A little bit ago I had lunch with one of the few people in my inner circle, one of my mentors who I consider part of my 'council.' See, I'm fortunate to have a very small, select group of people in my life that has full access into my life and into my heart. This man blows me away every time I talk to him—and oh we talked. He's a talker, I'm a talker, our 'quick' lunch meeting turned into a two hour brainstorming and sharing session. But he blows me away every time I talk to him—the dreams he has and chases at 50+ years of age, the way he believes and pours into those everyone else has checked out on—including me. I can honestly say he's one of the few genuine men I know in life. Anyways, he shared some life advice with me that I've been chewing on ever since that I just can't get over.
I was sharing some of my dreams and plans for this next season in my life and I was telling him how I feel like I have this huge sense of urgency. How I think I might have finally figured out that my time on Earth is finite. And because of that, I feel like every step in my life has a bit of a 'hurry up' aspect to it. I want to hurry up and get these promotions. I want to hurry up and finish my undergrad and start my MBA. I want to hurry up and get so many things and milestones accomplished that sometimes I feel like I'm on the verge of spreading myself out too thin, and I haven't even done anything yet!
-Slow down. You're young. And believe me, you have time.
And this helped. I needed to hear that. I've felt like God's grown me so much and I feel like sometimes he's so quick to show me maturity that I feel like I'm 27 going on 40. It was good to hear from someone that's been where I'm at and done what I've done that my life is not a long list of to-do's. He encouraged me to enjoy the ride. Enjoy the season I'm in without losing focus on where God is leading me. You CAN do both—he assured me.
Which brought up dating. I almost hate talking about this so much, but this part of my life, or absence out of my life rather, seems to be a theme for this season I'm going through. We were talking about how I love being single. How I'm great at it, I could write a book about it, I could make a career out of it—all the jokes. But it was really cool to hear the perspective from someone that's coming up on 25 years of marriage!
-Enjoy your season brother. Enjoy where God has you, enjoy being a single man and all that has to offer, but don't let the enemy distract you. He'll try. He'll try hard. Stay focused. And know two things: what God has called you to and that what he's called you to is more amazing than anything you can come up with. The woman he has for you will blow you away. She'll be prettier than you can imagine. She'll be more amazing than you can imagine and she'll be more fun than you can imagine. She may not be exactly what you think you want, but she'll be exactly what God knows you need. Marry someone that you can hang out with—all the time. Marry your best friend.
And that last part really stuck with me. There was a time when this was really a huge focus for me. If I could sum up my wife in a phrase, that would be it. I've always wanted to marry my best friend. But I've been single for so long and good at it for so long, that honestly, I just kind of put that priority list on the backburner. It was really good to hear from someone older and wiser that the wants that are deep in my heart are right on track with what makes a solid marriage—even 25 years later.
-Maximize where you're at. God will give you opportunities and lead you. He'll change gears on you and change seasons on you, but at all times maximize where you're at and take advantage of every opportunity God has put in front of you. All of them. Because you never know, that smallest opening, could lead to a huge breakthrough in your life.
And this, this, really helped. It's no secret that God has definitely changed gears on me in the last 12 months. After feeling like I was completely done in the corporate world and exhumed to never see it again—here I am. Back at it, climbing this ladder as fast as my human talent and ability will possibly let me, but all with a renewed purpose and drive in my life. What's amazing is that now, I can actually tell you, I have a passion for it! Weird, I know. Who has a passion for the corporate world? But when you understand the big picture and what God can do through these corporate channels, you get a little excited. The world I grew up in, I grew up coveting. I grew up wanting. Lacking. There was never enough. There was always a need. And the youth of my people, unfortunately, are in the same position. Mom and dad work two to three jobs at a little above minimum wage, just to maintain. So when these boys that are coming up in the hood see a drug dealer or a tough guy banging, they want that. They want the toys, the chains, the rims, the girls, the façade of prosperity and success without ever realizing that the life they envy and covet is a short road to a dead end stop. So if I can come from where they came from, and do what they wish they could do without the drugs, the guns and the violence, my success in the corporate world is now the hope for a generation of up and coming Latinos that only know 'clean' success in theory. That have only ever heard of these stories the way you and I hear about that guy that made it big in the NFL or made it through the last bubble and bust unscathed. So now this land God has me in carries a weight. It has a purpose. These promotions and raises are only tools. Tools to pour back into a people and generation chasing the wrong things and wanting the wrong things. Is it all about the monetary gains? No not at all. But if I know my Jesus. My Jesus will meet you where you're at. And it's much easier to get a Latino youth to listen to you when you have what they want. And when they ask why we do things differently? When they ask why I decided to take a different path for my life? Or here's my favorite: Mister, why did you do bad things and then decide to stop? What changed? That's my tee-ball baby! Oh you really wanna know? You sure you wanna hear what changed in my life? Sit down son, let me tell you about my man Jesus and what he did for me, my family and you and your family…
I'm fortunate to have incredible people in my life. Incredible people that believe in me, root for me and want the best for me. A lot of people don't and that's ok. There will always be people that doubt you, people that count you out. Even worse, people that 'have your back' only to peace out when your life doesn't meet their purpose. But every once in a while, you'll find a leader, a mentor that will have your back, that will believe in you when everyone else doubts. These leaders, these are the ones that will stick it out with you and believe in you when no one else will, they'll believe you can overcome any odds, do anything you set out to do. The rest? Who cares? They counted you out to begin with; who cares if they're in your corner or not? They'll only leave the first time you take a punch to the chin and God forbid you take stumble; they'll be on the other team's bleachers betting against you before the count hits three. But those that believe in you. Those that were in your corner when no one else was? Those that took a chance on you? Prove them right.
I thanked him for that, by the way. I thanked him for sticking with me and believing in me when a lot of other people didn't.
-I believe in you brother. I'm in your corner and I'm rooting for you. God is for you and I'm for you.
I'm fortunate to have people like this in my life.
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