Thankful.

"burdee" by James

Hello friends and family! I'd like to be straight up honest with all of you about my current state of thankfulness, especially since our special thankful day is creeping up on us this week. 

I've shared with a few of you on a personal level that it's been an interesting season for Mitch and myself and that we are in desperate need of prayer and support. I have been meaning to do a blogpost strictly about this new journey we are venturing on, but just haven't had the time or energy lately. I know that a lot of it has to do with fatigue and stress, I forgot how much sleep is lost when there's a newborn in the house and that a toddler can make you want to pull your hair out sometimes, especially on those glorious teething days! And please know, I am not complaining, I'm just noting how crazy it can be around here. I know some of you can relate :)
So here are the facts...

I/We are thankful for each of you that have sent us a text, a FB message, or a call saying how excited you are for us and the church planting program. Mitch sent out a letter to most of you, but for the few that do not know about this or are completely unaware of what is going on, here it is: 

My Story

I was born in November of 1981, in Pomona Ca. I was the first born of three boys, then came Vince followed by Ray. I spent most of my early years in Pomona, until my parents bought a home in Ontario, where they still live today. All my life my parents encouraged me to follow my heart and they would support my dreams, but sadly I didn’t know what that meant for me. I spent most of my teen years trying to figure this out. It wasn't until I turned 20 that life made sense. I was working at a retail store called Miller’s Outpost, if you know what that is, you just dated yourself. While I worked there I began attending church with a co-worker. Honestly, I had no interest in God at the time, only an interest in the girl that was inviting me. But after a few weeks of attending, God’s word began to come to life and I gave my life to Christ. For the first time, my life had meaning and I knew what my dream was. I felt the call to ministry, but as a new believer, I had no idea what to do with this call. It scared me, so I kept it to myself. In the meantime, I stepped into whatever door God opened in my life and tried to be obedient in his leading.

Our Story

One of the doors God opened was in our church’s high-school ministry. It was there where God continued to open doors for me to lead and teach. I can still remember the first time I was asked to teach, I was scared, humbled, and excited all at the same time! High-school ministry was not only where God began to open doors for ministry but also where I met Ana. She was a girl who had met Jesus and fell head-over-heels in love with him. She literally abandoned her old life in Arizona in order to pursue him wholeheartedly here in California. And on October 6th, 2007 we were married.

About a year before we were wed, I somehow landed in Fullerton. I knew nothing about this little pocket of North Orange County. But after looking for a home between the Inland Empire and Irvine, I stumbled upon what I now call home. Around 2005, while we were dating, God began to lay a burden on our heart to be a part of the local church. We would have conversations over coffee about how amazing it would be if we knew our neighbors. We dreamed of a community where we would bump into friends at the market or taking a stroll downtown. It was a place where we could become rooted and raise a family in a community. Portland, Denver, Seattle and even Riverside were the cities that we dreamed of, but we had no idea what God had in store for us.

As soon as we settled together, God immediately began to open doors. Ana worked at the downtown Starbucks and I managed a small business a block away. It was during this season where we truly got to know our neighbors. We became friends with police officers, small business owners, artists, teachers, pastors, students, families and the homeless. Our little dream became a reality. We bump into friends at the market, we see them strolling downtown, we have friends to call when we need a truck, and a community that we call Family.

In 2011 we were ready to grow our own family. On February 13, 2012 we were blessed with our first son James Arthur Fierro, and in August we get to meet our second son Henry Robert Fierro. We are in complete awe of how God has blessed our family.

How did we hear about the ROCKHARBOR Residency?

The most crucial part of our dream community is that it revolved around a local church. And sadly that was the only part missing for us in Fullerton. For the first two and a half years in Fullerton, although God was allowing us to build a community, we lacked a home church. We prayed that God would bring us a community, not only where we knew our neighbors but a place we could be the church. For two and a half years we pray and search for a place we could call home.

During Christmas in 2009, a friend was visiting from out-of-town. Over breakfast he told us that he had heard that ROCKHARBOR was starting a campus. Not being too familiar with RH, I immediately wrote off the campus. Even the campus peaked no interest in me, I kept finding myself talking about it. Multiple times it came up in mine and Ana’s conversations, after another friend suggest that we at least look into RHF, we did. We went on the RH website and found the info on where they were meeting and decided to go to one of their meetings.

In the parking lot of Monkey Business Cafe in Downtown Fullerton, Ana and I prayed. We prayed for God’s will, His direction, and His Leading. Lastly we prayed that if RHF was God’s will that He would open doors.

To be completely honest that first meeting was a bit uncomfortable. But at the end of the night it felt special. It felt as if we were on the edge of something big, and we wanted in!!! As we began to settle and become rooted, we continued to pray the same prayers. That GOD would open doors. And he did.
We began serving coffee before and after the service. All the while I had the desire to lead, but I still didn't know how to step into that role. So we prayed “God open doors...” and he did. We were part of the first Fullerton life group launch, where God allowed me to lead our first group. It was through life groups that God solidified that this was our home.

Through leading I became friends with Steve Carter (our founding Pastor), Andrew Schey (who now leads ROCKHARBOR Huntington Beach) and Nick Fox (who now leads Prayer in Costa Mesa). Through these men I was able to be apart of the shaping of the community that exists in Fullerton today.

About 4 months ago I was having coffee with Nick. I was sharing with him my desire to lead, and how for the first time I knew I was supposed to lead a community. I told him that I feel I needed help. I knew if I was going to lead I need to be equipped and prepared for this call. This is when he told me about the residency Doug Berry was leading. I immediately set up a meeting with him and I was in! I'm still in awe of what God has done and is beginning to do in me and my family.

About the Residency

The Church Planting Residency at ROCKHARBOR is a developmental position created in order to prepare the resident to plant a church. Whereas Seminary would hold high value, the RH Church Planting Residency differs in that its primary focus is on church leadership. As a resident, my weekly schedule will exhibit various developmental goals that will give me practical application for a church plant. The resident responsibilities will include: theological training, teaching, preaching and church leadership, job-shadowing of divisions of the church (Operations, Finance, Worship, Families, etc.), and also church planting development, vision and obstacles. Every resident will be planted at one of ROCKHARBOR's campus churches to help lead and facilitate weekend worship services (I will continue to be at ROCKHARBOR Fullerton) .

The residency will not only prepare me be sent out in the coming years. It will allow me to be better developed in my gifts and abilities while I am still at Fullerton. I have to say again, that I am madly in love with this city, these people, and the work God is doing here. It is my desire to be the best leader possible and through the residency I believe I will be given the opportunity to grow and be developed into the man God has created me to be.

Your Part to Play

Please pray for Ana, James, Henry and I. Cover us with prayer. Pray that Ana is able to show Christ's love to our boys as their mother. Pray for health of my boys James and Henry, and that they would grow to be men that want nothing more than to love and serve their Savior. As we enter into this season of preparation for ministry pray against the attacks of the enemy and the spiritual health of our family.

Along with praying for our family, I would also ask that you would pray to support us financially. Church plants that are primarily funded by the home church are much more likely to not succeed than those funded by a group of supporters. With fund raising, the church planter is held accountable by his supporters, the supporters have personal investment in the success of the planter and the church, and an overall sense of community develops that fosters productivity and direction.

We have begun raising support now, ROCKHARBOR's requirement is that we may begin receiving financial support once two months of our salary has been met. All donations are tax-deductible.

If you have any questions, please contact me via email mfierro@rockharbor.org or phone 949.683.4729.

So there you have it. If you want to see the actual webpage, please check it out here. Like I said, we are so incredibly thankful for those that have supported us thru a text or call sending love and encouragement, and so thankful for those of you that have helped fund us financially. I know without a shadow of a doubt that my husband is called to ministry, and I am excited for what God has in store for our family. I am trying my best to encourage him in this new season of ministry and hope that you would join us in prayer for our future as church planters. Happy Thanksgiving my sweet friends and family, I am truly thankful for each and every one of you! Now let's hurry up and eat this turkey so we can get to some of that good ol' Christmas goodness! Amen!