Families Ignited for Christ

COLLEGE STATION, TEX. – The College Station Seventh-day Adventist Church sanctuary was filled on April 12, 2025, as church members and visitors gathered for an Ignite Conference called “The Family Blessing” with guest speaker Naomi Castro, founder of Family Blessing Ministries. This was the second annual Ignite Conference the church hosted in collaboration with family ministries, women’s ministries and men’s ministries. Women’s Ministries English Coordinator Sandralee Mars and Family Ministries Director Ruber Leal, both from the Texas Conference, joined the efforts with innovative gifts and support.

The event aimed to restore the art of blessing individuals in our family, church and community. Castro walked attendees through the foundations of a God-given blessing, reminding all that blessings are not just kind words but spiritual acts with power to heal, restore and affirm our identity in Christ.

Castro emphasized how these elements can be integrated into key life events, such as baby dedications, baptisms, weddings, graduations or even times of crisis. “It is virtually impossible to bless someone and then turn around and cause them harm,” she said, underscoring how true blessing aligns us with God’s will and strengthens relationships.

The presenter addressed the wounds many carry due to the absence of blessings in childhood—emotional neglect, verbal condemnation and generational pain. Using examples like Esau’s anguished cry for his father’s blessing in Genesis 27, attendees were led to reflect deeply on their own family experiences. Regardless of what may have happened in the past, the message was clear: healing is possible. It’s never too late to bless your loved ones, to seek healing from the Father or to start anew by being a blessing.

During the conference, couples embraced, parents wept, children were affectionately held and many committed to being more intentional about speaking blessings over their families. This unforgettable event served as a spiritual reset for many. Faith was renewed, and attendees were empowered to pass on the blessing, just as God commanded, from one generation to the next.

By Shevonne Dyer-Phillips