Angels of the Light

Photo by: Luca Bravo /Unsplash Do you ever wonder why you are going through a particular event in your life? Why are you experiencing whatever it is and others are not? Well, as Lisa Casarez and Vikki Luna tell us, God orders our steps with an ultimate goal in mind. Sometimes the answer doesn't reveal itself until much later in life, then everything clicks and all makes sense! Your experience during those steps you took will help others identify with you. Sometimes the experience is a painful one but if God can heal your wounds so will He heal others. God has called on us to share our story. He wants us to be victorious in our walk. If you want to be victorious, you must leave the life of a victim behind and help others with their own healing by showing them the way.

Some people say there is a disconnect in our society. We walk around angry, never taking responsibility for our actions, always blaming someone else. In many instances, our anger follows us from childhood. This anger or resentment prevents us from having meaningful relationships. It keeps us from bonding and truly loving one another. Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez talk with Doctor Janet Olivares who has a PhD in Christian Counseling. She runs the Rapha Christian Counseling Center where they provide counseling by balancing body, mind and soul so there is no room for chaos. Rapha Christian Counseling Center is a non-profit organization. Their goal is for their clients to become accountable to God. They teach how to follow God's word in order to become God strong. If you would like to contact the center, call: (559) 824-6619. If you would like to contact Dr. Olivares, email: drjanet@raphaccc.org

Photo by Ismael Paramo - Unsplash Just recently Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez participated in a prayer breakfast for leaders in the city of Fresno. Afterward they felt empowered and invigorated by the words spoken in this meeting. They share with us the importance of prayer to leaders. They believe every leader should ask themselves if they are leading following God's word. Are you doing everything within your ability as a Godly leader to bring heaven on earth? Vikki and Lisa tell us that in order to understand the heart of God, we need to pray. And if you are not a leader, you need to pray for those who lead us so they can do the work that God has called them to do.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou In today's podcast Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez talk with Mary Swarts from Send Out Cards. They discuss the importance of building relationships. How people, in general, are looking for connection. The company Swarts works for was founded by Kody Bateman who believes the key to business success is to create genuine relationships, appreciating your customers and clients, and networking to give. By letting someone know you care and appreciate them, you are sharing your positive energy to lift people up. To learn more about Send Out Cards go to: www.SendOutCards.com or call Mary Swarts at (559) 269-2887 or email her at marys_sendacard@yahoo.com

The Light HousePamela Cutting The Light House Recovery Program is a non profit organization that helps women recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Their goal is to help the women in the recovery program become a productive, contributing member of both their family and their community. Vikki Luna, director of the Light House Recovery Program, along with Lisa Casarez, discuss in this podcast with their guest, Pamela Cutting, what her role is as a therapist to the women and their families. Pamela shares how the number one goal within the program is to teach the women to overcome their addiction by learning how to cope with their emotions. Once they learn to cope, then they can help repair their relationships with their loved ones.

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unslapsh Social Media has been around since the 1990s when bloggers first came on the scene on the internet. Bloggers used this medium to share their experiences or beliefs and people around the world could read their message. Social Media grew rapidly after 2001 when the first ever profile based platform took hold in our society. Although social media is a great communication tool, it can also be a tool for misinformation and for predatory use. Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez share in this podcast how they have used social media to minister to the community and to share what God is doing in their lives. They tell us how important it is to ask yourself, before posting anything, what the motive is behind your post. Vikki and Lisa say it is very important not to be impulsive when posting anything, so there are no regrets. Social media has to serve you, not you serving "it".

Photo by Ben White - Unsplash Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent.Billy Graham What do you do when waiting for God? This is the question Lisa Casarez and Vikki Luna ask in this episode. For them, the waiting has been easier because the actions they take in daily life are all for God. If you surrender to God you should expect beauty in return. If your motives are all about the "Self", then the waiting becomes rougher. You should ask yourself, what is my motivation? Are my actions benefiting me or God? It is important to remember that in life, we are constantly chasing the goals that God sets out for us. When you act as God expects of you, then expect goodness and mercy all the days of your life in return.

Focus Forward is a non-profit organization established to help the youth of Fresno County who are in the Juvenile and/ or Child Welfare system. The organization provides the young with programs such as: family strengthening, cultural arts, mentoring, and case management. Today's guest is Coreen Campos, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Forward who tells Lisa Casarez and Vikki Luna how the organization also assists youth in foster care by providing access to clothing, higher education support, and scholarships. Campos shares her own experience as a child who was once homeless and lived in the foster care system. Those experiences have motivated her to serve youth in need. All three ladies agree that in order to connect with others you have to open up and share your story. Lisa was once featured in the magazine as an example of how to overcome adversity. The best advice they can give, "don't be paralyzed by what you went through in your past." If you would like to find out more about Focus Forward, go to their website: www.focusforward.org or call (559) 600-4961

How far we've come. Lisa and Vikki share part of their life journey. This is an exciting episode that we hear how rocky starts bring sturdy foundations. God has a plan for all of us. Most of the time we want it on our schedule. Vikki and Lisa tell us about their humble beginnings. Sit back and listen to the hope that is available if only we can believe.

"To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you are the world," Heather Cortez Lisa and Vikki sit down with an amazing person. Elizabeth Sandate-Terrones was once one of Lisa's babies and still is to this day. Elizabeth now works with Angels of Grace Foster Family agency. Sit back and listen to her explain why and how she came to the agency. Her amazing story will surely inspire hope in your life.

Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries or F.I.R.M.’s mission is to share Christ’s love while building communities of hope with new Americans. Why FIRM?  Fresno provides a wonderful place for refugees fleeing their countries.  They find Fresno’s low cost of living very appealing to families. Many of the communities they serve are Southeast Asian, Ukrainian, and Slovik, African, and Syrians. The Southeast Asian communities generally consist of Hmong, Laotian,  Cambodian, and Vietnamese. Many Lao Hmong war refugees resettled in the US following the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos and Laotian Civil War during the Vietnam War. They provide rich culture and add diversity to the area.  This happens to be the biggest refugee population in the Fresno area.  Not as big as the Hmong community, Zachary describes the other programs such as the African, Syrian and Ukrainian.  The war in Syria has displaced half of the population or 12 million.  Fresno is a secondary resettlement area.  Once a refugee has been admitted into the United States they are free to move where they like. Fresno can be up to a quarter of the price for housing, hence the influx of recent Syrians. Community Gardens F.I.R.M has 5 gardens in the surrounding area.  These gardens are essential for these new families. These gardens can serve up to 100 gardeners. 3 gardens are for the southeast Asians, 1 for the Ukrainians, and 1 for the African community. Mental health plays a huge role in the refugee community, having clean and traditional food, is one aspect. Volunteers Volunteers are crucial for the work of F.I.R.M.  Without the 1,000 volunteers annually, they couldn’t provide the necessary amenities for the refugees.  Their administration building is very old and through the work of donations and volunteers, they were able to have new paint and flooring throughout.

Hope Now For Youth Rev. Roger Minassian started Hope Now for Youth in Fresno at the end of April of 1992. Roger just had ended a 4-day prayer session asking God for direction.  During this time Roger met with three local gang members.  He remembers one vividly.  This young man was 14 years old and lived with his grandmother.  Roger asked him about his parents.  His mother was a heroin addict and his father was getting out of jail, from a one-year prison term.  He also added that his stepmother was raped and murdered by his father’s brother his uncle.  After this conversation, as Roger was driving home, he started to cry.  Crying was something that Roger rarely did.  So much so he had to pull his car off the road and ask God why.  Roger realized he was furious that he gets to watch, through his life, that these gang members are wasting away. Soon after Hope Now for Youth was established. The requirements for the clients: .   16-24 years old .   Been in Gangs .   Incarcerated .   High School Drop OutIn 1992 there were 87 homicides in the city of Fresno.  Mostly these homicides were gang-related. Hope now in 2018 Pastor Bryce Naylor is the Executive Director and explains how their program works.  Bryce states that when one life changes it has an immediate effect on six others.  That is not including the future generations. He explains that the men who enter their doors are men who have been rejected by society, gang members, and drug addicts. They have also been told by their families and friends that you can’t change and don’t even try. At this time 185 gangs exist in the city of Fresno.  So their program is much needed.  Hope Now for Youth is a Christ-based program, but they don’t force anyone solely down that road.  Their mission is to find these men jobs.  Their program lasts 3 weeks.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for 3.5 hours they meet to work with counselors, staff and their colleagues to help overcome their daily challenges. Pastor Bryce explains that they need help with donated bikes, cars and odd jobs.  An odd job is, someone from the community has work to do around the house, they can call to have their client come and gain work experience.  They only ask that they pay minimum wage and work at least 3 hours.   Pastor explains the difference between dirty money and clean money.  Clean money is money earned honestly and dirty money is what they’re used to making.  There’s a feeling of accomplishment when honest money is made. Their number one graduate from 1994 is still employed by the hospital that hired him back in 1994.  Hope Now for Youth is making the changes inside this Fresno community. They always need help and look forward to helping the less fortunate.

Merry Christmas everyone. Lisa and Vikki discuss the reason for the season. This time of year we await the coming of our savior Jesus. God sent his only son to be with us and to die for our sins so that we can live an abundant life. We must always be grateful for what we have. This season can always bring hopelessness and despair for whom don't live a life of gratitude. Lisa discusses that she is always ready to save a child. Sometimes traditions need to be changed or start anew. Be ready for that moment of Grace. Don't get wrapped up in the commercialism and do not be afraid to say Merry Christmas.

The end of the year is fast approaching and most of us are too busy to take stock of our accomplishments for the year. As Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez tell us most people start the year with an "Ambition Board", or, as Vikki calls it,  a "Prayer Tree", highlighting all the things they want to change about themselves or their lives. Sometimes these lists are too broad, too many things to change. They say it is best when you focus on one or two things you really would like to change. Before the year ends, analyze what goals you didn't reach and why. Next year make sure to remove all obstacles that prevent you from reaching your goals. Above all, be grateful, for you may not be where you want to be but, thank God, you are not where you used to be. 

In today's podcast Vikki Luna and Lisa Casarez speak to Anthony "AP" Armour, Executive Director of Neighborhood Industries. He opens up about his early years and the struggles he went through being an orphan. As he entered his teen years he became homeless living in a school bus. "AP" believes he is a product of other people's generosity when they rescued him because they saw something in him that was worth saving. He believed God used them to save his life. Now he is paying it forward by helping others get back on their feet through training and employment.  If you would like to find more information on Neighborhood Industries go to their website: http://neighborhoodindustries.com