I Can’t Remember a Time...

Coronavirus is one of the best things that has happened to me in a long time.

It’s March 19, 2020 and our world is experiencing an unprecedented viral pandemic that has effected hundreds of thousands globally and killed close to 10,000 people to date. So how can I possibly be sitting here writing a blog entry that promotes this issue as a positive thing in my life? 

Well, for starters, I am a silver linings kind if guy and I look for the positive in most things, people, and situations. However, I can’t say that I’m an optimist because I definitely like to think through the more dismal outcomes of most situations and present them to others as a way of preparing myself and them mentally for anything that could go wrong. I know...it sounds confusing, so I’ll just get to the point.

So why is Coronavirus one of the best things that has happened to me? Let me present (3) facts to support this outlandish statement:

1. I can’t remember a time when I have worked less hours, but gotten more accomplished. It’s amazing what happens when you lead through others instead of executing most things yourself. I’m thankful to work for a company that values doing the right thing when so many others around us are being selfish.
2. I can’t remember a time when I have spent more time at home with my wife and children and had so much fun doing it. Not that my wife and kids aren’t a joy to be around, but the reality is that I had fallen into an unhealthy routine that wasn’t allowing me to maximize the quality of the time I was spending with them. This time of isolation has allowed me to be the leader that my family needs because that leadership comes from God’s guidance, Jesus’ examples, and the Holy Spirit’s whispers in my ear.
3. I can’t remember a time when my faith has been tested as much as it is now and my response is to press into it as much as possible. We do not serve a God of FEAR because this is His FIGHT and therefore, our response should be to go FORWARD in everything we do. That is why when everyone else is “Socially Distancing” themselves from everything and everyone, we will be a light in the darkness and draw others closer to make sure that they know they are loved.

Let me make one thing very clear! I don’t have the Coronavirus (or at least I don’t think I do). I haven’t been tested yet, but I’m feeling pretty healthy from a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual standpoint which is why I wanted to share. Like I said...it’s been over five years since I wrote on this blog page, but I was inspired to share during this time of uncertainty, so remember...

“Social Distancing” doesn’t equal “Social Isolation”

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Thanks for reading

Marketplace Ministry: How To Reach People In The Marketplace!

I recently had the opportunity to participate as a guest speaker for the ACCELERATE Leadership Conference hosted by Lead Pastor, Chip Stallings @ Discover Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The topic that I was assigned was, "How To Reach People In The Marketplace".

Since becoming a Christ follower a little over 3 years ago, I have guided many of the people that I work with towards closer relationships with Jesus. I myself was a product of Marketplace Ministry, which is the terminology that kept popping up whenever I would research my topic. Wikipedia refers to Marketplace Ministry as:

"Evangelism or other Christian activities that are targeted towards the secular workplace as opposed to homes, churches, or specialized venues...it speaks to the fact that any Christian can fulfill their desire to serve God in the workplace".

Reaching people in the marketplace makes just as much sense in today's society as it did in the book of Acts if you really think about it. The marketplace is where we spend a majority of our time each week, so why wouldn't we as believers try to make the most of it for His Kingdom? Whether it's our 40+ hour work weeks, meeting someone for coffee, grocery shopping, or just going out for fun, the secular marketplace in today's society is filled with opportunites for Christ followers yearning to make an impact for God. 

In the book The Tangible Kingdom, Hugh Halter states: "Our goal isn't to attract Christian people to our worship service but to be the faithful church in small pockets throughout our city". The thing we need to take away from this statement is that our main goal shouldn't be to lull people into the four walls of a church setting, but to be the church wherever we go. The best way that I've learned how to do this is by living a biblically transparent life in such a way that the people you come in contact with are drawn to you the same way that people were drawn to Jesus. 

So...after browsing through a couple of online articles, watching a couple of videos that I came across, referencing a few books that I've read, and reflecting on how God has used me to influence those within my marketplace...here's a small list of things that have seemed to be effective for me during my pursuit of How To Reach People In The Marketplace!

FIVE WAYS TO LIVE A BIBLICALLY TRANSPARENT LIFE IN THE MARKETPLACE:

1) Share your own personal struggles & past with people you are trying to invest in. This allows people who may be inspecting the claims of Christianity to see that it's not necessary & virtually impossible to live a perfect life. It also makes them more comfortable knowing that you struggle with life too, which enables you to share transparency #2...

2) Openly speak to others about how God has helped YOU through a tough time in your life. Talking about your struggles allows you to gain influence with people because most of us are programmed to naturally want to fix things. Sharing how God sees you through those tough times creates curiosity & interest...especially for skeptics!

3) Your actions within the marketplace must align with your Christian principles. In other words, you have to practice what you preach. This point is crucial if you want to be able to even attempt the first two transparencies that we have already covered. Without building trust & respect among those who you're trying to influence, you'll never gain the spiritual leverage you're looking for & rarely get the opportunity to do so.

4) Always remember that you are working to please Jesus & nobody else! I can honestly say that Colossians 3:23 has completely transformed the way I approach my work everyday & the way that I lead people! When you concentrate on pleasing Him instead of the people you're catering to, your actions will follow suit and the rest will usually fall into place as it should.

5) Finally, make sure that you have a Kingdom minded vision for your place of employment. We spend a majority of our time each week, at our jobs, ensuring that we are capable of supporting our families, which means that we're spending as much time with supervisors, co-workers, & employees as we are with immediate family. As Chip likes to say, "You can't hit a target that you're not aiming at"!

In summary, Your Marketplace Is Your Ministry! The next time you're working, having coffee, out to dinner, doing your weekly grocery shopping, or meeting a friend for lunch, I hope you're able to put into play some of the things you got from this blog entry.

I'd like to thank Chip Stallings & the entire Discover Church Event team for the opportunity to speak at this year's ACCELERATE Leadership Conference and for all of the behind the scenes work that goes into making an event like this possible!

Turning The Page

In my last post, I invited you to join me in a journey that would allow me to apply the most recent leadership principles I had received from Patrick Lencioni's book, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"

 to the two teams that I was currently involved @ Brewzzi Restaurant. As you may have guessed after reading this opening statement, things have obviously changed since that last post. While I would like nothing more than to continue investing in both of the teams that I was apart of, I must find different ways of doing that now that Cristina & I have decided to begin a new chapter in our lives. 

Our decision to move on from Brewzzi was not an easy one!!! After being with a company & it's people for 10 years, it really does become like your home away from home & the people that you've spent almost 1/3 of your life with become family. However, Cristina & I have been feeling God's calling to start a family of our own. He's placed it in our hearts to start preparing for that responsibility, which we have been doing for over a year now & with that preparation comes seasons of change & a reshuffling of one's priorities. We're excited & eager to begin this new chapter, but we both knew that the only way to move from one chapter to the next is by Turning The Page!

So, with that in mind, I invite you to join me on a new leadership journey!!! This journey will be similar to the last one in that it NEEDS to be interactive...more than ever! I ask that you follow this blog...that you invite others to do the same...and more importantly, that you hold me accountable to being more consistent with it! I have a tendency to get sidetracked, but I know that I have a lot to offer you & those that are willing to follow this blog alongside us.

I look forward to Turning The Pages of life with each and every one of you!!! Together we can make life happen!

A Leadership Journey

I've come to realize that I'm not quite the leader that I thought I was. I say this because I am currently a part of two very dysfunctional teams within a company that I've been with for almost 10 years & despite ongoing efforts, I can't seem to facilitate the positive change necessary to jump start this amazing microbrewery concept.

With that having been said, I AM A LEADER, and therefore I will do what every successful leader before me has done...I will press on, continue to learn, keep an open mind to fresh ideas, & collaborate with other like-minded leaders in order to find the ever elusive formula necessary to triumph over this particular challenge!

One tool that I've found to help me out with this endeavor is Patrick Lencioni's book , The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. After all, if you're not reading...you're not leading! 

Over the next several weeks, I will be attempting to put into play the valuable lessons & information that I was able to gather while reading this book.

I feel that Lencioni's model for identifying the (5) dysfunctions of most teams gets right to the core of the matter & addresses key issues that are usually hard for groups to identify themselves.

So, what's next?!?!         APPLICATION!!!

I purchased a total of nine books as Christmas gifts for the entire Brewzzi Management Team!

THE PURPOSE...To get everyone of us on the same page and functioning as a team.

THE END GOAL (THE WIN)...A management team that is dedicated towards achieving results & capable of replicating the success we encountered during this process to the teams that we ourselves lead.

I hope you will become an active participant during this journey. There are a few different ways you can do that:

1) Feel free to comment on this post & the ones to follow.

2) Read the book!!! Then share your own discoveries with me in your comments.

3) Visit me at Brewzzi Restaurant located @ CityPlace in West Palm Beach, Florida to see the results for yourself & strike up a conversation with me.

I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you!
Here's to "Making Life Happen"!!!

Priorities + Commitment = Opportunity

com·mit·ment

kəˈmitmənt/

noun

1. 1.

   the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

   "the company's commitment to quality"

   synonyms:

   dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity
2. 2.

   an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.

   "business commitments"

   synonyms:

   responsibility, obligation, duty, tie, liability;

3. 
   

Commitment is a funny word...especially when you look at how the dictionary breaks it down & spells it out according to pronunciation. All of the synonyms associated with the word appear to be positive...words that we would want to be used when describing ourselves. However, I've come to notice that in many peoples' lives & experiences, the word "commitment" has a tendency to attach negative connotation & emotion at times. The definition itself uses the phrase, "an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action". 

That recently happened to me today! I had a "commitment" to meet a friend for breakfast that I wasn't quite looking forward to due to the nature of the conversation that we were going to have. Not only was I dreading the conversation itself, but it was also restricting the amount of free time that I had with my wife, which is rare enough these days due to the nature of owning one car, as well as the industry that we work in. However, what I've come to learn about "commitment" is that it is packed full of "opportunity"!!!

op·por·tu·ni·ty

ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onitē/

noun

1. 1.

   a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.

   "we may see increased opportunities for export"

   synonyms:

   chance, lucky chance, favorable time/occasion/moment, time, right set of circumstances, occasion, moment, opening, option, window (of opportunity), turn, go, possibility;

I had opportunities to be dedicated to my word, devoted to a friend, & faithful to God! I had opportunities to be responsible with my actions, loyal to my wife, and to do my duty as a Christian, which is to love one another as God loves us & to preach His gospel at every given "opportunity"!

However, the biggest takeaway from my experience today has to be the importance of "priorities" and the role that they play in our lives!

pri·or·i·ty

prīˈôrətē/

noun

1. 1.

   a thing that is regarded as more important than another.

   "housework didn't figure high on her list of priorities"

While my wife will always be my highest priority here on earth, she would be the first to tell you that there is one priority that I hold higher than herself...and that is God Himself! 

The friend that I met for breakfast had been trying to set up a time for us to meet for weeks at that point. Time constraints were usually our biggest obstacle because of my profession as a restaurant manager & the holidays in South Florida are the kick-off to our busy season. However, I knew that meeting with him had to be a priority! He is still fairly new to our church & 

somewhat of a social introvert. Thankfully, God has blessed me with the gift of being exactly the opposite & has thrown in the ability to earn people's trust rather quickly. 

And that's...Your Daily Dose of Vitamin E-12

To cut straight to the point, I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you recognize the "opportunity" to make a "commitment", make sure that your "priorities" are aligned appropriately in order to assure that they will be positively beneficial for all involved.

    PRIORITIES 

+ COMMITMENT 

---------------------------

= OPPORTUNITY

CATCHING UP!!!

It's been quite some time since I did anything with this blog. As usual, life sneaks up on me and throws a curve ball or two my way & every intention I had of being consistent with this thing goes right out the window.

I'm not going to do what I've done in the past & make any promises that this year will be any different. I'm not going to make a New Year's Resolution to write in this blog consistently, because it's not going to happen, but for those of you who might possibly still be looking at this from time to time, I will say this much...I'll at least try!

So let's start with this...a few brief highlights from 2013 to catch you up on what's going on in my life over the past year:

January  - Cristina & I celebrated our (1) year anniversary together in Orlando.

February - I stepped down from the Director of Community Engagement position @ Discover Church due to time constraints & workload @ Brewzzi Restaurant.

March - Cristina & I renewed our lease @ the Palm Lake Villas for (1) more year.

April - Makenna had surgery to remove (4) large cancerous mast cell tumors. Poor pup was miserable for awhile!!!

May - Cristina's parents visited from Colombia & we got to spend lot of time with them! Good for the heart! Cristina stopped working @ Tru Bamboo due to the company closing it's doors.

June - Cristina & I attended Thadd & Jaime's wedding in Tennessee & took our first official road trip to New Orleans on the way home! It was amazing!!!

July - Cristina's 31st birthday! We also went through Financial Peace University again & are currently stuck on Baby Step #1 once more thanks to some unexpected emergencies!

August - Thanks to Rachel Smith...Cristina, Makenna, & I were able to do our first official family photo shoot! You can find the pictures on our Facebook pages.

September - What always happens in September...Fantasy Football of course!!! Sorry baby...it's my one vice. Thanks for being a trooper & trying your best to learn the game for our sake!

October - The emergence of Pumpkin Spice Coffee & Shipyard Pumpkin Head are two of our personal favorites this time of year & yes, they are worth mentioning in this blog!!!

November - Cristina & I spent a week in Vermont visiting with both sides of the family. It was great!

December - Cristina got to visit her family in Colombia for two weeks!

I'm sure I forgot a bunch, but that's ok...hope you enjoyed!

A Match Made In Heaven

Thank you to everybody that made this day possible!

7 years, 2 months, & 25 days...

377 weeks...

2,642 days...

63,408 hours...

3,804,480 minutes...

28,268,800 seconds...

I look at the numbers listed above & wonder in amazement how she was ale to last that long...or even more so, why she said yes to adding to them! I do know one thing for sure though...after everything that we've been through, my wife & I truly are A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN !!!

The happiest day of my life!

As cliche as it may sound, it has to be true! Anyone that knew us before we gave our lives to Christ would be the first to tell you that there is absolutely no way on God's green earth that WE could have stayed obedient to HIS design for marriage...not on our own. It was through HIS guidance & the AMAZING people that HE surrounded us with that we were able to begin transforming into that individuals that HE has designed us to be, which ultimately led us to honoring HIM by becoming the couple that HE had intended all along!

To my wife...I love you more than words can describe! You take my breath away every time I look at you!

To my family...thank you for your support & guidance. I love you guys so much! 

To our church family...our wedding wouldn't have been possible without your spiritual guidance, your efforts, & your generous hearts. We love you guys so much! Thank you for everything!

Finally, to our Lord & Savior...YOU are truly a gracious & generous GOD. I have come to know that YOU love me more than anyone & nothing is impossible for YOU. Thank YOU for giving me my bride. I pray that I will be the man you have intended me to be for her. I ask that YOU strengthen my heart, body, mind, & soul so that I am able to lead her as YOU lead me & to love her as YOU love us. I ask all of this in the name of your precious SON...AMEN!!!