9 Things I've Learned in 64 Days

It's been just over two months since moving to San Antonio... It feels like it's been much longer! A lot has happened and a lot has changed. I've learned more in these past 64 days than I've learned in a long time. God has shown me a lot about life, others and myself in this span... I've gone through a gauntlet of emotions, ranging from happiness, loneliness, peaceful, anger, frustration, amazement and everything in between.

In no particular order, here are some things I've learned (and some things that have become more clear to me since I got here) so far:

1) I'm a terribly inconsistent blogger. Well, I knew this before I left. Sorry! Still working on that...

2) Don't be afraid to try new things. Living on your own forces you to do new stuff you probably didn't do much of before, which is a great thing. Learning how to cook has been really fun! Do something different. It's good for you!

3) Don't let things pile up. Whether it's a mini-mountain of dirty dishes in the sink or a series of tasks to get done at work, don't allow things to get out of hand. Take care of what needs to get done on the spot. Because it's amazing how quickly a to-do list of one or two things becomes 10 or 11. Avoid stress. Take care of things one-by-one.

4) Begin every day spending time with God. Life can move pretty fast and schedules can get pretty hectic. There were times when I went several days putting off spending time in prayer. Time in God's word. I felt myself drifting away and as I tried to push through each day on my own strength, I was quickly reminded that I could not do this on my own. I was heading towards a burn out. I could feel it. When I started each day spending time with him, turning off my phone and my TV for a half hour and filling my heart and mind with his truth, it made a difference. My strength, confidence and hope rests in the Lord. If we are to truly seek a relationship with God, make it a top priority.

5) Plan, plan, plan. Time is an extremely valuable resource, and whether it works for you or against you really depends on you. Take a look at your schedule. Make a list of priorities and stick with them. Set aside time for work Set aside time for yourself as well. Make meal plan so that you know what to shop for every week and you don't waste time and money. Set aside an hour to exercise. A little time to reach out to people. A little time to just relax and unwind. If you plan things out, life becomes a bit more manageable.

6) Don't be afraid to divert from the plan. At the same time, having a set schedule and strictly going by it all the time can get mundane and boring and stale really fast. Do something different once in a while. Changes things up. Make breakfast for dinner once in a while. Go explore a new place. Take a detour on your way home. If you feel God calling you to spend more time with him or go out of your way to do something, listen. Keep things fresh and, if necessary, shuffle your schedule every so often. As much as we plan, be ready for God to come in and completely mess up that plan. And when that happens, remember that God's plans are always bigger and better than ours.


7) Know your resources and stay within your means. Be smart and prudent with your resources. Know what you have and what you don't have. Adopt a "10-10-80 Plan": The first 10% to God, The next 10% in savings, and how you use the other 80% is up to you. But it's in that 80% where we can really mess up. Honor God with that 80%. Honor God with your musical purchases. Honor God with what you spend on food. If you can, donate and invest into the lives of others. I would recommend making a budget and seeing where your money is going (I use Mint.com. It's easy and free). If we're not careful, we can easily become a slave to our finances. Don't let that happen. 


8) I'm not alone and neither are you. There have been times here where I have felt as lonely as I've ever felt. Moments where I felt I made a serious mistake in coming out here. But it's in those moments where I have felt God's hand in my life. Remembering his faithfulness to those who love him. There is no one I need more than Jesus. Sometimes it takes being away from everything and everyone you ever knew to realize that in a whole new way.


9) Trust God completely. Keep moving forward taking steps of faith. God will take care of the rest and will never give you more than you can handle. Time and again, I've tried to wrestle control away from God. Tried to take the wheel and determine my own direction. That's my natural reaction when I face mystery and uncertainty. All that has done is add unneeded stress and worry into my heart and that can rob of me of the blessings and joys that God has placed right in front of me. I don't need to know where I'm going. All I need to do is trust. 

Never Alone

"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted... 

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you." 

- Psalm 25:16,21

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One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard was the "H.A.L.T. Principle": Don't make any major decisions when you're hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. 

It is a fantastic piece of advice to live by. Looking back, I know there were plenty of dumb and idiotic things I did or was about to do because I was in one or more of those emotional states. It's not a fun place to be because that's when we're most vulnerable. Our defenses are lowered, our thought process is reduced to a jumbled mess, and we just get downright stupid.

Right now, especially in the last couple days, my major struggle has been with loneliness. I'm gonna be straight up honest with you here, because I have a feeling we've all been there before. We have all dealt with bouts of loneliness in our lives. Either from physical distance. Emotional distance. Hurt or pain. Betrayal. There are a bunch of factors that could lead to loneliness creeping into our lives and jacking us up. And that loneliness can drive us to anger and sadness... which could lead to even more personal wreckage.

In a new environment without no real friends, no church yet, no family, no real support system to speak of... things can get pretty rough. Which is why it is so important to have community with people you trust and who you know will be there for you no matter what. Surround yourself with those people.

But what happens when all that is taken way? Sometimes we need to have it all taken away. There are benefits to time alone; even Jesus took the time to draw away and pray.  I'm finding out I needed things to be taken away and to be separated from the people I care about in order to let God work in my own heart. So that he could get my attention and focus, which many times can be easily shifted to other areas of my life. And also so that I can turn immediately to him instead of other people. God should be the first person we run to in times of trouble. He is our counselor, our refuge, our shelter. He is all I need and all I will ever need. Every good thing comes from him and him alone. He will never leave me nor forsake me. That truth has become real loud and clear here in San Antonio.

One of the many things that this move has revealed to me was how dependent my emotions could be on people and on circumstances. 

The last three weeks have been some of the toughest I've had to face... very few other times in my life have I felt more alone than I feel right now. Physically... emotionally. 

But God is reminding me over and over and over again that he is constantly present. That he is always there. Maybe his presence is clearly evident in our lives or maybe he's feeling distant (I've been through both), but he is there.

The best thing to do when loneliness settles in is to remember who you are and whose you are. When the enemy whispers "You're all alone", you can call him a flat out liar. God has promised to fight for us through difficult times and through the storms that we encounter in our lives.

Take the time to "HALT", take a deep breath, and remember the greater vision that God has placed in our lives. That he is God and I'm not. Remember how faithful he was in other times of need when we fully and completely surrendered to him. Remember that our joy is not determined by circumstances, but by the truth that outlasts them all.

No one said the road was easy. No one said it would be pain-free. No one said it would be without sacrifices. It's time to start making mine.

I kindly ask that you pray for me as I go through this. I know I might feel lonely, but I'm definitely not alone.

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SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Luke 5:16, Joshua 1:5, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 34:18-19

I Don't Know. And That's OK.

"This is what the Lord says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 

'and will bring you back from captivity...'"

- Jeremiah 29:10-14

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Chances are you've heard Jeremiah 29:11, the part that I did not embolden in the scripture above. It's one of the most encouraging and popular verses in the Bible; a reminder that God is in total control, that he is good, and that he has a good plan for our lives even when we don't always see it. 

But I was brought to this passage a couple mornings ago and I began reading around the verse. I love verse 11, but what about verse 10? When the Israelites were exiled and put in captivity, there wasn't a big feeling of hope. The Lord told them that when seventy years are completed in Babylon, then he will come and fulfill his good promise. 

Seventy years? I don't know about you, but that's a long time to wait. We love that God has a plan and future for our lives, but are we willing to wait on him for it? Am I? Or do we want God to fulfill his promises on our timetable, schedule and Google calendar? 

Like I mentioned in my last post, I've been tempted to sometimes look ahead. Plan ahead. Map out my future. Or at least attempt to. All that seems to do for me, however, is sort of overwhelm me. Now don't get me wrong: having long term goals is great. I have my own share of those that give me a sense of direction. But make sure that you don't take God out of that plan-making process. And sometimes, many times, the best course of action is to surrender the future to him instead of trying to get into the little details of everything. Embrace the vision God has placed in your life and just let him take care of the details.

How long have we sometimes planned ahead for? A year? 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? We can make all the plans and charts and projections we want... but if God has another plan, you might as well throw them out to the curb. And if he does have another plan for you, are you willing to throw your own away? It's a choice we all have to make. We all have to answer God's question: "Do you trust me?"

And then there's the couple verses after verse 11. There's a lot of action taking place in those couple sentences. Call. Come. Seek. Find. Listen. Pray. Our faith cannot afford to be inactive and passive. In order for us to realize God's plans for our lives, we have to move. We have to take action and take that critical step of faith. That's often the hardest thing to do. I don't want to be the person who doesn't take those steps. Sometimes it's easy to just sit back and take the easy route instead of making the kinds of sacrifices God is asking us to make... Our faith needs to be fueled by action. 

What it all boils down to is this: I don't know where God is going to have me in five years. Or 10 years. I really, really don't. But I do know that God is going to be with me through it all. And that's all I really need in the end.

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SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 20:4, Proverbs 16:3 

A New Start

"Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? 
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

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Well, it's been a week since I have arrived in San Antonio... It feels like it's been a month! It feels like graduation was ages ago.

Part of me still can't believe I'm really here. Just month ago I barely had an idea of where I would be at this point in time. I never would have guessed that I would have had to drop everything in my life for an opportunity that God just dropped into my lap. 

The hardest part of this first week has definitely been adjusting to a new reality. Realizing that this is not Miami. I'm 1,400 miles away from a family that I love and that loves me; from my closest friends who I've done life with over the years; from a church where I have grown and served for years; from everything that I've ever known.

Without a doubt, the most difficult thing I had to do was say goodbye.

But I know that God brought me here for a purpose. To make a difference. He cleared every obstacle and created a clear and straight path that I knew I needed to take. So here I am. 

Now more than ever before, I've had to lean on God and trust in his plan for me. There are moments where I thought "What am I doing here?" "This was a mistake." But I knew that wasn't God. That was me and my own fear. That was me trying to do everything at once and on my own, trying to take control of the situation. I might be far from home but the struggles I faced with surrendering control to God, a struggle that he has chipped away at for years through my walk, lingered. 

I quickly understood that I couldn't keep going like this. I might have gotten away with it in Miami, when there were other things that I could fall back on (albeit temporarily), but not here in San Antonio. It was trust either trust in God, who brought me here, or sink trying to rely on my own strength and ability. The right choice was clear, although truly making that choice and walking it out sometimes proved difficult. 

After one week here, I definitely feel more confident and more comfortable that the first couple of days. But it's not because of what I have done, but because of what God has already done. It was understanding that my role in all this was simple: step out in obedience. He'll take care of the rest. He always has. And I know he always will.

If you are entering into a transitional period of your life, maybe a new job, a new location, a new school... whatever it might be, don't be discouraged. Don't fret. When everything is rushing through your head and you're not sure where to go or what to do next, just stop. Be still and breathe. And know that God is God. Know that he knows what you are going through and he brought you to where you are for a reason. Walk boldly and confidently in that truth.    

For those back home who have been praying and encouraging me, thank you. It means more to me than you'll ever know. I'm so blessed to have all of you at my back. Miss you all! 

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SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Philippians 4:4, Matthew 9:9, Corinthians 9:24-26     

Our Opportunities

So tomorrow I leave for San Antonio to begin a new chapter of my life... A lot is going on through my mind and I'm struggling to really process this whole thing. So I'll probably get more into that later. I just wanted to share a column that was supposed to come out in The Beacon's graduation issue that ended up never being published. So I'll share it with you. I wrote this literally hours before God set in motion the events that have me leaving Miami. It was a reflection of my four years at FIU and also my prayer for all of you. I hope it encourages you:

Many call this place called America the “Land of Opportunity.”

My grandparents and parents fled Cuba to come here almost 50 years ago because their opportunities were stripped away from them. So they came here. Made this place home. They had an opportunity to reclaim opportunity and they took hold of it so that my brother and I might have opportunities of our own one day.

It was not easy. It was not convenient. But they did it anyway, because it was what needed to be done.

Our lives will be determined by the opportunities we’re presented with and what we do with them.

We won’t be able to say yes to everything. I’ve turned down some opportunities, good opportunities, while accepting others. Those decisions are the most revealing. They reflect where my heart is, reveal my true priorities and determine my direction. We all have to make those tough decisions.

My four years at FIU have provided me with opportunities to discover my true passions. Opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. Opportunities to excel and learn from individuals who have been where I want to go. Opportunities to go to places I’ve never been. Opportunities to forge friendships that I hope last a lifetime.

And the sum of all these opportunities has allowed me to discover what God has in store for me: a life filled with direction, with focus, with purpose and with hope.

This will be a time that I will be forever grateful for. I have been blessed with the opportunity to get an education that some members of my family never did, and I thank God for it constantly.

So many times we take opportunities for granted, letting them pass us by like the strangers we walk by in the Graham Center or allowing them to slip away.

My hope and prayer is that you do not let them pass by. Take a chance. Take a leap of faith. Instead of ignoring or stifling your life-long passions and interests, forge them into the dreams and visions of your life.

Never miss an opportunity to learn something new. I don’t think a day has gone by where I haven’t learned something I hadn’t learned before about the world around me or about people. Or even about myself.

The learning process does not stop when we check out of the classroom or when we clock out for summer break or when receive our degrees. It stops when we stop seeking, searching and asking the questions we need to ask. Don’t miss the chance to ask.

And most importantly, find opportunities to love people. Find ways to invest into the lives of those around you, because there is nothing more thrilling or more exhilarating than watching lives change. To lead others into leadership. To share in the success and joy of those we helped build up.

The knowledge we gain should not be jammed into a jar, locked up and stored away out of reach. It should be poured out constantly. Into friends, family, colleagues, classmates and anyone willing to listen.

What are you leaving behind for those who will follow in your footsteps? How will you be remembered? What will be your legacy?

It is never too early to start making a difference. You are never too young to lead. And it is never too late to start over again.

As I step out in faith into the next chapter of my life, there is always that shred of doubt that lingers about the future. The unknown. Faith is not faith if there is no doubt.

But I am confident in this: I know that my future is brighter than my present. That my tomorrow will be greater than my today. That while old opportunities may be expiring, new ones lie ahead.

An Empty Seat

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." 

- James 4:13-14

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My Tuesday night class is pretty normal.

There are about 20 students enrolled. We meet once a week for about two hours. We get an assignment and talk about news writing. And then we go home. Repeat. 

But last Tuesday was different. A few hours before we met before class, I found out one of my classmates had passed away in a lethal car accident that involved the deaths of several others as well. She was 22. She was going to graduate from FIU next month just like me. 

I couldn't believe it. I had seen her just a couple weeks before. She sat right next to me in class. I wasn't particularly close to her, but we had spoken before. It was surreal.

Stepping into class that day, I looked over at her empty seat. Part of me still expected her to walk through the door as if nothing had happened. But, of course, she never did.

It was a reminder of how fragile life is. How quickly things can change and how tomorrow is never really guaranteed. It's something I routinely say from time to time, knowing it to be true but never really considering the sheer reality of it. At least not until now. That empty seat could have been yours. It could have been mine. What are we leaving behind? How will those around us remember us?

Glancing at that empty seat made me particularly uncomfortable. It got me thinking about my own life. About what I was doing with my time here. How I was treating those around me. My other classmates who occupy the other seats in the class. The people I work with and do life with. Have I been loving them? What do I know about them? Do I even know half their names?

Never waste an opportunity to drop an encouraging word to someone. Don't let a day go by without committing an unprovoked act of kindness. Strive for excellence every day. There's really no time for anything less than that.

Each and every moment of life is a gift from God and an opportunity to reflect his love in a world that is in desperate need for it. We are rubbing shoulders with people who are broken and thirsting for more. 

I think sometimes we fall for the lie that we are invincible and that nothing bad can really happen to us or those that we're close to. It leads us to fall into this place of complacency and we lose the urgency of what is really at stake. My hope and prayer for my life and yours is that we don't take this one and only life for granted.    

Never Take For Granted What's True

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." 

- Colossians 4:2-6

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Spring Break is over.

Back to reality. The grind. The way things are...

I spent my week-long hiatus in Panama City Beach. Most people going to this beautiful place on this particular week are there for any number of reasons. Partying. Drinking. Sex.

Why was I there? To share my faith. To connect with God. To get away from Miami. Rid my mind of distractions that had been clouding my mind.

I honestly had no idea what to expect and I was fortunate to be surrounded by other FIU students and over 1,000 other college students from around the country here for maybe the exact same reason (and probably many others). Big Break 2012.

For four straight afternoons, we went out on the beach and dove into conversations with random strangers. Talked about life. God. Their answers. Their questions. Their beliefs. Or lack of beliefs. I'll confess: I was petrified. Part of me didn't want to do it. Part of me would have rather been doing nothing. Laying on the sand. Watching TV. Reading a book. I hate that part of me. I silenced that part of me. The Gospel is bigger than my own comfort.

You learn a lot talking to other people. People from so many different places. Different backgrounds. Different social status. Different everything. But what shocked me the most was the misunderstandings people have about God. Some who didn't even know who Jesus was or what He did or why He did it. And who He did it for.

For so long I took for granted what I know is true. I let lies and subtle agreements settle in my mind for so long. Lies like "People know about Jesus. They've already made their choice."

Never again. Never again am I falling for that lie.

As I told my story to this skeptical guy from George Washington University, I could see in his eyes that he needed something more than what he was doing. As I saw this kid from Indiana thank my friend and I for sharing our faith with him, I knew more needed to be done.

I started thinking of home. What about my friends? My classmates? My co-workers? My family?

Now that I'm home, things have changed. I have resolved to make sure they have. How am I looking at those I claim to love? Am I really loving them like I should? I've never met a person God does not love. And I never will.

I can't change lives. You can't change lives. Only Jesus can change lives. Only a relationship with Jesus can change lives.

All we have to do is set up an invitation.      

People are dying. I've been hearing that. Seeing that. But I haven't been living like it.

Enough is enough. I'm not going to leave things the way they are. I've done that enough times.

Friends, never take for granted what's true. Never take Christ, our Lord and Savior, for granted. Never take for the Gospel, the hope of the world, for granted.