Pastor Lori

Born and raised on the Arizona/Mexico border, I am a proud Latina mom of three, "nana" (grandmother) to nine, and I spend my life falling in love every day with my husband, Martin. Family is everything to me! I understand heartache, suffering, and pain and am a living witness that all things are possible with Jesus! The traumas in life are not meant to keep you down. While they don't seem fair, they can develop the strength in you to know that you can get up, bounce back and move forward, and since living an edited and distorted identity is not a choice I will make, I have learned that you have to process lifes ups and downs in healthy ways that align those experiences to who you were created to be. I love supporting others to develop deep faith and an intimate relationship with Jesus because this strengthens identity and well-being. Being connected and building relationships is in my DNA. I am empowered to empower, and everything I do flows from this part of my identity, an identity strengthened and deeply rooted in Christ.

My passion for living life to the fullest is lived out when I have the privilege of helping others find their passion and live plentifully to their whole self and potential. I serve as the National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the first female and first Mexican/American to be elected to this position. Over 20 years of experience as a visionary leader in family and community programming, as well as administration and program development, provide me with expertise in innovative and adaptive leadership, staff development, vision and strategic planning, and more. I love working with people seeking change and challenge to transform people, organizations, churches, families, and communities. As a speaker, you can expect to be challenged and to find hope. As a visionary, I seek to create relevant and innovative environments that foster growth and multiplication for the Kingdom.

I believe every child, every adult, and every family deserves the opportunity to be the best they can be, and we are all called to constantly grow and expand our capacity to do so. Believing in yourself and believing in others is vital to a successful life. It's not about money; it's not about material things, but rather about a fulfilling life on all levels, physically, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. I wrote my first book, "Hello! Nice to Meet Me" for this reason. I believe there is always more to learn, more to see, more to do, and more to be. A real-life perspective on the battles of daily life and a life of faith and courage are key elements in every person's life for reaching full potential...the potential you have inside, given to you by the creator of the universe. It is my dream and my life's desire to be an instrument in God's hands to bless others and to help raise up a generation of individuals of all ages who love and believe in themselves.