Recap: 2025 SDLF Men's Summit Breakfast!
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This morning was about far more than breakfast—it was about climbing a summit together. With over 190 leaders gathered, SDLF came together as brothers pursuing a higher calling: to be formed, sent, and empowered to transform San Diego one community at a time.
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Keynote Highlights — Vice Admiral Brendan McLean
VADM Brendan McLean challenged us with a transformative truth:
We often make the path harder by resisting what God asks—but God doesn’t require superhuman strength. He asks for persistent trust, community, and the courage to take the first step.
Drawing from the lives of Jonah, Moses, and Gideon, he reminded us that God uses ordinary people who simply have the faith to begin.
Psalm 27 grounded his message:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
He also emphasized the power of community and prayer, pointing to the Fulton Street Revival as proof that one person’s obedience can spark a movement.
Leadership Takeaways:
Just get started—don’t obsess over the outcome.
Everything looks hard at the beginning, so begin anyway.
Trust God with the process.
Be persistent in prayer—ask for strength and endurance, and trust God to supply what you lack.
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Launch of the “Just One Thing” Initiative — Lt. Col. Jim Ruvacalba
SDLF unveiled a unified initiative across all 15 forums to uplift youth at risk in San Diego through:
Labor: showing up with time and presence
Finances: sacrificial generosity
Expertise: offering God-given skills to strengthen partner nonprofits
To do so, SDLF is restructuring with this initiative to strengthen and hone the inter-forum fraternity and focus of all the forums by coming together under the mission of ameliorating the suffering of youth at risk in San Diego.
A new Inter-Leadership Council—one leader from each of the 15 forums—will coordinate efforts, share best practices, and track spiritual and practical outcomes.
Main Non-Profits SDLF with Focus on Supporting:
Boys to Men
ABC Youth Foundation
First Gen Scholars
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Forum Experience — Testimonies
Roland Sland, a 15+ year partner, shared how SDLF has consistently encouraged, equipped, and empowered his leadership.
Joe LaRusa, a 5+ year partner, described the UTC forum as a place of genuine brotherhood—a community where “Joe can be Joe” and each man sharpens the other.
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SDLF is more than forums—it's a spiritual turbocharger, equipping, encouraging, and empowering leaders who in turn drive Christ-centered impact throughout San Diego.
Thank you to every leader who showed up with open hands and open hearts.
The mission continues—one step, one leader, One Thing at a time.
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For more information, contact:
Matthew Booker, Executive Director 858-231-9152 /
Matthew.Booker@cru.org
