Mindy Nichols

Mindy grew up in Texas. She is a preacher's kid who continues to enjoy every minute of being immersed in ministry. "My dad never made me go to church, it has always been my choice and my blessing to go!" She is a native Texan, born in Wichita Falls and she spent her high school days in Waco.  Her dad was a Professor in Theology and in the Air Force. His family was his ministry and as a military God squad they lived in Arizona, Kentucky and a few seasons in California.  Mindy attended Bethany Nazarene College near Oklahoma City for two years and then she studied at LSU to become a nurse. While in college Mindy went on a few short term mission trips. The one she recalled as the most profound was the three months she spent in the Dominican Republic, near the border of Haiti. Spells of witchcraft are cast and devil worship is common and widespread throughout the territory. "Kids would come to the bible school and report what babies were sacrificed the night before." We spent a lot of time in prayer to demolish evil strongholds. God warns us to fight the good fight on our knees. The same kind of unseen, but effective Spiritual warfare is needed DAILY, no matter where we live. Fast forward through a short union in marriage #1 to her blissful marriage #2.  Thirty two years ago Mindy met Bill when she worked as a nurse supervisor. Bill was the hospital chaplain and they both responded to CODE BLUE alarms. Mindy would pronounce them dead and Bill would pray and contact the families. They became friends and one day a person in the Coronary Care Unit said "Hey why don't you guys have a heart to heart date?" A year later they tied the knot and today Bill and Mindy celebrate 31 years together and they have chosen lakeside as their permanent paradise. Mindy's first marriage produced two wonderful kids. Mindy's daughter Brooke, her wild child is now 37 years old and her son Calvin, the miracle child is now 34.  Mindy says her daughter was a woman determined to take the world by the horns.  Brooke,  the intellect, can speak six languages and for many years worked on private yachts. After a time in jail and few other hard knocks, Brooke returned to Jesus and now works in Texas managing musical events. Her son Calvin moved to Chapala after the 2017 hurricane wiped out his home and Mgr. position in a large hotel on the island of St Thomas.

Haiti - prevalent demonic forces

Almost as an after thought, Mindy shared "Oh yeah, when Calvin was born I had a near death experience." Calvin is my miracle baby because an incident occured during childbirth that normally results in death for the delivering mother and the baby. I hovered above my body and saw all the details of the doctors life saving maneuvers to bring me back to life.  I then sped up to a higher bright light where I had no pain, no fear and total peace. "God has given me a few opportunities to "go home". During this incredible NDE a clear voice gave me the choice to go back down and raise my two kids or stay in heaven.  I do not remember hesitating I guess because I was only 29 and wanted to live more."  Mindy laughed and said "Either way it will always be a WIN, WIN for me."  Mindy reports that since her personal NDE she has an acute awareness of God and His Presence, you might say a higher perception, and most certainly a heavenly 'bigger picture' view of the world. In 1995 Mindy took a 72 hour church leadership class entitled "Walk to Emmaus".  At the age of 40, this twice married woman of value, and the mother of 4 children (2 from Bill) claims that this class was a major game changer for her.  In her words "Before the class, after completing a 24 hour shift as a helicopter nurse,  I would walk through the door of my home, pass my husband without a word and go check to see if any dishes needed to be washed. That 72 hour class taught me to acknowledge and engage the people in my life, and maybe passover the unfinished work for some quality time. People are more important than events or things." Those disciples who did not recognize Jesus, were they just too busy about their work, their studies, or too deep in grief to recognize their Friend?  From 2011-2013 we pastored a small church in Wimberley, Texas. Much like here at Lakeside, the average age was 73 and the people were pretty set in their beliefs about what is important. Social events would supercede a bible study every time.  From 1990-2006 we pastored a very different small church in Dripping Spring, Tx where the people were hungry for God's word. In 2006 we moved to Mazatlan to retire and we attended "The Blue Church". A Mexican congregational church.

The Mexican pastor asked Bill to preach for a month, well that month turned into six years!  We grew from 6 in attendance to over 400 combined between the English and Spanish congregants. Mindy led the worship while playing guitar and singing. "The best I can do on the ivory is clink clink clink" It was absolutely a blast. We held a "Brigada" outreach in which we set up a medical and dental clinic for the community. During the heat of the summer, church attendance went to zero so we travelled to Lakeside.  Initially we lived in Puerto Corona which is directly across from Chapala on the other side of the lake. In May of 2017 we chose to move to Chula Vista permanently.  A couple of more opportunities to join Jesus occured within four months of our arrival at Lakeside.  In May of 2017 after church and lunch we went home for a siesta and my arm went numb, my speech was garbled and I knew I was experiencing stroke symptoms. The small voice in my head said "go to the hospital or die". We went to Marascas Clinic and after a CT scan, the report indicated an emergency surgery was necessary as I had a 99% blockage of my carotid artery.  On the table I understood what the Mexican neurosurgeon was saying "Get her husband on the phone, I don't think she will make it".  They handed me the phone and I said "Hi, I'm in surgery and I'm ok."  My leg was blue, it was dead from no circulation. After surgery I was in ICU for 2 days and after the miracle of getting pulse back in my leg, I was released to go home. Six months later in March of 2018 the stint that was placed in my neck malfunctioned and I stroked out.  I could not speak or swallow. My thoughts during those next 12 hours of silence were filled with scripture.  The surgeon replaced my stint and when I woke up at 4 am, I was so blessed that I could talk!   I thought of Saul being struck blind for three days and I am so glad I was only struck dumb for 12 hours.  No doubt about it, Jesus lives and He still heals folks today!  I am indeed a walking and talking miracle!  God has me here at Lakeside for His purpose and I guess He wants me to be able to ask questions and speak! My favorite life scripture is "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:7-8. Mindy's birthday on earth is Sept 4th and she has blessed many with a life well lived!  Mrs Miracle Mindy and her retired pastor hubby Bill moved back to Texas in June of 2019. They left a loving mark on us all at Lakeside.

Elizabeth Bellon

Elizabeth is Rabbi Manuel's daughter, and she is married to Claude, who is in school to become a Messianic Rabbi. Elizabeth was born into a Catholic family in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mx. After her mother Celia encountered Jesus through a Christian missionary group, her mother was baptized, received the Holy Spirit and was miraculously healed from an illness. Secretly, for ten years Celia took Elizabeth and her sister and brother to a Christian church in Guadalajara. Elizabeth accepted Jesus and got baptized at the age of 5.  During her youth, her father was a source of pain at home because of his excessive drinking. As a result of 10 years of fervent prayer by her mother, Elizabeth's father eventually surrendered his life to Jesus,  got baptized and immediately replaced his thirst for alcohol with a hunger for the Word of God. Elizabeth was a witness to the hand and power of God in her dad's immediate transformation. Her dad, Rabbi Manuel Hernandez was called by God to minister to the Jewish people of Mexico.

He finished seminary, got a Master's in theology and as a Rabbi established the 'Yeshua Ben David' Synagogue in Guadalajara. In 2018 the Synagogue celebrated it's 31st anniversary. Our Father in heaven hears our prayers and He responds in ways that we could not even imagine. In 1986 at the age of 19 Elizabeth entered La Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara to become a doctor. "I was swept up into the world as a very innocent girl. I came from a traditional Mexican family who all attended church." During her internship in Ensenada, Elizabeth met and married a man who was also enrolled in school to become a doctor.  My husband said he believed in God, but his life choices did not match his words. Elizabeth graduated Medical School and received her license to practice medicine in 1992.  When she was only 23 years old, in 1993 Elizabeth gave birth to a son which she proudly named Isai.

Her son was named after Jesse the Father of King David. Isai grew up comparing his mother's walk with Jesus and his dad's walk through a world of drugs and alcohol.  As there were no Christian schools in Guad at that time, her son attended Catholic schools. His teachers were confounded by all of Isai's questions! "Why do you put food out for dead people on the Day of the Dead? They are dead!  Why do you pray to statues when you can pray to a living God?" It was such a blessing that Elizabeth's childhood friend Fernanda was a Christian. Fernanda attended grammar school, high school and medical school with Elizabeth and Fernanda was there to comfort and give wise counsel when it was desperately needed. In the words of Elizabeth "As I was pursuing my way, not His, I would not listen to God during the turbulence of my marriage. After years of being stubborn and self-sufficient, I finally  broke down and cried out to God 'You freed Your people from slavery in Egypt, why must I remain enslaved to this man I married?  My mother prayed for my papa for 10 years and I saw how You transformed him!  Now I have been praying for 20 years and my husband remains the same!  Why? Lord how can I alone protect my son? I want a family for my son. Please Lord, I want to meet You in Your holiness and I ask that You mold me as my Creator shapes the clay"   Fernanda saw that her friend was struggling with what to do about her marriage and asked Elizabeth "Do you think that you can care for your son better than God?  Why don't you trust God with Isai?" These questions stirred the heart of Elizabeth and she knelt down to beg for God's mercy. She asked for God to forgive her for not truly trusting Him with all her heart. Elizabeth then entrusted her one and only son to her Savior, to the God of all power and greatness. She had waited until her son was 18 years of age to talk to her son about her desire to get a divorce. After an emotional, compelling encounter with God, Elizabeth told

her son that she could not remain married to his dad. Isai said "But Mama, I cannot leave my dad, he will die. You have God, my grandparents, and uncles, but my dad only has me."  With her heart breaking Elizabeth called Uber and went to go live with her dad and brother. "I had left Egypt and went to the promised land.  Even though I was suffering a clinical depression, I trusted that God knew my heart. I believe that my heavenly Father always keeps His promises."  Elizabeth lived with her parents and brother for a year and then one day her family decided that it was time for Elizabeth to open up her own Medical practice in Chapala.  Her brother paid her rent, food and he also leased the office space where Elizabeth now practices natural medicine."One day God brought a man to my herbal store. Claude Bellon, a man of the Catholic faith, a man who God had chosen for me.  My parents were hesitant to give us their blessing because Claude was older, a Catholic, a diabetic. Claude came to the Abundant Life Church and my pastor baptized him. We trusted God and within 6 months we got married."  It is the tradition and culture of Mexico to first have a civic ceremony, then a church ceremony.  A judge in Jocotopec came to the house of her brother and performed the civil service on March 15, 2014. Elizabeth's best friend Fernanda, her spouse, and Elizabeth's brother, her uncles and Claude's family were there to witness. At about 7:30 pm all the guests left accept Fernanda. After midnight, the phone rang and it was Isai's dad.

He told Elizabeth that their 20 year old son had been in a car accident on his way to Manzanillo.  Elizabeth was not alone, God had given her a loving husband Claude. Within hours Fernanda, her spouse and Mr and Mrs Bellon drove to Colima to visit Isai. On March 21, 2014, just six days later, Isai went home to be with Jesus for eternity.  Elizabeth recounts the story, not as a tragedy, but as the mercy and grace of God.  Three months later on June 14, 2014 Claude and Elizabeth were surrounded by family and friends as they exchanged vows at the Abundant Life Church in San Antonio.  Elizabeth's brother gave her away on her wedding day.  Eventually, after a time, her parents fully and proudly embraced their son-in-law. Today Rabbi Manuel is Claude's mentor and all of God's people in the family of Elizabeth are rejoicing in what the Lord has done! "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In You our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were saved; in You they trusted and were not put to shame." Psalm 22:3 ------- CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE.