Category Archives: Celebration

October 18, 2019

126 Days!!!

By Christina

Wow I am super excited! Today I was going through a check list in preparation for our wedding vow renewal date and got so caught up!!! So much left to do that I had to get started with pushing out these invites!

I finally finalized our wed-site and blasted it off but I wanna share a little story about us as we move forward in victory.

HOW WE STAYED TOGETHER

FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MORE LOVE

Our story is beautiful…because it is our own. It is filled with grace and love. It is my first book, “Rebuilt! Beginning the Ending”
It is intimate, powerful, funny, frustrating, painful, forgiving and filled with lots of joy, laughter and love.
We first met back in 1992 over a hang out type of summer with the girls for me, with the guys for him. Then out came the booze and we just schmoozed! It was inevitable. We were leaders in our packs-destined to find each other, explore, have fun, experience life and survive the seasons!
Right off the bat–we knew it was just us from the first date. Then he told me he wanted me to be his wife and that he would give me the world –he does just that everyday.
I do all that I can now to hold our family and he does all that he can to cover this family. Together we make the funniest US! I can say there isn’t a day that is boring together. There isn’t a day that we are not angry with each other LOL, but there isn’t a day that we are not loving each other unconditionally! We both have unique gifts, two beautiful kids, moms that we adore and we work in ministry together. Our life is crazy, busy, fun and growing. And we are excited to say YES again to our next BEST.
We hope that you can celebrate with us too.
With Love,
Juan & Christina Mendez

Let the countdown continue with lots of faith, hope & love. We are excited! ♥️

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14 ESV

2 Comments | posted in Celebration, Faith, Hope, Inspiration, Love

September 23, 2019

FOUR YEARS LATER

By Christina

It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s how you carry it.

Everyone has a different story in four years. So I am going to celebrate mine joyfully.

In four years I have gotten older, sharper and stronger.

In four years I lost great people and gained great ones.

In four years I have been in the best days of my life, family and ministry.

In four years I am just D I F F E R E N T.

In these past four years I learned to carry the loads of life in a different way.

Through prayer.

Through study.

Through timely fasting.

Not many but when I did them they were lengthy, sacrificial and worthwhile.

I can experience victory after victory through enjoying the God in me. Enjoying how to be still and quieter with Him.

Learning how to pick my battles.

I celebrate my own milestone because when people think I may be unqualified to be a wife, to be a mother, to be a pastor, to be writer, to be a professional or to do whatever —God has made me QUALIFIED!

I am qualified, selected and chosen to continue celebrating four years of the launch of juschrist4.com with over 400 blog posts and 2 published books! I am so grateful. All these things have been made possible for me.

I am more than able because it is not just the four years that taught me something of significance but the whole 44 that got me to this point of GRACE, LOVE, FREEDOM and virtue. I am not just a conqueror but I am more than a conqueror—He sees me as a champion.

Every step of the way, He reminds me…. Christina YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH ME. All things. You are getting stronger, wiser, sharper, and becoming more of a visionary then ever before.

I dare to be different. It costs me much, but I can safely share this with you readers….The loads of life didn’t BREAK ME, they BUILT me.

They will build you too!

Keep going! Never give up!

Celebrate your milestones and victories too.

It is only going to get better.

Seasons of difficultly only prepare you for the greatest seasons of breakthrough.

Scripture Reference

“I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. You’ve so graciously provided for my essential needs during this season of difficulty.” Philippians‬ ‭4:12-14‬ ‭TPT‬‬

1 Comment | posted in Celebration, Inspiration, Loved Letters

July 4, 2019

July 4th ~ The Game Plan

By Christina

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.”

Psalms 46:1-5 NKJV

You know that overwhelming moment is really bad. It sucks. You can’t process what to do next.

The careless lady behind the counter shared words still stinging my ears as we missed our vacation flight outta NYC!

“You need a game plan!”

I stood thinking in my head, “seriously!”

I walked away and that awful defeated feeling set in really heavy.

Then I cried. Then I cried some more.

Then I wept.

There goes my hope, my fun, my plan, my only vacation just thrown out the window as everyone was now passing me by.

This was such a sad, sad, sad defeat and disappointment. Even though I know God wants to turn it into a win, I felt like I failed… REALLY failed my family 😞

They were gonna have sooo much fun man! The plans were LIT!!! And that’s what I want.

To make my family and friends happy! To see them laugh until their stomachs hurt! That’s everything to me. This wasn’t about me! My birthday! My plan! No it was about them! The ones I love.

And I failed! I messed up cuz I didn’t have a game plan.

But God does!

He always does.

Even if it hurts or when life happens like you didn’t plan it to.

So when I don’t have a game plan, an ounce of hope, a smile or a way through—HE DOES! He will sing over me on my day to tell me happy birthday Christina. You are still in good company. Positive vibes, positive energy and positive perspective. People that are willing to take a disappointed and defeated situation and turn it into the game plan!!!

We will make it work!

God just has it all, I was never or will ever be in control like that. It’s so much letting go.

So here I am. Thankful to be surrounded by people that are willing to laugh through anything… even the disappointments of life. Im grateful. I am blessed. They are doing all that they can –above & beyond folks. ♥️

West Palm will have it’s time. Trusting God for what’s next. The best is yet to come. So keep your head up Birthday girl. Turn that frown upside down and be thankful. All that you need is right in front of you. Enjoy your life.

All that you are is all within you!

Happy Birthday 🎉🎊🎂🎈🎁

1 Comment   |  tags: | posted in Celebration, Encouragement, Hope, Relationships, Rise, Trust

June 21, 2019

Welcome SUMMER!

By Christina

YEAH! What an amazing season we are entering.  This is one of my favorite times of the year 😉 July & December! ❤ And I am probably not the only one.

The summer fun is just going to begin. As July approaches, I am in WONDER! For so many very unexpected and beautiful things took place for us.  One of which was a complete surprise to me by my hubby!

We had been in some beginning stages of discussion for our anniversary and a wedding vow renewal that we had wanted to do for sometime now.  Our story is more than crazy, but such a unique one for us to really appreciate and LOVE!

In any case, I also have not been able to wear my original engagement ring (due to the obvious!!!!) for many years now.  It was one of the first times he truly surprised me when he placed that promise ring on my finger years ago!  The second time he surprised me in our whole relationship is NOW! He got me a new and beautiful ring to re-propose!!! LOL! And I am soooo laughing out loud now as I type this because it’s cute. Also very special.

On Father’s day –this past Sunday, before he went to minister he began to mention me! In my mind I was thinking, “what in the world!” LOL but he started to say he would never be the father of our two beautiful kids without me.  He paused and got choked up as he told the church, “if you only knew all that we have been through!”

At this point, I began to truly cry.  I still had NO clue what he was doing and why he extended it about going on and on about lil ole me! He then reached in his pocket as he shared, “Since we have been together 27 years…I want to ask you if you wouldn’t mind spending another 27 plus years with me!”

I was completely FLABBERGASTED! I had no clue that this man went out of his way to get me a new promise ring for our next half.  This was so unexpected.  What a season it has been for me…on a day when it was about the Dads and nothing about me –he made his day about US! That just meant the world to me. He also said to me, “Truly, this is your season!”

“I will remember the actions the Eternal has taken,
    reminisce on Your ancient wonders.
I will reflect on all of Your work;
    indeed, I will study all You have performed.
O God, Your way is so different, so distinct, so divine.
    No other god compares with our God.”
Psalm 77:11-13 (The VOICE Translation)

I must give God thanks–for all that He has done and all that He is doing now in my life to make me remember that no matter how long I had to wait (yes, if you only knew) that this meant everything to me. I have a lovely husband, a wonderful and supportive family and currently right where I need to be. I can say that this has been a VERY difficult wait to arrive to this season where I can breathe a bit again…. was it worth the wait?

It is worth knowing that God’s promises for me and my house have always remained.

This is a blessed season. Just beautiful to enter in, dance in and celebrate in.

I needed this. God knew and waited to show me that this promise will come to pass before my very eyes –where I will truly laugh with everything in me and smile like I am glowing with His radiant abundance of love that covers me.

Thank you God.  And thank you to the one that you have for me.

#forevergrateful

#youknowme

#welcomesummer

#itsourseason

 

 

 

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