The Missionary Road

I walked in all dressed up, which is rare. I took a seat took my jacket off and he asked " How are you, Jose?"

I smiled and said... "Good, thanks." I had just entered my interview for potentially, becoming a full time missionary with the International Mission Board. It was a long time coming in mind, for this very moment.

However, butterflies were erupting out of sheer excitement. Yet, once the interview started, I realized something was going to change fast. The interview was hard, revealing, and refreshing at the same time. He asked, every personal question known to mankind. He asked, questions my friends have never asked me.

He came in shooting. I came in unprepared. All in all, the interview was humbling my 4 days in Richmond, Virgina were humbling.

Bombarded with a plethora of opportunities in the mission field, that take you all over the globe.

I learned in my short time, that the mission can be unforgiven and treacherous. But it can bear fruit that will last a lifetime. I have been called down this missionary road.

For along time I have dreamed of traveling to spread the Gospel to others. Yet, the 4 days of orientation serve as a remind that the road will be hard and rewarding.

There will be days I will feel like throwing in the towel. Others, I feel on top of the world. I have the learned that this road is about deny yourself, all the time!

God has control, no matter the continent. He will reveal Himself to the lost. I am merely a messenger at best.

The missionary road will undoubtedly, be life changing....

Incremental Progress

I was 18 years old .... I was in many ways at a crossroad in my life. At 18 is when I started to see things, in a different light. I was becoming more mature, took people's emotions into account.

Five years later... I can safely say, I have grown. However, there is still a lot to learn. Yet, the progress was incremental.

Many of us need to change want to change. Yet, we allow fear and laziness to lurk. We see progress when we put work into it.

A lot of times, it maybe incremental and that is okay! Usually, progress is not meant to be conquered in one day. For example, a basketball players... they practice multiple hours, days, and even years. The progress is incremental, but it comes full circle its quite the sight.


Keep going....

Maxed Out

Is it possible, to have reached your fullest potential in one particular place? That it might be time to move on?


Often times, especially with college students I see discontent. They are not happy with what they are doing, they see no purpose. Perhaps, this the the common dilemma most college student encounter.

To be honest, I can relate I feel a purpose, yet I feel, that I'm ready to go. To leave what I know best, the comforts of familiarity and luxury. Is it weird to think, I can learn more elsewhere?

These are questions I ask and many others. Wanting a change of daily reality.

Rather, the question I ask ..... is have I maxed out? One season leads to the next.

My impatience has hit critical mass. However, the time will come.....

Just wishing it would happen sooner.

Just a thought.....

Just Pray

The other night my dad received a call from his sister who lives in Monterrey, Mexico. From the look on his face, he looked concerned. After the conversation I asked what happened? He told me, that one of my aunt's clients in front of her laundry mat was robbed at gun point. It was a member of the drug cartels in Mexico.

Recently, the border of Mexico has seen a spurt of killings from the cartel. This problem is not old, however, the cartel have gotten more sophisticated over time. It's not just the poor people, who are easy to exploit who are being targeted, but people of middle class status, not to mention wealthy people. This new turn of events has caused a stir within the entire nation of Mexico. People are canceling vacation plans to visit family. The resorts are seeing fewer people coming to vacation on the beaches. The Mexican government thus far, as shown that they are not capable of preventing this unrest and fear the drug cartel have instilled in all of Mexico and the border towns of the U.S.

The other day in the San Antonio Express News there was a story about a missionary who was shot driving back from Mexico. The Cartel wanted the nice looking truck.But her husband started to speed up, but the cartel started shooting and a bullet went through the head of his wife. Senseless, right? A couple pouring their lives into a region that is in great need.

I can't help, but think about what if that was my aunt. My family, my blood and that's a cold reality to this. I stood there trying to formulate thoughts on what next? My aunt could have been that woman, my aunt witnessed the whole thing.

What can I do? I want to do something, but what? Later that night, I began to pray for the nation of Mexico.

So that's, what I will do.... pray. Pray for the cartel, the government, the people of Mexico. This comes to my main point. Who are you praying for? There are a lot of needs around the globe. The reality is we can't be there to help with all of them.

But God can, He is our hope. The light of this very dark world. This lesson may seem cliche, but when tragedy strikes, who else do we turn too?

Pray..... It's the beginning of something powerful and special.