THE GALA FOUNDATION

10/24/2026

A Legacy of Faith and Love: In Loving Memory of Felicita M. Serrano (1924–1987)

By Noel Serrano

There are rare souls in this world whose presence leaves an indelible mark on every life they touch—people whose faith is not merely spoken, but lived with every breath. My mother, Felicita M. Serrano, was one of those extraordinary souls. Born in 1924, she walked through this life as a shining beacon of love, wisdom, and unshakeable grace until her passing in October 1987. Though years have passed since she went to be with the Lord, the light she brought into our lives continues to illuminate our path.
At the heart of who my mother was lay an unwavering commitment to prayer. She was, in the truest sense, a woman of prayer. Long before the world stirred each morning, or in the quiet hours of the night, she could be found lifting her voice to Heaven. Her prayers were the quiet, sturdy walls that sheltered our family through life’s storms. When trials came, as they inevitably do, Felicita did not panic; she prayed. She carried the burdens of her loved ones, her congregation, and her community on her knees, trusting with absolute confidence that the Lord heard every word. To be near her was to feel safe, knowing that you were wrapped in the steady covering of a mother’s intercession.
Her devotion to God’s Word was matchless. As a beloved Bible Teacher at the Bible Institute of La Sinagoga in New York City, Felicita possessed a deep, profound understanding of the Scriptures, paired with a teacher’s heart that knew how to make truth come alive. In the bustling heart of NYC, she poured her life into teaching others, guiding generations of students with clarity, patience, and divine passion. She did not teach merely to impart knowledge, but to transform lives. Through her ministry at La Sinagoga, she helped lay foundations of faith that continue to bear fruit to this day.
Yet for all her dedication to her ministry, her greatest sermon was lived right at home. Felicita was the glue that held our family together. In a world that often pulls people apart, she was the anchor that kept us united. With her gentle strength, endless warmth, and forgiving spirit, she created a home filled with warmth, faith, and unconditional love. She knew how to gather us, how to comfort us, and how to remind us of who we were and whose we were. Her love was the steadying force behind every family milestone and every quiet moment shared around the table.
When she passed into eternity in October 1987, she left behind a legacy that time cannot dim. Felicita M. Serrano was a devoted mother, a gifted teacher of the Word, a faithful servant of God, and the sacred heart of our family.
We honor her memory today not only with tears of remembrance, but with hearts overflowing with gratitude for the precious gift of her life. Her prayers still echo in our hearts, her teachings still guide our steps, and her love remains the glue that keeps us bound together across the generations.
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed…” — Proverbs 31:28

10/22/2026

GOD'S WAY IS THE ONLY WAY
By Noel Serrano

Throughout human history, individuals and societies have constantly sought to define their own paths, constructing philosophies, moral frameworks, and lifestyle choices rooted in human wisdom and finite understanding. Yet, the scriptures consistently remind humanity that human reasoning, no matter how sophisticated or well-intentioned, remains inherently limited and prone to error. When relying solely on personal judgment, people often wander into confusion, spiritual dissatisfaction, and moral compromise. True fulfillment, clarity, and ultimate redemption are found only when one surrenders the desire for self-direction and wholly embraces the divine order established by the Creator.

The foundational truth of the Christian faith rests on the principle that God’s authority and wisdom transcend all human comprehension. In the Scriptures, God declares that His thoughts are not human thoughts, nor are human ways His ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher and more profound. When human beings attempt to navigate life according to their own desires, they build their lives on shifting sands. Conversely, walking in obedience to God’s word grounds a person in absolute, unchanging truth. The commandments, teachings, and guidance provided in Scripture are not restrictive burdens, but rather loving parameters designed to protect, guide, and flourish human life according to its intended purpose.

Central to this message is the exclusive path to salvation provided through Jesus Christ. In a world that frequently promotes pluralism and self-made righteousness, the Gospel presents a clear and unambiguous declaration: Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. This declaration emphasizes that divine reconciliation cannot be earned through human effort, intellect, or good works alone. God’s sovereign plan of redemption through the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son stands as the sole bridge between fallen humanity and a holy God, demonstrating that divine grace—not human ambition—is the only true road to eternal life.

Living in complete alignment with God's way requires constant trust, humility, and daily commitment. It calls believers to deny self-centered ambitions, take up their cross, and align their decisions, relationships, and priorities with the heart of Scripture. While the narrow path of divine obedience may often run counter to prevailing cultural norms and personal desires, it brings unmatched peace, spiritual security, and eternal purpose. Ultimately, choosing God's way above all earthly alternatives acknowledges His supreme sovereignty and confirms the enduring truth that His direction is the only genuine way to life everlasting.

10/06/2026

OUR SUFFICIENCY IS IN GOD

By Noel Serrano

There is an exhausting quietude that settles over the soul when we finally reach the end of our own reserves. We live in a world that relentlessly preaches the gospel of self-reliance, urging us to dig deeper, think faster, and pull ourselves up by the strength of our own resolve. Yet, the human spirit was never designed to be its own generator of light or power. When the storms of life intensify, our keenest intelligence quickly reveals its limits, and our manufactured willpower collapses like a house built on sand. To discover that our own strength is insufficient is not a tragic defeat; it is the necessary threshold of divine truth. It is the moment where human pride yields, and we begin to understand that our entire existence was designed to rest upon a foundation far greater than ourselves.
We often tempt ourselves into believing that if we can just outsmart our circumstances, formulate the perfect strategy, or assemble the sharpest intellect, we can secure our own peace and victory. But wisdom divorced from the Source of wisdom is merely a sophisticated form of vulnerability. Our sharpest wit cannot untangle the deep mysteries of human suffering, nor can our native grit sustain us through the valleys of the shadow of death. Even our spiritual routines—the sheer volume of our prayers or the discipline of our devotion—can subtly warp into a subtle trust in our own performance rather than the Object of our faith. God does not measure our sufficiency by how eloquently we speak or how tirelessly we strive to earn His backing. True sufficiency is never a trophy awarded to human effort; it is a river of grace that flows only when we stop trying to dig our own cisterns.
The profound relief of the Gospel lies in the revelation that God never asked us to be self-sufficient. When the Apostle Paul wrote that our adequacy comes from God, he was declaring a permanent end to the exhausting charade of self-reliance. Divine power is not an auxiliary booster that attaches to human muscle when we get tired; it is the total, overwhelming reality that replaces our inherent weakness. When we surrender the delusion that we must hold our universe together, we enter into the sacred rest of God’s complete supply. It is His righteousness that covers us, His power that sustains us, His grace that carries us, and His unshakeable character that anchors our souls when every earthly pillar gives way.
To live in the full sufficiency of God is to walk through this world with a quiet, unshakeable confidence that is totally detached from our personal capabilities. It means standing before impossible situations not with the arrogance of self-assurance, but with the tranquil certainty that He who called us is fully able to complete His work within us. We no longer need to measure our spiritual standing by the depth of our own feelings or the energy of our own performance. Our security rests entirely upon who He is—unchanging, infinite, and eternally faithful. In every moment of helplessness, in every confession of our inadequacy, the truth remains victorious: our strength will fail, our wisdom will prove finite, but the sufficiency of Almighty God will forever be entirely enough.

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

10/02/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NOEL SERRANO

09/26/2026

THE BLESSINGS OF BEING PERSISTENT

By Noel Serrano

The concept of persistence in the Biblical narrative is far more than a mere human virtue or psychological grit; it is a profound expression of faith, trust, and spiritual endurance. Scripturally, persistence—often rendered as perseverance, steadfastness, or patient endurance—is the active, unyielding trust that God remains faithful to His promises even when circumstances suggest otherwise. It is the steady posture of a soul anchored in the character of God, refusing to retreat in the face of spiritual fatigue, systemic opposition, or prolonged delays. To be persistent in the kingdom of God is to align one’s will with the eternal timeline of the Creator, recognizing that divine blessings are frequently cultivated in the furnace of steady, daily fidelity.
The sacred Scriptures offer dynamic portrayals of individuals whose relentless devotion unlocked extraordinary spiritual breakthroughs and covenantal blessings. Consider the persistent widow in the Gospel of Luke, whose relentless plea for justice before an unjust judge moved him to action purely through her sheer tenacity. Christ presented her not merely as an example of importunate prayer, but as a model of the unwavering faith He desires to find on the earth. Similarly, the narrative of Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord until the breaking of day reveals the transformative power of divine stubbornness; Jacob’s insistence, "I will not let you go unless you bless me," marked the pivotal transition from Jacob the supplanter to Israel, a prince with God. These accounts demonstrate that persistence is not an attempt to force the hand of God, but rather a manifestation of an unshakeable confidence in His willingness and power to respond.
One of the richest blessings that flows from a life of persistence is the internal refinement of spiritual character and spiritual maturity. The Apostle Paul underscores this sanctifying cycle in his letter to the Romans, noting that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope that does not disappoint. When a believer chooses to persevere through trials rather than seek immediate escape, the Holy Spirit uses that endurance to strip away superficial reliance on external circumstances. Persistence deepens spiritual roots, building a resilience that remains unshaken when spiritual tempests rage. It transforms passive belief into an active, tested faith, instilling a profound inner quietude born from knowing that God is actively working behind the scenes during every season of waiting.
Beyond internal character, divine persistence yields the rich harvest of fulfilled promises and spiritual breakthroughs. The Scripture explicitly promises in the letter to the Galatians that we will reap a harvest at the proper time if we do not give up. Many of the greatest spiritual fruit, answered prayers, and life callings are positioned just beyond the threshold where ordinary effort surrenders. Persistence bridges the gap between the utterance of a divine promise and its tangible realization in history. It enables the believer to continue sowing seeds of righteousness, intercession, and faithful service even when the soil appears barren, knowing that the spiritual law of the harvest guarantees that no labor in the Lord is ever in vain.
Ultimately, the blessing of persistence culminates in the ultimate reward of eternal fellowship and heavenly commendation. In the Revelation to John, the promises of Christ are repeatedly reserved for "the one who overcomes"—the one who perseveres to the end despite pressure, trial, and temptation. The ultimate reward of persistent faith is not merely the earthly victories achieved along the way, but the eternal affirmation of hearing the Master say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." A life marked by holy persistence honors the God who never grows weary, reflecting His own unceasing love and commitment to His creation, and securing an inheritance that can never fade, spoil, or perish.

09/23/2026

TRIBUTE TO A BELOVED PASTOR

By Noel Serrano

Pastor JD Simmons was a true shepherd—a man whose heart reflected the warmth, humility, and love of Christ in every life he touched. Serving with grace at Riverhills Church, he possessed a rare and endearing gift: a folksy, down-to-earth spirit much like Andy Griffith that immediately put people at ease and made everyone feel like family.
Whether he was breaking down the truths of life with his unforgettable signature phrase, "here’s the deal," or standing quietly beside a family in their darkest hour, Pastor JD lived out his faith through selfless presence. When the weight of sorrow was heavy and my father was dying, Pastor JD did not hesitate. He was there—a steady, comforting pillar of strength for our family, honoring my father's memory and guiding us through grief as he officiated the funeral service.
Yet his ministry was defined just as much by his presence in moments of profound joy. When my son was married, Pastor JD was there again, taking the time to greet, comfort, and embrace every single member of the family, ensuring that love and connection were at the very heart of the celebration.
Pastor JD Simmons was more than a minister; he was a beloved man of God whose life was a sermon of kindness, loyalty, and unwavering devotion. His legacy lives on in the hearts of the many lives he touched, the families he comforted, and the generations he blessed.