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By Victoria Rosa-Garcia Founder of Pure Love + Health Ministries __ A HISTORY LESSON By the age of 15, I was ministering from the pulpit of my childhood home church. Leading Bible studies, worship, and teaching at my high school's Bible club were things I did regularly. My childhood home church built me for ministry from a young age. I feel very blessed now that I reflect on this truth, as it seems as though the Church (big C) today has created a lot of barriers for young people to minister in the capacity that our elders afforded us the opportunity back in the day. The way Baby-Boomer parents taught their Millenial children how to swim at the local 'Y' was equivalently the fashion they "prepared" us for ministry; they threw us in and coached us from the sidelines. Sometimes we sank. Sometimes we floated. It took a long time until we actually could swim, but it eventually happened. For context, our home church was a resourceful house of worship for other congregations in the City of Bridgeport. We had resources and programs that other churches didn't necessarily have. This afforded us the opportunity to receive children and youth from various surrounding neighborhoods for Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) during the summer and fed a pipeline to our weekly Missionettes and Royal Rangers program (which is like a Christian Girls and Boy Scouts). We had guest speakers from local congregations serve as guest speakers on our Christian radio station. We received individuals from all over the city struggling with addiction into our drug rehabilitation program called Helping Hand Center. We served the homeless of our city every Friday evening at our soup kitchen called Mana. We held youth rallies with local youth groups. Fellowshipping with local churches within our small city was something we did ... often. In my teenage years, our home church became a temporary home for another congregation. While they constructed a church home on the east side of the city, our church allowed them to use our building for the duration of their building-project. Naturally, as teenagers do, we mingled with their youth group and built "relationships" (insert teenage smile here). We mingled generously with this congregation and held important services together, such as Easter and Christmas. A MOMENT TO REMEMBER Of the many services we held together in all the years that the congregation shared our building, I remember ONE in particular. I was about 18 years old, (20 years ago), and I was leading worship with my then-boyfriend and childhood, girl best friends. I remember the spirit of God was moving in the house that day and every seat in the building was taken. As the Lord was moving amongst the people, I unconventionally made an altar call for all the youth in the building, inviting them to come to the altar and worship. I noticed a young girl in a long denim skirt, sneakers, and a dark blue t-shirt tucked into her skirt — walk from her seat to the altar alongside her friends. She came to the front, to the right of where I was standing, and held hands with her companions. Her head held low and down. The sadness on her face stirred me. I remember the dark circles of grief under her eyes and her face was filled with what I now can name as shame. As I saw her fervently pray and cry out to God, I walked up to her and spoke over her saying, "Child, you no longer have to feel sad or ashamed in Jesus' name. Don't allow anyone to devalue you or call you dirty or ugly. You are not!" Her little body began to shake and she cried heavily and worshipped. We stayed in a posture of prayer for a long moment, as if it were just her and I in the room. It was as if this entire moment was for HER. Inviting the youth up front to worship was for her. This breakthrough atmosphere was for her. The word of knowledge was for her. God did it again. He left the 99 to find the one. Aren't you thankful for moments like this? When God uses a stranger to speak into your life when they have NO IDEA what you're going through. I am thankful to have been used in this young girl's life at the time. She was obviously in need of deep healing and the long face that came to the altar, so broken, went back to her seat filled with a little more light in her eyes. But this moment, as precious as it was, soon became a faded memory to me, locked away in the corner of my mind and heart. ❤️ MEMORIES UNLOCKED Today I attended a lovely book launch event with the many women in our Southern Connecticut community. Our dear sister in Christ and past participant of Purity + Peace, Ashley Delgado, wrote a book entitled, You Are Still Beautiful, sharing the intimate details of her upbringing, which included physical and verbal abuse, and a moment where she experienced sexual abuse. There were three guest speakers at today's event, one being our very own Purity + Peace leader Zaibel Torres, and all three were victims of sexual abuse. They shared their testimonies courageously and with no shame or tears, but with conviction and passion. Today's event struck me deeply because if you know anything about the origins and mission of Purity + Peace, creating safe spaces for people to heal is the foundational building block of our ministry's culture. Since 2016, we have encouraged atmospheres in small-group settings where psychological safety is a must and where women can share traumas and past hurts while receiving truths from God's Holy Word, the Bible. It was in this mission that the Lord called me at 30 years old to first share my unfiltered testimony with the women who attended the Bible study. I began to share a 25-year-old secret of my experience of sexual abuse with women I barely knew, but this obedience (to God be the ultimate glory) produced fruit. What was once something we shared in small groups eight years ago, today was shared to a large group of 70+ women. I left today's event feeling encouraged that as a Connecticut community, we are gaining ground in the area of testimonies and overcoming by the blood of Jesus. This is a transitional season that should be noted to us. We have labored in this area for years. To see fruit is exciting. To recognize the shift is a gift. Women supporting each other, especially in Women's History Month, is to be noted. As I began to read Ashley's book today, a portion stood out to me. To align and respect the guidelines written in her copyright area, I will use only a small quote from her book: "In a noisy room with laughing children, in moments when I was smiling, I felt alone." I instantly was transported back to the young girl who stood before me at the altar 20 years ago. Ashley Delgado, you stood before me as a tender, broken teen in front of a church full of elders, youth, and children, and the Lord met us both there to remind you that you were STILL beautiful then, and you're still beautiful now. I read the details of your childhood trauma today in the vulnerable pages you so delicately inked, and I wept. I NEVER knew these details and yet, God did! This unlocked memory was the reminder I needed in this season that God truly meets us at our most down times to lift us up! A FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT Today I was inspired and ministered to by the young girl whom I ministered to 20 years ago. Today she stood strong and bold in front of a group of 70+ women and shared her heart. She penned her most intimate moments in a book for all to read. The girl who was once a stranger to me at the altar has become a very real character in my life today. A friend. A sister. Only God can write stories like this. As I go through my own season of ups and downs, I am grateful to have been poured into today by someone I poured into yester-year. This is the refreshing truth of God's family. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 | New International Version 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. This is us. This is our story. And it continues... ____ To purchase Ashley Delgado's book on Amazon, click here.

By Victoria Rosa-Garcia Founder of Pure Love + Health Ministries Hello, fellow adventurers in our Pure Love + Health Family! If you're a bonafide Millenial like me, you thrive on the thrill of a new adventure. From exploring exotic destinations to sampling the trendiest foods, adventure is practically in our DNA. It's also the norm to share life's exciting moments with others on social media — encouraging others to join in on the fun. Whether it's snapping Insta-worthy travel pics or indulging in delicious meals at top-rated restaurants, in this day in age, we've made the pursuit of adventure a daily lifestyle. But what if I told you that the greatest adventure of all awaits us in our walk with God? From the dawn of time, God has been leading His people on incredible journeys filled with twists, turns, and miraculous moments. From the Garden of Eden to the parting of the Red Sea, His adventures are nothing short of awe-inspiring. And the best part? He invites us to join Him on these wild rides of faith. As we come off of our sabbatical year, I've been on a mission to infuse our community with the same spirit of adventure that we find in the scriptures. That's why we're sharing more local community events in our email blasts & newsletters. I pray you begin to engage, take risks to meet new people, and build relationships with other believers in our area. Adventure requires us to branch out, enjoy out-of-the-ordinary experiences, and explore. As for Pure Love + Health, I've been asking the Lord: "What does adventure in our community look like?" I landed on a vision for Sisters' Sunday Adventure, which infuses fun, fellowship, and worship (peace). Picture this: A leisurely morning spent sipping coffee flights and indulging in delicious breakfast treats at The Roasted Bean in Bristol, Connecticut. Surrounded by the company of sisters-in-Christ, we'll laugh, share stories, and strengthen our bonds of fellowship. But the adventure doesn't stop there. After fueling up on caffeine and camaraderie, we'll journey together to Thrive Church in Terryville, Connecticut, where we'll worship and praise God, together. Instead of rushing through another Sunday as usual, let's pause, retreat, and savor the beauty of sisterhood and God's love. Let's trade the chaos for calm, the noise for nature, and the ordinary for the extraordinary. So, my fellow adventurers, I invite you to join me for a peaceful morning to interrupt the hustle of life and adventure out into the unknown places of our state. Let's make memories, deepen our relationships with each other, and experience worship in a new and exciting place. Are you ready to make the first Sisters' Sunday Adventure unforgettable? I know I am. Until then, stay adventurous! Victoria Rosa-Garcia Founder of Pure Love + Health Ministries P.S. The first woman to arrive will get their coffee covered! Our gift to you. Share the image below on your social media & invite your friends.

By Victoria Rosa-Garcia Founder of PLH & Author of Purity + Peace Women's Bible Study It's been six years since this journey began. Our church started rolling out the small group model, a framework that enables a large church congregation to provide relational intimacy with other church members by splitting us into focus groups categorized by theme/interests/topics/location. I never wanted to be a small group leader. I had entered Cornerstone Christian Center in Milford, CT in the Fall of 2013. I was looking for a nice big church where I could hide in the back and not be noticed. That strategy worked for a good while. Isn't it funny how we like to hide when we are hurt? So I hid. I hid my past accomplishments and gifts, and kept things very surface-level, until of course, I joined a small group. My first small group was led by sister Judy. She lived only a few blocks from me. Our first roll-out of small groups was done by location, so we were split up into a group closest to our homes. It was perfect and exactly what I needed. That group allowed me to be transparent and they loved me back to life. I also attended a pre-marital class with my husband, a 6-week study led by Pastor Alfred Watts, and that group course allowed me to shed even more layers of hurt. After a while, I realized I didn't have to hide anymore. Then, Pastor Watts asked me, "Victoria, when are you going to lead a small group?" I went home feeling challenged. So much so, I began writing a women's Bible study for a version of myself that needed strong community, transparency, love, and a safe space to heal. You see, at 26 years old I went through a bought of anxiety and depression that changed my life. My Christ-driven road to healing included therapy, medication, Godly community, Biblically-based books, and a local film acting course. Everything I learned from that season, I put into this tiny Bible study I wrote for the six women who signed up for our first Purity + Peace session. That was six years ago. Since then, our ministry has grown to be hosted in over five churches, touched over 500 women, reached over 2000 listeners to the Pure Love Podcast, and has provided a safe space where men and women can heal from past wounds and hurts. Never did I ever think I would lead women's ministry. My dream was to be a famous worship leader who wrote hit worship songs and sang with my family band. That wasn't what happened though. Instead, I was gifted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to touch the lives of women all over the U.S. and help them find healing through Jesus Christ in community, Bible Study, and accountability. Just beause things work out differently than we imagine, doesn't mean it has to be a disappointing path or ending. Now, six years later, I find myself tired. I've poured my all into Pure Love and Health. I've trained leaders who were crazy enough (and anointed enough) to join this ride with me, hosted retreats, workshops, fellowship lunches, brunches, and purity ceremonies; launched a podcast, and have been a guest speaker on panels and podcasts— all while working a 9-5 job, being a wife, leading a women's ministry at church, doing giving talks and preaching, and counseling God's people whenever I can. Oh, let me not forget that I had 2 consistent mentees who partook in the Pure Mentoring program. I held one-on-ones with them monthly for the past two years. There's so much that goes into the ministry that is unseen. There's a humility that goes with leadership that requires so much of what we do to be unknown. People will never know the amounts of money given to struggling women or families that were in need over the past six years, the meal trains coordinated, the 3 a.m. phone calls, the countless direct message counseling sessions that took place on my social media channels (and they don't need to know). But the reality is, at the end of a 6-year run of pouring out, my mind, body, and spirit feel it, and I'm here to say as a human being, I am tired and I need to rest. I am aware that I don't owe anyone an explanation for my life choices and what I do next in my journey, but I am also aware of the responsibility that leadership brings — and that's influence. While I am technically a micro-influencer, the small number of individuals who have been impacted by our ministry and my leadership deserve an honest explanation of our next year's plan. While some leaders have no conviction about this and have gladly fallen off the radar with little to no explanation to their flock when they have decided to take a season of rest, I am not such a leader. So what does 2023 look like for PLH? It was confirmed that 2023 was a year of rest for me, or a year of Jubilee. If you don't know, the year of Jubilee in Jewish culture (Old Testament) occurred every 50 years. It was a year designated to rest, debts were cleared, slaves were set free, the land was to rest (no one farmed or grew crops on the land for one whole year!), and it was a year of celebration. You can find more information about it here or here. So what does that mean? It means that I stepped down from all of my ministry responsibilities to dedicate this next year to the Lord as Mary and not Martha. I'm going to sit at Jesus' feet and receive. I'm going to allow myself to be poured into. I am going to allow myself to be served instead of serving. I'm going to therapy. I will rest on days/during times I would normally be ministering. I will enjoy quality time with my husband. Enjoy my family. Fly to Florida and spend time with my family who experienced great loss in 2021. Recover from grief. Family plan. Fast heavily. Pray and do quiet times in a new way. Rediscover myself. Fall deeper in love with Jesus. And for once, embrace stillness without the need of perfectionism, performance, or productivity. I am going to allow Jesus to FILL me back up, because He's the only one who can and who should. If I don't take the time to do these things now, it will inevitably affect the way I lead in the long-term future. Have you ever experienced or witnessed a leader serving from a place of burnout? It's not pretty. Actually, it's quite bitter. Frankly, I'm not willing to risk the reputation I have built with God's good work these long past few years because I didn't heed the red flags of burnout in my life, and oh ... are they ever so present! Additionally, how could I preach on the topic of rest and not model it? How do you plan to rest and be restored in 2023? For those who have been on the go, go, go these past few years — you may also need to rest in the upcoming year. In fact, I've seen a huge shift in leadership across the various platforms from political, to religious, to corporate — ever since the death of Queen Elizabeth this year, which seemed to have catalyzed a shifting of mantles in the last two quarters of 2022. That means, for those who have been sitting down, or quietly preparing themselves in the past few years, it may be your turn to rise up, while others take a step down and rest. Just in my community: my church had an organizational restructure and ordained tons of new pastors, promoted one to Executive Pastor; a few new churches launched in my hometown this year with pastoral ordinations; on a larger scale: Pastor Tim Ross stepped down from his senior pastor role to pursue his podcast named the Basement; Hillsong is no longer the top worship-music feeder to America's worship list on Sunday mornings (it's a worship group called Maverick City if you haven't noticed) — and even my job is going through a huge restructure. I'm sure there are SO many more changes, we'd be here all day if we listed them all. I see the tides of change everywhere. Be ready to accept the changes that are coming in 2023. Sheep don't like change. Sheep like consistency. But with change, comes opportunity. Nevertheless, everyone should be resting in some manner in 2023. Whether you're deciding to honor the Sabbath in a more honest fashion (like actually resting on Sunday and not running around like crazy) or perhaps you're going to prioritize your ministry focus (some of you are involved in three-or-more ministries and that's not sustainable or wise, it's a sure way to burn out. You may need to reprioritize your ministry focuses and step down from the ones that aren't your God-given priority in 2023 because you're in disobedience if you don't), or stepping away from certain commitments for a time, this year is calling us to slow down and learn new things with grace. With all the change that is occurring, lots of us are in spaces, roles, and holding titles we've never had before. We are going to fail forward a lot, and that's ok! Failure is an opportunity to learn. As you make your lists for the new year, I pray resting is a resolution you intend to be faithful to. Where does that leave us? In a new place! This means the opportunity for you to find and lead a new community is available. This means I'm allowed to rest in 2023 without the pressure of having to do anything. This means we don't know what 2024 will bring. This means you get to ask the Lord where he wants you to serve and what community he's calling you to belong to in 2023. You get my drift! My husband and my family are my priorities this season. And while you may not understand, I pray you offer me (and our leadership team) the grace to rest and rejuvenate this next year. My first ministry began with a blog. From my teens well into my 20s, I blogged religiously. In one particular season, I wanted to launch an in-person women's Bible study group called The Well when I moved back to Connecticut from Florida. I planned the event, confirmed the location, sent invites, received RSVPs, and on the day of the event, no one showed up. I cried. I said, "God, why didn't anyone show up?," and He responded, "I asked YOU to show up, Vikki. I didn't ask them." Are you willing to show up when God calls you even if no one else shows up to support you? That night, I ideated a new blog series entitled Testimony Tuesdays, where guest writers shared their true and honest testimonies with my blog audience. I posted these testimonials every Tuesday -- for a long time, and it was a hit. This season eventually propelled me into what we now know as PLH. While in the last decade I have not utilized my gift of writing, it felt right to end this chapter in honor of my first ministry. Allow me to end with an altar call as I popularly do on my Instagram stories. It's a new season for PLH and while our mandate is to rest, yours might be quite different, and that's okay! Our God is a God of clarity and I'm believing that he will make his next steps extremely clear to you before this year ends. I will be praying for each and every person who has come through our small group sessions. You are all so special to me and I pray that you found healing and peace through Jesus Christ during our times together. It's time for a change. I pray your transition smoothly into yours. Godspeed! VRG

By Josefina Banks, Purity + Peace leader Member of City Wide Church of Bridgeport, Connecticut AN ACCIDENT, OR WAS IT? I remember taking my first Purity + Peace class in the summer of 2017. ...I honestly ended up in the class by accident. Our church had another women’s group that was taking place around the same time, on the same day, and I had planned to attend that group instead. When I walked in and asked "Where's the woman's group?," I was directed down stairs. That was how I ended up in my first Purity + Peace class. Coincidence or not, God knew what he was doing. What I had experienced that night left me needing more. WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO? Because of the happenstance, I didn’t know much about Purity + Peace or what to expect. You might be curious about it too, so let me share: The course provided a safe, judgement-free atmosphere to help deal with past hurts, traumas, and shame — while we learned about who we are in Christ. I learned how God sees me, despite my past. This six-week course that used biblical scriptures, gave me a deeper understanding of God’s word and how it applies to my life as a women. It was the type of talk and teaching I had never experienced before; something refreshing and powerful. MY ROAD TO CELIBACY I was working through my own process of purity through celibacy and transformation when I mistakenly walked into my first Purity + Peace session. Just prior to taking the class, I had decided I wanted to totally give my body to God. I wanted my body to be used as a temple of the Holy Spirit and do things God’s way. This decision and conviction came clear to me after I had heard a sermon series my church (CityWide in Bridgeport, Connecticut) had recently given. This life-changing sex series taught me things about sex from a proper, biblical perspective. For the first time, something penetrated my soul. I knew I had never truly valued myself in the manner that God wanted me to. I had been looking for LOVE in all the wrong places when all along God was the biggest missing puzzle piece. It was time for me to love myself enough to say "NO" to impure things. Purity + Peace only enforced and supported my decision. It was amazing to be in an environment that was going to help me stay strong but also challenge me to apply purity in all areas of my life: mind, body and spirit. I have learned that we can be impure with our words, thoughts and actions — not just sexually with our bodies. It goes way beyond just premarital sex. While being pure in the world's understanding can mean "virginity," to God, it means a lot more than that. IT BLESSES ME AGAIN AND AGAIN Upon realizing my first Purity + Peace session wasn't the actual women’s group I originally planned on attending, I decided to split my time between the two groups. Because of this, I wasn't able to dive in as deep my first go around. Nevertheless, I met amazing women on this journey that most people may never get the opportunity to travel. I knew I needed to attend more sessions and I needed to tell others about it. So I invited one of my cousins to attend a class with me. Today, I have taken Purity + Peace four times. Each experience was different and I gained more ground in the biblical truth of “Iron Sharpens Iron.” The leaders and women helped me grow and develop while I was broken and immature in many areas. Fear had debilitated me for many, many years. Now, with God at the center, my new church family, and the blessings found through Purity + Peace, my life is transformed. OUTCOMES I maintained my purity vow for two years. With this obedience came blessings! My boyfriend (now husband) popped the BIG question and I was married a year later. My testimony inspired my husband to follow my lead because he saw the change in me, choosing to get baptized on the same day I got baptized, and started his own walk and commitment. We both gave up drinking alcohol and worked toward reaching our fullest potential with our Father in Heaven. Prior to this, we had dated for six-and-a-half years, living in disobedience and recklessness. Our relationship was filled with all sorts of issues as a result. We got into some things that were wild and crazy! Let’s just say, I am so happy that “Jesus took the Wheel!" Even now, God is doing some amazing things in both of our lives. While marriage isn’t perfect, I wouldn’t have it any other way. God blessed me with a great husband! ALTAR CALL We all have a past. Our purity and mental health can be compromised by all sorts of things! Our pasts wounds may have robbed us of our innocence. We may have experienced abuse that caused anger and unforgiveness. We may undervalue ourselves because we believe what society says about us. We may be tainted by all the disappointments. We may be rundown by the manipulation and lies of Satan. You may still be living your life based on worldly standards, not knowing you were bought at a price and are STILL gems in God's eyes. God's standards are worthy of pursuing. He will only expect the best for His children. And His way has proven to be the BEST way! If He did it for me, he can do it for YOU. MY TURN TO LEAD In all the sessions of Purity + Peace I have taken, each leader has blessed me in some form or fashion. And on my fifth session of Purity + Peace, God has called me to teach and lead the class out of my own home, so I can PAY IT FORWARD. I get the privilege to share the FREEDOM found in knowing the truth. Thank you God! And, a big THANK YOU to these amazing & gorgeous women: Victoria Garcia (The Founder and Author of P+P & my fourth session leader). Lois Caposella - (Our Spiritual Mother) Yvette Garcia - (My first session leader) Kimani Sioux - (My second session leader) Zaibel Torres - (My third session leader) Thanks for answering the call ladies! Sincerely, Josie Banks (Purity + Peace Leader)

By Amanda Robles When I first caught wind of Purity + Peace, I was curious about it. I honestly wondered what all the hype was about. After hearing a few women from my church say how healing it was, I made the conscious decision to try it out. I had a vague understanding of purity, thinking that it was for women who were single and saving themselves for marriage despite their age. I didn't realize that it was so much more than that. I wasn't even aware that you can also apply purity to everything in your life, including your marriage. Crazy, right? FRIENDSHIP WOUNDS Prior to attending the group, I had been hurt mentally and emotionally from a friendship that I carried near and dear to my heart for almost 16 years. I had lost hope and trust in having friendships with women and opening up about anything. You can only imagine how hard it was for me to even attend this group seeing that it was for women only, but I stepped out in faith. FEAR-FULL Before walking into the first class, I skimmed through the Purity + Peace workbook and material for the classes and was overcome with so much fear. Fear of being in such a large crowd (about 40 or so). Fear of speaking up. Fear of trusting. I immediately felt out of my element, looking anxiously around the room, not ready for any of it. I began to feel sick to my stomach and ready to run out the front door of the church to my car in order to escape. But GOD whispered to me in that moment, “You’re right where you are supposed to be...Stay.” I was so uncertain about staying, but I knew I had to be obedient to God and shame the devil. Despite feeling out of place, I gave it a chance. I sat in the circle attentive but stood quiet most of the time. BREAKTHROUGH Fast forward: one night we spoke about “Soul Ties.” Lord, did that bring up heavy emotions I wasn’t ready to bear. That night I remember a woman coming over to me, holding me and praying God’s peace over me. In that moment, I literally felt God healing the pain that I held onto for so long. It's the kind of wounds I didn’t even know that I needed healing from. I wept and cried uncontrollably, but inside something was happening. I felt the weight of so many things fall off. Surrendering that pain was purifying and peaceful, and this was exactly what God wanted me to experience in this Bible study. GOING DEEPER In all honesty, learning the material in six weeks wasn’t long enough for me, which Is why I intend to take it again for an even deeper experience. I know there are more areas that still need to work on and I'm open to another season of healing that God has perfectly planned for me. Purity + Peace taught me how to utilize community, which was something that I struggled with. I had an issue with opening up to other women and letting friendships transpire because I had been let down by so many people over the years. God opened my heart to receive community from the woman who were going through similar things as me in this Bible study. I've gone from someone who was "okay" with being alone to someone who smiles all the time and has made so many God-ordained friendships. A SAFE SPACE + COMMUNITY Purity + Peace provided a place where I can feel safe and open, even though I rarely spoke during that session. It even introduced me to Mama Lois, Purity + Peace's elder and spiritual mother, whom I absolutely adore. She completely wrecked me the night she prayed over me and my marriage and is truly an inspiring and amazing Woman of God. And of course, it introduced me to Victoria Garcia, the author of the Purity + Peace Bible study, who happened to lead my session. Victoria listened to me when I needed an ear the most and gave nothing short of Godly advice. She is a blessing to have in my life. My walk with God and using what I have learned from Purity + Peace is just the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I am filled with gratitude for this community of women and the amazing friendships that have blossomed. I can't wait to take it again and see what God has in store for me the second time around.

By Jessica Ramos Return to Rest oh my soul, For the Lord has been good to me For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling That I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living Psalm 116:7-9 There was a time that darkness consumed every bit of my being. My chest felt tight, my heartbeat was as fast as a caged bird — flapping around in agony, desiring to escape, with no hope in sight. My palms were moist, a knot formed so tightly in my throat that it felt like I was constantly gasping helplessly for air. Hope(less), with no end of the pain and agony I felt each and every day. Wishing, pleading, looking for a way out — but the only way out that I could see was death. Getting out of bed each day felt like a beast of its own. As soon as my eyes opened each morning the deep ache in my heart began. I lived in a state of fight or flight, always moving, always thinking — followed by overthinking. Some days I moved so fast to get through my routine that I couldn’t even remember how I got from one task to the next. I lived in a state of autopilot. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin whether I was alone or surrounded by other people; you know, that feeling like your skin is literally crawling. Most days I felt as if I was having an out-of-body experience, an empty-shell-version of myself went through the motions day in and day out, while my spirit screamed in desperation as she saw the disaster ensue before her eyes. Depression starts off small at times. Life takes a hard turn and it brings sadness, stress, worry, anxiety. These symptoms, if not addressed, can grow into a roaring beast. In my darkness, I fought each and every day to feel better, to be better. I went to yoga almost every day, I ran anywhere from three-to-five miles every other day, I meditated, I gardened regularly, I sat on the beach and felt the sand in my toes as I watched the sunset, I ate a completely clean diet, I lost weight. Even still, I got in my car daily to commute to work and thought about crashing my car into the nearest guard rail, and that was the only thought that brought me even the slightest bit of relief. In this midst of my hurt, God began to meet me exactly where I was and I didn’t even know it. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” Exodus 14:14 In the middle of a hot and sweaty power yoga class, I stopped my practice after an extremely difficult sequence and got into a child’s pose — a pose of surrender, a pose of rest. I laid there with my forehead pressed to my yoga mat, trying to catch my breath and trying to make sense of my feelings. As I laid there, I wept. That was the first time in years that I felt as if the presence of the Lord was all around me, it consumed me until all of the emotions that I fought so hard to push and pack down as much as I could come right up to the top of the cup and spilled out of me like a floodgate had been released. At the depths of my pain, I remember a day that I was at whits end. I felt so triggered at that moment that I knew I needed help. I reached out to a close friend and told her that I was having suicidal thoughts and I began to scare myself because I had begun to make a plan. She asked that I come over right after work, and I did. I remember sitting on the floor of her apartment and weeping from my soul. As I laid there and wept, God showed up. She told me that a few months before, The Lord had given her a note for me, but He told her to wait to share it with me. She shared it with me that day. “I love you dearly my sweet daughter. Do not count failures, stack them up neatly and store them in the hidden closet in the back room. Remember that I wash all things new. My mercies are new each and every day, but they are hard to see and feel when you are busy keeping things neat and tidy in your own strength. Come to me, I will give you rest. Meet me in the place we have always met time and time again. The secret place, I am waiting for you there. The place where we worked out things in the past. Just you and me.“ If I broke apart this love letter to you to show you how many times God confirmed that this was straight-up him, this testimony would go on and on. What I will share about this love letter is that he confirmed the foundation of my struggle — doing everything in my OWN strength. He also confirmed something that I had rarely ever shared with anyone, my term for my quiet time for him - my secret place. Long before the worship song “Wrap me in your arms” ever came out, this had been my name for my quiet time. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion…” Philippians 1:6 By no means am I a trained professional on the topic of depression and anxiety. I can only share my experience from the perspective of someone who suffered for a very long time with it. There was a combination of both spiritual work and physical work that took place for the journey of healing to begin to take place. For me, it meant going to the secret place on a regular basis — and I allowed that time to look different every day. Some days all I did was journal a couple of minutes, other days I would incorporate hand lettering into my journal of my favorite verse or worship song. And some days I ugly-cried in my car as I screamed at God. I allowed myself to feel my pain, to sit with my discomfort, and I became vulnerable to a few trusted people. I also met with my doctor and told him what had been happening, I was placed on an antidepressant and a medication to take in the middle of the panic attacks. I was hesitant at first to start a medication. But after discussing the benefits with my doctor and weighing out the pros and cons, I decided to start it with an end in mind. I was on these medications for no more than a year before deciding that it was time to come off. It’s been more than two years. While there are times that I feel triggered, I have continued to support my journey of healing through meeting with a therapist regularly, finding a community of women that I can lean on, and most importantly, keeping my connection to God in my quiet place. It’s where and how healing happens the fastest… In his presence. “…in your presence there is fullness of joy…” Psalms 16:11 People tend to see suicide as the deepest form of selfishness. They see it only from the perspective of the family and friends left with this gaping hole of hurt and unanswered questions in their hearts. I do not want to take away the grief, pain, and confusion that comes with such tragedy. But I would like to offer some thoughts. Have we considered the gaping hole that had been widening in the heart of our loved one who felt that the only option left was to take their life? Did we stop and look up from our phones long enough to realize there was an issue? Did we see the signs and not say anything because it's uncomfortable? Did we see them slowly slipping away and were we too busy with our own problems? Can we take more responsibility than just posting a hotline number on social media when celebrities' suicide triggers emotion? Can we take action, and actually be the hands and feet of Christ. I not only want to share my testimony with you, but I also want to bring about a call to action. The battle of depression and mood disorders are taking the lives of many. Can we help encourage each other, reach out more, be intentional in our friendships and relationships, check in on one another, do something more than just talk about it? Can we gather together and declare spiritual warfare against the enemy who is constantly trying to kill, steal, and destroy our minds, hearts, and lives? What can you do? Today I challenge you to take a step toward being a deeper part of someone's life by checking in on them, praying for them and genuinely seeing how they are doing.

By Lori Burgos Pastor at City Wide Church and blogger at https://loriburgos.com/ I’ve been following the Purity + Peace Ministry for some time now and throughout this journey I have seen more love, truth and freedom birthed from this community of women than any other local ministry I’ve followed or been involved with. While the daily posts, blogs and small groups have served to be a place of encouragement, accountability and community for myself and many other women, this past fall I had the opportunity to participate in the Purity Ceremony which blessed my life in a way I can hardly articulate. Purity + Peace provides a safe space for women to heal, connect and cultivate healthy relationships while realizing their worth and value as God sees it. The Purity Ceremony was  a beautiful public expression of this revelation. Seeing women both married and single, of all ages, from all walks of life, gathering together to embrace their past but honor their future, making a vow to protect the purity of their body and soul, unapologetically and unashamed was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever participated in. Leading up to the ceremony I felt as though the Lord showed me that like Mary, the Mother of Jesus, our purity has purpose. Through the purity of one woman, all of earth and eternity changed. One woman, with a pure heart and pure body conceived the Savior of our world. So what more can God do through a tribe of women committed to purity in all places of life? Purity + Peace leads women into hope and healing, showing them that God’s way is the best way and with Him, their is fullness of joy, life and relationship. I’m so thankful for Victoria, Purity + Peace and all of their team for their commitment to this cause and obedience to the Lord’s will. Women everywhere have settled for less than God’s best for far too long and it’s time that we experience the radical healing available to us through Jesus. Purity + Peace is the place or dare I say the movement through which this truth can be realized. Pastor Lori will once again be facilitating the Purity Ceremony coming up on Sunday, April 28 at Gospel Light Community Church in Bridgeport at 7PM. You can find the live video of the Purity Ceremony she facilitated last fall here.

By Karina Valle Purity + Peace participant at City Wide Church and Cornerstone Christian Center When I first heard about Purity + Peace, I wasn’t even sure I would fit in. After that first class though, I left realizing that I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t the only one struggling. I needed to get on track with my walk with God and do some serious digging. Why was I always feeling like I was missing out on something? What is holding me back? And why? I didn’t have the best view of myself. I was struggling with low self-esteem and self-worth. I had a marriage that I was desperately trying to make work. My marriage was taking all my time and energy and it wasn’t leading me any closer to God.   I was constantly reminded of a past I wasn’t too proud of. I worried more than I prayed and it seemed like I just couldn’t get life right. I flat-out was not trusting God. I cut Him out without a second thought. During Purity + Peace I started taking life more serious. From my parenting... to my marriage... to my friendships... to the way I presented myself. It wasn’t easy. This walk is not easy. In John 16:33 it says “In this world we will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” I had to confront a lot of things in order to change and become the woman that God was calling me to be. I had to be obedient, and that’s a scary thing. I had to undo all the lies the enemy filled my head with. I had to break down walls I built. Soon, my eyes were open to patterns and baggage I was carrying around and week after week I learned how to unpack it; I learned to carry my cross and follow Him whole heartedly (Matthew 16:24). I took these amazing six-week sessions more than once. Each time, it was a different group of women and I got something different out of it. But one thing came so very clear; my victories and even my heartaches helped the other women I saw every week. Every session I was at a different point in my life, battling something new and I was blown away that my testimony could help someone else. He showed us that He had plans for each and every one of us (Jeremiah 29:11). To see these beautiful women break free from bondage and walk by faith was truly amazing to witness. I am in no way shape or form perfect, and that was made obvious recently. When things get hard, I have the tendency to spiral, and spiral I did. The self-worth problems were back. I knew satan was in my ear whispering lies, but I just couldn’t shake the thoughts. I had invested all my hope, time and faith into a marriage that ended in divorce. I felt as if my world came crashing down, because it did. “Why didn’t I listen to the red flags? "God I was obedient!" "WHY am I dealing with this heartache?” “God, I can’t even breathe with all this anxiety.” “God, why wasn’t I enough?” “Will I ever be able to go to sleep or wake up and not be sobbing?” “What was so wrong with me?” Day after day, lie after lie, the enemy was right there, tearing me down. Divorce in the church is rarely talked about, and no one talks about the temptations that are thrown at you once you're divorced. I had no idea, and it hit me so hard. Deep down though, I knew that I couldn’t stay in this pain for long. I knew that this pain would drive me toward temptation, and it would make it so easy to lose myself. I heard God loud and clear: My PAIN has a PURPOSE! I've been holding on to Romans 8:28 because I know that God will use this for His glory! Purity and peace changed my life. So I signed up for Purity + Peace again because in this season of my life I know I have to rely on God more than ever. I am always excited for a new session because I get to come together with other women, just like me. Women who need freedom and healing. Women who need to be reminded that we aren’t alone. This is a new season that will require so much healing and faith. I know I will be able to take it on full force with God and my sisters at my side! I encourage taking these sessions more than once because no session is the same. It’s been 8 months since my divorce and God met me where I was and used a room filled with strong, virtuous women to show me that my past is nothing to be ashamed of. God reminded me, yet again, that: NOTHING will EVER separate me from His love (Romans 8:38). I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:7). I am His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). I am set apart (Deuteronomy 14:2). So whenever the enemy thinks he is getting the best of me, my Father NEVER fails to remind me that I am HIS and no matter what I have gone through or what I will go through, it is nothing compared to the future He has promised me. And it’s a promise He intends to keep. Sign up for a Purity + Peace session here.

Hi Guys! I was given the immense honor to be a guest speaker on the Real with Melanie Podcast with host Melanie Reyes, founder of the Faith, Coffee, Journal Community. On this episode, I talk about Purity + Peace, my testimony and all of the amazing revelations God has given me on this journey to healing. Come listen! iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify Sign up for a Purity + Peace session here.

By Lisa Teresa Maldonado Participant of Purity + Peace at the City Wide Church hub THE FLASHBACK When I look back, I see a young naive 16-year-old taking a vow of purity with no clue as to what those words entailed. It's one thing to say those vows out loud, it's another to truly believe them and walk in the truth of what they represent to the mind and body. Growing up in the church, I learned that your body is a sanctuary. This is beautiful yet challenging, especially for a young, insecure girl like myself who had little self confidence. Knowing that I was holding on to this one special thing, my physical purity, for marriage was precious. Still, I had no idea the many other realms that come along with being and remaining pure; for example: What you put into your body physically and emotionally can effect your purity. Also, how I think about myself. Learning to love myself as God loves me has been a struggle. I always see my flaws and failures instead of what God wants me to see; I reflect His image. This is a crucial part of purity in our daily lives. Are we seeing ourselves the way God views us? Because I always saw flaws in myself, remaining physically pure was natural to me. I was dealing with rejection, body image issues and mind games. While I was a hopeless romantic who idolized marriage and sex, my insecurity kept me from being open or physical with someone else. I had also been hurt by men. Men I thought I could trust and almost broke what I treasured, but I also witnessed God's protection. At times I didn't see that as a good thing, but now I can see it as a blessing. God shielded me from situations where I could have done things I would regret. I remained desiring love with the end-all of my happiness being marriage while allowing my eyes to see and watch things they shouldn't have just so I could get a taste of things my body couldn't. I longed for intimacy with a man physically but ran from the spiritual intimacy that the Lord longed from me. It was a battle that I hid. Through my years of ministry, I tried to rebuke this situation and fell, yet God still showed me His love time and time again! Intimacy with Him is something greater than the physical. It is true relationship! THE PRESENT It's crazy how we can hide some of our most deepest aches and sins only to open up when it is divinely time to break free from them. As we grow in Christ, we learn to cope with our past easier; in due time. Just like Esther: for such a time as this was when God peeled back yet another layer of Lisa Teresa during my Purity + Peace session. He brought to the light the hard truth of scars, hidden fears and hidden sins that I desperately needed to be free from. The vulnerability and openness that the Lord gave me in a judgement-free space during our classes was freeing and liberating. I now know the love of God like I've never known it before. Also, I'm not idolizing marriage as if I am a failure for not being married at my age. I know that the Lord has a greater plan than I have for myself. When I took my purity vows again in June 2018 at the Purity Ceremony with Purity + Peace, I decided to wear white after losing 25 pounds and feeling more confident than I have in many years. I chose to wear white as a symbol of my refined marriage to the Lord because He is the lover of my soul. Even when my husband comes, God will always be my first love. That was a bold and powerful statement for me. My heart needed to proclaim that God is in the waiting and my life doesn't start after marriage because I am already His Bride. Sign up for a Purity + Peace session here.

By Daniela Aguilar Purity + Peace participant at City Wide Church When I first came across Purity + Peace I had been searching for a sense of community for a long time. I had been out of church for a couple of years and had finally become a member at a church that felt like home. I was eager to make new friends and build relationships with other women, but had no idea what to expect. I remember flipping through the study materials a couple of days before the first session and feeling nervous: the reflection questions inside the guide were raw, real, and extremely personal. ON SECOND THOUGHT... If I’m being totally honest, I started having second thoughts about attending the first session. I was crippled by the thought that I would be asked to share some of these answers with other women, women I often saw at church but didn't really know. I feared that: maybe I would be judged, that my personal stories would cause the women to look at me differently, and that my flaws and weaknesses would be exposed to a group of women who seemed to have it all together. In short, I was terrified. HERE IT GOES... For the next eight weeks I heard stories from women who came from all walks of life. The diversity amongst us made for incredible conversations and the opportunity to share different perspectives. Week by week I saw women open up and share their deepest secrets; I saw them cry, laugh, pray, and lift up one another. I usually sat back and listened most of the time, reveling in their stories and the lessons they provided. And then I shared. I opened up to the group regarding my experience of childhood trauma. I remember feeling my heart beating so fast, I swore the other women could hear it in the room. As I spoke, I felt fearful. I feared having to share this experience because I was afraid to expose the broken state that I found myself in and ashamed to admit that I was in desperate need of healing. I looked up to meet the eyes of all the women in the room, nervous to see their reactions. Instead of finding shocked faces, I was met with warmth, empathy, and understanding. I felt the atmosphere shift at that moment and suddenly found myself talking more about my experience and being transparent about the way it had affected me. After I was done, I was bombarded with encouraging words and testimonies from other women in the group who shared a similar experience to mine. Needless to say, I ugly-cried throughout that entire session. My first session of Purity + Peace served as a conduit for God to show me all the areas of my life that He wanted to touch and heal, including the deepest, darkest parts of my heart that I often tried my hardest to ignore. Up until these sessions, I thought I was in pretty good shape-figuratively speaking. I didn't think of myself as someone in need of healing because I thought I had done a pretty good job of compartmentalizing my traumas and considered myself a “happy person.” But each week I felt God peeling back the layers that I had so carefully wrapped myself in. He used every question, every Bible verse and every story as a tool to kickstart a real work of healing in me. The second round (yes I came back for more!) was about taking accountability for my healing. With love and encouragement from the Purity + Peace leadership, I started seeing a therapist and came to appreciate the importance of finding healing through my relationship with God. I still have a long way to go in this journey, but I remain eternally grateful for Purity + Peace and all the women that helped create a safe space for me to be my most vulnerable and authentic self. Sign up for a Purity + Peace session here.

By Kimberly Cruz-Lopez Purity + Peace participant at the Cornerstone Christian Center hub Kimberly Cruz-Lopez is a published author, motivational speaker and creator of Reflection Connection. Her debut book Unveiling Ellie is the first of her Ellie’s Story inspired trilogy. MISUNDERSTANDING Whenever I hear the word purity I immediately think of sex. Correction. Whenever I heard the word purity I used to immediately think of sex. My perception of that word shifted after my first Purity + Peace session and I believe it will shift yours too. This is my story... My first memories of God, hearing His name and His Word, was in Kindergarten when I was attending a Catholic school. I remember being amazed by the stained-glass windows and frightened of the crucifixion statue. I was transferred to a public school a year later... My next memories of God was attending a (Spanish) Christian church around the age of 10 with my aunt. We attended pretty regularly: Sunday service, Bible study, volunteering, all that jazz. I’d repeat the words of prayers, raise my hands and sing, because that’s what I saw everyone else doing. I didn’t quite understand it yet. Then from one day to the next, we stopped attending and I wouldn’t find out why until later. All the things I had learned up until that point had just sat there in limbo. Then, right before my freshman year of high school, I was introduced to another god, another set of gods, and I found myself fully immersed in Santeria. The next two years I participated in events that required me to wear all white (always skirts, never pants), praying to objects like water and rocks, blowing cigar smoke and spitting white rum onto statues, holding chickens while their heads were cut off then chanting as it was spilled, using seashells to contact different deities — the list can go on. But my junior year of high school, everything changed. I met a man, who would become my husband, and he asked a question no one had yet to ask. He pointed to my beaded necklaces and said: "Why do you practice Santeria?" “It’s what we [my family] do,” I said. The question, although I already answered, lingered. "Why do you practice Santeria?" Echoing over and over, louder and louder in the back of my mind. “What do you practice?,” I asked. “I’m a Christian. I believe in Jesus,” he said. I remembered that name. I’d heard it before. More questions started to rise and I started to search for answers, first by researching Christianity and then researching faith of all forms. I was overwhelmed with information. I was overwhelmed with uncertainty. I thought I knew it all, but instead I was questioning everything. Right in the midst of my biggest storm of confusion, my future mother-in-law offered to pray for me. I stood in the corner, phone glued to my ear and reluctantly said, “Sure.” The moment she began to pray: my body started to shake, it was hard to hold myself up, my chest felt heavy, I began to weep, the light in my room flickered and the beaded necklaces around my neck snapped right off and scattered all over the floor. TRUE UNDERSTANDING Later that year I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It was a beautiful moment, but the moments after were brutal. Why? Because the moment I surrendered myself, a painful process had to begin: the process of purifying myself of my past practices. Although, I was saved, I still had shackles I needed to remove, chains I needed to break. That is what purity is about. Purity is more than just freedom from adulteration. Purity is also freedom of contamination; freedom from pollution, freedom from poison, freedom from things harming you — physically, emotionally, spiritually. That is what Purity + Peace teaches us. Full Disclosure I pride myself on being an open book, but only few have read this chapter of my life. Admittedly I was afraid to share this part of my story and it wasn’t what I intentioned to write about. After reading Truth Untold by Yvette Garcia, I realized that this part of my story is meant to be shared, that this truth will help heal. Sign up for a Purity + Peace session here.