06/07/2026
Today we celebrate LAF’s 21st anniversary.
I could stand here all day,
telling you story after story,
sharing every memory,
every victory,
every testimony.
But there’s one story worth telling again.
Twenty-one years ago,
our beloved Pastor Rene stepped out in faith
with a vision and a mission:
to reach the lost at all cost.
These 21 years haven’t always been easy.
They’ve come with blood,
sweat,
and tears.
There were moments of uncertainty,
moments of stretching,
moments that required us to trust God beyond what we could see.
But through it all,
we stood united.
Together we prayed.
Together we believed.
Together we asked God to remove our fears.
And as Psalm 133:1 reminds us:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
That unity has been one of LAF’s greatest strengths.
When one of us was weak,
another stepped in to help carry the load.
When one rejoiced,
we all celebrated.
When one hurt,
we all prayed.
And through that unity, God did what only He can do.
He sustained us.
He stretched us.
He pruned us.
He refined us.
As Pastor Rene used to say,
“Challenge brings change, and change breaks chains.”
And over these 21 years, we’ve seen that truth come alive.
We’ve faced challenges.
We’ve embraced change.
And we’ve watched God break chains in the lives of countless people.
Chains of addiction.
Chains of fear.
Chains of hopelessness.
Lives restored.
Families reunited.
Souls saved.
And today, we give Him all the glory,
because He alone is worthy.
I know this past year has been the hardest by far.
Losing our Pastor,
our leader,
our father,
our friend.
For several years he faced kidney disease,
yet if there is one thing we can all take away from his journey,
it is this:
He never allowed the sickness to become his weakness.
He never let his circumstances define him.
He always saw himself as healed.
He continued to encourage others while facing his own battles.
He continued to preach faith while walking through uncertainty.
He continued to trust God when many would have given up.
And through it all,
he never wavered.
His faith spoke louder than his diagnosis. As one of his favorite scriptures say in Psalm 23:4 says “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
His hope was greater than his hardship.
And his legacy continues to live on through every life he touched and every soul that has walked through these doors.
I know my dad would be so proud
to see this church continuing to rise,
continuing to impact lives,
continuing to shine God’s light.
We know he has reached the ultimate prize
and is waiting for the day
when we will be reunited with him again.
But until then, LAF,
this is not the end.
There is still work to be done.
There are still hearts to reach.
Still families to restore.
Still lives to transform.
And whether you’ve been with us since day one,
or you joined us somewhere along the journey,
God has placed you here for a reason and a purpose.
You are not here by accident.
You are part of this story.
Part of this family.
Part of this mission.
So ladies, put that hair in a bun.
Gentlemen, roll those sleeves back.
Let’s keep building.
Let’s keep serving.
Let’s keep loving.
Let’s make new memories,
reach new families,
and continue the mission that started 21 years ago—
Happy 21st Anniversary, LAF.
May we continue to walk together in the unity described in Psalm 133:1, because when God’s people stand together, there is no limit to what He can do.
And may we never forget Pastor’s favorite verse in
Isaiah 40:31“ But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Here’s to the next chapter.
Here’s to the next generation.
Here’s to the next soul that walks through these doors looking for hope.
The best is yet to come. 🙌🏽❤️🙏🏽
Yanira Lugo
