[Q] Secure fail:kernel verizon help topic

I cant find a way that will work for me. I have been trying to flash the Liquidsmooth rom to my phone so I have been figuring out all day how to back up my data so I don't lose all my personal files if I mess up. When I tried to install clockworkmod recovery (through another third party up, in hindsight not the greatest idea,) now when I try and boot into recovery mode, it gives me a message in the top right corner saying

"secure fail: kernel"

and underneath that in bold print says
"System software not authorized by Verizon Wireless has been found on your phone"

then proceeds to tell me to visit Verizon store to get help which I know they won't. I would like to figure out how to get this message to go away now that I thoroughly have researched Liquidsmooth and clockworkmod recovery and now know how they both work, the only thing keeping me back is this error message.

Also, if possible I would like to be able to keep my data safe on my phone while getting rid of this so I do not lose all of my contacts, app data, personal notes and things of that sort. But that is the problem is that to flash the custom rom I would like to first backup all my data so I don't lose it.

thanks for your help