Jorge Rivera

Ciudad Esperanza | Garcia Nuevo León México

Tell us about your family.

My name is Jorge Rivera and my wife’s name is Elda Madai. We have been married for six years and have two daughters: a two-yearold and one in heaven. As a family, we enjoy the simple things: we love walking, visiting parks, libraries, and bookstores, and spending time together watching Bluey. We also love meeting people and inviting them to our home to share a barbecue and experiment with coffee.

How have you seen God working in your family?

We have seen God working through the fact that almost nothing has gone as we originally planned. Budgets change and our days are never routine, but in that uncertainty, we have learned to rest more deeply in the God who controls everything we do and where we are. We have seen His hand guiding us to trust in the One in whom we live, move, and have our being.

How have you seen God working in your life?

I have seen the hand of God working in my life not through the absence of difficulties, but through His sovereign control over every one of them. Divine providence is nothing less than God’s continuous care over His creation, and in my journey, this has been manifested in His faithfulness to direct my steps, even when I did not understand the path myself. God has worked masterfully by orchestrating circumstances that, although sometimes painful or confusing to my limited understanding, have been the perfect instruments for my sanctification. I have learned that there are no accidents in the Kingdom of God; every closed door and every season of waiting has been a divine appointment designed to bend my will to His. His providence has taught me that He is not as interested in my temporary comfort as He is in my conformity to the image of His Son. Today, I can say with conviction that His grace has sustained me and His wisdom has charted my map. To see God working in my life is to recognize that He is the Architect of my story, and that even in the most insignificant details, His invisible hand is moving all things for His glory and for my eternal good.

How have you seen God working in your church?

We have seen God’s hand in our congregation most clearly through the centrality of His Word. There is no greater evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work than a church that develops an increasing hunger for sound doctrine and seeks to submit every area of life to the lordship of Christ. God has been working by transforming hearts that once lived for themselves into servants who now seek His glory in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Furthermore, His work is visible in the unity of the Body. In a deeply divided world, seeing people from different backgrounds, ages, and walks of life love one another and bear each other's burdens is a miracle of His grace. God has been forming a community that does not just gather to consume a service, but lives as a redeemed family where forgiveness and reconciliation are daily realities. Finally, we have seen God at work by awakening a burden for the lost. The church has moved from being an isolated refuge to a beacon of hope, where the Gospel is not only preached from the pulpit but lived and shared in the streets. God is building His Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; we see this every time a sinner repents and every time a believer is strengthened in their faith amidst trial.

What is your church’s mission/vision?

Our Mission To know, love, and proclaim that Christ is our hope in life and in death.

We are a community of disciples dedicated to:

• Knowing, loving, and proclaiming Christ.

• Understanding and living the gospel of the cross in every area of the Bible and our lives.

• Impact our surroundings with the hope of God's glory, from local neighborhoods to the nations, through the power of the Spirit.

Our Vision We dream of cities filled with people who have found their hope and purpose in Christ, living out the gospel in a real and transformative way.

This vision includes:

• Seeing restored families, impacted workplaces, and communities reflecting the light of redemption.

• Ensuring that every life tells the story of God's grace.

How can we be praying for you?

1. Family Growth: Please pray that God would grant us the blessing of growing our family, whether through pregnancy, adoption, or both, as we rest in His sovereign timing and will.

2. A Larger Meeting Space: We ask for prayer that the Lord would provide a more spacious location for our church gatherings, allowing us to better serve our community and welcome those seeking hope.

3. Fidelity to the Gospel: Pray that we remain steadfast in our mission to know, love, and proclaim that Christ is our only hope in life and death, impacting our city for His glory.

To send Jorge a note of encouragement, write to HelloCP@spanishriver.com.