Blog

We are continuing our series on Getting to Know your church leaders a little bit better. Read along to learn more about Eli Malizzo, who serves as our youth ministry coordinator. 

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born in Albuquerque, NM, but the Cedar Crest/Sandia Park/Tijeras area is home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

I was (and still am) generally uncertain. I was always inspired by businessmen who used their professional influence to spread the Kingdom, and strive to walk a similar path.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My parents and my grandmother.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I got to know who Christ was and what He did for me as a young person (can’t recall the exact age, but maybe around 5th grade, through my family and the mass of spiritual influence around me at church). But, it wasn’t until my teenage years that I really came to grips with what that meant for my life, and it became time to make my faith my own.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

1 Timothy 6:11-12 has provided me with encouragement many times in my life, and I have shared it with many others, hoping they find the same encouragement in these words that I do.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

I remember being uncertain about buying our home. A huge decision, and one we didn’t want to take lightly. We prayed for many months that if it was God’s will, he would lead us to the right one, and let it be simple. After many months of praying and feeling God telling us ‘not this one’, we found one we thought seemed too good to be true. With each passing day and each prayer, we asked God to help us say no if it wasn’t right. He kept the process simple for us, and it culminated in the Denver airport on the way home from a wedding. It was one day after we put an offer on the house (which we were very prepared for the sellers to reject). We had a layover of about an hour, and I was pacing the airport, fielding calls between work, our banker and our realtor, and talking to the Lord in between. I had just hung up with the banker and was anticipatorily pacing. After a minute of praying that the Lord would let us have an answer before we got on the plane, we got the call from our realtor saying our offer was accepted. Needless to say, we had a great flight home. His faithfulness to us was on display during these many months, and I routinely think back on that when I am frustrated, as a reminder that His timing is not mine, and His plan for me is infinitely better than my plan for me. 

What is a blessing and what is a challenge in serving as a youth ministry leader?

Blessing: Every week, we finish our discussion groups with prayer, and we pray for each other. Scripture talks about childlike faith, but it’s on full display during prayer times. Our students’ optimism and trust in God’s ultimate control often encourages me; it’s a wonderful thing to hear a 12-year-old pray for something that’s causing me frustration, knowing fully that the Lord is faithful.

Challenge: Being present. It’s not uncommon to end up at youth group with a head full of other thoughts and concerns. I am learning to ‘be where my feet are’ when at youth group, and fully devote a few hours to loving our students like Christ would, but it’s a challenge for me. 

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

Fly fishing is my go-to in the summer, and snowboarding in the winter.  My grandpa took me fishing for the first time, and I immediately loved it.  Sid and Linda Barker took me snowboarding for the first (and probably second and third) time, and I am grateful that I got to learn it at a young age.  

What is your favorite family tradition?

The Birthday Breakfast. I won’t go into details, but suffice to say we get to see the Lord glorified on a day that would otherwise be very self-focused. 

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

Being outside. Hiking, bonfires, volleyball, fishing, or simply working around the house - I feel at peace.

What is the perfect meal?

Any pasta that my wife makes. Maybe it’s the Italian heritage. Can’t beat a great pasta.

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Spending time with my brothers. I can’t recall an instance of significant time spent together that didn’t include a healthy dose of laughter.

We asked Kristine: 

What is your favorite trait of Eli's?