Lauren's Space

Halloween Hope Night

2008-11-03T10:14:00.004-05:00

What a successful event! For the past few years FRC has been hosting these kick butt events on Halloween. This year we did a similar event to the past couple years, but limited the population of families to ones with special needs children. So ... Andres, Ashley, and I got together and threw together an army trunk at our Cooper City Campus. Throughout the night we got the opportunity to give candy and snacks to children that have, many of them, not been out of the house on Halloween night for many years!

Here are some pictures from the event...

The FIsh

2008-11-01T21:28:00.002-04:00

All I have to say is...that fish is so freakin lucky! ... :)

While they were away..

2008-10-07T09:13:00.000-04:00

When my parents went with my middle sister, Brittany, on a cruise they left not only Jenna and me, but our dog, Pedi. While they were away he expressed his urgency for their return. The pictures show it all...

Gears!

2008-10-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

This past Wednesday we had Gears, an awesome event for growing leaders to learn about the bible and maturing in their faith. It is an phenomenal event that is going to change lives!

Who thought a trunk was that important?

2008-10-05T16:12:00.003-04:00

After a long day, I finally was able to tell my "little sister", Ashley Iodice, that she was my "little"! It was a good, but did I say long day?!?

As we loaded up my car to leave home from Kendal I popped my trunk. When we went to shut it closed it bounced back up again. So Ash and I swung by the local CVS and picked up some ribbon. As we shoved our heads into the trunk of the car to tie the bouncing trunk down I started to think about how this simple compartment to my car had so much of an effect on my entire car.

Just like how in my life when something small "breaks" my whole world is effected. Whenever these smal compartments break... there's always a "CVS" available to provide whatever "ribbon" is needed to tie up the problems.

I love that whenever I have small compartment of my life break down I can call of my God to fix the entirety of my life that is now effected.

"The" Calling

2008-09-24T01:33:00.000-04:00

Matthew 4:19 Jesus basically says to these random dude out on the water fishing... Hey come follow me and you will be able to become great "fishers of men". We talked yesterday in our weekly staff meeting about raising up leaders and becoming these "fishers of men".

What does that term mean? Who are the "men"? Why do they "fish"for them?
I interpret this verse like this...It means...people...the lost...searchers...know-it-alls...children...adults...college students...druggies...anyone that feels like no matter what they fill their heart, soul, body, and mind with they are still empty, unhappy, lonely, or miserable.

God calls us to stand up for him on this earth... to share what he has done. We are not worthy of this calling... we are the screw ups and sinners and yet still God knows that in the eyes of those lost on earth we are the closest thing to God they will ever see. I love the calling and will embrace the adventure with every passing day!

Thanks God for the opportunity to live my life to glorify and magnify your untouchable name.

My Colombian's Birthday

2008-09-23T23:01:00.002-04:00

The love of my life turned 20 on Wednesday of last week and we spent a whole week and weekened celebrating the fact that he has been alive for 20 years!

This is a little recap of the events!
Happy late birthday baby!
I love you!

"I thought of you..."

2008-09-21T11:29:00.000-04:00

Andres calls me the other day and tells me that he has bought me something... and of course my mind races through the options of what my wonderful boyfriend would choose to randomly purchase for me.
As we leave the mall I remember the comment about the "gift" and ask "Hey, where's my gift"?... like a selfish brat

... and as I open the car door I see this...

How adorable... he says "I saw them and I though of you".

Love it.. Love you baby.

Bowling for Brit's Brithday!

2008-09-20T14:30:00.002-04:00

So... Happy Birthday to my little sister... Brittany Marie... she turned 18 years old yesterday... how crazy is that?!?!? I seriously think its just whack.

So for her birthday bash we decided to hit up the bowling alley.. here are some pics!

Love you sis!

Just another day in '08

2008-09-04T11:09:00.003-04:00

Welcome to 2008.

Just a good ol' day at the DiStefano household. Mom mad at her phone and dad enjoying his simple moments with his blackberry.
Gotta love em'.

Yes... that'd be me...

2008-08-28T14:30:00.001-04:00

I am now the official Wedding Coordinator for FRC as well as the Doral Weekend Program Coordinator. I am as psyched as I am humbled! The opportunity was literally placed in my hands by the Father himself. Both of these titles contain the same word... coordinator... this word defines me from the inside out. This is a quality God placed in my heart and soul and I am so thankful for the opportunity to do God's work at FRC.

As of Monday this week I was given a desk in the office and now get to work directly next to all of the awesome FRC staff! Being in the office just brings so much more energy and excitement to the jobs that I do.

God you truly ROCK and i am thankful for all of the blessings that you throw my way when i am not deserving. Thank you for Flamingo. Thank you for the potential you have put in me and everyone I encounter.

Good Times in Doral

2008-08-26T20:49:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago i spent the weekend in Doral with my Parents, Andres, and Brit (my sister). It was more than i expected! I woke up to a questionare about a million things from my father and ended the day with some good old colombian cuisine. During the day we got the opportunity to look stupid, learn new things, and bond as a family. I gotta say Doral is where it is at!

Here are some lovely pictures of that day!

Hip Hop 4 High Tops

2008-08-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

This is going to be an amazing event. The college ministry at FRC, Elevate, is presenting this event Hip Hop 4 High Tops.

It will be at our Hallendale campus on the 29th of August at 7pm. Mark your calendars now and get ready to Jam out! All you have to do is bring a pair of new shoes to the event and then you get to participate in an amazing show of hip hop bands!

So go out, get that pair of shoes, and get ready for an amazing event!

Experiencing Worship

2008-08-05T22:42:00.005-04:00

Tonight we had a quarterly staff meeting at FRC and like all staff meetings it was filled with power. Pastor Troy spoke with great passion filling each person with a better look into their personal purpose. I sat there in a green chair just like I do on the weekends, but it hit me that this was not just a typical weekend service. This was a teaching of passion directed towards leaders of FRC to bring to their ministries, families, friends, and the world we live in. Today I felt like the strong leader that God made me. I walked out of that auditorium with confidence that I was made by the creator and blessed to be made! I live on this earth in a place where I can enjoy the luxuries given to me by the creator.

Thank you Lord for the many blessings you give me and for the ability to share what I have with you and others.

To feel the presence of God take over in a room full of potentially stressed out, overwhelmed, and powerful people brought chills to my body. The impact that FRC has on the world is and will continue to be magnificent because of the leaders today and the leaders tomorrow that will stand up with tears down their face singing to their Lord thanking him for the stress, the power, the anxiety, and the overall blessings that he has granted them. I cannot wait to feel the presence of God in a room full of leaders belonging to 50 campuses!

Comfort Food

2008-07-28T10:45:00.008-04:00

At my Gammy and Gandaddy's house in Orlando there is a showcase of all the food that our family has enjoyed over the years. We consider the dishes comfort food. The list contains anything from inside jokes to loved classics. Some of the food may not be as delicious as some other gourmet dishes, but the idea that they are "family recipes" past down over so many years makes them that much more special. Without these recipes my family meals would not be the same! It's funny how over so many years the recipes remain and only improve.

Thanks Gammy and Gandaddy for showing us the joy that comes from making food together as a family.

Why Did God Create Children?

2008-07-23T15:51:00.004-04:00

Top 5 things that Preschool children love to do while in school:

Talk about their aches and pains
Eat food/Put food on the surrounding surfaces
Play with/throw toys all over the classroom
Try to get the attention of the Teacher (ie. scream, kiss, cry, smile, beg, talk, hug, act-up)
Look so yummy that even if they had a horrible day, all you want to do is keep them for yourself!

Overall working with children brings joy and excitement, pain and tears; however they fill me with an overwhelming sense of purpose. I am so thankful for these little creatures that God places into mommies and daddies arms. They are some of the most annoying and lovable little creations I have ever seen. If God has blessed you with a child treat them properly, like the most precious gift from the Father.

One day... a long time from today... I pray that God will bless me with something so amazing and I only can hope that I can take care of my children like my Father in heaven would wish.

It's not my wedding

2008-07-19T12:38:00.005-04:00

I have had this dream of becoming a wedding planner for some time now and now that I am an intern for Brides Rule, a wedding planning company, my standards for weddings are altered.

I attended a wedding recently that was not up to my standards. It started an hour late, their were children screaming, people walking around, poor organization of event, and overall it was irritating to watch. Although the bride and groom looked gorgeous and are truly lovely people, their wedding could have been dramatically changed if they had some assistance from someone that has been in the business of wedding planning. The whole time i sat their shaking my head as i reminded myself "It's not my wedding. I didn't plan this wedding." After the 17th time of repeating these words to myself Andres turns to me and says, "I know babe you've already said that plenty of times."

The night was long and after sitting on my behind for over 3 hours straight I was ready to leave. But then the music finally started and Andres jumps up with his Colombian hips moving ready to dance his little heart out on the dance floor. I get dragged out of my chair and proceed to find my joy, Andres. His smile will bring me out of the horror of a tragic wedding and into the enjoyment of a good dance together. We then danced to several songs when we realized it was late and us old farts had to get home so we could get some sleep. The night started poor, but left me with a smile on my face.

So here's to bad weddings, long nights, smiling, and good men to keep you going.

Who's Child is it Anyway?

2008-07-10T09:05:00.002-04:00

I was searching around and I found this hilarious sign that I think should be everywhere!

Check it out here on Matt Millers Blog . I assure you that you will laugh out loud and want to put up this sign in every public area.

Finding Joy with Catch Phrase

2008-07-09T13:10:00.003-04:00

We sat around our beach house living room and played the ever popular game, catch phrase. As we began to get a better grasp of the game and start to enjoy each other, the differences of opinions about the rules turned into a huge conflict. I was offended by a certain way the game was being played, but others were validating these strategies. When my opinion was not agreed with I grew frustrated.

Why? Because I was not in control. There is now proof that I am not always right. Why is it as humans that we get frustrated when we are not correct. If we decided to live the "my way or the highway" lifestyle then we confine ourselves to secluded boxes.

I don't want to be in a secluded box.

"God give me the ability to live a life that does not seclude me from fellowship with others. Without this i will be left not only without companionship, but with a loss of joy. Fill me with joy to live how you would want to live. Amen"

Balancing Relaxation and Fun

2008-07-06T17:03:00.003-04:00

It's been the second day of our Fort Myers vacation. My family is down in Fort Myers to celebrate my Grandparent's 50th Anniversary. After the first day here we are all now officially exhausted from trying to maintain a balance of relaxation and fun.

The house is a beach house decorated in fish and boats as well as lighthouses and plastic plants. The combinations of overwhelming knickknacks takes over this quaint home. Although the house is the epitome of an overdone beach themed house, the time has been pleasantly relaxing.

We attended a church down here in Fort Myers; the church full filled the mold that we had been looking for in a vacation church to attend. Although we were able to sit through the service and gain some knowledge to bring back to FRC, the experienced made me yearn for the worship I enjoy at FRC. Our worship team, teaching, and overall environment at FRC surpassed this church my miles. I feel blessed to be a part of a team working to reach the people in our world that would normally be left behind.

Elevate in Doral

2008-07-03T00:34:00.005-04:00

I am a part of this amazing ministry called Elevate. We are the college ministry at FRC and have now branched out to our Doral Campus. It is an exciting opportunity for me because I have made the choice to help out with the new Doral Elevate and am the Environment Director. This is something that I have longed to be able to be a part of and have as a ministry.

I just love how sometimes God sneaks ideas into your life and you fall in love with them! I am ridiculously grateful for the challenge and chance to grow as a Christ follower and truly embrace our idea at FRC about being One Church Where You Are.

I recently posted some pictures on the Elevate blog ... check them out here.

A Fun Ride

2008-06-29T19:42:00.002-04:00

On Monday it will be Andres and my sixth month anniversary. The short adventure feels enormous. These past sixth months have been like the beginning of a roller coaster. The beginning of the relationship was all up hill with direct attention to the positives. Shortly after that the drops followed. This ride will be crazy.

Throughout this ride there have been some great memorable times. I picked a collective few.

1. The first time I saw Andres at FRC Doral

2. Being creative when bored

3. Shopping for the first time together

4. Sharing the words "I love you" with each other

5. Eating chicken at the beach

6. Spanish lessons

7. And looking forward to the future

I am so thankful to God for my Papasito.

Sick much?

2008-06-28T11:09:00.004-04:00

So... I have had swollen glands since April 2007. Odd, right? After going to several doctors I finally saw an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialist. Although his title would sound like he should be able to tell me what is wrong with me the field of medicine is only a practice. Now I wake up every morning to several pills to swallow, a nasal spray, giving my whole arm's worth of blood, a CT scan, and a follow up visit. Lets hope that after all of this they might have a clue what is wrong with me.

I never thought at the youthful age of 19 that I would be living a life comparable to that of a 67 year old. Ha! Not really, but drama makes life more fun.

Soon I might have an answer... we'll see.

So keep me in your prayers.

My Injured

2008-06-24T09:22:00.006-04:00

As I sat with my mom in the ENT room prepping myself for the doctor to stick a camera done my nasal cavity, i was engaged in texting and emailing on my phone. My mom proceeds to ask me, "what would you do if your phone broke right now and you had no more phone?" I replied, "I would get a replacement phone immediately!" There is no way I could live without my phone, right?

Later on that day I was cleaning in the preschool at church and as I answered the phone I dropped it into the dirty mop bucket. I was freaking out as I pulled it out of the bucket, took it apart, and wiped it down. It did not turn back on after that. I woke up this morning and sat down with my injured sidekick. I began to blow dry the phone with the hope that I cold get rid of all the water and it would be like new again. After 45 min past I turned my phone on. Magically, the screen came on for a split second then turned off again. What a beast!

Now what...

buy a new phone, get a go phone, switch my plan and start a new plan with a new phone?!?!

To many questions.

For right now I will pray for the strength to learn how the materialistic things should not control me and begin to live for something more than a phone.

Here are some pictures of my injured...

Waiting...

2008-06-18T21:16:00.005-04:00

...

To wait.

To be waited for.

To keep waiting on.

...

Life is a continuation of the word wait. How long will it take for dinner to be finished? ... we wait. When will I discover my future career? ... we wait. Will this pain ever leave me? ... we wait. Is he ever going to propose? ... we wait. Will we ever have enough money? ... we wait.

The clock of life ticks on telling us that waiting is always in our way of receiving.

Being in the eyes of my Savior i wait. I wait for the day i get to stare into my Makers face and smile knowing that it was worth the wait. To wait seems like forever. But to receive once waited is an indescribable prize worthy of praise.

So just keep waiting... the remarkable only comes to those you wait patiently.

Thank you Lord for providing us with patience to wait.

The Interview

2008-06-13T23:22:00.006-04:00

Today I went to an interview for an internship with a wedding planning company called Brides Rule. It was amazing! I got the internship and I begin on Monday when I attend an event. After all the skepticism and worrying my Almighty Savior took care of me. All the prayers for this perfect opportunity came through. Thanks God!

I am now officially a Wedding Planner's Intern. So... if you are planning on getting married, know of someone that is, or you just love weddings and want to chat, call me up!

So excited for the future!

A Colombian Asado!

2008-06-09T09:46:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I was entertained by my Colombian family at an Asado, or a BBQ. If you have never had Colombian BBQ let me know and I will hook you up! From the sauces to the meat (oh man the meat), once the food reaches your nostrils the desire to dig in is instantaneous!

Since God chose to give me an extremely sensitive stomach, red meat is difficult to digest, but I took the chance and had as much carne as I possibly could. Surprisingly they simply season the meat with sea salt and lime, but wow it is delicious! Even if you are not hungry once they place this mouth-watering food down on your plate the hunger arises from within!

If nothing else I hope this blog made you hungry! So let me know if you want to get hooked up?

Also Kung Fu Panda- Awesome movie! It was hilarious... definitely a must see!

I know Pastor Troy will be out there to watch it soon, so go to the movies and check it out. Just be ready to laugh so hard you pee in your pants.

The Gringa Learning Spanish

2008-06-05T22:48:00.006-04:00

As I sit here repeating spanish words after a CD attempting to learn the spanish lingo... I think back to simpler times, when I would spend my free, up late at night, time on facebook or reading. Now, however I listen to spanish lessons on CD in hopes that through sitting here hearing these two people speak to each other that the language would seep into my brain and I will wake up tomorrow speaking fluently in Espanol! Well there is a start.

Some of you might be asking the question: Why is this tall white chick learning spanish?

Surprisingly it is not because of the fast growing spanish speaking population here in south Florida. I'm sorry, but I'm not that nice. Up until about 6 months ago I had refused to learn spanish. Around December of 2007 I believe Jesus really wanted to give me a challenge when at my church's lovely Doral campus I meet this totally cute colombian. And you guessed it- he speaks spanish, as well as English props to my All Powerful Father for that! This total hottie is now my colombian and with this new amazing man I get the opportunity to enhance my knowledge of foreign language!

So I will continue to sit here listening to spanish tapes and reading my spanish for dummies book so that one day I will walk into our green room still as this crazy tall American chick, but speaking fluently in spanish!

Just wait.. it'll happen.

A Rockin' Beach Baptism Concert

2008-06-02T10:53:00.003-04:00

Last night was AMAZING!

Our awesome Hallandale Campus through it down last night to provide for a rockin' night of baptising fellow Christ Followers and jammin' music! Props go out to the entire Hallandale Campus and the band and techies!

So Proud to be a part of this remarkable thing happening around us called Flamingo Road church!

God you ROCK!

Also to my amazing little sis! You showed south Florida how to seriously shout it out to God on that stage last night! i am So proud to call you my sister! From the Sara Bareilles song to the overall performance for Him.. you ROCKED! I love you!

This was my first beach baptism in a long time.. and without the opportunity i would not have been able to be on the edge of the ocean watching so many people shout of there affection for God through the action of baptism. The faces that came out of that water were not only joyful but glowing with the light of Jesus Christ! Wow... the Power he holds

The Beginning

2008-05-21T10:39:00.006-04:00

To begin this blog off I will start with a defining story of who Lauren truly is.
On Sunday I was at Andres, my boyfriend's, house. There i found myself pouting my lips and getting upset about something childish. I stormed outside to his backyard where I saw my sanctuary from my annoyance- the hammock. I ran to this hammock and embraced it with all that I have ... and as I sat down ... the hammock that I had trusted in collapsed! The bar came tumbling down on my head and as I looked up, with the net wrapped around my body, to my man's face he picked me up out of the distorted mess that I had once trusted and held me as tears fell down my face.

This event brought me back to my relationship with God, my true savior. How many times do I get mad and annoyed with my God, run away from him to the safety of the "hammock" and embrace that other passion? This passion is not only going to break and fall down, but injure me. But the BEST thing of all is that my all powerful, lord of lords will be there to pick me up, clean me off, and heal all my wounds. Now I am NEW again. Thank you God for this blessing that I know I can always fall back into your arms!