the place where God has placed you so that you can create bridges of blessings for less privileged people.

Love mercy – be kind to those who are vulnerable.

Since my childhood, I have witnessed in church the care women have for one another in difficult times. When we are in the midst of chaos and suffering, a helping hand is most needed. It is precisely here where our interdependencies intertwine. As God’s creation, we are destined to be in relationship. Justo González invites us to grow deeper in our knowledge of human relationships: “To be fully human is to be for others, and, therefore, the human creation of God is not complete until there is no other for whom to be. To be fully human is to be-for-others.”^[iii] To be for others means to deprive myself of my comfort in order to help other people who are going through difficulties.

On the other hand, mercy is also a call from God to take care of other people with kindness and goodness. According to Daniel J. Simundson, the word “goodness” has to do with love, loyalty, and fidelity, key elements for interpersonal relationships.^[iv]

To love mercy is a call to action to be present for other people when they need us most. It is part of the great commandment, to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22: 36-40).

Humble yourself before your God – and worship Him as your only God.

As Christian leaders we are called to practice genuine faith in God, which bears our kindness, compassion, justice, and humility (Galatians 5:22). Elizabeth George comments that “Micah highlights the inherent relationship between authentic spirituality and social ethics.^[v]“

Some scholars have pointed out that the word “humbly” might be better understood as “carefully”. The key word in this verse is “walk” (halak). We must walk with God, careful to put God first and live according to God’s will.

As we walk with God, we can please God with godly living and thus demonstrate these qualities by doing justice, and having mercy in our relationships at work and church, and with our family and community.

So then, what is the best thing we can do? Practice justice, be merciful, and walk continuously worshiping our God. 

Rev. Verónica Martínez-Gallegos, M.Div., BCC, ACPE Certified Associate Educator and Board Certified Chaplain. Assistant Director Department of Spiritual Care and Education, Charlotte, NC. She also serves with her husband who is the senior pastor of La Voz de La Esperanza Baptist Church in the same city. Additionally, she serves as the coordinator of CLLI in North Carolina and is part of our CLLI faculty.

^[i] Daniel J. Simundson. The New Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. VII. The Book of Micah, página 577.

^[ii] Elizabeth George, ED. Reina Valera, 1960, Biblia de la Mujer Conforme al Corazón de Dios, pp. 1135.

^[iii] Justo González. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective, página 133.

^[iv] Daniel, pp. 580. 

^[v] Elizabeth, pp. 1128.

By Patty Villarreal

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” 3 John 1:2 (ESV)

Merriam-Webster defines balance as “an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements.” Isn’t that a great definition of balance? 

I was getting a massage recently. Yes, a massage! As a young adult, it was rare for me to get a massage. But eventually it become a sporadic practice. Now that I have retired, I realize how valuable a regular massage is for my body. Stress is stress, whether in the heat of active social work, or as a retiree as I continue to be active in ministry. 

In a recent conversation with the masseuse, we talked about balancing the body. I shared about being an avid water aerobics enthusiast and how I go to the gym just to get in the water to work out in the pool and swim laps. She asked if I do anything else when I go to the gym. I responded, “No, because I love the water.” She continued by stating that I was out of balance, and needed also to use the gym machines to exercise. 

She then asked what stretches I practice at home. I shared that I do a series of stretch exercises for the lower half of my body (having had 2 knee replacements within this past year). She determined I was out of balance in failing to stretch the top half. She then showed me stretching exercises for my upper torso. I added her suggestions to my morning stretches. Wow! What a difference it has made!

For those who have gone through the Christian Latina Leadership Institute training, one of the core courses focuses on the balanced life. In fact, the message of a balanced life is threaded throughout the entire three-year training curriculum. When we began the discernment process of what classes to offer in the curriculum, the CLLI leadership were all in agreement that we could not offer a curriculum on leadership without including an emphasis on leaders balancing their lives and responsibilities.

“Perhaps Proverbs 16:11 provides a clear idea of the spiritual intent of living and leading a balanced life: “A just weight and balance are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His work.” The proverb tells us that all things are God’s and that He is and must always be the standard by which we measure everything.”  https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/RA/k/923/Striving-for-Balance.htm

During this time of the pandemic, leaders were challenged with maintaining a balanced life. We found ourselves even busier with family, work, church, and community responsibilities. 

As we begin to return to some sense of normalcy or to a new normal in the world today, let me continue to remind you to focus on a balanced life that includes physical development as well as spiritual development. I often combine both, praying, singing, recalling God’s Word as I’m at the gym, walking, or just enjoying God’s creation as I drive. I know this is not easy but with some determination and practice we can start to implement this in our lives.

Another reminder for CLLI students and graduates to help you maintain balance – form, cultivate, and nurture that personal inner circle of leaders of yours that will hold you accountable because they care for the best in you. 

Lastly, don’t forget to rest because this is what God did after working hard during the time of creation. “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” Genesis 2:2-3 ESV. 

God and the Bible invite us to have a balanced life. What are the immediate steps that you can follow to implement this balance in your life?

Patty Villarreal LMSW, is the Co-Founder and faculty member of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and recently retired after working 43 years as a social worker.

By Marcela Ordaz

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

“Show me a life hack that you randomly saw one day, that is now an unconscious standard practice in your life.” This phrase challenged me for many days. It comes from a viral TikTok video where thousands of people shared hacks of all kinds, from how to peel a potato to how to fall asleep faster.

As human beings we constantly look for ways to grow in the different areas of our lives.

Among the best practices that I have worked on recently to have a more balanced life is listening to audiobooks, including the Bible, which works wonderfully because it allows me to get ahead faster. Additionally, listening to podcasts, interviews, biographies, courses, and webinars allow me to absorb a lot of content that has made me reflect on how to be a better person.

Other practices that I have developed alongside my husband is constant learning and transformation. I recognize that my husband, Diego, is a key piece in this. Ten years ago, we began the adventure of becoming a team that no one can defeat, because we have become a 3-strand cord (Ecclesiastes 4:12) where we invited God to become the spine of our marriage. It has been the best decision we have made. Bringing together his skills and mine allow us to grow and discover both our strengths and weaknesses and refine each other to become the best version ourselves. We would not be who we are or where we are, without each other.

A capacity for wonder is another practice that has helped me. I first heard about this in an interview with the author of  the book, The Wow Effect, by MariCarmen Obregón. She highlights how important it is to maintain this capacity for wonder. Furthermore, she presents the idea that everything you do should be a “WOW”, or it should cause an amazement in other people. This implies that you give an extra portion, one that the other party in the relationship does not expect, and without looking for anything in return. This will give you “extra points” in whatever your activity is. For me this conversation reinforced the need to exercise emotional maturity, as well as the capacity to let go and to the development of selflessness.

I have also learned a lot from the book, The Negotiator, by the great business shark, Arturo Elías Ayub, known for his famous Shark Tank program. In summary the phrase that I have recorded is, “You can be an intrapreneur, you can be an entrepreneur even working within an organization. You can make a big difference by undertaking a project that achieves a before and after.”

Additionally I have also learned from the famous Mexican golfer, Lorena Ochoa. She narrates that in her professional experience she had to forego a mental training, and with the help of her coaches, she became aware of all the specific details of the sport that allowed her to make or miss each shot. At the end of each round, this allowed her to take a hard look at which areas to work on: mental, physical, technique, routine, and concentration. Among Ochoa’s routines, beginning each morning with gratitude is one of them. She writes notes for the things she is grateful for.

Where am I going with this?

What is my life hack that will allow me to achieve my goals?

What do I have in common with all these authors and characters?

They are influencing me to shape what I want to do right now. In addition, they mention in their interviews that in their daily routines or rituals they are thankful for life. They share about the positive things.

These routines of gratefulness, to some extent, are not new to me. My mother taught me as a child that no matter what you are living through, you have to “Give Thanks to God.”

Holding to the wisdom we find in Deuteronomy 6: 5-8, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Engrave in your heart these words that I have told you today. Instill them in your children; talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the way, when you go to bed and when you get up; tie them to your wrist as a sign; wear them on your forehead as a sign; write them on the jambs of your house and on your doors,” My mother taught me to love God and to be grateful.

My dad and mom also taught me as the Apostle Paul did, who shared with the Church of Thessalonians: “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I think I have the upper hand in this. Since I was born, I have learned to thank God in everything.

In light of all this, my life hack is:

Be thankful:

that you have life

that you can breathe

that you can you read

that you can hear

that you have family

that you have friends

that you have a church

for love

for peace

for grace

for blessings

for trials

for what you have

for what you no longer have

As I turn 40, in 2021, I am grateful for the certainty that this year I will do great things. I am even embracing many new things that are being presented to me, which I gratefully accept. One of them is CLLI, this incredible organization that I was introduced to 7 years ago and that I knew from that moment that I was going to become a part of it, and I believe that you, the reader, can have a better quality of life, better opportunities, great experiences and new learnings opportunities.

What is your life hack? Whatever it is, I invite you to experience mine too. Count your blessings, write them down, document them and share them. Someone else needs to hear these from you today.

Marcela Ordaz, a professional in the area of Organizational Communication, has worked as an international leader as a Tradeshow Director for FABTECH Industrial Expo, Mexico and Latina America for the past 15 years. She is a CLLI Graduate and now serves on the CLLI board and is a member of the leadership team at CLLI Monterrey. Additionally, Marcela has led in ministry for the past 25 years in Monterrey, Mexico.

By Carolyn Porterfield

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

Six months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution seemed all but lost. General George Washington didn’t have enough troops and some of them were ending their time of service. Resources were scarce. The winter weather was brutal. The enemy was powerful, well trained, and better equipped than the colonial army.  

Thomas Paine wrote these words to describe the situation, “These are the times that try men’s souls:  the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of his country.”  (from GoodReads.com) 

The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot only served when things were going well, and they were on the winning side. But when hard times came and the war seemed lost, they were nowhere to be found.    

The last year has been a time that has tried our souls. A pandemic that is yet to end, racial unrest, a contentious election, and a winter storm in Texas and neighboring states like we have not seen in decades, have tried us. We acknowledge the physical, psychological, and emotional toll these months have taken. But do we consider the spiritual toll to our souls?  

Leaders, in particular, are hardest hit. They feel the weight of responsibility to care well for those they lead while sometimes neglecting themselves in the process.  But wise leaders know the health of their souls is critical to their effectiveness. 

In his book, A Work of Heart, Reggie McNeal describes leaders who lose heart. I have experienced times in leadership when those words were true of me. I realized that not only did I lose but so did those I was leading. I also knew this was not what God wanted for me.  

As followers of Jesus, we are not intended to lead from our strength. Jesus extends this invitation to our weary and tested souls: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29, NIV). 

Try an experiment. Get a small glass jar and put some dirt in the bottom. Fill the jar with water and shake it. What do you see? The dirt fills the water. Now, let the jar sit for a few minutes.  What changes do you notice? When the jar is allowed to sit for a few minutes, the dirt sinks to the bottom. There is space to see something other than the dirt.  

So it can be with our souls. We allow the “dirt” of life to fill our souls which blocks the presence and voice of God. There seems to be no space for Him because family, work, ministry, and more have seemingly crowded Him out. We need to make space in our lives for the one who cares for us. In solitude and silence the things of life settle which opens space for God.

Ruth Haley Barton speaks of solitude and silence in her book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. She describes solitude as a place of rescue from the relentless striving we often feel as leaders. You know what I mean. The work is never done. I must keep pushing to meet all the deadlines. I’ll attend to my soul when I get this project finished. But, if we are not careful, the next project comes along, and I still neglect my soul. 

During these days that try our souls we need to be rescued. So much pressure has been put on leaders to figure out how to survive and even thrive during this past year. That is exhausting work. Our souls need solitude so we can reengage with the one who loves us and calls us to Himself. 

Find a space where you can be alone, even if it is a closet. Take deep breathes to calm your mind and relax your body. Invite Jesus to meet you. Enjoy His presence. Release yourself from the pressure to find right words. Just be with Him.  

Solitude is accompanied by silence. We are often uncomfortable with silence in our noise-filled world. However, it is necessary in order to hear God’s voice. Again, Barton offers sound wisdom in her description of silence. In silence, we stop talking. In essence, she says we give up control and allow God to be God. He tells us to be still and know that He is God. This helps put life in proper perspective. We begin to realize that is possible to be set free from the heavy demands and expectations put on those who lead. 

Did you catch it? Our souls need to be rescued from relentless human striving. While it may be hard, we can give up control and let God be God. As a mother consoles a crying child, so our loving Father holds us when our souls have been battered, and we feel empty.  He opens His arms to us. In silence and solitude, we rest in Him. No words need be spoken. Instead, listen. 

As we rest and listen, He makes Himself known. He reminds us that we are His beloved children who have been the recipients of His mercy and grace. He tells us we are not alone. He will never leave us or forsake us. We don’t have to figure out next steps because He has gone before us and will instruct and teach us the way we should go. He will make the rough places smooth and turn dark places into light. These are the things He will do for us.  

The times in which we live try our souls as leaders. But now is not the time for “summer disciples” or “sunshine leaders.” It is time for leaders to act with confidence. That is possible, as we care for our souls and become the leaders God intends us to be.  

Carolyn Porterfield, CLLI Board member and faculty, has served in leadership positions for over 40 years. She writes from her own experience as one who is still learning to care well for her soul. 

By Elizabeth Tamez

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

I remember the day I received my first 2020 Christmas card. You won’t believe who it was from – Ryan Reynolds – yes, the Hollywood actor! I enjoyed sharing the card with my friends. And yes, they were envious and wondered how I managed to get a card from him. I had a little fun teasing them even further by sharing that from time-to-time, he also sends me texts and voicemail messages. More on this later.

The message on the Christmas card immediately struck a chord! In line with Reynolds’ sense of humor, it read: “Cheery and Bright” have taken the year off. Introducing the 2020 appropriate “Reflective and Moody” Holiday Card! So… here’s to 2021!” This got me asking: How was 2020 for you – reflective? moody? Have cheery and bright taken the year off? Was 2020 a year lost or perhaps a year gained?

Reynolds’ card prompted me to reflect on these important questions. I invite you to do the same. 

The Bible in Luke 6:45 highlights: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” What is my heart full of? 

Although it is in our nature to avoid hardships, uncertainty, and drastic change, out-of-this-world experiences, like a pandemic, bring to the surface our primal needs…and flaws…and virtues. Challenges have the revealing power to disclose what is inside us and the kind of “filters” we use to see, interpret, and approach life’s difficulties. We either succumb to the struggle or utilize the situation to our advantage. So, 2020 was a perfect revealing year! What did it show you about yourself?

Like for many of us, 2020 was quite the plummeting ride for me. We started the year at New Generation3 (NG3) with a business forecasting plan, which pointed to 2020 as one of our strongest financial years. One by one, the grant opportunities and contracts began to disappear as most programs and grant disbursements were canceled. To top it off, I had to move out of my apartment, and I cannot find a full-time job. Amid all of this – my youngest brother went missing, and his body was later recovered. We did not get a chance to say good-bye. I am sure you have your surreal 2020 stories, too. 

As I soak it all in, I know I have the power to choose – will the difficulties of 2020 make me moody? Will these hardships let cheery and bright take a year off? Or will I embrace the challenges as opportunities to be reflective? You see, if you take a pause and look back, let go of that which you cannot control, life can show that perhaps, amid adversity, you were still able to get some things done, learn, and grow – perhaps even important and amazing things! 

As I continued reflecting, I noticed that as the list of “positives and lessons” became longer, the less space there was for being moody. I began to appreciate that cheery and bright had not taken the year off and that indeed 2020 was a year gained! 

I learned new things, accomplished important milestones, and had my physical needs met when others were not so fortunate. I also worked on some pretty cool projects, which I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do if hard times had not shown up and I hadn’t knocked on some new doors! 

In the midst of family trauma, I also experienced God’s faithfulness, presence, provision, and unfailing love – such a palpable experience with God would not have been likely if I had not found myself in such distress. To some, these achievements could seem insignificant and would merit branding 2020 as “a year lost.” However, in the grand scheme of things, this is the kind of stuff personal growth and leadership are made of! 

Much of what we experience, though, is a direct result of what we cultivate in our lives in times of ease and comfort. Galatians 6:7b teaches: “A man reaps what he sows.”  Last year, I tackled some key things, and much had to do with the spiritual, leadership, and resilience disciplines and mindsets cultivated during the “cheery and bright” times. 

As I evaluated 2020, I noticed that exercising these practices throughout the year made the difference in how I interpreted the circumstances:

• catching myself, and breaking out of negative thought cycles; 
• resisting the temptation to catastrophize everything that happens; 
• looking for the positive and lessons learned when faced with setbacks;
• exploring obstacles as opportunities to look at a situation from multiple perspectives and build something new;
• strengthening the ability to embrace change and be fluid; 
• honoring space to be curious and ask questions;
• and intentionally practicing contemplation to see what the circumstances are revealing.

We are tempted to cope with adversity by telling ourselves “feel-good messages” to cheer us up. But don’t stay there; what did you learn? How will you grow? If we let it be, in the words of Henry Adams, “all experience is an arch, to build upon.” However, to make it so, one must engage in reflection, which leads to action that flourishes in life adjustments.

Do not waste the 2020 experiences and lessons. Use them as fuel for reaching new levels in your spiritual walk and leadership. As leaders, our responsibility involves providing direction to others, being an example, and making pivotal choices. The process we engage with to answer these questions and the answers we obtain will reveal some important lessons we can share with others.  

2021 will be just as challenging and unpredictable as its predecessor. Just last week, Texas and other neighboring areas experimented snow and ice storms. So I am preparing myself for what is ahead, and I am choosing early on to make it a year gained. As we navigate this new year, let’s remember what Psalm 89:2 mentions regarding the source of our strength and hope: “I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.”

A promise made is a promise kept. Why does Ryan Reynolds have my address and phone number? Well, you see, he is the owner of the cell phone carrier company I use. He likes to have fun and show appreciation to his customers, so he does these kinds of cool things from time to time.

Rev. Elizabeth Tamez Méndez: Ph.D. is Founder & Executive Director of New Generation3. She also serves as CLLI Board Member & Faculty and is a researcher in the Character & Virtue Development in Youth Ministry (CVDYM) Project from the Fuller Youth Institute /Templeton Foundation. Her Ph.D. is in Leadership, with a concentration on youth development. Her work includes writing, teaching, public speaking, and advocacy.

By Nora O. Lozano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

As we start a new year, and as I look back at the previous year, I can definitely proclaim: “Thus far the Lord has helped us (I Samuel 7:12)”!  The first comment that I want to offer regarding this is related to the CLLI blog.

With the publishing of this blog, we complete two years of consecutive monthly publications. I am thankful to God for this achievement, as well as to our blog coordinator and publisher, Anyra Cano, to all the writers, and to you, our readers. In this new year, we are looking forward to continuing to offer pieces that are meaningful to you and your journey as a Christian leader.

The year 2020 was an unprecedented one in contemporary history. Globally, we experienced, and continue to experience, much suffering due to the pandemic and its consequences in loss of lives, health, jobs, dwelling, and the freedom to go out to do our daily business. To be fair, I have to mention also that the challenges that the pandemic brought, for some represented an opportunity to develop new creative things. For example, educational institutions, such as the CLLI, had to creatively adapt to offer distance education. 

However, at this point I believe that the positive things that the pandemic has brought do not outweigh the suffering and chaos that it also brought to our lives. While it is too early to evaluate the pandemic’s consequences, both negative and positive, for me it has been a season when I often proclaim: “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 

In I Samuel 7, the prophet calls the people of Israel to return to God with all their hearts (7:3). As a result, the Israelites experienced victory against the Philistines. However, the Philistines continued to be an ongoing threat to Israel; that is why the Israelites constantly returned to God and claimed: “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

During this season, my way of returning again and again to God has been through prayer. It seems that a call to prayer is around me constantly. When I open my social media and private chats, I see prayer requests like never before. Family members and friends asking for prayer for their loved ones who have been affected by COVID. In addition, the Christian Latina Leadership Institute has sponsored many prayer meetings among its community, and a daily call to prayer at 10:00 PM. These prayer times have sustained me during this challenging season. 

Prayer has been an important element throughout my life. My early understandings of prayer were utilitarian. I prayed so that God could give me and my loved ones, whatever I/we needed or wanted.

Later, I learned that prayer is part of the spiritual disciplines that help us to nurture a relationship with God. According to WT Conner in his book Christian Doctrine, prayer is communion with God, a spiritual union with God. In this sense, Conner affirms, prayer is always answered. If what we are seeking as we pray is communion with God, then every time that we pray our prayers are answered because God is always ready to listen to us.  

As my prayer life continued evolving, God led me to other understandings of prayer that have been so helpful during this pandemic. At times in my life, and especially this past year, there are occasions that I do not know how to pray, or that I do not have any more energy to pray. It is at these times when I remember that God has given us an eternal, praying community that is in our favor.

This community is eternal, Trinitarian (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), and, furthermore, does not depend on my efforts to pray more or to pray the right prayer.  

According to the Bible, Jesus is our perpetual intercessor, and his prayers, I believe, are constant, passionate prayers for us. Why? Since he was one of us, and was tempted in everything just as we are, but without sin, he identifies himself with our struggles and sufferings (Hebrews 4:15 and 7:25). He understands how it feels to be down here, and because of this, he intercedes constantly for us.  

Another component of this eternal, Trinitarian praying community is the Holy Spirit’s role. As I mentioned before, at times I do not know how to pray, or even worse, sometimes, looking in retrospective, I have found that I was praying for the wrong thing.  

The good news is that prayer does not depend on me. Romans 8:26-27 mentions, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray…, but that very spirit intercedes with groans too deep for words… because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Thus, the Holy Spirit is the one who guarantees that our prayers are the right ones. This is the way I picture this: as our prayers ascend to God, the Holy Spirit transforms them into the right prayers. So it gives me much peace as I pray, to know that the Holy Spirit is the one who transforms our prayers in the right prayers – prayers that are according to the perfect will of God.

During this pandemic, I am so thankful for this Trinitarian praying community: God the Son interceding for us, God the Holy Spirit interceding for us, too, and directing our prayers, and God the Father listening to them, and acting according to God’s will to promote our welfare. 

Even though 2020 was a hard year, and 2021 is starting in a challenging way, I can claim: “Thus far the Lord has helped me/us”. We do not know what 2021 has in store for us, but we know who our God is, and that if we return to the three members of the Trinity we will receive help whatever the circumstances.

Therefore, I invite you to proclaim: “Thus far the Lord has helped us,” and because God is a faithful God, full of mercy, love, and compassion, God will continue to do so. Amen!

Dr. Nora O. Lozano is Executive Director of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and Professor of Theological Studies at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, TX.

By Verónica Martínez-Gallegos

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

It is hard to believe that approximately eight months ago COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Suddenly our daily lives were greatly affected. Everything appears to indicate that we are close to having a vaccine that will help us gradually return to a normal life or a new normal.  Undeniably, it has been a year of many changes and challenges. Most of us have stepped out of our comfort zone. Daily, the news shows cases of how communities in solidarity are helping people who are suffering from this pandemic. 

Now, this is not the first time that humanity has faced a pandemic. In 1918 people experienced a worldwide pandemic called the Spanish influenza that took the lives of millions of people.

What have we learned from these global crises as a community of faith?

As Latina Christian leaders we are essential partners in providing a ministry of emotional and spiritual support to our communities, and to the family of faith. The Apostle Paul speaks of this when he says: For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

 (1 Corinthians. 3:9 NIV).

A ministry of solidarity must begin with awareness and compassion to minister to others in their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Essential partners ministering to physical needs

As Christians and community leaders we are called to educate ourselves and become aware of the problem we face. Without a doubt, now we know more about how to protect ourselves from the corona virus. We have learned to wear masks, and to practice social distance. We have also learned to use technology in creative ways.

On the other hand, fear and stress make their presence known. The toll of this crisis continues to impact our lives in different ways. Nevertheless, compassion for the suffering of others is vitally important. Today more than ever, God calls us out of our status quo to have empathy with people who are living in pain and suffering. The biblical narrative of the Good Samaritan provides a great example of this (Luke 10: 25-37).

At our local church, from June to August we offered drive thru dinners. It was a way of meeting a physical need in the community. We joined God, where God was already working, as we ministered to the lives of seventy-two families in our community. 

We are approaching the end of this year that has stricken us with terrible physical and economic crises. How can you join God and care for other people in their physical needs?

Essential partners ministering to emotional and spiritual needs

A caring, mindful, and compassionate ministry also cares for the emotional and spiritual needs of others. In the ministry that I offer as a chaplain, clinical pastoral care takes on several spiritual dimensions. Spirituality and religion are important factors. When people are in crisis, they look for an existential meaning amid the chaos. Some people seek spiritual support and others are at least open to the possibility of alleviating some of their emotional stress through spiritual care.

In my role as a chaplain serving a community at the hospital, and in a pastoral role, ministering alongside my husband, we are essential partners who are providing care to those who suffer from illness, face life crises, and/or experience major loss.

Essential partners called to minister 

As Latina Christian leaders we are essential partners called to minister to others. The Apostle Paul said: “Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant…” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6a).

Therefore, as we near the end of 2020 in the midst of this ongoing pandemic, there is still much to do, much to learn, and reasons to be grateful.

If you look around, you can perceive the vulnerability of people. With the same comfort you have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:4), minister to others in their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

If you are the one who needs that care, look for refuge in God, in your church, and in other spiritual support leaders. Today, more than ever, we need to remember that we, the Church, are essential for change in this global crisis.

Be encouraged, God is on our side!

Rev. Verónica Martínez-Gallegos, M.Div., BCC and ACPE is a Certified Pastoral Care Educator Candidate in Charlotte, North Carolina. She also serves with her husband who is the senior pastor of La Voz de La Esperanza Baptist Church in the same city. Additionally, she serves as the coordinator of CLLI in North Carolina and is part of our CLLI faculty.

By Raquel Contreras 

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

Similar to the biblical times, in today’s Latino culture, the name of “Maria” or Mary, is very common.

Many times, we immediately identify the name with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with other women in the present. Many names of Latinas are binomial ones that start off with “Maria”, Maria Elena, Maria Carmen, Maria Eugenia, Maria Soledad. 

Each year the name Maria (Mary) is the most used by parents in the Latino culture. As a matter of fact, in South America, a set of three aligned stars is identified as “Las Tres Marias” (The Three Marys).

Furthermore, we can go on about how the name Maria is commonly used in our culture. We even use it in our kitchens as we cook, we say this is cooked in “baño maria”, or in English we say “bain-marie”. Additionally, we have all enjoyed the delicious “Marias” cookies. 

Maria is not only a word we used as the name of women, but it is also a part of our culture, that is why to speak about the leadership of a Maria in the Bible is very interesting and easy to relate to in our daily lives. 

In the book of Acts, we study about the beginnings of the Church, and in each story, we learn the way this group of new believers went about shaping their daily life and spiritual disciplines. It tells us how they would preach in the streets, enjoyed fellowship in homes, how they studied the words of Jesus, how they would confront difficulties, how they traveled to share the words of Jesus with all of the known world so that they too would also recognize Christ as the promised Messiah. In the practice of our own life in the 21st century, we have much to learn from them.

For me, a Maria that has always stood out to me is the Mary in the book of Acts, one that we only have 27 words about. “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.”

Only 27 words (NKJV) to refer to the tremendous leadership of this woman in the primitive church. 

As the new group of believers were growing, it became a threat to the government, and Peter, the spiritual leader, had been taken prisoner. He had been placed in a dungeon, chained to soldiers who did not allow him to move, and placed in the depths of this prison. This was happening all while Acts 12:5 tells us, “but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”

The Church acknowledged that in the face of this tremendous difficulty, not having their leader with them, plus the uncertainty of not knowing what would happen to them, they knew they should pray…and they did. 

In a miraculous manner, Peter is liberated from prison. He finds himself on the street unchained and the Bible tells us that he came to himself and realized he had been freed. In that moment the only thing he thinks he can do is go to Maria’s house, because that was where the church was gathered in prayer. This always overwhelms me. Peter had had no contact with the church, yet he knew where they ought to be. 

What we know is that, María is a woman who has opened her house for the church to gather to pray, in the face of their tremendous need. Furthermore, based on this story, we can assume that Peter, the natural leader, knew that she had replaced him in those moments and had taken up the leadership that was needed so that this group of new Christians would do what they need to do—to pray. 

This Maria is a tremendous example for us. She teaches us to accept the leadership positions we need to take, even when the times are difficult or uncertain. She teaches us to guide others to do what needs to be done by offering what we have in our hands, in order to support and guide others. Above all else, she teaches us to always be the type of woman that others can come to, when they need to draw close to God. 

Latina leaders and Latinas-at- heart, we need to always be ready to put into action our leadership with whatever we have in our hands to give, particularly be ready to walk with others in their search of God and need of prayer, especially in these troubled times that we are living.

May God allow us, today’s leaders, to be “Marias” in whichever setting our Lord places us. 

Raquel Contreras, J.D., is the general director of Editorial Mundo Hispano in El Paso, TX. She serves on the Board of Directors of CLLI.

By Becky Klein

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

The word “leadership” is used often, referring to many different people and circumstances. We refer to leadership when we read about courageous acts of our military in the Middle East. We speak of leadership when watching our visionary NASA astronauts work hard to push new frontiers. We think of leadership when we learn about CEOs transforming the business model or strategy of a company. We act with leadership when we set principled examples over a period of time that helps persuade our children to change their habits. We read about leadership (good and bad) when we learn about self-centered government leaders in our history books. 

But what does “leadership” really mean? Everyone has a different leadership style. And the most successful leaders are those who practice leadership in alignment with their true nature and personality.  The question then becomes, “What is your leadership personality?” And I’m sure you’re asking about now, “How do I go about figuring that out?”

To begin, we must first realize that each of us has multiple roles and responsibilities, whether at home, school, work, or play. We interact with people differently across these various contexts based on the diverse interests, needs and expectations of the people associated with each setting. Therefore, who you are in one setting may look and feel very different than who you are and how you act in another setting. Nonetheless, you carry deeply held values and cultural habits regardless of the setting. Identifying these values and cultural norms will help you understand your unique way of being a leader. 

One way to help you do this is to develop a story of Self.  Stories have multiple benefits and uses.  For example, stories help define us. They also move others to action. They help build trust. They help us believe in ourselves. And they provide us, and others, an anchor in times of uncertainty.

The Bible provides a vivid opportunity to learn about different leadership styles.  Through the use of stories, the Bible helps us identify best practices in thinking, talking and acting across various circumstances. It exemplifies how stories depict people with very different leadership signatures.

Let’s consider a few examples about different leadership styles from the stories of several characters in the Bible. 

Moses was a transformational leader.  He helped transition the Israelites from polytheistic habits to monotheistic life under God.  Moses also transformed the governance structure of the Israelite community. Instead of a central decision-maker, he ensured capable people were delegated authority and vested them with the ability to participate in a decentralized decision process. 

David was a charismatic leader. He was strong, handsome and fearless in battle. He was able to draw the obedience of people through his heroic actions. And when he sinned, he repented sincerely and confessed to God. He was a leader that infused people with the courage to accept responsibility and turn away from doing the wrong thing.

Daniel was a principled and loyal leader. Although he was in the service of Babylonian kings (Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus) he remained true to God’s laws in his daily habits. He refused to worship idols and eat “unclean” foods, at all costs. His steadfastness eventually caused Cyrus to realize that his god was little, and that Daniel’s god, the True God, was what was best for him and his people. 

Nehemiah was a visionary leader. When Nehemiah learned that the wall of Jerusalem had been broken and destroyed by fire, he had a vision to go rebuild it. His passion for his people fueled his energy and actions. He planned diligently and in detail and remained resilient through adversity in order to accomplish his vision. 

Jesus was a servant leader. Jesus places value in relationship and community.  He encourages people to be open-system thinkers versus closed-system thinkers. He is a people-developer versus a process-developer. And he adapts his style to match the maturity level of the people so that everyone can understand him better. 

And of course, there are numerous people in the Bible that have a style of an egotistical leader. Yet, they were leaders, as well.  Take Saul, Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh, to name a few.  They each wanted to command others to meet their own personal needs.  They wanted to humiliate others to make themselves look strong, courageous and honorable. They were jealous and instilled fear. 

I encourage you to read the stories of each of these Biblical figures.  And after you do, try developing a story about who you are. Your story should relate how you got to be who you are; key turning points, and outcomes in your journey. Remember, to develop an effective story you should have the following elements: 1. A protagonist (a character the listener cares about in a setting); 2. An unexpected challenge that confronted you; 3. A choice that you had to make in response to the challenge; and 4. The outcome.  Feel free to develop several stories based on different leadership styles that you feel you have portrayed at various times and in different contexts.  

Now, the most important part is to GO, and TELL.  Your story should tell the listener something about the leadership style with which you feel most comfortable. Experiment by finding opportunities to share your stories with different people and see which one(s) feel most natural to you.  Through experimentation, you can discover not only the many leadership signatures you are capable of; but also, the primary leadership signature that encompasses your underlying values and cultural habits.

As you get to know yourself better by discovering and articulating your leadership signature, you will become a better equipped leader who is ready to serve God and your neighbor. 

Becky Klein, MANSS, Esq. Attorney, Principal of Klein Energy, LLC. an energy consulting company based in Austin, Texas.  She is a member of the CLLI faculty and a former CLLI board of director. Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s Law School, San Antonio, TX. Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University, Stanford, CA. 

By Oluwatofunmi Odulate

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

“I am not a leader.”

If I had a penny for every time that I have said that in my life, I would be very wealthy. This is because I had this distorted idea of what leadership meant. Some of the myths of leadership I had conformed to were, “A leader is to be in and be fit for the limelight.  A leader is meant to be perfect and without any form of blemish. A leader does not have a life. A leader settles conflicts and listens to the problems of others. A leader is the best in the group. A leader is the most important person in a group. A leader never fails and is always right.” The list goes on. These myths clouded my judgement and was the reason behind my rejection of any opportunity to “lead,” because after all, I was not a leader.

“I am not a leader.”

I first uttered those words at the age of 13, after I was asked to lead the children church for a new church plant. However, as simple as my responsibilities may have been for a person of that age, they seemed overwhelming to me, and stirred up many inner doubts about of how unprepared I was and how inadequate I felt about this task. How could someone consider me at that time, to think that this 13-year old girl was mature enough to lead? Isn’t leadership for the elderly? As I took on this task, I exceled at it. This opened more opportunities to lead in different capacities and under different circumstances. As time went on, this newly found path in my life spurred another question in my mind.

“Am I a leader?”

I remember when I first heard about the CLLI, I had a mental conversation with myself, and my parents, on why I should enroll. “I am not a leader. I am not planning on becoming one. It is too much responsibility. I am not even a Latina” I would tell them, in a bid to convince them and myself that I was towing the wrong path. After conferring with staff and faculty of the Institute and encouraged by alumni to enroll, I applied. Apparently, every other person saw the leader in me that I was yet acknowledge. They, unlike me, knew the true definition of a leader—one that does not focus onthe position but brings the right attributes to that position.

I have learned that leadership does not always come with a title. It comes when a person assumes the role and responsibilities and the ability to influence others towards a common goal. After my first year of attending CCLI, reading books on leadership, and hearing leadership journeys of those on the faculty, I could see myself in their stories of how they began their leadership journeys.. I too had doubted myself many times; I too had had others doubt me; I too was afraid of failing if I tried; I too feared criticisms if I was not doing a perfect job. These women who I saw as being accomplished in their various disciplines in life, had experienced similar fears that I was going through at that moment. The question once again rang in my head. 

“Am I a leader?”

Being a leader is to be a learner and a follower. Jesus Christ, who I consider to be the greatest teacher of all, admonishes us in John 13:13-17 (NIV) to be like him. We are to follow his example and learn from Him the way He learned from the Father. Leaders should be consistent learners. Paul further adds in his letter to the Hebrews to, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcomes of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Hebrew13:7 (NIV). He says that to be a leader, we need to learn from a leader. We need to be teachable. I began to look outside of myself in that in order for me to become the leader that God has called me to be, I need to first accept that I am a leader and submit myself to the instruction of other leaders that have been strategically placed in my life. In addition, a leader is a servant. We are not ready for leadership if we are not ready to humble ourselves in service to others. Jesus says as much in Matthew 20:26. “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

Am I a leader?

Many of us may have at one point in time asked ourselves this question. We look at our capabilities with doubt and disbelief. In doing so, we fail to acknowledge the One that has given us this ability to begin with. We also fail to validate the discernment of those around us who see us fit to be and call us leaders.

I know now that I have metamorphosed over the years from that timid 13-year old girl to a young woman who has given her life to the service of others, and happily so. I have grown into a young woman who believes that she is able to effect positive change in situations and be a catalyst of growth in those she is entrusted to guide and influence. I am certainly not there yet as I have so many who have gone before me, whose steps I need to imitate to be a better leader. I have put away timidity and self-doubt and taken head-on the tasks that have been set before me and tried as much as possible to also be worthy to be a model for those coming after me. With this, I can boldly and confidently say: “I am a leader.”

I want to challenge us to look inwardly and listen to what has been said about us, acknowledge those intricate attributes of leadership that we possess, embrace them and begin to utilize them, because after all, we are indeed leaders.

Oluwatofunmi Odulate is a recent graduate of Baptist University of the Americas. She is also a 2019 graduate of CLLI. “To,” as she is fondly called by most is current working with refugees at BCFS and serves in the music, women’s, children, and young adult ministry in her local church, Mercy Church of San Antonio. To is passionate about people and their mental health.

By Zoricelis Dávila

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

The concept of leadership has been studied from multiple perspectives and approaches. Its definition can be complex because it is constantly evolving and being updated to tailor it according to the circumstance at hand. Studies have focused on leadership styles, personal traits, and attributes; nonetheless, as the study Contemporary Leadership Theories: Analysis of Relational Dynamics by Sánchez Montalván, Vaca Aguirre, Padilla Sánchez and Quezado Condolo exemplifies, every definition agrees with the fact that the behavior of a leader influences others in a specific environment.   

The latter part of this description is the one I find interesting, “in a specific environment.”  It means that our leadership is adaptable to the needs of the circumstances we are facing.  It is not exclusive to the traits of the person, but personal traits and behaviors adjust to the needs of the moment.

We are leaders at home, church, the neighborhood, and community. As leaders, we want to be good role models for others. We are used to being in charge and in control of different situations because we are leaders by nature. However, what happens when suddenly the world around us is being threatened by a pandemic that is out of control? What happens to our leadership style and skills in that “specific environment?” The answer lies in the leader’s capacity to adapt to that specific environment.  

Since this pandemic began, leaders have demonstrated strength, determination, creativity, and dedication. As leaders, it seems that we have been working harder than ever to serve a community that is being impacted daily by not only COVID-19 as a sickness, but by the aftermath of stress, families in crisis, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and much more. Leading others by nature is always challenging, but leading others amid a pandemic is courageous.  

We have risen above the present circumstances of a hostile environment and demonstrated skills and abilities some of us didn’t know we had. I have seen leaders who had difficulty with technology before COVID-19 now holding Sunday school classes virtually. Churches who were not involved in social media now are holding services through Facebook live. Women who before did not dare to speak in public now are holding virtual bible studies and prayer meetings. 

We have found ways to observe significant life events: a parade in front of a house to provide comfort, a caravan of cars to celebrate a special occasion, or a virtual birthday party. We do this because we want to demonstrate our love for each other as well as Jesus’ love for all persons.  

This new leadership style is the result of resilience. 

The pandemic has come to change our lives, but has also come to test our leadership skills. I am amazed to see the resilience, endurance, and creativity of many of our Latina leaders. When others are being overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, our leaders are finding new ways to continue to spread the Word of God and provide comfort to others. 

It is very common to hear that during a crisis there is discouragement, but I am witnessing that amid a pandemic there is bravery, determination, and love for the Lord and His people. It is the love of God first, and love for others what moves us as leaders to continue serving beyond our strength. According to the research by Gallo, Espinosa De Los Monteros and Shivpuri and the one by Montine, it is called Reserve Capacity which is the physiological compensation that one person experiences when facing stress and the potential threat of harm or loss to adapt and cope beyond normal capacity. 

Latina leaders these days have been accessing their Reserve Capacity to lead, encourage, comfort, and support others in times where everything seems hopeless, uncertain, and fearful. 

As Christian Latina Leaders we know that our Reserve Capacity comes from Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (NIV). Christ is the source of our strength. He is the reason we find new leadership styles, fresh creativity, additional resources, and new motivation to learn that which before we thought impossible. So, as much as COVID-19 has come to challenge our leadership, it has come to reveal the person inside of us, Christ working through us.  

We do not know at this point how much longer we have to endure this pandemic and its social distancing. What we know is that because we love God with all of our hearts, minds, strengths, and souls (Matthew 22:37); we love others and we continue to exercise servant leadership despite a pandemic. 

If you feel you are functioning out of the last drop of energy and strength, remember that Christ in you is your Reserve Capacity. Christ is helping you access strength and leadership skills that will allow you to serve those that God has already ordained in your path to comfort them with the same comfort you have received from Him (2 Corinthians 1:4). Leadership in times of COVID-19 is not easy, it is an act of love. I encourage you to tap into your Reserve Capacity, be strong in the Lord and remember the words of the Apostle Paul, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, NIV).

Dr. Zoricelis Dávila, Ph.D., LPC-S, is a professional counselor and supervisor in this field, with 17 years of experience. She has a private practice in Fort Worth, TX serving the Latino community. Dr. Dávila is a member of the CLLI board of directors and faculty. She is also an international speaker, author, and professor of career counseling at Liberty University.

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

By Patty Villarreal

It is summer on the northern hemisphere! In my corner of the world, usually families are on vacation or children are spending the day at grandma’s house while parents work. However, this summer season is very unusual due to the collective experience of a pandemic crisis.

People wonder when we will go back to “normal”. Many leaders, however, think that we will instead experience a “new” normal. Others are urging us to consider a “better” normal. As a leader and as a believer of Christ, I agree. We need to strive for a “better” normal.

From my perspective as a licensed social worker, normal was not so great and this pandemic crisis has revealed some gaping holes in equality and equity.

In my city of San Antonio, we averaged 60,000 hungry people coming monthly to our food banks. Since the pandemic crisis, according to the office of the city mayor, the number of households requiring food assistance doubled and continues to grow. The growth of hunger is happening worldwide. In addition, we have witnessed how due to poverty, race, class, and age factors, the lives of the elderly and persons of color have been adversely affected during this crisis.

The new normal needs to be better than “back to normal.”

So, what do we do during this time of crisis as Christian leaders? What lessons can we learn?

As Christ followers, we are a people of hope. We draw upon the source of our power, the Mighty Three–God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit! Since we know that there is power in prayer, we stay in touch with God. We go to our knees, our “prayer closets” the “war room”, in step within a daily spirit of prayer. We also respond in the name of Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

How do we do this? We claim that familiar verse, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Isn’t this wonderful? It is not just up to us. God directs.

Do we do this alone, by ourselves, just God and me? Sometimes, yes. But a significant majority of the time, God directs us to find others to work together to make a difference. That’s how CLLI got started. Two Latina leaders (myself and Dr. Nora O. Lozano) sharing a passion, then a mission to equip other Latinas, and Latinas at heart. Then God added a team of leaders to serve as advisors, and then a formal board for a non-profit organization.

Healthy leaders strive to find collaborators to find solutions to challenges they face. Working together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, brings out the strengths of all parties involved. The crisis may be personal, but it may take longer than necessary to walk it alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9 reminds us that two are better than one. However, some challenges (like a pandemic crisis) takes more than two to address crisis situations.

Many of you readers are church leaders. The church world-wide has responded to the call of the needy and has been an instrument of hope even before the pandemic crisis. Many church leaders like you are working hard to find resources to provide basic needs and to give hope to the hopeless. Let me urge you to help your church consider serving with other entities outside the church, its community leaders. Not just now but in the future of the ministry. Whether it is a pandemic crisis, a community crisis, or with a community who has yet to receive its potential.

Julianna Marraccino, student at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary and Garland School of Social Work, highlights:

Our way of being and doing as children of God is shifting into a redefined understanding of the imago Dei (the image of God),of fellowship and of serving the community. It is requiring us to think, act and love in different ways… Rather than relying on their own strengths, churches have looked to their communities to identify relationships, determine ways to maximize resources and offer care to their neighbors that does more good than harm.

Marraccino noted that there is strength and effectiveness in the work of the church when we explore what the “better normal” can look like, a “mutual collaboration of churches and communities.” The church brings its strength as a spiritual source and an army of volunteers. The community brings its members who are just as gifted with its resources of education, health, and businesses. The “better normal” is already practiced in some communities where churches and community leaders have organized together to meet the needs of its community, especially in low-income areas.

There is risk involved. Collaboration efforts may mean adjusting expectations of what short- and long-term outcomes might be. It may be uncomfortable meeting with other leaders who do not come from a Christ-centered perspective. It might take more time to achieve goals. However, change and betterment for the community is well worth it. The reputation of the church will be greatly enhanced in good standing and as a trusted member of the community.

There is so much more that can be said about the “better” normal. In the meantime, let’s imagine how this “better” normal may look like in our churches, communities, and circles of influence. 

As we do this, let’s continue praying for health care providers, for elected officials who are tasked with making decisions for the good of its residents, and for the church and her willingness to take risks and work in healthy collaboration with its community and its leaders.

Patty Villarreal LMSW, is the Co-Founder of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and Adjunct Professor at the Baptist University of the Américas.

By Nora Silva

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí. 

Like most New Years, the beginning of this year gave us new resolutions, new goals, and new plans. The year even had a nice ring to it, 2020, like 2020 Vision! We all have fresh starts and exciting objectives for the year. Things look great, nothing but bright skies ahead! Well the skies are still bright, but the pandemic has taken us all on a big detour away from our plans. 

While listening to a leadership podcast, I heard author and speaker John Maxwell say, “Go slow on the detour”. That has stayed with me. I remembered a time I drove up to a detour sign in a city I did not know, with at GPS that was not giving me options. I cautiously followed the orange and black signs, not sure of where they were leading me or where I would end up. I followed the car in front of me more than the confusing signs, hoping that person would get me back on the original route. I dared not look away for fear of losing sight of that car. It felt like I was getting further and further from where I needed to go. I was frustrated that the black and orange signs weren’t informative; nor were they reassuring me—letting me know I was on the right track. I wanted my GPS to let me know that we were close to reaching our destination but only the “no signal”  indicator appeared. The anxiety caused me to grip the steering wheel tighter and lower the radio volume. (I often wonder why we lower the volume when we are lost.)

Just when I thought I could not handle another minute of feeling lost, I came to a stop that put me on a road with which I was somewhat familiar. I saw the car I had followed turn into traffic and speed up, reassuring me we were back on the intended road again. I was so nervous about taking a route that was unknown and unplanned that I did not remember exactly how I got to where I was. My car detour experience does not exactly compare to our current global shift-change but not many, if any, of our experiences do. Yet, Jesus’ parables continue to teach us that through our most mundane detours in our daily lives, He gives us the opportunity to see new things in new ways, if we savor them. 

This pandemic has certainly been a detour to all the plans we had for 2020 and even beyond. No matter our plans, a detour forces us to follow a different course. We can go through that detour hurriedly and completely focused on getting back to the familiar route, or we can choose to go slow on the detour and experience a new view and maybe even learn a new route to our destination. 

Slowing down does not mean we will not reach our destination, it just means we may have the time to experience the in-between. It gives us an opportunity to appreciate what has always been there but has been a blur in the midst of our hurried status. Slowing down may allow us to actually see our fellow brothers and sisters who may be struggling. Some are struggling with emotions, struggling with finding purpose, struggling to obtain basic necessities, just plain struggling. We all have tough times. It is practically guaranteed. But, as followers of Christ we have the peace and hope that comes from God. It is a hope that grows stronger by the power of the Holy Spirit. That hope is to be shared, and not just with lost people, because “found” people get diverted sometimes, too.

Christian Latina Leadership Institute (CLLI) has been part of our preparation for those detours that confront us. The education, the sisterhood, the leadership development helps prepare us for deviations in life. We can look back one day and remember how God used us during this season of diversion, and in so doing we won’t be able to contain our praise.

We have a choice: we can hold tight to the steering wheel and only focus on getting back to our familiar path, or we can relax, focus on our faith in God and let the detour show us new insights and perspectives. I pray for the latter. 

Nora Silva is the Executive Pastor of Mosaic Church of San Antonio and a faculty member for Christian Latina Leadership Institute. She also serves as the Chair for the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas.

By Carolyn Porterfield

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

In 2011, the organization for which I worked joined with Buckner International to build a house for a family in Peñitas, Texas. What was interesting about this build was that the team was comprised entirely of women. In full disclosure, I seriously doubted women could do such a thing. The team proved me wrong.  

It was my privilege to help build six more houses for precious families whose lives were made better by having a healthy, more stable environment in which to raise their children. Over those seven years, I also saw a community change.  

Valuable lessons were learned on those women’s builds. Each worksite became my classroom and the women on the teams my teachers and mentors. As I have reflected back on those years, I realized how important these lessons are as one who continues to grow as a leader and trains others. Let me share my insights.  

Choose to be a Learner

No one likes to feel incompetent, especially adults. We get pretty good at faking it in order to maintain a confident exterior. My first women’s build was like that. Inside, I knew I didn’t have any building skills, but I sure did not want anyone else to know! I had a hammer but was not very good at effectively pounding nails until I allowed someone to teach me.

As someone who has trained others for years, it was humbling to be the one needing training.  My ego took a beating until I realized what a privilege it is to continue learning. From that first year of learning how to hold a hammer, I went on to learn how to use other tools, install insulation, hang sheetrock, tape, and mud. What a triumph when a friend called last year to ask if I would come to his house and sheetrock a small hole in his laundry room.  Along with another women’s build team member, we successfully patched that hole.  

Every Task Matters

Building a house is a complicated endeavor and some tasks seem more important than others. Setting the walls, putting the roof on, running electrical and plumbing lines, and installing windows and doors are pretty important. In my first year, I didn’t know how to do any of those things. 

My responsibilities revolved around getting tools to the ones who needed them, picking up trash, keeping workers hydrated by bringing them water, and encouraging team members when they were hot and tired. When I was feeling like what I was doing didn’t matter, a wise team member sat me down and helped me see a different perspective.  

Keeping a worksite free of trash made it a safe place for the workers. Bringing tools to those who needed them saved time. Keeping workers hydrated and fed gave them energy for the task. Everyone gets frustrated and tired on a worksite. Kind and encouraging words are a true gift.  

My attitude changed when I realized that every task matters. I was important to the team because I made the work easier for others when I was willing to do the seemingly small tasks.  

Teach Others What You Know

Somewhere in those years of building a house, I moved from being the learner to being the teacher and mentor. My confidence had grown to a point where I felt my building skills were sufficient for the task. With good instruction from others and several years of practice, I was now able to pass on to others what I had learned.  

Specialists in leadership studies emphasize the wise idea that you are not successful as a leader until you have trained your successor.    Family situations have kept me from participating in the women’s build the last couple of years.  What joy to see those I had trained doing the work I could no longer do.  

Involve Others

The women’s build has been a continual learning process for all involved. One of the biggest lessons for our teams has been the necessity to involve others. It is embarrassing to admit, but the first year we didn’t understand the need to involve people from the community in building the house. We made a huge mistake in thinking we were building a house “for a family” instead of building a house “with the family” and their neighbors.  

God was gracious to forgive our unacceptable views and taught us the critical importance of involving others. Some of our most talented teachers and mentors were from the community. We built relationships with people who have become dear friends. We were enriched by serving together across cultural and language challenges.  

What About You?

As someone connected to the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, you are already a learner.  You have taken a courageous step of moving from what you already know into a world of new possibilities. I had no idea I could help build a house until I tried. You are learning new things that you are capable of doing through your involvement in CLLI.  

Every CLLI participant works on a personal mission statement. Whether you think your mission statement leads to big or small things, know that what you will accomplish will change the world by changing the lives of those you serve.  

In my CLLI class, we talk about being a learner as well as a teacher. We consider how the apostle Paul poured his knowledge and wisdom into Timothy. Everyone needs a Paul. But everyone also needs a Timothy. Don’t keep what you are learning to yourself. Pass it along to someone else. 

We are part of a wonderful community. There is room for many more to become involved. Invite and encourage other women to join you. Assure them they can do the work because others will teach and help them. 

My building days may be behind me but the lessons I have learned will remain with me for the rest of my life, and I pass them along to you.  

Carolyn Porterfield serves on the CCLLI faculty and has recently become a member of the CLLI Board of Directors.  Prior to retirement she served in various roles with Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas.  One of her greatest joys is seeing women develop as leaders.  

By Alicia Zorzoli

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

I write this while I am, like almost everyone else, locked up trying to avoid the spread of this virus that is changing our planet. The list of precautions to avoid infection seems to be increasing with each passing day. 

Yesterday my husband went out to buy groceries. Lucky him! I said goodbye to him as if he was going on a cruise around the world. We have agreed that, as much as possible, we will only go out once a week, only to the grocery store, and we will take turns going, so it is only one of us going each time.  Six more days before it is my turn! It will be the first time in 15 days that I go out into the world. This is our way of doing everything we can for this situation to end as soon as possible. And it will surely end!

But there are other types of contagions, I want to have, that are opposite of the ones we are bombarded with these days. These are the ones I want to be infected with!

I want to be infected with laughter. Now more than ever. Who isn’t touched by the laughter of a baby? Those who study human behavior say that laughter is an emotion that can help us with our closest relationships. Laughter is important when we feel good, but essential when we have problems. I love being around friends, family, brothers and sisters that make me laugh. In fact, when we meet other people, the probability of laughing at something is multiplied by 30. I want to be around people who infect me with their laughter.

I want to be infected with a positive attitude. I recently read an article titled “Attitude: A Very Contagious Virus.” We all know someone who, from the moment you meet them, fills the atmosphere with complaints, criticisms, and negative comments. When we least expect it, we realize that after being around this person  for a while, we see everything negative around us. Thank God we have other friends, who always help us see the way out of any difficulty, pay us a compliment that makes our day lighter, and encourages us not to give up when we become discouraged. I want to be infected with that attitude.

I want to be infected with knowledge. It is true that we never stop learning. It is also true that the more we know, the more we realize how much we need to learn. I want to be infected by people who know much more than I do, and have a lot to teach me (thank God I have some very nearby). I want this biblical proverb to become true in my life: “Whoever walks with the wise, becomes wise” (Proverbs 13:20 NRSV).  But, in addition to people, I want to be infected by richness found in books. From the Book of books to the endlessness number of good books within our reach, all of them are a source of knowledge. I want to surround myself with wise people who infect me with knowledge.

I want to be infected by good examples. Occasionally on Facebook, I find a picture of a boy walking behind his dad, who copies his dad’s posture and gestures. The caption reads: “There is nothing as contagious as being an example.” In my life I have had many examples of those I want to be infected by more and more. The example that stands out above all is that of my parents. They were willing to serve and follow the Lord even though they knew they would need to sacrifice many things. The Lord led them to serve in a country and at a time when it was forbidden to be an evangelical and they suffered a lot of persecution. When I was about five years old, my dad took me to one of the clandestine meetings. At one point the authorities arrived and arrested the entire group. Later, my parents told me, all while smiling, that at that age I was “detained” for a few hours in a police station. Those were the years that they suffered the most; nevertheless, they later remembered them as the happiest in their ministry. I want to be infected by their example.

I cannot think of a place that exemplifies that focus of excellent contagion more than the Christian Latina Leadership Institute.

If we think about laughter, boy we do laugh when we are together, sometimes during our classes, and many other times outside of class. There is a bond that unites us, that makes us feel like sisters, and offers us beautiful moments of happiness and enjoyment together.

If we think of a positive attitude, each one of the participants, whether they are students or professors, comes with very different backgrounds and with experiences that were not always pleasant. But I do not know anyone who finishes one of the classes without having been infected with the fresh air they need for that moment, or who have left without feeling empowered to strive to go further and higher.

If we think about knowledge, each class that is taught is a channel that transmits life and wisdom. From the class material taught by the faculty, where everything is derived from the Word, to the wisdom that comes from the life experiences of professors  and students, the whole program is focused on the transmission of the knowledge and experience necessary to be the leaders that God and our culture require.

And what about the infection of good examples! To see the “live” journey of Christian women who have gone far and high, makes all of us present feel the conviction that “if she could, I can too”.

Now that is contagious! Thank God for infectious people that help us be better daughters of God.

Alicia Zorzoli is a Bible teacher and international lecturer, she has published numerous articles in Christian magazines and books. For more than ten years she has been a part of the CLLI faculty.

By Anyra Cano

Para leer en español haga clic aquí.

For more than 20 years, my mother was a preschool teacher. She loved teaching, she especially enjoyed watching her students play in the drama station. She would watch the children act out what they observed at home. She could learn much about a child’s family in the way the children played and interacted with others. 

I also grew up watching, that is watching my mom, from whom I learned so much. What I am today is due in large part to what I observed of my mom. She passed away 8 months ago, and while the grief journey has been a difficult one, I am constantly being reminded of all I learned from her. I want to share with you a little of who my mom is and some of the leadership lessons that I learned from her. 

My mom was a very strong person, I do not recall her giving up, no matter the challenges she encountered. She was born in Sonora, Mexico and came to the USA at the beginning of her young adult life, when she married my father. She also became a mother of four children at a very young age.

When my mom came to this country, she had only a high school diploma (which was not accepted in USA), and did not speak any English. As a mother of four very young children, she knew that she needed to become educated in order to prepare herself to live in this country. So, she quickly enrolled and graduated from ESL and GED courses and later continued with college. She was so resourceful, she frequently asked questions and inquired about opportunities to grow. 

There were times when my mom could not find childcare, instead of giving up she would take my siblings and I to the college with her and make it a fun, playful adventure for us, while we waited in the hallways. As we waited, we would pretend we were in college, we would look through college catalogs and dream of the classes we would each take. My favorite part of going to college as a small child was the library, helping her find resources and playing pretend librarians and students. She spoke about her education with great enthusiasm and joy, no matter the difficulty of the assignment.

I also remember the car she drove for college; the reverse did not work, so she would look for the furthest parking spaces where she could park without the need of reversing. My dad was the janitor of a local Baptist church, so money wasn’t abundant, but she persisted and found scholarships and grants. Many times, she was frowned upon, looked down on because of her accent and criticized for going to college having young children.  No matter what, she knew what she wanted and what she needed to do. Eventually, she completed her college education in Early Childhood Education/Development, and taught Preschool for more than 20 years. 

Another great thing about my mom, was how she encouraged other women to become educated. She guided and inspired many of her students’ moms to also get an education and they too became teachers. 

Throughout my childhood my mom suffered with many health issues and faced difficult circumstances at home, yet she modeled for us perseverance and faith. I cannot remember my mom ever giving up on anything. She thought the best of herself, affirming that she could do anything, and go anywhere. If she did not know how to do something, she found a way to learn how to do whatever she put her mind to. 

One of my mom’s greatest joys was serving at her church. She used all of her training and education in teaching, and used it for the benefit of the church. She would seek local resources to help fund the activities where she served. She did not allow her many health issues and disabilities stop her from serving.

After several major strokes and other life-threatening problems, she kept persevering and serving with the children at her church. In fact, in the summer of 2018, she directed and taught her church’s vacation bible school from a wheelchair. No matter the obstacles she remained faithful to her commitments.

My mom had all of the obstacles you can imagine for someone not to succeed in life, but those did not stop her. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13) was her life verse. It served as her motivation to persevere. Through this verse, she was reminded of the struggles that the apostle Paul had, and how he continued serving Christ. Through his many challenges, he was determined to draw strength from Christ to keep doing what God had called him to do. 

My mom’s example taught me that leadership does not come without its challenges, opposition, sicknesses, criticism and other complications, but if we follow God’s will, we can persist. 

Due to space constraints, I cannot share all about who my mom is and did, but my earliest and most significant leadership lessons were modeled by her. I have been watching her and learning how to become a leader. Even now, I try to look back to remember how she grieved my grandmother’s death, and learn how to live this journey as she did. 

Today, we have many young ladies and girls watching us. Our nieces, daughters, granddaughters, and church children are learning from how we lead, face challenges, excel, and persevere. They observe how we interact with others and how we live out our faith. 

One of the many blessings of CLLI is that, while I am no longer a child and my mom is no longer physically here for me to watch, I have other Latinas leaders whom I have the privilege to observe and learn from. Similar to what I found in my mom, CLLI is a network of Latina leaders who are ready to share their wisdom, encourage us to persist, pray for us, and guide us to resources that will help us grow.

I hope that one day the young women and girls who watch me will also be able to share the many ways I modeled leadership to them. 

We are being watched; may we lead faithfully. 

Anyra Cano (on the left), is the Academic Coordinator of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, Youth Minister at Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, TX and Coordinator for the Texas Baptist Women in Ministry.  

By Margarita Garcia

Para leer en español haga clic aquí.

Has anyone come up to you asking about your “word” for the year? You’re probably thinking, “What do you mean ‘your word’? I have goals and dreams, but a ‘word’?” Yes. Many people have what they call their “word” for the year. 

In the past few months I have thought about what my “word” could be, but that is a tough decision for me. I like them all! Whenever I think of one particular word that speaks to one area of my life and could represent who I am, I can come up with ten others that speak to other areas. Not to mention that this word is not meant to stick with you for a very long time, but it is supposed to change as you grow and life changes for you. However, the purpose of having a word is to help you stay focused on who you are and where you are heading as of now. 

So here is my word, Resilient. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties; in other words, to be tough. As I meditate on my leadership journey, I think of the joy I feel when I walk alongside other women in their journey to discover God’s wonderful plan for them. However, I cannot ignore the challenges and difficulties that become part of my daily walk. I celebrate victories, yes, but many do not come until I overcome the trials, big or small, the fears, the challenging emotions, and all the limitations and obstacles that teach me and shape me into the person that God created me to be. 

Sometimes, as Christian leaders, we need more answers, we need to wait a little longer, to talk a little more, or to trust a little deeper. Sometimes we ought to be a little tougher and recover a little faster. We often do those things, not easily but naturally, because that is who God created us to be. Does this mean that we are not allowed to slow down, be humans and grieve like everyone else? Are we supposed to toughen up and keep going non-stop? Absolutely not! We grieve, some days more than others. We get tired. We regret not always having answers. And we get emotional, too. Yet, as Christians we approach all our struggles differently. The Bible says that we face our struggles not like the world but like those who have put their trust in the Lord (1 Thess. 4:13). 

To be resilient means to find the hope embedded in Christ. This hope comes from trusting that God is in control. It comes from living in God’s love and the assurance that God loved us first. It comes from forgiving and forgetting not because we are better than the rest but because we are forgiven by God and God forgets our transgressions. God never stops working His will in us, and it is in this process of finding hope that God shows us His grace. Peter was reminded, “The God of all grace…will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). Paul was reminded of the sufficiency of God’s grace, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). 

If knowing about God’s grace does not give us hope, I don’t know what will. Scripture reminds me that it’s not about my victories, my weaknesses, my struggles, nor my grief. It is about God’s grace made perfect in me and the hope that I find in knowing that God will make me resilient for the journey ahead. Resilient leaders rely on the word of God for what is ahead. We find power in the Word and we claim God’s promises because we know them. We dive deep into it, study it, meditate on it and live it because that is where the answers are found. We talk about it because it speaks life, and when challenges approach we hang on to it for direction and wisdom. 

However, resilience does not happen on its own; it does not come out of nowhere or by chance. You strive for it. God provides people and organizations who are willing to invest and grow with you, but you must get on board. For me it is Christian Latina Leadership Institute. CLLI empowers me to live my word. It promotes growth in me spiritually, intellectually and culturally. As a Latina Leader I am constantly challenged in my journey to seek God more, learn more, and serve more. This is who I am. The journey as a Latina Leader is not to seek the type of leadership that the world portrays demanding power and control at the expense of others. The journey is meant to make a difference in others, and to make you strive for the things that honor God. 

We have power only because it comes from the Holy Spirit who gives us courage to speak life (Acts 1:8), from God who teaches us to love well (John 3:16), and from the Son who leads us to give fearlessly just as He gave His life for us (1 Timothy 2:6). About control, oh well, those of us who rely on the Lord know that God leads every step of the way and does God’s perfect will. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” 

What you see in my leadership as a Latina woman is the impact of those who invest in my life and who entrust me to continue the legacy before us. It is not power and control. It is resilience. It is the power of God’s grace active in my life to recover quickly and be tough. It is a genuine desire to continue to be obedient to the calling that God has placed in me, and an eagerness to make a difference in the lives of those I walk alongside. 

What is your “word”?  

Margarita Garcia serves as the Bilingual Facilitator/Parent Liaison for the Kaufman Independent School District. She also serves as the CLLI East Texas Coordinator and will graduate from CLLI in May 2020.

By Nora O. Lozano

Para leer en español haga clic aquí.

It is a new year, and there is much to celebrate, be thankful for, and hope for.

To start, I want to celebrate the CLLI blog’s first anniversary. Thanks to the good work of all the monthly writers, the editorial committee, the translators, as well as our blog coordinator and publisher, Anyra Cano, we are completing one year of publications. We are also very grateful for you, our faithful readers. Thank you for reading the blog every month. I hope that during this past year your life as a Christian leader was enriched by each one of the published pieces.

As we start our second year of publication, the blog will deal with different topics that are pertinent to the life of the Christian woman leader. We invite you to continue reading the blog every month. We trust that you will be blessed, encouraged, and challenged as you continue your journey as a leader.

In addition to the blog’s anniversary, we are thankful for many other things. The CLLI trainings continue with great success, helping to develop many Christian women leaders here in United States and in Mexico. The CLLI donors and friends continue giving generously to help us achieve our goal of transforming women’s lives in the name of Christ. The CLLI faculty, coordinators, and staff continue working diligently to serve all of our students in the different sites, while the Board continues to oversee and guide the CLLI ministry. I am so thankful for all these people who play a vital role in the life of the Institute. They are indeed a gift from God!

Furthermore, we are looking at the future with much hope. This is the year that the CLLI Board will be charting, together with the staff, the new strategic plan that will guide the CLLI course over the next five years. We are excited about this process, and we cherish your prayers as we discern God’s will and plans for the CLLI.   

I hope that you have welcomed also the New Year with much celebration, gratitude, and hope.

I invite you to celebrate and be thankful for the small and big things in your life. Take a moment to remember the things that we often take for granted, such as health, shelter, work, clean water, food, clothes, family, and the presence of God in our lives.

By the time this blog is published, it will be almost the end of January. Perhaps at this point in the year, many of us are facing broken New Year resolutions, and are frustrated with our lack of commitment. 

Regardless of your situation, I want to invite you to continue to look at the New Year with a sense of hope. While our yearly resolutions may be broken, I encourage you to make new plans— perhaps monthly or weekly resolutions— that may be more easily achievable and will keep you motivated. If we set a weekly goal, and we break it, very soon it will be Monday again, and we will have a new chance to start again.

Since our lives are very diverse, I am assuming that our goals for 2020 most likely are also very different. However, I am reminded of John Maxwell’s affirmation that a good leader must first learn to lead herself or himself. 

As you learn to lead, ask yourself what areas of your life you need to change? What do you need to improve in order to “be a truly effective leader, the kind people want to follow” (John Maxwell, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, p. ix)?

While this personal work is important, I want to invite you also to keep working on the most important foundation of your life: your relationship with God.

Psalm one offers good advice to establish a solid foundation for life. In verses 1-3, the Psalmist invites us to delight and meditate constantly in God’s Word, and to stay away from bad companions and evil doers. These actions will lead us to be blessed persons, indeed. The Bible compares this blessed person to a strong tree that is planted by steams of water, yielding fruit in its season, and without losing any leaves. This kind of person is prosperous in everything that she or he does. 

Regardless if you are facing any particular challenges right now, any good leader always has room for growth and development. May this Psalm inspire you in the New Year to anchor your life in God’s word and in the good actions that will come from this relationship. May it inspire you to become the leader that God wants you to be, and that people would want to follow.

And as you grow and develop this year, please remember that the CLLI is here to help you in your development as a leader. So let’s pray for each other as we continue with our leadership journeys, and let’s support each other as we pursue God’s plan for our lives.  

The year 2020 is still young, and thus a blank slate. Under God’s blessings, let’s make it a prosperous and blessed one! May it be so!

Dr. Nora O. Lozano is Executive Director of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and Professor of Theological Studies at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, TX.

By Adalia Gutiérrez Lee

Para leer en Español haga clic aquí.

I never thought that at my age it would be so difficult to talk about my sisters; not because I don’t have something to say, but because I have too many things that I could tell you. I had two sisters and both of them died; one as a baby and one at a very young age. After having lost relatives so close to me, I was able to understand the verse “for love is strong as death” (Song of Songs 8: 6, NRSV); and after my experience I even dare to say that love is stronger thandeath. Although my sisters or our loved ones may have passed away, the love and close relationships that link us to them still persist. I do not pretend to be morbid talking about death or sad things, but I also do not want to ignore that love: “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends.” (1 Cor 13: 7-8 NRSV)

If we are afraid of suffering, it will be difficult to love. Even when I remember the many times I have cried for the people I love, or the many times I have cried over the loss of a loved one, I also realize that this is nothing when compared to the times that I know Jesus, and all the people who love me have cried with me! 

I remember that there was a time in which I experienced a “streak” of losses of people very close to me in a way that made me feel “contagious”. I didn’t want people to get close to me for fear of passing my “bad luck”, or having to try to find an explanation to so much suffering. I do notconsider myself a superstitious or pessimistic person, but I was having a hard time processing my loss and grief. However, I also remember how much love I experienced at those moments from the great family of God as they embraced me and cried with me! I would not have been able to move on after such losses, if God had not manifested Godself in my life through the solidarity, prayers, hugs,and tears of all my sisters and brothers who loved me.

Now that I am at another stage of my life, I do keep expressing my love through tears. Yet, I no longer try to find an explanation to suffering; I only know that when we love, we also suffer.  My life has been marked by tears of love although these tears have not only been of sadness, but tears of joy for having talked and shared precious times with my mother, sisters, sisters-in-law, cousins, daughters, nieces, and friends.

Latin American culture is well known for cultivating close relationships with the extended family; my family was no exception. I remember when my sister thanked me for living near her when she was sick as she told me: “Your presence has made such a big difference as from heaven to earth! Our daughters are not living together as cousins but as sisters, as you and I used to live and to share together.”  After she died, I have tried to continue that unity between them. There is a unique and special bond and value in friendship and love between sisters. How many times we have laughed, or cried, or even thought of the same things when we are with our sisters! How many times we have fought with them and then repented because it is not worth it for anger to prevail in our relationships!

This time of advent in our Christian calendar is also a time of waiting. A time filled with hope, peace, joy and love. We need to confess our love and to live it first as families, and also as the family of God. Particularly this year, as many countrieshave been suffering calamities, strikes, injustices, poverty, hopelessness, war,and death. Our call as a family of faith is to wait with hope, peace, joy and love.  If we are to suffer for loving, we also need to remember that these tears of love are the ones that will remind us of the love and solidarity that Jesus has for us, for them, and for our people always!

Adalia Gutiérrez Lee serves at the International Ministries as the Area Director for Iberoamerica and the Caribbean and is a part of the CLLI Board.

By Nora Silva

Para leer en Español haga clic aqui

I have always considered myself a girl’s girl. That’s because I value the women in my life and have recognized how deeply I was, and continue to be, influenced by women.  I think about many of the women who have helped exemplified that influence for me over my lifetime. I first think of my mom and her sisters and even her sisters-in-law. My aunts were and still are women I look up to. Each of them contributed to unique experiences in my upbringing. What I saw amongst them was a connectedness that was based on something that I now recognize as deep trust and real love. While I may not have understood it all then, what I observed was the encouragement through the difficult times, the celebrated accomplishments, the laughter, lots of laughter, and the consistency of it all.

 I am blessed to have four sisters. My three older sisters encouraged me and often set the stage for me to succeed and provide for me in ways that my parents at times, could not provide. My sister Cissy sent money, after she moved away and made sure I had new clothes for school. My sister Lettie set the great example of pursuing higher education and had me stay with her in the summers, giving me inspiration to do the same. My sister Doris, at seventeen, worked at a local fast food restaurant and used her hard earned money to enroll me in gymnastics because she knew I loved the sport and my parents would not be able to pay for it. She also made sure I was in church on Sundays with her.  All of them provided opportunities and options in my life. They worked hard to extend the boundaries of my experiences so I could go beyond where they had gone. My youngest sister Anna did not have this role in my life early on. I adored her as a baby but she became a nuisance to me, the little sister I had to take with me everywhere I went. As adults though, she has become one of my best friends.

Each of my sisters had, and continues to have, a unique impact in my life. Cissy with her sweetness and patience evokes peace in me. Lettie brings out the fighter in me. Doris demonstrated obedience to God and brought out the surrender in me. My youngest sister Anna, taught me that while I looked up to some women, there were others looking up to me. These experiences contributed to who I am as a person and who I am as sister in the greater picture of life. Because of geographic distance, I don’t get to see my sisters often enough but similar to what I saw with my aunts and my mom, the trust and the love is deep, real and constant.

Fortunately for me, sisterhood does not end with my biological sisters. One of the strongest characteristics of the women I call sisters, is the willingness to stand alongside me in the fight. I have been blessed with women who after disagreeing with any one of my decisions and consequences that resulted, have said, “How can I help, you are not alone.”  I have been blessed with women who after hearing my struggles say, “Head up, God’s got you”. I have been blessed with women who may not be saying anything at all but pray for me and with me. This is sisterhood. To come alongside other women and lift them up, hold them up and walk with them especially when they are struggling to keep their balance under the weight of this thing called life. 

My experience with CLLI has been this type of journey. I have met some amazing women who have done just what I described. They have stood alongside me, encouraged me and prayed for me. It is in this circle that God’s calling for me began to be highlighted. I joined CLLI as a faculty member and then board member. Like many of us, I felt unqualified to be serving in this capacity, not because I didn’t have the skills to teach my subject matter, that was the easy part. Rather I felt unqualified before God. I thought somehow it was a mistake that I was part of the amazing work God was doing through CLLI. It was here though, where women who I admired and looked up to, showed me that God was calling me to something special. More importantly is through this sisterhood experience that I was reminded that on my own, I am not qualified but with God, I have all I need to step in God’s purpose for me. 

Like the women who were the first to see the empty tomb, I am surrounded by women who are caring, committed, loyal, faithful, and over all go-getters. I can imagine the sadness and loss they were experiencing but working through that together to do what was needed. I am sure they encouraged each other through the waves of grief they must have felt. In their commitment, to God and each other, they got to experience the amazing truth of Jesus’ resurrection together (Luke 24:1-12; Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:11-18). How amazing when God allows us to experience sisterhood in such a way that our lives are forever changed and the stories we share will tell of God’s love through the women God sent 

Nora Silva is the Executive Pastor of Mosaic Church of San Antonio and a faculty member for Christian Latina Leadership Institute. She also serves as the Chair for the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas.

By Zoricelis Davila

Para leer en Español haga clic aqui

Recently I read a post on social media that said, “talking to your best friend is sometimes all the therapy you need.” I have to admit that as a therapist I know the therapeutic value of going to counseling to address issues that can only be managed with a professional. Nonetheless, in leadership and at CLLI we have experienced a therapeutic bond of a beautiful sisterhood. As Christian Latina leaders, sometimes we face many challenges such as discrimination, cultural expectations, stereotypes, and many others. These challenges present themselves with potential discouragement to continue in leadership or pressure to conform to cultural and societal norms. In times like these, we turn to our sisterhood for support, prayer, encouragement, and guidance. Those wonderful, godly, extraordinary friends and colleagues in ministry who have walked this journey before us, and/or with us.

This sisterhood is more than just a group of friends in leadership together; it is a group of godly, passionate, tenacious, compassionate and hardworking women doing ministry together. We have become more than just colleagues in ministry, we have become sisters in leadership. In psychology and counseling, there is a term called familismo referring to a cultural value that emphasizes close, warm, caring, loving, supportive family relationships.^[i] The term also prioritizes family over self and it has been associated with contributing to psychological and emotional health. When we face challenges in ministry we take a hold of this value of familismo to stand firm together to support each other in the work of the Lord. 

Being in leadership together means that we are always finding new ways to help other women in ministry. We plan conferences, retreats, seminars, and many other avenues to empower other Christian women leaders, Latinas and Latinas-at-heart. We share common struggles, give each other ideas, support each other during our challenges and encourage each other to achieve our highest potentials. We are all different, but we all share the same Christian values.

We have been there for each other during the loss of loved ones, academic journeys, weddings, anniversaries, births, new jobs, change of jobs, retirements, and many more life-events–all while doing ministry and being leaders in our respective areas. We have cried together, laughed together and admonished each other in love when it was necessary. In doing so we have become more effective leaders. Leadership cannot be done alone, it is a community effort. There is no way that we could have achieved all we have in this ministry had it not been for The Lord and the bond of this sisterhood called CLLI. We are more than a sisterhood, it’s a partnership, a support system, mentorship network, and a seed-bed of leaders, scholars, ministers, and collaborators in the work of the Lord.

In an era where women in leadership have been questioned or criticized, we have a sisterhood of Christian women leaders, Latinas and Latinas-at-heart, who are bonded together for the sake of Christ to make his name known. Our vision is Empowered women in leadership impacting the world from a Christian perspective. Together, we motivate each other to continue our journeys as leaders, working in our respective congregations supporting the ministry of the church to accomplish the Great Commission.

In the bible, we see a beautiful bond of sisterhood in Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:39-45). Both were given the beautiful ministry of being mothers to Jesus, our Savior, and John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. At the moment that Mary was given the news of her new role, she visited her cousin Elizabeth who was six months pregnant with John. I believe that Mary needed the support of Elizabeth in a time where she must have been overwhelmed with the task at hand amid the cultural expectations. Their encounter was an affirmation from God for both that they needed to support each other in their respective ministries of motherhood.

Personally, God brought CLLI to my life in a time when I was entering a new area of leadership as a professional counselor. CLLI was my “Elizabeth.” Although I have always been a leader in my church, this time God was calling me into a broader ministry beyond the walls of my church. God used CLLI to open doors to publish books for our Latino community to bring healing to families. God also used this ministry to develop my leadership skills as a board member, faculty, and mentor. Then God called me to achieve a doctorate and continue to empower other leaders through the counseling ministry. I could not have accomplished any of this had it not been for the therapeutic bond of the sisterhood of CLLI in my life. These ladies have all been “Elizabeth” to me.

Leadership can be difficult at times, but it can also bring much joy. God can take you to arenas never explored before and God could be calling you right now into an area of leadership in ministry that may seem overwhelming. Please know, God never intends for us to go through life or ministry alone. God surrounds us with a sisterhood that can empower us, support us, bring healing and refreshment to encourage us in our journey. At CLLI we have a special bond that has carried us in moments of trials, suffering, challenges, joy, and many accomplishments. We would have never been able to do it by ourselves. Come join us and be a part of this wonderful bond of sisterhood in leadership. There is no other group that I would rather do ministry with than my sisters at CLLI, being together is therapeutic. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

^[i]Campos, B., Ullman, J. B., Aguilera, A., & Dunkel Schetter, C. (2014). Familism and psychological health: the intervening role of closeness and social support. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034094

Dr. Zoricelis Dávila, Ph.D., LPC-S,  is a Licensed Profesional Counselor Supervisor with 17 years of experience.  She has a private practice in Fort Worth, TX serving the Latino community.  Dr. Davila serves on the board of CLLI and as faculty member. She is also an International speaker, author, and a Professor of Counseling.

By Jana Atkinson

Para leer la version en español, haga clic aquí.

I was raised as the middle child in a big group of daughters. Needless to say, sisterhood is one of the very first thingsthat I ever understood, and something I have always loved. Due to differing circumstances, a few of my sisters are adopted. My parents, out of abundant love, adjusted their lives and made sacrifices in order to address the needs of others. Although my sisters and I do not all have the same DNA, our shared experiences and conditions have forged a bond that is really important to me, and I believe has the potential to make an impact in the world. Our sisterhood is the first place in which I saw the Lord’s hands at work in my life. I have always held a very deep admiration for adoption. The adoption of my sisters is by far the most meaningful moments of my life. To me these amazing moments serve as the greatest examples of the gospel. 

As awesome as our sisterhood may be, we have not always been a picture-perfect group of siblings. The good Lord has indeed made the Atkinson sisters to be individuals who are all completely different. The differences found between the members of our group have brought forward many misunderstandings and arguments. At times, barriers have been present causing painful distance in our relationships. However, the goodness of our loving God has always overshadowed the hard times we face. I will never forget the most awe-inspiring time that the Lord’s faithfulness proved true. The Holy Spirit carried us through the toughest situation we have ever faced. 

There was at time we found ourselves in a place where one of my sisters, due to unfortunate circumstances, was not speaking to any of us. During this time, something happened to her which changed her life forever. Without hesitation or any second thoughts within one day all six of us were together picking up the pieces and embracing one another with unconditional love. It was during this season of my life that I was in the process of fully surrendering my life to the Lord. Seeing God’s faithfulness in this unbelievable situation, brought me to my knees in full surrender. This is where I began to live every day of my life living completely submitted to Him, and it was also when I fully acknowledged my calling to ministry.

 I must admit the Lord has created quite an interesting group between us. The bond my sisters and I have reminds me of a biblical truth. The dynamic of our sisterhood is an example of how God loves our differences equally.   The love that God  has for each of us is personal and incredibly beautiful. The diversity among my sisters and I compels me to praise the Lord because of the beauty of it all. While we are not the picture-perfect group of siblings, I can say we are a great representation of the body of Christ. 

We have very different gifts and roles, yet we still have one goal in mind, and that is to be the representatives of the Atkinson name and the very parents who raised all of us. It is in the same way that the different members of the body of Christ have different roles and gifts and all work to glorify the name of Jesus and represent the very God who brought us redemption (I Corinthians 12).  This is a beautiful biblical truth: no matter the circumstances surrounding our lives, because of Jesus’ sacrificial, unconditional, and undeserved love, we are all, without any doubt, members of the family of God.  It was this very unexplainable love that drew the God of the universe to come and pay the heaviest of prices so that we may be redeemed and adopted into God’s  family.

It would have been easy for my parents to offer their prayers,  provide money, or help make arrangements to improve the lives of my sisters. Instead, my mother and father chose to take on the heaviest of burdens and raise my sisters as their children. No matter the circumstances surrounding our lives, because of sacrificial and unconditional love, we have all been adopted into the family of God. So, it is my prayer for all of us to take this truth and share it with the world through the lives we live and the love we share.

During my first semester at Baptist University of the Americas, my favorite professor, Dr. Nora Lozano, invited me to be a part of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute. I have to admit that this surprised me, because I am not a Latina. However, out of deep respect for Dr. Lozano, I attended the CLLI training  and took the course the following semester. I was adopted into the CLLI family with great love and support as a Latina at heart. I have grown immensely being a part of this amazing Christ-centered community. It is with confidence that I can say, that the women who have taken me in will encourage me and push me to wholeheartedly chase after the Lord and his calling in my life. I am proud to represent my sweet savior Jesus as a Latina at heart.

Jana Atkinson is a third year CLLI student, and a senior at Baptist University of the Américas, majoring in Biblical and Theological studies. Upon graduation, she will pursue a Masters of Divinity at Logsdon Seminary. 

By Patty Villarreal, LMSW

Para leer la version en español, haga clic aquí.

The word strength conjures up images of power and confidence. God provides people, women and men, who cross our path with strength which maximizes our God-given potential. Power and confidence give us courage to pursue an action towards our dream.

As women we sometimes tend to gravitate more towards other women, our sisters. In my case, similar to Alicia Zorzoli, who wrote last month’s blog, I did not have blood sisters. Growing up, I was envious of my female friends who had sisters. I watched those special bonds between them. They always had a companion when they went places. They shared intimate secrets and protected each other. Yes, they fought but what siblings don’t. I always wondered what it was like to have a sister.

By the grace of God, He gave me lots of “sisters” when I became a Christian. Immediately, I inherited a world of hermanas (sisters). I have the privilege of sharing special bonds with many of these “sisters”. I have hermanas who I confide in and they confide in me, who protect me and I protect them. I have hermanas who walk with me in my relationship with Christ and I walk with them to live life more abundantly. My life is blessed with my hermanas.

My dream and strong desire has always been to encourage the best in others. In my years as a leader and in my profession of social work, I come across people who aren’t aware of their gifts and talents. I encounter those who lack self-confidence, and the limited perception of themselves hinders their ability to see how valuable they are to God. 

My life mission includes “elimating barriers that hinder God-given potential in children and their families”. The Lord has allowed and guided me to do that in the lives of individuals, families, churches, and in systems. Thankfully, I didn’t do this in isolation. I am often a part of a group of colleagues, or a community who is working on ways to eliminate those barriers for families, and many times I am doing this alongside of my hermanas.

This is a blessing in itself! However, the extra blessing comes when I walk this journey with other believers. Often, it is with and through my hermanas who come from the same framework and understanding of Christ’s love for us and others. Mis hermanas bring a Christ-like perspective in the work of encouragement and elimination of barriers. Often times, it’s a learning process for women of God who are seeking God’s will together.

The Christian Latina Leadership Institute (CLLI) was birthed that way. From the desire and vision to bring out the best in others and in communities. The seed of the CLLI began in collaboration with a like-minded sister, Dr. Nora Lozano. Through the beginning of a friendship and sisterhood, two Latina leaders in the Fall of 2005 began to dream and fashion a movement to help other Latina leaders maximize their God-given potential. God used divine conversations, our networks, and encouragement of each other as Dr. Lozano and I traveled the journey together to create and develop the CLLI. 

We did not do this alone, in these last 14 years, God has led friends, advisors and faculty to work with us. 

The initial concept of CLLI has now matured into a non-profit, an executive director, and a CLLI board that now lead the organization. We not only teach Latinas but also Latinas-at-heart, from whom we also learn. They are gifted women who always bless us as we continue to fine-tune the Institute.

My friendship and sisterhood with Nora Lozano continues to grow in ways beyond our ties with the Christian Latina Leadership Institute. I came across this quote from Sabrina Newby, CEO and founder of the Coastal, Georgia Minority Chamber, which describes our relationship:

“I’m proud of her; she’s proud of me. There is no competition animosity, envy, or jealousy. We’re just secure, confident women doing our thing while supporting each other. I call that a SiSTARship and it is the essence of a Smart Woman Achieving Greatness. (SWAG).”

SiSTARship is a program which empowers women to lead. I pray that those reading this blog have a SiSTARship type of relationship with others – “confident women doing our thing while supporting each other”. 

I believe that it is almost impossible to be the best that you can be if you are not a part of a community of hermanas. This sisterhood is a divine gift from God. A sisterhood is made up of women who are connected by genetics or by their faith in Christ, who are ready and able to walk alongside you, build you up, share confidences, and protect you. 

The Bible speaks wisely about the importance of living and serving in community: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10  This passage goes on to say, “Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecc. 4:11-12.  The power of community is certainly important in the Bible. 

If you are blessed to have a SiSTARship community around you, give thanks to God, and keep nurturing it. If you do not have one, pray for a community of sisters.  Take initiative and start being a good sister to other women, and eventually, with God’s blessing, you will enjoy the riches of having an hermana or a community of hermanas surround you. 

At the CLLI, we strive to be this community of leaders –a SiSTARship– that encourages each other in the journey of leadership.  As we continue offering training at different sites, please consider joining us and becoming part of this community that bonds together to achieve excellence in God.

Patty Villarreal LMSW, is the Co-Founder of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and Adjunct professor at the Baptist University of the Américas.

By Alicia Zorzoli

March 2019

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

I don’t have a sister. I have two brothers whom I love with all my heart, but I would have loved to have a sister. I would have loved someone to play and argue with, someone to share my secrets, dreams, and clothes.  I would have loved someone to talk to about the boy I liked from school.  

And I have realized I am not the only one who feels this way. Recently I have witnessed an amazing experience. A member of our weekly women’s Bible Study group received a very special gift last Christmas: the kit to learn about her DNA. This was very special for her as she had been adopted as a little child and, therefore, knew nothing about her biological family. The test results showed that she has a half-sister! Both of them contacted each other, and last week they finally met. It was quite a sight to see them together! They couldn’t separate themselves; my friend’s new sister shared her testimony saying that all her life she had been longing for a sister. And now God had fulfilled her dream.

In my case, at the right time both my brothers got married and gave me the best imaginable present: my sisters-in-law whom I love as true sisters. Although we live very far apart from each other, I can spend hours talking with them and we enjoy it tremendously.

These two examples can be described in just one word: sisterhood. The Webster Dictionary defines sisterhood as “the solidarity of women based on shared conditions, experiences, or concerns.” The effect of this sense of sisterhood can be seen either between just two women or among a whole group. And the impact resulting in the lives of the individuals can be tremendous, especially with us women. Be it a sisterhood related by blood or by affinity, the influence among two or many can be very powerful.

There is a foundational element in the sisterhood DNA. Be it a sisterhood of two or a group, each one maintains her own distinctive characteristics; however, there is a point of contact that brings them together. It has to be something that connects them. That could be kinship, common interests, similar likes,or vocations. In my case, the connection with my sisters-in-law was not by kinship, but through the union of two families. In the case of my friend, the point of contact was blood when both discovered that they were daughters of the same father.

I find an example of this in Luke 8:1-3. Luke portrays a group of women disciples of Jesus. They joined Jesus and the twelve apostles traveling “from one town and village to another” (v. 1), learning from the Master and serving Him “out of their own means” (v. 3). We have the names of three of these women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna. But Luke mentions there were “many others” (v. 3). These women were very different from each other. Some had been physically healed; others were liberated from evil spirits. Some, as Joanna, belonged to a high class on the social scale; others were from the general public. Each one of them had their own particular history before encountering Jesus. But finding the Master and experiencing His powerful action on each of them was their “contact point”; it was their connection; it was what established their sisterhood. The Bible commentary, El Comentario Bíblico Mundo Hispano, expresses this bond very clearly by saying that “they had been equally pardoned.”

It is hard to imagine such a group of women walking together, covering mile after mile for days, months and even years, and not seeing them talking with each other. They probably didn’t know each other at first, but I am sure that not too much time passed before they each started to introduce themselves, asking for their names and sharing how they had come to be Jesus’ disciples. This is also part of our DNA as women! So, we can clearly see in this picture “the solidarity of women based on shared conditions, experiences, or concerns” which, according to the Dictionary, is the definition of sisterhood.

I would like to translate this New Testament sisterhood example to a present time similar situation of which I am honored to be a part. I am talking about Christian Latina Leadership Institute (CLLI). It is a three-year academic program whose main purpose is to empower Christian Latina (or Latina at heart) leaders to be agents of transformation in the micro- or macrocosms in which they find themselves. Throughout its more than 13 years of existence, CLLI has been the meeting place of Christian leaders who not only received academic instruction to be the best leaders in their field, but also received role models from instructors and fellow classmates. They also received the benefit of influence and shared experiences among themselves. 

A few days ago, I met one of my former CLLI students. Her name is Ana Castellano Jiménez. She shared with me that it was CLLI who pushed her to continue her education after graduating from the university. Already married, with three children and with the difficulty that English is not her native language, she decided to strive for a master’s degree. The result? Not one but two Masters, one in Christian Ministry and the other in Christian Counseling. But Ana’s story doesn’t stop there. She is currently working towards her PhD in Education. Ana recognizes CLLI as the impulse God used for encouraging her to advance in her studies in order to be the best Christian leader in her field and make an influence that leaves a mark in many lives.

Yes, it is true that I did not have the sister I longed for when I was a child. But when I look back, I can see that God did compensate my desire by making my cup overflow with a superabundance of “sisters.” First, God gave me my sisters-in-law. Then, He gave me an army of women whom I have personally met in more than 50 countries all around the world. Their bond of friendship and affection continue making a strong impact in my life and more recently through CLLI. And this is exactly what sisterhood is all about!

Alicia Zorzoli is a Bible teacher and international lecturer, she has published numerous articles in Christian magazines and books. For more than ten years she has been a part of the CLLI faculty.

By Anyra Cano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

Eighteen years ago, my life was in a slimy pit of mud and mire. I had experienced a season of both emotional and physical trauma. I was longing for a community to help me out of the pain I found myself in. God was good and provided me a network of people that inspired, challenged, encouraged, and prayed for me. Through each of them,  God worked to restore my life.  This experience has taught me the invaluable lesson of mentorship and sisterhood.

I am grateful for several wise women in my life who took the time to listen and to encourage me. Their wisdom and mentorship helped me to restore my trust in God and to discover a new path toward Him. 

The sisterhood and mentorship that I found in different women remind me about the biblical story of Ruth. Naomi and Ruth, who were not related by blood, developed a strong mother-in-law/daughter-in-law bond that led both to a place of safety and security. It is a beautiful story of two women who had endured great sorrow and pain, were left vulnerable, and then together journeyed to Naomi’s home country. In that journey, Naomi becomes a mentor for Ruth, who trustingly submits to Naomi’s suggestions.

Just as Ruth found her mentor, Naomi, during a time of loss, I found my mentor while also experiencing profound sadness.  Her name is Alicia Zorzoli. I call her “Hermana (sister) Alicia”, out of respect and honor. She is not my biological sister, rather my sister in Christ.  

I met Hermana Alicia in El Paso, in a small Hispanic Baptist church where she was a leader. As I was about to leave for San Antonio to prepare for vocational ministry, I remember sharing with Hermana Alicia how unworthy I felt about going to college. Her powerful and compassionate response has been implanted in my heart and mind over the last 18 years: “You do not need to be ashamed, instead look at what you went through as a part of the schooling God has for you to serve in ministry. What you went through will help you minister to others in similar situations.” 

After college, I lost contact with Hermana Alicia, but her wise words remained with me and continued to guide me.  Her wisdom resonated so deeply in my soul that they have become the blueprint of my ministry. And eventually, Hermana Alicia’s prophecy became reality in my life, when I also became a mentor. That day I learned that God would redeem my story and transform it into one that would become a gateway for others to also experience God’s mercy and unconditional love.

About nine years ago, God brought a 16-year-old girl into my life—Itzayana. She became a member of the church where I am the youth minister. Itzayana was shy and quiet, but she loved to learn and serve. We grew a special sisterhood bond and I began to mentor her in several areas of ministry and leadership. I would recruit her to volunteer alongside me and I would take her with me to meetings or trainings in which I was participating. 

In high school, Itzayana worked diligently as she desired to get scholarships for college and had made big plans to go to the university of her dreams. Unfortunately, she was not eligible for any of those scholarships. Itzayana felt completely disappointed and defeated. Many underlining issues and fears had resurfaced. I remember her many phone calls to me, her distraught voice filled with lament. 

As Hermana Alicia had encouraged me, I also encouraged Itzayana. Eventually, she attended the Baptist University of the Americas (BUA) and obtained a degree in Business Leadership. She graduated in less than three years from BUA, and this coming May she will be graduating with her master’s degree in Business Administration.  

Our bond of sisterhood and mentorship has allowed me to see this young lady develop into a strong leader who is respected and dearly loved by many in our community. She brings me great joy and admiration.  She has become a leader in the church.  Itzayana has grown so much in her ministry, that I believe she can run the church on her very own.

Hermana Alicia and I have now reconnected after 10 years. She is a member and leader of the church where I serve. In this new season of life and ministry, she continues to be a significant mentor who loves me, grows alongside with me, listens to me, shares wisdom, and cheers me on. Recently, she wrote a bible study book titled “God, This Was Not In My Plans”. In her book, she shares about the pain she endured in life, and how those moments have prepared her for what she is today. 

While Naomi was enduring great grief, she was also developing and mentoring a leader in Ruth, whose offspring would one day include our Savior, Jesus Christ. Hermana Alicia, who knew about pain and sorrow, mentored me, and today I have the privilege to lead and mentor many young people, like Itzayana, to live out God’s purpose in their lives.  

While mentorship and sisterhood can sometimes be born out of difficult circumstances, this journey brings wisdom, guidance, resources, joy, and hope for the future. Similar to Naomi, Ruth, Alicia, Itzayana and me, God invites us to mentor and be mentored by people of faith and wisdom who are all part of God’s redemption story.

I am grateful for my journey. Even though it has been painful, God has placed the right mentors in my life at just the right times. And since I received freely from the previous generation, I also want to give freely to the next generation.

To mentor and to be mentored are true gifts, indeed! If you want to experience this gift, please consider joining us join us at the Christian Latina Leadership Institute where you will find spiritual, academic, business, non-profit ministry, and life mentors who are willing to invest in your journey no matter where you find yourself. 

Anyra Cano is the Academic Coordinator of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, Youth Minister at Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, TX and Coordinator for the Texas Baptist Women in Ministry.  

By Nora O. Lozano

Para leer la versión en español haga clic aquí.

I am delighted to introduce the new blog of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute (CLLI), entitled: “Tú, yo, nosotras” (You, I, Us). The purpose of this blog is twofold. First, it is designed to stimulate creative academic thinking and conversations regarding topics that are relevant to women in leadership, Latinas and Latinas-at-heart. These thematic essays will be published once a month. Second, additional pieces will be published as needed in order to highlight significant events in the Institute’s life. 

The blog will be centered on a yearly general theme, and will be published in both, English and Spanish.

As the CLLI board and staff discussed this new project, the topic of sisterhood became a favorite one for this year. The reason is that since the beginning the CLLI trainings have been a space where significant relationships among women leaders have been created, nurtured, and developed, as women have engaged in deep, transformative conversations. These relationships have crossed boundaries of race, age, language, stages of life, educational levels, and ministerial callings. 

At times, these conversations have been painful and difficult as we have discussed as a group or individually significant topics that were deemed, at the moment, as matters of life and death. 

But in all of these conversations, we have found a sense of new life and renewal because God is in our midst. The God of hope, who sees the complete horizon of our lives, is the one leading us.  And, even though we may not see clearly at the moment, God offers a light, even a small one, to help us to move forward.  

My hope is that this blog will be an additional space where these deep, transformative conversations and sisterly relationships continue to flourish in order to enrich our relationship with God and with each other.

As I write this, I am reminded of two biblical women who held important conversations as both shared a special kind of sisterhood due to a common circumstance and faith: Elizabeth and Mary. 

The beginning of Luke’s Gospel narrates the stories of these two women. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were righteous people, who followed all of God’s commandments and regulations. However, in spite of their faithfulness, they were childless because Elizabeth was barren. This situation was hard for both of them, but especially for Elizabeth. At that time, one of the primary roles of women was to have children, and it was considered a disgrace to be unable to do so. Since they were up in age, they had lost hope of overcoming this situation. 

To their surprise, they experienced a miracle from God as Elizabeth finally conceived a baby. This woman who had experienced pain, shame and criticism due to her condition as a barren woman, now was experiencing God’s grace and mercy. 

In contrast, Mary was a young woman, virgin, unmarried, and completely unprepared to have a child. She is surprised, too, with a miracle as God finds her suitable to carry in her womb the world’s Savior. Her life changed forever, as she responded to the angel’s annunciation: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord: let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Suddenly, this single woman finds herself pregnant, and with a husband-to-be who would not believe her story about her conception from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-19). Even though the narrative does not mention this, I imagine that her family and community did not believe her story either. Thus, most likely, she experienced much suffering, shame, and criticism due to this unexpected pregnancy. 

The Gospel continues by telling us that some days after the angel’s announcement, Mary went hurriedly to see Elizabeth. It is at this moment, when Elizabeth and Mary meet to have vital conversations. Both of them had experienced suffering, shame, and criticism due to pregnancy issues. One because under all normal circumstances she could not conceived a child, and the other one, because under the most incongruous circumstances she was expecting a child. Different circumstances, similar pain and shame, and a common God who was overseeing their stories, and offering them a sense of hope as they spend three months together, supporting and nurturing each other.  

I am sure that during this time, Elizabeth and Mary had an opportunity to share their miraculous stories over and over again. Perhaps, as they shared with each other, they found a sense of purpose and hope as they understood better how both of them and their sons were so special for God. 

These two biblical women are examples for Christians today as they model deep conversations that encourage a more robust relationship with God and with each other. 

My hope is that as we launch this blog, it will become a space where women, following Mary’s and Elizabeth’s example, can have deep conversations that will allow them to grow in their relationship with God and each other. Furthermore, I hope that it will be a space where women will find support and inspiration for their journeys as Christian leaders. Finally, I hope that here women will be encouraged to believe, like Mary, that there would be a fulfillment of God’s words/plans for their lives (Luke 1:44-45). 

I want to invite you to join us every month, as we engage with women from the past and the present in deep and transformative conversations that will strengthen us in our journeys as leaders.

Dr. Nora O. Lozano is Executive Director of the Christian Latina Leadership Institute, and Professor of Theological Studies at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, TX.