The Mendiola Family Journey

 Reflecting on the incredible journey God has brought Tiffany and I on together. When we first got married 19 years ago, we had no idea the plans He had in store for us. We knew we wanted to start a family, but struggled with infertility for several years. It wasn't easy, we both struggled with feelings of longing, emptiness, and grief.. and the Lord knows I didn't make it easy for my wife as I battled depression and self-harm. But by God's grace, Tiff and I clung to each other and to our faith in Jesus. We knew that every life, from the moment of conception, has inherent dignity and worth. So even when our chances were slim, we kept praying and believing for a miracle.

God is Good all the time

 

And God answered in ways beyond what we could ask or imagine! After 10 years of trying, we were overjoyed to adopt our precious daughter Kairi. Tiff even got to be in the room the moment she came into the world!  What a gift from above she has been to us. Then, amazingly, the Lord blessed us again 4 years later with our son Rylan. Two beautiful, healthy children - clear evidence of God's faithfulness when we felt all hope was lost. In March of 2025 We welcomed Micah James into the family.

Now, in this season, we are filled with gratitude that Tiffany is carrying our fourth little one, who we affectionately call "Gabey." The journey has not been easy and we definitely weren't expecting to be raising two toddlers well into our 40s... But we know the Author of Life is knitting this baby together in her womb and we trust fully in His perfect plan.

Through the valleys and the mountaintops, Tiffany has been my rock. Her unwavering faith, her sacrificial love for our family, and her inner strength inspire me daily. I couldn't imagine walking this road with anyone else by my side. Together, we are committed to raising our kids to know Jesus, to affirm the sanctity of every human life, and to love and serve others the way Christ loved us. 

We don't know what the future holds, but we know the One who holds the future. As Joshua 24:15 says, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." That is the anthem and the aim of our family. We are so grateful for the story He is writing in us and through us!

Surviving the Enemy's Flaming Arrows

Since the encounter with Satan in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been in the midst of a constant battle between the forces of good and evil. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us - "For our fight is not against any physical enemy; it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen powers that controls this dark world; spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil." (Phillips paraphrase)

Satan uses lies and untruth to try and convince people that God ordained truths are archaic and do not apply to our modern times. But God does not change His mandates are for all generations from creation throughout eternity Satan is a formidable adversary, and he uses cunning lies to blind the eyes and twist the minds of those he is trying to take with him to Hell. We can clearly see this in his twisting of the many social issues of our time. Abortion is not the taking of innocent life, but rather a women's health issue. Homosexuality is not a sin, but a lifestyle choice. Transgenderism is becoming your true self and correcting the 'mistake God made when He created you. There are countless examples of how Satan twists and rationalizes the Truth to cause our minds to question what God says.

We might wonder what chance we have against Satan and his evil forces. Ephesians 6:11 gives us the answer, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (tricks of the devil." We must be careful that we do not fall into the trap of thinking that just because we are believers, we are safe from the attacks of the enemy. We, who profess Christ as our Savior, are his prime targets! Regular reading of God's Word and prayer are our main defensive weapons! These provide the protection we need to counter the enemy's onslaught.

We must not allow ourselves to fall into the trap of Satan's lies and trickery, but rather, claim the promises of Scripture. God has good plans for us and wants us to repent and follow Him. Some would say that believers are being intolerant and judgmental if they speak against sin. In truth, it is God who judges each of us and will not allow sin to be tolerated. It is true that everyone has sinned and that each of us must recognize our sinfulness, repent of it, and receive the forgiveness that comes only through the shed blood of Christ. The most loving thing we can do is point others toward the redemption purchased on the cross of Calvary!"

The above article was included in the August-September issue of the Revival Tidings, authored by Gary Stenberg. He is the Administrative Director for the Helping Hands Ministry, a position that Pastor Van Someren once held. Our own Jim Hanson is a board member of this ministry. May God continue to bless this ministry 

-Pastor Bruce.