This morning, I reflected on the blessings in my life and how far I've come since dedicating myself to God and becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. One aspect that has amazed me is how God has stretched my finances since I started tithing 10% of my monthly income to my church.

Previously, I struggled to make ends meet as a single mother raising two children, wondering how I would pay my rent and other bills. However, after consistently giving to my church and finding a supportive community at Legacy Church of ABQ under the leadership of Senior Pastor Steve Smothermon, something incredible happened.

I can't fully comprehend the workings of God, but every month, I find myself with more money than I thought I had. It's nothing short of a miracle. I felt compelled to share this testimony with all of you, urging you to consider tithing at least 10% of your income to the Lord. Not only does it support churches in spreading the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ and aid various ministries, but it also brings blessings into your life. I speak from experience, and I give cheerfully from my heart.

May God our Father grant you grace, wisdom, and peace as you deepen your knowledge of God and Jesus Christ through His Word.

I want to leave you with a passage from 1 Corinthians 9:6-9 (NKJV) about the Cheerful Giver: "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: 'He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.'"

-Karen B.

Before I started working at Legacy, my life was going through a major transition. A lot of this change caused disarray in my life, and I found myself feeling lost and indifferent. I lacked motivation and barely attended classes, doing whatever I wanted. Deep down, I knew I could have done better, but I was drifting further away, being drawn to whatever the world had to offer. However, amidst the chaos, I remember my mom praying fervently. She asked God to open the right doors for us and bring peace, believing that He would open the doors we needed and shut the ones that weren't meant for our family. And that's exactly what happened. We ended up at Legacy, but it was a significant change, a whirlwind.

During my time at Legacy Academy, something life-changing happened. It was as if God re-centered me, and the academy became a blessing. I experienced a transformation and rediscovered what truly mattered in life. I rededicated my life to God. We had a talent show, and the worship team was there. They encouraged me to try out, and soon Pastor Michael approached me, asking if I would like to intern for them. I jumped at the opportunity, and a few months later, the internship turned into a job. It was an answer to our prayers, a blessing that fell into our lap.

Music had always been a part of my life, even before this journey began. But what changed my perspective was a slow progression. During the time of Covid, I consciously decided to stop using profanity in my music. It was conviction from the Holy Spirit that brought me there. As I spent more time at Legacy, God used it to realign my purpose. I realized that music was my way of conversing with God, a pure conversation that brought me closer to Him even when I felt far away. It created a secret place for me, regardless of how distant I felt.

Being a champion for Christ as a young person in this chaotic world has its challenges. I have made an effort to build connections with other Christian creatives, but one of them stumbled and turned away from God, which shook me to my core. It made me realize that anyone can reach that point, and it's all about our willingness and not allowing ourselves to be deceived into thinking that we're too far gone. That's when we lose hope. I've come to recognize that one of the ways the enemy attacks is through condemnation, making us feel like God hates us or that He's angry with us. When we think that way, we naturally run away because we can't face that. But it's a lie. God's reminder that He loves me, regardless of my shortcomings, kept me from going down that path.

So, to my generation that needs Jesus, I want to share this message: You are never too far gone, and you don't have to clean yourself up before coming to God. The walk with Christ is about coming to Him as you are, no matter how dirty you feel. He offers us a free gift; all we have to do is receive it. True transformation happens as we build a relationship with Him and spend time in His presence. Many people, including myself, fall into the trap of thinking that we need to have it all figured out or fix ourselves before we approach God. But all He wants is for us to come to Him with our burdens and allow Him to work in our lives. The most important thing is to never believe that you're too far from God because you're not. The Word tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us without any stipulations attached.

-Noah D.

This is my third Father's Day as a dad, but my first Father's Day without my dad. He went home to be with Jesus at the end of last year. Not having him around this Father's Day put the fifth commandment into a new light for me: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12 I realized that even though my dad is no longer around, the principles he taught me will always remain. This means if I have long days in the land I'm living, I am to honor those principles, not until the day he dies, but rather until the day I die. This was huge for me because I didn't feel ready for it when I was asked to step into this position at the end of last year.

But I thought about what my dad might tell me if I'd spoken to him about it. When I went from being a worship pastor to a pastor 5 years ago, I called him and told him I didn't feel ready. And he told me this, and I'll never forget it.

"God is the only one who can open doors, and God is the only one who can close doors, and all the devil can do is mess with you in the hallway. This is a wide-open door, and it looks like the devil is just messing with you."

And I knew that's what he would tell me again. And I walked through that door, and it has been the biggest blessing in my life. I realized that even though my dad is no longer around, everything he taught me will never leave me. And, even though I can't see him, I get to honor him until the day that I die by staying obedient to those principles.

- Pastor Juan

My name is Consuelo Garcia, and I've been married to my husband Ramon Garcia for 27 years. Together, we have two sons, a daughter, and a daughter-in-law. For the past 20 years, we have actively served in ministry in the Albuquerque area. In March of 2021, the Spanish ministry began at Legacy Church, and it has been both a great blessing and an honor to serve alongside my husband under the exceptional leadership of Legacy Church.
My desire has always been to serve the church according to the gifts that God has given me. Currently, I am involved in various capacities. I serve on the Spanish Bliss Team, the Follow-up Team, and the Tithes and Offering Team.

One of my favorite passages is Psalm 51:10-11, which resonates deeply with me. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." These verses have become my daily prayer as I witness God's greatness and faithfulness in my life. I humbly ask Him, "Who am I that you would think of me and continue to look upon me to be your servant?" I recognize that it is solely by His grace and love for me that I am able to serve Him.

-Consuelo Garcia

Our family moved to Legacy when we were young adults. We experienced a lot of church hurt and enjoyed the fact that we could walk in and out of the church without anyone noticing. However, that's not how God or Legacy works. Within the first few months of attending Legacy, a mission trip to the LA Dream Center was offered. Both Sam and I, Sophia, ended up on the trip and found the most amazing community of people who wanted to serve. The more we desired to serve and get involved, the more our community grew. Little did we know that 12 years later, this same community would encourage and help us open an agency that would further serve Albuquerque.

Both Sam and I worked through grad school while attending and serving at Legacy. God knew that I needed my little sister, Sam, to encourage me to pursue Social Work like her. Eventually, we both worked as therapists at separate places. Life brought us to a point where I wasn't working, and Sam was ready to move on from her place of employment. God was opening doors for Sam, and she was prepared to walk through them. One night, while sitting with our friends, someone mentioned that Sam and I should open our own agency. I laughed and thought I had no desire to do such a thing, but a seed was planted in Sam's heart that night. The more we discussed it, the more it seemed feasible. My husband immediately jumped on board, and we began asking around our community. That seed grew with many people willing to help and mentor us. God continued opening doors; I could write books about the things God has done for this agency, but I'll only mention a few. God brought us a bible-believing mentor who was Sam's new boss and was more than willing to guide us in opening our own agency. God brought us a strong believer and a long-time friend to work with us in creating a case management program. God brought us a Holy Spirit-filled believer to help us navigate working with insurance companies. And the list goes on. God has been so good to us.

On April 22nd, we had our grand opening. It was a day filled with love, gratitude, and excitement. Our community showed up to support and celebrate with us. Anyone who knows me knows I am an emotional crier, and I cried the entire day. It was a tangible display of God's love and care for us.

While we were renovating our office, I came across this verse and wrote it on the foundation of the building and our mission: Jeremiah 29:7 - "And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare." We believe that God has given us this agency to make a difference in the City of Albuquerque, to bring hope and healing to the city, and we are ready to continue the mission.

-Sophia J.