Evangelism, Hispanic Ministry, Soccer/sports ministry, Translation for sermons/services

Soccer/FUTBOL, tennis, ultimate frisbee, running, hiking, golf, swimming, biking

Photography, drawing, ceramics

Reading, BOOKS, poetry

Event planning to BRING people together, COMMUNITY building, sustainable living

By His mercy, there is not a time in my conscious memory where I do not remember knowing Christ.  I was raised in a Christian home, and exposed to the teachings (via audio tapes, in-home lessons, and occassionally video groups) of  a church (Berachah Church in Houston, TX) with strong biblical teaching from the original languages that led me to develop a great wealth of understanding of doctrine.

However, it wasn't until I was in college that God opened my eyes to the BEAUTY of a more intimate RELATIONSHIP with Him in addition to academic knowledge.

It wasn't until I graduated college and settled in the Fredericksburg, VA area that God brought me to a church (New Life in CHRIST Church, PCA) that WONDERFULLY combined sound doctrine and relationship-seeking/growing within a community of believers.

The GLORY that is the Body of CHRIST strengthens, encourages, challenges, and inspires me daily as we learn together what it is to PREACH the GOSPEL to OURSELVES and to the WORLD every MOMENT of every day!

I'm currently committed to many ways to challenge my GROWTH in CHRIST through weekly Bible study, a monthly Discipleship team that acts as the leadership team for young adults, monthly reunion groups for the Pilgrimmage community (!!De COLORES!!), and regular church attendance.

I tend to be verbose so I'm limiting myself here:

they allow me to sign off on each correspondence whether written or spoken, and whether to profess it audibly or in my heart, with this:

To be pefectly honest, it is the father of the boy who appears in the Gospel of Mark and proclaims,

"I do believe; help my unbelief!" (ch 9 v 24).

I'm regulary AMAZED by the BEAUTY of the GOSPEL and the way in which CHRIST SAVES us and yet leaves us on earth, as yet not invited to enter into glory, in the midst of the process that is sanctification where we are :

lost and yet found

sinners and yet saints

free and yet enslaved

dead and yet risen from the grave

desperate and yet saved

so sick and yet so cured

so indebted so redeemed

so dirty yet so clean

so dependant and so weaned

(paraphrase from Lost And Found's song BLSQD)

I BELIEVE by the POWER of CHRIST and yet, in sanctification, I do not yet perfectly believe nor perfectly submit nor perfectly serve others, and therefore must PLEAD for CHRIST to HELP my UNBELIEF even as He QUICKENS me to BELIEVE in the first place.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.  Does God invite us to be content in Him?  YES!  Has he also revealed to us that man generally is not to be alone?  YES!

So there you have it.  Like my previous answer, I am both CONTENT and need HELP in my discontent (i.e. patience, understanding, wisdom, JOY).

passionate (+/-)

generous with time, empathy, and sympathy (+/-)

ready and compassionate listener (+)

a little too busy (-)

CHRIST REIGNING in the HEARTS and MINDS of His children as He WORKS with the FATHER and SPIRIT to REDEEM this world and bring about a RESTORATION of RELATIONSHIP to, for, and because of His GLORY!!

i.e. I ADORE the concept of SHALOM = wholeness, healing, restoration, redemption, peace, relationship.  It is BETTER than the gluing together of pieces from a shattered jar.  It is the RESTORATION of that jar to a place and time BEFORE it was ever BROKEN.

Now THAT is some HEALING and that is what my SOUL LONGS FOR every day.

The WORD of GOD, alive, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword...

My parents and the memory of my sister Eleanor Josephine

LOVE...CHESED...the UNFAILING LOVE of GOD

INTEGRITY: godly character that is consistent throughout a person's life, in all areas of his life, where is idenity is rooted and grounded in the Word of God made flesh, Christ our Lord.

FAITHFULNESS: pure and simple.  Life is about commitment, it is about covenant and God is MOST GLORIFIED when we REJOICE in His faithfulness and seek to embrace and display it in our own lives.  A FAVORITE definition of LOVE I found a few years ago and added to is: LOVE is a commitment of the will to the TRUE GOOD of another AND THANKFULLY it does not negate pain and suffering.

THOUGHTFULNESS/PENSIVITY/REFLECTION: my mind is regularly thinking, analyzing, reflecting, questioning, exploring, refining, and delighting in the GROWTH available in LIFE and the infinite complexity and wonder and joy of discovery inherent in the Christian walk.  I HOPE God leads me to find someone who has a similar passion so that we can SHARE in deep and meaningful conversations and persistent inquiry into LIFE, God's WORD, the MIND of CHRIST, and KNOWING HIM more fully.

"Therefore do not be conformed to this world but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your MIND so that you may PROVE what the will of the LORD is, that which is is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom 12.2)

"Prone to wander, LORD I feel it, prone to leave the GOD I LOVE, here's my HEART, O, take and SEAL it, SEAL it for Thy courts above"...from Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, the first hymn I memorized

McCarthy family motto: to the BRAVE and FAITHFUL man, nothing is impossible

"And though at times impetuous with emotion and anguish long suppressed/

the swelling heart heaves moaning like the ocean that cannot be at rest/

we will be patient and assuage the feeling we may not wholly stay/

by silence SANCTIFYING not concealing the GRIEF that must have way"

--from RESIGNATION by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii (father is a Marine), and stayed until I was~2.5 yo

Moved to Okinawa, Japan for 1 yr

Moved to Virginia for 3.5 yrs, to Oklahoma for 6 mos, to California for 3.5 yrs

Moved to Minnesota for 8 yrs, to Maine for 4 yrs, to Texas for 3 mos, to Virginia for the past 4 years.

Travelled to Ireland for 2 wks the summer of 2008 and spent a GLORIOUS semester in Mexico in the fall of 2003 (Oaxaca and Chiapas).

I've travelled to most of the 50 states in the United States, have been to Canada twice, and have a strong desire to continue to travel and/or live abroad, as the Lord permits.