There is just something special about spring that make me feel good. I remember when I was 12 years old sitting on a chair in our dinning room on  a Saturday afternoon just wasting, the sun was bright, the sky was clear and the breeze coming though the window was perfect and I thought to myself wow this is nice.  Strangely enough my older brother was listening to a song on the radio called summer breeze. I love the look of a tree full with leaves hovering over a side walk and the bright color of flowers with a grass as its background. Spring is nice. It seems to invite me to come out and play or a while.  

I had a wonderful sense of anticipation all day for the all night prayer at Tri Taylor. The closer the hour came the more excited I became. When I got to the church all I could think about was the candle coming from Bridgeport. I had this awesome feeling of responsibility of keeping the prayers going forth. It was a relay that could not stop. It was our turn to carry the mantle of prayer. I was glad when I saw a small group of brothers and sisters from Tri Taylor already there setting some things up for the prayer meeting. I kept watching the clock as the minutes kept creeping closer to eight p.m.

Eight p.m. arrived and we started with a song of praise and went into worship. It was a just guitar and percussion, nothing big, we wanted everything to be simple and personal.  As we continued to sing to the Lord it was amazing how I had already sensed the Holy Spirit with us. It was sweet and gentle. I felt at ease as I rested in Christ presence. I saw Pastor Luke in the front row with his hands in the air and then I saw the flame. I was in awe. For real. It was cool. Pastor Luke came forward and shared with us some thoughts and gave us a charge. We then lit the Tri Taylor flame and off we went to continue the prayers of the saints. Pastor Paco came a little later in the evening with a few of his children and prayed with me, it was cool.  We had a wonderful night of worship, prayer meditation and thanksgiving.

Pastor Mark and Pastor Freddy came the last hour to join a small group of us as we closed this leg of the prayer relay and take the flame to it’s next destination.
Pastor Danny Lopez 

Things are changing fast.  I looked at my family as we spent lots of time together during the holiday’s and I saw lots of change. My wife is changing. She is in a new season of life now. She no longer is needed as a mom like she once was. It’s a big change for her. My oldest son Aaron, is changing, He is finished with college now and is planning his big move out of my nest and starting his own. My other son Gabe has been out of the house for a couple of years but is seeing the importance of career, marriage, fathering, and future planning. My Daughter is quickly changing. She is now in college and growing up fast. She has moved from a book bag to a purse. It might not be a big deal to some but for me I saw it as a big step into adulthood. My perspective of her from child to young adult is important. I remember sitting on my couch looking at my family and feeling a small sense of sadness thinking that our Christmas’s are different now. We have to make new traditions, new adjustments to our plans because of new faces being added to the family. But then it quickly changed as  saw how wonderful  it was seeing how much fun they are as young adults.   You know the more I think about it, I think I am the one really changing. It is not only a new year but a new season of life. More adjustments need to be made to accommodate the change.  Growth involves change and that is very good. I once heard a preacher say, “ whatever doe’s not grow dies”.  So I better  make I keep on growing so I don’t die out.

It was 6 P.M. and I was tuning off Grand ave headed for the old Bethel Lutheran church. It is our second evening preview service for the New Life West Humbolt park launch.  As I drove north on Springfield to find a parking spot the first thought I had was “Man it is dark in this neighborhood, there is hardly any light for people to see in this block”. Then I saw a small stream of people walking toward the church for the service. They were coming from different directions. I immediately changed my mind and thought, "Wow, we have enough light coming in. People who know Jesus and walk with Him have all the light this block needs to find their way to Life."  A group of about 40 people gathered in the lower hall of the church building and started to sing songs of praise and worship to  God. As March approaches, this area is going to have a huge beam of light shining from this corner to help them find their way through life.

The first time I walked into the auditorium of what once was St. Callistus Church I felt a sense of awe. I knew this place was special. I thought for a moment how for many years people from this humble community walked to this church to worship God, find hope and build community. Over the years many things have changed. Many people have come and gone and the doors of this church eventually closed.  I am so excited to say that in just a few weeks the doors of this church will be open again to continue what was started many years ago. People can come to find community, hope and discover the love of God. The church may have a new look, new colors, updated equipment but the Spirit remains the same, Come, experience it!