Changing The World One Service At A Time

Many people applaud those who are involved in volunteering and philanthropic organization, yet rarely do they mimic those who they admire.... or at least their actions. It's so easy to get side-track by the worldly ways that we often forget how to help others. Once caught in the tidal wave of life's problems and enticed by material things, it's hard for many to stop & think what have I done to give back? Seldom do we have these thoughts especially with action behind them.

Throughout the world, there are millions of people who lack the basic necessities to live a healthy life. This is in a wider scope of things, because although there are many impoverished countries, the need is also true within our own communities.  Just recently, I was volunteering with a food bank in Santa Barbara County. Many who have heard of Santa Barbara, would most likely agree that it is an affluent city and need here is not as prominent as in other cities throughout California. It was shocking for most to learn that Santa Barbara county as well as LA county, and Orange county, who are considered and are ranked some of the wealthiest counties in California, are in dire need of help. Everyday many people are faced with hard decision between food, rent and prescription medications. Many believe that poor people are those who are in the street corner asking for food, but that is not an accurate depiction of a person or a family in need. A lot of the time, those who had been in the past donors to organizations become clients of those same organizations they helped. With disbelief they think... 'I've been donating to your organization for years, but I never imagined I'd have to come here and ask for food.'


No one is immune.

Luckily, there are organizations like the Santa Barbara Food-bank who are there to help families who are in need, but unfortunately due to the economy the help they used to get from these programs are constantly being cut, which in turn close their doors to people who are need. With the budget cuts, less donations from grocery stores and the prices for food on the rise, there is more of a struggle for organizations to keep up with the demand.

This is only one of the many organizations that are hurting. So what can people do to help at the very least? Many organizations are in need of donations (food, clothing, toys and money). You can also join organizations or clubs directed towards community projects such as Rotaract, or you can spend one afternoon volunteering at Unity Shoppe or Foodbank. What's a couple of hours to change people's lives?

As an active volunteer, it is my belief that when you volunteer you actually receive more than what you are giving back. When you participate in your community volunteering, you are able to see the impact YOU have. I have been blessed to meet the very people/families who I am impacting, and it's an experience that puts the way you live life in a new perspective.

 The main point is to not wait for someone else to help a cause that you can very well help. You have a direct impact on your community. Remember, you never know when & from whom you will need help from in the future.... it may very well be the person you are helping now.

The Push

  Remember going to the park with your parents when you were little, and you would be super excited to go on the swings? At that age, I remember wanting to go higher and higher but alas, my little legs were not strong enough to give me the extra boost to go higher! Enter mom or dad, who would be able to provide me with the extra push needed to go higher.


  In life everything can be smooth sailing - job stability, relationships, etc.... then we encounter  some rough turbulence in the water! Sometimes when everything seemed to be going fine, and everything was going great for you, something will come and mess things up. But every now and then, what seems to be great for you, isn't always true. Our views can be very deceptive at times, and it's in the aftermath of those battles that we encounter, where we are able to see through those deceptions. Sometimes in order to be blessed & prosper financially, emotionally, spiritually and mentally, there needs to be a change in our life. A push is necessary in order for us to go in a new direction where we can receive God's full blessing. 


 When tribulations hit our life remember that it serves as a purpose to learn, change, or empower ourselves. Without these hardships would anyone actively change? More than likely people would be compliant with their life & wouldn't strive for greater things.What may seem like problems, and obstacles might be the push we need in our life to get us to the next level.                                                                   


 I believe that God provides "Pushes" in our life in order for us to go higher, just as we needed our mother or father to give us the extra boost on the swings. Through opposition is where we experience the most growth in our lives. Here our talents and our abilities are able to be refined and can surpass what they used to be. Always keep in mind that in order for us to feel that fresh, crisp air we seek when we are so high in the sky, we must be pushed....Up!     


"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." -- Jer 29:11

Memo to You

Reminders, we all need them. Whether it's a reminder that we've been given all the talents & abilities to carry out our vision, or a reminder of how much you impact other people's lives. At one point or another we all need those reminders in our life, but when you are at those points remember to look to God because he will provide the right people who will serve as reminders for you to keep pushing forward.

" But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

The Power of One

"Although ONE can make a difference, it’s also true that it’s always easier to attack someone who stands alone than one who stands with others.The best strategy for any opponent is to alienate you from others. Let God always stand with you & let His light of truth shine your path.Never let your faith waver; as faith is only tested when you're given the opportunity to be unfaithful." --Me

Got Confidence?

"It's impossible," said Pride. "It's risky," said Experience. "It's pointless," said Reason. "Give it a try," whispered the Heart

At one point or another we have all lost our self confidence. There are many occurrences in life where your confidence is struck hard. Sometimes you overcome life's hardness, sometimes you get weighed down. Sometimes your courage and confidence sees you through it, but sometimes your self-confidence gets a beating. I find that is especially true if you are used to success and then suddenly you fall short.

I recently got into a car accident and although I pride myself in being an excellent driver, I found myself feeling not so driver savvy as I once did. Throughout life, we all fall short. It may be from being a straight A student and suddenly you receive your first C, or perhaps you were the top salesmen for your company known for scoring deals, and a deal you were working so hard for fell through. Or perhaps you are a great public speaker and one of your speeches did not relate to your audience as well as you would have liked it to. The initial reaction is “What happened?!” or “Why did this happen?!”  Those what, why, how, questions really have a way to damper your self-confidence and feelings of doubt and inferiority arise.

So how can you regain that lost self-confidence? I look to looking at the brighter side of situations. It’s a big pill to swallow when things don’t go the way you expected them to. For example if you have been laid off, it’s natural to feel bad for a day or two but don’t let that feeling consume you. Perhaps being laid off (although terrible) might be a blessing in disguise. When things don’t go as expected it’s a great time to review your life or skills and become aware of areas that need improvement. These setbacks can be an opportunity to start afresh and live your life a new way which is more in sync with your abilities and aptitude.  

When we don’t get the results we expect it may lead you to think “Why me?” This notion most of the time can be a result of comparing yourself with other people. Perhaps you have been preparing yourself to deliver an important report to your boss and someone who came unprepared impressed your boss more. Stop comparing yourself with other people because this will only frustrate you further. Instead of indulging in self-pity (though we all do from time to time), take control of your life and take responsibility for your actions, learn from your mistakes and make a fresh start. 


"Promise yourself, no matter how difficult the problem life throws at you, that you will try as hard as you can to help yourself. You acknowledge that sometimes your efforts to help yourself may not result in success, as often being properly rewarded is not in your control" -- Raj Persaud

The problem is not as important as the impact it had on you, but rather the impact that you let the problem create on you. In life pain is inevitable but anguish is voluntary. It's purely your choice, and whether you choose to bounce back or suffer is entirely your prerogative. Remember that there is always a way to regain your lost self-confidence. You just have to look for it by pushing through your situation, however dark that path is because finding is reserved for those who search.  

The Mapmaker

It's amazing how at one point in your life you might meet someone that will impact you in such a way where it can totally change your life's direction.

Is it random? I don't believe so. 

I believe that our life is like a map, and the ultimate mapmaker is God. He designs our map as we continually go through our life journey. He shows us what needs to be shown by placing twists, turns, and obstacles in our roads and placing us in tough terrains. By terrain, I mean a particular region that can determine the suitablity of human life. These terrains or phases in life, can sometimes be very hard to endure and walk through, but I believe that these are trials that God sets forth for you in order to mold you into who you need to be in order to achieve your purpose in life. Think of when you are on a treadmill. Why do you increase the speed or inclination? By increasing the rigor of your workout you strengthen your body and increase your endurance. More simply put, you become more fit. The same principle applies to our life when we go through tough terrains. These tough phases in your life strengthen your character and make you learn more about yourself. These phases get you more fit in areas where you were weak, so when you face tougher areas in life, you will be stronger and better prepared. With all the lessons we learn along the way in our journey we have a natural tendency to wonder, where am I heading? What’s the purpose? We all serve a purpose in life. At one point or another we question ourselves and our purpose in life. That purpose you find during your journey, which in fact is the destination in itself. 

Sometimes God will introduce new people in your life in order to shape you, by the lessons you learn from them directly or as a result of your interaction with them. When their job is complete, God may remove them from your road in order not to obstruct your path and you are free to move forward in your journey. Think of a one way road and there's a boulder in the way. You have to be somewhere important, but this boulder (perhaps a person, or an attribute where you are weak in- e.g. an addiction, or being prideful) is in between you and your destination. First thought is, "Geez, how do I move this?" You obviously want to get on your merry way! Well, I believe that either we move it ourselves if we have enough strength (strong character that resulted from past roads) to move it or God will figure out a way to move it for you (-always found comfort in that). 

"Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7  

I think one of the most wonderful things that humans sometimes take for granted or don't think about is, free will. It's been given to all of us. I believe that God is very crafty and very creative when it comes to our life map. It's filled with details that are beyond our scope of reasoning. As a traveler in your own life journey, you have the free will to choose what road to take. And sometimes a road can lead you to a fork where you may not be sure, which road to take.  At times you may chose a road with a tough terrain, which makes your life tough and can lead you to lose a lot. It's during these trials that we experience feelings of despair, hopelessness, and anxiety. These experiences test your character. You must look to your past roads and look to what they have taught you, both the successes and failures. Although successes do serve a purpose, failures serve a greater purpose. Past failures serve as reminders of the lessons we learned on how we handle and see things. For what may have defined your past, does not have to define your future. 

Although it may be hard to accept, when you learn to embrace those tough times it liberates you from bitterness and anger. They are there to serve as lessons about oneself and help you discover your purpose. Remind yourself, that your life map has been design by God and that it will lead you to become the person you are meant to be, if you only wish to learn and excel from the journey. And if you are currently in a tough terrain with feelings of bleakness, or sadness, remember that sometimes you have to lose all in order to gain everything. 

Against All Odds

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career.I've lost almost 300 games.26 times,I've been trusted to take the game winning shot & missed. I've failed over & over & over again in my life. & that's why I succeed." 

- Michael Jordan

Ever been told you couldn't do something because the odds were against you? Perhaps, it was something that was hard to do or never been done before. That mentality of "I can't, because ...." arises. 


Looking at facts is the easiest thing one can do. The great Michael Jordan in high school didn't succeed in making it onto his school's basketball team. At the time, MJ was too short to make it to the Varsity basketball team. So what was the fact? He was too short. 


But MJ, looked beyond the facts and reasoning, which I believe can be the hardest thing to do. He maintained that mentality of "I can" because he believed that beyond the obvious facts, he could make the team. Most of the time, people forget to look beyond the facts and lose the will to do something or fight for something that they want or believe in. To keep that stamina when things seem out of reach even though you want to give up, I believe is the biggest challenge. If you look throughout history, books, movies and even our everyday lives, there are various examples of people accomplishing the seemingly impossible. 


Just recently, I saw the movie "The Adjustment Bureau" and the most important thing I took away was the simple fact that, no matter if all odds seem against you, if you work for something you love dearly then anything is possible. In the movie, the protagonist falls in love with this woman who according to the plan (dictated by a character named Chairman) he was unable to be with. Agents who worked for the Chairman tried to keep the couple apart, but against all odds the protagonist decided to take a chance, risk his future and find the Chairman to change the plan. In the end, the Chairman had no problem changing the 'master plan,' because it was all a test. A test to see if the protagonist would question the rules set upon him (as many take facts and never question them) and to see how far he would go and how much he was willing to risk for something he loved. (It's a really good movie, despite my  super uber short synopsis of the movie). 


One my favorite quotes comes from Thomas Edison, who said,                                                                                                                                                     

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try one more time." 

I think we should live with the mentality of "I can" instead of I can't. The easiest thing for us to do is to give up on something that is deemed impossible or unlikely. But we must look beyond reason! And when hope is frail, look to those who have done the impossible and use it as a reminder that standards of what is said to be impossible is not set in stone, but is merely a threshold of something that is waiting to be defied. 


Be that person that defies all odds!! :0)