The Beacon March / April Issue

MARCH / APRIL 2021

THE Good News

the Love of Jesus

TOGETHER FOR SAN ANTONIO EFFORTS AID CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE

Read more Good News on sabeacon.com

WE PROMISE TO:

EDUCATE O U R CO M M U N I T Y

UNIFY OUR NEIGHBORS

ABOUT THE BEACON We are a nonprofit Christian multi-media platform that reports on the good news of God's activity in our community. Our team lives, works and worships in San Antonio and the surrounding area and has a huge heart for our city.

MISSION Our mission is to communicate the Good News happening in our community in order to connect nonprofits to resources, people to purpose and companies to customers.

As a media outlet, The Beacon has a responsibility to inform our audience about important issues that affect our community.

As a Christian platform, we have a moral and social obligation to address issues with the intent of helping our families, children and our elderly thrive.

PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR NONPROFITS AND MINISTRIES

LOVE L I K E J E S U S W I T H O U T CO N D I T I O N

WHAT A BEACON PARTNERSHIP DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY Through donations, advertising or simple partnership, Beacon Partners contribute to our mission to serve our community. For more than 20 years we have worked to address the problems our society faces so that its people may know the love of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:10 says: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

We profile men and women, ministries, nonprofits, churches and entrepreneurs in order to: • Connect you to community • Encourage and touch hearts • Inspire to greater heights • Move people to act We focus on building awareness through our media platforms, events and advocacy efforts.

We build and restore by empowering our city’s grassroots efforts to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of those they serve.

We provide avenues to help our community develop personally, professionally and spiritually through our content, resources, partner groups and ambassadors. We provide

growth by helping our city’s organizations meet their needs for volunteers and funding so they can change even more lives. We are hopeful that our community’s most vulnerable will know of God’s love for them and become followers of Jesus.

We believe by working TOGETHER, we can meet the needs present in our city, overcome strongholds and leave a better community for our children and their children.

As a part of our effort to serve our community, The Beacon also provides marketing and chaplaincy services to nonprofits, ministries, businesses and entrepreneuers. To learn more, email info@sabeacon.com.

READ MORE NEWS • GET INVOLVED • STAY CONNECTED Visit sabeacon.com

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M arc h / Apr i l 2021

MARCH / APRIL 2021

INSIDE

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU To our dear Beacon readers, How are you? Like, really? How have you been holding up these last 10 months?

How has the pandemic effected your well being? How have you and your family been these last few weeks? The snow, which was a miraculous experience for so many of us, was—although “expected,”—not what we expected.

We know you must have felt so many emotions, have been tried in ways we didn’t think would experience living in the 21st century in one of the most privileged countries in the world. But here we are, all having had gone days without power, or water, or both. Many still recovering in one way or another from the winter storms that engulfed our state, our country.

We have been through so much.

We have lost loved ones.

We have lost security.

We have lost normalcy.

Thank you to our local community-minded businesses who have partnered with us on the following Beacon stories.

4 C O V E R S TO R Y

Together for San Antonio Unicity’s Decade of the Family initiative focuses on strengthening families, city’s most vulnerable

8 E D I TO R I A L

His love knows no bounds How do you view God the Father?

But, during these months-long hardships and days-long inconveniences, we have also witnessed firsthand the mercies of the Lord.

We have seen marriages strengthened.

We have seen siblings bond.

We have seen families thrive.

We have seen friendships formed.

We have seen neighbors care.

We have seen our leaders lead.

We have seen our businesses endure.

We have seen our ministers rise higher.

We have seen the hurt forgive.

We have seen the addicted restored.

We have seen resilience unlike any other.

We have seen a community—our community—persevere.

10 B U S I N E S S S P O T L I G H T

Answering God’s call to serve Fischer Mann Realty approaches work with a Christ-like attitude

14 M I N I S T R Y F E AT U R E

Brokenness renewed Restoration Closet builds hope through the generosity of others

16 F E AT U R E

Hope remains Building resilience in times of uncertainty

The Lord did not promise a life without trouble, but he did promise a life renewed through Him. These last 12 months, have been the guide to that renewal, an opportunity to start over.

In a sermon from a well-known priest, Father Mike Schmitz, who is also the host of the Ascension’s Bible in a Year podcast (which ranked #1 in Apple podcast in January) stated, “It’s not enough to believe in Jesus, we must belong to Jesus.

And that means, we have to allow him to change our lives. He rarely said, 'come believe in me. Instead, he says, Come follow me.'"

Jesus is love.

18 A D E C L A R AT I O N O F FA I T H A story of God’s grace Family continues to remain faithful in hard times

THE

During the days He walked on earth, He showed that love. He loved His brothers and sisters. He loved the sick, poor, incarcerated. He loved sinners. He loved despite His hardships. And today, thousands of years later, He continues to love us all.

And He asks us to do the same—to truly follow Him. In these stories you’ll read how so many have chosen to do just that. To follow the Lord and answer His call for their lives.

If you have a story to share or simply want to let us know how you truly have been, please email us at editor@sabeacon.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Good News

the Love of Jesus

PUBLISHER: The Beacon PUBLISHERS: Claude Roberts, Duke Jonietz EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Denise R. Marcos WRITERS: Denise R. Marcos, Duke Jonietz, Amy Morgan, April L. Newell EMAIL: info@saBeacon.com ONLINE: www.saBeacon.com

With His love, The Beacon Team

Duke Jonietz Co-Publisher

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Denise R. Marcos Editor-In-Chief

Claude Roberts Co-Publisher

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The Beacon is a Christian publication provided by the San Antonio Beacon, LLC. The articles and ads in this publication express the opinions of the ministries, churches, schools and businesses featured and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the San Antonio Beacon, LLC. The San Antonio Beacon, LLC is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the facts stated in the content of this publication including any ad copy. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the advertising content in this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. The San Antonio Beacon, LLC assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of the advertising. Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/ correction. Under no circumstances shall the San Antonio Beacon, LLC be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or from any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely 3 manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

COVER STORY

TOGETHER FOR Effort Aids City’s Vulnerable—One Family at a Time

BY AMY MORGAN

I

magine a child who counted on school lunch for his daily meal. Or another who trusted her school counselor to protect her from abuse. What happens when a pandemic forces school closures and that safety net disintegrates?

Executive Director Jennifer Smith of a nonprofit The Alliance, notes that while as a community we have come together to stop the spread of the virus in many regards, the opportunity for violence, particularly against the young has increased exponentially.

“

As our community has altered our entire way of living to flatten the curve of COVID we have drastically increased the curve for all factors that lead to child abuse, neglect and family crisis,” she said.

Families ground the tight-knit community for which San Antonio is known. When they falter and fragment, societal ills amplify. The pandemic and its aftermath exacerbated already entrenched problems, creating winners and losers, with the fallout most immediately felt among the most vulnerable children.

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M arc h / Apr i l 2021

UnicitySA is a San Antonio-based entity that focuses on improving the lives of those in our city through a collaborative effort of our leaders in the faith-based, church, nonprofit, government, education, business and philanthropic sectors. In March of 2020, UnicitySA launched the initiative, Decade of the Family.

By joining forces among churches, nonprofits, businesses, educators, city leadership and donors, the initiative focuses on addressing some of San Antonio’s greatest needs of poverty, addiction and homelessness. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that every family has access to resources to meet basic needs to survive, practical needs to thrive, and the developmental skills to flourish.

In March, when the stay-at-home orders became effective, Carl Caton, Unicity board member, said the word of the year became pivot as organizations providing help to families saw a much greater need with less access to people. COVID’s health crisis catalyzed Decade of Family leaders to create opportunities for churches to learn new ways to meet the real needs of people inside and outside of their pews, healing San Antonio one family at a time.

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“We’re stronger together,” associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church and UnicitySA Board Member Mitchell Moore emphasized. “Imagine if the Church would be the Church, doing what it is supposed to do. Throughout the pandemic, calls reporting domestic violence have increased and the security of most families in San Antonio decreased—making a difficult situation even harder. Now is the time for the Church to come together to care for San Antonio by empowering families in our congregations and communities.”

When schools shut down, foster kids were no longer going to places where people could keep an eye on them—making a difficult situation even harder. Domestic violence calls decreased, but rising emergency room visits and mortality rates tell a different story, Moore noted. Many kids from San Antonio’s less privileged areas just dropped off the radar and were not accessible when plans for school to resume took effect.

To address these concerns, Decade of Family recruited representatives from more than 100 churches where they learned how they can empower members and connect their communities to those who need help. Topics addressed at the event included foster and adoption needs, mental health, poverty and

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domestic violence. It focused on how organizations can come together to close the gap that leads to a ripple effect of problems. A simple, but extremely effective solution to ending the cycle is through education. One tangible, practical step includes 100 churches citywide teaching the philosophies of financial guru Dave Ramsey. Financial Peace University (FPU) is a 9-session guide to overcoming debt and how to properly manage your money.

Morris Camp, market executive for JP Morgan Chase, and wife, Muffin, have taught six Financial Peace classes since their own graduation in 2008. They speak firsthand of its benefits.

“Families have really been hit hard in the pandemic. Our signs at the bank show people

“

Duo Restaurant Group endeavors to be a community-minded company. We believe one of the best ways to live out our mission, “To love on people through what we do”, is to find ways to strengthen families in our city. We are convinced we will look back on the efforts of Decade of the Family as being a hugely transformative moment in the history of San Antonio, and so it is our honor to support their initiatives. We encourage you to support this worthwhile effort!

”

RICHARD PEACOCK | PRESIDENT, DUO RESTAURANT GROUP

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are blowing through their cash and are almost out of it. No one has done more for getting people out of debt than Dave Ramsey,” Camp said. “We are the most economically segregated large city in America.” He recommends FPU, “It allows people to tackle debt once and for all, teaches them about money and gives them hope and peace.”

Though 2020 gave way to many losses, it also brought a few bright spots for families: The divorce rate was the lowest in 50 years, according to research published by the

“

For some, our childhood memories are largely happy and positive. Others, however, have memories that include family hardships, stress and deep sadness. Regardless of your childhood experience, I think we can all agree on the importance of fostering an environment that encourages strong, loving and stable families. Given this, we felt compelled to support Decade of the Family. Let’s impact our community for years to come by joining this great cause.

”

RICHARD PEACOCK | PRESIDENT, DUO RESTAURANT GROUP

Be a Light

Institute for Family Studies (IFS). Parents working from home free from frenetic schedules spent more time with their kids, which, IFS reports, led to better teen mental health and family cohesion.

Pray Ask God to show you how you can use your gifts to serve.

But the crisis also uncovered mental health problems, including addictions ravaging families.

Recruit Get your church involved.

“The most obvious ones lead to people walking our streets downtown,” Moore said.

“We have one of the highest levels of need in the state for mental health care. But the third lowest levels of resources.”

Empower Introduce a friend to FPU or skills-building sessions.

Get involved Sign up at decadeoffamily.org. The Beacon will continue to report about Decade of Family initiatives and success stories. Look for upcoming stories at saBeacon.com.

He encourages churches that have already adopted best practices to share and inspire others.

“Use your influence. You are not the norm,” he said. “I believe God has prepared the Church in San Antonio for this season of heartache. We have a storehouse that can be spearheaded and stewarded to bring hope and healing.”

The pandemic of 2020 is an invitation for 2021: “Every family has a need and every person has a role. When our families flourish then San Antonio will flourish.”

www.decadeoffamily.org info@uniticysa.org

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY-MINDED PARTNER

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One of the best ways for us to live out our mission to love on our community is to strengthen the families within the community.

”

Richard Peacock

President, Duo Restaurant Group

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HIS

LOVE knows no bounds HOW DO YOU VIEW GOD THE FATHER?

BY DUKE JONIETZ Since we are focused on family for this issue, I thought it would be important to look closely at God the Father. This is especially true since our perception of our heavenly Father really determines the extent of our relationship with Him. Is He a loving Father or is He a mean God that can’t wait for us to mess up so He can bash us afterwards? Either view will determine how we relate with God as our Father and what we hear from Him as we walk out our Spiritual journey.

Chances are your earthly father played a major role in your view of God the Father. Some of our fathers were absent, some were strict (maybe even abusive). Some of our fathers didn’t know how to love while others were always there for us and showered us with love. Our own personal experience with our earthly fathers is deeply engrained in our memories and psyche.

Father? Here are just a few...

• Psalm 103:13 says: "The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him."

• Matthew 7:11 shows us God’s heart for His children: “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

God the Father is not like any of our earthly fathers. He is perfect. Knowing God as our Father in its truest form establishes a firm foundation for our growth as a believer Get it right and your entire life will be filled and our intimacy with with understanding, love and great joy.

Him along the way. Get this one thing wrong and it could mean a life • 1 Timothy 6:13 starts by saying that God is of suffering and feeling abandoned. Get it right lifegiving: “In the sight of God, who gives and your entire life will be filled with life to everything.” understanding, love and great joy.

• In rightly relating to God as Father, Romans So, what do we see in the scriptures that 8:15 uses a term of endearment: “The Spirit would help our perception about God our you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”’

“

• 1 John 4:16(b) gives us this simple definition: “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

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• But perhaps the best argument that God the Father loves us is that He sent His own son to accept the punishment we deserved. We read in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

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be no greater example of His love for us as a Father.

God our Father is loving, kind, sets boundaries to keep us out of trouble, allows trials to teach us in the hope that we will grow, provides for us, and even knows the number of hairs on our head. Much more could be said.

If you had a bad experience(s) with your earthly father, I invite you to first forgive him.

Then to look at God the Father with a new set of eyes and with a heart wide open to see His true nature as a Father and His love.

Take some time in the coming days to ask God to reveal Himself to you as your Father. I am asking that God will show you that He is indeed a good, good Father. If you have never related to God as your Father, I pray that you will begin to see how much He cares for you and can be trusted. That you can crawl up and sit in His lap and just let Him protect you and love on you. That you can count on Him, even in the toughest times, to be there for you. I know with all of my heart that someone out there is reading this and wants to believe it’s true. Quit holding Him at a distance. Just let your Father in.

ADDITIONAL RESOUR CES:

• God Distorted: How Your Earthly Father Affects Your Perception of God and Why It Matters by John Bishop (for both men and women) • Sons of the Father

by Gordon Dalby (for men) • Healing for the Father Wound

by H. Norman Wright (for women) M arc h / Apr i l 2021

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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f you asked Ralph Sanchez what the catalyst to his successful realty and broker business was, he would—without hesitation—tell you his secret. He believes such a strategy should be shared with the world. At first he was met with opposition and reluctancy from colleagues about the boldness of his approach, but he knew that it was the only way to go about it.

Spanning across the company’s website, in large bold font are the words, “It is the golden rule and the only way we do business. We treat everyone as we would ourselves; we do this faithfully everyday.” And while the message is certainly admirable on its own, it is rooted in something much deeper—his Christian faith.

In attribution to this principle, Mark 12:31 rests at the end of the phrase.

“It’s not popular to profess your faith in the business world. It’s quite the exact opposite.

People argue that it’s not politically correct, that it’s not smart business, and that I would likely—unknowingly—shy people away,” Sanchez said. “But we treat everyone with respect, kindness and care. These are the things that are at the root of our Catholic faith.

And it’s the only way, I believe, to do business.”

When it came to a company name, Sanchez knew he wanted it to reflect the business’ philosophy. This is also a priority for his business partner, Frank Guerra. The two forged a friendship years before through the ACTS ministry at their church. The philosophy of the ministry, which is a play on words from the Book of ACTS and an acronym: Adoration, Community, Theology and Service, is the foundation of their company.

When the two thought of names, catchy ideas came to mind, but nothing stuck and then one day it clicked. Ten minutes after meeting with one another, Guerra, who is also a marketing guru by trade shared the name with Sanchez.

And they both agreed—it was the perfect fit. It was within those next few months that Fischer Mann Realty was established.

Ralph Sanchez Fischer Mann Realty

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Unlike the name suggests, Fischer and Mann are not the last names of business partners, but rather a nod to the Lord’s call for

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M arc h / Apr i l 2021

ANSWERING GOD'S CALL TO SERVE Businessman approaches work with a Christ-like attitude

BY DENISE R. MARCOS

discipleship translated in Matthew 4:19. “And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'”

The bonds forged through these church ministries are, as Sanchez describes, lifelong and unforgettable.

“It was perfect. The perfect name for the perfect calling,” Sanchez said. “When we do business, we’re not actively preaching the Gospel or inviting people into our faith so forwardly. We’re giving them the best of ourselves through thoughtfulness, care and respect. We are kind to everyone. If we can show one person that kind of honor, then perhaps they may know of Christ. We see every encounter as an opportunity to evangelize.”

“God has been so faithful. He has given me the “They needed to move quickly. There wasn’t opportunities to touch the lives of others, but much time to make the house in selling most of all, allowed my heart to be touched by God has been so faithful. He has given me the theirs,” Sanchez said. “The opportunities to touch lives of others, but most connections I’ve made of all, allowed my heart to be touched by through ACTS I will hold on to forever.” theirs,” Sanchez said. “The connections I’ve

The company is comprised of more than 10 real estate agents each grounded in the principles of serving others.

Sanchez is no stranger to service. He plays an active role in church ministries, ACTS being one of the most influential in his commitment to continue his call to help others. He has been on numerous retreats as a retreatant, a team member and director and co-director. His bond with his brothers in Christ has helped affirm his faith and lean on this family when the need came. One friend in particular, James “Jim” Bergan, was especially moved by Sanchez’s actions, devotion and faithfulness.

“I met Ralph through church. We both attended Little Flower Basilica. Ralph was very instrumental in reestablishing the CYO program at Little Flower. Our kids all played baseball for Little Flower CYO and he did endless fundraisers for CYO,” Bergan said. “It was incredible to me how he could devote so much time to the children of the parish.”

A short time later, both men became involved in the ACTS ministry at Little Flower. In which, Bergan described, was monumental in so many men’s renewal of or conversion to the faith.

“Ralph was a leader in the ACTS movement. He brought countless guys to retreats. He most likely saved many families from falling apart through divorce, drug or alcohol abuse,” Bergan said. “Ralph and I became closer by serving together on ACTS retreat teams, and of course, through CYO. In addition, our wives became good friends as well.”

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When Bergan’s family needed it most, Sanchez and his fellow ACTS brothers were there to help.

“

This type of brotherhood is rooted in faith and love.

made through ACTS I will hold on to forever.”

Unexpectedly, the Bergen family faced a rather difficult year. For one, the early birth of their son in April, which left him in the hospital for weeks. But a month later, they learned that their 12-year-old son Louis suffered from acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and they would spend another six weeks in the hospital for treatment. The news was devastating. Missed work left Bergan’s job in jeopardy. And the need to take a position out-of-state soon came and they needed to move shortly after.

“My dear friend and brother, Jim and his family were going through some rough times. They faced so much,” Sanchez said. “Sometimes faith can be hard, especially when life gets difficult.

It is then that we need each other most. And although I couldn’t help much during those times. I was going to do what I could to help my brother and his family. They are wonderful.

They are giving and compassionate and are loved by everyone at our church. ‘What can I do? How could I help?’ I thought. These guys needed to move fast. They needed to sell their house and they could use the money, whatever they got, to help them start over.”

Bergan remembered the day when Sanchez promised to serve others through his work.

“Out of the blue, Ralph told me about his dream of starting his own business, Fisher Mann Realty. It was a great play on words regarding his devotion to the ACTS ministry,” Bergan said. “We are called to be 'fishers of men' and that is exactly how Ralph lives his life, day in and day out.”

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condition, and to hire someone would be too costly for them,” Sanchez recalled. "Any money they could get for the home, should be money they can use in their new life, not one they’d have to pay painters or contractors. I called my ACTS brothers. I shared that Jim needed us and without question, they said, 'What can I do?’. It was a ripple effect. People were donating money, supplies and labor to help get the Bergan’s home to a 'ready-to-sell' state, in a way that could be profitable for them. I was blown away to see so many people come together.”

Within one day, more than 30 people dedicated their time to help the Bergan family.

“It is amazing how a community comes together to help someone they care for. Family, friends, church members, and even some strangers donated time, skill or supplies to help us with this effort. I am still amazed so many years later,” Sanchez remembered.

This project—this act of love and kindness and dedication—was the launch of Sanchez’s “ministry,” Fischer Mann Realty.

“We ended up being able to sell the house in less than 30 days,” Bergan said. “Without the improvements Ralph and the ACTS men did, it could have stayed on the market for six months and we would have had to reduce the price substantially to get it to sell. Ralph saved us when we were at a very low and vulnerable place in our lives. I can't say enough good things about Ralph and the ACTS guys from Little Flower. They are truly angels on earth.”

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M I N I S T R Y F E AT U R E

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Brokenness

R enewed

Restoration Closet builds hope through the generosity of others S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y : A P R I L LY N N N E W E L L

T

he nerves wrestle in her stomach—equal parts excitement and dread. This job interview could change everything for her family, but will her scuffed flats and mended slacks ruin it for her?

Stephanie Brown, founder of nonprofit organization Restoration Closet, knows these feelings and fears all too well. Years ago, she found herself as a newly single mother working a job that required professional clothing, but she could not afford a new wardrobe. It was the goodwill and kindness of others who provided clothing she needed; and today it is her heart’s desire to do the same for others.

“

prompting, Restoration Closet became a nonprofit. After a few low-key fundraisers she was able to rent a storage unit for a temporary shop location.

“I don’t ask for donations, it’s literally been word of mouth. Even with clothing donations, they either saw me on the news, someone told them, or they just happened to stumble across my Facebook page!” Brown explained. “It’s just the Lord! I really credit the Lord for all of it.”

Blazers, blouses, slacks, and dresses are sorted on clothing racks by size that she pulls out for each shopper. Shoes line an entire wall from floor to ceiling in various styles, colors and

Restoration to me is that broken things, [or] things the enemy has stolen, need to be restored to us. My vision for this is that things women don’t wear anymore, they pass along, and it is restored by giving it to someone in need,” Brown said.

“Restoration to me is that broken things, [or] things the enemy has stolen, need to be restored to us. My vision for this is that things women don’t wear anymore, they pass along, and it is restored by giving it to someone in need,” Brown said.

sizes. Although the pandemic has seemed to slow down shoppers, Brown noted that Restoration Closet is open and available by appointment for any woman needing professional clothes.

After writing a book about restoration, she realized the Lord had a ministry for her.

Restoration Closet began to take shape. It was then she reached out to her community.

In just this first year, Brown has seen God work in many women’s lives, including one of the beneficiaries of the nonprofit, Edna who was raising her four grandchildren and seeking employment to support them.

“I was just relaxing and all of a sudden it came to my mind, Restoration Closet,” she said. “I started doodling and writing out what I thought that was—a vision. I reached out to a few friends asking if they had any professional clothes they didn’t want anymore. Sure enough, I started getting lots of bags [of clothes].”

After a few local news stations ran the story on her vision and hopes, the new ministry received an overwhelming response as clothes flooded her home. Upon her friends’ M a rc h / A pr i l 2 0 2 1

“She was one of the very first ladies I was able to bless,” Brown recalled. “I put together three big bags full of clothes for her to wear; pant suits, dress suits, jewelry, shoes and handbags.

Within two weeks she had a job and was utilizing the clothes. I’ll hear from her from time-to-time letting me know how she’s doing.

A lot of the women I’ve served are coming out of abusive situations and I don’t get to hear back from them, but I just trust they’re blessed.”

Glimpses of the ministry’s future can be seen w w w.saBe acon.com

in other blessings that Brown has been able to accomplish.

“We had a couple donate $1,000 and instead of putting that in our account we turned around and sowed that into a single mom who had a vehicle that needed lots of work,” Brown explained. “Christian Brothers Automotive matched $2,000 to our $1,000 and we got it up and running. That’s the only time I’ve been able to do that. As we grow—and people give—that’s my heart, to really help women, and especially single moms, who can’t afford oil changes, groceries or diapers. That’s where Restoration Closet is headed.”

Be a Light Shop Any woman in need of professional clothing and accessories is welcome to come “shop” by appointment.

Donate Give financially toward a permanent space that will grow with the ministry.

Share Tell others about the ministry and spread the word.

Restoration Closet www.restorationcloset.com (210) 970-2880

15

ho e

A D E C L A R AT I O N O F FA I T H

p

REMAINS

BUILDING RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

BY DENISE R. MARCOS

In the thick of adversity, it’s often a challenge to have a positive perspective. It’s no doubt that the year 2020 will go down in history.

After all, our world as we know it, shut down.

For months, traffic ceased. School stopped.

Work paused. And fear spread like wildfire.

Thirty years from now, do we want to look back at 2020 and remember that fear? The anxiety it brought? The faith it shook? Or are we going to remember it as a time when we thrived? When we fought to continue to live despite that fear? Will we remember 2020 as a time when we persevered through uncertainty?

Let us choose the latter.

Do you recall the story of Job? This faithful man who was blessed with the riches of life.

He had land, herds, children, health— everything he could hope for in his time. He honored God and remained obedient to the Lord. But, one day, it was stripped away.

Everything he loved gone in an instant. He lost his family, his home, his dignity.

It’s easy to look at our lives throughout the

16

pandemic and compare our life to Job’s, to see a remarkable resemblance for so many of us.

Like Job, many of us lost that security—our jobs, our savings, our health, our loved ones.

Our lives flipped upside down.

Logically speaking, it would have been considered justifiable for Job to lose his faith and blame God for his trouble. To look to the Lord and shout in anger for the loss he faced. But despite all the heartbreak, all that was taken away from Job, he continued to remain faithful.

Do you remember how the story ended?

Job was blessed tenfold. He lived another 140 years. Had 10 more children and his land and herds—abundant. Job remained faithful.

But how do we stay confident like Job? What are the repercussions of this pandemic and how will it effect our mental health now and in the future?

One San Antonio Christian counselor, Pamela King whose primary focus is in relationship therapy, tells of the generality of her w w w.saBe acon.com

observations from the last several months.

“The pandemic has been hard for a lot of people in many ways with the loss of lives and jobs, but for so many others it has been a huge blessing,” she said. “Having to stay home and cease many of their ‘normal’ activities, gave families and couples the opportunity to rebuild those relationships and to really focus on the important things.”

In times such as these, it’s critical to understand the cruciality of mental health and the steps one should take to push forward.

“We’re a society that views life through the lens of ‘get-up-and-do-it,’ and in times like the pandemic, that is a really positive perspective and shows just how resilient we are,” she said.

“For those 35 and older, this has been the way of life for them. They’ve encountered great trials and sadness (although not like this), like 9/11 and the Vietnam war. Those things shook our country and we pushed through. And if you’re a parent today, this is THE time to share that resilience with your children.”

She emphasizes the importance of building M arc h / Apr i l 2021

relationships and using scripture to help as a guide in moments of uncertainty.

“This is a great time to get back to the basics of life. This is especially important for our younger generations. Parent’s check on your kids. Talk to them. Play games. Ask questions. Be with them—away from TVs and phones. Get to know one another, like really get to know each other. Turn to the stories in the Bible, and learn scripture—together,” King said.

In so many ways, we have lost something—if not everything. We’ve lost lives, jobs, security, but we also lost birthday parties, vacations, dinner out with friends. We lost graduations and class parties. We loss networking at conferences. We lost small chit chat by the water cooler at work. We lost Christmas parties and fundraiser galas. We lost community. And the toll it had taken on us as a society can have long term effects.

“We are not meant to be alone. We are made for community and when we don’t have that any longer, we suffer. This is the role of the church. This is where church leaders come in and make sure their members are doing OK and the role of the members to make sure their pastors are doing OK, too,” King said.

"We all play a huge role in ensuring we’re all taken care of. It’s the most important thing

we can do for one another right now.”

She notes that how we approach this pandemic, whether positive or negative, can impact us for decades. And it’s important for us to work together as a community to ensure our marriages, families, children are well so that our future remains on a steady path to healing.

“

God made us for connection.

He created us to be a part of a body. He saw that it was not good for man to be alone, and made woman,” King said.

“For kids who don’t have this connection, this community—even pre-pandemic. These closures are horrible for them.”

She noted that because of the lack of ‘forced’ connection that was once a societal norm, children and even some parents, don’t have the social skills to adapt to a contactless environment.

“For young kids, they don’t understand what it means to get a ‘virus.’ For them it’s if you get

too close to someone, you could be away from everyone for 14 days, and that’s a fate much worse,” King said.

The uncertainty of the future looms. As parents, teachers, neighbors, friends— community, there are things we need to work through together.

How to make connections in a contactless world: • Make a call to someone you know. Yes, like actually pick up the phone and talk into it.

Like we used to in the 1900s.

• Make a socially-distant visit. Take food, coffee or just a warm hello to a loved one while still keeping safety protocols in place.

• Smile (even under your mask). Hope people can see it in your eyes.

• Talk more and smile while doing it. “People can hear your kindness through your voice.

So make it a point to say something to others while out,” King suggests.

If you or a loved one are suffering from depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or just need someone to talk to, reach out to a pastor, licensed therapist, friend or family to share.

Remember you are never alone. We are all in this together.

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17

A D E C L A R AT I O N O F FA I T H

A Story of God’s Grace

FAMILY CONTINUES TO REMAIN FAITHFUL THROUGH HARD TIMES

BY DUKE JONIETZ

T

o be surrounded by violent winds and crashing waves is terrifying in itself. But to step out in faith amongst those conditions is a treacherous feat to overcome. Even Peter, one of the most revered men of all Jesus’ apostles, wavered in his faith when the Lord asked him to come to Him on the water during the storm. This wasn’t the only time that Peter’s fear clouded his judgment. But at the end— when he remembered Jesus’ love for him, Peter persevered.

Thousands of years since that day, we, like Peter, are often flooded with fear, uncertainty and doubt. To overcome those emotions—to continue to have faith—is miraculous.

For James “Jim” Bergan, loyal husband and loving father of six, fear overwhelmed him many times. In April 2010, their son Sean was born early and had to spend two weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They lived an hour and a half round trip from the hospital.

“It was grueling taking turns at the hospital.

My wife and I never wanted to leave Sean alone. We also had five other children at home. Our daughter Teresa has a complex of serious disabilities that makes her totally dependent on us,” the devoted father said.

When Sean was released from the hospital, they were ecstatic. They could finally bring him home to meet his siblings. They left that day hoping to not have to return for a long time. But weeks later, they faced hard news.

“We learned in May that our son Louis, 12 at the time, suffered from Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Never did I ever expect his fatigue and other symptoms to end up being cancer,” Bergan said.

On a quiet Sunday, they received an urgent call from the doctor telling them to head to the hospital.

“We had to pack a bag for Louis and take him to Methodist Hospital where he and I stayed for six weeks. He received his initial rounds of chemotherapy to battle the cancer, which was classified as Stage IV,” Bergan said. “I was on FMLA at work during that time. However, when I was able to return to at least part time work I

18

learned that a number of my projects and grants had been reassigned to other people in the office.”

me he had already set up a group of men to come to our house and do the painting and repairs. I protested but he would not take no for an answer.”

His job and leadership role in the organization were in jeopardy and The Bergans pose with extended family while visiting he needed to act More than 30 men, in Laredo. quickly. Thankfully, an equipped with paint, old friend offered Bergan a job in Louisiana. tools, supplies, muscle and dedication, showed One he had to take.

Saturday morning ready to work.

“I never planned to leave Texas, but I had no real options to keep medical coverage for Louis and our special needs daughter, Teresa,” Bergan said. “So we had to move.”

Moving to another state however, would require careful planning, fast action and a significant amount of time. Time, unfortunately, that they didn’t have much of.

“

Our home in was not in the best condition. I realized that there was no way I could get the house ready to sell due to lack of finances from our piling medical bills.”

But acting in faith and trusting in the Lord, the Bergans continued to plan the move. They are—as described by a good friend, Ralph Sanchez—“one of the most loving families you can ever meet."

“They are one of those families you just love being around,” Sanchez said. “Jim is one of the most dedicated men I’ve ever known and I would do whatever I could to help him and his family out.”

Out of the blue, the two friends met over coffee and a breakfast taco. And talked.

“He told me about his dream of starting his own business—Fisher Mann Realty. It was a great play on words regarding his devotion to the ACTS ministry. We are called to be “fishers of men” and that is exactly how Ralph lives his life day in and day out,” Bergan said. “He told w w w.saBe acon.com

“It looked like a showcase after they finished it,” Bergan said. “We ended up being able to sell the house in less than 30 days and without the improvements Ralph and the ACTS men did, it could have stayed on the market for six months and we would have had to reduce the price substantially to get it to sell.”

It was an act that will forever be appreciated by the Bergan family.

“Ralph save us when we were at a very low and vulnerable place in our lives. We ended up moving to Baton Rouge where we still are today. The St. Jude Children’s Hospital took over the care of our son. It was an additional blessing because St. Jude does not charge for anything to families other than what their insurance will cover. So, we were able to catch up on our medical expenses,” Bergan said.

It has been years since that day, but so many of those moments are engraved in the hearts of the family. Today, Louis has recovered from the cancer and is in his third year at Louisiana State University. Another son, Joseph, is a seminarian at Notre Dame seminary in New Orleans. The whole family is thriving and well.

“I can’t say enough good things about Ralph and the ACTS guys from Little Flower. They are truly angels on earth,” Bergan said. “We are all called to be angels like Ralph, Mauro Martinez and all the ACTS guys. God uses people to do His work. In this day and age—angels have to work overtime. We’ll never be able to pay forward all the help we’ve been given, but we keep trying our best.”

M arc h / Apr i l 2021

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