Today we’d like to introduce you to Pastor Beto Meza.
Pastor Beto, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Born in Mexico, my father moved our family to Rio Grande Valley in South TX. My father a very hard working and caring man and my mother a very loving human being. At some point in the marriage, my father chose to live a life that was different to the values that his parents taught him and our self-esteem was affected by that behavior. Because of the values that were around him in that time of his life. We were talking about the 80s. It seemed perfectly fine with him to have several families. I looked up to my father, I respected my father, all I wanted to be in life was to be like my father. My mother for some reason, allowed my father to live this type of life. It may have been because of her low self-esteem and the same type of behavior her father lived. At the age of 10 years old I experienced alcohol and marijuana that grew into a habit that was easily practiced because of our weekend parties . Being stoned or drunk became a way of escaoe from reality for me where I could escape my reality of living in a home that was full of anger , stress and emotional abuse. This feeling of escape became my only way to deal with life. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining of my life these are the facts that I had to fight against and over come . I was a very popular teen in high school, lived a very average life of a teenager played sports but drugs became my idol. After graduating from high school i was expelled the last two weeks of school and not allowed to walk the ceremonial line with the rest of my peers. Because my friends and I got busted with alcohol and weed on our senior trip to the Astroworld in Houston, this became my reality of what life would be for me 20 years later.
During my 23 years of drug addiction, I was able to serve my country but I was released because of my drinking and drugging. I managed to destroy two businesses, I graduated from a technical college and had a very decent career that I later destroyed as well, I married had two beautiful children that I managed to destroy that marriage and destroyed my relationship with my children. My daughter to this day, will not speak to me. My son on the other hand is doing great now after defeating the same demons that hunted me for 23 years and is now currently living with me and picking up the pieces and allowing God to be his everything in life. At the age of 24, I was living in San Marcos TX, everything was going great. Even though I was still using drugs and drinking. My career was great. I bought a house, I bought the cars the furniture, I had the friends. But all this I was filling a void I had in my life and that void was being filled with drugs, cheating on my wife and kids, little by little losing interest in my career my family and my life. This was the season in my life where the Gospel Jesus Christ first found me in a very lonely time of my life. This season I call the season where I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and did not understand it, then the wicked one came and snatched away what was sown in my heart. This is when I received the seed by the wayside.
Age 29, I lose my father, my best friend, my everything in life at that time. This was the season in my life where the Gospel of Jesus Christ found me in a very lonely and destructive time of my life. I was instructed to leave the valley, where I had moved back to be with my father and move to Abilene TX where I admitted myself into a drug rehab center call SERENITY HOUSE. Of course, I managed to mess that up too. I WAS DOING GREAT I WAS CLEAN, I WAS ALLOWED TO SEE MY KIDS, I STARTED COLLEGE AGAIN, I WAS WORKING. BUT I managed again to destroy that. This season I call the time I received the seed on stony places, this is when I heard the word and immediately i received it with joy; yet had no root , but endured only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arose immediately I stumbled. I was not being persecuted for preaching but I just did not have a good foundation of brothers and sisters who went to church and followed Christ. Then hard times came that I could no longer afford college because I was consuming cocaine once again, I ran from responsibility once again. I became so distant from my kids because I had become a full-fledged drug addict that I was bound to be found dead somewhere. I managed to travel all over the country because being a very functional drug addict, I managed to get a CDL license and of course making good money to supply my cocaine habit.
Age 33, I land in Dallas TX buy a house restore my relationship with my kids somewhat. One troubled time I had with work and my health, I run to God who has always been there for me, I promised of course that this time I will be that man of God He has called to be. But of course, all the promises I made to Him my children and myself once again I traded for cocaine, alcohol, etc. and demons from my past caught up as of course I entertained them. This season I call when I received seed among the thorns but I heard the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choked the word, and I become unfruitful.
Finally, I lose my house, and I lost my career that is supplying all the money I needed to provide for my addiction. But off course, I was determined to get back on my feet without running to God because at this point, there is no way I thought He would ever take me back. I start a new career, a new relationship new crowd of people that were not the usual; I hung around with this crowd had power and prestige and was as clean on the outside as cocaine itself. At this point in my life, my body could no longer tolerate high amounts of cocaine and alcohol. I was experiencing blackouts and was getting involved in violence not for myself but to impress those that I was trying to achieve position. I thank God that in a month period of Sept and Oct of 2010. My criminal life came to an abrupt end . I was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor all in less than three weeks apart. And in two counties in Texas. For sure, the key was to be thrown out. At this time, I had no friends in high places or family. Only one person besides God believed in me and prayed for me that was my precious mom. She hung in there with me believing one day I would make her proud to be my mother and calling me her son.
When I was locked up, I fell on that cold jail cell floor and surrendered my life to Christ. I didn’t ask to help me get out of jail. I asked for forgiveness I asked to receive peace from these demons that were tormenting me day and night. As I cried out to Him, a light in my cell lit up . I was the only one in the cell there the greatest peace fell on me I felt this transformation that was happening in me. I felt like a child that I knew his Daddy was coming to pick him up. I endured my time all the while I had the greatest joy I had ever lived with I was free in the inside even though I couldn’t go nowhere I had never experienced such joy peace and freedom. One night I dreamed of the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen and I kissed her. I just knew that was the woman that would later be my wife.
Upon release, I was homeless and career less, jobless, friendless, family-less but full of joy. God put some people in my way to provide a hotel room and dinner that night I got released’. The next morning I wake up and pursue to find myself a job. That morning God gives me job the very next day of my release! I’m cleaning toilets, washing the bosses truck. He saw how determined I was to clean with all my heart. That he offered me a position to work with one of his construction crew. Nowhere to live, no money and no way to know what was next for me. I started working somehow I ended up living in a room with no money but determination to serve God. Long story short, I end up living in a small laundry room in Garland, TX. With a small church across the street called living word church. There I was determined to serve God and live drug-free. Remember that beautiful face I had dreamed about YES she was at church. But there was a problem she had a boyfriend. I gave it time because my determination was not to find a woman my passion was to serve first the kingdom of God and guess what He added her too. Weeks later, she broke up. I served at a church play, I was active in the churches softball ream. I got to know her family. And then yes I pop the question if she would be my girlfriend. Months later, we marry at my pastor’s house.
Now 2020, I’m here to let you know that from a place of failure and void and darkness, God saved me not only to restore my life but to restore many lives here in the DFW area. Gracie and I are now pastoring new life church DFW here in Mesquite TX, two churches overseas. Many lives have been blessed by our amazing loving God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT ITS BEEN A VERY SATISFYING ONE. THERE ARE TESTS along the way that will test your faith. There will be days that everything is against you but you know that Christ has gone before you and you have the victory. You just have to run the race with an attitude of you will win because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world, diligently and with perseverance.
Please tell us about New Life Church DFW.
I am a pastor of New Life Church DFW as well as a radio host of Livefire Radio Show. My call is to prepare souls to meet our creator, our Father through Jesus Christ. Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and pastoring God’s children will come and has come with a price that price is deny myself pick up my cross daily to follow Christ. Six years ago, I left my career to be a full-time pastor to New Life Church DFW. My wife Gracie has been amazing. God has provided. We downsized to only having and owning things we absolutely need. My wife has paid the price of being a pastor’s wife. We are proud to say that many people’s lives have come to Christ. All Gracie and I went through was for a purpose that with the same comfort that God comforted us in our tribulation, we have been able to comfort others who are in any trouble.
New Life Church DFW is a church where you come as you are and start your new life in Christ.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory is Sunday mornings with my parents.
Now our passion is to build up men,women and families to create those health memories for them through the love of God.
Contact Info:
- Address: 790 Windbell Circle Mesquite TX 75149 building 2
- Website: www.nlcdfw.com
- Phone: 2144778983
- Email: Thequad.tq@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betomeza4/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beto.meza.319
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BetoMeza44
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/X_5TXfc3qy7XN7FaXJ8C6w
Image Credit:
livefire productions
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