COV LIFE BLOG

Member Update: Pierre and Maria Rodriguez

The first time I met Pierre, he dropped 30 of our team’s 36 points in a pick-up basketball game. This guy could flat out ball! A lefty with a quick first step and silky smooth jump shot, he was impossible to stop. The coolest thing about his dominance that day was the fact that he never said a word. I would have talked about my game up and down the court, but not Pierre. He was calm, cool, collected … yet rarely out of breath. Plain and simple, he was humble and even played basketball with a Christ-like demeanor.

The following week I had the opportunity to meet Maria, Pierre’s wife, at our Missional Community. Similar to Pierre, Maria radiated the Christian qualities of kindness and love. Over the next eight months I had the honor and privilege to get to know this couple through our MC, Sunday gatherings, and service opportunities. Oh, and there was our Christmas gathering at the bowling alley, where Pierre dominated as well! In each facet of life, it became clear to me that what mattered most to this couple was knowing Christ.

I’ve learned a lot from Pierre and Maria Rodriquez. I’ve learned how important it is to share quiet times in the Word and pray as a couple. I’ve learned the significance of leading your wife as a Christian man. I’ve learned what it means to give up personal time to serve and strengthen the church body and the local community. However, the most important thing I learned from Pierre and Maria is to boast in nothing but the Lord.

In a couple of weeks, Pierre and Maria are moving to Chicago, Illinois. While selfishly, I am sad to see them go, it’s very encouraging to see where the Lord is taking this amazing couple. On multiple occasions I’ve heard Pierre and Maria talk about God’s grace in bringing them to CLC. They often spoke in our MC about how much they have grown with the Lord these last few years, and how they cannot wait to find a church body in Chicago. It was inspiring, hearing them talk about their time with the CLC body and their aspirations to make Christ known in Chicago.

As Pierre, Maria and baby Jordan (as I’m calling him/her) prepare to make this big move, I would like to encourage our CLC family to pray diligently for their move. In particular, Pierre listed the following as specific ways we can pray for their time:

• Pray for their exodus from Tampa
• Pray that they would find a Cross-centered church family in Chicago
• Pray that they would be intentional with the Gospel in their new city
• Pray for opportunities to be examples of Christ in their new jobs and with their new neighbors
• Lastly, pray that they would be surrounded with other Christians that would sharpen and encourage them in this new stage of parenthood

I will surely miss spending time with the Rodriguez family. However, I’m confident that their new opportunities will lead to more people knowing Christ and current believers being strengthened by new friendships. And for that reason, let us boast in nothing but the Lord!

Tyler E. Hood