Living Truth Church – Ft. Lauderdale

Our Team

Brenda left her secular career of 40+ years three years earlier than planned to step into full-time ministry with a focus on evangelism, prison ministry and community outreach.  She is enrolled at South Florida Bible College, working on a BA in Biblical & Theological Studies.

Ron and Brenda have been married for more than 23 years with a blended family of three children and three grandchildren. 

Evangelist Brenda and Ron Ibitz

Receiving the call to ministry at a Baptist revival in her pre-teen years, opportunity to serve The Lord was impossible starting in high school when family circumstances forced Brenda to, in her own words, “Chase the almighty dollar vs. The Almighty…”

Born an “Air Force Brat” – both parents served our country at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington.  At age one, the family moved to her maternal family’s home state of Louisiana. She lived there into her late 20’s until making a career move to Indianapolis for the next 38 years.

After her parent’s divorce, Brenda bounced between family until accepting her best friend’s gracious offer to live with her and her mother during senior year of high school.

On her own since high school, Brenda struggled financially while attending Louisiana Tech and Louisiana State University for three cumulative years.  It was after beginning a longtime, successful career as a Development Executive in the not-for-profit trade association industry when she enrolled/earned a BA in Business from Mellen University which folded after not receiving CHEA accreditation.

With her 6-figure career in full-swing, and continuing for 40+ years – Brenda lived a self-fulfilling prophecy of chasing the almighty dollar and “dabbling” in her Christian walk.

Her professed priorities (talk):  God, Family and Job.

Her reality (walk):  Job was #1 and God/Family tied for second – for most of her adult life. 

Pursuing worldly success, Brenda carried on a generational curse, creating her own dysfunctional family for her and her daughter.  With three failed marriages, and chasing the world, Brenda met  Ron.

Brenda and Ron, who married in 2002, made church a priority from the beginning. On their second date, Brenda shared that she had felt God’s calling on her life as a pre-teen. Although both of them initially thought this calling was a thing of the past.

 

THE TALK:

For the next 20+ years, Ron and Brenda agreed their priorities in order were: God, Family and Job.  They faithfully attended/served church, tithed, volunteered, etc., etc., etc.

THE WALK:

At the same time LIVED for luxury cars, vacations, jewelry/fashion – infidelity, worldly pleasure, etc., etc. etc.  Everyone including themselves thought they had it made – living “the good life”.  

 

 

Materialism is a heart issue: Ron and Brenda COVETED worldly pleasures/materialism 

 

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

  • Matthew 6:19-21

 

For what will it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

  • Mark 8:34-38

 

The term “hindsight is 20/20” is often used to describe the phenomenon of being able to see things more clearly after they have happened.  The phrase is derived from the idea that our vision is better when looking backward than forwards.

Fast Forward:

After witnessing a full demonic manifestation of a precious loved one – REPENTING, ASKING FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVING – in Brenda’s own words, “THERE IS NO TURNING BACK ON MY GOD AND HIS CALLING ON MY LIFE!”

 

Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sarah was impatient, Elijah was depressed, Moses stuttered AND was a murderer, Abraham was old and Lazarus was dead …

 God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the CALLED!!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

  • Isaiah 43:18-19

But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.   I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

  • Philippians 3:13-14

Ron and Brenda have been married for more than 23 years with a blended family of three children and three grandchildren. 

Evangelist Brenda and Ron Ibitz

Receiving the call to ministry at a Baptist revival in her pre-teen years, opportunity to serve The Lord was impossible starting in high school when family circumstances forced Brenda to, in her own words, “Chase the almighty dollar vs. The Almighty…”

Born an “Air Force Brat” – both parents served our country at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington.  At age one, the family moved to her maternal family’s home state of Louisiana. She lived there into her late 20’s until making a career move to Indianapolis for the next 38 years.

After her parent’s divorce, Brenda bounced between family until accepting her best friend’s gracious offer to live with her and her mother during senior year of high school.

On her own since high school, Brenda struggled financially while attending Louisiana Tech and Louisiana State University for three cumulative years.  It was after beginning a longtime, successful career as a Development Executive in the not-for-profit trade association industry when she enrolled/earned a BA in Business from Mellen University which folded after not receiving CHEA accreditation.

With her 6-figure career in full-swing, and continuing for 40+ years – Brenda lived a self-fulfilling prophecy of chasing the almighty dollar and “dabbling” in her Christian walk.

Her professed priorities (talk):  God, Family and Job.

Her reality (walk):  Job was #1 and God/Family tied for second – for most of her adult life. 

Pursuing worldly success, Brenda carried on a generational curse, creating her own dysfunctional family for her and her daughter.  With three failed marriages, and chasing the world, Brenda met  Ron.

Brenda and Ron, who married in 2002, made church a priority from the beginning. On their second date, Brenda shared that she had felt God’s calling on her life as a pre-teen. Although both of them initially thought this calling was a thing of the past.

THE TALK:

For the next 20+ years, Ron and Brenda agreed their priorities in order were: God, Family and Job.  They faithfully attended/served church, tithed, volunteered, etc., etc., etc.

THE WALK:

At the same time LIVED for luxury cars, vacations, jewelry/fashion – infidelity, worldly pleasure, etc., etc. etc.  Everyone including themselves thought they had it made – living “the good life”.  

Materialism is a heart issue: Ron and Brenda COVETED worldly pleasures/materialism 

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

  • Matthew 6:19-21

For what will it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

  • Mark 8:34-38

The term “hindsight is 20/20” is often used to describe the phenomenon of being able to see things more clearly after they have happened.  The phrase is derived from the idea that our vision is better when looking backward than forwards.

Fast Forward:

After witnessing a full demonic manifestation of a precious loved one – REPENTING, ASKING FORGIVENESS AND FORGIVING – in Brenda’s own words, “THERE IS NO TURNING BACK ON MY GOD AND HIS CALLING ON MY LIFE!”

Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sarah was impatient, Elijah was depressed, Moses stuttered AND was a murderer, Abraham was old and Lazarus was dead …

 God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the CALLED!!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

  • Isaiah 43:18-19

But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

  • Philippians 3:13-14